A Child's Book of Wicca An Introduction to Wicca for Children By Daven and Theresa Copyright 1996 Introduction

This is a book designed for any Wiccan attempting to raise a child or children in the Craft. It is a collection of stories designed to introduce a five to eight year old to the basics of our religion. While looking for appropriate books to read to my four-year-old sympathetic to witchcraft in general, I was only able to locate books filled with superstition, hatefulness, and old legends. Not what I really wanted to tuck my daughter in to bed every night with. After disgustingly putting down my thirtieth try to find something appropriate for her, (this one had a main character who turned children into flowers because she hated children) I said to myself, "Someone should write children's stories about Wicca." To my surprise, I answered, "Why not you?" You hold the result of that conversation in your hands. I have attempted to put these concepts as simply as I could, so children can understand them, but your input in this process of learning is critical. It is possible for a child to read this book alone. While the stories may be understood, your own examples and experiences are vital for desirable growth to be achieved. With that in mind, at the end of each story there is a short section on what you, as a parent, can do with your child. There are discussion questions, activities and in some cases, children's versions of rituals for them to practice. It is my sincere hope that every Wiccan parent uses this book to help their children become better Wiccans, or to at least educate them so their minds don't close quite so tightly when they are grown. It is best if a parent reads this book out loud to the child. That will ensure that both child and parent understand the ideas in the story. This also allows the parent to spend time with the child. Please read all the stories before reading them to your child to see what alterations you wish to make. Some of the topics discussed may be inappropriate to your personal situation and beliefs.

While I hope that the stories do not need to be changed much, I realize that there are many Ways. What I have written here is designed to be a springboard. I recommend you sit down with your child(ren) once a week and read one story. This way, there is time for the lesson to be absorbed by the child before a new one is presented. It will also give everyone time to participate in the projects I have listed. Not every child learns by listening. That is why the discussions and projects are also important. Children also learn by doing and thinking about questions related to something new. The "thinkers" will learn from the questions, and may even ask questions of their own. The "doers" will learn from the activities. All three parts are important to the growth of the child. Your own child may well challenge you. There have been many times that I have been asked very pointed questions on a topic I was discussing with my daughter. Do not be upset by this. Answer them. Be calm and tell them what you feel is right. If you don't know the answer, tell them that then help them find the answers too. It may be possible they can help find the answer, and this is good, since it will create another activity to share. Religion and philosophy are the same subject. Trying to teach someone else your philosophy may be one of the greatest challenges you will face. It is best if you know your own heart and way of life to a degree that allows you to articulate what you feel. May the Blessings of the Lord and Lady shine always on your souls. Note: Throughout this book, I use Herne and Rhiannon as the God and Goddess in these stories. I realize that you may not use these Names, please feel free to substitute the names of your own Gods in Their places. I have made any descriptions of Them fairly vague to help with this end. Further note from the Author: (May 29, 2001) What is in this file is the final edit of the chapters I have entered into the comupter. If you see an error or something like that please email me at daven@priest.com and let me know about it. I am working on three more chapters, and I am also looking for an illustrator to help with this. This project was intended to be a book. As such, the chapters are short, so that most of the two pages in the story could be taken up by the artwork of the illustrator, but since I don't have a publisher yet, I also dont have an artist. LOL Enjoy this in good health, just be kind and make sure I keep the credit for these stories. Daven

Outline "A Child's Book of Wicca" By Daven Copyright 1999 A work in continuous progress

Introduction * The Green Lady * Herne * Pagan History (Possibly won't write) Conservation * Rede * Morals Persecution * Church * Sabbats and Holidays Symbols of the Craft Covens Religions Psychic * Healing Herbs Animals (Possibly won't write Covered in other places) Mythology * Death and Birth The Cycle of Nature The Bad Influence Sarah Makes her Choice Afterword

The asterisk (*) denotes chapters already written. Rhiannon Sarah was a Pagan. Or to be more exact, her parents were Pagan. Mommy told her that Pagans believed in a God and a Goddess. That's nice, thought Sarah, but that really doesn't explain anything.

Sarah went to the meetings with her parents because it was all she knew. Every month, when the Moon was full, Mommy, Daddy and Sarah would go into the woods and meet with other people. Everyone would dress up in robes, dance around, sing and say things. Her favorite part of these "Circles", as Daddy called them, was getting cookies near the end. Most of what happened, Sarah didn't understand. Sarah did like the stories. Sometimes the man with the horns or the lady with the flowers would get up and tell the best stories. They would tell about a man who was friendly with all the animals or the lady who was kind to all the plants. Sarah wondered what it would be like to be able to talk to all the plants like that lady. One day, as Sarah was outside playing, she lay down in the grass to rest. She began to daydream about talking to the trees and grass. She listened with all her might. The wind blowing through the leaves and grass was quiet and whispery. The sound made her feel good. She closed her eyes to listen better. Sarah discovered that listening hard wore her out. She felt very sleepy. The next thing Sarah knew, she heard someone walking near by. She opened her eyes and saw a woman in a green dress looking down at her. The woman smiled at her and said, "Hi, Sarah. I've looked forward to meeting you." Sarah said, "Do I know you?" The woman said, "You should. I'm Rhiannon. I am the Lady who talks to the plants." Sarah was surprised. She said, "I didn't know that you were a real person." "But you think about me a lot. Of course I am a real person." Sarah made a sour face. "Not like believing in pretend, but living on the Earth like everyone else."

Rhiannon laughed. "Dear Sarah, I am the Earth, and everything else that grows on the Earth. That is my body. Because your parents and their friends believe in me, I exist." Sarah thought a moment. "So you are the Mother Earth that everyone talks about?" "That's right, " Rhiannon said, "I am all the plant life. And because the plants nourish the ground and receive nourishment from the ground in return, I am also the Earth." "Why are you here?" Sarah asked. "You were wanting to talk to the plants, and since I am the plants, I came to talk to you. What would you like to know?" "Mommy and Daddy belong to this club. While it is kind of neat, I don't understand anything they do! I'm very confused." "Let's see if I can help. First, your Mommy and Daddy don't belong to a club, but a religion." "What's that?" "A religion is a group of people who believe in the same things. They get together and express their beliefs in a group to take comfort from each other. Your Mommy and Daddy are Wiccan. Other people call them Witches." "Like at Halloween?" "No," the Lady laughed, "not like those witches. A Witch is someone who thinks nature is a living thing. They pay respect to Nature and all of its creations. They try to not harm Nature or anyone else." "Is that why we recycle?" Sarah asked. "Yes. Recycling helps Nature by not putting any more strain on the Earth than it can deal with. The Earth already has enough to do taking care of all the people on the planet." Sarah asked, "Why take care of all the plants and animals? Won't they always be around?" Rhiannon looked sad. "No, they will not. Everything dies, Sarah. People complicate the matter, because they kill without thinking about the consequences. Ever since humans became the dominant life on the planet, many things have died and will never come back. "That is why almost all Wiccans try to take care of Nature. It may take me years to get rid of a piece of paper left on the ground, but people can get rid of that same piece of paper in just a few

days. When you think about how many pieces of paper thrown on the ground every day, you can get a glimpse of how hard my job is." "What is all the chanting and singing about then?" asked Sarah. "That is how Wiccans and Pagan show their respect. In addition to doing things that will help me, they tell me that they love me by getting together and saying so. "Suppose your Mommy and Daddy gave you clothes, a house, food and saw to all your needs, but never said 'I love you', would you think they cared about you?" "I guess not," came Sarah's reluctant reply. "It is important to do things for the people you love. It is also important to tell them you love them on a regular basis." "But how do you tell them you love them back?" "I show them by growing flowers, and trees, and food, but I tell them through my Priestess." "That lady with the crown of flowers?" "Very good, Sarah! Yes, her. She represents me at those gatherings and tells my people I care about them. I do love everyone. Even those people who do not believe in me, or those who seem to hate the Earth." "Why do you love those people? I don't think I could care for someone who beat me up." "My job is to be a Mother to everyone. Your Mommy will always love you, even if you are mad at her. She might not always like you, but she will always love you." Sarah thought for a bit. She could understand the difference between liking and loving someone. It was hard, but she understood what the Green Lady was saying. "My Mommy loves my Daddy too. If you're the Mommy, is there a Daddy?" Rhiannon laughed. "Yes, my husband is named Herne. I love him very much, but I do miss him." "Miss him? Isn't he with you?" "Only some of the time. Because this is Summer, He is asleep now. Just as I sleep during the Winter. He is with me during the Spring and Fall. The rest of the time, we are apart." "Why?"

"Just as I am a Mother to everyone, I take care of the growing things. So, my time of the year is during the Spring and Summer when things grow. When the Fall comes, everything begins to go to sleep, and in Winter nothing grows. Because I am the Earth, I sleep just like the Earth itself. Understand?" "Yes. It's better now. Do you have to go soon?" "Yes, I do. But I will be back; anytime you want to talk to me. All you have to do is close your eyes and think of me. I will always be with you, even when you can't see me." "Thank you." "You are very welcome, Sarah. I want to help you understand. If you ever have questions, ask. Even if you are not talking to me like this, I will still hear you and answer. But you have to listen to my answer. I will sound like a very quiet voice or a feeling deep inside you. If you still need help, ask your parents or My Priest or Priestess. You may even be able to see me with your eyes next time your parents and you go to a Circle." "Oh, I hope so." "The all you have to do is believe. Know that you can see me, and you will be able to. Now, you are going to wake up, but you'll be able to remember all of this. You can talk to your parents or their friends about this, but you may want to be careful about telling someone else. People may not believe you. I want you to be happy, so do as you want. But don't hurt anybody. And always remember that I love you." Sarah woke up. She did not realize that she was sleeping, but she was very happy. Sarah looked where she had seen the Green Lady and, for a moment, felt Her still there. The warm part inside of her grew and made her remember the dream. Sarah was very happy. Sarah jumped up and ran home. She told her Mommy that she loved her.

Rhiannon Discussion This chapter is one of the first chapters that should be read to your child. The Goddess is a character in all of the stories to come. This and the next chapter (Herne) are introductions to Them for your child. This chapter assumes that your child knows nothing about Wicca, Circles, The Lord and Lady, or Metaphysics. If they have already been taught the basics, you may wish to skip this chapter, however, you may find your child's understanding isn't as thorough as you hope. So, use your own judgement.

May points are raised during the course of this story. Some points for discussion are: 1. Who is the Green Lady? 2. Who are Wiccans? 3. What is a religion? 4. Who is the lady with the crown of flowers? 5. Who is the man with the horns? 6. When does the Earth sleep? 7. What does the Green Lady do? 8. Why did Sarah call Rhiannon "the Green Lady"? 9. What kinds of things might cause Rhiannon to stop loving you? Stop liking you? 10. Is a Witch at Halloween the type of people Wiccans are? 11. Does Rhiannon have a husband? Who is he? Some of these questions may be a bit over the head of your child. If they are, do not worry. Many topics are repeated throughout this set of stories. It is not necessary to stress the conservation and pollution aspects of this story. There will be another chapter dealing with those topics more completely later. It is mentioned simply to get your child thinking along those lines. Perhaps a few projects may be in order. Any of the suggested projects here are for a child of suitable temperament. You are the best judge of your child's ability. They are a learning tool, along with everything else. 1. Take your child to the park. Have them sit and listen to the wind, the trees, and the plants in the area. Sit with them. Meditate with them during this time. When a pre-determined amount to time has passed ask them what they felt and heard. Ask them if the trees or plants were talking, and if so, what was said. 2. Let them examine some flowers under a magnifying glass. Show them where the seeds and leaves are. Get books out of the library which show how a plant lives and grows. There are many grammar school aged texts on plant entomology and botany. 3. Go tree climbing with your child. This is a physical activity, which will help keep your child in shape. When they get to the top, have them sit quietly for a few moments and rest. Hopefully they will close their eyes. Once again, ask them what they felt or heard. 4. Make an appointment with your Coven Priestess to have your child talk to her in her aspect as the Goddess incarnate. Encourage your child to ask questions, or make statements. As always, spend time with your child. As I write this, my daughter wants me to play with her. I take time off to do that.

Nothing is so important as showing your child that you love them. As it is important to tell them you love them, it is just as necessary to show them that as well. Herne Daddy was taking Sarah to the park. That was Sarah's favorite place to go in the whole world. Outside was the place where Sarah felt the best. Her imagination was full of outside. Sometimes, she would pretend that she was a great explorer. At others, a pioneer, or a person who studied animals. Sarah loved animals. She had a cat as a pet, several birds in the trees outside her window that would wake her in the morning, and a spider in the corner of her room that dept the other bugs away. The squirrels in the trees were especially playful today. They were running around in the trees chasing each other, chattering and grabbing nuts from the ground. Sarah thought they were gathering food for the winter. There were other children there, two boys and three girls. Sarah enjoyed playing with all of them. There was even one boy that Sarah knew from the Circles she attended. His name was Keith. His Mommy was the only grown-up in his house. His daddy did not live with them anymore. Keith did not talk about his daddy, but it seemed to Sarah that his daddy was a mean man. Her Daddy took good care of her, fixing meals, helping her take a bath, tucking her in at night, and rocking her while he read a story. He was a nice man, and Sarah loved him very much. That night, they went to the Autumn Equinox Sabbat with the rest of the Coven. Daddy got to play a part in the ceremony that night. He was the person who made sure that there was always incense burning on the Altar. Sarah was very proud of him. Later Sarah decided to dream about Rhiannon, to talk to her about why Keith didn't have a daddy who lived with him. When Sarah woke, she was outside with the Green Lady. Someone else was with Rhiannon.

Sarah could see that it was a man. He had muscles all over his body, just like a super hero. He carried a spear and was wearing a rug for clothes and a horn on his belt. He also had two deer horns growing out of his head. He looked scary. Sarah didn't know if he was smiling or frowning because of the beard and mustache he wore. Sarah looked at Rhiannon. Rhiannon said, "Sarah, I would like you to meet my husband, Herne." Herne said, "Hello Sarah." His voice was deep and full. It sounded like the thunder growling in the distance. Strangely enough, it made Sarah feel comfortable and safe. He sounded just like a rumbly teddy bear. Sarah said, "Hello Herne." Rhiannon looked at both of them and got up. "I think I will leave you two to get to know each other." She kissed Herne, and then Sarah. "I will come again when you need me." With that, Rhiannon left. Herne sat down near Sarah. In his growly voice he said, "I have wanted to meet you for a while now, Sarah." "Then why didn't you?" "I was asleep. I only woke up tonight. Now I am here." "Why were you asleep?" "Everyone needs to sleep sometime, Sarah. I sleep during the Summer because Winter is my time." "How come?" "I am the Lord of the Animals, just as Rhiannon is the Lady of the Earth. The Earth sleeps in the winter, and the plants do not grow. Because the Earth sleeps, I must be awake to help the people hunt animals for food. That is the way it was a long time ago." "When do you go back to sleep?" "I will rest nine months from now. At your Midsummer celebration, I will go to sleep. I will slumber for three months, until the Autumn Equinox, when I will wake. Then the cycle starts all over again."

"You look mean and scary. Are you the Devil?" "No," he laughed. "I am not. A long time ago, some people made their Devil look like me, but I am not evil. "Sarah, understand this, Rhiannon and I are much like you. We have good moods and bad moods. We Love, and are joyful about some things, and get angry with others, just as you do. Just because We don't have bodies like yours does not mean that we are unfeeling." "Why don't you have bodies?" "But, we do. Our bodies are the plants and animals you see around you. I am part of every creature that walks the Earth, and all the people. Rhiannon and I are in you, Keith, your Daddy, and your Mommy," he pointed to a dog, "That dog over there, everything. I am the king of all creatures, like Rhiannon is the queen of the Earth." "But, you help people hunt and kill animals." "Yes, I do. I help them kill the creatures they need to live. I don't help the hunters kill to get a trophy on the wall. Those who do not respect the cycle of life, I do not help. If there is not a pressing need for a person to be hunting a deer, then I will not help him to hunt it, and I will do everything in my power to prevent the death of the animal." "Do you help the other animals hunt each other?" "Yes. The creatures of the Earth understand their role in Nature. They understand that all of them will one-day die in order to let other animals live. The sick and wounded and weak are the ones that are usually killed first. Thus, the herd lives on and improves with time. Some human hunters do not understand this. It is they that take the best of the herd, leaving the old and sick to continue to live, and because the herd must go on, few strong animals are born and this eventually weakens all." "Are all human hunters like that?" "No, not all. Quite a number of human hunters are coming to understand the cycle of nature. My main concern is to see that all species continue to live. It hurts me when any species dies completely." "I heard about that in school. Is that called extinction?" "Yes. It has happened many times over the course of history. It has been recently that more than the proper numbers of extinctions have occurred. Most of them have been at Human hands. In the past, as with the Dinosaurs, they progressed as far as they were able to and were actually harming the Earth, so their time to die had come. Other species grew to fill the gaps left in nature and their turn came."

"Are people harming the Earth?" "Yes. In many ways, Humans are my greatest disappointment. But, Humans are learning and adapting to more gentle ways of treating the Earth, and so I have hope that they will escape extinction themselves." "What can I do?" "Join with those who are attempting to save the Earth and animals. Being Wiccan, you are already doing some things that are necessary, but there are many things that can still be done." "Do I have to stay Wiccan to do these things?" "No, you don't. But you do have to remember this if you ever go another Way. Remember to help, even if you do not want to follow all of Our teachings. If you do this, I will never have cause to be sad. I will always be happy that you, Sarah, have lived." Finally the question that brought her there in the first place came bursting out of her. "Why doesn't Keith have a Daddy?" "Keith does have a father. His father is not necessarily a good parent however. He could not understand Keith's Mommy's choices. There are not many who do understand it." "Does that mean that Keith's Mommy and Daddy got a divorce?" "Yes. It was a mutual decision, and they talked to Keith about it before they did anything. Keith's Daddy has his own lessons to learn, and hopefully without the distraction of a wife and child he is not ready for, he will learn them. He might even return to them eventually." "What can I do?" "Help Keith and be his friend. Listen to him, talk to him about our talks with Rhiannon and me. Teach him to be patient and understanding with others. Let him be involved with your life." "Can I introduce you to him?" "Yes, I would like you to do that. I must tell you that many people who are not Wiccan may not understand about Us. I do not want you to lie about Rhiannon and I, but it may be better if you are very careful about whom else you tell. Talk it over with your parents, or Rhiannon or Myself first." "Thank you Herne." "You are welcome. I want you to be happy and free. Always remember that We love you."

When she woke up, she remembered her dream. She felt good inside. Her heart was full and everything was wonderful. The next time Sarah saw Keith, she took him aside and told him all about Herne and Rhiannon. She told him everything she learned from them and said he could talk to them also. That night, Keith slept over at Sarah's house. When they went to sleep, they both went to the place where they could talk to the Lord and Lady.

Herne Discussion This chapter is a compliment to the chapter on Rhiannon. It is separate from Rhiannon because They are not one dimensional Gods. If I tried to combine both chapters into one, it would become too confusing for the child. Once again, I have made His description vague in order to facilitate adaptation to your God. Some questions for discussion with your child: 1. Who is Herne king of? 2. Why does Herne seem scary? Why not? 3. Are you scared of Herne? Why or why not? 4. When is Herne asleep? When is he awake? 5. What is extinction? 6. How does Herne help people? 7. What would cause Herne not to help you? 8. What else does Herne do? 9. Where is Herne? 10. What is Herne's body made from? Rhiannon's body? 11. What does Herne want to happen to the animals? While extinction will be dealt with later, it is introduced here to help the child begin thinking about the subject. Some activities that may be appropriate for the topic are: 1. Make a poster-sized collage of Herne's children with your child. There are many magazines that have pictures of animals in them to cut out and glue to some poster board. You may want to include pictures of any family pets. Encourage your child to include some pictures of the family and of people. Help them think of this on their own, but nudge them in the right direction if needed.

Once the collage is completed, have the child hang it in their room. It will remind them of the Lord whenever they see it. They may even use this hanging as their representation of the Lord. It may even be advisable to have them make a collage for the Lady. You may want them to set up their own altar or shrine to the Lord and Lady in their own room. 2. If you do not have any pets, you may want to think about getting one now. This will teach the child responsibility as well as giving them a companion while they grow up. 3. Go to the zoo. Many public zoos have activity programs for children. Encourage them to think about what the animals feel. Ask them what they would change if they were in charge of the zoo. 4. Set up a bird of squirrel feeder. Many publications have plans for designing these. Let them help you build and set the feeders up when they are completed. If you can, it may be good to also construct an observation station for your child. 5. Get books on zoology and animals. You may even want to subscribe to any magazines that deal with animals. This will teach them more about the creatures that share the Earth. There are many other activities that could be included in this list. Use your imagination and the child's interest in determining what to do with your child. I advise that in the activities listed here, the father take a primary role in participation. Since Herne is male and the Father, the participation of the father in the home bring the connection home to the child even more strongly. Talk to the Priest of you Coven with your child. Encourage them to ask questions and make observations. A topic was touched upon in the story, but not elaborated on. The topic was divorce. While divorce may not be that common in your Circle, it is prevalent in society. You may want to talk to your child at this time about other couples who have had a divorce or, if you have had one recently, your own. Explain the reasons behind the hand-parting and discuss it with your child. Your own judgement, as always, will determine if you talk about this with your child to any further extent. Church Sarah was in second grade. She and all her friends played in the playground after school. Her best friend in the whole world was a boy named Joe.

She and Joe played games. One of their favorites was "Cowboys and Indians", or computer games, or baseball, or, well, you get the idea. They would get together every day if they could and play. On Sundays they could not play because Joe went to church. One Saturday, Joe asked if Sarah could spend the night. Joe's Mommy and Sarah's Mommy said it was okay. Mommy helped Sarah pack carefully, with extra clothes, a swimming suit, towels, her stuffed lamb, and her toothbrush. Mommy said she wanted to talk to Sarah, but there was not enough time. Sarah and Joe had a great time that day. They played, ran, sprayed each other and the dog with the hose, and finally took a nap in the shade. When it was time for dinner Sarah was surprised. Before anyone could eat, they all had to hold hands bow their head and close their eyes. Joe's Daddy said a whole bunch of things, which asked for the God's blessing on them and the food. Then everyone had to say "Amen." Finally, they could eat. After baths, when it was time for bed, Joe's Mommy said it was time for prayers. Joe knelt down beside his bed, folded his hands together and stared to do the same thing that was done at dinner. Sarah just sat and watched her friend. When he was done, Joe's Mommy looked at her and asked Sarah if she said prayers. Not knowing what his Mommy wanted to hear, Sarah answered "No." This seemed to upset Joe's Mommy a lot. The next morning, everyone got up and began getting nice clothes on to go to "church". Sarah didn't have any nice clothes with her, so Joe's Daddy called her house and asked someone to bring her clothes to her. Sarah's Mommy came in a little while with a nice dress for her and a few words of advice. "Be respectful and listen to what others tell you to do. You are going to a different kind of Circle and I expect you to be good. I will answer any questions you have when you get home." Sarah went to Joe's church, but she did not understand most of what she saw. Most of the day she was very confused. Many of the people who were there seemed to want to be somewhere else. A man who seemed angry about a lot of things, got up and spoke for a long time. Most of what he talked about was "what-would-happen-to-people-who-were-bad".

When Sarah left, she was sad, frightened, and unhappy. She couldn't wait to get home. When she got home, Sarah asked her Mommy about the "church". Her Mommy explained that the church was like their Circles, but for a different God. The talking that the man did was like the storytelling that the Priest or Priestess did in their own Circles. Sarah was still upset. After a while, she went outside to sit under the trees, hoping to talk with The Green Lady. She closed her eyes, and made her mind still. Once again, she listened to the plants. A little while later, she heard Lady Rhiannon coming closer. Sarah opened her eyes, and saw Her looking at Sarah, waiting. Rhiannon sat down on the ground and said, "I am here. Ask me your questions, Daughter." "Why did everyone seem so sad to be there?" Sarah asked. "Unfortunately, most people, unless they are very special, don't always truly believe that their God loves them. They may say that He does, but since He doesn't tell them directly, it can be hard to believe. Most of those people don't do anything at their service except listen to their preacher, the man who was talking. There is no feeling of belonging to their God for them." "Well, who is their God?" Sarah asked. The Lady answered, "The God they worship doesn't have a name." "Then who is their Goddess?" "Christians do not have one." "Why?" "When they think of their God, they see him as an old man with a long white beard, sitting on a big throne. They do not realize that life cannot exist without both male and female. They are called Christians, and they think that they will only live on the earth once. Then, when they die, they believe they will continue to exist in Heaven or Hell." Sarah's forehead was wrinkled in concentration, "What is Heaven and Hell?" "Heaven is where their God lives. Everything is perfect and good. If they are good and obey the rules here in their life, they will go to Heaven. If they are bad, they will go to Hell where they will be punished forever. Kind of like standing in a corner for the rest of your life."

"But that is so mean!" "Yes it is. They do not believe that it is enough to be punished or rewarded while you are alive, but that punishment or reward goes on after your body is dead." "Why?" Asked Sarah. "The beliefs that they have are not the same as ours. Details like who they pray to, where and how they worship, their holy days, and other things are different. They think everything they do gets written down in a book in Heaven. They believe they only get one chance to do right. They also believe that there is a bad god named Satan who will do the punishing.' "Who is Satan?" "He is their god of evil. Evil is the worst part of bad there is. Just like their God is all good, Satan is all bad. They also call him the Devil." "So they do not have a Goddess, but they do have a god of bad?" "Yes." "Do their God and Satan exist?" "Because they believe so strongly in them, they do." "Well, I think they are wrong and dumb!" "Christians are not wrong, just as you are not wrong. Both of you are right in your own ways. The beliefs you have are right for you. Christian's beliefs are right for them. Wrongness happens when you think that your 'right way' is the only way to think, and everyone who does not believe as you do is bad. You must respect what they choose to think, even if you do not agree with it." "I will try but it still doesn't make much sense to me." Rhiannon sighed. "No, the things they say they believe do not always make sense, but in some ways they are correct." "Like what?" Sarah was curious. "They have a belief that says 'Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.' That mans treat everyone as you wish to be treated by them. That is much like our belief that what you do, good or bad, will be returned to you."

They also have a belief that can be simplified to 'do what is right.' This is the same as the Rede. 'Do what you want, just don't hurt anyone.' That belief is the same. I want you to think of what other things are the same as ours as you learn more about Christians." "You want me to learn more about them?" Sarah asked. "I want you to look at their beliefs and compare them to yours. And I want you to always do exactly what you want to do, so long as no one gets hurt, but you must always think carefully about who may be hurt by your actions and wishes." "I will try, but I don't think I want to be Christian." The Lady laughed, "Oh Sarah, I am not asking you to become Christian! I do hope you try to understand them. Even if, some day, you decide to become Christian, I will still always love you. You are very speical to me, and I want you to be happy." "Can I still be friends with Joe?" Rhiannon laughed again. "Of course young lady! Because you believe different things does not mean that you have to stop being friends. Can you be friends with someone who's skin is a different color than yours?" "Yes!" Sarah looked almost mad, it was such a silly question. "This is the same thing. If you can be friendly with someone of a different color, you can be friends with someone of a different religion." "You won't be mad at me?" Sarah seemed worried about the answer. Smiling, the Lady shook her head. "No. I will always love you. The only time I get mad at someone is when they don't try to be the best person they can be." "I think I will go talk to Mommy and Daddy about this some more now." "Then I will see you again, soon." Sarah hugged the Green Lady. "I love You." Rhiannon hugged her back, "I love you to!" Sarah opened her eyes with the feeling that she was someone special. She ran back to the house to talk to Mommy and Daddy about the Christians.

Church discussion

This chapter may cause some problems. Deliberately teaching a child about a belief system and philosophy different from your own is touchy. I feel it is necessary to teach a balanced view of the world to any child. This teaches tolerance and acceptance. As much as we may want to make our children believe the way we do, we, as the children of the Lord and Lady, cannot. We must let our children make their own choices. They have free will just as we do. It behooves us to make the information available to them so they can make informed choices. It is with this in mind that I wrote this chapter. Suggested questions for discussion are: 1) How are Wiccan and Christian prayers similar? Different? 2) Why do you think Joe's Mommy was upset when Sarah didn't say prayers at night? 3) What day did Joe go to church? 4) What is a church? 5) Who is the Christian's God? Their Goddess? 6) Who is Satan? 7) How do you show someone you love them? 8) What is Heaven? Hell? 9) When will the Christians get punished? 10) Are Christians right in their belief? Why or why not? 11) How are their beliefs like ours 12) Do you agree with the Christians? 13) Will the Lord and Lady love you if you are friends with a Christian? With someone of a different color? 14) Will your parents and the Lord and Lady still love you if you decide to become Christian? 15) When do the Lord and Lady get mad at someone? While the questions are difficult, and may be hard for Wiccan parents to ask, the suggested projects may be more difficult. 1) Take your child to Church. Most of America is Christian and a child will have to have a working knowledge of how Christians think and act. We gained our knowledge of Christianity by being raised by our parents. In all fairness, we should do the same for our children. 2) Allow them to attend a Sunday School. Go with them and talk to them about what they learned when they are finished. Please be fair about this. In your talks and discussions with your child, do not let anger and hatred creep into your attitude.

3) Go to a Christian bookstore and get children's books on Christianity. Read them to your child and, once again, talk to your child about what they have heard. You may even be able to check the books out of the library. 4) Let your child go to church with others. In this one, you stay at home. Your child needs to go with friends or relatives to a Sunday church service. Encourage your child to think of how their beliefs are similar to ours. Help them become nonjudgmental about a differing faith. Sending your child to church may even help their budding beliefs. I know of some Wiccan parents who began sending their oldest child to a Christian daycare out of necessity. After going to daycare for a while, the child came home and told her mother that she had decided there was a woman God. She died and was now the child's guardian angel. Her name was Stacey God. I find the story appropriate because the Lady and Lord should be Guardian Angels, Guides and Teachers for all Wiccans. Have trust in your child and their sense of right. If they wish to walk you Way, they will. Persecution Sarah was mad. Very, very mad. Someone at school told her she was going to Hell. Megan asked Sarah if she believed in God. Sarah replied that she believed in a God (which was true). Megan, a Christian, then asked if Sarah believed in the One-and-only-god-whose-son-died-forher-sins. Sarah thought about saying that she did believe in that God, but she realized that saying that would be a lie. Instead Sarah replied that she did not. That was when Megan said Sarah was going to Hell forever. Sarah went straight home after school and cried on her Mommy's shoulder. She asked Mommy why Megan would say such mean things to her. Her Mommy replied that many people are afraid of things they do not understand, or people that are different. Sarah said that was stupid. She would never think of hating someone just because of that they believe or what they look like.

Mommy was sympathetic, and said that many people were dumb. "I know that it hurt you, but I know that you have a good heart. I hope you will not become hateful because of the hatred of others." Sarah didn't know how to react. She was upset and angry, but she still wanted to like Megan. Sarah's heart wanted to like everyone, even if they didn't like her. Sarah went to school the next day, but many people were ignoring her. Joe, her best friend, came to her and told her kids were saying mean things about her. He said that the worst one that she was a witch. It was because of the pentagram necklace she always wore. They said she was a devil worshiper. Sarah asked Joe how she could possibly worship the Devil is she didn't believe he existed. Joe had to go away and think about that one for a while. Then Tommy, another kid, came up and asked her to her face if she was a witch. Sarah didn't know how to respond without lying. Instead she walked away without answering. Once again, when Sarah got home, she cried on her Mommy's shoulder. Mommy tried to comfort Sarah, but the best that could be done was to let Sarah cry herself to sleep. While Sarah slept, she dreamed about the Lady. Once again, they were together under a tree outside. Rhiannon was looking at her and seated against the trunk of the tree. "Hi Rhiannon," Sarah said sadly, "I'm glad you are here. I had a very bad time today and yesterday." "Yes, I saw. If it matters, I think you did a very good job. I am proud of you." "That does help a little," Sarah said sniffing. "Why do people have to be so mean?" "It's because some souls are very young. The person that is a young soul becomes when they come to Earth is also very young. Just like a baby, they think they are the most important things on Earth. "Like any baby, the unknown frightens them. It is a survival instinct to be afraid of something new, because a new thing could be dangerous." Sarah looked confused. "Is everyone who is like that a young soul?"

"Unfortunately, no. If they were, it would be easy to be patient with them until they grew up, to help them mature. But, it is human nature that each person must learn in his or her own way. Parents, other people, teachers and Gods cannot make someone learn something they will not. We can help, and give advice, but we can't force anyone to learn." "I wish you could." "No you don't Sarah. Of all the things that all the Gods and Goddesses gave to Man, the best gift, in my opinion, was the ability to choose. It has been called freedom of choice and I call it free will. With it you can make decisions about your own life, without anyone having a say-so in your decisions, unless you personally let them." "Hun-uh," Sarah shook her head. "Mommy and Daddy make decisions about my life all the time." "Sarah, your mother and father can't really make you do something that you don't want to do. They can help you do something, but you are the only one who makes the choices. Because of that, you are also the one who gets punished when you mess up. Those are consequences. If you are willing to pay the price, or consequence, of something you do in order to have fun, then do it. But do not be upset when it is time to pay those consequences." "I wish Megan wasn't willing to pay her consequences." "But she is paying them. Sometimes a consequence can be a good thing, like a reward. Like the price you pay for cleaning your room is time to play games. She spreads lies and rumors about you, consequently, Megan is getting attention from the kids around her." "Why did she do it? I never did anything to her." "There are many reasons. Maybe she was dared. Maybe she wanted to embarrass you. Maybe she really believes what she says. I don't know. I don't look into people's hearts and minds very often. Everyone has a right to privacy." "What should I do?" "Ignore her and her friends. The more attention you give to a bully, someone who is picking on you, the more they will pick on you. If you ignore them, eventually they will get bored and give up. If the situation gets bad, tell your teachers or principal, and they can help you. It is an unfortunate fact of life that you can't please everyone. You shouldn't try. Concentrate your efforts on people you like, whose good opinion you want and you will be happier. I am always her for you when things get too bad." "How long do you think it will go on?" "Probably, in one form or another, for the rest of your life. Let me tell you a story.

"Once upon a time, there was a forest of trees. These trees had children and those saplings grew. Most of the saplings grew in the forest with the other trees, but one was growing on the hill where he was the only tree. "Years passed. There were storms, snowfalls, and blistering heat from the sun. All the saplings grew and became small trees. Eventually, people came into the forest and took out all the old, big trees, leaving only the saplings. The small trees were sad and frightened because their shelter was taken away, but the tree on the hill didn't notice because he had never known any other way of life. "That summer, a tremendous storm came through the area. It howled, and blew, and destroyed many things. When the storm was over, most of the saplings in the forest were gone. They had been torn up by the storm. But, the tree on the hill was still there. He had grown strong and steady. He had learned that you need to bend in the wind, not fight it. "This story applies to you. Can you think of how?" Sarah thought for a long time. Finally she said, "I think that if you are alone, you learn things that you wouldn't if you were protected?" "Good! That's very close. When shelter is removed, you have a better chance of living if you haven't been sheltered in the first place. The grown-up world is like that storm. School is like the forest. By learning to handle things while you are young, you are better able to deal with them when you grow up. "But, Sarah, your mother and father are always there for you. If you get really mad or upset, and you don't think you can do it on your own anymore, talk to them. They will help you out. It is not their job to teach you things by being mean to you. They love you, and because they love you they are not going to protect you from every skinned knee, but they will protect you from things like other children beating you up." Sarah looked at the Lady, "Should I tell Joe about being Wiccan?" "That's up to you. If you feel that he can accept this, and still like you, then you may want to share this part of your life with him. But I would ask you to think about the possible consequences of your decision." "Like what?" Sarah asked. "What if he can't understand? What might happen if he told his parents, and they don't understand? Would they forbid you to see or speak to Joe? They might force you to loose your best friend. It is a very hard choice to make and can cause much hurt for you." "But what should I do?"

"Love Joe. Help him to understand that you are not a bad person. Always be true to what you believe in your heart. Never deny what and who you are. You may choose to act as you did earlier today by not responding. Don't lie. That sort of lie is the worst kind. And I will be very sad." Sarah hugged and kissed her. She told Rhiannon that she loved her. Rhiannon told Sarah, "I always love you and I am always with you." Sarah woke up in her room feeling better. She went down to dinner and told her Mommy and Daddy everything that happened to her. Even her talk with Rhiannon. They stayed up late and talked about what she should do. Mommy and Daddy also told her things she had never heard before about the Old Days. She was taught how to anoint herself for a blessing of protection. It made her feel much better. The next school day, the kids were being just as mean, but following Rhiannon's advice, she ignored them. It wasn't always the easiest thing to do, and many days Sarah went home and cried. When it got really hard she would think about that tree that stood alone, or she would anoint herself, and that seemed to help. Eventually, the children stopped.

Persecution Discussion In this chapter, I attempted to write about the persecution we can receive from others. I was trying to convey a sense of frustration and anger that Sarah has toward Megan. It is up to you to tell me if I have done a good job. There is not a lot that can be done about bigotry, so we must concentrate our efforts on helping our children cope with it. It is a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, but what we do and how we cope is important for the child. You may not choose to read this story to your child until they have already encountered this witch-fear. If you do this, skip to the next story. There are many things that can be talked about with your child. Some of them are: 1) What would you do if you were Sarah? If you were Megan? 2) Would you tell Joe about being Wiccan? 3) What do you think the story about the lonely tree is saying? 4) Has this ever happened to you?

5) Do you think free will is a good thing? 6) Would you like to never have to make decisions? 7) What is a consequence? 8) Should you try to make everyone happy? 9) Do you think Megan is right? Do you think Sarah is right? While many of these questions may seem counterproductive to our hopes that your child becomes Wiccan eventually, they are necessary to help your child grow. Some tools to help your child deal with persecution are: * Teach your child a blessing. The blessing that Sarah used in the story is a simple one. Mix some water and salt in a jar. Have the child wet their finger with the mixture and draw a horned moon on their forehead. They should touch each wrist, mouth and throat with their still wet finger. Then they should say a sort prayer to the Lord and Lady. What they say is up to them. It is a blessing for the day. * This may be the hardest activity for you and your child. Teach them about the Burning Times. The Inquisition, the Scottish Witch Trials, Salem Witch Trials and any other examples you can think of. Teach them about the conditions leading to mob hysteria, if you haven't already. * Show them that the witch hysteria is still ingrained into our society through television shows an movies. Talk to them about the misconceptions of the public about what we can and cannot do. (A popular TV show from the 60's featuring a 'witch' and her mortal husband springs to mind, as does a really bad movie that brought too many "gothic witches" out of the broom closet.) Get some of the worse books featuring witchcraft from the library talking about witches. While this is going on, talk to them. Tell them what is really happening and ask them if we really can light an entire room-full of candles with a thought. Ask their opinions of what they are seeing and what is real and what is false. * Talk to your child about who, in their opinion, they can and cannot trust. While all of this may seem to be designed to make your child paranoid, the reality we live in dictates that our children not be sheltered from this. It is better for them to deal with it now, when they are more resilient, than when they grow older and are rejected by the entire High School. They also need to be aware of the prejudices of others. The information can be presented in such a way that it does not traumatize them too much. It is my sincere hope that you never have to read this chapter to your child.

The Rede Mommy was talking to Sarah. It was one of those times in a child's life when a parent tries to teach a child something important, but it doesn't make sense to the child. Frustrating for the parent. Frustrating for the child. Finally Sarah looked at her Mommy and said that she understood (when she really didn't) and left the table. What her Mommy was trying to explain to her seemed simple enough, but it was very difficult to understand. It involved things called the Rede, Threefold Retribution and Reincarnation. Sarah couldn't figure out what a plant that grows near the water had to do with anything. Mommy said that the Rede was the basis of their entire system of beliefs. For several hours, Mommy talked to Sarah, explaining what Wiccans believe but it wasn't making much sense to Sarah. Sarah decided to talk with the Green Lady. She went outside to the backyard and sat under a tree. Sarah waited for Rhiannon to come. Not too long after she closed her eyes, she heard Rhiannon approaching. Sarah opened her eyes, sat up, and waited for Her. The Lady sat down next to Sarah, smiled, and asked, "What do you need, little one?" "What was Mommy trying to tell me?" Sarah asked. "Your mother was attempting to teach you some of the basic beliefs of all Wiccans." "Why is that important?" "It is necessary for you to know what we believe, so you can choose the path that is right for you. Remember when you went to church with Joe?" "Yes."

"He believes many of the same things that you do, but there are differences in the two religions. If you know what we believe, then it is easier to know what church is right for you." "But, I already know what I believe, you told me about not hurting people." "What you have already learned is part of out beliefs, not all of them. As you grow, you can understand more. Your Mommy feels you are ready to understand more and you should feel proud of that." Sarah sighed. "I guess so, but she made it more confusing, not easier. Maybe I'm not as ready as Mommy thinks." The Lady laughed. "Sometimes it is easier to learn from someone else than from your Mommy or Daddy. Perhaps I can help. Where do you think you go when your body dies?" "Don't I get to come here and be with you and Herne?" "For a while, you will. But you can't stay here." "Why not?" "When school was over, did you stay on summer vacation forever?" "No." "Death is like going on summer vacation. There are things you have to learn in school, just as there are things you have to learn in life. Everyone gets many chances to learn them. These chances, or lives, are what we call 'Re-in-car-nation.' An Incarnation is a life, it can be as a plant or animal or human. 'Re,' means again. Knowing that, can you tell me what 'reincarnation' is?" Sarah thought for a few moments. "Living again?" she finally asked. "That's right. Reincarnation is living another life. It is another chance to come back to Earth and learn the lessons you didn't learn the first time, or to learn new lessons you didn't have a chance to learn." "Do I ever learn everything?" "Do you ever graduate from school?" Rhiannon asked with a twinkling eye. "Sometime I will. Then I will be an adult." "Eventually you will graduate from life. You will not have to come back again when that happens. You will be an evolved spirit. The you can stay here with me and help others evolve as well."

"Do I have to become you?" "No. Remember, you have free will. You will be able to choose what you will do for the rest of time. You can pick your 'job'." "What kinds of jobs are there?" "All kinds. You could be a Guardian Angel to someone else. You could be a record keeper. You could be a Goddess to people on another world. You could take care of souls who just died. You could choose to simply to Be. It's YOUR choice." Sarah looked thoughtful. "I'll have to think about it." "Yes, you will need to. But, don't worry about it right now. You have a long time to think about these things before you have to make a choice. What else was your Mother saying that confused you?" "What does a reed have to do with anything?" "Not a reed, as in the plant, the Wiccan Rede. It is a belief that says 'An it harm none, do as you will'. It is a way of acting, of being, of living that almost all Wiccans live by." "You mean that I can do anything I want?" "As long as it does not hurt anyone, including yourself, yes. Let me give you an example. "Your Mommy gives you her last 20 dollars until payday and asks you to go to the store. She tells you to get some milk, bread and sugar. She says that because you are doing this for her you can get a drink and a snack for yourself. While you are out, you stop at a hamburger place and spend 10 dollars on yourself. Then you get the milk and the other things she asked you to get. You have five dollars left. You decide to get a drink and play some video games before going home. You get home and have no money left. Is this good or bad?" "I say it's good, but I bet the answer is 'bad'." "Smart girl." Rhiannon patted Sarah on the shoulder. "The answer is bad. You knew that she had no money left, so spending it on you is the same as stealing it. Your Mommy trusted you to bring back the change, and you broke that trust. You may have even made the problem worse by fibbing to her and saying that you didn't know where the money went. That is three harms in just one action; First stealing, second breaking your Mommy's trust in you, and finally, fibbing. Do you see how you can hurt people without meaning to?" "Yes, but how is it stealing? She told me I could get something."

"Yes, she said a drink and a snack. She did not tell you to get a meal, nor did she say anything about video games. You already had a drink at the hamburger stand, you were not entitled to another." "Do I have to think about everything I say and do now?" "Yes, you do. You already know what is right and wrong, now you have to think about the outcomes of your actions, and how they will effect others, before you do anything." "Like thinking about how Mommy will feel when I come home with no money?" "Exactly. Those kinds of things, done regularly, have ruined more good relationships between parents and children than almost anything else." "Why is that?" "It's like the story of the little boy who cried wolf. After a while, the parents no longer believe them when they say something. Even when it is the truth." "Will I get punished?" "If you do something like that, yes, you should be. But, if you broke your promise to someone else, you may not be punished by them." "What do you mean, 'by them'?" "Well, this is the third thing we believe. It is called the 'Threefold retribution.' Retribution is a punishment, and threefold means..." "Three times?" Sarah asked. "Good! That's exactly right. We believe that whatever you do comes back to you three times. If you do something nice, you get three times the reward, and if it is bad, you get three times the punishment." "Does that mean that if I hit someone, I will get hit three times?" "Not necessarily. There are things that could be considered three times as worse as a punch in the face. Breaking your arm, for instance, or getting hit by a car. The point is that for everything you do, you will get it back more than you gave out." "What about good things?"

"Yes, those come back to you three times too. If you gave a dollar to someone who needed it, you may get back three dollars from someone else when you needed it, or get a larger allowance or something similar." "The I will only do good things for everyone." "I hope you do. It is not always possible. Life is not perfect, nor are people. It is okay for you to tell on a classmate if he is hurting you so that he gets punished. That is giving him back what he has been putting out. You won't be punished for telling on him, as his own actions will have brought his punishment on himself." "Are you sure?" "Mostly. There are times that will not be covered by this rule. If the good outweighs the bad in an action you are going to take, or if you are willing to pay the consequences for your actions, then you may do as you wish. But don't complain when you get what you deserve, however. There will be very few people who will be sympathetic." "Then I will try to do the right thing." "Good," Rhiannon said with some satisfaction. "Then I am happy. I am proud of you and I love you. Now I must leave." Rhiannon got up, hugged and kissed Sarah, and left. Sarah woke up under the same tree. She got up, dusted herself off, and went home to tell her Mommy about what she now understood.

Rede Comments This story should probably be delayed until the child has done something in violation of the Rede or the Threefold Retribution. It is important that you judge your child's ability to understand the concepts presented. It should be explained that the punishments or rewards can come while they are still in their current incarnation, according to the Law of Three. It may be helpful to have the child think of different examples of each of the concepts expressed here on their own. Some discussions questions: 1 When is it acceptable to give someone what is coming to them? 2 How does the child judge the rightness of 'telling'? 3 What happens when you die? 4 What do you think you would like to do when you 'graduate" from life?

5 What would you like to be next life you live? 6 Tell me what the Rede means to you. 7 According to the Rede, can you kill a bug? 8 Think of an example of a reward for being kind to a dog who is hurt. 9 Can you think of some punishments for stealing a candy from a store? 10 Which rule is the same as this statement: "Treat others the way you want to be treated." In these questions, the child should be gently steered away from thinking of parental punishments and rewards. Encourage them to think, instead, of what others might do and say. Try explaining the concept of actions and consequences. If they don't understand, try to keep from getting discouraged. Time will teach them. Help them to realize that the principal already applies to them and their lives. If the child still does not understand, be patient, wait. Another time will come to explain these concepts, using terms they will understand. Use examples in their life now. Watch programs on TV and Movies. These sources are full of examples of these concepts, especially the Rede and the Law of Three. Discuss these examples with your child. Try and help your child to understand that not all injury is physical. It is best if they learn this lesson as soon as they can. Mythology

Sarah was excited. She and her parents were going on a trip. They all were going to a gathering of Wiccans in another state. Mommy said that there would be Wiccans from all over the country attending the festivities. Sarah had spoken with Rhiannon and Herne about the trip. Both of Them said that They were happy the gathering was taking place. Daddy said that this was a chance to talk with others about all the areas they were interested in, like the herbs, healing and Magick. Sarah hoped there would be other children there to play with, besides Keith. Keith's Mommy decided that since she could not go, that he could go with Sarah's family. It would be a chance for Keith to grow and learn while being with people she trusted. All Sarah cared about what having Keith along would make the trip more fun.

Mommy and Daddy took turns driving for three days. At night, they would stop at a park and spend the night camping out. Their meals were from fast-food places. By the time they arrived Sarah was sick of hamburgers. When they got there, there were tents set up all over the place. Sarah was told they were in a state park, which had been rented, and that they would be camping out also. Sarah was glad that Daddy had chosen to rent a big camper. She did not like sleeping on the ground. On Friday, when this "event" started, there were people all over. Some were dressed in robes, some in dress clothes or costumes, but most were in every-day plain clothes. There were lots of other children to play with. There were even some people who had volunteered to watch the children and play games with them. One of them was the Priestess of her own Coven. The Priestess told stories to everyone who wanted to listen. Some of the stories were strange to her. There were stories about Goddesses called "Athena", "Tuana", "Hera", "Circe" and several about some Gods named "Odin, Thor and Loki". Sarah had never heard about these people before, but some of the other children had. They kept whispering what the Priestess would say next to Sarah. Sarah didn't know what to do. The only God SHE had ever heard about was Herne, and the only Goddess was Rhiannon. She decided that she would ask Rhiannon that night about all these other Gods and Goddesses. After the HUMONGOUS Circle that night, while she was laying down to sleep, she began thinking about the tree where she always met Herne and Rhiannon. In a very short while, she was there. Herne was waiting for her instead of Rhiannon. "Hello, Herne. Where is the Green Lady?" "She is very busy tonight. There are several people calling upon Her to help in Healings, and more calling for help with Herbal knowledge. I decided to come to you instead to give Her a bit of a rest. What do you wish to know, child?" "Who are all those other Gods and Goddesses that my Priestess was talking about?" "Those other Gods are Me. The other Goddesses are Rhiannon." "Nuh-uh. Their names were different." "The names may change from God to God, but the essence remains the same."

"What's an essence?" "The very basic part of something. My soul may be the easiest way for you to understand. A wolf is a wolf, be he a timber wolf, Mexican wolf, Red wolf, or any other species of wolf there is. A bird is a bird, whether a parrot, blue jay, cardinal, robin, or vulture. Their essence remains the same." "How does that apply to you?" "Thor is a God the Vikings created to explain the thunder and the lightening. Odin is His father and Lord. Loki was created to explain all the unexplainable bad luck happenings around them. Mars is the Roman God of War. Each of these Gods is part of Me, just as I am part of Them. We each have a job to do in the greater scheme of things, but if I need Thor's powers of the weather, I can draw upon that power. Just as if Mars needed to control the animals of the Earth, He could gain that ability from me." "You're not hurt by sharing your power?" "No, I am not. Let me give you and example. You draw very well, don't you?" "Kind of..." "But Keith does not. My borrowing a power from another God is like if you taught Keith to draw as well as you do. For Us, though, it's so fast that a heartbeat is forever in comparison." "But, if You all do the same things, why not pray to just one God instead of all of You?" "Some Gods are easier to deal with than others. Some are kinder, gentler, more forgiving. Some are very harsh, mean, and in some cases, cruel. Some Gods simply cannot be bothered with Mortal issues and problems. Mainly, which God you pray to is a matter of personal choice. What personality are you most comfortable with in dealing with a God? Do you want someone who is forgiving, or someone who is very harsh? Someone Just, or contrary? Kind or Cruel? These things determine what God and Goddess a person will pick." "Why?" "It is easier to have a God of Thunder pay attention to you doing a storm than it is a God of the Sea. You will get a faster response from Thor if you are threatened by lightning, and probably be safer, than you will be if you call upon Poseidon, who can draw upon Thor's power to save you, but may not be able to do anything else directly to help you." "No that's not my question. Why would someone want to pray to a god who is mean?"

"It's complex. Some people think they deserve a mean God, because they are not worth anything. Others think that a mean god will help them gain control over others, because they are bullies too. Some think they deserve to be punished for something they did a long time ago, and others truly don't know that there are Gods out there that will love them, because they don't love themselves." "Does all of this work the same way for Goddesses?" "Yes. Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, War, Housewives, Agriculture, Reason, and Purity. That is a lot for a Goddess to do. People believed She had those powers, and because they believed that, she had them. Rhiannon is the Goddess of Birds and Nature, and sometimes Horses. Almost everything is wrapped in those 'jobs'. What She does not take care of, I do. The Romans, whom Athena was a Goddess for, were a very sophisticated culture, so they needed sophisticated Gods and Goddesses." "What does 'sophisticated' mean?" "It means complicated. The more complicated a culture, the more sophisticated their Gods and Goddesses need to be." "This all sounds very confusing." "Yes, I can understand that it might be, but you do not really have to worry about it. When you become an age to make all your own decisions for yourself, call Me whom you will. I sill still answer you. As will Rhiannon, no matter the name. I may look different, act different, and even sound different, but I will still be the same." "Is there a God and Goddess of children?" "There are many Gods and Goddesses who hold children dear to Their hearts, of which, Rhiannon and I are but two. There may be a specific God or Goddess whose 'jobs' are children, but you will have to discover Them on your own." "Why can't you tell me?" "Because new Gods and Goddesses are being created all the time. Even now, there are new Gods springing into existence who I do not know anything about." "How are Gods and Goddesses created?" "By people's belief in their existence. Just as a brick is only mud and straw, a 'brick' did not exist until someone invented it. The mud was there, and the straw was there, but no one had ever put them together before. Then someone did and dried it until it was hard and was able to build houses out of the brick. When people decide to create a God, they take the 'mud' and 'straw' that I am made out of and create something different."

"You mean, you die?" "No. How many things can you think of that have mud and straw in them?" "There are mud-pies. A brick is another, but I can't think of anything else." "Cement is another. The 'mud' and 'straw' are different that is all. Besides, just because you make one brick does not mean that you have to destroy it to make another." "So, you are all the same, only different? Different pieces and different jobs?" "Yes," said Herne, sighing with relief. "That is exactly right. 'The same but different.' Do you understand better now?" "Kind of, but what do I do about everyone else here?" "When they speak of a God with a different Name from Mine, pretend they speak about Me." "But where do I learn about other Gods and Goddesses?" "There are books written by teachers about 'mythology'. These are collections of stories about other Gods and Goddesses. These stories tell about what They do, how They act, and what They are like. You may even find some stories about Me in there." "Is that what my Priestess was telling today?" "Yes. She was reciting stores from mythology. It is one of may things she has studied in her lifetime. Talk to her about those stories." "I will try to do that. Thank you Herne. I love you." "And I love you too, little one. You are most welcome." Herne stood up, hugged Sarah, and left. Sarah thought He must be busy tonight. When she woke up in the morning, she talked to her Daddy and Mommy about what she had learned from Herne. She asked if there were any more stories that she could read about other Gods and Goddesses. Her Daddy said that they would both see.

Mythology discussion

This chapter is included for those children who are interested in broadening their knowledge of the Gods and Goddesses. Some discussions questions are: 1. Are all the Gods the same? All Goddesses? 2. Can you think of any more uses for mud and straw? 3. What do you think a God of Children would be like? A Goddess? 4. Why would people create a God of Thunder? 5. Would a God of the Sea help someone on the Land? How about a Lake? Why or why not? 6. Do you understand what Herne was explaining to Sarah? 7. How is Rhiannon the Goddess of Nature? 8. How is Herne the God of Animals? 9. What do you think Herne and Rhiannon can do? 10. If you were a God/dess, what would you be the God/dess of? What would you be able to do? The projects are easy enough. Read mythology with your child. There are many good books available on the subject, and most are easily attainable from your library or on the Internet. Talk to your Priest/ess about the Gods/Goddesses. They should know a lot about mythology in general, and if they do not, they will know someone who does. Wicca, being an oral tradition until the middle of this century, has had to rely on stories and word of mouth to pass along information on who we worship. For this reason, may of the stories have been written down in many forms. Tell your children about the ways lore masters of the past used to keep the knowledge. Help your children to produce a play about the deities of their choice. Get the other children in the Coven involved and maybe have them perform it during a Sabbat Celebration. Suggest to your child they make a fictional God or Goddess and have them write stories about them, make up songs, and tell what they are. This would be good for creative talents as well as writing skills. Perhaps if they want, make the stories they write an entirely oral presentation to help memory skills. Psychic

Sarah was at the Circle. For her, nothing much was going on, just the usual stuff. She was waiting to get to the good part, the cookies and drinks, when she saw Rhiannon and Herne in the Circle.

They looked like they always do, to Sarah, but on one else seemed to see them. Later, when someone's baby was getting blessed by the Priestess and Priest (the woman with the crown of flowers and the man with the horns), Sarah walked over to Rhiannon and whispered "What are you doing here?" Rhiannon looked back at her and said "Herne and I were invited to be here. The Priestess and Priest and all the others, including you, asked us to come her tonight." "Is that why you came?" "Yes. Besides, We both like to be present when a new baby is introduced to Us." Herne spoke. "Life is sacred to us. It is the continuation of all that has gone before. Rhiannon is the Mother to everyone and loves babies." Sarah noticed the other Coven members looking at her with concern. Her Mommy came over and asked her to pay attention to what was happening. Sarah pulled her attention away from Herne and Rhiannon. Each time she looked, they were still there. Something else happened that night. When it came time for the Priestess to speak for Rhiannon, The Green Lady stepped into the Priestess. The Priestess began saying things that were not written down in the Book of Shadows. There were personal messages for almost everyone there. Sarah looked at Herne. She asked Him, "What's going on?" Herne explained. "This is called Channeling. Rhiannon has borrowed the Priestess's body for a little while to tell the people here important messages. If you look around, everyone here is very happy that this has happened." Sarah looked. Herne was right. The expressions on people's faces were good ones. Everyone was happy and some people were crying with happiness. When Rhiannon (in the Priestess) held the baby, the baby stopped crying and began to laugh and coo. Rhiannon then blessed that child and left the Priestess. The rest of the evening was interesting. Everyone was very happy. It seemed that they were being extra nice to each other. When the time for the story and cookies came, Sarah didn't want it to end. Finally, it was time to go home. Her Mommy and Daddy were very happy and didn't scold her for talking during the Circle.

When they got home, Mommy was very interested in what Sarah was doing during the ceremony. Sarah told them the truth, that she had been talking to Herne and Rhiannon. Mommy smiled and told her that she was happy that Sarah was trying to speak to the Lord and Lady on her own, but that it was bad manners to interrupt the Circle to pray. Just as Sarah was going to sleep for the night, she began thinking about Rhiannon. Very soon after that, she was outside with Her under the tree. "Lady, why was everyone so happy tonight?" "this was a joyous night. The people at the service were welcoming a new life into the world. They also wanted to make the father and mother of that baby feel good." "No, that's not what I mean. Why, after all of that when you were talking to them, and you borrowed the body of the Priestess, was everyone so happy?" "Sarah, that made them extra happy. I talked directly to them. Normally, My Priestess, does not often allow Me to speak through her, but this evening, she was receptive enough to allow it." "Why doesn't she normally allow it? Does it hurt her?" "No, there is no pain, but it is very draining to the Priestess. Kind of like if you ran for three days straight, without sleep." "What is channeling? Herne mentioned it and I didn't understand." "It is a word that has come into use recently for those people who can open themselves to spirits and allow those spirits to talk to people. More people are able to do this now than ever before in the history of the world. Normally only the holy men of the past were able to do this." "Why is that?" "There are many reasons. People are better educated these days, and they have more time to learn the ways of the spirit, instead of just trying to survive. THey call it meditation, or prayer, or spirit walking, and many other names. People are more open to a belief in the Spirit world now too. Many hope for a time when all people will have stronger powers of the mind. SOme people call that being Psychic. By seeing me and speaking to me, you would be considered to be psychic." "I am? Really? Like the X-Men? Can I zap people too?" Chuckling, Rhiannon said. "No, Little One, your mind is not that strong. It is also not a good thing to wish for. For one thing, 'zapping' someone would burn your mind out. FOr another, that would be harmful. Do you remember the Wiccan Rede?"

"Sure, 'An it harm none, do as you will.'" "That's right. Would it be proper to 'zap' someone then?" "I guess not. I would be hurting them." "Yes, you would. Your parents would have to punish you, and you would have to make it up to the person again. Is being able to 'zap' someone for the sake of getting back at someone worth that?" "I guess not. What else can I do?" "I don't know specifically what you can and cannot do, but I could continue telling you about what other types of abilities there are. Do you want me to?" "Yes, please." "Very well. The ability you have to see Herne and I the American Indians call 'Spirit sight'. It is the ability to see things and people who exist on another level of our world called the 'Astral Plane'. It is where ghosts live, where angels live, and where Herne and I have bodies that look like yours. "When you come here to speak to Us, under this tree, that is called 'Astral Projection'. The part of you which would leave your body when you die, called your soul, leaves your body for a while to come here and speak with me." "Do I die when I come here?" "No. Your body is still alive and will be there when you return. It is only sleeping. Many of your dreams are really coming to the astral plane to explore." "I can really do this?" "Yes, and with practice, you can do this when you wish to. Tell me, do you ever see colors around other people?" "You mean, more than the clothes they are wearing? No." "That ability is seeing auras. Everyone has a 'force field' around them that protects them. The colors tell people who can see that force field about that person. They may be sick, mad, happy, or very healthy. All of these will appear in their auras. If you learn to interpret them, you can learn a lot about a person, without ever speaking to them." "How do I learn about my abilities?"

"You learn by doing. Practice using your abilities by coming here to see me. Look at people and try to see their auras. Talk to your parents, they know a lot about using these abilities." "Will my parents believe me?" "They should. But choose a time when they may be receptive to talking about these abilities. After a Circle would be a good time. You must also listen to them. They are very wise in what you should and should not do. You have been given a special gift to help you through your life. Use your Gift well." After saying that, Rhiannon kissed her on the forehead. She stood up and left after that. Sarah woke in her room. It was morning and she wanted to talk to her parents about her Gift. This Saturday would be a wonderful day. Going to the kitchen, Sarah saw her Mommy. Mommy was humming under her breath while she fixed breakfast. Sarah sat down to eat with her family. After breakfast was over, she spoke to her parents about what Rhiannon told her about. She learned that there were many more abilities than she had leaned about. Sarah told them truthfully about what she could do. Her parents were very proud of her and a little excited. Mommy then showed Sarah how to do something called meditation. It was kind of easy. All she had to do was sit somewhere comfortable, close her eyes and not think of anything. The whole next week, after she was done meditating, she was able to do things that were hard for her more easily. She was ghosts everywhere. She could talk to those ghosts and many other spirits. Whenever she wished it, she could call out to Herne or Rhiannon, they could come to her, an she could see, hear and talk to Them. The Priest and Priestess were very excited about what she could do. Sarah told the Priestess that Rhiannon was sorry she wore her out as much as She did, but that it was necessary to talk to the people in the Circle. The Priestess said it was all right, and that she was glad that Rhiannon cared enough to talk to everyone. Rhiannon, standing nearby while this was happening, said that she loves everyone. The Priestess looked at Rhiannon and said that she knew that. That was when Sarah found out that the Priestess could see and hear Rhiannon and Herne also.

Psychic discussion As most of us know, children are very psychic because they have not learned to suppress those senses and feelings. This chapter is to start a dialogue between you and your child about these abilities. The discussion questions are generally to find out what is going on in your child's world. 1. Do you see anything that others don't like Sarah? 2. Does Sarah frighten you? 3. Are you scared by what Sarah can do? 4. Do you feel when someone is upset or mad? 5. Do you know what a meditation is? 6. Do you have friends or teachers that others can't see? 7. What do you think psychic means? 8. Do you think it would be good to use abilities like these to hurt someone? Why? 9. If you could have any power, what would it be? 10. Are you scared of powers like this? The projects are pretty easy. They are all involved in teaching your child about psychic abilities. * Teach a meditation to your child. There are many guided meditations and other meditations online. I include a copy of a meditation I have used with great success in the past in this set of documents that you can use as a template for a meditation for your child. * Teach your child about shielding. A 'shield' is simply an egg of energy, derived from the aura, that surrounds and protects the person from harmful energies and beings. * Talk to your Priest and Priestess about psychic phenomenon. They may be able to recommend to you and your child some resources on metaphysics. * Take out books from the library about the manifestations of psychic phenomenon. In some of these books, they will talk about different terms and words for things like ESP and such, so start developing a common dictionary with your child on the meanings of these words. The main thing you MUST NOT do in this section is make the child feel like they are a freak or different. Everyone has these abilities, but most of us learn to block them so that we can cope with this world. If you react with fear or revulsion, you may teach your child to block this ability completely. These abilities are normal, natural, and part of our inheritance from the Gods. Just as everyone has eyes, everyone has these abilities, but the trick is that most people don't know how to use them, or don't have enough of an ability to make it useful to them.

Some superhero stories might be appropriate to show your children some of the abilities that are available. It will certainly increase their imagination, which is the key to these abilities. Conservation

Sarah was helping her teachers at school. There was to be a visit from the man who ran all the schools. He was the Superintendent. He was also the Principal's boss. All her teachers and the Principal were nervous. They asked everyone, even the Kindergarten kids, to help clean the school from top to bottom. Only the adults were allowed to do the neat things like paint, but all the kids got to work outside for a while. Sarah decided that she wanted to work on the flower beds. It took a lot of effort, but she was pulling the weeds, putting dirt around the bushes, and helping plant trees. Sarah remembered what Herne and Rhiannon said about taking care of the Earth. She tried extra hard to help Them do a good job. She even asked Rhiannon to keep an eye on the plants she worked on. She had fun while she was doing it. Every kid likes to play in the dirt. Being told to play in it on purpose only made it better. Later, when the Superintendent left, the Principal made an announcement that made everyone happy. There would be no school the next day. All of them had done such a good job cleaning, that the Superintendent was very impressed. Sarah was just as happy as everyone else. The next day was Friday. Everyone around the neighborhood was off that day. Sarah's Daddy said he would watch the kids whose parents could not put into daycare. Sarah thought that was very nice of her Daddy. He even took the day off from work. The day went pretty OK. There were a couple of fights between some of the kids, but Daddy broke them up pretty fast. After that, he took them all to the Zoo. Sarah thought it was wonderful to see all the animals. Daddy even managed to convince one of the keepers to come around with all of them.

The Zoo keeper, who asked the kids to call him Mr. Phil, said that there were several types of animals in this zoo who were almost extinct. There were many more that were endangered. Someone asked what endangered means. Mr. Phil said that it means the animals who are endangered have scientists and others watching them to make sure they don't become extinct. Some of the endangered animals were the Bald Eagle, the symbol of The Untied States, the African Elephant, and the Panther. "These animals," Mr. Phil said, "have more of them dying than are being born each year. This is what makes them endangered." This is sad thoughts Sarah. She learned that there are many animals on every place on the Earth that are endangered. There were people trying to help them not to die out completely, but there were more people who were accidently killing them. Sarah wanted to talk to the Green Lady about this tonight. That night, when Sarah went to sleep, she went to the tree where she could talk with Rhiannon. When she got there, Rhiannon was there waiting, and so was Herne. "Hello, Sarah," Herne said, "We have been waiting for you." "You knew I was coming?" Sarah asked. "Yes," Rhiannon said. "Every time you learn something new concerning Us, you come here to talk to Me about it. This time I wanted Herne to be here also, because it is something that is important to both of Us." Sarah asked, "Why is it important to both of you?" Herne answered. "Not only are many types of animals dying faster than they are being born, but many more types of plants are being killed, without a chance to have any more." "How is that happening?" Sarah asked. Rhiannon looked very sad. She said, "People are killing them. Many of My plants are used to make your medicine. Asprin comes from the bark of the Willow tree. But there are men who want money, any way they can get it. They are cutting down the forests at a tremendous rate each day, then burning the land to kill all the small plants and make the next day's work easier. Because they are doing this, the seeds which the trees have made, and the saplings which are too small to use are being destroyed. Many medicines that your people need to cure your diseases are being lost." Sarah was angry. SHe asked, "What are the trees used for?"

Herne said, "Lumber. They use the trees to make wooden boards for furniture and houses. If they think, they plant other trees, but many of the trees planted are 'pine' trees. The trees cut down are usually Oak, Maple, Sycamore, Birch and other slow-growing trees. Pine is not used in building things. It is too soft." "But, that's not very smart." Rhiannon sighed, "Many humans aren't very smart. When it comes to things that affect most people's comfort, many people are not willing to sacrifice what they want to help the environment." Sarah was now sad. "Does this happen to animals too?" Herne looked angry now. "Yes. It is happening to many types of fish and aquatic animals. Whales and dolphins are being hunted or killed dimply because they are in the way. The whale is an aquatic mammal, like humans, but a whale only eats tiny shrimp. People are hunting and killing the whale for the oils in their flesh, even though many of the products that are made from that oil can be made without it, through other means." "What about dolphins?" Sarah asked. "They are simply drowning." Herne was still angry. "Fishermen who use nets to catch fish for food are also catching dolphins. Because dolphins need air to breathe, they are drowning because they become tangled in the nets." Rhiannon spoke up. "Not only that, but pollution in the rivers and streams is flowing downstream to the sea, killing many things. The shrimp the whales eat, the oysters who make pearls, plankton and other types of fish are being poisoned. The pear oyster is almost completely dead. Plankton are dying out very quickly and since most life on this planet, and in the sea, depend on the plankton, this is very dangerous." "Are we all going to die?" Sarah asked. Herne looked at her. "if things continue the way they have been, it is possible. If people do not begin to understand how Man fits into the Chain of Life, many more animals will die. If enough animals and plants die, Man will die also." "Will I die?" "Eventually, everything dies. The Earth and Humanity probably will not die in your lifetime, but it could happen within the next one hundred years." Herne stated. "But, that is such a long time from now. Why should I care?"

Rhiannon looked deep into Sarah's eyes and stated, "A very wise man once said that 'The earth is not inherited from our grandparents, but borrowed from our children'." Herne spoke up. "If you care about something, you are supposed to return it in better condition than when you got it. Since the Earth is borrowed, it should be taken care of and protected, so it is better than when it was borrowed." The Lady said, "I would hope that everything you interact with is given back better than when you first saw it. Everything, from the plants to animals to people to places. If everyone does their part in making whatever they see and touch and use better, then the Earth will eventually become a better world." "Is that all that is happening?" Sarah asked. Rhiannon said, "No. Pollution n the air is making everyone sick. Plants, animals, and people are all getting sick and dying because of these poisons. Trees and green plants could correct the problem, but with logging going on the way it is, that solution is fast becoming nearly impossible." "How could trees and plants correct the pollution?" wondered Sarah. Herne said, "The plants take the pollution out of the air to live. It is part of their purpose. Gasses that would suffocate you, the plants use to live. Like Carbon Dioxide. All the plants need Carbon Dioxide to live, and they produce Oxygen, what you need to breathe from that Carbon Dioxide. The plants cannot use Oxygen, but without oxygen, people will die and so will all the animals. Plants give off Oxygen in great amounts, just like people and animals give off Carbon Dioxide." Rhiannon stated, "Everything is interconnected with each other. plants use dangerous gasses to breathe, make food and are eaten by animals and humans. Animals eat each other and grow, giving humans another source of food. Humans and animals die and rot and seeds grow and become more plants. Plants give off Oxygen and use Carbon Dioxide, humans and animals exhale Carbon Dioxide and breathe in Oxygen. Everything is dependant of and connected to everything else in a very delicate web of Life. No one creature or plant is above that web. But Humans are disturbing that web, and soon it may be too late for anything to correct the disturbances." Herne looked at Sarah. He said, "Imagine a house of block. Each block is a creature or plant. You may be able to take some of the blocks away without the house falling, but if you take too many out, eventually the house will fall. Humans have taken too many 'blocks' from the 'house' of life to stand for much longer." "Why aren't more people doing something about fixing the 'house'?" Sarah asked.

"Most," Herne said, "don't even know what is happening. There are may who are working on telling everyone, but many more don't care." The Lady said, "That is why it is important for you, your friends, parents and all people, Wiccans or not, to work to help the planet. Recycle, talk to others who don't know, don't buy things from companies who don't care. Talk to the Governments of the Earth and get them to do something about the situation." Sarah decided to think about this for a while. She thanked the Lord and Lady for talking to her and woke up. She went to talk to her parents about everything she learned from the Lord and Lady. She was worried and determined to do something about the situation with her parents. She didn't want the planet to die.

Conservation discussion This story (as promised) expands ideas touched upon in earlier stories. While some of the things happening in this story would probably not happen, I plead poetic license. Some questions for you and your child to discuss: 1. How did Sarah help the Lord and Lady by pulling weeds? 2. What does "endangered" mean? 3. What does "extinct" mean? 4. What makes an animal endangered or extinct? 5. Can a plant become extinct? How? 6. How are the Dolphins and Whales dying? 7. What will happen if the pollution kills all the plankton in the sea? 8. What should you do if you care for something you have borrowed? 9. Why would life be compared to a web? 10. What will happen if too many animals and plants die? 11. What can you do? Once again, children should be encouraged to think of an original answer to these questions, and they should be encouraged to think on a global scale. Some explanations of terms and ideas may be required in order to properly present the information. Due to space limitations, I was unable to properly explain everything. Projects for you and your child are:

* Get a game of Jenga, or if that's not available, some other blocks. Label the individual blocks with the names of plants and animals. Have you child remove blocks and set them aside until the tower collapses. Explain to them that this is what is happening to the world now. * Take your child to a zoo or museum to talk to some of the administrators about extinct or endangered species of plants and animals. Have them talk about what each of these plants or animals need to live. Ask why they do not have this. * Start recycling if you are not doing so. Show you children why and what happens to recycled goods. See if you can arrange a tour for your child and possibly their class in a recycling factory. (Many recycling plants offer this for free or for a small charge.) * Get books about conservation and read them together. * Get your Coven involved in a letter-writing campaign about conservation. Either to the Government or to the businesses or to other private citizens. * Get the media to cover any ecological projects you find yourself involved in. Wicca always needs the positive press. Let your children talk on camera about the whys and wherefores of the activity. There are many more projects of this kind that can be done. Use your own judgment on what you should do, and keep in mind that your child may not have the same passion you do about these projects. Of course, they may have MORE passion about it than you do.