Excerpt from Pagan Postcards by Beth-ann
Yule 2008 / Imbolc 2009 issue

Orkney

When we got on the ferry from Scrabster the Sun was just beginning to come out. It was the end of July and we had planned to spend just one day there. We had a lot to fit in that day. We had driven up the east coast of Scotland for most of the day before in rain with a grey sky and high winds so we thought that the trip would be a bit rough. It took 90 minutes to cross and although it was quite breezy the Sun stayed out and it became very warm. About an hour into the journey we passed the Old Man of Hoy, a quite magnificent rock stack which is better in real life than on the pictures that I had seen. This was our welcome to the Islands of Orkney.

We disembarked at Stromness, a small fishing port with little passage like streets, where even the roads were paved instead of tarmacked, and made our way to Scara Brae, the first stop on our sight seeing tour. Skara Brea is the best preserved group of stone age houses in Europe, uncovered by a winter storm in 1850.

"This revealed the outline of a number of stone buildings. The discovery intrigued the local laird, William Watt of Skaill, so he embarked on an excavation of the site.

By 1868, after the remains of four ancient houses had been unearthed, work at Skerrabra was abandoned. The settlement remained undisturbed until 1925, when another storm damaged some of the previously-excavated structures. A sea-wall was built to preserve these remains, but during the construction work more ancient structures were discovered".

This was not a disappointment and was situated right on the coast, the view was magnificent and it was a real treat for the beginning of our discovery of some of the sites on the Island.

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Opportunity to join the Witchtower Magazine Team

Published at 10:50 in


We have an opening for a new writer to join the Witchtower team. You must be reliable and able to commit to deadlines (and be able to write to a good standard obviously!)

As with all positions on Pagan Network, it is unpaid, but you do get a PDF copy of the magazine (not to mention you get to work with the friendly & supportive team of myself, Andy Norfolk and Beith-ann).

If you are interested please email me either samples of your work or links to your work online. Also please indicate your areas of interest.

Email address - witchtower @ gmail.com

Twilightgirl

Excerpt from Dem Bones by Andy Norfolk
Yule 2008 / Imbolc 2009 issue

Paganism in Britain, according to some who know about these things, is a recent reinterpretation of what the beliefs of the pre-Christian people of these islands may have been, with a large dollop of invention, wishful thinking and imagination. That's not necessarily a bad thing - all that positive creativity is probably one of the most important factors in making British Paganism the vibrant and energetic, if occasionally rather odd, thing it is today. People who have thought about these things and who have read some of Ronald Hutton's books, or at least heard about them, may also be a bit coy about claiming an unbroken Pagan tradition back to - well - before the year dot! There is after all no evidence that stands up to a bit of reasonably intelligent scrutiny that  contemporary Paganism goes back very far at all. However Pagans do say that they draw inspiration from the pre-Christian religions of the world and in Britain this means whatever our ancestors were up to before about the 6th century. In particular prehistoric monuments from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages are important to many Pagans. Not surprisingly what our ancestors did is important to us, though we may not have a clear idea of what that was. Recent genetic research shows that most of us are directly related to the ancient peoples of these islands. For many Pagans our ancestors themselves are of great importance and are part of their lives and practises.  Ancestors are asked for guidance, or just "company", in rituals and everyday life.

In 2006 Paul Davies, reburial officer for the Council of British Druid Orders, asked English Heritage and the National Trust to rebury prehistoric human remains from the Avebury area presently in the Alexander Keiller Museum.

Both EH and NT are seeking responses to a consultation exercise about this request, which should be made by 31st January 2009. As they point out this request raises a great many issues. In doing so they are following the advice in "Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums" published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in 2005, Part 3 of which deals with claims for the return of remains.

The publication of this guidance seems to have been prompted by a request from Australia for the return of Aboriginal remains and Part 3 begins with a quotation: "The express recognition that the concerns of various ethnic groups, as well as those of science, are legitimate and to be respected will permit acceptable agreements to be reached and honoured". (From the Vermilion Accord, World Archaeological Congress, 1989) The guidance recognises that requests can be made for religious or spiritual reasons and may include a desire to lay ancestors to rest on ancestral land. EH and NT have written a draft report and this and supporting documents can be found at:
www.thenationaltrust.org.uk/remains.

The guidance says that certain things must be considered when requests for the return of remains are made. The status of those making the request and continuity with the remains.

The draft report points out that CoBDO represent some, but not all, Pagan groups. Its members claim genetic relationship with the remains, but make no claim for continuity of belief, customs or language with the human remains. EH and NT comment that there is no evidence that members of CoBDO have any closer relationship with the human remains than most.

Excerpt from Animal Totems by Twilightgirl
Yule 2008 / Imbolc 2009 issue

Weasel
Those with Weasel as a totem are able to fathom what is really going on and are good at keeping secrets. You  will see what is beneath the surface of a situation and quickly assess everything. Because of this skill you are usually able to get out of tight fixes when they occur. Although Weasel has vast amounts of energy, you may find yourself a bit of a loner. Many people may dismiss you at first glance but once they see you in action with your intelligence and ingenuity they soon change their minds. With Weasel as a totem if anyone gets on the wrong side of you they will know about it as those with Weasel by their side know how to hit where it hurts and some of their verbal arguments can be most hurtful and damaging.

Weasels tend to live on a mainly carnivorous diet, so you may need to watch that your own diet stays healthy and balanced instead of eating lots of meat.

Tiger
If you find Tiger walking besides you be prepared for changes and new adventures. Although the tiger can be a fierce and loyal spirit when protecting its family or territory, tiger can also be a solitary spirit, liking its own space. Being a free spirit full of energy and enthusiasm you will love to travel and seek out adventures and experiences. Tiger symbolizes courage and strength and you may find some people are intimidated by your intensity.

Those with Tiger as a totem may find they have a gift for psychometry. You may find that you are able to express great control but may also find yourself being over sensitive and emotional to comments and situations. Learn to take a deep breath and slow down. Think carefully about the situation or options before rushing into any decisions based on your emotions. Tigers tend to jump in and take what they want regardless of the consequences.

Tigers love to swim and you may find yourself drawn to water where you can relax and feel at peace. You may also be very sensual and enjoy physical touch such as massage.

Tigers tend to hunt nocturnally so you may feel an affinity with the night and moon. You may have a particulary strong intuition and excellent sense of timing. You may feel most alive during the evenings.

Excerpt from Altars by Twilightgirl
Autumn Equinox/Samhain 2008  issue

Excited about setting up your altar but confused how to do it? Then read on...

Altars come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some traditional in their set up and others more free spirited. Altars can be a permanent or temporary fixture such as for a celebration or ritual. One thing to keep in mind is that there isn't a right or wrong way to have your altar.

When you set up an altar you are creating a sacred space within your home that connects you to the divine within and around you. Your altar will be an expression of yourself and a focal point for your spiritual work. If space is limited you can set up a temporary altar that you bring out for the occasion you need it, or you can have a simple altar that is out of the way or inconspicuous, such as on a windowsill, a shelf, in a drawer!

Altars can be simple or elaborate. A lot of how your altar looks will depend on your personal taste and what feels right for you. Learn to listen to your inner voice and this will guide you with the placement of your altar and altar items. You don't have to buy expensive equipment to grace your altar either, you can use whatever is meaningful to you, whether it is found in nature, bought or something you've made. Not only does having an altar create scared space in your home, it can be a place where you sit and mediate, perform magic, divination, or celebrate the Wheel of the Year. You can also have an outdoor altar if you choose to or several altars at various locations such as an office altar on your desk.

What you use for an altar can vary from a small table, cabinet top, kitchen worktop, desk, bookcase, dinner tray etc. But if you live somewhere that makes it impossible for you to have an altar set up permanently, you can spread your altar items around, such as grouping items on shelves, in corners, windowsills, on coffee tables etc. Just about any niche in your home could be used to hold items for your altar. It's always good to remember that it's your intention that is most important when choosing items for your altar, not how expensive or large they are or where they are placed.

If you are going to have an altar that represents the Wheel of the Year, there are many websites online or books that show the correspondences for the Sabbats.

Your altar doesn't have to be static in its contents; in fact having a static altar couldn't be worse. Your altar will grow and change as you do. Don't be afraid to remove an item from your altar if it no longer has any meaning to you. You will probably find that the altar energy will start to reflect your life. If your altar is cluttered, unloved and dusty, you'll find your life reflects this, where as if your altar is tidy, clean and loved then your life will be.

A question that troubles many a beginner is placement of your altar. Every book you read, every website you visit, will more than likely tell you a different placement for your altar and the items on it. It's no wonder there is confusion! But as mentioned earlier, there isn't a right or wrong way. If you are still unsure as to the placement of your altar ask yourself the following questions.

1. What do I plan to use my altar for, and how big/small do I really need it?
2. Do I want to keep my altar private or am I happy for others to see it?
3. Do I feel a spiritual connection to the altar in this area and is it pleasant to look at?
4. Is this area where I want to place the altar safe enough to leave candles burning? (if it isn't and you still feel this area is the best location you could always use flameless candles).
5. Is this area safe from the reach of the tiny inquisitive hands of children and pets and will the area withstand being knocked accidentally?

You can also move your altar around. Don't think to yourself that once you have set it up in one particular place or direction that it has to stay there. You could move it around to various locations in the room every Sabbat if you wanted to. From personal experience I know my altar only feels comfortable to me if it is facing either East or West. North sometimes feels okay but South to me really doesn't feel comfortable, yet I couldn't give you a reason why this is!

To read the full article download Autumn Equinox / Samhain 2008 issue

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