Year and a Day: Week 3

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Ok, I'm hoping that this is not going to become the habit (writing about the previous class the day before the next one).  Last week was pretty easy-going.  Greyhart discussed with us Craft Names as well as Books of Shadows.  There's not much new that I can say about Craft Names seeing as how I'd already discussed that for the Pagan Blog Project, but I have yet to get into the topic of keeping a Book of Shadows, so there you go.   One thing I did learn was how Greyhart came by his Craft Name but....I don't think I'm comfortable talking about that on here.  For one thing, it's not my story to tell (obviously) and for another, I don't want to blurt something like that only to learn from him later that I should have asked his permission first.

Anywho, moving on to the BOS topic:

It's quite a familiar topic, but keeping a BOS is something I've never been good at.  If I use a regular bound journal, I have to write everything chronologically and hope that I can remember where it was that I wrote what.  If I kept a physical binder, I think I would like that option the most out of the touchable options.  I like the idea of being able to organize things to my liking with tabs to tell me what section I can find which topic.  However, I don't have anything right now that I can use for a binder BOS.

Another option, of course, is the keeping of a BOS on the computer.  There are many different options for that.  One could use a blogging site such as this one or even LiveJournal.  Even though things are still written chronologically, one has the use of Tags to keep track of different entries, which is definitely something I like.  If one doesn't want to use a website that, of course, relies on an internet connection (what if you lose internet at home or something?), one could make use of a desktop diary software such as Chrysanth.  However, my current favorite option for keeping a BOS on the computer is using Microsoft OneNote.   If you happen to have the Microsoft Office suite and you have OneNote, I HIGHLY recommend using that.

This was something that J and I suggested to Greyhart, who perked up with interest as we described its vast options for use.


I started a BOS on OneNote several months ago, but I haven't filled it out very much.    Here's a glimpse of part of my OneNote BOS:

I've got tabs for Correspondences (such as the Sunday Correspondences partially pictured above), Sabbats, Esbats, Chants and Songs, Rituals, Spells, Magickal Journal, and Herbs.

On the Correspondences tab, you can see that I've got Pages for each day of the week.  Thus far, I've only gotten Sunday done, but I'm about to start working on the rest of them.  The info I've been getting for the Correspondences section comes from Ellen Dugan's book,  "Book of Witchery".

So, that's about all for now.  I think I may start a BOS LJ to store info that I gather on my Microsoft OneNote BOS.  And, of course, this blog is also part of my BOS.   For now, I think I'm going to flesh out my OneNote BOS.

PBP Wk 6: C is for Craft Name

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One of the most well-known quotes by Shakespeare says "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet."   So what's the point of Craft Names?  To some, Craft Names are a silly tradition where Fluffy Bunnies pounce on the chance to call themselves uber pretentious names that begin with "Lady" or "Lord".   Some of us feel a huge rush of embarrassment at some of the names people come up with. (for a satirical laugh, check out "Lady Pixie Moondrip's Guide to Craft Names")

Others, however, put a lot of thought into our Craft Names should we feel compelled to take one.  It's not something we do to make ourselves feel more special or more important or anything.  To us, our Craft Name is a way to connect us more to the Divine and to switch our mindset from the mundane to the magickal.  When we hear our Craft Name spoken, when it's the right one, there's that feeling of rightness -- like we've discovered part of our higher selves and we're on the right track.

That's how I feel, anyway.  Obviously, I can't actually speak for everybody, but I have heard the same said by other Witches.

How long does a Craft Name last?  Is it something that can stay with us forever or do we change names?  Yes and Yes.  I've seen some Witches retain their Craft Name for the rest of their lives from the time they take it and I've seen others eventually grow out of that name and feel compelled to search for a new one.  I fall into the latter category.  I'm not going to go into what my first Craft Name was.  In some ways I miss it, but even in recent times where I've tested it on myself, I can feel that it no longer fits me.  But at the time that it did?  I loved that name.

So how does one go about choosing their Craft Name if they feel that they should?  In my opinion, you search for the name that feels right and magickal to you.  Some might insist that using Numerology is the only way to divine your Craft Name, but I don't personally like that.  I get the point of using Numerology, but I find it to be too restrictive.  What if there is a name that fits your Karmic Number but it's not a name that you connect with personally?  Should you force yourself to just accept that name and be done with it?  Not in my opinion.   I've tried that method and it just didn't fit.  But there are others, of course, that are perfectly content with that method.  Perhaps for them they find it easier to find their name through the use of Numerology.

For myself, when I found my first Craft Name, I used things out of Nature (yes, it was a real hippy-sounding name, but there's nothing wrong with that XD).  They were things that, I felt, had lessons for my personal growth and what characteristics I wanted to develop in myself.  And when I found my name, my gods, I felt what I can only describe as a glow within me.  It just FELT right.  Did it match up to my Karmic number?  No.  But it, in my feeling, didn't have to.

My current name, Morgaine Kildare, was also chosen because of things I want to aspire to and connect with.  I feel a particular connection with the name Morgaine, partially because of the book "The Mists of Avalon".  I admire the character of Morgaine Le Fay as she was written in that story.  To me, it made a lot more sense than any other depiction of her I've ever heard.  But, also, I admired the fact that she made mistakes, she was lost for a while, and then she found her way back to the Goddess.  She re-obtained her Priestesshood on her own through quiet practice and study.  She re-learned to align herself with the tides of nature.  She re-learned her herbal lore.  She fought her way back to the Goddess and the ways of Avalon that she'd forsaken out of her pride.  I find such strength and fortitude a trait to be admired.  It's one of the reasons that "The Mists of Avalon" has become one of my all-time most favorite books.  Hell, at some point, I'm going to have a physical copy of it (I only have an electronic copy on my Kindle).  That's one of those books that, to me, is too magickal to only have an electronic copy; I badly want to be able to physically touch that book.  

And the name Kildare was my way of aligning myself with my Mother Goddess, Brighid.  It was my way of declaring myself as one of Her daughters.

Will this name last me forever?  I don't know.  But I don't anticipate changing my name any time in the near or even distant future.  This name will be mine until such a time as I feel it no longer fits me.

Blessed Be!

)O( Morgaine )O(