A Day for Doreen Valiente

Einstein said ‘The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science’.

A notice on the cage of a gentle lioness in a zoo in Paris reads ‘this animal is dangerous, prod her enough and she will attack’.

These were the words I used to warn the audience on ‘The Day for Doreen’ held in London’s Conway Hall in 2009 that I was about to defend the sacredness of the magic of Witchcraft. I was also responding to years of unkindness from those who had received only generosity from the coven of the Temple of the Mother, myself and previously Alex Sanders. What is more, I was dealing with those who perform irresponsible public healing rituals who later, as a get out clause, state they put all the power raised, into the hands of the Goddess to do with as she will. It was a golden day to honour a special lady of the Craft. Doreen was a straight speaking witch whom I have always held in high regard.

Strangely, most of the speakers were intensely nervous, including me. Never before had nerves been such a problem even though public speaking is not my forte; I could hardly breathe; it took an act of will especially as I was going to call out those who I felt were destroying the sacredness of magic. This is what I had to say to a hall that was full to the rafters; I would like to make it quite clear, this is my opinion. I really couldn’t give a jot as to what others do or don’t do. However, I do care about the sincere seeker who under an inadequate teacher will probably become the sincerely misguided, thereby denying the Craft of potentially good Priesthood. The Talk Today, I am going to speak on some of my personal opinions regarding the sacredness of magic and how the priesthood of the Craft’s daily actions can and do destroy or enhance our ability to successfully partake in the working of the mysteries. I am not known for my political correctness and as a witch; I rather like being that way. There are sure to be some who wear a different hat; some, the cap will fit and others will be adamant in their own opinion and thoughts regarding ‘Keeping the Magic Secret’. Actually, there seems room for all opinion, ritual, and different levels of practice within the realms and circles of today’s Witchcraft. I believe many of those Initiated into the Craft find the training and ethics too difficult to abide by or find it more fun to behave as the commoner rather than the witch who directs energy raised by revellers at times such as May Day when much frolicking is the pleasure of the day. These Initiates choose to change the Craft to suit their own limited magical abilities and more often than not, are found to be frolicking rather than using the power magically to enhance the lives of those taking part in the mundane activities of the day. It is to this end that the self discipline of the training of the Witch is designed. The worship of the God and Goddess is not just for those who practice the art magical it is for anyone who chooses to. However, the so-called big names write books and need a willing if not adoring audience to buy their latest whilst giving every seeker Alexandrian Initiation, they adamantly proclaim they are not teaching Alexandrian Witchcraft, they say they are teaching people how to work witchcraft. This is quite confusing but that is part of the art of illusion and in this they are well practised. This leaves many initiates in a state of confusion when they meet those who still practice the inner mysteries and disciplines needed. For awhile I was confused by these sincere initiates who truly believe they are practicing the inner workings and yet not fulfilling the duties of the original priesthood of Witchcraft. I believe it is impossible to reveal the inner secrets of the art to any who are not capable of using them. Those who try to practice them without the necessary comprehension, end up living a life of hidden bitterness and incompletion. Regardless of who is right, thought, debate and good imagination spur us on to more fulfilling action and I sincerely hope my opinion is provocative… I am a Priestess of the Goddess, Initiated, Consecrated, and dedicated to the work of Witchcraft. That work has included teaching those who had a vocation to the priesthood of Witchcraft, it also incorporated debate, and dispute, practice, experiment; exhilaration when successful and disappointment when I made mistakes or the magic failed. Most of all Witchcraft has filled my life with love and laughter. And even though I was Initiated a long time ago, I am still not an authority on the subject of Witchcraft, …ancient or modern, particularly the modern, eclectic, and newly named progressive. Since the early seventies, new traditions, lines, rules and even Initiations seem to be introduced every couple of years by those trying to make a name for themselves. The strange thing is that after thirty years or so experience, the modernist’s seem to revert to the original, and with good reason. The elementary laws of the Occult and Witchcraft work. Alas or maybe I should say it is wonderful that the mysteries and ways of the Craft are not always passed on to those who are impatient to receive the higher degrees of Witchcraft and are under the impression that Initiation bestows knowledge or wisdom. Do you know there are some silly witches about; there are some who insist on changing everything even the witch’s blessing. ‘Blessed Be’ they change to ‘Be Blessed’ showing their ignorance. This was a curse in my day indeed it still is when used by the trained witch. Nevertheless, the initiated and even those who just want to be called witches are worthy of respect. Whichever line, or tradition, progressive, or fanciful, they would not easily recognise the Witchcraft practised in the early sixties. Witchcraft has evolved; even the old hidden name, Wicca, is now used generally. In the sixties, when persecution was rife; if we didn’t want to make our witchcraft topic of conversation obvious, we would refer to Witchcraft as ‘the Old ways’ or ‘the Old Religion’ or ‘Wicca’. If there was a non-Initiate present, the word ‘rain’ or ‘raining’ would be spoken; this was to warn Initiates of an outsider’s presence in our midst. For me the 1960’s had been a transition from a world of cruelty, fear and trepidation to the fulfilment of studying, practicing and experiencing the Sacred Mysteries. We Witches knew the fear of Witchcraft would pass and persecution would eventually only be the action of the bigot and fanatic, and more importantly to humanity’s evolvement, persecution would be frowned upon by society. I think I rather missed the freedom aspects that most teenagers experienced during the sixties. The disciplines demanded of the Initiate made the world of ‘Peace man’ alien to me, although on reflection, Alex and I did seem to be amongst the lights of the time. It all felt a natural progression and even though there were times of emotional distress, the magic and work of the Craft was so intense, I didn’t want the magical moment to stop. It was a time of spiritual awareness and accumulation of magical experience and knowledge. Since my Initiation and even after much persecution, I was proud to be publicly known as a Witch and practitioner of the magical arts. Alex Sanders was generous to a fault, odd and rare, a naturally magical man who loved teaching the ways of magic and being part of a working Coven. His magnetic personality attracted students, academics, and inevitably, the paparazzi. He thrived on Media attention! I was easily convinced there were people with a vocation who wanted to enter into the realms of the Sacred Mysteries; they needed to know that practitioners of Witchcraft existed; we witches were not made of thistledown. This made me amenable to accepting Alex’s desire to tell the world about the existence of Witchcraft. I, and most of our coven, willingly posed, robed and otherwise, for every photographer who crossed the threshold of the covenstead. There were some who enjoyed being in front of the camera as much as Alex, always volunteering to be the would-be initiate for the photographer, indeed they either boast or moan of it to this day depending on their audience, of course! Alas, newspapermen and any type of journalist were a constant source of irritation to me. I did not trust them, indeed I still don’t. Alex always said yes when asked for an interview no matter what type of newspaper, magazine, TV, radio or Film Company. Initially, the journalists’ articles were titivating and many were an outright concoction of lies. Slowly, serious journalist started to write truthful articles, TV documentaries were made, although, it was a long time before we were aware of editorial rites. We were not blasé or professional, we were sincere in our religious beliefs and practice. Alex loved the life of being a celebrity and played to the gallery quite well for a time. I was rather sheep-like and followed suit, only occasionally voicing objections. On one occasion the comedian Kenny Everet invited us onto his extremely popular and funny TV programme; Alex was furious that I, point blank, refused. You see, I did not want my religious practice put in a position where it would certainly be ridiculed. I believed then as I do now, the Craft and its priesthood is worthy of respect. The Crafts Sacred Mysteries will always protect themselves in spite of some of its headstrong adherents. I believe in Magic and trust in the power of the circle in which I work. I also have confidence in Universal laws and truth. Eventually Alex did become outrageous in some of the documentaries and interviews and in retrospect; I believe this was the beginning of our separate ways. The first article appeared in a local paper called ‘The Comet’. The day after the publication, people threw stones with the sincere intention of hurting me; the persecution continued for several years. Witches lost their jobs and homes. Families turned their backs on previously loved children; brothers and sisters denied each other’s existence. Those public witches of the sixties and early seventies had courage of their convictions; they helped bring about several dramatic changes in the law allowing freedom of worship and as time went on, indirectly benefited many who were considered different or strange. The witches who practised their rites secretly, indeed many still do; were just as admirable in their silence; in that they kept their workings pure and away from the profane. With hindsight, I am torn in my opinion as to who were the wisest. There are those who now say ‘good riddance to the personality cult of Gerald Gardner and the Sanders’. Which is rather sad as it was Alex and Gerald who enabled their present day lifestyle which has lasted over thirty years. Personality cult or not, that work enabled those seeking Initiation into the mysteries of Witchcraft, to find a covenstead. The work of our coven in those early days broke the ego that bound initiates to minimalistic training and dictates imposed by the High Priesthood of that time. Change is constant and sometimes difficult to embrace. I don’t like all the changes that are happening in the world of Witchcraft, although many are worthy of consideration. When they are workable it’s good; and, if they don’t work for me, little energy is spent in persisting. This life is too short to suffer disappointment or misery for long! I have never known the Craft not to be in the throes of change and diversity proving the Craft has the ability to acknowledge evolution. This is probably why it is so joyous an activity to look back on and better still, the Priesthood of an active discerning Craft always seem full of joyful anticipation even if they are prone to the occasional heated dispute. Three years ago, I made my first visit to America where I met sincere enthusiastic Initiates. On my way home to Snowdonia in North Wales, thoughts, almost alien to my being, bombarded my mind and then came the madness thought ‘I will write a book’. I had attempted writing an autobiography several years ago; the title was ‘Dancing with Destiny’. The writing was a soul cleansing exercise rather than a serious attempt of publishing, and, it was rubbish. Writing ‘Fire Child’ was comparatively easy; I had kept diaries from the time of my first Initiation into the Mysteries. The inspiration to write ‘Fire Child’ came from the Americans’ curiosity which was refreshing and at times a little shocking to my English reserve which made it difficult to deal with their somewhat blunt desire to know not only my magical history, that had always felt intensely personal, indeed much of it was, by nature of my Initiation, secret. They wanted to know how old I was, where I was born; almost, how many fillings I had and ‘what was Alex really like and, who initiated him?’ There weren’t just questions; a few people expressed their thorough dislike of me, which was a bit of a shock, until they told me why. Their antagonism was born of hearsay and word of mouth tittle-tattle that came from the mouths of innocents, originally born of jealous bandwagon jumpers. I had suffered this sort of nonsense for years and rarely responded to it choosing not to fuel the gossipers; this annoys them and gives me satisfaction. Alex always used to say ‘whilst they’re having a go at us Maxine, they’re leaving some other poor bugger alone’. Obviously, the tendency to cause a certain amount of controversy goes with the territory of having a known name. I had, over the years, learned to keep my head down and get on with my own work. I was not interested in other covens’ opinions about me or the workings and training within ‘The Temple of the Mother’s’ circle, which was intense, leaving little time to socialise or even communicate with those who had more time for gossip. Inevitably, they made it up! Some of the stories were very good, my notoriety, wickedness and sometime saintliness was so interesting I wondered who Maxine Sanders was! The initiates of the 21st century wanted to know; so much distorted truth needed to be corrected. It was time to put the facts down regardless of shame, embarrassment or sentimentality. Sharing who you are stirs the soul and nourishes the spirit. Although time had made the writing in my old diaries faint and barely visible; with the help of a magnifying glass, some of their contents made fascinating reading. The diaries were typical of the magical student, full of mental preparations for magical repetitive workings, interspersed with powerful ritual or stirring realisation. The more dramatic and exciting events were a pleasure to recall, they relieved the monotony of the cyclic workings of the witch. I’d been given a laptop computer and that seemed too coincidental not to put it to better use than the occasional updating of the website that was beginning to be a chore, indeed it still is. My apologies to those of you who send me reminders, which I seem to find no difficulty in steadfastly ignoring. I do feel more could have been told in ‘Fire Child’; fortunately, I found it tedious being bound to the laptop, my magical work was constantly calling and when the last chapter was sent to the publisher, the sense of freedom was delightful. Writing and public speaking are not my forte; I am a Priestess loving the work and practice of magic and Witchcraft. I have retired from teaching and am enjoying the position of Elder without the responsibility of students. It was my job as a teacher to encourage students to experience, debate, think and come to wholesome personal conclusions. I may have another book in me as I have a lot of opinions as you no doubt have already gathered, especially on the subject of Initiators’ responsibilities, so the aim of the book would be to challenge modern day ego, irresponsible Initiation, lack of guidance and good training, and to warn the unwary of the teachers feet of clay. Indeed, I intend to take every opportunity to expose and challenge the actions of irresponsible Initiators who cause harm. I have the time and those who have suffered from the abuse of the ego bound usually contact me in the hope that I can help. I have been dealing with the aftermath of Initiates who have received no training since my first days as a Witch when members of known Covens came to Alex for the training their own priesthood were not giving. Many witches from other traditions received Alexandrian training. I am delighted to say‘ Fire Child’ sold like wild fire; I had not thought it would or that it would make so much money for which I’m grateful. It makes me understand why so many first time authors become addicted to churning out the correspondence courses, ‘how to do’ and ‘spell books’. The comments from the readers, although in the main were kind, made me aware of how the Craft has grown and evolved; in some ways it has improved. However, certain quarters have lost some of its priestly discipline and gained in ordinariness. The popularity of the Craft has brought about a risk of the mysteries being demystified and what seems worse, this had been brought about by the Initiated; those who wished to make their mark in the public world of the Craft. It seemed not to matter that they were sacrificing the ‘Sacred Arts’ for personal aggrandisement. Perhaps because the continued practice, discipline and vocation was not really theirs after all. The Craft has often proved a stepping stone, sometimes to Buddhism and nowadays for some, stagecraft. I do recognise how attractive the Craft has become. Those who cannot find an Initiator, teacher, or group, need information. So today’s popular writers on Paganism and Witchcraft are supplying the demand for knowledge. The Craft seems to be a victim of its own success. There has not been the time or enough good teachers to give the correct guidance and training, so bringing about the different levels of learning, intensity and sacredness of the Initiates quest and magical awareness. This has brought about opinions which are probably valid from the standpoint of the sincere although inadequately trained. This leads me to question many witches’ expectation of modern day psychology to ease the effects of some of the more demanding aspects of the Craft. Apparently, the working of magic and its effects are to be treated by modern day mental health departments rather than Initiate analysis and realisation of the dark brilliant night of the soul that can only be experienced alone. Later, comes the self-healing that brings about powerful momentary awareness, leading to the sense of spiritual wholeness of being. This experience is part of the fulfilment of the quest of the Initiate who practices the art of Witchcraft. An old witch many of you will remember predicted the trend of today’s circles, his name was Alaric; he said the Craft would go the way of the then established religion, there would be an outer open order and the closed inner hidden circles. The aspirant to the art magical or Craft priesthood used to be a rare and somewhat odd person. They were odd because they were of the minority in the population although they existed in most civilisations. The aspirations of the ‘would be witch’ are to have consciousness of natural energies, deities, spirits, and to experience levels of being which are of this world and others. The differentiation between the practice of the Witchcraft priesthood and that of others, is the perfecting of the ways of magic, and through this achievement, experience moments of heightened awareness. Because this experience is usually so fleeting yet potent, we are drawn even further into the realms of the Mysteries. To gain this state, the Initiate, by the act of Initiation, chooses to step out of the mundane and assumes a way of living that is not ordinary. The true vocation to this magical priesthood, even in today’s world, is undeniable, unstoppable and attainable. The path to this personal chosen priesthood often takes great tenacity; sometimes, a patience to suffer the ego projected by teachers who are experiencing their own development. Instant gratification does not give lasting joy or knowledge. It takes selfish selflessness and consciousness to maintain natural joy that opens doors that have no key. Desire to excel in the magical journey, means sacrifice of the ordinary in exchange for the extraordinary. These days, The Mysteries and supposedly inner teachings of Witchcraft are put on sale. They cannot be bought! The journey to Initiation into the mysteries can be extreme and varied. When the ‘would be’ Initiates search for the circle begins; they visit numerous covens before a sense of connection happens. No matter how familiar with the members of the circle, it is not possible to know how capable the coven’s teachers are of teaching the knowledge gained by experiential practice of Witchcraft. Not every High Priest or High Priestess is a good teacher, nor are they necessarily magical. Apparently, these days, not every coven practices the ‘Art Magical’, and to be fair, not every spiritual seeker wishes to belong to a group that practices Magic’. I found it difficult to believe this! Groups of witches that do not practise magic! However, they do worship and observe the festivals; there are other groups who specialise in public ritual and I suppose the demand makes worthy the supply. They seem to work on the ‘opt out principle’ that general prayer and supplication are offered to the Goddess to do with as ‘She’ wills. I realise this is necessary when working with the public and a congregation. I’m tempted to call some of them ‘Born Again’! We always left this method to the praying Christians! Leaving the Magic and the Will of the circle to the Goddess is becoming a matter of debate amongst modern day witches. As Witches and because of our Initiation and training, we chose to take responsibility for our actions by putting our training into practice. This is achieved by trusting in our Initiation our training and working precise magic! My desire to worship the God and Goddess in a state of freedom without guilt or lack of personal responsibility drew me to the world of the Mysteries. However, I did not need Initiation into Witchcraft to worship the Goddess. I could have become a Pagan to do that. I wanted to learn the ways of working magic in a way that enabled me to offer worship to the Gods that would raise thrilling power and enable me to work Witch magic. This is why I went through Initiation and years of tough and tender training, learning the ways of the art magical and abiding by its rules, well most of the time; either way, once the step into the realm between Gods and men had been taken there was no avoiding the consequences. A Secret shared is a secret without power! Personal desire has often overridden the sacred oath taken during the Witchcraft Initiation. Most Initiates will not put the Inner mystery workings into the public arena. I say most, as the years have proved the sanctity and awe of our circles too irresistible not to reveal by those who would as easily sell their souls to be in the limelight. They give no care and take no responsibility of guiding and continued teaching of the safety keys to those who follow their initial revelations. Others visit a country; give their talk or workshop, Initiate then leave their initiates to fend for themselves. One can only imagine the motive is that of ego and finance. The continued despair left in their wake, makes their behaviour unforgivable. Doreen Valiente wrote the beautiful charge of the Goddess often used as an invocation within the circles of modern witchcraft. The Charge contains natural perception creating a joy in the soul that chooses to hear the wisdom of its truth. The Charge inspires, directs and challenges each of us in our magical quest. This challenge alone can bring us into direct contact with the inner workings of the mysteries without higher degree Initiation. So it is with the sacred mysteries, there is always the exception to the rule. It was not long after the Witchcraft explosion in the early 80’s before the beautiful Charge of the Goddess was being parodied in a light hearted way by the quick witted of the Craft and never had chocolate been so desirable. Whilst funny, I felt it somewhat affected my use of the Charge within ritual as I’m sure it did many others. Love and laughter are part of our workings so my piety didn’t last long; the rituals of witchcraft have an uncanny knack of lifting the heart. I do believe we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before. Doreen was a strange lady who from 1973 used to phone me every six weeks or so from a public call box. Apparently, she didn’t have a phone! Doreen was always supportive and once I knew who this strange woman was; for a long time I thought she was some mad stalker, she continued to encourage me in my work until a year or so before she died. Doreen was able to laugh with the world and at herself.

Everyone is capable of magic; some more than others, seemed to be part of her philosophy. I believe most of those who really have it are living it and getting on with it as she did. The Craft has evolved; the rites and ceremonies have developed dramatically in the last 50 years so the past centuries must have seen change even more remarkable. Then, the rites, and achieved magic were uncomplicated and more significantly, ‘Secret’. As we have become aware of modern psychology and the ease to study the ancient ways of worship, we have demanded complexity from our rites to satisfy our need to reason. We seem to have lost our trust in the power of basic magical practice. The simple witchcraft spells of the village wise woman have developed into intricate workings, most of which are uplifting and awe-inspiring. However, con-men and women have created so-called magical systems and even supposed Wiccan degrees to sell, or publish. This has lined their pockets, yet, to be blunt, have failed to perform the promised magic for the buyer. A book of ritual and spell workings, the correspondence course, no matter how true, does not make the witch! However, the exception to the rule is apparent when the need is wanting and true. The Craft, in some quarters, has been sanitised to the point where it is rarely described and even less, practised as a fertility cult. Yet that is exactly how it was portrayed and practiced in the sixties when I was Initiated into its mysteries. This does not mean, we the priesthood were obliged to take part in the sacred orgy or be constantly pregnant. As priests and priestesses, this can inhibit the magical workings and use of the energy, fertility creates. This is a confusing point to those who are somewhat Willy driven. I have known several 1st degree witches who have been more knowledgeable, magical, and dignified than many of the high priesthood. It is a leap of faith when the question is asked; ‘I want to be a Witch, will you initiate me’? The very act of Initiation marks you different; clairvoyants refer to the mark of Initiation, which is apparent in the aura of those who have been through extraordinary spiritual awakenings. The Initiate is a person who wants to experience the effects of the practise of the sacred mysteries; those effects are not ordinary, sometimes they can be scary, they always make the heartbeat quicken, the skin tingle and the temperature change. There are rules that are safety keys; there are consequences to every action performed within the magic circle. Every action within good ritual Craft has meaning and reason. There is nothing more yawn inspiring than empty ritual! Once accepted into the circle of the Mysteries, the initiate should be committed to the rule and training of that circle. In my circle, the applicant would always be told of the disciplines expected of them. ‘The Temple of the Mother’ was known for the high standards expected of its students. The discipline was not imposed; it was self-discipline combined with enthusiasm and a strong desire to succeed that seemed to impel the witches of that coven. Quite a few could not find those qualities within themselves. They had anticipated fairy tale magic, without the repetition, practice and deliberate change of consciousness needed to attain the magical response and experience that is so extraordinary. Many have expressed their surprise at the extent of commitment expected in the circles of the sixties and later in ‘The Temple of the Mother’. They are of the opinion that Witchcraft is a social event, a place where the circle provides counselling as a way to a happier state of being. As for Cyber witches, internet Initiation and teaching; they have cast their own spell and long may they remain in Cyberspace. This is not the Witchcraft I have been committed to! They would not have made the grade and this seems to verify my thoughts that the Craft has lost power in many of its circles in exchange for intellectual and psychological pursuits. Yes, Witchcraft is a way of worship. It also has specific ways of magic. The practice of magic is not a safe place for the sanctimonious nor is it kind to those who determine to hold on to the ego so necessary in the early stages when the life altering training is in process. To bring about these changes demands a desire, dedication, and discipline that does not falter. The witch delves into other worlds, they touch on the madness that enable them to pass through realms of being that without correct training, guidance and practice, no amount of modern day counselling would return sanity, hence the need for mental stability and wholeness of being before the witches training begins. Being an Initiate of the Sacred Mysteries takes a commitment that means sacrificing commonplace aspects of life. Many believe they have a vocation and some, are mistakenly accepted into the circle via Initiation. Not all Initiates penetrate the inner workings; some eventually realise their desire to live the ordinary life. This is usually because they find the self-discipline too demanding and the life of the priesthood not as they imagined. Without realisation and suitable adjustment, the magic casts them aside without sentimentality. Most are unscarred by the experience; although they are prone to the activation of their inner centres at any time in seemingly inexplicable circumstances. There are some witches who do not want the responsibility of high priesthood and are happy to accept the position of Elders of the circle. There are those who are hedge or weather witches, their knowledge is highly respected. Others consider themselves hereditary witches, some of which have not received Initiation or training. I do have enormous respect for the self Initiate; however that self Initiation does not always grant admission to the circle of most covensteads. A coven or teacher who does not investigate the would-be Initiates motive and goes ahead with the Initiation is irresponsible. A good coven will only want to initiate those with a vocation and magical potential. Numbers make a crowd not a priesthood or a Witches coven! There is an upsurge in the need and desire to be comforted by the so sweetly called spellcrafting. It is important to know who we are, in relation to the difference between the priest and the congregation, the comforters or those in need of comfort. The practice of the ‘art magical’ takes repetitive discipline, practice, and recognition that the evoked ego is for the magical moment.This evoked ego is used to enhance the experience of other realms of being, or in the changing of consciousness at will, raising energy and power, directing that energy to cause an effect within the material world. It could be an act of healing, money opportunity magic, love magic, or protection and all the other magic the witch is learning to perform. The magical ego can be likened to the Inner Robe of Glory, which is always worn, with the Outer Robe of Concealment. Too much glory has its downfalls! In the past, it was only those with a proven vocation to practice the Sacred Mysteries who after strict testing, were accepted into the Inner Sanctums of the Sacred Temples and Churches. Today, it seems that even those with little dedication to the sacred work and no vocation to the priesthood believe they are entitled admission to the hidden realms of the Mysteries. Their Initiation has diluted the sanctity within the thoughts of modern spirituality seekers. However, the Mysteries will always have their guardians and true practitioners whose dedication to the Sacred Art is foremost, regardless of circumstance. In the meantime, the world and all it contains continues to evolve and those who gain satisfaction and fulfilment from the touch and blessings of Spirit will keep on experiencing joy of heart and a sense of wellbeing. The title ‘The Mysteries’ is the clue; they are hidden for a reason; being hidden makes it natural that not everyone is drawn to them or their disciplines.Those who are properly prepared to practice the disciplines of the mysteries of the magic circle will experience an extraordinary life. The Witch trains in methods of gaining direct contact with potent energies, separate from the ordinary and mundane. It is wise to ‘know thyself’ when entering the Temple of the Mysteries. A true vocation will not be denied, although, the path of the Initiate is not always easily traversed. We are all different; the levels of potential, speciality and capability within the Initiate are diverse. No individual is of greater value than another within the circle of the Craft. The circle of the witches is as strong as its weakest link and it is good to remember, we are all subject to off days. I have never known a good student not to make a mistake. I have watched useless witchcraft practitioners make absolutely no mistakes other than think of themselves as brilliant. Absence of self righteousness, a touch of self-mockery and the humility to accept criticism are good assets for the student and practitioner of the magical arts to possess. It is a mighty fall from the high pedestal some aspire to. Witchcraft has the gift of love and laughter, it also constantly provokes a quest in the development of the ‘Art Magical’ which is at the centre of our individual Witchcraft circles. No matter my opinion of the many ways of practicing Witchcraft today, it would benefit if we were to concentrate on our own development and be rather less judgemental as to the workings of others unless that working is harmful and help is sought. Then it should be challenged. Beauty, strength, and silence, combined with grace and dignity are worthy aspirations that safeguard the inner circles of the Sacred Mysteries.The inner landscape is where the extraordinary seems to begin and most certainly, where the passage of experience is purified, verified and enjoyed in its truth. Containment of magical work is the reason for creating the magic circle. We keep the magic secret to protect it from the profane. We keep it secret to maintain the Sacred and in return, we revel in the awesome nature of the Mysteries therein. So this is where the Craft is today. Those who have aimed to make a name for themselves have thought it wise to make the Craft available to all and, yes, I disagree. Thank you for being so attentive. Afterthoughts and Realisations All these years later my opinions have not altered much. My life has changed dramatically since those early days when Stewart wrote ‘What Witches Do’ and later Janet, a shop assistant in a record shop, joined the London Coven. After nine or so months they wanted the higher degrees and no amount of persuasion would stop them. Alex gave in saying ‘Maxine, you will always remember their ‘second and third rites’, the second was on a film set, their third, later in Clanricarde Gdns. I did not remember until recently; it made sense of the opinions held today; the stories of Stewart dancing in a witches circle in Holland chanting ‘we are republicans’. Nine, 10 months is not enough time to learn the art of witchcraft. The enthusiasm shown by the couple to take part in the publicity of those days no doubt also hindered their training. Undiluted Alexandrians take their higher degrees together. Taking them separately is rare and illogical. I think it was introduced by those who wished to hold power over priesthood, rather like only taking couples through the degrees. Oh, the pomposity of it all. Regardless of past events, Stewart remained a good friend, he had an enquiring mind and a joyous soul. The magical books available today take up whole book shops; reading them does not make the witch. Nor does the teacher who gives in to egotistical, grasping students who go on to do all the things they accuse others of. It is something we have all been guilty of. It is a strange feeling to be the brunt of nasty vicious attacks and the insidious comments from the likes of Jetsuke in Holland. At first it was bewildering, perhaps because they were priestesses. No matter, the ‘Day for Doreen’ was the perfect opportunity for me to state my views. It didn’t stop the venom, it did make me feel better. Now, I am back working, teaching and practising the ways of magic, and learning the wonders of this comparatively new millennium. I realise the possibilities are endless.