.: Balance :.

  • Introduction

    • Nature is generally divided by masculine and feminine. Most everyone is familiar with the male trilogy of Deity known as the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost [now known as the Holy Spirit to be more PC]. Many have heard of a feminine correspondence to this, but are unaware of the names. We call them, the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. We also have different names for the male trilogy, which vary from Tradition to Tradition. I refer to them as the Green Man, the Father, and the Sage.

    Herbs are divided as Masculine and Feminine [Check out Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.], which correspond to the appropriate time of year. The Spring and Summer months are ruled by the Sun, and are therefore Masculine. This does not mean that the Goddess cannot be invoked or venerated during this time. Therefore, as the God is in the peak of his power during this time, you may choose to use masculine herbs, colors, etc. to help boost your endeavors.

    The Fall and winter months are ruled by the Moon, and are therefore Feminine. This, again, does not mean that the God cannot be invoked or venerated during this time. Therefore, as the Goddess is in the peak of her powerduring this time, you may choose to use feminine herbs, colors, etc. to help boost your endeavors.

    While the above behaviors are indicative of a higher level of Magickal Education, they are certainly not necessary. Whatever works for you, is right for you. Remember that.

    Some elitists would becry this entire article, saying that there has to be a balance. They try to go with Spring and Fall for the Goddess and Summer and Winter for the God. A simple observance of Nature will defy this assignment, as the Winter is obviously of the Crone, and the Spring [while Mother Nature is the prominent figure in contemporary histrionics] is of the young God, the Great Stag of the Wood, and the warming of the Sun, which is of the God.

    What does this matter? Honestly, it doesn't. You can hold Rite for any Deity at any time you need to. While the assignments DO assist in boosting what you do, none of the trappings are necessary to maintain that great Balance everyone talks about. The Balance must be within YOU. THERE is where the Balance matters.

  • Shades of Gray

    • If you have read this site, you may have run across several references to this goal. Some White-Lighters would shudder and run away from Shades of Gray, while some who practice the Dark Arts would laugh at the concept of Gray. However, the Shadows are where we were driven, and there is nothing of the Machavelian Evil in the Shadows. Some people need change in order to grow, so wishing them to be "in peace," is to wish that they never grow. Some people need chaos in order to motivate them to get their acts together, so the wish for them to be harmonious would be a death sentence to their attempts to organize their lives. Some people need to hit bottom before they will realize that they themselves have the power to alter their own circumstances and situations. To give those people [or even yourself] what is needed, one must understand those subtle Shades of Gray.

    I used to say, "Walk in the Light," but I have come to realize that there are many who do not NEED to be in the Light. Those who are suffering physical illness and are currently working on their healings may need to remain in the Shadows until the illness may be crept upon. Those who are working delicate secretive divinations or spells do NOT need the Light shed upon their workings. While their motives may be pure, their activities may be called into question, where they should not be.

    Many shun the Darkness, but there are times when the Dark Arts are necessary. For example, the Art of Necromancy is considered a Dark Art, however, the art of calling spirits is considered "white light." It's still Necromancy, people. If you are doing ANYthing with or to the Dead, you are working in the gray areas of Necromancy; a Dark Art. If you thought the séance was fun, then you have enjoyed a working of Necromancy. If you have ever used an Ouija Board, then you have dabbled in Necromancy. While these are of the most benign areas of that Dark Art, I'm sure you can now understand that Shadow is a necessary part of any Magick User's life.

  • The Gods and Goddesses

    • The duality of Deity MUST be respected. Your balance is in calling the God AND the Goddess while doing Full Moon Rites, and your Sun Rites. If you do one, do the other, and if you call one, call the other. THERE is your balance. In your heart. Balance is more than right and left. It is the careful consideration of one's self; one's heart, mind, and spirit.

    Now, all this is not to say that God or Goddess Covens can't do anything as powerfully as one which calls both the God and the Goddess. That is not the case. Many times, if you look into the membership of these Covens, there are many who would balance the gender issue, inadvertently. However, just as it is wrong of the Catholic Church and its thousands of offspring paths to omit the Goddess, do NOT omit the God. In so doing, you are missing out on the chance to walk the line of balance.