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The wheel turns and the seasons change.  Change is inevitable.  The real question to ask is how do we deal with the changes?  Do we resist, clinging to the past, or do we embrace the changes and bend to encompass the new in our lives?

My sincere apologies to our readers for the delay in getting this issue of Online Pagans Magazine out.  Our little publication is produced by a handful of contributors with one editor (me) who puts it all together and then makes it available online and in print formats.  Since our last issue came out my family has gone through some major transitions — my spouse’s career went through a change from one company to another, which resulted in us pulling up roots in Canada and moving our household to a new home in the United States.  Getting settled in a different country, getting the kids into new schools, and all the other little chores that come with moving have taken up a lot of my focus.  And now it’s time for a new edition of Online Pagans Magazine to greet the world!

In this issue you’ll find a challenging selection of articles, poems, and artwork.  May you find ideas to spark deep introspection and an enrichment of your spiritual life!

Image by toastforbrekkie via Flickr

“You have the right to remain silent” is a phrase that we inevitably have come across during arrests in police movies and some of us might have even heard it from the horse’s mouth. I will not be writing here on the right to avoid self-incrimination but rather on Neo-Pagans or Wiccans who choose to remain confined in the closet… the broom closet.

This is a very personal choice, which takes a lot of thought and consideration. Coming out and declaring your faith comes with baggage, as everything else in life. Neo-Pagans and Wiccans are increasing in numbers but in many countries these religions are still not mainstream faiths. What will my family, friends and loved ones think of me? What repercussions will I have at my place of work? Will I still be accepted? What if in the future I had to change my mind? Why should I be repressive with myself and hide my true identity? These and similar questions pop up in our heads, some time or another, during different stages of the walk upon the path we have chosen.

Some are happy and comfortable to stay safe within the closet whilst others have no apparent choice. For them faith is a personal matter and it’s in nobody else’s interest to know what they believe. Others feel like they are living a lie. They feel confined within the closet and are anxious to share their belief or just free themselves from living a double life. Similar situations can be very frustrating because they confine the person to a very limited space in which he or she can practice his/her religion of choice. When I was a teenager and still living at the home of my parents, I had to find ways to disguise tools and other items that I had gathered. Books were even more difficult to hide especially when they come in large numbers and with flashing pentagrams on the cover. An easy remedy for hiding books was that of dressing them with jackets from other acceptable literature. Today the internet offers easy ways for one to discreetly carry out research and keep in touch.

Luckily enough my wife is on the same path so I left most of my problems behind when I left my paternal home. I would never think of coming out to my parents because they will never understand and the fact that their son, to whom they gave a sold Catholic upbringing, has ended meddling with witchcraft, would be a pain too hard to handle. I have a close circle of friends with whom I can talk and in whom I confide but it stops there. Coming out of the broom closet would mean the end to my career. In a society such as the one I live in, where for the majority of people pagan = atheist and witch = Satanist, it’s best to opt for the right to remain silent.

This fact does not make me less or more Neo-Pagan than those who have the opportunity to shout their faith at the world. I am who I am and there are circumstances that I cannot change. Trying to fight the establishment will take away precious time and energy which I can use in a better way to grow spiritually. I respect all other faiths and am not into proselytizing. I have no intention of going around knocking on doors and telling people that I have found the only true path because I believe that everybody has his or her own calling. This does not mean that I will not speak out if my rights are trampled upon. I just try to make the best to avoid such circumstances by staying out of harm’s way.

My advice to those who are pondering coming out of the broom closet is to think carefully and keep in mind that every action brings about a reaction. Would your situation improve? What is really driving you to tell the world? Dig deep and try to find out if it is a statement of faith or just rebellion. Take your time and do not rush into quick decisions. Study your situation from all angles and try to perceive how you would feel if you were on the other side. Meditate on the matter and ask the Gods for their counsel. Whatever you feel is best for you… an’ it harm none, do what thou wilt.

Image by SoulRider.222 via Flickr

Buses… buses… buses… what in the world is their special purpose!?
Overly obese people with their tummies uncovered by tight, stained shirts
Senior citizens treated with special care by the bus driver because they’re
“fragile”
Youngsters chat with eachother, tolerating a generation from an era of milkshake dates and obsessing over Elvis Presley’s image

Coffee is forbidden unless there’s a lid
The driver has no patience for animals not in cages…
Cars crash and people scream with veins bursting like grapes
The view of a vibrant city disappears after five minutes to my
disappointment

I can take a picture of this bizarre life Portlanders call “normal”
You might push it away since a child is being hit by his parent in the
trash-littered alley
I can’t tell what goes on in everyone’s car but it must be somewhat pleasant
Buses constantly make the annoying sound of change falling down pipes

Pedestrians walk in front of unrestrained cars
The tall, black-robed skeleton follows everyone of them in my
preoccupied city
Cars become tiny bugs in their eyes as they smoke, smoke, smoke till
the hair smells worse than grandmother’s breath
Surprisingly, no one slammed against the pole out of frustration

I wonder why I have to be careful yet everyone else is carefree
No one harms them, no one seems to complain about mistakes made
So, I laugh with sarcasm till the birds drop their worm-digested feces
on my fresh copy of the Vanguard
Now, I have to try to avoid the city’s trash-scented vermin too!?

Image via Wikipedia

Loads of black coal sit next to the boarded entrance of a cave
The result of months inside the wet hole with no time to leave
You know they couldn’t breathe, so had to rely on eachother
Air flowed from one mouth to another

Digging the far end where water drips into large enclaves in the ground
Such cold and refreshing water!
Fish swim happily in pools unaware of the footsteps along the rocky path
Echoes of whispers are heard by the workers near the front of the cave

A soft laugh in the midst of tired coughing
A memory inside that laugh taken out of suppressed joy
You can see the man’s life before he went into the cave
Children played with him, shared snacks and gave meaning to his life

There is a way out of this journey that may not be found
It stretches for miles to the end of a hill overlooking the deep blue ocean
Nothing but the milky waves rolling into eachother like cats when playing with yarn
Death is dreaded by regular people but for the cave men it is treasured bliss

photo CC by MaryLane

Many of us experience that prickle feeling with the body hair standing on end and the skin looking like “goose bumps” time and again. It is usually associated or identified with chills, shiver and certain emotional states. Less known, however, is that this prickle is informative and effective in the fields of health care and spirituality. This is suggested by both medical studies and the experience of spiritual masters of different cultures.

The spiritual significance of prickling

If the spiritual dimension of the prickle feeling is not immediately evident to us, it may be because our familiar sources of information don’t make ties between the two. According to current physiology, goose bumps are a relic of a distant past: when the hominids of prehistoric times were still covered with dense hair, the rise of the hair protected from the cold and made women and men look bigger and more menacing – which is thought to have helped averting combats in threatening situations. For relatively hairless and clean-shaven modern people, however, the prickle feeling has become useless. The Bible, on the other hand, links the phenomenon to fear and terror: “Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up“ (Job 4,14-15).

Religious and spiritual traditions of non-Western cultures point to a different aspect: prickle feelings are associated with meditative and ecstatic states, often while experiencing a deep devotional love towards a deity. This is not so difficult for us to comprehend if we remember that we know this feeling from very beautiful moments, be it while listening to harmonious music, looking at touching natural phenomena, or feeling one with a person we love.

Speaking of love and sexuality, the prickle on the skin may be understood as a result of deep and conscious relaxation of body and mind. The Kamasutra, a 4^th century Indian textbook of carnal love, teaches a particular type of touch that will cause the prickling (Kamasutra 4. 10). Psychologist J. Panksepp observed neurochemical similarities between the prickle feeling and the sexual orgasm – pointing to the fact that the exhilarating prickle is often felt during intense orgasms involving the whole body (“skin orgasm”, “full body orgasm”).

Now we understand the deeper meaning the prickle has for many masters who transformed carnal love into spiritual love: love is not directed to a person, but to God; the sexual orgasm is replaced by the whole body orgasm of an overwhelming and ecstatic prickle. The Indian Yoga textbook Gherandasamhita, for example, classifies the prickle feeling as a phenomenon of bhakti, devotional love (7,14-15). And in the Hindu epics and legends, the hair of the bodies of heroes, yogis and gods raise when they behold divine beings or hear timeless truths – like Arjuna, the hero of the Bhagavad Gita, whose hair stands on end when he recognizes the universal nature of his charioteer, god Krishna (11,14). And the Bhagavata Purana, focused on devotional love for the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna, clearly states: “How can without bhakti one‘s hair stand on end, without loving service the heart melt, without devotion the tears flow, the bliss be and one‘s consciousness be purified?” (Canto 11,14,23).

In religious literature, the prickle feeling is also mentioned as an accompanying aspect of deep contemplation and meditation. In the Abhidhamma, the most recent part of the Buddhist Pali canon, the sensation of a prickle indicates a certain level of meditation: after the thoughts have ceased to flow, an overwhelming joy (priti) spreads throughout the whole body which may intensify to total ecstasy. The phenomenon is not unknown to some mystics of the Semitic religions: church father Augustine wrote in the 4^th century about a holy shiver that suddenly has come over him and let him recognize the invisible nature of the creation of God. And the 11^th century Islamic mystic al-Qusayri connects goose bumps to the state of deep humility (tawadu) and the disclosure of truth. In addition, the prickle feeling is a phenomenon often reported by members of societies that frequently use ritual techniques of ecstasy and trances to achieve altered states of consciousness. We have anthropological data suggesting a close connection between goose bumps and ecstatic states or trance from Bengal, Micronesia and South America, where the tingling is often associated with the presence of super-human powers and certain states of the soul.

Healing through prickling – a holistic and energetic perspective

If the prickle feeling goes together with devotional love, ecstasy and altered states of consciousness in general, we can understand it as a symptom of holistic development and healing. But how does this phenomenon bring about healing?

To answer that question, I suggest to think of the prickling as a sensation that indicates subtle energy which flows out of the psychosomatic body. This view corresponds with the Ayurvedic teaching that understands the prickling as a sign of an increased vata dosha – wind or ethereal – state, and thus as subtle energy. Any prickling with hair standing on end would therefore point to excess energy flowing out of the body on a subtle (vata) level. As energy flows out, it dissolves subtle blockades and slags and brings about cooling – just as sweating, urinating and defecating bring about cleaning and cooling on a more material level (pitta and kapha).

Generally, Western academic medicine does not ascribe cleaning and cooling effects to the prickle phenomenon. Rather, it is known as a symptom of various, often infectious diseases, along with cold, faint, dizziness, numbness and other troubles. There are indications, however, that the prickling is, like fever, a defensive reaction of the body. Fact is that certain medicine can cause prickle feelings in patients. Interpreted from the perspective of energy, the active agent of the medicine causes the patient’s subtle energy to flow out of the psychosomatic body through the prickle feeling and, thus, to clear body and mind from the disease. Furthermore, there are statistical studies suggesting “chills”, usually accompanied by prickling, to have an unexplored health benefit. It was found that fever patients with blood poisoning who have chills show higher survival rates, compared with those patients who do not experience chills. The researchers suspect that, in general, patients with chills are able to respond more effectively to diseases.

If we proceed thinking in line with the energetic-cathartic interpretation, we learn about the cleansing effect of the prickling also on a psychological level. Inner tensions are made conscious and get resolved through the experience of the prickle feeling. In fear situations, for example, it is the energy of fear that we release through our psychosomatic body. With increasing progress, fear symptoms like tremors and heart palpitation will cease to appear. This allows us not only to stay calm and centered in such situations, but we can even learn to enjoy this energy – fear is losing not its energy but its emotional power over us. Also, the prickling in the head, which sometimes is noticeable in states of intense anger, has the effect of a “valve” and allows us to immediately become calm and relaxed. In this way, we have not suppressed the aggression but rather let its energy flow out of our body without being rude or even destructive against ourselves or others – we have overcome the anger. The same happens with strong affection in love or sexuality. A conversation with a sympathetic human being can cause a relaxing prickle feeling – it enables us to enjoy that moment free from possible oppressive constraints and desires. Also, those who try to convert their sexual energy will increasingly experience hair standing on end, indicating the outflow of transformed sexual energy – by way of an ecstatic full body orgasm, which relaxes and strengthens body and mind and lets us experience a beautiful and joyful environment.

In all these cases, the prickle feeling helps us to become aware of emotional tension, to dissolve and release it as pure energy without becoming entrapped in emotional dependencies. Neuropsychological studies indirectly confirmed this when they found that “goose bumps” are associated with increased attention and positive assessments, as well as with reduced anxiety and aversion in the persons examined. Thus, in the sense of a holistic cleansing or development, the prickle feeling has a healing aspect which is inseparable from spirituality. Western medicine and physiology is gradually discovering what was known and exemplified by spiritual masters of different cultures and traditions: the relaxing and energy releasing prickling sensation on the skin, which can be intensified to ecstasy by an appropriate lifestyle, makes us confident and lets us affirm and enjoy our lives.

References

Augustinus, Aurelius (n/a): Confessiones (transl. by Georg Rapp). Stuttgart 1838

Becker, Judith O. (2004): Deep Listeners: Music, Emotion and Trancing. Info University Press

Figge, Horst H. (1973): Geisterkult, Besessenheit und Magie in der Umbanda-Religion Brasiliens. K. Alber

Goodenough, Ward H. (2002): Under Heaven’s Brow: Pre-Christian Religious Tradition in Chuuk. Philadelphia

Grewe, Oliver et al. (2005): How Does Music Arouse „Chills“? Investigating Strong Emotions, Combining Psychological, Physiological, and Psychoacoustical Methods, in: Neurosciences and Music III: From Perception to Performance. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1060: 446-449

Guenther, Herbert V. (1974): Philosophy and Psychology in the Abhidharma. Delhi

Hartmann, Richard (1914): Das Sufitum nach Al-Kuschairi. J. J. Augustin

McDaniel, June (1989): The Madness of the Saints. Ecstatic Religion in Bengal. Chicago

Panksepp, J. (1995): The emotional sources of „chills“ induced by music, in: Music Perception 13, 2: 171-207

Spitzer, Manfred (2002): Musik im Kopf. Stuttgart

Tausin, Floco (2010): Mouches Volantes. Die Leuchtstruktur des Bewusstseins. Leuchtstruktur Verlag: Bern

Van Dissel, Jaap T. Et al. (2005): Chills in „early sepsis“: good for you? In: Journal of Internal Medicine 257: 469-472

Gieler, Uwe (2002). Warum bekommt man in besonders bewegenden Momenten eine Gänsehaut?  http://www.spektrumdirekt.de/artikel/591742 (24.2.11)

Image via Wikipedia

(This article originally appeared in Circle Magazine, Issue 97, Summer 2007.)

“Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names…”

This opening passage from the Charge of the Goddess used by Wiccans around the world is familiar to many, but how many realize that this introductory statement was inspired by the ancient cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis? A remarkably similar statement is found in “The Golden Ass, or The Metamorphoses” by the classical writer Lucius Apuleius, who lived between 123 and 170 CE. Scholars believe that Apuleius was an initiate of the Isis cult and used his novel to document at least some of the teachings of his beloved goddess. Here’s the relevant passage from book eleven, chapter forty-seven of the 1566 English translation of the book by W. Adlington:

“…my name, my divinity is adored throughout all the world in divers manners, in variable customes and in many names, for the Phrygians call me the mother of the Gods: the Athenians, Minerva: the Cyprians, Venus: the Candians, Diana: the Sicilians Proserpina: the Eleusians, Ceres: some Juno, other Bellona, other Hecate: and principally the æthiopians which dwell in the Orient, and the ægyptians which are excellent in all kind of ancient doctrine, and by their proper ceremonies accustome to worship mee, doe call mee Queene Isis.”

Adlington’s translation was reprinted in new annotated and updated editions in 1915 and 1924, and Robert Graves produced a new English translation from the Latin original in 1950. The book’s popularity has certainly withstood the test of time as it is still being read almost two thousand years after its author lived.

It’s interesting to note that this passage from Apuleius’ work also confirms that at least some ancient Pagan religions accepted the idea that perhaps different deities were in fact manifestations or different names for a greater Divine One. Today we often refer to the idea that “all gods are One God, all goddesses are One Goddess” as soft polytheism, in contrast to hard polytheism, which affirms all deities are unique and independent. Apuleius’ book proves that soft polytheism is not a new idea that has been thrust upon Paganism in recent times as some have claimed.

Southern influences on the Pagan religions of the British Isles extend to more than just Wicca. During the Roman era the cult of Isis, which had grown tremendously and spread outside of Egypt, made its way to the British Isles and found receptive worshippers. In R. E. Witt’s book “Isis in the Ancient World” they discuss archeological evidence that has proven there was a temple to Isis in London. In “Roman Britain” by T. W. Potter and Catherine Jones, a photo on page 197 shows a stone altar found in London. The altar bears an inscription stating it is dedicated to Isis. Isis’ name and worship was clearly known by at least some people in the British Isles during the Pagan era!

Popular occult philosophy has a huge emphasis on Egyptian material. Hermeticism, the philosophical base behind the vast majority of European and British Isles ceremonial magick, is attributed to the mythical founder Hermes Trismegistus. According to John Michael Greer in “The New Encyclopedia of the Occult,” Hermes Trismegistus (which means “Hermes the Thrice-Great”) actually originated as the Egyptian god Thoth, and then evolved to include the Greek Hermes during the Hellenization of the ancient world. As time went on the mythical Hermes Trismegistus was depicted more and more as an actual human rather than a deity. It was also popular for new occult ideas to be attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, the same way that some of the old grimoires (such as the Key of Solomon) have authors listed who could not possibly have written them. Associating occult teachings to a famous occult personality or deity lends them a respectable reputation to some minds.

Hermeticism has been foundational for most occultism in the English-speaking world for centuries. Most modern occultists are at least aware of Hermeticism’s central axiom, “As above, so below.” More recent groups such as the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, founded around 1884 by Max Theon, and the much more successful Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded in 1888 by William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell “Macgregor” Mathers, drew heavily on Hermeticism as well as Egyptian mythology and motifs. Around the turn of the century Samuel Liddell “Macgregor” Mathers and his wife Moina wrote and performed what they called the Rites of Isis for the public in Paris. The Mathers’ performances were a hit, suggesting that Egyptian ideas had an enduring appeal in the occult community in particular in western Europe.

Occultism in the English-speaking world owes a lot to Egypt and other southern sources such as Africa and in more recent times to Australia. Egyptian culture was one of the first to emphasize the use of oaths and swearing promises by the gods. Oaths were so important in ancient Egypt that their legal system was based on it. Oaths that were broken were treated very seriously and had clear legal consequences. In modern Pagan practice this appears in the formal initiation ceremonies that some groups perform where candidates are required to make oaths of loyalty to the specific religion, to the gods and goddesses, and to the other members of the group. Oath breaking is not taken lightly.

Egyptians were also credited with great magickal skill. During the Hellenization of the ancient world Egyptian philosophy and magickal practice was exported to the rest of Europe just as much as Greek and Roman ideas were imported into Egypt. “The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation” edited by Hans Dieter Betz is an amazing collection documenting how magickal ideas mingled and were put to use in the pre-Christian as well as Christian eras. Quite a few of the spells listed include obvious Egyptian references such as Egyptian deity names, Egyptian spell materials such as papyrus or parts of animals that are specific to Egypt, and clear references to Egyptian myth. In many cases these are mingled with Greek, Roman, or Middle Eastern references as well. The ancient practice of magick was certainly eclectic!

Egyptian myth and religion also contributed an enduring image: the Divine triad of mother, father, and child. Other Pagan cultures recognized familial connections between the gods and goddesses, but few seemed to feel it was important enough to emphasize the mother-father-child unit. As Christianity grew the mother-father-child image was absorbed and promoted for Christian purposes. However, the earliest predominant mother and child figure was clearly that of Isis and Horus, with the father Osiris also an important part of the imagery. The Christians knew a powerful image when they saw it and adopted it into their own mythology.

Another magickal practice that the Egyptians popularized was the art of dream interpretation. Dreams were routinely interpreted for hints into the future or insight into the present or past. Specific types of priests and priestesses would interpret dreams for those who sought guidance. There is even evidence that the Egyptians created and used dream dictionaries which would have helped standardize dream interpretations.

Writing itself was an important part of Egyptian culture. Scribes held an honoured place in Egyptian society and were employed by people from all walks of life for creating and reading everything from personal correspondence, to recording royal genealogies and religious scriptures. Scribes were a necessary part of the funerary process for the wealthy as it was the scribes who were responsible for ensuring the correct magickal instructions were inscribed in the tombs so that the deceased would be able to attain a suitable afterlife.

A logical progression from the importance placed on writing is the idea that words themselves contain magickal power. The funeral rituals described in the Egyptian Book of the Dead involve specific prayers and incantations that must be recited for the deceased to earn the best form of afterlife. Spells in “The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation” also frequently include sequences of untranslatable magickal words believed to produce particular magickal effects. Some of these are undoubtedly prayers or Divine titles in forgotten languages but they have been preserved in an attempt to exploit their inherent power.

Ritual gestures too have survived or been adopted into European and British occultism from Egyptian sources. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and its offshoots, including Aleister Crowley’s Thelema, employ sequences of clearly Egyptian-inspired ritual motions such as crossing the forearms on the chest (the Osiris position), or holding a finger to the mouth (known as the sign of silence, or the sign of Harpocrates.) Some of these ritual gestures have been adopted in other modern Pagan groups as well, appearing for instance in some Wiccan rituals.

Egypt is not the only southern influence on modern Paganism. While it does have a very clear historical impact, modern Pagans have also drawn inspiration from other African cultures, and in more recent times from Australia.

Sociological, historical, anthropological and folklore research conducted by Europeans exploring Africa’s complex cultures have inspired modern Pagan groups to explore ecstatic and what some consider shamanic practices. Previously English occult and Pagan practices focused more on philosophy, ritual or even abstract worship of the Divine, and a rather intellectual approach to magick. European studies of magick and witchcraft among non-Christian cultures in Africa demonstrated that many of the practices are widespread if not universal. The foundational mythological and religious structures might vary quite a lot but many of the actual practices, such as using images to perform sympathetic magick, healing through the use of herbs and the power of suggestion as well as the direction of life energy, are not exclusive to just one culture or even continent. Some practices such as trance obtained through energetic dancing, the use of mind-altering substances, and even divine possession had been part of occult work in Europe in the past but largely lost through the Christian era. Seeing how well it worked within African cultures inspired many modern European Pagans to explore those practices anew. Sometimes it takes a neighbor to remind us that things can be done different ways!

British and European Paganism has always held at its core a connection to the spirits of place, the genius loci who often grew to become major gods and goddesses. It’s interesting to note though that as occultism developed over the centuries the philosophy of place became formalized into a concrete set of associations which might make sense for some places but not others depending on geography. For instance, associating the direction of East with Air and West with Water does not necessarily make sense in places where the largest body of water is actually to the South as in many coastal regions along the Mediterranean. However, the idea of tradition was allowed to take precedence and associations became dogma.

As Europeans and others immigrated to Australia they took their magickal systems with them. In recent times modern Pagans have come to re-examine the idea of spirits of place and as a result Australian Pagans of European and British descent have pointed out the problems in using a dogmatic and arbitrary system of correspondences. The argument has been made that when tradition alienates you from the spirits of place we have lost a major part of our spiritual basis. The lesson that Australian Pagans have taught us is that sometimes tradition becomes dogma and can be a hindrance to effective spiritual and magickal practice. Many modern Pagans do stick with traditional systems but there are some interesting and effective variations that have come together in the past hundred years that focus more on attuning with the spirits of place rather than sticking with imported dogma or tradition.

Another valuable lesson that Australia’s aboriginal culture has taught modern English-speaking Pagans is the idea that spirit, body, and place are not necessarily as separate as we might think. We European-descended Pagans often talk about the ground we walk on as being the body of the Goddess, but the Australian aborigines actually live it as an inherent part of their traditional culture. It’s sad to see the aboriginal culture losing these connections because of the introduction of the consumer-based culture. All is not lost though – there is a close enough connection to the traditional aborigine culture in a historical sense that the damage can be healed. In a strange way, the aboriginal emphasis on humans being very much a part of the body of the Divine rather than separate from it is being preserved by the modern European-descended Pagans whose own ancestors introduced the destructive elements into Australian aboriginal culture in the first place. Perhaps we can atone for the damage done by our ancestors.

Human history, especially the history of magick and religion, is a vast cloth woven from strands of many colours originating in many different places and cultures around the world. Modern Paganism in English-speaking communities is a product of ideas, practices, and philosophies from a wide variety of sources. We modern Pagans owe a lot to the cultures of the South, the cultures of Africa and Egypt in particular, as well as places such as Australia. As our community grows even more we will undoubtedly find that many more Southern influences will make their way into our spiritual culture.

References

Apuleius, Lucius (translated to English by W. Adlington and first published in 1566. Formatted in a public domain web edition by Martin Guy in 1996.) “The Golden Asse.” http://books.eserver.org/fiction/apuleius/

Apuleius, Lucius (translated to English by Robert Graves.) “The Golden Ass.” New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1979. A modern translation of the Latin classic depiction of the popular cult of Isis presented in fictional form, written in the second century CE.

Betz, Hans Dieter (editor.) “The Greek Magical Papyri In Translation.” Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986. An amazing collection of English translations of ancient spells, prayers, and invocations of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and even Jewish and Christian origin that date back into the BCE times.

Greer, John Michael. “The New Encyclopedia of the Occult.” St. Paul MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2003.

Oakes, Lorna & Gahlin, Lucia. “Ancient Egypt.” New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003. A lushly illustrated exploration of ancient Egyptian history.

Potter, T. W. & Johns, Catherine. “Roman Britain.” New York: Barnes & Noble Books, paperback edition 2002.

Regardie, Israel. “The Golden Dawn.” St. Paul MN: Llewellyn, 1995. Detailed explanations of the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Witt, R. E. “Isis in the Ancient World.” Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1971.

Luckily enough, the islands still offer archaeological parks or walks which are not so popular with tourists and locals alike. The Heritage Trail, situated at Xemxija (which translates as sunny), a hill overlooking the picturesque village of St Paul’s Bay, is one of them and in this article I will be sharing the experience with you. If you are looking for a spiritual experience or just rambling through an archaeological park with spectacular views surrounded by nature, this is the place for you. I will attempt to describe some of the most important features of the walk but there is much more to be discovered.

Punic-Roman Road

The Xemxija Heritage Trail offers you the opportunity to literally walk on history. The path, that connects the archaeological remains, is a Punic-Roman Road dating back over two thousand years. This engineering feat is preserved in a good condition for a considerable length and is unique on the islands. Walking along one can still notice the stone curbing whose function is to hold up the road surface. Channels can also be observed, cut at the most opportune point, to direct water from one side of the road to the other. This system ensured a very efficient way for water collection. The road starts as a stone and soil mixture surface and proceeds to certain sections which are hewn out of the rock. A good example of engineering can be observed a few meters uphill where the road turns left 90 degrees. A wide curve was cut out so that a gentle gradient was established before reaching the relatively flat plateau. The grooving in the road, in this particular area, provided the animal-driven carts with a good grip. After walking uphill you will find yourself on a ridge commanding a spectacular view of St Paul’s Bay, with the azure sea stretching as far as your eyes can see beneath you. The road then proceeds in a straight path till it forks out with the left hand path leading towards the village of Mellieħa whilst the right hand path runs towards Mistra. The road connected various settlements and served for the transportation of salt from the nearby village of Mellieħa, farm produce, olive oil and honey, to the port of St Paul’s Bay where it was exported. Prior to the construction of the Punic-Roman road a footpath must have existed as Troglodyte (cave dwelling) communities are known to have inhabited the area since 5200 BCE. The road retained its importance until the Northern part of the islands where rendered inhabitable after a razzia in 1429, where pirates carried away the inhabitants in slavery.

After that episode only brave pilgrims ventured their way through the peril to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Mellieħa. Crosses hewn in the rock by these pilgrims can still be spotted along the way.

As you stand at the bottom of the hill, the climb up looks difficult and tedious, reflecting our spiritual journey at its beginning. The first few meters are made out of loose stones and soil which are uncomfortable to walk upon. The Pilgrim has to be attentive where to step as it is easy to loose footing and come crashing down. So it is with our spiritual life. We must be attentive where to tread because it is very easy to get lost in a multitude of theories and miss the forest for all the trees. If this happens do not be disheartened; stand up, brush the dust from your clothes and continue. Sometimes lessons have to be learned the hard way. Never lose your goal of reaching the top. As you proceed the road will become safer as it is hewn out of solid rock. This is also the way with our belief. The more intimate we become with the Divine and nature the stronger the foundation of our belief will become. From a beginning of loose stones and soil we are now standing on a path hewn in rock.

Take your time at each site to feel the vibe of the place. Meditate and think about what meaning these remains must have had for the people living in that era and what do they mean to you today. Think about different ways these remains can help you to grow closer to the Divine. Let the stones and the trees speak to you because they emit wisdom that has been handed over and withstood the test of time. Let the stones narrate to you of the different people that walked this path…. from the Troglodytes to modern man. How did these people worship? What did they believe in? What do you believe in? Take stock of the nature changing around you: the grass, the flowers, the shrubs, the trees. All seasons have their particular way in which they dress Xemxija Hill. Be it Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter, the scenery around you will be breathtaking.

Menħir

A few meters up the Punic-Roman Road lies a menħir, a large vertical stone, known also as a megalith or a monolith. This single standing stone, which is unhewn, stands high and cannot be missed. Archaeologists associate the menħir with the Neolithic Period, basing this on pottery shreds collected from different sites. The reason behind these standing stones is lost in time, but more often then not, they are found close to Neolithic and Bronze Age tombs and prehistoric places of worship. Some interpret these standing stones as phallic symbols and this can make sense since they are in close proximity to burial caves or temples, which were often built in the form of a fertility Goddess. Through other archaeological evidence we know that these people buried their dead and believed in an afterlife. There are at least two other menħirs along the way, one on the ridge, prior to a path leading to the Punic tombs and another right before the entrance of the temple.

Cave of the Galley

A few paces to the right of the Menħir you will find yourself standing on a small terraced area with a small cave. This cave, which is not particularly large in size, was first utilised as a Neolithic burial place and later transformed into a troglodyte habitation. Sometime during the 18th Century an entrance of stone blocks was built to serve as an entrance to this cave. The limestone blocks utilised for the construction made part of another building, possibly from the Punic or Roman era. The cave takes its name from a war galley that is etched on one of the stones on the left-hand jamb of the doorway. It is of interest to note that in this etching the galley is depicted with square sail, utilised by Byzantine vessels from the 6th to 9th century. This may give an approximate and very tentative dating for the etching, since Latin sails replaced the square rigging on Mediterranean war galleys during the 10th century.

Migbħa (Ancient Bee Hive) and meditation area

Along the road, above the terrace of the Cave of the Galley, you will come across another terrace containing a unique apiary structure. Since ancient times Malta has been associated with production of honey and some historians sustain that Melita (Latin for Malta) derives from the word Mel, which in Latin means honey. The size and workmanship of the stones give us a hint that this structure dates back to the Punic-Roman times. Seeing the beehives from the inside is an experience in itself. After crouching through the right-hand door, you will find yourself in a corridor, which is part cave and part built. The large traverse blocks of stone that hold up the inverted v-type roof are a rustic beauty to behold. Thick stone platforms, on the wall, create niches where pottery amphorae (qolla), cut at the end, used to be placed for the bees to build their hive. The bee keeper blocked the hives with pieces of wood, which the bees sealed with wax from the inside. When it was time to harvest the honey, the keeper removed the wood and cut off a layer of honey, leaving enough honey for the bees to survive. If the sun is shining on the day you visit the hives, the effect of the light inside the Miġbħa is spectacular.

Once outside, enjoy the beautiful scenery and the ambiance of this place. You can make use of the stone benches to relax. One of the benches is situated under a large carob tree whose branches fall around you like an umbrella. This tree is an evergreen and has provided shade to a multitude of pilgrims, hikers and ramblers. In olden times it must have offered the same service to the farmers, bee keepers, weary travelers, herdsmen and the people who made a home out of the caves surrounding the beehives. On the same terrace, to the right of the tree a path will lead you up to a collapsed cave. This troglodyte habitation was restored to reflect how it would have looked in the 17and 18th century with a rubble wall dividing the space between human and animal habitation. The present division was meticulously built upon the original base, discovered during the clearing works.

Ancient Carob Tree

After leaving the beehive terrace to proceed on the Punic-Roman road, you will come face to face with a millennial carob tree (ħarruba). This tree, with a circumference of seven meters, has survived all sorts of ordeals, including being repeatedly struck by lightning. It has survived ages and generations. New branches, bearing pods, can be seen forthcoming out of its old bark, as the tree continuously regenerates itself. Carob trees, especially in the past, provided food for both humans and animals. Its pods was dried and crushed to produce flour and other edible products, or boiled to produce a sweet tasting syrup which has medicinal properties. This product, known by the locals as Ġulepp tal-Ħarrub (carob syrup) and is still very much in use to cure coughs and sore throat. The leaner fruits where fed to the animals.

Rural Apiary

Behind the carob tree there is another apiary, which is more rural in type than the one visited before. This can be reached through a small passage that is adjacent to the carob tree. What we see here is a cave that was transformed into a bee-keeping habitat. The outer wall is constructed out of rough stones. Once inside admire the building skills of our forefathers, especially in the technique used to construct the arch. This cave, prior to being utilised for bee-keeping, was employed for burial and later as a troglodyte habitation. On close study, loculis and arcosolium type of graves are still visible within the structure.

Roman Quarries and The Cave of Inscription

In line with the Carob Tree, accessible through the higher terrace, one comes to a large quarry dating back to the Roman era. If you look carefully to the far end of the opening you will notice a v shaped cleft, which is hidden most of the time by the branches of a tree. This cleft leads to a large square chamber. According to Eugene Paul Theuma, in his book “St Paul’s Bay – A Guide,” the end wall of the chamber was covered by an inscription with markedly Phoenician characters. Theuma is of the opinion that this room was either a temple crypt or a Tophet (an underground chamber where the Phoenicians placed the remains of sacrificial offerings; including those of human sacrifices). Only traces of the inscriptions are visible today.

Cave of Burials

On leaving this site to reach the Punic Roman Road, you will pass in front of the Cave of Burials, which stands to your left. Originally this cave was hidden from view by a rocky screen and could be reached from above by steps, hewn in the rock, which are still visible. This place was used for burial during prehistoric times and during the Bronze Age period. The cave was enlarged to house loculis and archosolium during the late Roman period. Its last use was as a Troglodyte habitation till circa 1492. The hewing of the rock on the inside, to provide more space for the family who inhabited the cave, must have caused the outer rock surface to collapse.

Cross Graffiti

Proceeding on the Punic Roman road, after leaving the Cave of Burials, you will notice a number of crosses etched on the wall. These crosses where made by pilgrims on their way to the Marian Sanctuary in Mellieħa (Il-Madonna tal-Mellieħa). This sanctuary is actually a rock hewn cave in which there is a Byzantine icon of our Lady painted on the rocky surface.

Grove

The plateau stretching before you is known as Bajda Ridge (the White Ridge), its name deriving from the white ragged rocky surface that gleams in the sun. The ridge is divided by the Punic Roman Road that leads down in a straight line until it forks out in different directions. Proceeding down the road, on your left hand side, a side path will lead you to an olive grove. These trees were planted in the 1950’s as part of an afforestation project by the Agriculture Department. In the area there are other types of trees, like the Aleppo Pine (known locally as Żnuber or Prinjol), but the presence of olive trees is predominant. Unfortunately, together with the birds, this grove has attracted a number of hunters and trappers that use this site for their sport. When I walk through this grove I cannot help but feel connected to the Roman Goddess Diana, who was originally worshipped in the woods as Goddess of sacred groves and prophecy. Diana was also identified as a fertility Goddess and as the Goddess of wild beasts and the chase, thus she is portrayed as a hunter, carrying bows and arrows. She is also associated with healing, childbirth and the moon. She is one aspect of the Trivia (triple faced Goddess), the other two Goddesses being Luna and Hecate.

Neolithic Temple

From the Grove you can proceed to the ruins of the Goddess Temple dating back to circa 2800 BCE. A monolith to the southeast of the site indicates where the main temple doorway used to stand. A flat plateau once a cobbled yard precedes the remains of the lobed apses with the central apse standing at the northwest. From the surviving section it can be deduced that the walls were between 2 to 2.50 meters thick and the temple structure consisted of five or seven apses. The temple, like many of the other thirty sites to be found on the Maltese islands, is situated on a steep ridge commanding a spectacular panorama of the sea, Pwales Valley and Wardija. This site, which in shape is similar to the rock hewn burial chambers, was built in a three lobed shape, considered to represent a Goddess of Fertility, whose statue was found at many of the temples. Another interesting feature is the similarity between the shape of the temple and the rock hewn tombs on Xemxija Hill. Some archaeologists consider this type of construction to be an evolutionary development of the tombs which where used as places of worship prior to the evolving of the corbelling technique.

Woodland

Leaving the temple and proceeding along the path you will find yourself in a woodland that stretches out for kilometres. This is the result of an afforestation project carried out by the Agriculture Ministry in 1957. Within the woodland are different species of trees, the most notable being the Wattle Tree (Acacia), the Aleppo Pine (Żnuber/ Prinjol), Olive trees (taż-Żebbuġ), and the Cypress tree (taċ-Ċipress). Most of these species are evergreen and can survive droughts. I cannot help myself but think of the God Pan as I walk along the paths in the Woodland.

Remains of a Bronze Age Site / Roman Villa

Proceeding once again towards the Roman Road on the right hand side of the track are the remains of a Bronze Age Settlement which was later turned into a villa in Roman times. Nothing remains of this site but traces of the structure that can be followed on the rock surface. An aerial photo taken in 1957 shows the traces more clearly but since the picture was taken most of the stones have been shifted or reused for other purposes.

Għar Birbaħ – Troglodyte Habitation and other sites

Coming up from the villa site, prior to reaching Għar Birbaħ, you will pass by a traditional country hut, known locally as a ġorboġ. The hut was recently rebuilt on the foundations of a former one. These constructions where used by farmers as storage areas or even dwellings. Adjacent to the hut are two caves, divided into an inner and outer area; the inner area reserved for human habitation and the outer area for the rearing of animals. A closer look at the inner area will reveal rock platforms which where probably used as beds. Prior to becoming a Troglodyte habitation this cave was used for Neolithic burials.

In the same area are the remains of a Bronze Age Settlement and a Neolithic burial ground; whilst proceeding down the Roman road one comes to the ruins of a Roman bath complex and cart ruts. Other remains that can be visited are the remains of another burial ground and village which have been transformed through the ages. These include a defensive wall, remains of a round tower, Punic structures, the cave of the pool, remains of a square tower and Troglodyte habitations.

The Pilgrims Way

The Xemxija Heritage Trail is not just an archaeological and natural park but also a journey that can enhance your spiritual life. For a few moments you can become the Pilgrim with each place acquiring a new dimension.

Thousands have travelled this road before you and many more will come up the steep and rugged hill. Pagans and Christians alike have set foot on this path to find enlightenment. The path that leads to Her home, Her sanctuary!

If you visit this place open your mind and let this sacred place speak to you because it has much to narrate to those who come here with a clean heart and have their eyes open to see and their ears open to listen. Spend time in meditation and feel the vibrations of this sacred place. At the foot of the hill leave behind your prejudices. You might feel weary until you reach the top but the journey is worth making and will enrich your spiritual life.

If you are visiting Malta, I humbly welcome you to join us on this walk along the Pilgrim’s Way. For more information on guided walks kindly visit http://www.divinepresence.webs.com or send an e-mail to thevioletflame333@gmail.com.

Photo CC by Rohit Rath

As if the streets no longer exist…the blue sky is gone too!
All one can see is the never-ending black vortex with bright stars
disappear one by one
Sunlight no longer exists so the trees have fallen into the abyss
Down, down they go without a word uttered by onlookers

People with no homes lay under the ground as skeletons
Their flesh eaten by dogs before the priest read from the Bible
Relatives did not cry or speak for they were silent as terrified
children
Faces smeared with the ashes of massacred ancestors

Gas chambers were used to dispose of every soul of our world
Civilizations banished due to shameless deeds
No creed could withstand the relentless greed swallowed by all
God came to reclaim His suicidal children and to banish everyone
else to hell

A river of sadness flowed from his eyes into the streets of every city
He watched the buildings turn into mush and the creatures that speak
drown without squeaking
He could not bear to listen to their pleas of mercy
each face painted with horror!

When the apple trees nearly touched the sky God smiled
When they drooped over the ocean till nearly touching the cold surface
God became sad
One world of His bent to the will of His deranged children
His paradise is not a toy to be twisted and pulled for anyone’s delight

Yet, no one acknowledged His screams for attention
If His fingers fell towards the Earth’s forest, breaking countless of trees
We would assume nothing but an odd event had come to pass
The concerns of a previous world did not match our own

We were in denial…our faces were covered in deep cuts
Bleeding a river of regret that darkened minute by minute
Water like oil can annihilate life with one spark
The children stood before the stream with lit candles

To be sorry for disobeying one’s parents
To be sorry for not saying “Yes” to cruelty
No more liberty, only fear is what we know
No more food or water, it’s time for us to go

The Shrine of the Castaway - El Tiradito (Tucson, AZ USA)

In a quiet working-class neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona, there is a bit of crumbling wall where candles flicker away quietly night and day. It’s not just candles you’ll see here, but flowers, coins, photos of loved ones both living and dead, bits of cloth and other mementos. This is the El Tiradito Shrine, the Shrine of the Castaway.

Legend says that in the 1800s, a young married woman who lived near here left her husband so she could be with the man she truly loved. Furious, the husband confronted the illicit lover and shot him dead. The local church would not bury the woman’s lover because he had died an unrepentant sinner. His body was buried next to the wall that is now his shrine. The wall has been rebuilt since then to shelter the shrine but part of the original wall is apparently still there.

Distraught, the woman cried for her dead lover at his unconsecrated grave. No one knows what happened to the woman or her husband, but the grave of “the Castaway” is remembered. People come from all over to visit it, to light candles and leave mementos, making wishes at this spot because they say it is a magickal place. Wishes are said to come true if you wish them here. If your candle burns through the whole night then the spirit of the Castaway has granted your wish.

All over the American southwest and down into Mexico, you’ll find shrines in memory of people who died in tragic circumstances. It’s common in the Phoenix area to see small roadside crosses covered in flowers, erected by the family and friends of an accident victim who died on that spot. These little altars, or ofrendra, are also commonly set up as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations, although for the Day of the Dead they are honoring all those who have passed, not just those who died prematurely.

Sometimes a more permanent shrine is erected, with concrete or more often cemented stone walls and a curved roof to protect the altar itself. Candles in jars are commonly left as well as all sorts of offerings. The more permanent shrines tend to also be places where wishes are made.

The tradition of making wishes and leaving offerings at a grave was also popular in New Orleans, particularly at the mausoleum of the famous Voudou Queen Marie Laveau. At this site, located in St. Louis Cemetery #1, you would knock three times on the mausoleum and then say or whisper your wish. Leaving an offering of some sort would help seal the deal.

This Samhain, take some time to remember your own dearly departed, whether they are friends or family or just people you admire. If you can, visit their gravesites. If you can’t visit their gravesite, put something in a place of honour in your home, and leave them a little offering such as a bit of food (sweets are often particularly appropriate) or some drink. And while you’re honoring your beloved dead, whisper a wish. Who knows – it might just come true!