Several years ago I went through this class and initiated into Ecclasia (look for their new website soon), a wonderful Wiccan group that I love so much.  My student teacher also lives out here in Vegas and she contacted me recently to see if I wanted to student teach in her class.  Well of course I said YES!!

It’s been a while since I’ve done any rituals or spell work, mostly because the physical world has totally overwhelmed my spiritual world.  I’m really wanting to get back involved in the craft and I’m about to start doing my 2nd degree work in Ecclasia as well.  So this is great for me!

When I have more details I will be posting them for those who are interested in learning more about the class.  I will also be relating some of the things that we’re doing and blogging about some of the fun things going on.  I’m very excited about this!  So stay tuned!

Sorry there isn’t more to add right now, but I wanted to let everyone know what was going on.

Remember if you’re in Vegas and would like to take a beginning Wicca class, let me know!

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.  Romeo and Juliet ( Quote Act II, Sc. II).

Names – they are so important for so many reasons.  Not that many years ago, babies weren’t named until they were between 1 & 2 years old because of the high infant mortality rate.  Boys were given “girls” names to hide their gender from the gods in fear that they would be jealous.  Native Americans gave their children names after their personality had been established and then often as they turned into young adults they would take on new names from their circumstances or attitudes.   Names are important because of all of these reasons and more.

When you give anything a name, you are labeling it, describing it, changing it, giving it power.  That’s why when you are in the craft y ou take a name that represents your path, your spirit, and who you want to be as much as who you already are.  Your “Craft Name” signifies to the mundane world and the spiritual world that you are ready to spiritual workings and that your path is chosen.

I have taken 2 “Craft Names” during my spiritual journey.  I chose different names because of the point on my path that I was on called me to take a new name.  I didn’t take a name because a book told me to, but because SPIRIT told me to.  I didn’t realize it until Monday at my Wicca class, but that’s what has been holding me up with my Second Degree training, I need a new name, one for this part of my journey.

The first, many may already know, Wyndsong, was taken about 15 years ago when I first started studying Wicca.  This name has become a part of my persona as much as my given name, Christine.  It is who I am… and yet, not completely.   I chose Wyndsong for 2 main reasons, because I am a Libra and identify with the Air element and love the wind and because I love to sing and hear songs in the wind all the time.  (Side note on the spelling: I use a y instead of an i because of all of my online dealings, windsong has been taken in just about every forum, site and membership online from the beginning, but “wyndsong” is still all ME!).

The second name I chose, and the one I’ve been currently using, was chosen around my 1st degree training and initiation.  This name is Kendra Makani, which roughly translates to Knowing Woman of the Wind.  See how I’m sticking with the “Air Elemental” correspondences?  Being a Libra is very important to me, and so is being identified with the element of Air.  This name was chosen for more than it’s elemental correspondences, it was also what I wanted to become in my spiritual path.  I wanted to become a knowledgeable woman within the craft.  This name was my “Mother” aspect of the goddess, where Wyndsong was my “Maiden” aspect.

Now, I have decided to take another name.  I do know what it will be already, but I will not be sharing it here, at least not yet.  I will however, tell you how I came to pick the name and what it means to me.

Monday night, at the Beginning Wicca class that I’ve been teaching here locally, we were discussing craft names.  We were talking about what they mean, how to choose them and so on.  I told the class about my two different craft names, as I did above, and then suddenly it hit me.  I needed a NEW name for this part of my journey.  So That night, and last night I went to bed asking the Universe to send me a message.  I wanted to know what my name should be.  I was hoping that I would have a dream about my name… instead I had some disturbing dreams about being sick and being in a plane crash.  Not the kind of dreams I was hoping for!  So I started looking around online at goddess names, fairy names, and then resorted to those stupid name generators.  Not so much to actually find a name, but to find some sort of inspiration.

Then I found the Pythorium website and their Pagan Name Generator.  This generator not only asks you to type in your given name, but also what element you’d like the name to be associated with.  BINGO!  Of course this made me very happy, and I plugged in my name and the element of Air and a name popped up that I had never heard of before.  Certainly not online, and definitely not in the craft community (at least none that I had seen).  So again, this made me VERY happy!  I really don’t want to be one of a million others with the same name.  So then, I looked up the history, meaning, and numerology of the name.  It so happens to be a very important person in Alexandrian times, Egyptian!  Again, this is perfect for me, because I am very drawn to the Egyptian pantheon.  She was a real person, a philosopher, scientist, astrologer and teacher.  The numerology was also perfect!  So, after much study of the name, and it feeling so right with me (I even love the spelling, it’s purrrty when I write it in cursive), I think that this will become my new craft name.

I don’t know when I’ll “officially” take the name, and I may never decide to use it online.  Mostly because I want it to be more sacred.. however, I tend to change my mind about things quite often, so I may start using it only as my Pagan Only persona.  We’ll see.  I haven’t decided quite yet.  Of course I’ve already decided to go see if the domain name is taken!  LOL!

So, as you may have noticed (and I do hope someone has, because I’d hate to think I”m the only one coming to my blog.  LOL) the site has been going through some changes.  My wonderful boyfriend bought me Artisteer for my birthday and I’ve been playing with it ever since.  I’ve created several different Wordpress Blog Themes for pagans with it, and will be giving them away for free soon.  In the meantime I’m testing them out here on my blog to see how they look and work and I’ll probably pick one to be “My theme”, which will be the one that won’t be given out to other people.  That’s why I don’t have the themes up for grabs just yet.  If you have a theme idea you’d like to see, leave me a comment and I’ll try to work it out!

Now for Other Witchy Things:

My two sons are going to be brown cording on Monday.  I’m actually very excited about this.  They are taking a very important step in their spiritual journy and I’m very proud of them.  They are growing up and becoming wonderful young men in the craft.  And much like the rest of their schooling, I am teaching them and guiding them through it!  It almost brings tears to my eyes!

I am also starting another Beginning Wicca class.  This one will start on Nov. 6th and continue through the new year.  It will be on Fridays at 6pm.  If anyone is interested and in the Las Vegas area, please email me for more information.

This Samhain is going to be BUSY for me.  Saturday I need to get my garage cleaned up for the ritual on Monday.  Then the boys are going out to the movies with friends.  Sunday, Kelly, Robi and I are going to be driving out to San Bernardino for the Samhain ritual at Ecclasia and then driving back to Las Vegas right after the ritual.  Then Monday after work is the brown cording ritual.  Then Friday I start my second Beginning Wicca class.  Saturday is the Las Vegas Pagan Pride day AND the Samhain ritual with PWCC!  LOL!  I don’t know when I’m supposed to breath or sleep.  LOL!  But it sounds like fun!

I was going to talk about cords in my last post because I mentioned the boys going through their Brown Cording next week.  Then I realized that if I talked about cords, that post would end up much longer than I really wanted it to be.  So, I figured the best thing to do was dedicate a whole post just to cords.  This is that post.

Cords – What Are They Good For?

In Wicca cords, knots and braids are used in magic a lot.  Actually, they are used in society a lot for all types of magic.  If you’ve ever “tied a ribbon on your finger” to remind yourself of something, you’ve done a little knot magic.  Ribbons being tied around packages are remnants of old magic and rituals.  And for the “serious” witch, you’ll use knots and cords in magic for bringing all sorts of good luck, wishes, and various outcomes to your life.

Although there are lots of different spells that can be found for tying knots (including the marriage knot), I’m not going to be talking about that here.  You can find that information just about anywhere.  What I am going to talk about are the cords that we wear in ritual.

In Wicca, but most specifically in the Ecclasian tradition, we wear cords of various colors during our rituals.  These cords aren’t just pretty belts to wear around our robes.  These are used for several reasons.  One reason is to show your standing or rank within the coven.  The other is to help keep you grounded and centered within the circle.

The Colors & Their Meanings:

• Brown – Just finished the beginning Wicca course and is dedicated to the Wiccan path.
• Black – Given at Wiccaning – a person who has gone through the “Threshold” and is on the path to Initiation into Ecclasia
• Silver/Gold – A Silver or Gold  strand is added to the Black cord at initiation, symbolizes a 1st degree initiate.  The choice of color is up to the initiate, Silver symbolizing the Goddess and Gold symbolizing the God.
• 2nd Silver/Gold – A second strand of either Silver or Gold is added to the Black cord at the 2nd degree.  Must be the opposite of what was chosen at 1st degree (i.e. If Silver chosen at 1st degree, Gold must be taken at 2nd.)
• Red – is add to those who choose the Teachers path in Ecclasia
• Blue – Added to those who choose to be healers
• Yellow – Added to those who choose to be diviners
• Green – Added to those who choose to be Herbologists
• White – The white cord is only given to those who go through 3rd degree training and have become elders in the path.

These are two examples of cords within the Ecclasian tradition.

Brown Cording

The Brown Cording ritual that my sons and the other students in the Beginning Wicca class will be going through is this coming Monday.  I obviously can not tell you anything about the actual ritual, but needless to say it’s a big step for anyone on this path.  They will be affirming their dedication to the Wiccan path and starting the Threshold into further studies.  I am proud of my sons and my students for taking this step and I am looking forward to guiding them further onto this path.  I’d like to thank each of them for allowing me to be their teacher and guide and I can’t wait to work with each of you further!

]]> http://www.paganwitch.com/2009/10/cords-knots-braids/feed/ 0 http://www.paganwitch.com/2010/04/meaning-monday-aspects/ http://www.paganwitch.com/2010/04/meaning-monday-aspects/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:32:31 +0000 Kendra http://www.paganwitch.com/?p=379

Meaning Monday – Aspects

 From  Dictionary.com:

as·pect [as-pekt] –noun

1. appearance to the eye or mind; look: the physical aspect of the country.
2. nature; quality; character: the superficial aspect of the situation.
3. a way in which a thing may be viewed or regarded; interpretation; view: both aspects of a decision.
4. part; feature; phase: That is the aspect of the problem that interests me most.
5. facial expression; countenance: He wore an aspect of gloom. Hers was an aspect of happy optimism.
   bearing; air; mien: warlike in aspect.
6. view commanded; exposure: The house has a southern aspect.
7. the side or surface facing a given direction: the dorsal aspect of a fish; the northern aspect of the house.

From Ecclasia’s Teachings:

Forms, facets, or personas of Deity:  for example, Brighid, Iseult, Eos, and Kore are all aspects of the Maiden, and the Maiden is an aspect of the Goddess.

In Wicca, an Aspect is generally used in refrence to the God or Goddess.  An Aspect of the Goddess would be the various Goddesses that you find through out history and from every culture.  Each Aspect of the Goddess is different in some way.  You’ll find aspects of the Goddess who are protectors of children or women, those who are huntresses, and those who are guardians of a particular virtue. 

One of my personal favorite Goddesses or aspect of the Goddess is Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth & Justice.  I found out about Ma’at when researching her for a Goddess report I was doing for my Wicca Class.  I knew I wanted to write about a Goddess of justice, being a Libra that was important to me.  I had never heard of Ma’at before, which I also liked.  The more I read about her, the more I liked her.  I now have a statue of her (and one of Anubis who is said to be her mate) for my altar.

Most people find an affinity to one specific aspect of the Goddess & God.  Sometimes you are called to that aspect by a dream, vision, or just out of curiousity & research.  However you find a Goddess or God that you feel close to, even if it’s just for a short time, is the “right way”.  There are also some people who never feel a special bond with any specific God or Goddess, and this is alright as well.  There is never a right or wrong way to worship or believe.  So if you don’t feel a calling to any one aspect, don’t try to force it.  Let the God & Goddess come to you, eventually one will feel closer to your soul than others, when the time is right for you.