You Might Be a Redneck Pagan If...

(I'm originally from Georgia so my friends found this really funny...)

You Might be a Redneck Pagan If...

1. Your Ceremonial Garb consist of cuttoffs and a tube top. . .
2. You think "Family Tradition" is a dating club. . .
3. You havereached 3rd degree, but not 3rd grade. . .
4. Your coven's secret names for the God and Goddess "Cooter" and "SweetCheeks". . .
5. Your ceremonial Chalice says "Budweiser" on it (2 pts if it says"Pabst"). . .
6. You consider chewing tobacco a sacred herb. . .
7. Your circle dance includes the words "dosey-do". . .
8. Your altar pentacle is a photo of John Wayne's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. . .
9. Your coven chose its High Priest at a belching contest. . .
10. Your coven chose its High Priestess at a wet t-shirt contest. . .
11. Your annointing oil says 5W30 on the side. . .
12. You have ever refilled your chalice from a Tap. . .
13. Your outdoor circle has dead washing machines for quarter altars. . .
14. You do your cakes and ale with a can of PBR and Little Debbies. . .
15. Your Pantheon includes Yukon Jack, Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. . .
16. You think the Wiccan Rede is good for making twig furniture. . .
17. You believe that the Pentagram is a Western Union sent to 5 people. . .
18. Your altar cloth says "Dew Drop Inn" or "Motel 6". . .
19. Your Goddess picture say "Miss September" at the bottom. . .
20. Your God statue looks like Elvis Presley. . .
21. You have ever written a spell on the back of a Denny's menu. . .
22. You have ever cancelled a coven meeting to watch WWF on TV. . .
23. You have EVER cast a love spell on livestock. . .
24. You call the God & Goddess by hollerin' "Hey, Y'all! Watch me!" . . .
25. You've ever harvested ritual herbs with a weed wacker. . .
26. Your Wand of Power is a cattle prod. . .
27. Your Bard plays the banjo. . .
28. Your favorite painting of the Goddess gives her hair like Dolly Parton. . .
29. Your Spirit Guide is a hound dog. . .
30. Your broom has four-wheel drive and KY plates. . .
31. Your coven-stead is propped up on cinder blocks. . .
32. Your favorite Great Rite partner is your first, second AND third cousin. . .
33. You can play "The Burning Times" on the banjo. . .
34. Your favorite ritual libation is brewed in a backyard still. . .
35. You sarcifice bbq and pork rinds on a altar made of old oil drums. . .
36. You have a combined Maypole Dance/Tractor Pull/Turkey Shoot for Beltane. . .
37. Part of your rite includes throwing shotgun shells into the fire. . .
38. When your priestess says "Blessed Be" in circle, you respond with "YEEE-HAW!". . .
39. You shoot guns into the air when the priestess says, "The circle is open but unbroken". . .
40. Your high priestess' hair gets caught in the ceiling fan. . .
41. Your most sacred altar items include, a '49 Ford hubcap, a velvet painting of The Goddess infront of a Palm Tree, and a half-empty can of chaw. . .
42. Your altar cloth is a Confederate flag. . .
43. You carry your ritual sword in your pickup's gun rack. . .
44. Your craft name starts with Bubba. . .
45. Your maiden sweeps the circle with a weedwacker. . .
46. You've ever cooked road-kill stew in your cauldron. . .
47. Your cauldron looks a lot like a spitoon. . .
48. You bought your chalice at the Piggly Wiggly and haven't finished the Grape Jelly yet. . .
49. You've ever done a candle spell for your local high-school football team. . .
50. Your neighbor thinks "the Great Rite" has something to do with Jerry Falwell. . .
51. You've ever meditated to Hank Williams. . .
52. You leave beef jerky out for Samhain. . .
53. Your circle dance is a two step. . .
54. Your familiar can point quail. . .
55. Your familiar keeps mice out of the barn. . .
56. The bell on your altar was ever worn by an animal in a pasture . . .
57. Your altar has a spit cup. . .
58. Any part of your invokation of the South Quarter includes any line from any song by LynardSkynard. . .
59. Your athame is by Bowie. . .
60. You smoke Salem cigarettes for the historical significance. . .

Well then you might just be a Redneck Pagan!

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What bookstores don't want you to know...

Occasionally I will put links to books I found helpful along my own personal journey, and I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I never pay the full price for a book!

I few years ago (almost a decade now) I worked for a bookstore (Borders Books to be exact) and I used to pick up all of my books there, and even with my discount I would often end up paying fifty or sixty bucks for two or three books; that's when I discovered Amazon!

I've talked to so many people over the years (all people not just witches) who didn't realize this site existed. They sell everything! This website is perfect for the witch or pagan who wants a great collection of study guides but can't afford them. Granted you will probably have to buy used books (although you can find new books for a cheap price).

I will put little Amazon carousels throughout my page that will lead to good books you can find relatively cheap if bought used (like under ten dollars cheap :) So the next time you're in that bookstore and you find that book you just have to have, look for it on Amazon first, because the craft shouldn't be outrageously expensive.

Brightest Blessings,
~Lyra

P.S. If you have any good books on your bookshelf please feel free to share!

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Casting the Sacred Circle

Circle Casting is one of the most basic components of witchcraft. There are many ways to do this but the most important part is to understand the reasoning and meaning of the circle.

In nature most things are naturally spherical, making the sphere one of the most sacred shapes to any witch. From the most micro of elements to the largest of celestial bodies, the sphere is the most common occurring shape in the universe. Many books refer to raising a "cone of power" which I personally believe defeats the reasoning behind the circle. So I always visualize a sphere of power, my own 'celestial body' if you will.

The next step is the calling of the quarters, watchtowers, elementals... etc. Earth, Air, Fire, Water. Even if you know nothing of witchcraft no doubt you have heard of the invocation of the elements (maybe even from some third rate hokey movie). The elements represent the most basic necessities for life to exist. One of the simplest ways to truly understand each element is to make a table. On four separate sheets of paper list each element and make two columns below it. In one column list all the colors you can associate with each element in another list all the descriptive words that come to mind when you think of each element. Put these lists in a safe place so that you can refer back or add things often.

Common elemental associations:

Earth: Green: North: Fertility: Prosperity: Stability

Air: Yellow: East:Creativity: New Beginnings: Freedom

Fire: Red: South: Passion: Heat: Anger: Love: Lust

Water: Blue: West: Emotion: Psychological: Fresh: Clean

The only color/elemental match-up that may seem confusing is Air. Everything else should be rather straight forward. I have known people to use white for air (even one person who used a clear gel candle) but the association is easier when you think of sunrise. Sunrise is in the East and in ancient times seemed to float through the clear blue sky. East is the direction from which every new day begins.

When setting up your alter, it is customary to chose a direction from where you will begin your circle and end your circle. Most popular books will either pick North or East (Personally I use East because I identify strongly with creativity and truly believe that every day is a new beginning), but magic is more powerful and is much easier when you are comfortable and when everything makes some semblance of sense to you. Never do something that you don't understand or feel comfortable with.

White/Black candles: It's funny that these have been used over and over again to designate good and evil. I always keep black candles just in case I run out of other colors. Most witches will advise against using black candles, but what's funny is that black is the reflection of all color while white is the absorption of all color. So white is more of a vacuum while black is like a vacuum in reverse throwing out everything. But this too is a matter of personal preference, many people still fear the color black because it has always been equated with evil. Just remember everything is what you personally make of it.

Sometimes Circles have five points rather than four, one to symbolize the spirit. I only use a spirit candle in my spell casting when I am working on my spiritual self. If I am asking for material things I stick to the elements and maybe a candle for the spell itself. This too is personal preference.

Setting up YOUR altar:

Please don't copy your alter setting from any book. It's YOUR sacred space and therefore everything in around and on it should make sense to you and you alone. Some things your altar needs to have:

A bowl or cup of water ( Water )
Salt ( Earth )
Lit candles ( Fire )
Athame or wand ( Air )

The Athame or wand is used for drawing ritual symbols in the air. ( I dip the tip of my Athame in water and use it to snuff out my candles when I finish my spellwork - *it's supposed to lock the magic into the candles rather than releasing it by blowing them out* )

Everything else on your altar should be meaningful to you in some way. God and/or Goddess statues, any special amulets or pendants ( maybe a family heirloom that has been handed down through generations ) A photo of your loved ones ( to remember what is important to you ). Just make sure that anyone else you live with won't misconstrue the reason for your altar. I keep all of my supplies in a simple crate. When I perform my magic I turn the crate over and cover it with a cloth turning it into a make-shift altar.

Stay away from any website that offers to cast spells for you; these rank right up there with diploma mills. They just take your money. Also be wary of websites that sell pre-made kits. There are no spells you can purchase that will work any better than any you can cast yourself.

For more information and ideas for your own circle casting please visit:

Anisoptera's Circle Casting Page

GreyWing's Circle Casting Page (also has some really good articles and study regarding the craft)

If you know of any other links that I should check out please comment!

~Lyra

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Welcome!

Merry Meet, and welcome to my witchcraft blog!

This is a place of discussion and practice of all things witchcraft (not just Wicca). I firmly believe that people are unique so should their beliefs be. Hopefully I will soon have posts about spells, potions, beliefs, practice and ethics of witchcraft. Feel free to add to any thread or post (although, please be aware that random hurtful posts will not be tolerated and will be removed).

One of the most daunting aspects of witchcraft is spellcraft. Feel free to email me with any questions, or if you just need help with a spell (and no, I will not help you hex your archenemy's boyfriend etc.) feel free to email me at Lyra.Syrian@gmail.com.

Merry Part,
Lyra

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