Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Department I: Wizardry (indigo)
So You Want to Be a Wizard?
So you want to study magic Such as makes the world go 'round?
Well, you've barely skimmed the surface Of what you've already found!
So you want to be a Wizard And to learn the ancient lore?
Let me tell you, little seeker,
That I've heard that song before!
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
This is not all spells and sparkle,
Never mind what minstrels say;
It's a duty and a privilege That will plague you night and day.
First, there's nothing I can teach you That does not come from within,
So go see the world, then come back,
And perhaps I'll let you in.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
So you whisper to the shadows And you listen to the light And you walk across the fire To go dancing with the night.
So you ride down wild rivers
'Til they tumble into seas And you share your tears with snowstorms
'Til you think your cheeks will freeze.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
So you hike through winding canyons And you crawl through dripping caves And you sneak through cemeteries To lie dreaming on the graves.
So you drive yourself up mountains Over desert, plain, and fen And you fling yourself from clifftops Then you do it all again.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
So you drop your expectations And give up the quest at last And the present and the future Seem as ghostly as the past
So you see the stars a-whirling In the heavens overhead,
And you hear a hundred voices And you wonder if you're dead.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
Oh, then suddenly you feel it Like an arrow in the heart –
Piercing secrets, bringing power –
And you know it's time to start.
So you climb up to my tower As you did so long before,
And you marvel for a moment Then walk through the open door.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
So I greet you as a student And you hear the words I say:
For to get the most of knowledge,
You must give it all away;
For to get the most of power,
You must keep your honor whole;
And to make the most of magic,
You must let it share your soul.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
You have faced Earth, Air, and Water Flame and Spirit both as well For the whole wide world has taught you And you've learned much– I can tell.
There's a place far down inside you Where there waits a hidden prize.
Let me be your magic mirror:
See yourself through my own eyes.
But you don't understand ...
You still can't understand
Now you see the deepest secret:
That a Wizard serves all life,
Taking up the hand of magic Like a husband or a wife.
Feel the power bloom within you,
Filling all your mortal span:
Wizard, from this moment onward,
Do whatever good you can.
So now you understand ...
At last you understand.
— Elizabeth Barrette
1. Introduction
IZARDRY IS ABOUT WISDOM. JUST AS Artistry is the applied craft of an Artist, Wizardry is the applied craft of a Wizard.
What is it that distinguishes wisdom from foolishness? Simple. Wisdom is about seeing the larger picture, and considering the consequences of every word and deed. Foolishness is what happens when we pursue our own narrow self-interest and ignore any consideration of consequences. To see sterling examples of this, just observe most politicians in action!
The color associated with Wizardry in general is Indigo, which relates to perception, imagination, illusion, and the ability to see patterns. Indigo shading to ultraviolet is often called "the color of magick." This is a popular color for Wizard's robes — often emblazoned with stars, moons, and other astronomical symbols.
In this Department, we will explore perceptions and illusions, and make a few of the clever little toys that have been invented over the centuries to take advantage of the way our eyes and brains work to create the world we see. You will learn how our perceptions can be manipulated, and how to create such illusions!
But before we get to that part, you need to create and begin keeping your Magickal Journal. Grey School Professor Susan "Moonwriter" Pesznecker, Dean of Cosmology & Metaphysics, will teach this important first lesson.
2. Your Magickal Journal
By Susan "Moonwriter" Pesznecker (indigo)
The History of Journal-Keeping
Some of the first records — and perhaps the first journals — were written on scrolls. A scroll is a rolled up piece of parchment, papyrus, or paper that is used for writing.
Parchment is made from calf, sheep, or goat skin, while papyrus was made from the stems of the papyrus plant. Papyrus was first used in Ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE but by 1000 BCE, people from West Asia began buying it from the Egyptians. Up until then, the West Asians had only used clay tablets; they found that papyrus was much more convenient!
To make papyrus, the plant stems were cut lengthwise and soaked in water until they began to rot. Several layers of these strips were laid on top of each other in different directions, then pounded while wet, smashing the stems together into a single sheet.
Scrolls and Books
Scrolls were used by ancient civilizations long before the first century, when the first books were invented. Most of the papyrus grown in Egypt was used to make scrolls; later the papyrus was cut into sheets.
A codex (Latin for book) is a handwritten book dating from the Middle Ages. The codex was an improvement over the scroll because it could be opened flat at any page, allowing easier reading and writing on both sides of the page. The codex also made it easier to organize documents in a library because it could be stood upright on shelves.
History suggests that as soon as there were materials to write on, people began keeping journals. Journals have served many important roles in history and exploration. When ships struck out across the oceans, the Ship's Log or Captain's Log was its most valuable possession and the log-keeper the most valuable crewmember, second only to the captain. These logs provided details of the journey that would later be evaluated by monarchs and scientists back home. Without a journal, much of the journey's importance would have been lost.
In the same way that explorers' journals marked and recorded their adventures, your magickal journal will track your journey as a Wizard. Through it, you will be able to look back at your progress, from one class to another and one year to another. You'll be able to chart your discoveries, recall rituals or holidays, or note insights from your professors. You'll use it to detail those "ah ha" moments that are dear to the heart of magick.
In short, through your Journal and a set of related tools, you will learn. And grow.
Just for fun
Make your own scroll! You'll need a piece of paper, a 10-inch piece of ribbon, and a wooden spoon or thick dowel. Starting with the short end, wrap the paper tightly around the dowel. When it's all wound up, tie it securely in place with the ribbon. Set it aside for a week, then untie the ribbon and remove from the wooden center. You'll have a nice rolled up scroll on which to write charms, draw secret maps, or note the moon phases!
Your Magickal Journal
Choosing a Magickal Journal
As an apprentice Wizard, one of the most important things you will do is keep a magickal journal. Why is the magickal journal so important?
• Writing about your new skills and abilities will help you to track your progress.
• By writing the details of spells, rituals, and other projects, you will be able to refer back to and reuse them.
• By recording dates, moon phases, weather information, etc., you may be able to make connections between your abilities and various magickal or natural correspondences.
• Discipline is an important part of Wizardry. Writing in your journal requires self-discipline, and that alone is a good reason for doing it.
What Kind of Journal Should I Use?
First and foremost, you should pick a method of journaling that is easy for you, so you'll be more likely to use it often and to enjoy doing so. Many apprentice Wizards choose a traditional paper journal, either lined or unlined. Some prefer a loose-leaf binder, which allows you to add and rearrange pages.
Your journal should be big enough to use comfortably, but small enough to fit into a backpack or other carrying case. It may be hard or soft-covered; hard-covered journals tend to hold up longer than soft ones.
Nowadays it's easy to find journals with decorative covers. You may want to search for a journal that matches an area of wizardly interest, your magickal name, a spirit animal or totem, etc. You might choose a color that reflects your magickal interests, such as green for Wortcunning, or black for Dark Arts. If you're ambitious and artistic, you might even choose to decorate your own!
Technologically adept Wizards might choose a computer or laptop for keeping their magickal journal, setting it up in a word-processing document. If you use a computer for your journal, you will probably still choose to carry a small spiral notebook with you, so that you can write down ideas when you're away from your computer.
Dedicating Your Journal
Some Wizards conduct a ritual to consecrate and/or dedicate their Journal. Or, they might create a blessing to write on the inside of the front cover. Both ritual and blessing might ask that the journal serve as a tool of wisdom, guidance, and focus. For example:
Guard my words and keep them safe,
Here within this treasured place.
Keeping Your Journal Safe
A magickal journal is a personal and private thing. No one should look into your journal without your permission. Some Wizards even believe that no one should ever look into another person's magickal journal, and that to do so diminishes its power.
When you aren't using your journal, keep it in a safe place so that it doesn't fall into mundane hands. You may wish to wrap it in a cloth that corresponds with your main area of study (see the Introduction for color associations). Keep it on a shelf, in a drawer, or in its own box.
Using Your Magickal Journal
What should I write?
The answer is simple: write whatever you want and whatever seems relevant to your Wizardly growth. Every entry should include:
• Date
• Time
• Weather
• Location (where are you writing from, or where did the ritual/spell/event take place?)
• Your main topic or idea
Additional entries may include (according to your interests):
• The moon phase or zodiacal position
• What's happening in your Wizardly studies
• What's happening in your mundane life: family, friends, work, school, trips, etc.
• What's happening in the mundane world
• Your dreams, and any thoughts about them
• Your feelings, moods, or insights about any topic
• Favorite quotes or insights
• Poems, stories, sketches, maps, diagrams, or other creative works
• Magickal works such as rituals, spells, talismans, or alphabets
• Magickal books, films, or other sources of learning
• Future plans or goals
As your journal grows, you may want to consider these questions:
• Do you see any relationships between events in the natural world (weather, moon phase, day/night, season, etc.) and your own inner world?
• Do you see any patterns or progress in your studies?
• Can you see emotional or spiritual growth in your entries?
Some Wizards like to set certain times — Solstices, Equinoxes, the start or end of the month, etc. — at which they review their journal entries. This helps them chart their progress and evaluate their Wizarding life.
You can also draw in your journal. Diagrams, sketches, maps, and other illustrations will add to your written entries.
When should I write in my journal?
At first, try to write every day. This will get you into a disciplined routine, and routines and discipline are helpful to beginning Wizards! As you become more experienced, you will write as often as you feel the need to.
You'll also want to make an entry whenever something important happens to you as a Wizard, for example, when you attend a community celebration of magickal folks, or if you master a new skill.
Making Your Journal a Thing of Beauty
Inks, Pens, and Archival Materials
Some Wizards choose to use ballpoint (rather than "gel") ink in their journals, as it doesn't bleed or run when damp. Others prefer gel inks. Both gel and ball-point pens are available with archival-quality inks, which remain stable over decades.
An advantage of gel pens is their availability in a wide variety of colors, which can allow your writing to correspond with specific magickal colors. (For example, a healing spell could be written in blue, or an herbal charm in green). Gel pens also come in metallic and glitter varieties. The metallics are quite stable. Glitter pens can be fun, but the glitter eventually wears off when the journal pages rub together.
Pencil entries are best avoided, as they smudge and fade quickly.
Some Wizards reserve a special pen for important entries. I have a sterling silver fountain pen that I use to write anything that I consider "special," or important.
Others enjoy using a quill pen that is dipped into a well or bottle of ink. This is fun and is definitely a most Wizardly activity. However if you try this, make sure you do so in a safe place, one in which a spill wouldn't be disastrous. Most of these inks are permanent! I have included a magickal ink recipe in my Alchemy lesson in Chapter 9.
Calligraphy
Artistic Wizards might use colored pencils or pens to decorate their pages, creating "illuminated" journals. Or they might adorn the pages with calligraphy. Calligraphy (from the Greek "beauty"+"writing") is the art of decorative writing. A particular style of calligraphy is described as a "hand."
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is an art. As handwritten communication becomes more rare, calligraphy has become reserved for special occasions and events, most notably the addressing of wedding invitations and announcements.
It is possible to buy books and kits that teach the basics of calligraphy or illumination. Several web sites teach calligraphy. If you are lucky enough to have a group from the Society of Creative Anachronism nearby, you may find a teacher of calligraphy among its ranks.
Applying What You've Learned
Here are some projects you can do to develop your skills:
• Make a journal entry using a specific color or type of ink.
• Find someone who can teach you calligraphy; or pick up a book on calligraphy at a stationary store. Practice until you can write all of the letters of one alphabet easily. Then, use your skills to make an entry in your magickal journal.
• Use skills of illumination and/or calligraphy to create a greeting card for a friend or family member.
3. Awareness for Wizards
By Jesse Wolf Hardin (silver)
For the Wizard every moment is a decisive moment, and we treat everything we do and don't do as a deliberate decision. We're never witless victims, so we can never whine! This is what makes us different from the mundanes, more so than our other skills, the ways we dress or believe. In fact, the defining trait for a Wizard is heightened awareness. The most amazing of our magickal abilities can only serve us or our purpose well when we are totally aware– aware of the full extent of our abilities as well as any possible limitations, aware of the present situation and context, aware of the conscious intent and magickal energies of others. ... and aware of the intentional as well as unintentional effects of our spells, prayers and actions.
We have the most evolved ability to think and reason of any creature on this planet, but Wizards also need to develop a kind of ancient animal awareness housed not only in the mind but in flesh and bone, and in our very genetic makeup. It was common to our ancient tribal ancestors, and in the primates we evolved from. You can see it in the alertness of a cat when it is hunting a bird or mouse, just as it once glinted in the eye of prehistoric saber-tooth tigers.
This quality is most noticeable in us when we are surprised by a new and dangerous situation, when everything around us seems suddenly clear and in focus, when we become aware of every movement and sound and seem able to anticipate what will happen next. This kind of thing occurs without any commentary or abstract thought going on in our minds, just as when there's a rustling at our feet we know to jump out of the way without first thinking the word "snake."
This is what the Buddhists call presence, being aware of the vital present moment. The Wizard and spiritual warrior combines this heightened presence with purposeful action and considered response, in order to help shape events and thus consciously co-create our world. Only the totally aware can make the right choices. ... and for the Wizard every single act, no matter how big or small, is a conscious choice.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Companion for the Apprentice Wizard"
by .
Copyright © 2006 Oberon Zell-Ravenheart.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
