Witchclass Cycle One

 

New Cycle start Monday, April 21st, from 7pm. 

$10 per class, pay as you go.

The Silver Broom

46 Railroad Ave, Sayville NY 11782

This is our longest running class series.
Amy Krinner, my best friend & High Priestess, started teaching together 16 years ago to help clarify, educate & provide feedback to the burgeoning amount of information on Witchcraft.

We offer 3 different cycles on Witchcraft:

• Witchclass Cycle One: The Basic Art & Science
• Witchclass Cycle Two: Spellbook
• Witchclass cycle Three: Gods & Goddesses.

The cycles need not be taken in order & are geared toward practical application & living a magickal life.

For more information check out our website at www.drawingthecircle.com. or drop us a message at DrawingTheCircle@aol.com.

Blessed Be

Rev. Mark A. Lyons

~~~~~~

Witchclass Cycle One Description & Curriculum:

Whether you’re a Witch, a Witch in training, or just curious, these classes are a fun introduction to the Craft.

With a focus on the Witch’s Rede: “An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will” students learn the basics in the Art & Science of Witchcraft.

Join us for another cycle of this educational & enjoyable journey through the basics of Witchcraft. This 13 week series is in its 14th year of bringing together Witches of every race, age & spiritual background. We have trained Mothers & Daughters, Sisters & Wives. We have taught husbands & brothers, boyfriends & co-workers alike. We have made friends. We have discovered family. We have woven a community strand by strand.

Classes 1 through 11 are open. Classes 12 and 13 are closed,
Private Make up classes are available upon request.

Class One – The Basics of Witchcraft: What is a Witch? What is Witchcraft? Discussions on: the Witches Rede poetic version, the 13 principals of Witchcraft, Grounding / Centering, Witchcraft as an Art & Science. What is a Book of Shadows?

Class Two – Elements & Sacred Space: What are the 5 elements? Discussion of: elemental correspondences, the Pentacle, Altars, Purifying / creating sacred space

Class Three – Basic Spell Casting: How do you cleanse & consecrate? Discussion of: proper spell ingredients, symbolic correspondences, timing Magick with the Moon, phrasing your Intent, wording, taglines & loopholes for safe & effective magick.

Class Four -Astrology ( Intermediate Spell Casting): How Astrology effects Magick & Spellwork. Planet / Sign / House / Intent correspondences. Astrological aspects & spellwork (New & Full Moon alignments)

Class Five – Gods & Goddesses (Advanced Spell Casting): How Spirit = Energy, Plugging spells into divinity, Discussion of different pantheons, Gods & Goddesses Correspondences.

Class Six – The Wheel of the Year: Discussion of: the 8 holidays (holy days) of the Witch’s year, the 4 seasonal quarters, the 4 seasonal cross quarters, Seasonal Correspondences, Long-term spellwork, Ceremony / Ritual ideas.

Class Seven – Circle Casting: What is a Magickal Circle ? What does it do & how does it work? Programming circles. 6 easy to use versatile Circle Casts How to write circle casts for all occasions. Hands on demonstration.

Class Eight – Quarter Calls: What is a Quarter Call? Differences between Elements & Elementals. The how-to’s of Quarter calling: stirring, summoning, calling. How to close Quarters & Extensive directional correspondences

Class Nine – Divination: How a Witch uses divination. We discuss: Tarot, Runes, pendulum work, scrying & other oracles in the use of witchcraft. Several quick & easy spreads to help you fine-tune your magick.

Class Ten – Magickal Tools: Elemental correspondences with the different tools. How tools are used to focus our own inner power.
Magickal Tools show & tell. Fundamental teaching that “The Power is in the Witch.

Class Eleven – Ethics & Etiquette & Cycle Review: What is expected of a proper witch in public ceremonies: Before, During & After ceremony. Ethical do’s & don’ts when; applying specific spellwork, healing, in public& when binding / banishing. A review of classes 1 – 10

Class Twelve – Ritual Design: Application of all that was learned in the first 11 classes. Basic ritual outlines from start to finish. The whole class participates in designing the Graduation Ceremony.

Class Thirteen – Graduation Ceremony: Performance of the Ritual designed in Class 12.

Certificates of Completion given to each student.

Rev. Mark A. Lyons, President
Drawing the Circle Productions INC.
DrawingtheCircle@aol.com
631-968-8307 @ProfWitch on Twitter

A Leo Moon Spell for your Heart’s Desire

 

  

On this night & in this hour

I draw down Leo Moon Power

Focus on my heart’s desire

clears a path with Leo’s Fire.

Joyful & Easy, Warm & Fun

As I will it so let it be done.

So Mote it be!

  ~~~~~

This year the Leo Full Moon falls on a Friday that just happens to also be Valentine's Day. That is a powerful symbolic & planetary alignment. I suggest candle magick of any kind. 

The trick is to focus your mind (Sun in Aquarius) upon your heart's desire (Moon in Leo) without any contradicting thought or resistance. 

Hold the uncontradicted desire while you light a candle & chant the words, feeling as joyful, easy, warm & fun as you can.

Then just chill, let it go. Go have fun any way you can, small or large. Enjoy yourself & let things unfold. When you notice the candle, just bask for as long as 68 seconds & you allow the magick to flow even more.

Blessed Full Moon

Rev. Mark A. Lyons, President
Drawing the Circle Productions INC.
DrawingtheCircle@aol.com
631-968-8307 @ProfWitch on Twitter

Imbolc 2014: From a Bonfire to a Candle

 Imbolc 2014: From a Bonfire to a Candle

Imbolc/Midwinter is here. Thank the Gods! But it always comes. It is part of the cycle, another spoke of the Wheel of the Year. Imbolc is the 2^nd sabbat in the Wheel. It marks the halfway point of the Winter season, Groundhog’s Day, Feb 2^nd. 

Well, the scheduled day is always February 2^nd. But the astrological moment when the Sun hits 15 degrees Aquarius (Astrological cross quarter) is often days later. This year it falls on Tuesday February 4^th.

One of the biggest Witch’s tricks is aligning with the best of wherever you are in the solar & lunar cycles. It sounds so simple, but is not always easy. But hey, surfing the tides of nature is what being a Witch is to me. It is just wiser in my experience to align with the flow of nature & go downstream. 

 

Am I “24/7” about it? Is anyone? 

Of course I’m not. I forget every day. But that’s why sabbats are significant for me. They are reminders in my calendar with strong symbolic power. I get to choose whether or not I remember to let go, find clarity & cast my spells into that flow.

I usually have 1 spell that I will start at Yule & repeat at each following sabbat for the year. I know exactly what I’m going to cast this sabbat & the following through the year.

I’ve found by teaching the Craft over the decades that it doesn’t matter at what point someone starts doing ‘sabbat work.’ The flow is always present, just slow down. Focus on where you are in the Wheel & tune yourself to it.

Each sabbat gives a different passage into that same flow, if you want it enough. The more you know about the sabbats, the more opportunities you get to access the flow.

All the sabbats are solar, so I work with the element of fire; the power of desire & will. Will is about choice & decision. Think about the choice to light a fire under your ass or to a decision to pursue your passion.

Because the magick I start at Yule is my seed intention for the year, I cast with a big ass Yule Fire. Yule is Birth & it takes a lot of energy to birth something. My coven builds a big pyre in our big fire cauldron outside. We cast our spells into it. Like the one I blogged about this past December.

Now at Imbolc, I work candle magick. A bonfire is nice, but personally, it’s way too cold to stand outside for that long.  A candle is more focused than a pyre & easier to tend.

Imbolc is also called Candlemas by other traditions & religions, a day of blessing candles. So we have a gigantic group mind / thought-form momentum adding power. It is a big wave to ride.

 

 

Imbolc is also associated with the 2^nd Chakra, right below the navel. 

• It’s our sex drive, creativity & ‘gut feelings’ in a very yes/no way. ‘Go with your gut’ is highlighted.   

•  In Sanskrit it is Svadhisthana: One's own place or sweetest abode. 

•  It is associated with Yesod the Kabalistic Sefirot from the Tree of Life, a phallic / creative power. 

•  The Christian Sacrament is Communion. Which to me is about seeing the sacred context within any 1 on 1 relationship.

• The corresponding Grace is Piety. A word we have lost the true meaning of.  

•  The Shadow is Greed which makes sense in dealing with the sex, money & power aspects of the chakra.

•  For me, all of these are encapsulated in the Sacred Truth of the 2^nd Chakra, “Honor One Another.” 

So here’s how I boil it down for myself. Imbolc is linked to the 2^nd Chakra which manages the power of 1 on 1 relationships: my relationship to other individuals, my relationship with money, my relationship with The Divine is even highlighted here because the common name of the 2^nd Chakra is The Sacral Chakra, indicating sacred.

 

It’s a lot to cast for. So I'm taking the Aquarian route, since it is so astrologically available. Rise above it for awhile. See the larger picture. Get clarity about what I want for the whole. Cast for it, then go with the flow. It should be an interesting sabbat as it is also Superbowl Sunday.

So, if you are going to bet, bet with your 2^nd Chakra.

Amongst all of this, I’m getting ready for New York Fashion Week this coming Thursday so… Yeah, I know what I’m casting for along with my spell for this year.

At the moment I’m writing this, it is just after New Moon on Thursday January 30^th. So, the magick has already begun. I just did quite a lovely bit of spellwork at my altar & have a charming little talisman to conceal during NYFW. I do every year actually. 

I’m not kidding when I say I’m a Professional Witch! 

Every little bit of magick I can do now & through till next Thursday is only going to make this year's fashion adventure more fun than ever. 

 

So I encourage you, take some time before Sunday to slow down, chill & ask for clarity of desire. Get in touch with what you really want for your life. Think about it. Focus your mind – Aquarius – Fixed Air/Thought. Then zap it in a candle that goes with what you want. Anoint it with oil that matches (Olive Oil works in a pinch) and have at it.

Whether you are strengthening & focusing on what you started at Yule, starting something new, or coming your first time to Imbolc, really… Have at it! Feel the power of your own fire & it will illuminate steps ahead on your way toward it. 

Take the steps that feel best & then light up again. 

(I realize that last part is going to be interpreted in many ways, but I mean self illumination.)

Go with the flow folks. I wish you the best of the best of the season, because that’s what I want too. May it find you & wish me luck for Fashion Week.

Blessed Imbolc. 

Rev. Mark A. Lyons, President
Drawing the Circle Productions INC.
DrawingtheCircle@aol.com
631-968-8307 @ProfWitch on Twitter

Spell to Balance Magick & Spirit

I wrote this spell many years ago when I felt my magick wasn't as aligned with my Spirit as much as it could be. After too many times of needing to 'step away from the altar' due to anger issues, this spell really worked. The perfect materials showed up for me to grow spiritually, books, conversations & the perfect people appeared to nudge me forward on my path.

I did the spell often, once a Moon Cycle for at least a year until the candles were completely melted. I would relight the candles, say the spell, then meditate for a bit. I found it balanced my light & dark side as well as giving a permanent boost to my spells that continues to this day. Good luck & comment on how it goes.

Spell to Balance Magick & Spirit
Needed: black candle, white candle, anointing oils 
( I use oils that fit the need, one dark & earthy & one light & floral)
Anoint each candle & set the black on the left & white on the right.
 Empower with these words

Candle black & candle white:
balance, blend, heal unite.

Black, the deep & pregnant void,
magick power true;
candle flame, eternal flux, 
grant your strength to all I do.

White, The ONE & shining life,
Spirit’s guiding light;
candle fire, heal, inspire, 
help me do what’s right.

Black & White, below above, 
vengeful Crow & peaceful Dove.

Dark & Light in balance bless 
& stabilize my path's success.

In my mind & in my heart 
from deep within does balance start.

In my way & in my world,
outer balance now unfurls.
So Mote It Be!