A Wiccan Coven based in Flint Michigan
By Wayland Raven
Through some very hard work and creativity, members of our Coven of the Raven family have established this new website to help be a link to our outer circle people who have joined us for our Open Gatherings or who know us through some of our coven work. You will find information here about those gatherings and other events we may learn about.
You will find that even though you are not members of the coven there are areas you can participate in, read and view. We welcome you and hope you check back often. I am hoping that there will be blogs from our members, many of them very insightful people.
We want the greater pagan community to become connected and have a sense of unity no matter what our various Trads or covens are. This new site will give you a window into our Raven Craft family.
Again, welcome and please feel that you are part of our extended family.
Wayland Raven - High Priest
Coven of the Raven
RavenMyst Tradition
By Wayland Raven
Hello friends of Coven of the Raven,
My dear friend Diane Lonsway has harassed me for the last several years to go to the Florida Pagan Gathering with her. This year she cut to the chase, bought my plane ticket, made arrangements for me to stay in her room, even bought all of my meals. There was no way I could refuse. I moaned and groaned about traveling, being away from my business, all of my usual fretting. She frankly didn’t care. I was going, bitching or not. I am glad that I did.
This year FPG had a true gathering of Elders. Not only was my pal Edain McCoy there, who I surprised because she didn’t know I was coming, they also featured Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, Gavin and Yvonne Frost, Selena Fox and Issac Bonewitz among others. Diane and I discussed the possibility of doing a video interview of Janet Farrar while she was here from Ireland. From that first discussion it evolved that we would try to interview all of the various Elders and we ended up getting most of them. What an honor to sit down on camera with the giants of our faith. Diane is putting the video together and we are hoping that she will be able to offer some of the videos through her www.paganvideos.com If you have any questions about the videos or want to thank her for taking poor, pitiful, bitching, moaning Wayland Raven to Florida for one of the most remarkable times of his life, you can email her at ddolph1n@yahoo.com
During the course of my interviews there was one common theme that kept coming from these Elders. When I asked Gavin Frost how the Craft today compares with the early days of neo-paganism he said, “It is disastrous.” He sited witch wars, polarization between traditions and covens, arguments within the pagan community and some of the hateful feelings that have been created simply because of spiritual differences. “We never had any of that before.” At one of our meals Gavin got up and impromptu addressed the crowd. “You have seen all of the various elders who are together at this gathering. We have had many differences over the years. Have you seen how happy we are to be together. How we treat each other? Do you goddamned get it???” He then sat down and for a few moments it was silent and then there was applause. It is a good lesson for all of us who have covens, traditions, are solitary or have anything that might in one way or another separate us. Our Craft family, our pagan friends… we all have more in common together than the differences. We need to keep our eye on the love between us.
There are many photographs at www.flapagan.org under New Photos.
Wayland Raven
By Wayland Raven
It seems that lately I have fielded conversation about death and distance. Death, physical death of people we have loved. Distance, of those who were part of our life, part of our breath and then gone to another place. Each is a mystery. The physical death is the most difficult to deal with, although distancing is something tenuous and not so definite.
For those of you who have lost friends and family, especially at this time of the year when the earth becomes fertile again, I send my blessings. I wish I had the magic words that would make things better, but I don’t. I just listen, ponder, love and take your sorrow into my heart.
Life is a circle, small circles, large circles, and each one coming back in one way or the other. We cannot control these things anymore than we can wade into a river and stops its course. We can only hope that the current ultimately takes us somewhere peaceful, where memory is our friend and hope is our companion.
Wayland Raven
O I can see the faces there - many ages, many colors-
as they gaze far away into the evening.
There are friends that I know and so many, many others,
and they’re eager for the journey to begin.
Some have come there with their loves, some have come alone;
they all embrace in the light and in the shadow.
And we say our farewells, with our arms around each other,
and you tell me I will see you again.
And you tell me I WILL see you again.
Well, I am happy for you then,
on your journey toward a new home,
but, when I wake, all that I know
is: you are gone.
And I can dream you in that place -
laughing, smiling, healthy, and strong,
but when I wake, all that I know
is: you are gone.
Some days, tears are all I have,
some days, anger and despair,
and sometimes, dreams are all I have
since you are gone.
You are gone.
So fly away, my love, on that violet ship of beauty,
fly away thought the night to the morning,
fly away, my love, on the silken, purple sails,
fly away through the darkness to the dawn.
Fly away into the night,
fly away into the stars,
fly away into the dawn,
to lovers’ arms.
By Cricket Raven
Generally one or two coven members will get together to write a ritual for each of the Coven of the Raven open gatherings. This year for Beltane, Evermore decided to go back to basics. He put together a few of the rituals that many new wiccans read about when first learning about the Craft and presented them with Lady Celeste. I have had a few people ask me for copies of the rituals from open gatherings, so I will post them when I am able.
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Beltane Ritual
Used for Coven of the Raven Open Gathering
Usual Location, Genesee County, Michigan
April 26, 2008
Taken from Janet & Stewart Farrar
A Witches’ Bible
Arranged by Evermore
RavenMyst Alter Devotion:
Circle Casting:
Ritual Body:
Five Fold Kiss
HP: “Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways.” (kiss right, left foot)
“Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred alter.” (kiss right, left knee)
“Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be.” (kiss above pubic line)
“Blessed be thy breast, formed in beauty.” (kiss right, left breast)
“Blessed be they lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names (embrace and kiss on the lips)
Drawing Down the Moon
HPS: (Stand with arms held out)
HP: (kneels again before the HPS. Touch her with his Right forefinger on her right breast, left breast, womb, & right breast again. While doing this say) “I invoke thee and call upon thee, Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of the fruitfulness; by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to descend upon the body of this thy servant and priestess.” (Spread arms outward and downward with the palms forward, while kneeling and say) “Hail, Aradia! From the Amalthean Horn
Pour forth thy store of love; I lowly bend
Before thee, I adore thee to the end,
With loving sacrifice thy shrine adorn.
Thy foot is to my lip (kiss her foot) my prayer upborne
Upon the rising incense-smoke; then spend
Thine ancient love, O Mighty One, descend
To aid me, who without thee am forlorn.” (Stand up and take a step back)
HPS: (Draw Invoking Pentagram of Earth)
“Of the Mother darksome and divine
Mine the scourge, and mine the kiss;
The five-point star of love and bliss -
Here I charge you in this sign.”
HP: (Face the people) “Listen to the words of the Great Mother; she who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride and by many other names.”
HPS: “Whenever ye have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise. For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth and mine is the cup of wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immorality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.”
HP: “Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe.”
HPS: “I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail three not unless though knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, then thou wilt never find in without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”
HP & HPS:
“Eko, Eko Azarak,
Eko, Eko Zomelak,
Eko, Eko, Cernunnos,
Eko, Eko, Aradia!
(repeat 3 more times)
HPS: “Darksome night and shining moon,
East, then South, then West, then North,
Hearken to the Witches’ Rune -
Here we come to call ye forth!
Earth and water, air and fire,
Wand and pentacle and sword,
Work ye unto our desire,
Hearken ye unto our word!
Cords and censer, scourge and knife,
Powers of the witch’s blade -
Waken all ye unto life,
Come ye as the charm is made!
Queen of heaven, Queen of hell
Horned hunter of the night -
Lend your power unto the spell,
And work our will by magic rite!
In the earth and air and sea,
By the light of moon or sun,
As we will, so mote it be.
Chant the spell and be it done!”
CLOSING
By Cricket Raven
As a Wiccan, I feel like a hypocrite when I throw away something that I know could have been recycled. I am not trying to pretend that in a few very recyclable cans did not get thrown out during the attempt to recover my kitchen from Thanksgiving dinner. Not being perfect, I am trying to improve. I am also unfortunately not living in one of the many communities here in Genesee County that has curbside recycling programs. So I had to find locations to take my stuff.
Here is what I found that can be recycled in Genesee County, MI:
* Newspapers
* Newspaper inserts
* Junk mail (no cellophane)
* Magazines & Catalogs
* Office paper
* Computer paper
* Colored paper
* Phone books
* Books
* Corrugated cardboard
* #1 Clear plastic bottles
* #2 Clear plastic jugs
* #2 Colored plastic jugs
* Clear glass
* Green glass
* Brown glass
* Tin cans
* Aluminum cans
* Aluminum foil & containers
* Styrofoam
* Polystyrene #6
* Steel cans
* Batteries - AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt, button cell ($0.10 fee each)
* Car, Lawnmower & Boat batteries
* Motor Oil (limit on free gallons taken, then fee)
* Oil filters (limit on number taken, then fee)
* Antifreeze (limit on free gallons taken, then fee)
* Aluminum
* Copper
* Brass
* Radiators
* Transmissions
* Catalytic converters
* Junk cars
* Television sets -no consoles ($5.00 fee for each)
* Computer monitors ($5.00 fee for each)
* Laptops & Notebooks ($5.00 fee for each)
* Computer Processing Units ($5.00 fee for each)
* Printers ($5.00 fee for each)
* Fax Machines ($5.00 fee for each)
* Copiers ($5.00 fee for each)
* Stereo Equipment ($5.00 fee for each)
* Video Cameras ($5.00 fee for each)
* DVD Players ($5.00 fee for each)
* VCRs ($5.00 fee for each)
Make sure that you clean all household items and remove the lids prior to drop off.
For oil and antifreeze - do not mix with anything.
For electronics - if they are still in working order, donate to a charity
These items are not all accepted at one location. So here are links to find the locations and hours for drop off centers:
http://www.co.genesee.mi.us/gcmpc-plan/
(The information for auto’s are under Hazardous Waste)
Hopefully, I will notice a few more pentacles while dropping off my stuff.
Blessings!!
Cricket Raven
By Cricket Raven
While looking for Recycling centers, I found information from MSU Extension Center on Alternatives to Hazardous Products, and thought I would share.
The following cleaners, aerosols, pesticides and fertilizers can be made from ordinary, non-toxic households products.
HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS
All-purpose cleaner = Mix vinegar and salt; Dissolve 4 Tablespoons baking soda in a quart of warm water; Mix 2 Tablespoons Borax in 3 cups water
Bleach = Use powdered, not liquid bleach. Mix baking soda with water.
Copper cleaner = Rub with vinegar and salt or half a lemon dipped in salt; apply paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice and wipe off after 5 minutes.
De-icer = Substitute sand or kitty litter for salt.
Drain cleaner = Pour 1/2 cup each of washing soda and boiling water down clogged drains; use a plunger or metal snake; flush weekly with boiling water; use a drain strainer.
Fabric softener = Add 1/2 cup white vinegar or 1/4 cup baking soda to final rinse.
Furniture polish = Mix 1 part lemon juice or vinegar with 3 parts mineral or olive oil; Mix equal parts mineral oil with lemon oil or Carnuba wax; (Do not melt over open flame)
Kitchen odors = Place cotton ball soaked in vanilla in fridge or on counter. Sprinkle borax in garbage can.
Laundry detergent = Use soap flakes, with borax and baking soda.
Linoleum floor wax/cleaner = Damp mop with Murphy’s oil soap; one cup white vinegar to two gallons water to remove grease film; polish with club soda; add skim milk to rinse water for shine.
Mildew remover = Mixture of lemon juice and salt, white vinegar and salt or borax and water.
Oil-based paint = Use latex and water-based instead. They don’t require thinners and solvents.
Oven cleaner = Sprinkle on baking soda and water; pour salt on spills while warm, scrub next day; 1/4 cup ammonia placed in the oven overnight; use oven liners.
Rug deodorizer = Sprinkle baking soda, cornstarch or mixture of 1 part borax to 2 parts corn meal liberally on dry carpet. Wait 15 minutes, then vacuum.
Rust stains = Wipe with full strength vinegar or lemon juice.
Silver polish = Soak silver in 1 quart water, 2 Tablespoons baking soda, 1 Tablespoon salt and small piece of aluminum foil; clean with toothpaste and warm water.
Spot remover = Lemon juice; club soda; immediate cold water; paste of corn meal (or starch) and water.
Spray starch = Mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with a pint of cold water in a spray bottle.
Tile walls = Scrub with a paste of borax and water.
Toilet cleaner = Brush with baking soda and vinegar, or borax to disinfect.
Window cleaner = Use 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart water; wipe with newspapers
Wood floor wax/ cleaner = For cleaning: half mineral oil and vinegar solution; mineral oil; Murphy’s oil. For polishing: 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar; 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice; melt one part Carnuba wax into two parts mineral oil.
AEROSOL SPRAYS
Air fresheners = Ventilate; place box of baking soda in enclosed areas; set out vinegar in open dish; fresh flowers and herbs; add cloves and cinnamon to boiling water, let simmer
Deodorants = Roll-ons, creams, sticks, non-aerosol pump type sprays.
Disinfectants = Borax and water; 1 Tbs. bleach to 1 gal. warm water; air out bedding; keep bathrooms dry.
Hair spray = Setting lotions, gels, non-aerosol pump type sprays.
Shaving cream = Brush and shaving soap
PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, FERTILIZERS
Ant spray = Pour a line of cream of tartar, red chili pepper, paprika, or dried peppermint where ants enter house.
Fertilizers = Use peat moss or compost; use organic fertilizers containing blood or fish meal (high in nitrogen) or bone meal (high in phosphorous).
Flea and tick repellent = Feed pets brewers yeast, vitamin B and garlic tablets; sprinkle fennel, rue and rosemary or eucalyptus leaves near pet’s sleeping area; Boil rinds from 2 lemons, blend and rub into pet’s fur and rinse.
Garden pesticides = Use biological controls, such as ladybugs for aphid control; 1/4 cup cayenne pepper in 1 pint water to spray on garden plants.
Herbicides = Hand-pull weeds, mulch or cover garden with plastic in fall to prevent weed seed germination; cultivate with a hoe.
Insect repellent = Put up screens; wear protective clothing; drink brewer’s yeast; plant tansy or marigolds; use lavender oil, “Skin so soft” or some commercial bath oils on your skin.
Moth balls = Cedar chips and newspapers; dried lavender, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns.
Pesticides = Apply soapy water to leaves, rinse.
Roach spray = Put equal parts borax or baking soda in dish with powdered sugar. Make a trap: smear Vaseline around inside rim of jar containing a banana and a ramp with a tongue depressor.
Rodent bait = Get a cat or trap; sprinkle chopped bay leaves or cucumber skins around cracks.
Slug spray = Put beer in shallow pans or overturn clay pots to lure snails; Collect and remove them.
Hope this helps turn some of those Mr. Yucks to Mr. Smiley….(Yes, I just dated myself.)
By Administrator
The Coven of the Raven enjoyed several open rituals last year and intend to add to the list of open gatherings at our beautiful rustic location just north of Flint, Michigan. Mark your calendars for the following dates and we will be sending out notices to everyone on our list and posting details about each event on this site. If you have not signed up for our mailing list yet please do. Just fill in the email box on the left side of the home page under the listing of events.
The following are the open gathering dates for Coven of the Raven in 2007. If you have already been to one of our events, you know where they will be held. If you haven’t, join our mailing list and then you will be sent email when a new event is happening that tells you the exact location.
- Beltane April 28th ( Actual Beltane is on May 1st)
- Mid Summer/Litha June 23rd ( Actual Mid Summer is on June 21st)
- Samhain October 27th (Actual Samhain is on October 31st)
- Yule December 15th (Actual Yule is on December 22nd)
Join with other people of like mind for these special dates. The Coven of the Raven looks forward to hosting our outer circle of friends and family at these open gathering. Let any of your pagan friendly friends or family know about the dates and where to sign up for the list.
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