Did you know that we all have psychic abilities?  It’s true.  Every one of us is psychic.  Only a few of us, however, have bothered to tap into and  develop those abilities.  All Pagans are psychic.   Some of them can remember being psychic as children, while others realized their psychic powers soon after embarking on their personal spiritual journey.

Being in touch with your psychic abilities isn’t only a wonderful way to impress your friends, it’s also a great way to gain respect in the eyes of your Pagan peers.  Many of them will be much more powerful than you, however, so be prepared for people to look down their noses at you and call your powers “cute”.   Don’t be afraid to embellish your accomplishments slightly, but only slightly.  They can read your mind, you know…

Being psychic has some disadvantages.  For one thing, a lot of psychics were tortured and murdered during The Burning Times, or so many people believe.   Also, there is a chance that some of your friends will be jealous and start to resent your gift(not that you would use it to show off, of course!). But, most important is the chance that one day you will come under PSYCHIC ATTACK.   The very name strikes terror into your heart, doesn’t it?   Attack in a form that you cannot see or hear, attack that can happen at any time.

A psychic attack is defined as the manipulation of supernatural energies and forces. These energies are sent from one individual to another, creating disturbances in the energy fields and physical body of the person who is being attacked.  This energy is sometimes called a spirit, demon, entity, or negative thought form.

Psychic attack is often the mark of a new Pagan.  Many new Pagans are constantly under psychic attack, especially by people with whom they are arguing.  During the attack, the victim is usually able to catch a glimpse into the mind of the attack and see just how evil s/he really is.  This is especially helpful if said person has a higher position or is more important in the coven than you. It is also a really great way to get attention, and some people seem to relish the idea of being under psychic attack.  In fact, it’s all they can talk about.

Some Pagans, however, are on the other side of the fence.  They firmly believe  that they are capable of summoning entities and  sending them out to psychically attack (or counter-attack) their enemies.  It is amazing how many people have the ability to send out demons or animals or some other entity to their enemies.

The internet is full of websites made by people who claim to have summoned demons and sent them forth to attack those who pissed them off. Aleister Crowley was one who claimed to send demons and the like to attack enemies.  He was later believe to be full of shit.

So, if you experience what you believe to be more than your fair share of flat tires, broken heels, snagged stockings, or if you lose your keys or the cleaners can’t get the Frappuccino stain out of your jacket, are you under psychic attack?   No.  If your house burns down, your spouse leaves you, someone steals your identity,  and your cat develops chronic diarrhea, are you under psychic attack?  Well, maybe if all that shit happens to you…but probably not.   But chances are you aren’t.  Even if people can send enough negative, hateful energy to someone to actually effect them, most people don’t have that kind of time or motivation.

So if you are extremely desperate for attention, you can chalk things up to psychic attack.  Just be sure you accuse the right person.  Also, if you  you still insist that you are under psychic attack, I suggest you find some information on shielding, unless of course you’re the aforementioned person.   The internet is full of websites that contain information on shielding.  Just remember that the internet is also full of people who want to sell you crystals, charms, candles, oils and various other bits and pieces, not because they want to help you, but because they need to make money, but that’s another entry.  Whatever you find, your belief in it is what is going to make it succeed or fail.

Many Shamanic cultures believe in animal guides or helpers.  These are animals that communicate with the shaman, or in some cases, the shaman supposedly turns into his power animal. Some Pagans like to believe they are shamans, many without actually understand precisely what that entails.  (The use of special ‘shamanic’ plants sometimes helps that belief. )

Apparently it’s quite easy to meet one’s animal spirit.  Did you know that even Christians have totem animals?  Yep, apparently the fish and the lamb are the totem animals for Christianity, at least according to  http://www.crystalinks.com/poweranimals.html.   This site also has helpful tips on meeting your power animal.   Don’t worry if you don’t connect with the same animal consistently during your meditations!   It seems we can have several.

Why, even the Celts had power animals, and we all know how much Pagans love all things Celtic.

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/animalallies.html   Here is an excerpt of a book on Celtic Shamanism.  It gets bonus points for also giving us the Gaelic names of these animals, including everyone’s favorite, the Unicorn (Briahbhall).

If you’re going to choose a power animal (excuse me, if the animal is going to choose YOU), can it please be a real animal? Please?   Oh, and I should probably mention that no matter how much you like your chosen animal, you’re still human.  You’re not part white tiger, or some other ferocious beast. Nor are you part dragon.  I’m sorry, but you’re just not, okay?

There’s nothing wrong with believing in a power animal or totem, especially if you do your research and actually know what you’re talking about.  Some of the writings on these beliefs is quite interesting, but not all of it is practical.  If you have problems with self-esteem or anxiety and your totem animal can help you overcome that, that’s great.  But it’s not a contest to see who can have the most bad-ass totem either.  Again, this ain’t the Clan of the Cave Bear, Darryl Hannah.

A lot of people who take what they want from American Indians are usually “chosen” by the buffalo, wolf, or bear.  The buffalo is the one I have encountered the most.  It seems there is a whole herd of them running around here somewhere.

People are also very fond of having their animals tattooed on their bodies, or just merely adorning a t-shirt or necklace.  Mark yourself however you see fit, you modern primitive, you.

Oh, and do I have a totem animal? Perhaps, but I certainly don’t claim to be a shaman.

Many Pagans/Wiccans/Witches love to talk about The Burning Times. Actually, many of them probably just like the “Never Again the Burning Times” graphics and enjoy spouting that slogan, especially when they feel they are being “persecuted” for their beliefs. Many Witches/Wiccans/Pagans, etc. perceive any objections to their beliefs as a “Witch Hunt”, and for the most part, that is just not true. Most people really don’t care.

What we know as The Burning Times began in the thirteenth century and reached its peak in the pobably around the sixteenth century. During this period of history, the established Church committed horrible atrocities against people who were suspected of witchcraft. These people, however, were not Wiccans, as Wicca didn’t come along until the 1950s. In fact, the majority of people who were tortured and murdered at this time were, in fact, Christians.

Many of these people were outcasts, people who were a bit “strange”, and most were women. Woman were considered far more susceptible to the Devil’s wiles and sweet talk, being so much weaker of mind and character than men. This knowledge is what lead some people to believe that those killed during this time were practitioners of an older, earth-based, Goddess-centric religion. The truth is, however, that most of the people were Christians. They were persecuted by their fellow “Christians”, accused of being in league with the devil, tortured, and killed. Why? Well, people were dying by the hundreds of thousands. There were wars and the Black Death. What could cause such an evil to overtake humanity? It certainly couldn’t be lack of cleanliness! So a suitable scapegoat was sought – the Witch. The Witch, who is sold her soul to the devil and practices profane rites and gruesome sacrifices must be the reason so many people are dying, right?

This witch hunt had nothing to do with paganism. Catholics accused Protestants. Protestants accused Catholics. Sure, there were some non-Christians involved, but we’ve already established that they were not Wiccan.

So, let’s recap, shall we? Yes, religion was a factor in these Witch Hunts, but the majority of people were Christians (and no, I am not going to argue with people who say those people were just pretending to be Christians, but were in fact Pagans). Europeans needed a scapegoat, someone to blame for the death that was going on around them. People were not as educated at the time, and superstitions got the best of them. They decided Satan-worshiping Witches were to blame. Honestly, if you were a Christian in the thirteenth century, wouldn’t that make as much sense as anything else? It was simply the worst thing they could think of. Men, women and children were killed. So were a bunch of cats. In Salem, no one was burned. People accused of witchcraft were hanged. Also, property was one of the factors at Salem.

So, if you are new to the whole Pagan path, please do some research. Don’t just go around talking about how “your people” were slaughtered during The Burning Times. Hardly anything marks a wide-eyed, uneducated novice more than remarks like that. It didn’t happen, people. No Wiccans were harmed during this period of time, or in the writing of this article.

If you feel like doing some research, here are a few sites:

http://wicca.timerift.net/burning.shtml
http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/burningtimes.htm (Yes, a Christian site. Just read it.)
http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_burn.htm

Well, crystals are solids that form by a regular repeated pattern of molecules connecting together. They grow in different patterns and come in a variety of colors, which is affected by the absorption of light by the molecules.

Okay, so what does this have to do with Pagans? Well, many believe that the array of crystal structures and patterns, varied though they may be, follow something known as Sacred Geometry. (http://www.crystalinks.com/sacred_geometry.html)

According to crystal believers, each type of crystal has its own energy and vibrations. These can help us do everything from attract money and love, to protection (both physical and psychic, we presume).

Amethyst and rose quartz are two favorites.  Rose quartz is the favorite crystal for attracting love or healing a broken heart.   “Experts” recommend sleeping with a new crystal (to allow your energies to mingle), holding them during meditation, applying them to the chakras, and so on.

Amethyst is thought to provide courage and protection.  It is also believe to improve one’s psychic abilities, which we apparently all have, but most of us have not bothered to wear crystals and develop those abilities.

Crystals are found in rings, bracelets, necklaces, and headdresses.  They are sometimes prominent features on a person’s altar as well.   Give a Pagan a crystal with the message, “This stone was just calling your name!”,  and you will certainly gain some Brownie points with him/her.

This is amethyst.  If you’re interested in know more about the varieties of crystals, do some damn research. It’s not hard.

It is not only impossible to have a drumming circle without a group of aspiring bellydancers, but it is also illegal in some areas. That’s the way it seems sometimes. Pagan women love to belly dance. They claim it is for women of all sizes, but honestly, how many performers have you seen shake anything over a size 6?

Bellydance, we are lead to believe, is an ancient tradition dating back to Phonecia, Sumeria, Mesopotamia, and other areas that are just as forgettable (after ninth-grade history, at least). Women did this dance to ease the pain of menstruation and childbirth, and also as a celebration of the feminine form.

What it means today is people charging an exorbitant amount of money for classes, DVDs, and cheaply made polyester costumes with genuine imitation ancient coins sewn along the hem. Go to any drumming/dancing get together and you will see small groups of women, young and old, thin and fat, shimmying before an appreciative (they hope!) audience. And you can hear them coming before they arrive, weighed down by so much Afghani Kuchi jewelry it’s a wonder they can bend over without falling on their faces.

Still, it can be good exercise, and it can be fun. Some of the music is quite nice. It’s also nice to see people of all ages and sizes engaging in this activity. There are many amply-built Pagans in the community, and it’s nice to see people of all sizes being more accepted.

Pagan folk love fairies, or, as many of them will correct you, “faeries”. Go to a Faery Festival, fantasy convention, or anywhere Brian Froud is expected, and chances are many of the people there will be Pagan.

Why the fascination with these mythical creatures? Well, first of all, some Pagans will insist that faeries are just as real as you or I. In fact, they probably know a few! The Faery Wicca tradition seems to be gaining popularity, although what all this entails your author is not 100% certain. Having very little interest in faeries myself, I have not checked out all of the faery-related traditions.

I will say, however, that I used to have a Faery Wicca tarot book and deck set. The cards were illustrated in dark reds and lush greens, and came complete with Gaelic names most people cannot pronounce. These cards, then, contained several elements that many Pagans find irresistable.

Many Pagans will decorate their cars, homes, clothing and bodies with representation of these tiny winged beings. Some people even build special faery houses to attract more of the fae (or, if you really awnt to show off your knowledge of Gaelic, ‘sidhe’). Amy Brown and Brian Froud are two artists who are currently making a killing from this trend, selling thousands of books, figurines, t-shirts, and other assorted merchandise. Kudos to them!

Many Pagans embrace their Irish and Scottish heritage (both real and imagined) and seek a way of showing the world, ‘Hey, I’m a real Celt here! See my cloak?’

If you’re going to be attending your first open circle or ritual or first Witches MeetUp, wearing a simple t-shirt with a Celtic design (bonus if the shirt also features dragons or other mythical critter), or perhaps just a necklace will be enough to help your new friends identify you. Then the next time you meet, you can show off the floor-length rayon cloak you got from MysticMoons, Inc. for $29.95.