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Welcome to my blog. This is my first entree to this site. I hope to entertain you as well as make a few friends. I love to share ideas and talk about what ever there is to talk about.

Wicca

Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition — the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks.

The Christian religion converted this day of Jack-in-the-Green to the Feast of St. John the Baptist, often portraying him in rustic attire, sometimes with horns and cloven feet (like the Greek Demi-God Pan)

Midsummer Night’s Eve is also special for adherents of the Faerie faith. The alternative fixed calendar date of June 25 (Old Litha) is sometimes employed by Covens. The name Beltane is sometimes incorrectly assigned to this holiday by some modern traditions of Wicca, even though Beltane is the Gaelic word for May.

Traditional Foods:Garden fresh fruits and vegetables are made into a variety of dishes and eaten by Pagan’s who choose to celebrate this day.

Herbs and Flowers:Mugwort, Vervain, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily, Oak, Lavender, Ivy, Yarrow, Fern, Elder, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Carnation.

Incense:Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Wisteria.

Woods Burned:Oak

Sacred Gemstone:Emerald

Special Activities:An Ideal time to reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions.

Wiccan Holidays & Festivals

Like other Neo-Pagans, Wiccans celebrate festivals based on nature and the changing of seasons. The Neo-Pagan seasonal cycle, called The Wheel of the Year, consists of eight major Sabbats.

The Sabbats are joyous occasions of celebration and festivity. They begin at sunset and end at sunset the following day. Four of the Sabbats, known as cross-quarter days, have Celtic origins and are called by their Celtic names. The other four mark important points on the solar calendar.

The eight Sabbats are:

Imbolc (February 1/2)
Spring Equinox, a.k.a. Ostara (March 20/21)
Beltane (April 30/May 1)
Summer Solstice, a.k.a. Midsummer (June 21/22)
Lughnasadh (August 1/2)
Autumn Equinox, a.k.a. Mabon (September 20/21)
Samhain (October 31/November 1)
Winter Solstice, a.k.a. Yule (December 20/21)
Magical work and more solemn rituals are normally done on the Esbats. Esbats mark the phases of the moon. The most important Esbat is on the full moon, but some groups also recognize Esbats of the new moon and the two quarters. Magical power is believed to be especially strong on the night of a full moon, which is why important rituals are undertaken on such nights.

Wiccan Ethics and Social Views

The Wiccan Rede
Wiccan morality is ruled according to the Wiccan Rede, which (in part) states “An it harm none, do what thou wilt.” (“An” is an archaic word meaning “if”.) Others follow the slightly adapted Rede of “An it harm none, do what ye will; if harm it does, do what ye must.” Either way, the Rede is central to the understanding that personal responsibility, rather than a religious authority, is where moral structure resides.

One of the major differences between Wiccans and other types of witchcraft is the Rede. Many “traditional” witches or witches that follow other paths do not believe in the Rede. This is a major topic of controversy within the Wiccan and Pagan communities.

Many Wiccans also believe that no magick can be performed on any other person without that person’s direct permission (excepting pets and young children who can be protected by parents and owners). Sometimes when permission is expected but not yet attained magical energy will be placed on the astral plane for the receiver to gather if and when he/she is ready.

The Law of Threefold Return
Many Wiccans also promote the Law of Threefold Return, or the idea that anything that one does may be returned to them threefold. In other words, good deeds are magnified back to the doer, but so are ill deeds. The Threefold Law is sometimes stated like this:

Ever Mind The Rule Of Three
Three Times Your Acts Return To Thee
This Lesson Well, Thou Must Learn
Thou Only Gets What Thee Dost Earn.

Gerina Dunwich, an American author whose books (particularly Wicca Craft) were instrumental in the increase in popularity of Wicca in the late 1980s and 1990s, disagrees with the Wiccan concept of threefold return on the grounds that it is inconsistent with the laws of physics. Pointing out that the origin of the Law of Threefold Return is traceable to Raymond Buckland in the 20th century, Dunwich is of the opinion that “There is little backing to support it as anything other than a psychological law.” Her own personal belief, which differs from the usual interpretation of the Threefold Law, is that whatever we do on a physical, mental, or spiritual level will sooner or later affect us, in either a positive or negative way, on all three levels of being.

161 Laws
A few Wiccans also follow, or at least consider, a set of 161 Laws often referred to as Lady Sheba’s Laws. They are based in large part on Gerald Gardner’s Old Laws, which he attributed to his New Forest coven and first came to light in 1957.

Some Wiccans find these rules to be outdated and counterproductive. One Wiccan comments, “I find much of this document, regardless of origins, to be outdated and unnecessary. It is at points sexist and ageist, and it is saturated with the paranoia associated with the myth of the Burning Times.” {3}

Eight Wiccan Virtues
Most Wiccans also seek to cultivate the Eight Wiccan Virtues. These may have been derived from earlier Virtue ethics, but were first formulated by Doreen Valiente in the Charge of the Goddess. They are Mirth, Reverence, Honour, Humility, Strength, Beauty, Power, and Compassion. They are in paired opposites which are perceived as balancing each other.

Wicca and Feminism
Wicca has a close association with feminism, and many women Wiccans say they are attracted to Wicca in large part because of its emphasis on female equality, divinity and power. In addition to the emphasis on the Goddess, an attractive aspect of Wicca for feminists is the ability to identify with powerful historical women who were persecuted by the male-dominated Christian church.

Dianic Wicca is the most feminist-oriented tradition of Wicca, in that it emphasizes the Goddess alone and excludes men from covens. Other traditions, however, believe that this approach is improper and interferes with the balance of masculine and feminine in nature.

Wicca and Homosexuality
Throughout most of Wicca and Neopaganism, all sexual orientations are considered healthy and positive, provided that individual sexual relationships are healthy and loving. Sexual orientation is therefore not considered an issue. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are almost always welcomed in individual communities, covens, study groups, and circles. Many homosexual Neo-Pagans were initially attracted to Neo-Pagan religions because of this inclusion, in which their relationships are seen on an equal footing. Sometimes their desire is more specifically to move away from what they see as homophobic pressure in their original religion.

In support of this philosophy, many Neopagans cite the Charge of the Goddess, which says “All acts of Love and Pleasure are Her rituals.” Therefore all forms and expressions of sexuality, as long as they are otherwise healthy and consensual, are accepted.

One qualified exception is Gardnerian Wicca and other relatively traditional groups. Gardnerians do not make any moral judgments about homosexual people, but they usually form their covens from male-female pairs.

Most traditional Wiccans worship the God and Goddess. Traditional Wiccan covens aspire to having equal numbers of men and women, to embody their belief in the importance of balance between the male and female (which extends sexually). This, and the imbalance of female and male practitioners, can sometimes be a practical obstacle to gay people and women who wish to join traditional circles, an obstacle often shared by single people. The actual sexual orientation of the individual is not an issue.

Timeline of Wicca and Witchcraft

2000 BC
Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi instructs, “If a man has laid a charge of witchcraft and has not justified it, he upon whom the witchcraft is laid shall go to the holy river; he shall plunge into the holy river and if the holy river overcome him, he who accused him shall take to himself his house.”

3rd cent. AD
Under the pre-Christian Roman Empire, punishment of burning alive was enacted by the State against witches who brought about another person’s death through their enchantments.

306 AD
The Christian Council of Elvira (Canon 6) refuses last rites to those who had killed a man by a magical spell because such a crime could not be effected “without idolatry” (i.e. the help of the devil).

313
Conversion of Emperor Constantine; Christianity is granted official toleration by the Roman Empire.

314
Canon 24 of the Council of Ancyra imposes five years of penance upon those who consult magicians. Here, the offence lies in participation in paganism.

785
The Council of Paderborn rules that sorcerers are to be reduced to serfdom and made over to the service of the Church.

906
The document De ecclesiasticis disciplinis ascribed to Regino of Prüm describes popular notions of witchcraft and states it is the duty of priests to “instruct the people that these things are absolutely untrue and that such imaginings are planted in the minds of misbelieving folk, not by a Divine spirit, but by the spirit of evil.”

1080
Pope Gregory VII writes a letter to King Harold of Denmark forbidding witches to be put to death upon presumption of their having caused storms, failure of crops or pestilence.

1225
In Germany, the secular law code “Sachsenspiegel” designated death by fire as the proper punishment for witchcraft.

1258
Pope Alexander IV instructs, “The Inquisitors, deputed to investigate heresy, must not intrude into investigations of divination or sorcery without knowledge of manifest heresy involved.” “Manifest heresy” is defined as: “praying at the altars of idols, to offer sacrifices, to consult demons, to elicit responses from them… or associate themselves publicly with heretics.”

1275
The first “witch” is burned to death after judicial sentence of an inquisitor, in Toulouse, France. Her name was Hugues de Baniol and she “confessed” to having given birth to a monster after intercourse with an evil spirit and to having nourished it with babies’ flesh which she procured in her nocturnal expeditions.

1300-30
Beginning of the witch trials in Europe.

1334
Large-scale witch trial in Toulouse, France, in which 63 persons were accused. Of these, eight were handed over to the state to be burned and the rest were imprisoned.

1374
Pope Gregory XI declares that all magic is done with the aid of demons and thus is open to prosecution for heresy.

1400
Peter de Gruyères, a secular judge, carries out large-scale witch trials in Bern, Switzerland.

1435-50
Number of witch trails rises sharply.

1484
Pope Innocent VIII publishes the bull Summis desiderantes affectibus (“Desiring with the Greatest Ardor”) condemning witchcraft as Satanism, the worst of all possible heresies. The bull also officially grants Heinrich Krämer and James Sprenger, Dominican inquisitors, the right to prosecute persons of any class or any form of crime.

1486
Heinrich Krämer and Jacob Sprenger publish Malleus maleficarum (“The Hammer of Witches”), a learned but misogynistic book blaming witchcraft chiefly on women. It was reprinted many times thanks to the newly-invented printing press and was a major influence on the witch-hunt hysteria of the next two centuries. It was regarded as the standard handbook on witchcraft until well into the 18th century.

1530s
Prosecutions for witchcraft begin in Mexico.

1532
The penal code Carolina decrees that sorcery throughout the German empire should be treated as a criminal offence, and if it injured any person, the witch was to be burned at the stake.

1572
The Protestant ruler of Saxony imposes the penalty of burning for witchcraft of every kind, including fortune-telling.

1580-1630
Period in which witch-hunts are most severe.

1583
121 persons are burned as witches over three months in Osnabruck, Germany.

1590
Witch trials in North Berwick, Scotland.

1609
In response to a witch panic in the Basque region, La Suprema (the ruling body of the Spanish Inquisition) issues an “Edict of Silence” forbidding all discussion of witchcraft. For, as one inquisitor noted, “There were neither witches nor bewitched until they were talked and written about.”

1631
The Jesuit Friedrich von Spee publishes Cautio criminalis against the witch craze.

1647
First hanging for witchcraft in New England.

1668-76
Outbreak of witch-hunts in Sweden.

1692
Between May and October, 19 people are tried and hanged as witches in Salem, Massachusetts.

1749
The last trial for witchcraft in Germany is carried out at Würzburg.

1754
Torture is abolished in Prussia.

1782
Last known execution for witchcraft takes place in Switzerland, in the Protestant canton of Glarus.

1807
Torture is abolished in Bavaria.

1822
Torture is abolished in Hanover.

1875
Birth of Aleister Crowley, occultist who influenced Gerald Gardner.

1885
Birth of Gerald Gardner, founder of Wicca.

1890s
Aleister Crowley joins the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, of which William Butler Yeats was also a member.

1899
Charles Godfrey Leland publishes Aradia or the Goddess of the Witches.

1910
Crowley meets a leader of German Masonic order called the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), a combination of Masonic rites and the traditions of the Rosicrucians, the Templars, the Illuminists, and Bengali Tantrism. Crowley was soon initiated into the order and progressing through the degrees of the order.

1912
Crowley is named Grand Master of the O.T.O. for Great Britain and Ireland.

1921
Margaret Murray published The Witch-Cult in Western Europe.

1926
Birth of Alexander Sanders, founder of Alexandrian Wicca.

1929
Margaret Murray published her article “Witchcraft” in the 14th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica.

1939
The O.T.O. in Germany is effectively dissolved by the Nazis.

1939
Gardner joins the Folklore Society and presents a paper on witchcraft.

1939
The year Gerald Gardner claims he was initiated into a witch cult called the New Forest Coven, led by Dorothy Clutterbuck.

1940 Zsuzsanna Budapest, feminist writer and leader of Dianic Wicca, is born on January 30.

1940s
Gardner joins the nudist group The Fiveacres Country Club.

1946
Gardner begins work on High Magic’s Aid, a fictional novel partially based on those of his Southern Coven. The witches of his coven opposed making their rituals public, which is why it was presented as fiction and filled out with rituals from other sources.

1947
Gardner and Edith Woodford-Grimes start a company called Ancient Crafts Ltd.

1947
Gardner meets Crowley at Crowley’s home in Hastings for the first time on May 1, and visits him again several times during May.

1947
Gardner becomes a member of the O.T.O. in May and is authorized by Crowley to found an O.T.O. encampment and initiate new members.

1947
Crowley dies on December 1.

1947
On December 27, Gardner writes a letter claiming to have been designated as successor to Crowley as leader of the O.T.O. Karl Germer assumed leadership instead, and held it until his death in 1962.

1949
Gerald Gardner publishes High Magic’s Aid under the pseudonym Scire.

1950
Gardner begins distancing himself from Crowley and the O.T.O. in favor of Wicca.

1950
Gardner states in a letter that Crowley had participated in the witch cult but left in disgust due to the leadership of the High Priestess and the nudity.

1951
Gardner founds the “Northern Coven” in London and holds a small rite at his home near the British Museum on May Eve.

1953 Doreen Valiente is initated by Gardner, and soon became High Priestess.
1954
Gardner publishes Witchcraft Today, an event which many regard as the founding of Wicca.

1957 Wicca splits into two factions, one that supports Gardner’s growing publicity of the religion (led by Gardner) and one that opposes it (led by Doreen Valiente).

1959
Gardner publishes The Meaning of Witchcraft, in which he first uses the term “Wica.”

1963-64
Gardner winters in Lebanon to help his failing health.

1964
Gardner dies of heart failure on the SS Scottish Prince in the Mediterranean. His body is buried at the next port of call, Tunis.

1989
Valiente publishes The Rebirth of Witchcraft, a first-hand account of the history and development of Wicca.

1991
Aiden A. Kelly publishes Crafting the Art of Magic, Book I, which aims to show that Gardner’s Book of Shadows could be entirely traced to earlier sources.

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What is Wicca?

This was written by some one else. I find it to be the best for explaining this religion as well as it being in an simple, understandable way of writing.

The article below was written by our late webmaster, Herne. In it, he describes how Wicca draws from the Old Traditions of Witchcraft. While this is true, we would simply like to clarify up front that Witchcraft and Wicca, while simular in many respects, are not the same. One can be a Witch, without being a Wiccan, just as a person can be a Christian, without being a Baptist. Futhermore, Wicca is a recognized religion, while Witchcraft itself is not considered a religion. Thus, Wicca might best be described as a modern religion, based on ancient Witchcraft traditions.

What Is Wicca
Contrary to what those who choose to persecute or lie about us wish to believe, Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of thinking and life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists.

Wicca is a deep appreciation and awe in watching the sunrise or sunset, the forest in the light of a glowing moon, a meadow enchanted by the first light of day. It is the morning dew on the petals of a beautiful flower, the gentle caress of a warm summer breeze upon your skin, or the warmth of the summer sun on your face. Wicca is the fall of colorful autumn leaves, and the softness of winter snow. It is light, and shadow and all that lies in between. It is the song of the birds and other creatures of the wild. It is being in the presence of Mother Earths nature and being humbled in reverence. When we are in the temple of the Lord and Lady, we are not prone to the arrogance of human technology as they touch our souls. To be a Witch is to be a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver, and a protector of all things. If this path is yours, may you walk it with honor, light and integrity.

Wicca is a belief system and way of life based upon the reconstruction of pre-Christian traditions originating in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. While much of the information of how our ancestors lived, worshiped and believed has been lost due to the efforts of the medieval church to wipe our existence from history, we try to reconstruct those beliefs to the best of our ability with the information that is available.

Thanks to archaeological discoveries, we now have basis to believe that the origins of our belief system can be traced even further back to the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. With the discovery of these cave paintings, estimated to be around 30,000 years old, depicting a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people, it can reasonably be assumed that Witchcraft is one of the oldest belief systems known in the world toady. These archetypes are clearly recognized by Wiccan as our view of the Goddess and God aspect of the supreme creative force and predate Christianity by roughly 28,000 years making it a mere toddler in the spectrum of time as we know it.

Witchcraft in ancient history was known as “The Craft of the Wise” because most who followed the path were in tune with the forces of nature, had a knowledge of Herbs and medicines, gave council and were valuable parts of the village and community as Shamanic healers and leaders. They understood that mankind is not superior to nature, the earth and its creatures but instead we are simply one of the many parts, both seen and unseen that combine to make the whole. As Chief Seattle said; “We do not own the earth, we are part of it.” These wise people understood that what we take or use, we must return in kind to maintain balance and equilibrium. Clearly, modern man with all his applied learning and technology has forgotten this. Subsequently, we currently face ecological disaster and eventual extinction because of our hunger for power and a few pieces of gold.

For the past several hundred years, the image of the Witch has been mistakenly associated with evil, heathenism, and unrighteousness. In my humble opinion, these misconceptions have their origin in a couple of different places.

To begin, the medieval church of the 15th through 18th centuries created these myths to convert the followers of the old nature based religions to the churches way of thinking. By making the Witch into a diabolical character and turning the old religious deities into devils and demons, the missionaries were able to attach fear to these beliefs which aided in the conversion process. Secondly, as medical science began to surface, the men who were engaged in these initial studies had a very poor understanding of female physiology, especially in the area of a women’s monthly cycles. The unknowns in this area played very well with the early churches agenda lending credence to the Witch Hunters claims and authority. The fledgling medical professions also stood to benefit greatly from this because it took the power of the women healers away giving it to the male physicians transferring the respect and power to them.

Unfortunately these misinformed fears and superstitions have carried forward through the centuries and remain to this day. This is why many who follow these nature oriented beliefs have adopted the name of Wicca over its true name of Witchcraft to escape the persecution, harassment and misinformation associated with the name of Witchcraft and Witch not to mention the bad publicity the press and Hollywood has given us simply to generate a profit.

What Witchcraft is:
Witchcraft is a spiritual system that fosters the free thought and will of the individual, encourages learning and an understanding of the earth and nature thereby affirming the divinity in all living things. Most importantly however, it teaches responsibility. We accept responsibility for our actions and deeds as clearly a result of the choices we make. We do not blame an exterior entity or being for our shortcomings, weaknesses or mistakes. If we mess up or do something that brings harm to another, we have no one but ourselves to blame and we must face the consequences resulting from those actions. No ifs, ands or buts and no whining…

We acknowledge the cycles of nature, the lunar phases and the seasons to celebrate our spirituality and to worship the divine. It is a belief system that allows the Witch to work with, not in supplication to deities with the intent of living in harmony and achieving balance with all things.

The spells that we do involve healing, love, harmony, wisdom and creativity. The potions that we stir might be a headache remedy, a cold tonic, or an herbal flea bath for our pets. We strive to gain knowledge of and use the natural remedies placed on this earth by the divine for our benefit instead of using synthetic drugs unless absolutely necessary.

Wiccan believe that the spirit of the One, Goddess and God exist in all things. In the trees, rain, flowers, the sea, in each other and all of natures creatures. This means that we must treat “all things” of the Earth as aspects of the divine. We attempt to honor and respect life in all its many manifestations both seen and unseen.

Wiccan learn from and revere the gift of nature from divine creation by celebrating the cycles of the sun, moon and seasons. We search within ourselves for the cycles that correspond to those of the natural world and try to live in harmony with the movement of this universal energy. Our teachers are the trees, rivers, lakes, meadows, mountains and animals as well as others who have walked this path before us. This belief creates a reverence and respect for the environment, and all life upon the Earth.

We also revere the spirits of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water which combine to manifest all creation. From these four elements we obtain insight to the rhythms of nature and understand they are also the rhythms of our own lives.

Because Witches have been persecuted for so many centuries, we believe in religious freedom first! We do not look at our path as the only way to achieve spirituality, but as one path among many to the same end. We are not a missionary religion out to convert new members to think the same as we do. We are willing to share our experience and knowledge with those who seek our wisdom and perspective however. We believe that anyone who is meant for this path will find it through their own search as the Goddess speaks to each of us in her time and way. Wiccan practice tolerance and acceptance toward all other religions as long as those faiths do not persecute others or violate the tenant of “Harm None.”

What Witchcraft is not:

* Witchcraft or Wicca is not a cult. We do not proclaim ourselves to be spokespersons for the divine or try to get others to follow us as their leaders.

* We do not worship Satan or consort with Demons. Satan is a Christian creation and they can keep him. We do not need a paranoid creation of supreme evil and eternal damnation to scare us into doing the right thing and helping others. We choose to do the right thing and love our brothers and sisters because it IS the right thing and it feels good to do it. I suppose it is a maturity thing.

* We do not sacrifice animals or humans because that would violate our basic tenant of “Harm None.” Anyone who does and claims to be a Wiccan or a Witch is lying.

* We have no need to steal or control the life force of another to achieve mystical or supernatural powers. We draw our energy from within, our personal relationship with the divine and nature.

* We do not use the forces of nature or the universe to hex or cast spells on others. Again, “Harm None” is the whole of the law.

Witches have a very strict belief in the Law of Three which states that whatever we send out into our world shall return to us three fold either good or bane. With this in mind, a “True Witch” would hesitate in doing magick to harm or manipulate another because that boomerang we throw will eventually come back to us much larger and harder then when we threw it.

This is not to say that Witches are perfect, we are human too just like everyone else and make mistakes and errors in judgment. Just as there are parents who love and nurture their children, there are parents who abuse their children. As there are many who devote their lives to giving and helping mankind, likewise there are those who devote their lives to taking advantage of and using people for their own gain. Unfortunately the same flaws in human nature applies to witches too.

Most of us continually strive to consider all potential outcomes of our thoughts and actions pausing to seriously consider the consequences before undertaking a ritual, spell or rite that could go astray. It is when we follow the path with the love of the Goddess in our hearts and adhere to the basic tenant of the Reed that our works are beneficial and we achieve harmony and balance with all things.

The heart of Wicca is not something summed up into a few short words and can often take on different meaning to each since the Lord and Lady touch us in different ways. To gain a fuller understanding of the Craft, I urge you visit the other pages on this site as well as following the links to a select group of exceptional Wiccan and Witchcraft sites. Through the wisdom and words set down through the ages, you will find that you are able to understand the basis of our beliefs and how they may apply to you. Your inner voice will also quickly let you know if the intent of what you are reading is for superficial purposes to benefit self instead of working to benefit the whole. Remember to read with your heart, for it is when you see life and the world with your heart and spirit that you truly gain an understanding of what Wicca is.

Blessed Be!

Herne

Go here for more information.
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Witchcraft, Wicca and Paganism Frequently Asked Questions

These are also from the same site. I hope this help those to understand that;1)We are not Jews, 2)We are not devil lovers, and 3) we are not terrorists.

Thank you for understanding.  There will be more posts about Wicca.

Q. Are Wicca and Witchcraft the same thing?

A. Some say yes, and some say no. I suppose the only way to navigate this question safely is to point out what some may consider the main differences. In general, Wiccans feel free to review different belief systems, such as Celtic, Norse, Essene, Gnosis, or Shamanism, and then blend together any points that “feel” right into their own personal path. Pure Witchcraft on the other hand, may focus a little more tightly on using Magick and ritual to work with the elemental and spiritual forces in nature. Regardless, I feel the differences are slight in that Wicca and Witchcraft both work to achieve balance and harmony within nature and self.

Personally, I follow a predominately Celtic Witch/Tantric path. As time passes, I find myself increasingly drawing upon the wisdom and beliefs of other spiritual paths as my knowledge and understanding of them increases. So, when asked I’ll tell you I’m a Witch, I also consider myself a Wiccan and perhaps part Shaman because I utilize and blend aspects of them all.

On the other hand, my ex-wife shares many of the same beliefs regarding the Creative Force of the universe and living in harmony with nature but she does not consider herself Wiccan, Witch or Shaman. Instead she prefers to call herself Christian but not in the conventional sense as she does follow the doctrine of the Bible, not the church’s often biased and slanted interpretation of it.

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Q. Who do Witches Worship?

A. There is a single power defined as the One or All, which is composed of everything it has ever created. This supreme energy force does not rule over the Universe, it IS the Universe. Since most find it difficult to talk to or call upon a faceless mass of Divine energy, this supreme power is personified into male and female aspects as the Goddess and God. This simply makes the concept easier for the human mind to comprehend and relate to. Some take this concept a step further and use actual names, like Astarte, Isis, Odin, Pan, Dianna, Cernunnos, etc., when invoking the Goddess and God. In the end, it is a personal preference and what a Witch uses depends on what “feels” right for them individually.

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Q. How do Witches view Christianity. Are Witches Anti-Christian?

A. Not necessarily. Witchcraft, overall, is very tolerant of other religious views, and does not engage itself in criticizing the beliefs of other people, providing that their beliefs do not violate the basic tenant of “Harm None.” Witches do object to religions that attempt to suppress the religious beliefs of others, or every human’s right to seek spirituality in their own way. This is why there is a slight rub between Wiccans, Pagans, Witches, and some Christians. Many of them feel they have exclusive rights to the divine. We also have a strong disdain for those who use religion as an excuse to commit mass genocide. The “Burning Times” are a clear historical example of one religious group attempting to exert its philosophies and beliefs upon others using extreme measures.

Perhaps an over simplified way of describing our view is this: Imagine a beautiful meadow in the forest, and their are many paths leading to this meadow. It really does not matter which path you take to get there, the important thing is that you get there without harming anyone or anything along the way.

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Q. Can I follow the path of Wicca or Witchcraft and be a Christian too?

A. Again, some say yes and others maintain that they are completely separate religions. I believe that if one looks closely at the true teachings of Jesus with an open heart, you will find some stark commonalities. It is only when one takes literally the sometimes frail misinterpretations of those who misunderstood the intent or used the teachings to suit their own political agendas that one see’s wide differences.

As a solitary you are free to choose any path you desire, or any blend that “feels” right to you. The important thing is to not allow a name or word to become a stumbling block. It is the intent of your actions and spirituality that matters in the end. I realize it is a poor comparison; Peanut Butter and Chocolate are two completely separate things. The fact remains, however, that they work pretty well when mixed together. Ultimately you must do what “feels” right to you…

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Q. The Wiccan Rede says “An it harm none, do as ye will.” Does that mean a Witch can do anything they want and its OK if they justify the action to themselves?

A. An excellent question indeed! and the answer is no… The whole premise of our belief system is based on living in harmony with all things that exist. This includes, but is not limited to the earth, trees, rivers, lakes, oceans, air, and all of earth’s creatures, as well as other people without regard to race, color, religion, or sexual orientation.

My interpretation of the Rede tells me that the creative force of the universe has given me an inner voice, or “conscience,” which tells me what is right or wrong. It is also this consciousness that connects me to the creator. By listening to this inner voice, (Perhaps I should clarify here. No I do not hear voices, *smile* it is more like something I feel) I try to analyze my impulses and feelings to ensure they are not driven by greed, lust, envy, prejudice or anger. If they are, I try to put them in perspective or discard them all together. I then use common sense and judgment in my actions and accept full responsibility for them. This is not always easy to do, but I try. By keeping these ideals of right and wrong foremost in my mind, as well as seeking to obtain harmony and balance with nature and all living things, I am able to do my best at following the Rede as I go through my day.

This is not to say that Witches are perfect, never do anything wrong, or make mistakes. We are still human. We are aware of, or try to be aware of the karmic return of our actions, and are very careful not to send out negative energy in thought or deed.

Yes, sometimes a Witch will focus an energy form toward someone who needs a psychic zap. This is only done however when a person is consistently doing something very wrong within society and causing a lot of harm to others. If and when a Witch does zap someone, they do so with the full knowledge that it will eventually return to them and there will be a price to pay according to the Law of Three. There are times when we simply must make a personal sacrifice for the good of the whole and shoulder this weight.

When confronted with this type of situation, I prefer to bring this person to the attention of the Goddess, asking her that justice be done according to her will. In this way I am not focusing negative energy towards the individual and therefore am less likely to suffer karmic repercussions.

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Q. If Wicca and Witchcraft are not evil, why do you wear black robes?

A. This is another baseless superstition and Witches wear clothing and robes of every color. Black is the combination of all colors and all vibrational rates of light on the material plane. It is known that black is a very good conductor of energy, therefore wearing black simply helps Witches absorb natural energy to increase the power of their thought forms. Personally, I do my Magickal work naked. Gawd, there’s an ugly visualization for ya! LOL…

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Q. OK, so if Wicca and Witchcraft are not evil, why do you hold rituals and ceremonies at night hidden in the woods?

A. This practice has its history in a couple of different things, none of which have anything to do with evil… In the old world, especially within the Celtic tribes, the day followed an entirely different schedule than it does in modern times. The new day for them actually began at sunset. This is also why most observances of holidays were celebrated on the evening before the actual calendar day. The second reason is that survival had an entirely different meaning during those times. Almost without exception, everyone spent their daylight hours tending the crops, their herds, or engaged in their trade. All daylight hours were vitally important simply for survival reasons.

OK, so that takes care of why we observed our rites at night during ancient times, and many of the reasons are the same in today’s times. For one, most of us are busy working all day earning a living, so the evening is the only time we have to seek spiritual communion. Secondly, Wicca and Witchcraft are still largely misunderstood religions and we are still persecuted for our beliefs. Another reason which is important for me, and possibly for others as well is that I feel a special closeness to the Goddess and God at night. Yes I can, and do, enjoy the mountains and meadows during the daylight, or a sunrise and sunset, but I am truly more aware of the heavens and the great expanse of the Universe at night, so it just makes sense for me.

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Q. What form does the practice of Witchcraft take?

A. The form and context vary from group to group, and between each ritual, and may run the gamut from elaborate ceremony to spontaneous ritual to simple meditation.

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Q. How do you see the Goddess and God?

A. Wiccans believe that there are female/male aspects to the One or All and without the union and balance of these two aspects, nothing can exist.  Read the answer to question number two above again for more insight.

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Q. Do all Witches practice their religion the same way?

A. Yes and no. Wicca is a highly individualistic religion. Moreover, the number of different sects within the Craft may give the impression that no two groups practice the same way. Though practices may vary, most traditions have many similarities, such as the working of magick and a respect for nature. Most Witches find enough common ground for mutual support and productive networking throughout the Craft community.

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Q. Is Witchcraft a cult?

A. No. Cults are groups that trade a sense of salvation and belonging for the ability to think for oneself. They indulge in extravagant homage or adoration (Webster’s Dictionary), usually of an earthly leader of some sort. If you know a real Witch, you’ll quickly come to find the term “Cult” could not apply to us. Most Wiccans, Witches and pagans come to the Craft individually through reading and communing with nature. They often will remain solitary in their beliefs but other will also find like-minded people to celebrate seasonal cycles or monthly moons with. Witches are extremely individualistic, self sufficient and defend the right of free will without hesitation.

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Q. Do Witches have a bible?

A. No. A bible is supposedly the word of a deity revealed through a prophet. Witchcraft is a Pagan folk-religion of personal experience. Witchcraft in the old times was much the same as the beliefs of the Essenes, Gnostics, Druids, and many other religions. The teachings were passed along by spoken word through long periods of one-on-one instruction with an Elder of the Craft. This approach was taken because the power and knowledge could be misused in the wrong hands. Therefore, by using only the spoken word, the old masters could ensure those who wished to follow the path had a true understanding and their hearts were in the right place as their knowledge of the mysteries grew. Unfortunately, when the medieval church began its attempts to convert and eliminate rival belief systems, the teachers were either killed outright or went underground resulting in much of the ancient knowledge being lost.

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Q. If Witches don’t have a bible, what do you use?

A. Most modern Witches keep a Book of Shadows, (BOS) or Grimoire, which is more like an individuals workbook, journal, or diary, meaningful to the person who keeps it. This book contains rituals, discoveries, spells, poetry, herb lore, etc. Covens almost always keep a similar group book. I am not exactly sure how the name “Book of Shadows” came to be, but I would assume that this also ties into the Burning Times when the church set out to eliminate all texts along with the followers of the old ways. The writings that existed were more than likely were taken into the shadows and hidden with the survivors.

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Q. The word Tradition is used quite often. What is the exact meaning of this?

A. Here the word Tradition relates to the beliefs of a specific geographical region such as Celtic, Germanic, Norse, etc., and is sometimes broken down into further subsets. Essentially it is much the same as the variety of denominations seen within Christianity, such as Methodist, Mormon or Catholic.

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Q. Do Witches cast spells?

A. Some do and some don’t. Spellwork should never be the focus of following this path and those who seek our ways only for this purpose are very misguided. A spell is a ritual formula, or series of steps, to direct psychic energy to accomplish a desired end. This energy is drawn from the Earth with the aid of elementals, concentrated and sent out into the world to achieve a positive goal. Since Witchcraft teaches that whatever one sends out is returned threefold, Witches are very careful to never send out harmful energy carelessly. The Christian word for this is “Prayer”. The only real difference is that Witches also invoke the aid of spirit guides, familiars or other elemental energies to add strength to the process as well as using ritual tools.

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Q. Do Witches worship the devil?

A. No. Satan, or the Devil, has absolutely no place in Wicca or Witchcraft. The worship of Satan is the practice of profaning Christian symbolism and is thus a Christian heresy, rather than a Pagan religion. The Goddess and God of the Witches are in no way connected to Satanic practices. Satan, or the Devil, is a Christian creation and they are more than welcome to keep him.

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Q. Are Witches only women?

A. No, although women do seem to predominate in the Craft overall. In fact, some traditions have only women practitioners, just as others have only men. A male Witch is simply called a Witch, never a warlock and it is considered an insult to call a male Witch “Warlock”. The word “Warlock” actually means “oath breaker”. Some traditions of Wicca separate between female/male. The word “Wicce” pronounced (Wik-kay) designates a female Witch and “Wicca” pronounced (Wik-kah) designates a male Witch.

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Q. How do Witches view Sex?

A. Sex is part of nature and sacred to the Deities and Witches. Just like everyone else, we think it’s wonderful. The Great Rite at Beltane is a symbolic representation of the union between the Goddess and God resulting in the creation of all that exists. Very few, if any, traditions engage in sex as a part of group rites and there are no orgies during ritual. Many couples who have chosen each other, and jointly follow the path, do use sex magick in their private rites and rituals, however. It is a deeply intimate sharing of body, spirit and soul which bonds them together closer than anything else can.

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Q. What is the purpose of performing ceremonies Skyclad?

A. The term skyclad means “Clad only by the sky”. Not all Witches perform rituals skyclad, but there are those who believe that the absence of clothing allows energy to transfer to and from them more freely. Many simply feel closer to the Goddess and God while in their natural form without the bindings of human technology, insecurities or socially retarded inhibitions regarding the human form. Many wear a robe or some other clothing made of natural materials while participating in group activities and go skyclad only when observing rites alone or with their mate. Regardless, going skyclad during ritual is in no way a sexual act, it is a deeply spiritual one for those who “choose” to do so.

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Q. Is Witchcraft a religion?

A. Yes, Witchcraft is a nature based religion and it has been recognized as such in the United States and Canada. In the U.S., Wicca has full recognition as a religion and is granted all rights as such under the Constitution. The American Heritage Dictionary defines religion as “a belief in and reverence for a supernatural power recognized as the creator and governor of the universe”. So yes, it does qualify as such. Our definition differs slightly in that to us, the creator of the universe IS the universe. Witchcraft, or Wicca, is not something that can be followed once in a while or when it is convenient or we need or want something. It is a dedication made to nature, the deities and yourself. It is a way of life, and as such we are mindful of the balance between ourselves and all things within the universe at all times.

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Q. How do Witches view death?

A. Many Witches believe in reincarnation and the Summerland. After passing over, Summerland is where the spirit awaits to be returned into a new physical form. We do not believe in an absolute Heaven or Hell where the spirit spends eternity as reward or punishment for ones earthly actions.

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Q. How can someone find out more about Witchcraft?

A. Ours is not a missionary religion, and we never try to make converts. We feel that if this path is right for you, you will find your way to it. We are, however, becoming more visual and vocal in an attempt to educate and dispel myths and superstitions about the Craft. You need not worry about a Witch knocking on your door and wanting to come in and share passages from their BOS.  Some Witches also teach classes or facilitate discussion groups. In this way, people may make contact with a like minded Coven, form their own groups or share thoughts and beliefs with others. There is also a growing number of superb craft sites on the internet, periodicals, and national and regional festivals through which a seeker can make contact with the larger Craft community.

Gentle Breezes!

Herne

Copyright © The Celtic Connection, wicca.com. All rights reserved.

R.I.P. Sjors

Sjors had several large tumors that could not be taken care of without more problems. We did an Eco today and seen 4 tumors the size of marbles and 1 that was as large as a tennis ball. I could not see him in pain. I had the hardest decision to make. The best way to keep him from being in pain was to put him to sleep. I stayed with him till the very end. I also asked for results to what that tumor was and how it got so big in just 24 hours. It kept on growing as it made Sjors weak and in a lot of pain.

I miss him very much and Hope that Sjimmie will do ok with out his brother.

I love you Sjors.

NEDERLANDS:
Sjors had verschillende grote tomoren waar niets meer aangedaan kon worden zonder nog meer problemen te veroorzaken. We hebben vandaag een echo laten maken, waarop 4 tumoren te zien waren zo groot als knikkers en 1 zo groot als een tennisbal. Ik kon het niet aan hem pijn te zien lijden. Ik moest de moeilijkste beslissing nemen. De enige manier hem uit zijn leiden te verlossen was hem in te laten slapen. Ik ben bij hem gebleven tot het laatste moment. Ik heb ook om resultaten gevraagd van wat die tumor precies was en hoe deze binnen 24 uur zo groot kon worden. De Tumor werd als maar groter en maakte Sjors zwakker en gaf hem erg veel pijn.

Ik mis hem heel erg en ik hoop dat het goed gaat met Sjimmie zonder zijn broer.

Ik houd van jou Sjors.

R.I.P. Sjors

Ferret Couture

I just got my order in from this place. Talk about WOW!!!

My ferrets love their new toys. What is great they even send both of my ferrets a birthday package. With more toys.

I got hoodies for them to and really great collars. I will be posting photos tomorrow. I also will make a video from them playing with their new stuff.

I have been looking for toys that they would play with. They only play with the toys from Ferret Couture. I am going to buy from them from now on.

I also bought a bag of treats from them. It is called The Natural Ferret. 100% pure chicken, No fillers, No addiditives, No preservatives, No nonsense and most of all no crap grains. It is cheap to buy, so i bought just one bag. That is to see if my ferrets will eat it. Since they really dislike Bandits and other ferret treat stuff. This one is the best.

To order something for your fuzzy friends go to www.ferretcouture.com you will not be unhappy about it. This place is the best.

I leave you all with this video from Sunday May 24, 2009

Ferret Party on May 16th.

Today is my ferrets birthday. They are now 5 years old. Yesterday I had a party for them.

Wow. What a day yesterday. My boys amazed me. I wished I had a video camera.

I got all I needed for my boys. They got to smell the mouse and went nuts. I waited until my sister was here. She never seen a ferret and wanted to see then eat the mouse.

Well Sjimmie was first. I just had the mouse by his tail and Sjimmie took him so fast all I could hear was the mouse crying. For me and everyone we did not flinch. It is normal. My sister had snakes so she always feed live pray.

My boyfriend at first did not like the ferrets, but when he got to see Sjimmie take the mouse, my boyfriend likes ferrets now. He told me it is nice to know that they can be real and not something people want them to be.

So Sjimmie was killing his mouse. Sjors was busy with the pig ear and when he saw his brother with the mouse he wanted it. The mouse was dead and I had one waiting for Sjors to have. It was all fast. I made a few photos and I took one of Sjors trying to take Sjimmies mouse and when the camera went click, Sjors attacked his brother for the first time. Sjors got the mouse. I told my boyfriend to get the mouse and he was afraid Sjors would attack him too. My boyfriend is afraid of being bitten by a ferret. He heard too many stories.

So he got the mouse. I got Sjors and then I got the other mouse. Sjors took it. Then played with it before killing it. My boyfriend said that Sjors made a swift kill. Unlike Sjimmie. Sjimmie shook the mouse and then lean on it to cruch it.

Then after the mouses are dead then the running around to hide them. First Sjors hide his and then took Sjimmies mouse and stashed that one too. Then Sjimmie took his mouse back and for 45 minutes long all we did was laugh. It was a sight to see.

By the time it was all done. We put them in their cages so they can eat the mouse in peace. Both have their own cage.

Sjimmie was cute with his mouse. First he ate the tail, then the feet and then the head. After the mouse became headless Sjimmie put the mouse in his feed bowl for later. Too cute I tell yea. I so need to get a camcorder to show you this, I have never seen a ferret to take any food and put it in his own dish.

Party Time

Love Partys

Sjimmie is ready to party

Home made cage

Sjors is waiting

Sjors wants to play

The room

Last Supper

Have mouse, Will Travel

Bag of pig ear strips

The ferrets gifts

Sjimmie is going crazy

He really wants to play

Aww isn’t he cute!?

Yes Sjors your clothes are in the mail…

Sjimmie has the mouse

Sjimmie killing the mouse

Sjimmie eating the mouse.

Sjors wants Sjimmies mouse

Sjors playing with his mouse.

Sjors killing his mouse.

Sjors eating his mouse

Sjimmies headless mouse. Sjimmie had enough and put his mouse in the feed bowl.

My birthday boys just did not want to calm down….

This is just wrong….

Yesterday I get a message on a network site saying that he hates Jews and I can not talk to him. I am wiccan not Jew. I deleted him after that message. I have no clue why he would be like that. He looked at my profile and I have a pentagram background that also says WICCAN… wow.

Here is my pic for my background.

How can you think this is Jewish?

That just is the icing on the cake. So from that I also get all kinds of rude messages from devil lover to wiccans are terrorists. So What is wrong with that? This post is going to be short. I am going to post something about Wicca in the next few days. So this way people will learn to read and understand what it is about. Wiccan is just some one that is in the Wicca religion. I was raised Wicca. My mother is Wicca and well my father is Buddhist. Yeah I know weird family. Growing up Wicca is not easy and to this day it is still not easy. What in the world is wrong with Wiccans’.

Comment if you like. Just understand that if you leave a nasty, rude comment it will be reported. Please be nice to all that leaves a comment. If you can not be nice and respectful just don’t write anything at all.

Thank you for reading.
Lilac Riverbrook

Special Beer Festival

Okay. Now for what some have been waiting for. To see if there is trash. Well to be amazed. There was very little trash.

What they did was in order to taste the new beer and to vote on what should be the next beer for this year. You needed to pay to drink. You get a lovely glass, booklet, and 2 tokens to drink. If you want to try them all you need to buy more tokens. My boyfriend Vital and I bought more. I had 8 and so did he.  We looked through the book and to see what we should try first.

Here is the list of beers that where presented. Some have been around for a while. The ones that says PREMIERE are for the first time being presented.

The Breweries Beer Alcohol Percentage

Horne, De	Blondy	5,5% vat
Horne, De	Dobbelaer	6% vat
Bijdehand Bierbrouwerij	Bijdehand IPA (PRIMEUR)	6,1% vat
De Eem	Eem blond	6,2% vat
De Eem	Eem bitter	6,8% fles
De Eem	Eem donker (PRIMEUR)	7% vat
Emelisse	Emelisse ongefilterde pils	5% fles
Emelisse	Emelisse Lentebock	7,2% vat
Emelisse	Emelisse Double IPA (PRIMEUR)	9,7% vat
Emelisse	Emelisse Imperial Russian Stout	11% vat
Ambachtelijke Bierbrouwerij Geilings	Brabants Bruin	9% vat
Halve maan	Java Premium	5% vat en fles
Halve maan	Dobbele Java	6,5% vat en fles
Halve maan	Zeeuwsche Witte	5% fles
Halve maan	Lazarus	6,5% fles
Halve maan	Grof Geschut	8% fles
Halve maan	Zondebok	8% fles
Halve maan	Java Triple	8% fles
Halve maan	Java Kriek (PRIMEUR)	3,5% fles
Huttenkloas	Goudbier	5,2% vat
Huttenkloas	Witbier	5,2% vat
Huttenkloas	Landbier	7,5% vat
Huttenkloas	Winterbok	7,5% vat
Huttenkloas	Dubbel Kloat	7,5% vat
Huttenkloas	Tripel Kloat	8,5% fles
Jopen	Jopen extra stout	5,5% vat
Jopen	Jopen Hoppen	6,8% vat
Jopen	Jopen Koyt	8,5% vat
Jopen	Jopen Adriaan Rosé	4,8% vat
Jopen	Jopen Lentebier	7% fles
Het Klaverblad	Phoenix bier (o.v.b) (PRIMEUR)	-
Huisbrouwerij Klein Duimpje	Tulpenbok	7% vat
Huisbrouwerij Klein Duimpje	Erik de Noorman	9% vat
Huisbrouwerij Klein Duimpje	Smokey Porter (PRIMEUR)	7,5% vat
Huisbrouwerij Klein Duimpje	Blauwe Tram	7,5% vat
Huisbrouwerij Klein Duimpje	Diverse bieren van fles	-
Koekoek bierbrouwerij	Koekoek Weizen (PRIMEUR)	5,3% vat
Koekoek bierbrouwerij	Koekoek Amber (PRIMEUR)	5% vat
Koekoek bierbrouwerij	Koekoek Blond (PRIMEUR)	4,5% vat
’t Koelschip	Explosie	13% vat
’t Koelschip	Hopfazupfa bier	6,5% vat
’t Koelschip	Koelschip Blond	5% vat
’t Koelschip	Koelschip Amber	5% vat
’t Koelschip	Koelschip Meibok	7% vat
’t Koelschip	Koelschip Weiss	5% fles, misschien vat
Stadsbrouwerij van Kollenburg	’t Kolleke Oude Jan	5,5% vat
Stadsbrouwerij van Kollenburg	’t Kolleke Jonge Jan	5,5% vat
Stadsbrouwerij van Kollenburg	’t Kolleke Ome Jan	6,5% vat
Stadsbrouwerij van Kollenburg	’t Kolleke Rosé	4,9% vat
Stadsbrouwerij van Kollenburg	’t Kollelke Triple	7,5% vat
De Leckere	Paulus Abdijbier	7,5% vat
De Leckere	Premium Pilsener	5% vat
De Leckere	Razende Swaen (PRIMEUR)	8% wisselvat
De Leckere	Witte vrouwen (PRIMEUR)	5% fles
De Leckere	Willibrord	5% fles
Maasland	D’n Schele Os Tripel	7,5% vat)
Maasland	Liniebier Nasau	6,5% vat)
Mieghelm	Abraham	5,0% vat
Mieghelm	Brabants Buikske	7,0% vat
Mommeriete	Blond	5,5% vat
Mommeriete	Meibock	7% vat
Muifelbrouwerij	Zuster Agatha	10% vat
Muifelbrouwerij	Graaf Dicbier	6,5% vat
Muifelbrouwerij	Saazer Tripel (PRIMEUR)	9% vat
Muifelbrouwerij	Berghs bier (PRIMEUR)	6,5% vat
Muifelbrouwerij	Muifel USA	6,6% vat
Nederlands Openluchtmuseum	’t Goeye Goet Lentebier (PRIMEUR)	6,5% vat
Nederlands Openluchtmuseum	’t Goeye Goet Dubbel (PRIMEUR)	7% vat
Oirschots Bier	Kempelier	6% vat blonde ale
Oirschots Bier	Meibock	7,5 % vat
Oirschots Bier	Winterbock	7,5 % vat
De Pelgrim	Pelgrim Mayflower Tripel	8,2 %vat
De Prael	André – lentebock	6,6% vat
De Prael	Heintje – Weizen	5,4% vat
De Prael	Johnny – Kölsch	5,7% vat
De Prael	Mary – Barley Wine	9,6% vat
De Roos	Roggerbier (PRIMEUR)	7% vat
De Roos	Bikse Tripel	8% vat
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Skendels Stout (PRIMEUR)	5,6% fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Frederik Hendrik bier – speltbier	5,6% fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Spelt Enkel	5,6%  vat en fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Spelt Dubbel (PRIMEUR)	7,5% fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Spelt Tripel (PRIMEUR)	8% fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Spelt Witbier (PRIMEUR)	5,6 % fles
Bierbrouwerij Sint Servattumus	Spelt Honingbier (PRIMEUR)	8,5% fles
’t Vølen	BAP	7% vat
’t Vølen	Ootje	8% vat
Café Paternoster	Brand Up	5,5% vat
Café Paternoster	Brand Imperator	6,5% vat
Café Paternoster	Brand Lentebock	6,5% vat
Café Paternoster	Brand Dubbelbock	7,5% vat

Now I am going to tell you about the ones I have tasted. From the nastiest to the best. Well For me that is. I will also add what the beer is good for and for whom. Since I had 8 tokens, the beers will be labled from 1 to 8. I will also give you my rating of the beers.

We decided to try last years winner first,  the Muifel USA.

1. Muifel USA (www.muifelbrouwerij.nl, for the dutch readers.)
With spicy hop and products of  American beers are always improve to get. This beer plays on this recent development. It is brewed with a considerable quantity of  American hops (Chinook, Cascade). It is not obtain in stores, but only on the festival. Previous year success. A clear golden colored beer, with a thick foamy white head.  For me it was too bitter. This beer might be good for people who drink Guiness or simular. I for one do not like bitter beer. I rate this a 3/10.
2. Java Kriek PREMIERE  (www.halvemaan.com, for the dutch readers)
Java Kriek (kriek is wild cherry or just cherry) arose when after a brewery tour in the De halve Maan, a number of young ladies who are in control of serving drinks were found that the range of Java beers missed something sweet, as these were indicated by the brewers. These exponent from the Breezer generation got a few weeks later a sweet reddish brew, as indicated by the brewers were presented. This form of Kiek, not like the traditional Kriek  from Zenne-Vallei (has been made on the basis of (sour) old Gueuze), but comes from the origin of  wheat beer where cherries essence are added too. Another few weeks later, guests also got the Java Kriek in it own glass.  This unexpected success resulted in bottling of Java Kriek, inevitable.  The girls from De Halve Maan prove to be very consistent.
I found this beer to be my top beer. I love the flavor and the color as well. There is a photo of this beer that I have taken, you will see that at the end of this post. With a nice smooth taste and deep red body it is hard to miss this beer. It is a good summer beer. This beer is very sweet, but it compliments itself. With a strong cherry taste. Love cherries. This is like eating a jar of cherries that has a bit of beer in it. If you like fruity beer you will like this one. My rating is 10/10

3. Spelt Honingbier PREMIERE — Honey Beer–(www.sintservattumus.nl, for the dutch readers)

This beer comes out of a Village/Town by the name of Schijndel. There is not much to say about this beer from the brewery, but I will put in my usual note. It has a nice soft golden tone. You can smell the honey. It has very little taste when it comes from such a sweet sorce such as honey.  You get the hint of honey with a bitter after taste. This beer is good if you have eaten something that is better in order to make it taste sweet. For honey beer fans I would think you would like this softer side of honey beer. I rather have a stronger honey taste. my rating is 6/10

4. Liniebier Nassau PREMIERE(www.maaslandbrouwerij.nl, for the dutch readers)

This is a dark beer, brewed with 3 different kinds of hop, pilsmout, caramout and chocolatmout. Has a very sweet smell but the taste is not that sweet. You can taste a bit of chocolate which gives it a unique flavor. The after taste is a bit dry. This is a good beer for those that like an exotic tasting beers. This beer, I think is good for last summer to early fall.  My rating is 9/10.

5. Smokey Porter PREMIERE (www.kleinduimpje.nl, for the dutch readers)

From very dark brown to black beer. It has a smoke taste like from smoking meats type of smoke. Very unusual beer. Not for me. No way. i did not like the taste. It is new and a bit weird, but not for me. I did not like it at all. What I have noticed is a lot of people how do smoke like this beer. Not much but enough.  I  am no longer a smoker and for me to drink this beer was almost like walking into a room full of people smoking. Not very pleasant. My rating is 1/10 since there is no zero. I rather say -10.

6. Phoenix (www.phoenix-bier.nl, for the dutch readers)

This beer is not new. I found out that this beer has been around for a long time. The company was shut down do to finacial problems. No wonder why. This beer sucks. It is better then the last one that I just mention, but I can see why it is not a success. A yellow color with very little foam. Bitter taste with a bad after taste. This beer bits back. It is also worst then the first beer I tried. Yuck. My boyfriend on the other hand liked it. He likes the some what bitter taste. My rating is 2/10.

7. X-plosie (www.brouwerijhetkoelschip.nl, for the dutch readers)

This beer was popular. It is brewed once a year and it sits for 12 months before it is avaliable. The beer itself is ok. It has a dark color to it, which I think it looks just like cola. It smells like pinapples. It is sweet with a wood brabdy flavor that is warm. The only thing about this beer is that every year when it is brewed it is not ht esame as before. So if you had it this year, it will taste different next year. This beer is good with salty foods and sour food. Like in sausages, pickles, cocktail onions and so on. I like this beer. Even though it has 13% in it. You can feel the warmth like you would when drinking whiskey.  This beer taste almost like Southern Comfort. For me this is a beer version of the sweet whiskey Southern Comfort. So if you like the whiskey you will like this beer. My rating is 10/10

Now for the last beer.

8. Mary (www.deprael.nl, for the dutch readers)

This beer is also sweet. Not as sweet as the Java Kriek. This is good for people who like things just sweet but not over all. The first taste is sweet. Then it just becomes smooth. The after taste is very dry. It is a good beer for an spicy dinner or a sour one.  My rating is 7/10.

Well that is all. I hope you enjoy this. Now for the photos.

Look. Motercycle guy drinking. Yes that is a good thing to do. NOT!

My boyfriend enjoying the Java kriek.

Yummy. This is the Java Kriek. I love cherries.

Trash under the table.

This is the trash from the end of the event. See not much. Well to me it is still too much.

Archaic Averno

This last Saturday I was getting ready to go with the band Archaic Averno. They had a gig/concert in Nijvendal, Overijssel, The Netherlands.  From where I live it is almost a 2 hour drive. We had to go to the rehearsal studio to pick up all the equipments that is needed. From there it is a shorter drive. The rehearsal studio is in Nijmegen.  That is 30 min drive from where I live in ’s-Hertogenbosch also known as Den Bosch.

Getting ready is the easy part. It is the waiting that is the hardest. I was ready to go early and got bored waiting for my boyfriend to be ready. I took my ferrets out and let them have their exercise and fun before we went.

When we arrived it is next to a school and smacked  dab in the middle of houses. It is called Metal Front Twente. They play nothing but metal music. For me, metal is okay but not my favorite. I am there only in support for Archaic Averno and of course going some place new.

The gear was unloaded and then it was time to just sit and relax. So I took a photo of the band relaxing before they had to work under the hot spot lights.

Good time to relax.

Archaic Averno with their sound engineer and great friend.  From Left to Right is Rob(sound engineer), Soewardi(lead guitar), Marike(bass guitar), Tjeerd (great friend), Andrew(lead Guitar), Tom(drums) and Vital(vocal)

It was a cloudy day, but the weather was nice. Not too cold and not to hot. Just right. I got a little bored but that is normal with me.

For good times...

The poster for the evening events.

The club also had food for band members and also for the people that showed up with them. There is always a problem with that. Marike does not eat meat. None at all. What did they surve…, meat. Not just any meat. Something called fricadel and kroket. I for one do not like that. So gross. Instead I asked Vital if we can go to McDonalds. He said ok, but where is it. I decided to shout out and ask.

Where is Mcdonalds?

We got the answer and on we went. So not only that, Marike and Andrew decided to go too. Marike, well yea she would go. She needs to eat too. It will be a long night so the bass player needs fuel too. So salade for her and of course I had the Quarter pounder. I just wish I did not eat it. That was a bit to greasy for me. Next time I am getting a salade.

We get back and it was time for the sound check for the first band. Bloody Remains. Good band as well. Sorry no photos of them. I only have photos from Archaic Averno. I really hate my camera. That is what I get for buying cheap. I had to make sure that I make limited photos.

Tjeerd helped me with making the photos as well. Over all it was a great night. Stigma is also a good band to see. So for those that are local (The Netherlands) or are going to come here for a visit. I suggest you check out some of the bands here. This was a great night. I have made new friends and got to chat away with a couple of England lads. Great guys.  The first band started to play around 20.00 hours/8pm. The next band which is Archaic Averno had a problem with the sound check and took a bit for them to play but when they did that was around 22.20/10:20pm.

Yes very late, but that is how it works and it went very well. The last band Stigma has a great drummer. The singer, for me is not that good. Just did not fit in. By the time all was done I had about 7 beers and feeling good. Not yet drunk, by no means.  Just enough to feel it.

We all started to pack up to go around Midnight. We loaded up for the long trek back to Nijmegen to drop off the equipment. During the trip the guys wanted a red bull so we stoped a little less then half way at a truck stop. Got something to drink and a snack.

At this time we found out that Marike forgot her coat. In her coat was her house keys. It was too lat to turn back, She called her brother to see if her could help her with the spare key. By the time we did get to Nijmegen it was already late. Nearly 2 in the morning. When all was said and done Vital and I headed home to Den Bosch. That was almost 3. Really late. But so well worth it. LOL!

So here is the photos. Enjoy! Feel free to comment and to message me for more information about Archaic Averno.

Good time to relax.

For good times…

Soewardi

Andrew

Tom

Marike, Vital and Soewardi

Andrew

Marike

Archaic Averno

Update.

This is just to let you all know that today I will post several blogs just to sum up the weekend.

I will post about Saturday and Sunday events.

Talk about the band Archaic Averno. Which is my boyfriends band. He is the singer. The band is like family to me as well. They are good people.

I will also talk about the beer festival that I have mention about in an earlier posting. This time I was amazed. I also tried the most nastiest beers to the most sweetest but best in my mind.

So on to the post.

Queens Day in Den Bosch

Well where to start. I know where to start. i am going to start off with the people. Talk about lazy. There is trash everywhere. I have even seen some girls that walk right by a trash can and just drop the trash a few feet from the can. Holland has some issues when it comes to trash. They want people to help keep Holland clean, but that does not work. There are no fines to pay if you litter.

I know in the USA if you litter it can in some areas be a large fine. I am from Reno, Nevada and I know that the fines are from $500 to $1,500 dollars. I think Holland needs to do that too.

The only thing that I did not do was take photos. I lost the batteries and now I feel like an idiot. It is not just yesterday. It is every weekend and holidays. The workers that help keep the streets clean, do their best. I have seen last night the workers cleaning up the mess out side my window and the trash cans too. Some people where eating on the square and seen the workers. What I do not get is when they were finished they left. They also left the McDonald’s bags and crap all over. They sat just 50 feet from the trash can. Now if that is not lazy, then what is?

I have nothing against the dutch people, me being dutch…, I think I can say a few things. I have seen that the majority of the dutch people are lazy, disrespectful and just careless. Living here only 3 years now and I know the mayor has tried to keep this fine city clean.

There is no excuse not to keep it clean. I believe that there should be a strong fine, more people enforcing the laws and above all let the people know that enough is enough. In the water ways where ships travel from city to city have a lot of plastic cups, bags, and just plan trash in the water. There is numbers of dead birds and fish. No one cares.

If Holland would flood and just drown, I would be happy. The reason why is I feel that Holland is very dirty. Trash everywhere. Lazy people are the highest here.

I have never in my entire life have seen such mess. This Sunday there is a beer festival for tasting new beers that the local breweries have made. I know in the past it will be a mess. Cups all over. Trash, trash, trash and just more trash. So the dutch people are trashy people in means of littering.

It is sad. To see such a beautiful place covered in litter. Might as well call Den Bosch “The city of Trash our best dump site”, it to me make the people living here and the mayor look like a bunch of lazy idiots with no care about our planet.

You should have also seen this place on Earth Day. It should be a crime.

I have bought new batteries so I can take the photos needed to see about helping Holland stay clean and to get people to stop being so lazy.