Hey, I just found my Witch name!!!

WiccanWade · 08-17-2003, 04:02 PM

Well, it'll be a last name, actually!

Wade MacMorrighan...

I knew what I wanted it to translate into in the English language, and thought I'd seen somewhere that Irish, like Scottish, had an appelation such as "Mc" which means "son of" so-and-so. And, upon further research, I was correct! That, being, "Mac". As in Manannan Mac Lir ["Manannan Son of the Sea"] and Aengus Mac Og ["Aengus the Young Sun"], etc... So, I chose this to honour, and bring honour and glory to my Matron Goddess, The Morrighan. Now, I have never believed it to be late in coming. As I've always believed that such a name should be the result of soul searching, or Meditation, or some spiritual experience, or (in my case) it'll just come to you and feel so right, and so correct!

Although, speaking of Her, I've been wanting to look into Morgan's Well (the Holy Well names after Her) as well as the 2 hills named after Her breasts (as the Goddess Anu does) by the name of da chich na Morrigna. However, I can find nothing on either of these! Which, well...in my limited cpacity, by plugging it into my all-time favorite search engine (which almost never fails me) Google.Com!

I, Brian · 09-02-2003, 09:01 PM

It's interesting to see how you've chosen that name - especially as you mentioned Manannan. My girlfriend/long-term partner is from the Isle of Man - the island from which Manannan gets its name. They still have a very strong sense of heritage there - you can't go over the fairy bridge without making a wish, for example!

I believe Gerald Gardner, the founded of Wicca, was running an occult shop from Castletown as well - which, by the way, if where one of my favourite castles is - it's not large, but it's fully intact and even furnished inside in places. Definitely worth visiting. She'd never heard of Gardner, though.

As for the hills you mentioned - do you have any idea of the location? That may help narrow the search a bit.

Oh - and google is my friend, too.

WiccanWade · 09-03-2003, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I, Brian

As for the hills you mentioned - do you have any idea of the location? That may help narrow the search a bit.

Nope- I don't know of any possible location, either. *sigh* I've also heard thatr Morgan has a Holy Well named after Her, and would like to further research this (which I tried to do), and the results were the same...

WiccanWade · 09-03-2003, 01:20 AM

Oh my goodness!!! I just cannot believe what someone actually said to me, on an E-Group, siply for posting an Egyptian Temple Meditation that I had channelled while in a very light trace (via what I call "infused knowledge"). It was just awefiul!!! Why would someone say these things (I'll post my meditation in a seperate thread)- it was absolutely scathing, and ruthless!:

I'm sorry... I was unaware that the Morrigan was even remotely interested in things Egyptian. Or that She was anything less than a demanding Goddess who required total devotion of Her Children. Perhaps you, as Her child, could clarify that point for me? And how long do you spend in battle training for Her? Did She adopt you after you had succeeded in a particularly bloody endeavor? You mention leaving several e-lists over squabbles with other Wiccan Elders... how does She look upon that? Was it a tactical withdrawal from the battlefield to enjoin battle in a victorious manner someplace else? Or has She simply not noticed the 'advances to the rear'?

I'm curious, Wade, because I've done a bit of research into the Morrigan, aided by my friends and family in Ireland. And I can't find anything at all which represents her as anything less than a bloodthirsty Dark Goddess. The Washer at the ford, washing the clothing of the men marching off to battle whose souls she would collect at the end of the day. I admire any man who can handle Her aspects, since to know Her is to know Death itself. And not the 'died in your sleep' kind of death. The 'killed by a rusty dagger caked with the entrails of your brothers at arms already dispatched while struggling to saw off some enemy's head in battle' kind of death.

Are you perhaps descended from a heretofor unknown family line or clan which claims blood ties to the Morrigan? Or was 'MacMorrighan' simply an affectation?

Your mother called, Wade. She wants to know why you're dicking around with those Egyptian Hussies instead of honoring Her by delivering
their still-beating hearts to Her Glory on the battlefields of Ireland.

See, it may -sound- cool to start playing with Dark Deities, but until you survive their rigourous testing and are found worthy to be one of their priests, you're a child playing around a nuclear warhead with a hammer. MacMorrighan, I pray that your hubris before the terrible mother of battle never results in your harm. I wouldn't spend too much time on the astral, honey, because one day while you play there She'll take note and pound the ever-loving-crap outta you.

Egyptian Sendings indeed. If you're going to play at being a witch, at least stick to a single pantheon. Or if you -must- jump pantheons willy-nilly, at least work on similar godforms. Puhleeze.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[After, again, mocking some of which I asserted about channeling, he answered with an indignate, "ummm, no." Then, concluded with the following, to whoch I've responded. Why would he say what he's saying, publically, rather than privately, were his motivations simply to publically embarass me?]:

I am an Initiated and Elevated priest of the Wiccan Gods, Wade. The real ones, not the ones written about by fluff authors or twisted into misperception by Llewellyns or the Cabot-patch cult followings.

[Although, that smack at Laurie really bugged me, because I draw estensively upon her teachings and Tradition! However, through all his cruelty- he's also gay, which never cieses to amaze me- I tried to respond as calmly as I could]:

I have bound myself by oath twice over now to Serve Them, and I have a responsibility toward you because you're naive enough to believe the claptrap that Wicca is what you want it to be. I am obligated by karmic vows from this lifetime and lifetimes in the past. I am a son of >Pryderi, I am thrice-born from the Cauldron of Annwn, and I am what my Gods are terming >'damage control' right now.

Consider me your legal warning text.

Ignore me if you want. Ridicule me because I threaten you , and run from me because I dare to speak up to poke holes in your misguided misperceptions of what all this occult stuff is about.

You are treading on dangerous ground, Wade. Not because you miff the Wiccans, not because you walk blindly through every CAUTION! DANGER! sign, but because you have developed the sense that you are right and everyone who disagrees with you is wrong. You decide that the universe won't hurt you, the big Dark Gods don't really deserve that reputation, and karmic retribution ignores stupidity.

Listen to me... if you don't stop fooling around with the Morrigan, She will hurt you. Badly. You are not a warrior. You are not magically strong. You are not intellectually strong.

You choose the wrong battles and have a habit of fleeing from confrontation on the internet.

I've watched you get chased from one corner of the web to another. These are not the values >of a child of the Morrigan. And if you do not prove your worth to Her, She will eat you up and spit out what's left.

Who am I? I am your warning, Wade. Cease and desist, or face the consequences. You are meddling with powers you have not even *begun* to understand.

My public craft name is Corbin. I am the crow, the harbinger of doom, the messenger of the Macha, and I am telling you: IF YOU DO NOT STOP THIS EGOMANAICAL FOOLISHNESS YOU -WILL- GET HURT. I do not serve the Morrigan, my Goddess is another.

But I have been shown a black spear with a silver head, grasped by bloody hands and washed by >tears, in the hands of a child who wandered onto the battlefield and whose cries are lost amid the fog of war. You are not worthy. You have been rejected. If you do not set down the spear you picked up because it was shiny, you -will- be hurt.

I, Corbin, have spoken, and my message has been dispatched. Blame not the messenger, and meddle at your own folly, Wade MacMorfran.

Despite being presumptuous enough to ask Brits to send you a stone from the ground around the megaliths at Stonehenge, inciting others to plunder the spiritual heritage of Caer Logres. [Which was a lie- no such transaction EVER occured!]

WHo needs to research, Wade? Her message was *channeled* to me. Therefore, I don't need to research. Isn't that right? I think you're more appropriately MacMorfran, or MacAfaggdu instead. Dumb as a block of rock and unluckily robbed of anything resembling enlightenment at all.

The Gods you worship, I question not. Your manner of worshipping them is what I take aim at. Wiccan Wade, you are neither Wiccan, nor a Witch.

Heed the Macha, since you claim to know Her. Cease and desist, MacMorfran, before you get hurt.

I, Brian · 09-03-2003, 08:06 AM

So far as I know. names only have the power we give to them. That is actually one of the secrets of magick and ritual, as far I understand it.

This is can be an especially important concern in Neo-Paganism, which is often very far removed from the very religious figures individulas make connections with.

Perhaps this person really believes in their own position - but it should be well heeded the adage that one person's saviour is another person's demon (or a variation of such

).

bgruagach · 09-04-2003, 04:51 PM

Wow, Wade.

This "elder" clearly has a bad case of "HPS Disease." Check out the wonderfully poetic illustration of this terrible malady over at http://www.georgianwicca.org/poetry/hpsdisease.html

Seriously, this person has some superiority-complex issues. Pity the poor people who are physically near to them. It must be hard for their family members and friends to live with such overwhelming superiority in their midst.

Of course, there are a few suggestions which could be taken from even this rather amazing display of arrogance.

Information which is received through inspiration is very valuable, but falls into the category of "unverifiable personal gnosis" which means that it's not likely to have the same status of validity which other, verified information has. For instance, if inspired information turns out to be supported by external sources (i.e. experts in the field agree, the idea is supported in a variety of print resources, or it is also proven through objective scientific experimentation) then it holds more weight and isn't "unverifiable" any more.

Personally, I'd be hesitant to say that a specific deity is most definitely X unless I had all sorts of proof to back it up from a variety of other sources and experts. It would be safer to say that this deity inspired me with X information, and make it clear to others that this is in that "unverifiable personal gnosis" category. It's always wiser to be honest about something than to mislead by suggesting an authority that isn't really there. When others do it they get a lot of flak for it when it's discovered. And deceptions are always discovered at some point.

I've been a practicing Wiccan now for twenty some years, and I don't have a patron or matron deity myself who is my exclusive focus of worship. I think it's a good idea to spend at least a "year and a day" studying a specific deity before really deciding to dedicate to that one deity. I wouldn't want to dedicate to a deity without really knowing who they are, what their history is, etc.

Don't be put off by people who say "mixing cultures is bad" unless you think their arguments actually make sense. If you check out the translations of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Semitic magickal spells in Hans Dieter Betz' "The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation" (an excellent, scholarly, historical book I can't recommend enough) it's clear that "mixing mythologies" in magick has a long history that goes waaay back. It is a really good idea to work at getting a solid foundation in the mytholgies you are going to use, but there is nothing wrong with being eclectic. It worked for the ancient magickians, and will work just as well for modern ones too.

; )

Ben G.
http://www.witchgrotto.com

WiccanWade · 09-05-2003, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Wow, Wade.

This "elder" clearly has a bad case of "HPS Disease." Check out the wonderfully poetic illustration of this terrible malady over at http://www.georgianwicca.org/poetry/hpsdisease.html

Yup! I've read it long ago, and utterly love it! Wish I had thought of it at the time... lol...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Seriously, this person has some superiority-complex issues. Pity the poor people who are physically near to them. It must be hard for their family members and friends to live with such overwhelming superiority in their midst.

Yeah, tell me about it! They treated me abysmally! And. what's worse, they seemed to enjoy it! After all, if they truly wished to warm me, as they seemed so keen on, they would have taken it off-list, rather than atempting to make me appear foolish (which they tried their darndest to do, too!) After all, whay they said was bad enough, had me doubting myself, as aweful thoughts of doubt began to flood my mind. They had NO right to say what they did- none, what-so-ever! However, what was really sad is that no one showed any interest in standing up to this person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Of course, there are a few suggestions which could be taken from even this rather amazing display of arrogance.

Information which is received through inspiration is very valuable, but falls into the category of "unverifiable personal gnosis" which means that it's not likely to have the same status of validity which other, verified information has. For instance, if inspired information turns out to be supported by external sources (i.e. experts in the field agree, the idea is supported in a variety of print resources, or it is also proven through objective scientific experimentation) then it holds more weight and isn't "unverifiable" any more.

Well, he only mocked me saying he didn't need to research Her, because he "channelled it", or learned it from so-and-so from Ireland, simply because the meditation came to me via trance and channeling, or what I also call "infused knowledge". However, I have researched The Morrighan, and he refuses to accept any of it. Which, of course, reminds me of a quote someone once told me, "There is a principle which is a buffer against any information, which is proof against all argument and which does not fail to keep every human being in constant ignorance. This principle is to condemn before researching", by Herbert Spencer. However, my research with regards to The Morrighan is always based onr esearch tempered with common sense, which is validated by my own spiritual experiences. However, who is he to question my worship of The Morrighan?!?!?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Personally, I'd be hesitant to say that a specific deity is most definitely X unless I had all sorts of proof to back it up from a variety of other sources and experts. It would be safer to say that this deity inspired me with X information, and make it clear to others that this is in that "unverifiable personal gnosis" category. It's always wiser to be honest about something than to mislead by suggesting an authority that isn't really there. When others do it they get a lot of flak for it when it's discovered. And deceptions are always discovered at some point.

Well...according to my research [a lot of it] The Morrighan isn't, in fact, simply "X". And, that wasn't why I chose Her. In fact, I didn't "choose Her". She "chose" me- came to me, in fact, upon one Lughnasadh Eve.

I have been Her priest & servent ever since- I could never ask for a greater honour in my life!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

I've been a practicing Wiccan now for twenty some years, and I don't have a patron or matron deity myself who is my exclusive focus of worship. I think it's a good idea to spend at least a "year and a day" studying a specific deity before really deciding to dedicate to that one deity. I wouldn't want to dedicate to a deity without really knowing who they are, what their history is, etc.

I respect that, but there's always being "called" as some sometimes say, as in my case. Although, I can understand your p.o.v. a little more in that I went several years without any so-called "magickal name", which is perfectly fine, as far as I'm concerned. It will come when it comes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Don't be put off by people who say "mixing cultures is bad" unless you think their arguments actually make sense. If you check out the translations of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Semitic magickal spells in Hans Dieter Betz' "The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation" (an excellent, scholarly, historical book I can't recommend enough) it's clear that "mixing mythologies" in magick has a long history that goes waaay back. It is a really good idea to work at getting a solid foundation in the mytholgies you are going to use, but there is nothing wrong with being eclectic. It worked for the ancient magickians, and will work just as well for modern ones too.

Oh, I am a Celtic Witch, ather than eclectic. And, firmly believe, based on my research and personal experience, that it was not from myself (I didn't go about consciously desiring to get anything Egyptian) it came to me, and I just wrote it down. I was in a state of trance at the time.

Thanks for the warm words, Ben...

I, Brian · 09-05-2003, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

Don't be put off by people who say "mixing cultures is bad" unless you think their arguments actually make sense. If you check out the translations of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Semitic magickal spells in Hans Dieter Betz' "The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation" (an excellent, scholarly, historical book I can't recommend enough) it's clear that "mixing mythologies" in magick has a long history that goes waaay back.

When you get within the 4th century BC or so, the "civilised" European powers - Greece and Rome, for example - found themselves very much involved in the mixing of cultures.

Essentially, as Herodotus makes great stead of, the people of the ancient world simply saw the same facets of God worshipped everywhere they went.

So when Alexander the Great proclaimed himself (with his mother's guidance) that he was a "Son of Zeus", he actually means a "Divine Son" - or, simply put, "Son of God" - and he saw that this was agreed with the Egyptian oracle at Siwah...even though the principle name of God there was Amon-Ra.

There was no distinction between culture and belief in this respect.

It's also important to note that even the Roman gods are essentially Greek imports, especially via the Etruscans.

Roman worship makes a particular point in that the Roman gods were ingrained in Roman law, so it was impossible to miss out on the various feast days honouring the various Roman gods - without being seen to be treasonable.

Although there were a number of "Asian" deities in Rome during the time of the empire - of which Isis is a particularly notable figure - few followers of any of these imported cults saw any problems with honouring the Roman gods on feast days.

The particularly famous group to attempt to abstain were the Christians. (Though I'm not too sure whether the Jews were exempted).

Point is, the ancient gods were born of a mixing of cultures, and often existed in a very culturally cosmopolitan state. The idea that there is a "pure form" of any really misrepresents the realities of ancient belief.

bgruagach · 09-05-2003, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Point is, the ancient gods were born of a mixing of cultures, and often existed in a very culturally cosmopolitan state. The idea that there is a "pure form" of any really misrepresents the realities of ancient belief.

I agree completely. And despite what we moderns tend to assume, groups like the Egyptians or the Greeks weren't exactly one homogenous culture either. Greece was for a long time just a collection of city-states, with each city-state practicing its own distinct religion with its own set of deities and myths. And in Egypt, there was the distinction between upper and lower Egypt as two separate kingdoms until they were united under one pharaoh (couldn't tell you which pharaoh though... I'd have to do some more research.) And within those two Egypts there were various tribes or clans, each with their own deities and religious practices. It's not like there was a single "Egyptian" religion or "Greek" religion until the whole combining process really got going, as political leaders united the various factions. In Egypt they often united groups by uniting the deities, often merging them and producing combined names like Amon-Ra.

It just boggles my mind when I see modern Pagans who say essentially that worshipping or even mentioning deities from different groups is inherently blasphemous. They insist that this mixing of cultures is somehow a new thing, and therefore is a modern blight inflicted on the holy memories of the ancient deities.

It just proves to me that some people don't read much history and have all sorts of assumptions about the past which don't always hold up to examination.

I do think it's an excellent idea (and one I heartily recommend) to study a particular cultural myth system in a lot of depth if one is interested in incorporating any of it into one's spiritual path. But irrational taboos on drawing from more than one cultural group don't hold much weight for me.

WiccanWade · 09-05-2003, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgruagach

It just boggles my mind when I see modern Pagans who say essentially that worshipping or even mentioning deities from different groups is inherently blasphemous. They insist that this mixing of cultures is somehow a new thing, and therefore is a modern blight inflicted on the holy memories of the ancient deities.

Exactly! After all, who made him the grad pooh-bah of pagandom, for goodness sake?!?!?!?!

Blue Heron · 09-07-2003, 12:43 AM

Corbin...Corbin...hmmm. It seems to me I too, came across this Corbin and found him utterly unenlightened. Actually in several sites of which he is no longer a member now.

WiccanWade · 09-07-2003, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Heron

Corbin...Corbin...hmmm. It seems to me I too, came across this Corbin and found him utterly unenlightened. Actually in several sites of which he is no longer a member now.

That's a shame! Actually, I was speaking to a very beloved group, and asked them what they thought of my new name, and I got nothing but flack for it, almost in a warniung fashion, and a few of those whom I considered really close friends started tomutterly flame me! WTF?!?!? However, the were flamed by this utter Troll who sems to delight in nothing but fanning the flames, and calling anyone who won't "battle" them, names as if they're not actual adults, but children. And, because we were soooo close such a short time ago, I have NO idea where this garbage is stemming from! It's quite disheartening, actually...

Blue Heron · 09-07-2003, 01:47 PM

It seems to me that as in life and the internet, that some groups or covens sometimes evolve into this ugly things. It is especially dangerous if someone in a group is able to pull this out. It is often a sign of a bigger systemic problem within the coven or group. One in which they may be practicing rituals or magick and not calling upon "an it harm none' the most basic requirement.

The Goddess/God has many aspects. Not all of them are light and fluffy. Each aspect has a purpose and an opposite duality. A serious wiccan/witch understands that it is he/she that is responsible for understanding the power they call upon. Lightness and Darkness both must exist, just as there is day and night.

If this is truly the name the Goddess/God has chosen for you then you have the responsibilty to learn about it, understand it, and grow into it.

Baud · 09-07-2003, 05:37 PM

I have - fortunately - never met this Corbin as far as I know. I am always amazed how people would spend time to write down lenghty messages for the sole purpose of hurting others (and his message(s) most probably took a long timez to write).

Reading his messages, I cannot help wondering if the guy is not just a simple troll. I have difficulty imagining any sane person writing phrases like: "I am an Initiated and Elevated priest of the Wiccan Gods (...) I have bound myself by oath twice over now to Serve Them, (...) I am obligated by karmic vows from this lifetime and lifetimes in the past (...) I am thrice-born from the Cauldron of Annwn". I think there is a possibility that this is just a guy who knows something about Wicca and just indulges in a trolling (creating havoc for the fun of it). Obviously no excuse for it, though.

As far as borrowing is concerned, it is true that this has been a phenomenon for throusands of years when cultures mixed. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. I second the advice of the ones who advised to study carefully a deity and the related religion before worshipping it, but it seems that you already did that, Wade, so this is OK.

In any case, there is very few information available about Celtic deities, primarily because of their unwritten culture. Not only are gods much more than "just X", in the case of the Celtic pantheon (if there ever was such thing), I doubt that anyone could actually pinpoint the "X".

The most important thing is that it has to "feel right".

Baud

bgruagach · 09-07-2003, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baud

Reading his messages, I cannot help wondering if the guy is not just a simple troll. I have difficulty imagining any sane person writing phrases like: "I am an Initiated and Elevated priest of the Wiccan Gods (...) I have bound myself by oath twice over now to Serve Them, (...) I am obligated by karmic vows from this lifetime and lifetimes in the past (...) I am thrice-born from the Cauldron of Annwn". I think there is a possibility that this is just a guy who knows something about Wicca and just indulges in a trolling (creating havoc for the fun of it). Obviously no excuse for it, though.

I expect this person really does believe what they are saying. Unfortunately, there will always be people, in almost every community, who will get swelled heads by what they think is their "special authority" to look down their noses at everyone else and act like they are the bosses of everything.

We've all seen this sort of behaviour... the teacher who acts like they really are the unquestioned authority on absolutely everything, the politician who thinks their position puts them above the law, the religious leader who insists that their "divine authority" trumps every other religious authority as though they and they alone understand and speak for G!d Almighty the One and Only.

People like Corbin might very well speak for their own particular tradition... I don't know what his tradition is, whether it has a formal hierarchy, and where he actually is in that hierarchy. Thankfully, within Wicca we don't have a central authority or even a central scripture to tell us all What Is and What Will Be for all Wiccans and all traditions. Corbin can't speak with authority outside his particular tradition... he has as much authority as any other Wiccan of any other degree level, initiated or not, unless he can prove his position has some validity, and can actually convince those he is speaking with that he is right. And I think it's pretty clear he's not convincing many people by talking down to others the way he does.

The problem with getting up on a pedestal is that you've much farther to fall than those of us who are standing on the nice solid ground. If Corbin hasn't discovered that yet, I'm sure the Goddess will smack him upside the head with a frozen fish (which She is wont to do when heads get swelled) and he'll have to learn pretty quickly or else he'll get Her divine fish-wallop again, and next time it might not be an itty-bitty goldfish She uses.