Treading the Mill

Once you have the compass laid, it is time to begin the magical work. But how does one act when in the circle?  In Wicca movement is always clockwise 'round the circle, but in Traditional Craft movement can be deosil or widdershins, depending on the rite.  Also there is a particular form of movement by which we raise power.  This is known as treading the mill.

Robert Cochrane discusses treading the mill in his typically riddling style in one of his letters to Joe Wilson.  Included below is the text.

This is known as "Approaching or Greeting the Altar". There are many altars, one is raised to every aspect you can think upon, but there is only one way to approach an altar or Godstone. There is a practice in the East known as "Kundeline", or shifting the sexual power from it's basic source to the spine and then to the mind. Cattle use this principle extensively, as you will note if you creep silently up to a deer or cow -- since there is always one beast that will turn its back to you, and then twist it's [sic] neck until it regards you out of it's [sic] left or right eye alone. It is interpreting you by what is laughingly known as "psi" power and that is how an altar is used -- with your back to it, and head turned right or left to regard the cross of the Elements and Tripod that are sacred to the People as the Crucifix is to the Christians.

If this business of cattle and kundalini sound confusing, it's only Cochrane's way of veiling the mysteries.  What he is getting at is that you are simply circling the "altar... of the Elements and Tripod" while looking over your shoulder at the altar.  You would look over your right shoulder to the center of the circle if you are moving clockwise, and over your left shoulder if moving widdershins.

So what is this secret "cross of the Elements and Tripod that are sacred to the People as the Crucifix is to the Christians"?  Cochrane appends a diagram of the device at the end of his letter to Wilson.  It is shown below.

Looks rather ceremonial and pretentious, doesn't it?  Not at all like shamanic, folkloric, Traditional Craft.  Again, this was Cochrane revealing by concealing.  The item that forms the altar in the center of the circle that is as "sacred to the People as the Crucifix is to the Christians" is the stang.  The cross is the base of the symbol for the stang [ + ] and the tripod is the horns of the stang, the three rays of awen [ \|/ ]. Together they create the glyph that Cochrane signs with his name:

So, treading the mill is simply walking around the perimeter of a circle that has a stang raised at its center, while looking directly and intensely at the stang. It is the "crooked path".  The mill can be tread using the lame step, adding honor to Tubal Cain, and special purpose to the use of the staff.

The mill can be danced, although moving through the mill grounds can feel very much like one is hooked up to an old-fashioned mill stone like some beast of burden.  Treading the mill sometimes feels very much like walking against a swift current.

It can be helpful to sing or chant together in order to keep rhythm.  Collected below are some mill songs, some of which we have written ourselves, others which are traditional.

The Mill of Magic

Fire flame and fire burn, make the Mill of Magic turn.
Work the Will for which we tread by the Black and White and Red.

Earth without and earth within, make the Mill of Magic spin.
Work the Will for which we tread by the Black and White and Red.

Water bubble, water boil, make the Mill of Magic toil.
Work the Will for which we tread by the Black and White and Red.

Air breathe and air blow, make the Mill of Magic go.
Work the Will for which we tread by the Black and White and Red.

Power of the Elements

Power of Sky and power of Wind and power of Air the North doth send,
We tread the Mill to work our spell, both by your Breath and by out Will.

Power of Spark and power of Fire, power of all our hearts' desire,
We tread the Mill to work our spell, both by your Flame and by out Will.

Power of Ice and Water free and power that hides in depth of Sea,
We tread the Mill to work our spell, both by your Wave and by out Will.

Power of Stone and power of Land and power of rich Soil in our hands,
We tread the Mill to work our spell, both by your Earth and by out Will.

Lady Weave

Lady weave the Witches' fire
'Round the ring of Caer Sidhe's spire,
Earth and Air and Fire and Water
Bind us to you.

Basque Akelarre Chant

Har har, hou hou!
Eman hetan!  Eman hetan!
Har har, hou hou!
Janicot! Janicot! Janicot! Janicot!
Har har, hou hou!
Jauna Gorril, Jauna Gorril,
Akhera Goiti, Akhera Beiti.

A very rough translation of which is:

White Worm, White Worm!
Look ancients, look ancients!
White Worm, White Worm!
Black-Goat-God! Black-Goat-God! Black-Goat-God! Black-Goat-God!
Look ancients, look ancients!
Red Lord, Red Lord,
Goat above, goat below.

Apparently it was popular with some older curveens to dance the mill with their back to the stang, as is shown in this woodcut from 1594 of a sabbat at Treves.  You can see the dancers in the red box.

This sabbat's stang is alluded to by the enthroned goat with a flaming torch on his head, reminiscent of the stang, Janicot, and Baphomet.  Indeed, I wonder if this was once the way sabbats were held, with a horned God enthroned overseeing the proceedings in place of the stang?

Laying the Compass

(This post has been edited, as of Oct 12, 2013 to reflect how we have grown into the laying of the compass.)

Most modern witches have been taught to work in a circle.  The circle is an organic shape that places each of its members as equals.  Energy flows smoothly when directed in a circle, and the circle serves as both container and barrier for various energies.

In our tradition we also work in a circle, although its creation and its purpose differ from the Wiccan circle.  Whereas Wicca has been influenced by Ceremonial Magical traditions to cast a circle to serve as a metaphysical protection from outside energies, we view the circle as a kind of cauldron. It is a container to intensify and direct energy from.

Wiccan circles are cast three times, once with salt and water, once with fire and incense, and once with steel (an athame or sword). Our circles are cast by calling in the three spheres/circles of power and protection -- the Realms, the Gates (Quarters), and the Castles (Watchtowers).

The cutting of the boundary is less important than the laying of the compass.  By laying the compass we invite the wards and energies of all of the realms and directions to be present in our circle. In our tradition we base the laying of the compass on our year wheel, and we call Powers that lie opposite each other as a pair. So for example, when calling the Gates, we call North, then South -- both being called toward the center of the circle. Thus, they form a road or an energetic pathway, with the Stang as the center point. The we would do the same with East and West, which creates two crossed roads.

We begin at the center of the compass and raise the stang.  The stang serves as the world tree and connects the three realms of upper, middle, and lower.  If we are going to voice the calls, we speak an evocation to the 3 Realms -- Upper, Middle, and Lower. At the base of the stang is the oath stone, or anvil.  It is on this stone that we make our blood oaths to the tradition and through which we call forth Tubal Cain.  Near the oath stone are the cauldron and the skull.  These represent the mysteries of life and death, and tie us to our ancestors.  Also placed at the center of the compass are the personal fetishes of each member of our Clan, and the three knives.

With the raising of the Stang and the calling of the Realms, the 1st Circle is cast.

Then we begin calling the next circle, which can either be the Elemental Gates or the Castle-Watchtowers. This really is up to you (or perhaps you will base it on the time of year. We often begin with whichever part of the Year Wheel we are actually in  -- so, Castle Perilous would be the first thing called, if we were closest to the Fall Equinox, West Gate if we were at Samhain. If you call a Castle, its opposite across the Circle should be next, followed by the remaining two Castles. The same philosophy applies to Gates. Call them as opposite pairs, as siblings, as light and dark halves of each other.)

For this example, we are going to call the Gates as our 2nd Circle, beginning in the North.

At the north gate are placed the staves of the coven, along with the spear, and the troy stone, or gate stone. Also at this gate are symbols of the Black Goddess (including a lily) and totemic pieces associated with her.  Thus, an owl's feather, fur from a cat, and a stave of willow are all acceptable here. Any tools associated with air are kept at this gate, such as the censer if one is used. If the scourge is to be used it is also placed at the north gate.

The south is the gate of the White Goddess.  At her gate are placed red roses.  The weapon kept here is the targe, tool of earth.  The binding cords and the bread for the red meal are placed at this gate.  Horsehair, apples, and swan feathers are all symbols for this gate.

In the east are the tools of fire.  Here we place the blacksmith's trade (hammer and tongs) and keep a bonfire burning, if we are outdoors.  The coven sword is here, as is appropriate to a weapon of steel. This is the home of bull, hawthorn, and bee, so offering of honey, or mead in cow horns is appropriate. Also kept here are offerings for Tubal Cain, such as dark beer.

The west is the gate of water.  It is the quench tank of Tubal Cain. Representations of water are placed here, along with toad, and crane. Elder is only brought into the circle for certain dark magics.  The weapon of this gate is the helm, and the masks of the Clan are kept here.

Whether you speak words, silently call, dance, etc. is up to you. But having called the Gates, the 2nd Circle is now cast.

Now, we call the 3rd and final circle, that of the Castles.

At the north-east is the Castle of Revelry.  Here we place the lantern of inspiration and the broom. The totems are hare, birch, and goose, so a goose feather, a rabbit's foot, and some birch bark are all good to place here.  Also, if you can procure a model of a castle painted gold it would be well to place it here.

In the southwest is kept the silver chalice or quaiche, along with the red wine that it will hold.  Hawk feathers, vines, and representations of the boar or sow are also placed here.  The Castle Perilous is represented in miniature as a castle painted black with red accents.

At the northwest corner is the Glass Castle.  It is represented by the serpent's egg, or glass orb.  The totems are goat, holly, and wren.  Tools of divination are kept in this castle.  It would be nice if you can find or commission a small castle made of blown glass to place here.

The south-east is the home of the Stone Castle.  The stone bowl and the casting stones are kept here, along with stag horns, acorns, and oak staves.  A model fortress painted grey, or appearing to be made of stone, is placed here.

The 3rd Circle is now cast, at which point we usually acknowledge once more the center-point of the Compass, the Stang, the Spiral Castle, which opens into every place and is at the crossroads.

Thus is the compass laid. It may be as elaborate or as spartan as your tastes and needs dictate. Although the instructions above explain the placement of all of the gates, treasures, tools, weapons, and totems, simply treading the mill once and acknowledging the four gates and the four castles, along with their rulers, is enough to lay the compass.

Scrying

A crystal ball used for scrying

Scrying is the technique of gazing into an object such as a crystal ball or mirror for the purposes of divination. Anyone can learn to scry, but, like most things, it takes a little practice at first. The amount of time you use for scrying can vary from a few minutes to half hour.   

Scrying is comparable to meditation, and is most easily performed by individuals familiar with meditation techniques and working with their intuition.

Dim the lights of the room and set the scrying object in front of you. Relax your eyes and gaze steadily into the surface of the tool. Do not worry about if you are staring "correctly", rather, if you need to blink, blink! If you feel your gaze shifting, allow it to happen. Stay relaxed, and stay focused on your question.

Typically a mist will seem to form on the surface of the object, almost as if a veil is being lifted before your eyes. It is important to not become too excited at this occurrence, rather you should strive to remain calm and focused. Eventually, the mists will clear, and you should be able to pick out shapes or images in the scrying surface. These images may appear as crude symbols, or occasionally with the clarity of a photograph.

Although you will actually see these images with your eyes, what has happened is that the images themselves begin to form in your mind via your intuition. As this stage progresses, you will no longer see the images projected onto the scrying surface. Rather, you should allow your attention to focus on these mental images.

As the images become clearer, you will find that you know things about what you are seeing. Background information will come to the surface of your mind. Pay attention to what you know about the images you are seeing. This stage is marked by astral impressions, which is evident by the dreamlike quality of the state.

Tools used for Scrying

Although the crystal ball is the immediate tool that comes to mind when visualizing a scrying witch, it is far from the only one available. Other methods of scrying include:

A scrying mirror is a concave glass painted black on the reverse side.

•  Water in a black bowl or cauldron
• Scrying Mirrors
• Crystal Balls and/or scrying stone jewelry (also known as a keek stone)
• Fire/flames
• Incense smoke

Beginners to scrying may find it easiest to scry from fire or smoke, or to add a silver coin to a the back bowl of water. These methods allow a point of focus, depth, and in many cases movement which lulls the intuitive mind into a working state.

Scrying Tips

Following the candle scrying ceremony outlined here, relax your eyes and stare at your face in the mirror. Your face will darken, as with shadows, and will shift shape. This is extremely useful for past life work.

When scrying with a crystal ball, it is useful to hold the ball in one or both hands with a piece of black velvet behind it. It may also be helpful to turn the ball occasionally.

Links and Link Cutting

Magical links are threads of energy fed through the astral that connect each of us and affect us in diverse ways. Links can be formed through repetitive action, great emotion, or an act of Will or magic.

While we were in the womb the first link, the umbilical cord, was formed. At birth that first cord is cut, and we become an independent life. As children we have other links, such as those to our parents and our parents to us. As we develop the links are broken or cut and new links form. As we grow into adults our links with our parents evolve into a basic heart link. As we form relationships new links form, and if they are heart links they are almost always healthy. Heart links make us more caring and give us a feeling of connection.

Some kinds of links are not as healthy. In most people there is often a tangled mess of links weighing them down,  hindering them from life. Links to our hands and feet prevent us from acting of our free will. Links to the back, knees elbows, and navel are some of the links that remain from over protective or manipulative parents. There are links from lovers past and present, If these are heart links they are good but most are there to control or manipulate us. We can and do form links to the people we fear or dislike most either by accident or in misplaced efforts to control them. Remember that all links go both ways. Negative links are draining on us and can hold us back from our potential. Link cutting is a powerful and transformational ritual in which we dispose of all negative or unnecessary links.

Every time we do spell craft or send a thought form we are connected to the work by a link. It is through this link that magical returns travel, be they good or ill. These links can be formed purposefully to weave fate.

A blood link is permanent and cannot be cut. Blood links cannot be created without your knowledge and consent. They are used for some handfasting rites and for initiation into the lineage of certain traditions of the Craft. The blood link, or red thread, connects a witch to the ancestors, gods, and mighty dead of the tradition.

The Rite of Link Cutting

You will need: The black handled knife, salt and water, a besom.  You must be skyclad.  It is best to do this ritual with a partner, who can assist you with hard-to-reach links, and act as a second set of eyes for any lingering links.

To begin cast a lay the compass and cast a circle.  Sit quietly and breathe deeply.  Sense your etheric body.  Feel and/or see the links in your energy field.  Some links may be heavy cables, others may be as fine as spider webbing.

When you are open to sensing the links, you may begin by taking up the athame and dragging it like a razor just over the surface of your skin.  Imagine you are shaving away the links.  When the athame gets too full of psychic sludge, simply shake it off and rinse it in the salt water.

You may find that certain links are too thick to cut through cleanly.  These will require you to pull them out by the root, just as you would pull a stubborn garden weed.  If after pulling a deep link you feel a psychic tear in your energy field, simply cleanse the area with salt water. This will patch up any holes in your aura left by links.

Link cutting can be stressful and emotional work.  Remember, each of these links is there for a reason!  Some of them may have been draining you for years.  You may feel a great catharsis after cutting a particularly deep link.  This is another reason it is best to perform this ritual with a trusted partner. They may be able to help you through your potential emotional upheaval.

The final link to be cut is the one leading out of the mouth and down into the digestive tract.  This link is kept for last as it is a very painful and exhausting link to remove.  Gagging and nausea are common side effects.

After you have completed the business of link cutting you will notice that the circle you are in is filled with psychic sludge that you have cast off.  Take up the broom and sweep up the sludge.  You will notice that, remarkably, the sludge does not adhere to the besom. Sweep it right through the boundaries of the circle and though your home out the back door.  Toss the salt water after it.  Return to the ritual area and take the circle down.  Rest.  The ritual is complete.

Note: After this ritual you will want to do immediate blade care on your athame, as the salt water can damage the blade.

The Witch's Library

I'm a librarian by trade, so surely you knew this post was coming eventually.

There are hundreds of books about witchcraft available on the market today, and it can be difficult to sort out the useful works from the tripe!  Complied below is a list that I personally recommend for beginning witches, or those looking to expand their knowledge of Craft.  This is by no means a complete list, as I can only recommend those books which I myself have read and gleaned some good from.  Please add your own suggestions in the comments.

Books Central to Our Tradition
These writings are recommended to anyone who seeks to practice AFW.

The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth by Robert Graves
Call of the Horned Piper & Masks of Misrule by Nigel Jackson
The Writings of Roy Bowers (Robert Cochrane)
The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Wright

Trad Craft Basics
These books will give you a good introduction to Traditional Witchcraft practices.

The Roebuck in the Thicket by Evan John Jones & Robert Cochrane, editor Mike Howard
Witchcraft: a Tradition Renewed by Doreen Valiente and Evan John Jones
The Forge of Tubal Cain by Ann Finnin
Grimore for Modern Cunning Folk by Peter Paddon
The Witching Way of Hollow Hill by Robin Artisson

General Witchcraft
These books, combined with a few others from each section will give you an excellent foundation in Craft.

Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks & Covens by Paul Huson
The Rebirth of Witchcraft, Witchcraft for Tomorrow, & Natural Magic by Doreen Valiente
Witches All by Elizabeth Pepper
Witchcraft: a Mystery Tradition by Raven Grimassi
Wheel of the Year by Pauline Campanelli
Courting the Lady: A Wiccan Journey, Book One: The Sacred Path by Patrick M. McCollum

Wiccan Classics
These books are unabashedly Wiccan, in the sense that they can trace their way back to the practices of Gerald Gardner.

High Magic’s Aid, Witchcraft Today, & The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner
The Witches' Way, Eight Sabbats for Witches (available collected as A Witches' Bible), The Witches' God, & The Witches' Goddess by Janet & Stewart Farrar

Craft History
Many of these books were inspiration for the modern Craft movement.

The Triumph of the Moon-A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft & Stations of the Sun by Ronald Hutton
Aradia or the Gospel of the Witches of Italy by Charles G. Leland (Pazzaglini Translation)
The Golden Bough by James George Frazer
Gods of the Greeks by Karl Kerenyi
The God of the Witches by Margaret Alice Murray
Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath by Carlo Ginzburg and Raymond Rosenthal

Totemic Information
If you want to know more about the totems of our tradition these are a great place to start your research.

Tree Wisdom: The Definitive Guidebook to the Myth, Folklore, and Healing Power of Trees by Jacqueline Memory Paterson
The Celtic Tree Oracle: A System of Divination by Colin Murray, Liz Murray and Vanessa Card
Druid Animal Oracle by Philip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm and Bill Worthington
Sacred Mask Sacred Dance by Evan John Jones and Chas Clifton
Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Spellcraft
When you want to work magic this is where you should start.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs & Book of Incense Oils and Brews by Scott Cunningham
The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft & The Element Encyclopedia 5000 Spells by Judika Illes
A Century of Spells by Draja Mickaharic

I also suggest you explore these trad-craft reading lists to inspire further book lust:
Probus Lecto: a Clan of Tubal Cain reading list
The Witch of Forest Grove's suggested reading list (Sarah Lawless also writes Pagan Bookworm, a witchy book-lover's blog)
The Ancient Keltic Church's reading list
Traditional Witchcraft Research Network reading list
The House Shadow Drake reading list
The White Dragon recommended reading list