The Sabbat of Beltane

Beltane is a Major Sabbat. It is the opposite of Samhain, which has its focus in death. Beltane has its focus in life and fertility.

There are many misunderstandings about witches and our frankly sexual activities, and many of these misconceptions arise from Beltane.

Throughout this writing, you will see many unabashedly sexual references, and references to bodily functions relating to fertility.

If you find such things offensive or embarrassing, I apologize in advance. I would rather be honest about the symbology, even though my own Beltane celebrations are tame enough to hold in a public park.

But this Sabbat is not just about sex. There is a marriage taking place here, between the God and the Goddess.

If you are a solitaire, underage, or just not inclined to much sexuality in your worship, please feel free to focus just on the marital aspects.

Treat Beltane as if you were going to the wedding of some very dear and respected friends, if nothing else. :)

BELTANE (APRIL 30)

In Celtic tradition, the two greatest festivals of all are
Beltaine and Samhain- the beginning of Summer and the beginning of Winter. The original meaning Beltaine was "Bel-fire", Bel being the god of light and fire. The Celts were not very Solar oriented.

The Bel-fires were lit on the hilltops to symbolize the return of life and fertility to the world. Jumping over the fire, or, more practically walking between two Bel-fires brings fertility, good luck or wishes.

"But apart from-or rather, in amplification of- the enactment of the Goddess and God-King mysteries, Beltaine (for ordinary people) was a festival of unashamed human sexuality and fertility. Maypole, nuts and the `gown of green' were frank symbols of penis, testicles and the covering of a woman by a man.

Dancing around the maypole, hunting for nuts in the woods, `greenwood marriages' and staying up all night to watch the May sun rise, were unequivocal sexual activities, which is why the Puritans suppressed them with such pious horror. (Parliament made maypoles illegal in 1644, but they came back with the Restoration; in 1661 a 134-foot maypole was set up in the Strand.)" (WBC p.85-86)

Many of the surnames such as Hodson, Robinson, Jenkinson, Johnson, and Godkin owe their existence to some long-ago May Eve in the woods and a `greenwood marriage'.

A greenwood marriage was a night spent in sexual activity out in the local woods, fields, or anything other than a man-made structure (haystacks don't count!).

A Swedish tradition is to have two people, one male, one female, light the Balefire as a symbol of the union of God and Goddess. (Also gets the fire lit faster)

Let us not forget that this is the Sabbat celebrating the Marriage/Union of the Lord and Lady. Pick many of the traditional wedding festivities and you will find pagan roots you can use to celebrate.

SYMBOLISM

1. EMERGENCE OF YOUNG GOD INTO MANHOOD. THE GODDESS BECOMES PREGNANT BY THE GOD.

2. THE MAY POLE IS A PHALLIC SYMBOL OF THE GOD, AND THE CAULDRON THE SYMBOL OF THE GODDESS, ALONG WITH FLOWERS AND GREENERY.

3. BELTANE MARKS THE RETURN OF VITALITY, PASSION AND HOPES CONSUMMATED

B. THE ALTAR AND CIRCLE

1. IF POSSIBLE, CELEBRATE NEAR A LIVING TREE. EVEN A POTTED ONE BROUGHT INDOORS WILL DO. Okay, so it is your Norfolk pine or bay or ficus, who cares!

2. TOKENS OF THE SACRED MARRIAGE OF THE GOD AND GODDESS SHOULD BE HUNG IN THE TREE. BAGS FILLED WITH FRAGRANT FLOWERS, STRINGS OF BEADS, CARVINGS, FLOWER GARLANDS, ETC. There are always many bridal decorations available in any craft store.

3. FOODS- DAIRY FOODS, MARIGOLD CUSTARD (SEE RECIPES-FOOD "SOLITARY PRACTITIONER"), AND VANILLA ICE CREAM, OATMEAL CAKES. Puddings and pudding cakes, Trifle, asparagus dishes, Brussels sprouts, and spring lettuce salads add taste and texture.

Don't forget a big bowl of strawberries dipped in chocolate or a fruit dip! There are so many recipes in my BOS I literally could not possibly type them all. I recommend several books at the end of this to get started with.

Drinks are just as varied. Besides the May Wine, there is honey mead, fruit juices, teas, and champagne punches (just like the wedding stuff!)

4. CIRCLE AND ALTAR DECORATED WITH FLOWERS. Take a few minutes to use acrylic paints and stencils to create a flower-strewn scene on a white altar cloth, or, if you are REALLY ambitious or skilled with a needle, decorate a white altar cloth with white-on-white embroidery and lace.

A May basket filled with flowers is traditional, as are chaplets worn in the hair of all mothers. (In some covens, it is part of the ceremony to honor mothers in the circle by presenting them with chaplets and baskets of flowers.)

5. ALTAR CLOTH AND CANDLES SHOULD BE GRASS GREEN, SYMBOLIZING GROWTH. If you are using the white-on-white altar cloth, a green table scarf will do. Purchase or make flowered candle rings.

If you are planning to do a wedding theme, go to any good craft store and ask for wedding crafts. You will be amazed at what is possible with tulle, ribbons, beads, pearls and silk flowers! (And these can be used year after year!)

If you are planning on doing the May Day picnic theme, play it up a bit! Get a green-checked table cloth and have the cakes and ale in a picnic basket.

6. THE CAULDRON SHOULD BE IN THE NORTH QUADRANT FILLED WITH FIREWOOD. Remember that the balefire is very important at this time of year! Have two for walking in between or jump a balefire in a pit for prosperity and fertility. This is also good if you have disabled people or animals you wish blessed.

7. MAYPOLE IN EAST QUADRANT. Gross-grain ribbons come in a variety of bright colors and can be used from year-to-year. You will need several yards of each color. A good rule of thumb is at least 6 feet longer than your MayPole. Try to have one color of ribbon for each attendant. Attach the ribbons at the top with small brads.

Some traditions espouse red and white ribbons only in a rather graphic symbology of the loss of virginity. Not surprisingly, the men hold the red and the women the white!

Make Morris dancer bells for your feet by simply stringing bells (you can get them at the craft store too) on a ribbon and tying it around your ankles for lively music when you dance the May Pole.

8. There is a great Beltane Calendar craft idea in The Sabbats by Edain McCoy, ISBN# 1-56718-663-7. It is similar to the old Advent calendar used to keep excited kids busy until Yule, and these functions in much the same way.

C. RITUALS

1. CELEBRATE THE FERTILITY OF THE GODDESS, AND THE SEXUAL ACT THEY PERFORM, GETTING THE (EARTH) GODDESS PREGNANT (RIPE WITH CROPS). Any fertility rite will do, including sex. But don't forget to spread compost and other nutrients on the soil of your garden.

Also, menstruating females are traditionally asked to go out among the crops (your garden?) and, er, bleed politely on the ground. Blood is very good for the soil, but if you find this offensive, go buy bloodmeal from the garden center and spread it as an acceptable substitute.

2. DANCE THE MAYPOLE. A discreetly placed tape recorder with medieval dance music is appropriate. After the dance, admire the beautiful weave created. Each mistake in the weave is divinatory for the coven/family of trouble in the coming year. Count the knots and be prepared.

3. RISE AT DAWN TO GATHER FLOWERS AND GREENERY TO DECORATE THE MAYPOLE, HOMES AND SELVES.

In the Alps, a man would climb the dangerous Alps to gather eidlweiss to present to the lady of his choice. If she accepted the bouquet, they were considered as good as engaged.

Go ahead, wear that loud pin of a violet spray Aunt Mabel gave you that is too garish to wear with your mundane clothes.

4. WEAVING AND PLAITING ARE TRADITIONAL ARTS, TO SYMBOLIZE THE JOINING TOGETHER OF TWO SUBSTANCES TO FORM A THIRD. WEAVE WREATHS OF FLOWERS OR FOLIAGE TO BE WORN THEN USED AS AMULETS UNTIL MIDSUMMER WHEN THEY WILL BE ADDED TO THE FIRE.

Also, take a day to make an herb wreath of living greenery to decorate the outside of the home. Bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks, a vine wreath and a glue gun are all that is needed. Decorate with a ribbon if desired.

A more complex herb wreath is made by taking wire forms and stuffing it with sphagnum moss, then tucking in herb seedlings. You just soak the moss very well before stuffing. Then keep the wreath well misted and hang it in a sunny location outside.

5. CROWN (EITHER OF FLOWERS OR A METAL CROWN) FOR MAY QUEEN. THERE ALSO A JACK OF THE GREEN CROWNED. This is usually the High Priest and High Priestess, but can be anyone elected by the coven.

This is easily accomplished by using florist's foam cut into the shape of a wreath, then tucking in flowers which have been put in tiny florist's vases. Most of this will be available at a craft store too. Save the foam and the vases for the next year.

6. SONG IN BUCKLAND'S "COMPLETE BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT" (Voice hears groans) Sorry, y'all. But it is pretty!

7. TIE A WHITE RIBBON AROUND THE BELTANE FIREWOOD YOU COLLECTED IN MARCH. ADORN WITH WHITE FLOWERS. WHITE IS THE COLOR OF THE GODDESS WHO IS BEING HONORED.

You didn't collect any? No problem. Just try to get good, dried deadfall from the woods or even (if you must) one of those pressed wood logs.

Heat and whip paraffin over a very low heat for a burnable glue to add herbs and flowers to the bundle.

Ribbon remnants are easy to acquire at local fabric shops. Skip the silk flowers, though, no matter how tempting. They stink when burned, ruining the effect.

Also, anything may be purified in the balefire. This is a good time to burn your old, worn out besom or pass through the smoke ritual tools, jewelry, heirlooms and anything that may need cleansing.

8. MAKE A MAY BOWL. PLACE A FEW BLOSSOMING SPRIGS OF SWEET WOODRUFF IN A GLASS PUNCH BOWL AND POUR OVER IT 2 BOTTLES OF WHITE WINE AND TWO BOTTLES OF STRAWBERRY WINE.

ADD A PINT OF HULLED AND WASHED FRESH STRAWBERRIES. ADD SUGAR/SWEETENER TO TASTE, IF NECESSARY. POUR LIBATIONS TO THE GODS. DRINK.

For the children, make strawberry kool-aid and add some strawberries to their punch. For a special addition, add strawberry ice cream.

Something special to do in advance of the Sabbat is to take the children strawberry picking. Not only will you have a great time for a cheap price, but you will have buckets of strawberries to freeze for treats throughout the summer and even into winter. Wash, hull, and pack the strawberries in sugar, then stuff in zippered freezer bags. (Yes, it is that easy!)

9. BLESS A NEARBY WATER SOURCE, SUCH AS A RIVER, SPRING, LAKE OR OCEAN. This can be as simple as tossing your Beltane chaplet in the water after ritual and giving appropriate thanks. Get as elaborate as you wish.

(May I recommend watching that old movie, The Ten Commandments, and noting how the Egyptian priests blessed the Nile?)

10. BECOME ONE WITH YOUR WORKING PARTNER, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY IF POSSIBLE. IN OTHER WORDS, PERFORM A PRIVATE GREAT RITE. I don't care (or need to know) if it is real or symbolic.

Just be aware that the days may be warm, but the nights may still be chilly, so be prepared with a blanket or use the comfort of your own bedroom.

RECIPES

1. Incense: 3 parts Frankincense, 2 parts Sandalwood, 1 part Benzoin, 1 part Cinnamon, a few drops Patchoulli essential oil. This makes an easy powder to throw on a charcoal block or on the balefire.

2. Ritual soap: Add Thyme and rose to an old knee-high stocking filled with those soap slivers you saved. The soap will tempt the fair folk into joining your celebrations, if it is possible.

3. Anointing oil: Add lily of the valley essential oil (no more than 8 drops to 1/8 cup good nut oil like peanut or safflower) and warm slightly. This will provide more than enough to anoint everyone in the circle.

4. Any chocolate recipe is great for Beltane, as is any oyster or other aphrodisiac food. Besides being a frankly sexual holiday, there is also Cinquo de Mayo in Mexico. Chocolate is traditional for that holiday.

I use and recommend Marcel Desaulniers's "Death by Chocolate" cookbooks. They include techniques and explanations to make your chocolate experience truly holy. (grin)

Don't forget to taste the thrill of the grill. If the weather and your situation are right for it, grill out! There are so many things to grill besides hot dogs and hamburgers, I urge you to experiment.

For a special and easy treat for the sensual and the kids, freeze green seedless grapes on a cookie sheet a day or two in advance. Feeding grapes to your working partner can be a great way to get the ball rolling.

As an adjunct to the above for the "I can't boil water without burning it" crowd, may I recommend the new sparkling grape jello products? Make the jello, and put it in your best champagne glasses for an elegant treat they'll think you slaved hours for, even if you just top it with Cool-Whip.

Another Beltane food is cherries. C'mon folks...this isn't hard. A can of cherry pie filling and a pre-made pie shell are all you need. Just follow directions. For the more ambitious, cherry parfaits are a sensual delight.

Bibliography

Besides my own BOS, (sorry!) here are the books I used as references.

A Victorian Grimoire by Patricia Telesco ISBN# 0-87542-784-7 This is the greatest book for references to the unusual and elegant things to do for any time of the year. This is also where the soap recipe can be found.

A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook by Patricia Telesco ISBN# 1-56718-707-2 I found over 20 recipes for Beltane alone before I gave up and decided just to reference this book to you! Each recipe has its own Sabbats and symbologies.

The Sabbats by Edain McCoy ISBN#1-56718-663-7 Great things to do for any and all Sabbats. Recipes here too!

Wheel of the Year by Pauline Campanelli. (Sorry, no ISBN#. My book is on loan) Also look into her "Ancient Ways" book too.

Death by Chocolate by Marcel Desaulnier ISBN#0-8478-15644-1. Actually, there is also a DbyC cookie book out. But this is the one that started it all.

These books alone will give you great celebrations for any Sabbat.

The Practical Pagan- Sabbat Boxes

Do you ever find yourself wondering where you put your Sabbat decorations? Have you even bothered with a collection to use from year to year because it's too much trouble? Stacking Sabbat boxes with drawers are the way to go! They fit neatly in a closet or storage area and keep you from going overboard.

I invested in large plastic storage boxes a while back, and each is labeled with a different Sabbat. I got the ones that stack and have clear plastic drawers. They cost less than $10 each. By using a brand the store keeps in stock at all times, you can go back every couple of months to pick up one or two until you have enough.

All my decorations, recipes and flea market finds appropriate to each Sabbat are stored there. As soon as one Sabbat is done, in the box it goes and the next Sabbat's stuff is out and ready.

I take my books and mark each recipe that is appropriate then spend a few minutes in Kinko's with a friendly copier. Afterwards, the recipes can be put in a binder and stuffed in the appropriate Sabbat box.

If last month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens is still around, cut out the recipes and stuff it in the Eostar box for great recipes and crafts for next year.

I highly recommend subscribing to magazines that offer seasonal things to do. Bon Appetit, Southern Living, and even Good Housekeeping or Woman's Day are good starts and well worth the money spent. You will never run out of great ideas this way.

Those ubiquitous stuffed and ceramic bunnies are on sale in the spring. Grab them and put them in the Eostar box. Don't put perishables like candy in there, but canned goods are fine. Haven't you ever wandered by a sale table and thought, "That would be great for X Sabbat!" Well, grab it if you have the cash. I saw a red goblet one year that was perfect for Mabon (since red is one of the main colors for Mabon) for a mere 50 cents. From the change at the bottom of my purse, I had a great goblet for my Mabon altar!

Another great place to spend a buck or two is the fabric store. I'll go into detail on this later, but you don't have to know how to sew to make great altar cloths. Just look at the seasonal fabrics and grab one yard. Now wander to the notions aisle and pick up a product called Stitch Witch in a roll. With an ironing board and a bit of time, you can have seasonal altar cloths to fit every Sabbat, moon, and special event.

There are Bride books out all the time for Beltane. Grab them and spend time cutting out all those great decorating ideas and recipes. Try those you can and stuff them all in your Beltane box for "goodies" for next year.

The next time you go to the flea market, think Sabbats. Bet you find things like grape-shaped jello molds for Mabon, platters with wheat sheaves for Lammas, and a crazy-looking sunflower vase for Litha. Think about it...

Do this month-by-month and watch your decorating ideas and recipes grow with good seasonal things to eat and do!

Turning a New Leaf

Turning a new leaf

This is the time for visions of a new year... turning over a new leaf. beginning anew. This is the time of year when money is foremost on almost everyone's mind.

Pretty soon, all those W-2's will begin to arrive in mailboxes all over. And it is time to start thinking about your taxes. Most people are not prepared. most of them couldn't find all thier records on a moment's notice.

January and February are financially the worst months of the year. most people have discovered they spent too much money at Christmas and are now trying to figure out how to compensate and pay their normal expenses.

It seems that no matter how much money we earn we can never get ahead. The outlay always equals or exceeds the income. Good financial planning is well within everyone's grasp... With a little time and effort anyone is capable of turning over a new financial leaf.

With a simple plan turning this new leaf, while will take some effort, will be simple and easy to accomplish. There are 7 basic guidelines for a lean bank account and will lead to financial security for the rest of your life.

Imagine not having to worry about how to pay the bills... AND having enough to buy that certain something that catches your eye without having to scheme or deprive yourself of the normal things we all enjoy.

Be skeptical.. I was.. everyone hears get rich quick schemes that never seem to work like they are promised. This is not a get rich quick scheme.. but if followed will lead to a comfortable life with all the amenities we just dream about.

This first guideline WILL be the hardest.. it requires us to break a habit they we acquired as a child. A habit acquired in childhood can be difficult to break.. but it can be done.

We work but yet we have nothing more then the food we eat and the bed we lay in each night.. are we any better off than the slaves of old??? It is not the fat wallet of a rich man that we need but that which keeps his wallet fat.

Income is the solution.. an income that continues to fill the wallet regardless of what we do. The rich are no more deserving, intelligent or honorable then you and I. Luck has nothing to do with it.

Fickle fate is a vicious goddess, who brings no permanent good to anyone. On the contrary, she brings ruin to almost anyone upon whom she showers unearned wealth. They either become wanton spenders or misers.

The only difference between the rich and you and I is that he has learned the secret of acquiring wealth and it begins with a dime.

All men earn money. No matter what your income, by the time you have reached the 30 you have earned enough money to retire. No matter what your occupation, be it slinging burgers or sitting behind a walnut desk.

The road to wealth starts when you decide that a part of all you earn is yours. Not the creditors, or your landlords, it is yours by the right of earning it.

What have you to show for all that you have earned in the last year??? You must pay everyone.. but do you pay yourself also???

If you saved 10% of all you earned in one year.. what would you have in 10 years? You answer one years income.. you are only half right. You forgot the magic of compound interest.

Go ahead.. ask the question that I know is on all your minds. How can I put 10% of what I earn in the bank when I can barely pay all my bills with everything I earn?

But how many times on payday do you go out and "treat" yourself?? A lunch out? A new book? How about treating yourself to a future instead? It won't show up immediately.. it will take some time for the result to manifest.

Go first to your savings account and deposit 10% of your paycheck each payday.. for the first six months DO NOT look at your savings account balance.. File it away sight unseen. In six months I guarantee the balance will bring a smile to your face and put dollar signs in your eyes. But WAIT! there is more..........

Now it is six months later.. you look at the statement for the savings account and immediately start planning what you will buy as a treat for your hard work. But if you spend this amount what have you done for yourself? You now have a new toy but are in the same situation you were six months ago.

You are not done yet. You haven't changed your life yet. You still have the same debts and the same income. Don't confuse necessity with desire. All men are burdened with more desires than they can gratify. Desires are a multitude and those that you can satisfy but a few.

Study carefully your habits of living. Within will be found most often certain accepted expenses that may be wisely reduced or eliminated. Let your motto be one hundred percent of appreciated value demanded for each coin spent.

Budget your expenses so that you have enough money to pay for the necessities, to pay for some enjoyments and to gratify a few worthwhile desires without spending more then nine-tenths of your earnings. Cross out the rest and consider them part of your desires that must wait.

Keep working with your budget, keep adjusting it to help you. Make it your first assistant in fattening your purse. It is not your enemy but your friend in establishing a comfortable life without financial worries.

Therefore, your second guideline for establishing the life you desire is " Control your expenditures and regret not now what desires you can not fulfill but use them as a reward for the future."

Your lean purse is now fatter. You have disciplined yourself and have made a habit of putting away 1/10 of all you earn. You have controlled your expenditures and now live within your means.

Next we will consider how to take your savings and put it to work for you. Increasing your income without you having to lift a finger to do so. The money you have earned so far is but a start to build your fortune.

A man's wealth is not in the coins he carries in his purse nor the size of his bank account, but the golden stream that continually flows and always keeps it bulging.

Investments are the simplest and easiest, usually requiring a phone call and perhaps an hour with those knowledgeable. Always remember "A fool and his money are soon parted"

Be VERY selective in who you choice to assist you in this manner. Would you go to a car dealership for jewels? No you would go to a jeweler. The same is to be said with this matter. Only trust those who make it their business to increase wealth.

Another danger will be friends and family who will use emotional tactics to relieve you of your hard earn future, for your own good of course. They will range from the subtle to the not so subtle. A friend who wishes to start a business he guarantees to thrive.

But what happens when the guaranteed opportunity blows away? Is it your friend who will have worked for nothing? And what of the friend or lover who entices you to spend now what you have earned instead of waiting? You are no better off then before you started. Broke and with the same debts.

This then is the third guideline, "Put each coin to work for you so that it can reproduce and provide the stream to bring you wealth."

Have you ever heard the phrase "There is a sucker born every minute."? Misfortune loves a shining "mark".

Research whoever you choose to help you invest your earnings. It is wise to learn to protect small amounts or money before the gods will entrust you with more.

The first sound principle of investment is security for the original monies invested (principal). Is it wise to be intrigued by larger earnings when your principal maybe lost? I say not.

The penalty of risk is probably loss. Study carefully, to make sure that your original investment may be safely reclaimed. High risk is just that and you stand a greater chance of losing what you have earned.

Better still it is to invest with a reputable company whose business it is to handle money for profit. Such advice gladdens their hearts and possesses a value equal or greater than the sum you invest. In truth it is greater since it will save your coins from loss.

Before you loan your money to anyone, assure yourself of their ability to repay and their reputation for doing so. So that you don't make a present to them of your hard earned future. Always demand collateral valued at least half of the amount loaned.

It takes great discipline to remove the money from easy reach. This will be difficult but remember the sooner you do so the easier your future becomes.

Would you willingly give your hard earned money to another to fatten his purse? Does not paying rent do just that? We pay another for the "privilege" of using their property for a limited amount of time.

Would it not be better to purchase the item for ourselves with a one time outlay rather then a never ending expense with no end in sight? Have you ever borrowed an item from another? You knew it was theirs and that someday it would have to be returned.

Any changes made to the item must be done with the owners consent. Any damage must be compensated for. If the item were yours, any changes you wished to make would depend on nothing but your own desire.

It is not beyond the ability of any well intentioned person to own their own home. Lenders will gladly consider the desires of anyone who seeks home and land for their family. Readily you may borrow to pay for your own home, if you can show a reasonable portion of the necessary sum has been provided by you.

Each payment reduces your indebtedness to the money lender, and in a few years his loan will be satisfied. Then you will be glad that you own your own property and the only cost will be the taxes due each year.

This will greatly reduce your cost of living, making available more of your earnings for pleasures and the gratification of your desires. This, then, is the fifth guideline for a lean purse "Own your own home."

The life of every person proceeds from Childhood to their old age. This is the path of life and no one may deviate from it unless the gods call him prematurely to the world beyond.

Therefore do I say that it behooves a person to make preparation for a suitable income in the days to come, when they are no longer young, and to make preparation for their family should they no longer be with them to comfort and support them.

This lesson shall instruct you in providing a full purse when the time has come that you can no longer achieve the things you did in your youth or when you are chosen to go beyond this world.

The longer these plans are put off, the harder and more expensive they become. One should plan certain investments or provision that may endure safely for many years, yet it will be available when the time arrives which one has so wisely anticipated.

There are diverse ways for a person to provide with safety for ones future. They may provide a hiding place and there bury secret treasure. Yet, no matter with what skill it be hidden, it may nevertheless become the loot for thieves. For this reason I do not recommend this plan.

A person may buy a house or lands for this purpose. If wisely chosen as to their usefulness and value in the future, they are permanent in their value and their earnings or their sale will provide well for this purpose.

Wise thinking people will devise a plan to insure against death whereby they pay in but a trifling sum regularly, the aggregate making a handsome sum for the family when they pass to the beyond. This can be done through 401K's, insurance, Social Security and other programs such as this.

This then is the sixth guideline for a lean purse. Provide in advance for the needs of your growing age and the protection of your family.
Not long ago a young man came to me seeking to borrow. When I asked him why he needed to borrow, he complained that his earnings were insufficient to pay his expenses. I explained to him, this being the case, he was a poor risk for a loan, as he had no way to repay the loan.

I told him what he needed was a way to earn more coins. He explained that he had requested a raise from his boss six times within two months and was turned down each time. Yet he possessed one of the vital requirements to increase his earnings. A strong desire to earn more.

Preceding accomplishments MUST BE desire. The desire must be strong and definite. General desires are nothing more then weak longings. For a person to wish to be rich is of little purpose unless one has a way to acquire the desire.

For a person to desire 5 gold pieces is a tangible desire which he can press to fulfillment. After they have backed their desire for the 5 gold pieces with strength of purpose to secure it, next they can find similar ways to obtain greater amounts and behold they have become rich.

In learning to secure your one definite small desire, you have trained yourself to secure a larger one. This is the process by which wealth is accumulated: first in small sums, then in larger ones as a man learns and becomes capable.

Desires must be simple and definite. The defeat their purpose if they are to many, too confusing, or beyond your training to accomplish.

As a person learns more in his training so does his ability to earn increase. More interest in your work, more concentration on the task, more persistence in your effort will be rewarded without the need to ask for the reward.

The more wisdom we know, the more we may earn. The affairs of people change and improve because keen-minded people seek greater skill in which to better serve those upon whose patronage they depend. Be in the front rank of progress and do not stand still, lest you be left behind.

Many things come to make a man's life rich with gainful experiences. Such things as the following, a person must do if he is to respect himself.

A person must pay his debts with all the promptness within his power, not purchasing that for which he is unable to pay.

A person must take care of their family that they may think and speak well of them.

A person must make a will of record that, in case the Gods call him, proper and honorable division of his property is accomplished.

A person must have compassion upon those who are injured or smitten by misfortune and aid them within reasonable limits. They must do deeds of thoughtfulness to those dear to him.

Therefore, the seventh guideline for a lean purse is to cultivate your own powers, to study and become wiser, to become more skillful, to so act as to respect yourself.

Buy now pay later situations create one of the deadliest pitfalls when trying to secure your future. While useful in an emergency, everyday use of this kind of credit has one of the most debilitating effects on any budget. The interest quickly depletes any reserve you may have.

I am not suggesting cutting the credit cards up.. however take them out of easy reach.. place them in a ziploc bag with water in the back of the freezer... the card is still available but requires thought and more then simply reaching in your pocket to use it.

Impulse buying is one of the biggest drains on any budget. Control the impulse and you control the drain on your budget making your budget easier to follow and allowing your future to become easier to manage.

One of the first things we are taught as a witch is to control our powers... but no one ever teaches us to control our lives and our futures. By extending this control to every portion of our lives, we acquire the capability to control our future.

This provides us with the ability to acquire all we desire and to do so without worry or scheming. All the money spells in the world won't bring about the desired result without some additional effort.

This may seem like a strange class to be taught in a pagan forum.. but what pagan can worship and worry at the same time? Relieving some of the worry allows one to concentrate on other things.

If you would like to learn more please read The Richest man in Babylon by George S. Clason, ISBN 0-452-26725-0.