Ashling Wicca, Book Two

Ashling Wicca, Book Two: New Beginnings

By Aislin

Copyright 2012 Aislin

All images copyright 2012 by Aislin

Published by Tear Drop Books

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

About the Book

Preparing for Magick

The OtherWorld

Cleansing & Consecrating

Elements & Correspondences

Earth Magick

Psychic Skills & Healing I

Divination & Spellcraft I

Conclusion

Appendix A: Book of Shadows

Appendix B: Spellbook

Sources

About the Author

About the Book

Ashling Wicca, Book Two is the second book in the series (just in case that wasn’t perfectly obvious already by virtue of the title). It picks up where Book One left off and continues the spiritual teachings that began with The Basics. This book includes theory, just as the first book did, but also adds more practical teachings to enhance the skills of its students.

Book Two deals with several very specific topics. Deciding on what exactly to include was no easy task. In fact, when I originally wrote the series, it wasn’t a series at all. It was simply one large book that included everything the student of Ashling Wicca would need to complete their entire course of study. It had rituals, tests, exercises, and everything else you’ll find in the Ashling Wiccan series and the accompanying workbooks. The resulting text was over one thousand pages in length. Too long. So I decided to break it up as it made sense and came up with five books, one for each degree of study. This new series took into account that some students may not wish to advance all the way to the final degree of study. So this second book includes all the information a student needs to attain Earth Degree with most Ashling Wiccan covens (usually referred to as rings).

There are a total of seven very interesting units in this book. Preparing for Magick is probably the most necessary chapter in the entire book. It teaches proper breathing, centering, and grounding while also touching on rethinking and affirmative thinking. Finally, the chapter includes a generous section on meditation and a few very basic types of meditation that should be mastered before you move on.

The OtherWorld is a unit that includes only theory. It deals with the levels of the OtherWorld and also explains the Ashling view of the nature of existence. It also contains the very important doctrine of rebirth. Traveling to the OtherWorld is not included here, as it is a more advanced level of spiritual journey than the student is typically ready for at this point. However, it is important to understand the Ashling view of the OtherWorld in order to fully comprehend Ashling Wiccan spirituality.

After so much theory, it’s time for a more practical unit. Cleansing & Consecrating explains the elements and their role in Ashling Wicca. This section also gives the student the elemental meditation, which is quite important when it comes to connecting to the elements and learning to successfully integrate them into practical use. This chapter also provides a formula for creating holy water and instructions for cleansing, consecrating, and charging many of the items and tools you may have gathered during your study of Ashling Wicca, Book One.

Elements & Correspondences further emphasizes the role elements play in Ashling Wicca and provides a list of correspondences to aid in the crafting of spells and rituals. Here the student will also begin working with what Ashling Wiccans call the elemental familiar. Thorough instructions are given to help you find your elemental familiar, including meditations and chants that you might use.

The next section, called Earth Magick for lack of a better title, is certainly interesting. It supplies information on where and how the energies of our planet are found and utilized. It explains how to make rudimentary dowsing tools and allows the student to choose for themselves whether to make use of the energy that can be found by dowsing. And for those students who are unfamiliar with the art of dowsing, thorough instructions are provided.

Psychic Skills & Healing I is, according to many students, the most exciting section of the entire book. It provides the student with an explanation of how to heal themselves, including directions for assembling the most basic of herbal first aid kits. But more exciting than that is the introduction of specific psychic skills. You will learn the basics of shielding and directing energy. This will come in handy in later books and in the exercises provided in Ashling Wicca, Book Two: The Workbook.

The final unit covers the very basics of both spells and divination. Divination & Spellcraft I does not provide a formula for creating a spell, since I believe it is important that you begin to experiment on your own first. However, some guidelines for creating and performing spells are listed so you don’t get into too much trouble. Divination is also covered, but only in general. Specifics and details regarding this matter will be left for another book. You don’t want to get in over your head before you’re ready.

This book, when paired with its companion (Ashling Wicca, Book Two: The Workbook), forms the basis of Wicca 102 within most Ashling Wiccan rings. Upon successful completion of all materials, the student usually qualifies for Earth Degree Initiation into an Ashling ring. Individual covens may have additional requirements, but if you’re practicing as a solitary, you can work almost strictly from these books. But you have to really work through this book and its companion. You have to actually do the meditations and exercises provided in order to progress. It won’t just happen.

It is important to note that this book assumes you are familiar with the material in Ashling Wicca, Book One and Ashling Wicca, Book One: The Workbook. There will be references to information and exercises that were covered in these books, so you really should have read them and worked through them before attempting those things descried in this book.

Now that the basics of the book have been covered, let’s get started.

Preparing for Magick

Before magick can be performed, there are certain techniques that must be learned, techniques that can enhance your ability to work magick and practice your psychic skills. These techniques are not only of use in magick, but in everyday life. It is important to study these, or their equivalent, because some form of control is necessary if any magickal workings are to be successful. You have learned some very basic skills in Book One and its accompanying workbook. Now it’s time to build on that knowledge.

The Witches’ Pyramid

Most rituals and spells would fail dismally if the mind, will, body of energy, and physical body were not properly prepared. One of the ways in which you can prepare is with the Witches’ Pyramid. There are several versions of this, but essentially, the Witches’ Pyramid has a base, four sides, and an interior. The base of the Witches’ Pyramid is knowledge; its interior is love. The four sides are:

Imagination

Will

Faith

Silence

Knowledge

Magickal knowledge can come from so many places. It can come from books. However, books on magick and related topics must be selected carefully. Any book that promises to teach the control or manipulation of others should be discarded. Many books are full of spells and rituals, but some fail to address topics like how magick works, the ethics or hazards of magick, or the principles of magick. It’s best to search for books that have detailed information on how to perform magick, and not simply a list of ingredients and steps for spells.

Knowledge can be gained from talented teachers. Look for someone who has used magick to enhance their own life and the lives of others. An ethical teacher will offer spiritual guidance, but will not dominate or control. He or she will never ask for sexual favors, but will expect their students to work hard for what they want. Most ethical teachers will not charge money for apprenticeship, but it is common to charge for public seminars or workshops. It is also not unreasonable for a teacher to expect to be compensated for materials and possibly their time.

The greatest teacher of magick is nature. There is an infinite amount of wisdom to be found on the highest mountains, the bluest oceans, and the greenest glades. For the magician who is open to receiving its message, nature can be the greatest of spiritual teachers.

Imagination

In order to manifest something in magick, you must be able to imagine it first, to clearly visualize the end goal with clarity. You must be able to see, taste, smell, hear, and feel all the details of the intended spell or ritual. Moreover, you must be able to see all the steps necessary in completing the spell, both magickally and mundanely.

Being able to do this will require skills in the art of visualization. These can be developed in many ways. Meditation is effective, but it can be even simpler than that. Read a book, and practice visualizing every bit of what is described. Take moments from the past day and recreate them using only visualization. For the creative magician, developing the powers of the imagination presents no problem at all.

Will

When discussing the power of will in a magickal sense, I am not referring to desires or whims. Instead, it is the True Will, what really matters to the Higher Self, that we should focus on. It is easier to raise power for something that you feel passionate about, and this is what True Will can identify for it is fire, heart, and passion. Before true magick can be created, you must know what it is you truly want.

The other side of this coin is what is called the Focused Will. Once the True Will has identified the goal, and it has been visualized to its fullest extent, the Focused Will must pursue it. All of the energy that the Focused Will can muster, which is considerable, must be channeled to this one thing alone. This focus will allow true magick to happen.

Faith

Faith in yourself, in your magick is crucial. For the Focused Will to truly pursue a goal, there must be a foundation of belief that it is possible to work magick in the first place. This belief takes both time and experience to build. Start small, setting goals that are easily accomplished. As these things become a reality, confidence and belief will start to bloom.

Silence

The idea of silence in magick can have several meanings. Keeping silent about magickal workings does help avoid needless disbelief and even harassment from others; the true magician has no need to boast about their spells and rituals anyway. Silence, both within and without, is also necessary to become still enough to both sense and use the currents of psychic power that move around you every day. So silence is an important part of the Witches’ Pyramid in more than one sense.

Love

Magick that flows from love is simply more effective than that which flows from hatred. All things are connected, and love honors and cherishes these connections; hatred refuses them. Most everything in magick can be approached from a feeling of love and generosity if you are simply willing to do so. Setting aside anger and fear is never an easy thing to do, but it will enhance the power and quality of your magick.

These six things — knowledge, imagination, will, faith, silence, and love — comprise the Witches’ Pyramid. Master these principles and the power of the Pyramid and its qualities will answer to the magick within.

Breathing Techniques

Discovering how to breathe for meditation and magick can be difficult for some students, but once it is learned, it becomes a natural habit. Breathing correctly is not only helpful in attaining relaxation and preparing the spiritual body. It is also healthy for the physical body. There are even some breathing techniques that are so powerful they can overheat and damage the body, and these should not be practiced without the supervision of a qualified teacher. For safety reasons, potentially harmful breathing techniques will not be explored here. The type of breathing presented here is perfectly save even without the presence of an experienced teacher.

Proper breathing is a discipline of the body. However, the body, mind, and spirit are connection, so breathing correctly allows the mind to enter into an altered state of consciousness. Breathing permits the body to be totally aware. It senses, feels, and hears things it normally would take no notice of.

Without correct breathing, the body tenses, the senses are dulled, but the mind continues at its normal level of functioning. Everything will be turned into the inner self, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but in meditation and magick, awareness is paramount. You have to be connected to your whole self. Without correct breathing, this is not possible. Most people are in this detached state all the time and so cannot connect to either their subconscious self or the Higher Self.

Proper breathing techniques attune the body with its environment, making full use of the lungs and the diaphragm, which is located about two fingers below the rib cage. During this method of breathing, you should push your diaphragm out as you breathe in. Your lungs are able to inhale more air when your diaphragm is extended.

The first few times you practice this, your clothes should be loose and comfortable. Your nostrils should be clear, so if you have a cold or are otherwise ill, you should postpone your practice. It takes a while to really master this technique, even though it’s only breathing, so don’t get discouraged. You will need to practice for many days if you want to get a handle on this method.

Abdominal Breathing and Visualization

To begin, lie on your back. Your spine should be against the floor and your right hand should be palm down on your abdomen, just above your navel. Take care that you are comfortable, but make sure your spine is straight. You shouldn’t lie on a soft bed, but a concrete floor isn’t very comfortable. Try a mat or carpet on the floor. Even a thick quilt will do.

Once you’re in position, place your left hand on your chest just above your sternum. Start to regulate your breathing by inhaling through your nose to the count of four, making sure your right hand rise before your left. This should happen naturally when you’re lying down. You shouldn’t have to force it. Hold your breath to the count of two and then exhale to the count of four. Repeat this twice more, holding your breath for the counts of three and four, respectively. This slows the breath rate and prepares your body.

Next comes the visualization. This is the first step in meditation. When you breathe in, imagine that you are breathing in a white mist. This mist is all the positive things in the world — love, joy, loyalty, friendship, patience, etc. When you breathe out, imagine the mist that emerges from your body is black, distorted with everything unsavory in the world. Hate, pain, fear, anger, impatience, betrayal — it is all expelled in a single breath.

Make full use of your diaphragm while doing this. Remember that when you exhale, your abdomen should fall back towards your spine. Do not exceed 10 minutes of this at the beginning. If you start feeling lightheaded, you are breathing too fast. Slow down a little. If you run out of breath, you are breathing too slowly. Speed it up a bit. It is very important that your breathing is steady and comfortable. The ultimate goal is to be able to breathe this way, even without the visualization, on a continual basis. Eventually, with enough practice, this will become easier, and should even become natural.

This type of breathing will relax your body, enhance your intuition, brighten your mind, and heighten your senses. It will enrich all areas of your life.

Centering

Centering is the process of moving your consciousness to your spiritual center. It leads to a feeling of great peace, calmness, strength, clarity, and stability. There are as many ways to center as there are people who practice the technique, so here you will find only a couple of the most common methods. If these don’t work for you, there are other systems available. These can be found in many other books, or you can do a simple search on the Internet for Wiccan centering techniques and you’ll pull up all kinds of exercises. Some of them will work for you, some of them will not, but you will