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The Cauldron presents a good number of articles on subjects of interest to Pagans. This page is a master index to these articles. If you'd like to have your article considered, please see the information on article submissions (entitled "Articles! Essays! Tutorials!") on our Volunteers Needed page.
Asatru | Comparative Religion | Computers & Tech |Divination | Editorials | General Interest | Gods and Goddesses | Hellenic | Herbs | Holidays | Magick | Wicca
- Einherjar Exercise by Janna, Raven Kindred South
- An Asatru exercise for examining one's life.
- The Einherjar, Odin's Chosen by Janna, Raven Kindred South
- An article on the Einherjar, those that are chosen by Odin to fight on the side of the Gods at Ragnorak.
- Our Troth by members of the Ring of Troth
- An online copy of the handbook of the Ring of Troth. This long work contains a great deal of information about the Northern Gods and Asatru.
- Ravenbok by meambers of the Raven Kindred
- An online copy of the Raven Kindred's Ravenbok, a book of Asatru information and rituals.
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Comparative Religion Articles
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- The Modern World of Witchcraft [Part 1] [Part 2] by Craig S. Hawkins
- Have you ever wondered what rational Christian Fundamentalists
think of Wicca? This article from the Christian Research Journal shows that at
least some Christians do bother to research things before they attack them. The
first part of this article explains Wicca. The second part points out all the
"errors" in Wicca from the Christian point-of-view.
- The Pentagram and the Hammer by Devyn Gillette & Lewis Stead
- This article by a British Traditional Wiccan and an Asatruar
compares Asatru and Wicca, pointing out the relatively few things they have in
common, the many differences between them, and some of the problems those
differences can cause in communication between Wiccans and Asatruar.
- Serious Christian/Catholic Resources by Koi
- Some serious and scholarly Christian/Catholic books useful for refuting fundamentalist positions.
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Computers & Technology Articles
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- Weaving the Pagan Web by Leigh
- This article provides some basic advice for designing Pagan web sites.
- Nostradamus Truly Revealed by Ann Wilson
- In a humorous article that subtly points out how easy it is to read things into prophecy, Ann Wilson describes how Nostradamus predicts the rise of her science-fictional Terran Empire.
- Power Tarot Review by Randall Sapphire
- A more detailed review of Power Tarot
with one of the reviewer's favorite Tarot spreads thrown in as a bonus.
- The Tarot According to Twilight by Twilight
- This article is a workshop on using the Tarot for those new to this form of divination.
- Tarot Layout Reference Guide by David Jones
- This 150K text file gives the details of over 50 Tarot layouts and other information for the Tarot student. [Please be patient as it takes a bit to load.]
- Twilight's Tarot Ritual by Twilight
- In July 1998, The Cauldron and Phyllis Vega sponsored a contest in association with our Book of the Month Discussion book, Power Tarot by Trish MacGregor and Phyllis Vega. This ritual was the winner of our contest to write a short Pagan-oriented ritual for use before a Tarot reading.
- All Those Lovely Newbies... by Faerie K.
- This is a humorous editorial on the various types of newbies found on Pagan forums and mailing lists.
- The Anatomy of the Pagan 101 Book Phenomena by AthenaPrime
- Why are there so many beginner books and so few books aimed at more advanced Pagans?
- Christianity does not equal Fundamentalism by Randall Sapphire
- Isn't it silly for Pagans to deal with Christianity as if all Christians were Fundamentalists?
- HomogePaganization by HeartShadow
- There seems to be a constant desire to recreate Paganism, a myriad of faiths that are less similar than different, into being one, single religion, with certain values and rules that all can agree to. Would it really be better if the many different Pagan religions were merged into one?
- It's for a Good Cause (Really) by Shea Thomas
- Shea Thomas' editorial discusses Pagan charities and wonders why so many Pagans do not seem to willing support any of them while they actively support non-Pagan charities.
- Lone Wolves by AthenaPrime
- While it is easy to forget, not every Pagan is Wiccan. Some are traveling other, less well-travelled paths.
- Mediation on Sacrifice by Hawke
- Sacrifice was an important part of many ancient religions. What is sacrifice and what role should in play in modern Wicca?
- Moving Beyond Pagan 101 by Faerie K.
- An editorial on the need to move beyond Pagan 101 books with suggestions for doing do.
- Neo-Pagan Unity: Does it Exist, Should it Exist? by Faerie K.
- This editorial examines the trend of treating "Neo-Paganism" as a single religion, focusing on problems the author sees in Isaac Bonewits' well-known attempt to define "What Neo-Pagans Believe."
- The "Perfect" Leader by Elspeth Sapphire
- Do some Pagans expect far too much of their teachers and group leaders?
- Problems with the Rede by Randall Sapphire
- Randall's message on the major problems he has with the Wiccan Rede as a complete moral system had to be reposted to The Cauldron's message board so often that it finally became an article here.
- Pseudo History, Fluff Bunnies and Wicca by Tony M.
- Wicca has undergone a large number of changes since the days of Gerald Gardner, Tony argues than some of these changes are not for the better in this editorial.
- Reality 101 by Elspeth Sapphire
- How to identify the kinds of Pagans who really could benefit from a Reality 101 class.
- Rede and Fluff by Osthein
- What, if anything, is really wrong with the Wiccan Rede? Way do some many people associate it with fluff-bunnies?
- Responsibility and Paganism by Elspeth Sapphire
- Pointing the finger in blame is often easier than facing the real source of the problem.
- Scholarly Books and Lookalikes by Jonobie Ford
- A common problem in Neopaganism is that many people seem unclear on what constitutes a credible book. This article teaches what a credible book is and ways to determine if a book should be considered credible.
- Secrecy and Wicca by Randall Sapphire
- Just how much secrecy is really neccessary in Wicca?
- Seeking the Other: Christian-Pagan Dialogue by Koimichra
- This article discusses the importance of a Christian-Pagan dialogue as well as some of the frustrations of the same from a Christian's perspective.
- What I Expect From My Church by Peter Gold
- Many Pagans seem to what their religious group to look and act nothing like a mainstream western church. Peter Gold has a much different view of what Paganism will have to look like in 50 years and discusses his vision in this essay.
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General Interest Articles
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- Basic Meditation Techniques by Bill Witt
- The article is divided into three sections. Section one deals with
what meditation is and how it plays a part in the lives of those who
use it. Section two goes into the techniques and tools of
meditation. Section three gives suggestions on how to use what you've
learned, in everyday life.
- A Brief Assessment Of Neopagan Theology by Cyprian
- While this article is only one person's view, it's one of the few attempts we've seen to discuss Paganism from a theological point-of-view.
- Celtic Studies for Beginners by Stryder
- Originally a pair of messages posted to our message board in response to a query for information on the Celts, this article provides list of books and other resources for the beginning Celtic student.
- Changes: Good or Bad? by M. Dianne Sykes-Hebert
- An article on changes written for the 1998 Chinese New Year.
- Country Living: The Good and the Bad by Elisa Presley
- Many Pagans want to live in the country and be close to nature. This is not always the perfect life many Pagans seem to imagine. This article tells some of the lows and highs of life on the farm.
- The Finer Points of Ritual by Mike Nichols
- This long article is a transcript of a Heartland Pagan Festival keynote address on a comparative approach to liturgical history, theology and ritual design.
- Getting in Touch with the Divine by Kernonnous
- An article describing one Pagan's path to communing with the Gods.
- The Granny Phenomena! by Faerie K.
- A discussion of the Granny Phenomena: long dead relatives who just happened to pass on the secret family tradition of Paganism.
- Handfasting of the Lord and Lady by Terri Roessler
- A poem written for Imbolc 1997.
- Hellenic Ethics: Living Virtues in Community by Reverend Andrew Campbell
- This article discusses the ethics system of Hellenic Paganism. While some Hellenic virtues will seem familiar, others may seem alien to those who look to the Wiccan Rede for ethical guidance.
- Irish Druidic Symbolism by Cainteanna na Luise
- A quick reference list for Irish Druidic symbolism, intended for use in such things as decorating capes, jewelry, etc.
- LyricFox's Signature Image Archive by LyricFox and friends
- By popular request, here's an archive of the cute fox signature images LyricFox uses on Delphi message boards.
- Mama Earth Dolls by Terri Roessler
- What happens when you combine Reiki with an Earth Mother Doll?
- Medieval Social Structure and Achad's Tree of Life by Benjamin Rowe
- This 1988 article is an interesting example of how the Tree of Life can be used to organize and view information.
- The Myceneaen Mysteries by Joseph Teller
- These articles present one person's vision a Neo-Pagan religion based on the Gods of ancient Greece.
- Omnism by Ann Wilson
- Ann explains how her personal religious search let her to Omnism
-- and what the heck Omnism is.
- On Eclecticism, Syncretism, Multiple-Path, and other Combinatorics by Darkhawk
- This article is a critical discussion of eclecticism -- when it is done poorly and when it is done well.
- On Hereditary Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi and friends
- This article is really a collection online conversations on hereditary Italian witchcraft. Warning: This page is about 200K and takes a while to load.
- A Pagan Carmina Gadelica by Mike Nichols
- This is Mike Nichols' Paganized version of the Carmina Gadelica, an excellent source of poetry for ritual use.
- Pagan Songs and Poems by various authors
- This is a collection of Pagan songs and poems.
- Paganism at the Crossroads by Skytoucher
- This old BBS revival is a viewpoint article discussing whether Wicca should remain an initiatory path or become a more open standard religion.
- Pentagrams: Meaning and History by various authors
- A reference text on the history and meaning of the Pentagram from the alt.magick Usenet hierarchy.
- Practicing Your Religion in Secret by Everfool
- This article makes some suggestions for practicing your religion quietly, so as to not attract unwanted attention in college dorms and other places where one does not have much privacy.
- Quietly Pagan by Leigh
- This article suggests a set of mundane studies for those who are interested in Pagan religions but do not have access to specifically Pagan materials for some reason or another. These studies will not teach one anything about Paganism specifically, but they will provide a lot useful background information on related subjects.
- Recent Developments in the Study of The Great European Witch Hunt
- If you think nine million witches where killed on orders of the church during what many Pagans call "The Burning Times," you really need to read this article by Jenny Gibbons. Scholars have looked at the actual evidence in recent years and come to some very different conclusions as to how many were killed, who killed them, and why.
- Ritual Project For Solitaries by Faerie K.
- This article discusses a method for solitary Pagans to learn ritual -- and make it their own.
- Sample Pagan Rituals
- A collection of sample Pagan Handfasting Rituals.
- Selecting a Reiki Teacher by Diane Verrochi
- A few thing to consider and to look for when choosing a Reiki instructor.
- So You Want To Join A Coven? by Twilight
- An article on things to consider before deciding to join a Pagan group.
- So You Want To Start A Coven? (Author Unknown)
- This is an old, but still very true, BBS file on what one needs to carefully consider before starting/leading a Pagan group.
- Takin' It All Home by Kami Landy
- An article on creating traditional Celtic ritual structures/sacred space in one's own home.
- Temples, Covens and Groves -- Oh My! by Khaled
- An article discussing the possible organization and purpose of Pagan Temple with particular attention of the needs of groups in countries which, unlike the US, have government requirements for clergy.
- An Irish Myth Concordance by Mike Nichols
- A basic concordance of Irish mythology, based on the book, Gods and Fighting Men.
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Hellenic Reconstructionist Articles
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- Daily Devotions by Andrew Campbell
- Morning and evening prayer cycle using the Orphic Hymns and Hesiod's sacred month.
- Eusebeia by Andrew Campbell
- An exploration of Hellenic piety based on the research of Jon D. Mikalson.
- A Garland for Zeus: Modern Prayer Bead Devotions by Andrew Campbell
- The information in this article should be considered an innovation rooted not in Hellenic historical precedent, but in modern example and personal need. The wording of the prayers is traditional, however.
- Greek-English Offertory Rite by Andrew Campbell
- A general-use ritual script for Hellenic groups.
- Hellenic Home Life by Andrew Campbell
- Tips and Ideas for Hellenic Families.
- A Hellenic Polytheist Reading List by Andrew Campbell
- Suggested reading in the categories of general history, primary sources, scholarly studies and sourcebooks, reference materials, and modern practice.
- About Hellenismos: Frequently Asked Questions by Andrew Campbell
- A text file, available for free distribution, addressing the basic beliefs and practices of Hellenic polytheism. Suitable for use in interfaith education.
- The Kerux edited by Andrew Campbell
- The Kerux was an online newsletter for Hellenic Reconstructionists and their friends that appeared monthly throughout the 4th year of the 694th Olympiad. Although the newsletter is no longer being published, back issues can still be read here.
- Melpwmen - Let Us Celebrate with Song by Andrew Campbell
- A collection of music for use in Hellenic polytheist worship.
- Old Stones, New Temples: Ancient Greek Paganism Reborn by Andrew Campbell
- Information on Campbell's book on Hellenismos. Some excerpts and corrections are also available:
- Religious Education Curriculum Outline by Andrew Campbell
- For Hellenic Classical Homeschoolers and Afterschoolers.
- Jet's Herbal Notes: A Myriad of Mints by Jet
- Mints are a wonderfully hardy group of plants with a wide array of uses.
- Mother Earth Herbal (Author Unknown)
- This articles discusses the traditional and magickal uses of many herbs and trees.
- Natural Herbal Medicinal Uses (Author Unknown)
- This article on the possible medicinal uses of herbs provides information collected from various sources and is presented as a compendium of ideas on possible medicinal uses of herbs, not as specific advice.
- Samhain Collection by various authors
- Samhain, or Hallows, is the Celtic New Year. It's one of the great sabbats, opposite Beltane in the Wheel of the Year. Our Samhain page features several short articles on this holiday.
- Yule Collection by various authors
- Yule, mundanely known as the Winter Solstice, celebrates the death and rebirth of the Sun. Our Yule page features short articles on the holiday.
- The Wheel of the Year by Mike Nichols
- A collection of articles on each of the eight major holidays of
the Pagan/Wiccan year.
- Astral Projection by Mephisto
- This article describes a basic technique for learning astral projection.
- Basic Candle Magick (Author Unknown)
- A simple method for performing candle magick, including a candle color chart.
- Basic Spell Design (Author Unknown)
- A general description of how to design a magick spell or simple ritual.
- Books on the Folklore and Magickal Uses of Herbs and Trees by Susan Joy Atton
- A bibliography with brief comments of books on the folklore and magickal uses of herbs.
- Control Yourself! by Faerie K.
- This article discusses Crowley's Liber III vel Jugorum method of training in self-control.
- Crowley and Tantric Magick (Author Unknown)
- This article takes Crowley's writings on tantric magick and explains and demystifies them.
- A Guide to Crystals and Stones (Author Unknown)
- This guide explains a variety of crystals and stones, describing their uses and associated chakras.
- Gnostic Pentagram Ritual by Fireclown
- Commentary on Carroll's Gnostic Pentagram ritual with some suggestions for modification and expansion.
- Introduction to Ceremonial Magick by Phil Hansford
- Eleven lessons in basic magick, ceremonial style.
- The Kabbalah: A Reference by Colin Low
- This Kabbalah Reference was prepared for the alt.magick Usenet hierarchy. It is intended to provide a brief introduction to Kabbalah, and pointers to additional sources of information.
- Lessons in Magickal Herbal Use by Leillan
- Four brief lessons in magickal herbal usage.
- The Magick of the Fan by Bryanny FairRaven
- How to use the traditional hand fan in magick.
- Nature Spirit Magick by Larry Cornett
- One person's method for working with nature spirits.
- New Aeon Magick by Gerald del Campo
- This online book is an introduction to western ceremonial magick with some stress on Thelema.
- Nightmare Banishing Dream Pillow by Faerie K.
- This article discusses the creation of a herbal pillow to banish nightmares.
- Planetary Talismans (Author Unknown)
- Instructions for constructing Planetary Talismans.
- Psychic Protection by Koren
- This article provides basic instructions on several methods of psychic protection with simple rituals for both individuals and groups.
- Quantum Magick by Larry Cornett
- This article proposes a possible scientific basis for magick based on the theories of Quantum Mechanics.
- Smudging by Michelle Chihacou White Puma Klein-Hass
- This article explains the herbs and methods used in smudging.
- The Star Ruby by Faerie K.
- Crowley's Star Ruby has been left in the shadow of the more widely known Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Many Pagans, however, prefer the Star Ruby because of it uses Pagan symbolism.
- The Use of Focii: External and Internal (Elezar)
- A short article on the "why" of magickal tools.
- Visualizing by Ear by Faerie K.
- While many books on magick assume everyone can vizualize in pictures, this often is not the case. This article discusses using non-visual senses for magickal vizualization.
- Why Does the LBRP Use Only the Banishing Earth Pentagram by Faerie K.
- A short article explaining why the Earth banishing pentagram is the only elemental banishing pentagram used in the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
- Wiccan Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram by Paul Hume
- A short article on adapting the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram to Pagan systems, using Wicca as the example.
- Witch Bottles by Faerie K.
- An article on the history, use, and creation of witch bottles, both traditional and modern.
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Traditional Wicca Articles
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- Aradia, or The Gospel of Witches by Charles G. Leland
- Aradia, or The Gospel of Witches was written by Charles
G. Leland in the 1890s. It purports to document Italian rural Witchcraft
practices. Parts of it have been adapted into some modern Wicca rituals.
- The Bardic Year by the White Bard
- Rituals, in the form of mystery plays, for celebrating the major Sabbats in a Wiccan fashion by the White Bard.
- Charmed, I'm Sure by Mike Nichols
- A traditional view of the ethics of Love and Control Magick.
- The Craft And The Healing Arts by Jehana
- Healing and healing ethics from a somewhat Rede-literalist Wiccan point-of-view.
- Counseling Basics for Wiccan Clergy by Judy Harrow, Marjorie Nelson-Brambir and Gwyneth Harrow
- A basic introduction to counseling for Wiccan clergy.
- Endings by Judy Harrow and Gwyneth Harrow
- This is a handbook for Pagan clergy dealing with departures from and dissolutions of Pagan groups.
- The Front Gate by Judy Harrow and Brigantia Stone
- The Front Gate is a workbook for Pagan clergy concerning the issues of finding,
screening, orienting and dedicating new students.
- Gardnerian Book of Shadows (Traditional)
- A copy of a public Gardnerian book of rituals which has been
circulating freely on the net for some time. This is a 120K text file in an HTML
wrapper. Save it and strip the HTML from the beginning and end to have your own
copy.
- The History Of Wicca In England: 1939 - Present Day
- The article attempts to trace the history of Wicca in England from its creation by Gardner to the early 1990s. It is a transcription of a talk given by Julia Phillips at the Wiccan Conference in Canberra in 1991.
- An Introduction to the Old Religion (Unknown Author)
- Eight lessons in outline form from an Introduction to the Old
Religion course. Over 200K of text.
- Landmarks Of The Craft (Unknown Author)
- The Landmarks of the Craft are the poetic laws of the American Rite of Wicca, also known as the Druidic Craft of the Wise.
- The New Book of The Law by Lady Galadriel
- The New Book of the Law is a modernization of the laws used by
many Traditional Wiccan Covens.
- The New Book of The Law: Commentary by J. Random Folksinger
- J. Random Folksinger's Law by Law comments on The New Book of The Law above.
- Re-Thinking The Watchtowers by Mike Nichols
- This article discusses reasons that elemental Air should be considered the North quarter.
- A Wiccan Glossary by Rowan Moonstone and Durwydd MacTara
- A glossary of basic Wiccan terms. While useful, you will, of course, find that other Pagans and even other Wiccans define some of these terms somewhat differently.
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