Editor’s Note: As most of you know, last week was Amanda Bancroft’s final column for The Free Weekly. We will miss her terribly, but we know she will keep making ripples in the world and wish her the best! This week, we’d like to introduce to you one of several columnists who will take turns filling this spot.

Raven Ebonywing serves as the Microsoft Teams events coordinator for Aquarian Tabernacle Church International. She is a second-year student at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary and student of Lady Belladonna Laveau. She also serves as the high priestess in the WISE tradition of Creation’s Grimoire Church of Wicca in Bentonville and is a member of the Benton County Interfaith Alliance.

__

Blessed morning, all, and merry meet. In this, my first column, I wish to address what we believe in as pagans, witches and Wiccans.

Jesus is to a lot of people a wonderful ascended master to turn to when asking for help to forgive yourself or someone else. However, he is not the only deity I turn to. Keep in mind that we are pagan; this does not at all mean we are anti-Christian. We respect you and your religion with an open heart and open mind. It simply means we believe in more than one god in the ancient ways. Neither do we try to convert others to our religious beliefs, as it is not our way or the will of the goddess.

A lot of pagans believe in a source of creation energy in which we are all connected. It is Chi, it is Ki, it is something to love and embrace. This energy lives in everything, you, me, the trees, the sky, the ground we walk on. We access this energy through meditation, connecting our roots to the source and speaking to the consciousness as a unified whole. This universal consciousness does have a voice and holds the knowledge of the past and present. This energy always has been there and always will be there for years after this life cycle ends.

Growing up in a Jewish and Southern Baptist family, this is what I was taught as the bare core of what “God” was. But again, we do not see this in a biblical narrative. The reason is, we believe the Bible was written by man. As far as believing in more than one god, we have many different gods and goddesses we look to for guidance. Each of our gods and goddesses have faced challenges, mistakes and hardships we can relate to. In popular neo-pagan and Wiccan beliefs, once you put so much energy into worshiping a deity, this deity exists to you. This deity will reach out, speak to you and protect you if called upon. I will go ahead and answer the most common question: No, Wiccans do not worship Satan.

We have come a long way since our pagan brothers and sisters were accused of witchcraft. And I love that pagan beliefs are becoming far less taboo. But the hostility toward us still exists. I am hoping with this article that I can clear some of this misunderstanding about Wicca and witchcraft, introducing who we are in a positive perspective.

Creation’s Grimoire Church of Wicca, Aquarian Tabernacle Church International and myself as a priestess do not condone using the craft to harm others. I cannot legally do so; I do not want to do so; and I find it disrespectful to the gods to do so in their name. It is not in my place to interfere with the lords of karma and the law of three.

Remember, when we react, it is best to remind ourselves to react with love, oneness, compassion and kindness. What you put out always comes back to you threefold, so let that threefold be a positive impact on yourself and those around you. Sending someone love and healing has a far better impact and outcome than sending harm their way. Treat others how you would want to be treated at your lowest. I am not a perfect person, but mistakes we make are there for us to learn and grow from. These mistakes are gifts from the goddess, and she is not to be questioned.

Here are a few Wiccan laws for reference.

4. Let the power of the craft flow from you only in love — or not at all. For it has always been known that the energy webs which we weave and maintain shall eventually return to encircle their creator. Thus our works become either the net which entangles and binds us, or the web of light by which we find the gods.

17. Never shall you use magick, nor the craft, to cause harm, for this is misuse of the power, and it is not to be condoned.

26. Show honor to all people, that they may look up to you, and respect you, and their eyes shall become a mirror for your soul.

28. If a stranger sojourns with you, you shall do them no wrong; they shall be as one of the circle, born amongst ye, and you shall deal with them as you would yourself.

75. Those that do wrong without knowledge shall be held innocent; those that do wrong through carelessness shall be judged lacking in wisdom, and dealt with according to the nature of the transgression. Those who do wrong with deliberation and forethought shall be thrice punished, and the lords of karma shall lay low their pride.

84. Any priestess, priest, or elder who consents to a breach of the laws regarding the use of the craft to cause harm to others must immediately be relieved of their office, for it is the lives of the children of the goddess which they endanger, as well as the honor of the craft.

May your days be fulfilled, and your chalice always overflow. Goddess bless.

__

Email Raven Ebonywing at CreationsGrimoire@gmail.com.