Teacher's Homestead... Lovely View

Raven on blogspot & recent history

I'm so glad to see Raven on blogspot!
and, as always, his insights are worth sharing.

Who are the real Strega?

Raven Grimassi answers this question on his new blogspot blog.

Words of Aradia: Arranged for Teaching

The Foundational Tenants:
Concerning Nature
Concerning the Earth

The Cycle of Being:
Concerning Life
Concerning Death
Concerning Rebirth
Concerning the Act of Rebirth
Concerning Luna

The Gods and Worship
Concerning the Gods
Concerning the God
Concerning the Goddess
Concerning the God & Goddess
Concerning Worship

Love and Freedom
Concerning Freedom
Concerning Love
Concerning Sexuality
Concerning Marriage

Worship and Magick
Concerning the Law of Return
Concerning the Astral Plane
Concerning the Elementals
Concerning the Grigori
Concerning Magick

Parting thoughts
Concerning the Prophecies
Concerning Christianity

Why Stregheria is for Heterosexual Pagan Men

Wierd title huh? I'm actually counting on the power of google and the Gods to get heterosexual men to take a look at Stregheria as a potential pagan tradition. So I intentionally crafted the title and lit a candle.

First let me make one thing perfectly clear: Stregheria isn't only for Heterosexuals. Please take some time to look at and think about Aradia's Words concerning sexuality.

But this is a tradition that works best when there are an equal number of heterosexual men and women in a group. From Shadowfest until May Day the God rules and the High Priest leads the rituals. In our rituals men and women often come together to honor and bless each other. Sexual energy and tension is a part of our worship and the power we raise. Our initiations require males initiate females and females initiate males. We understand the wholeness of Deity but because we are human we conceive of Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess.

Without few good pagan men, Stregheria as I have been taught it will fall deep into the hidden shadows. I don't want that.

Take a look at an interview I did with Christopher Blackwell in the Fall of 2008 and if you are interested dig around this website a little.

College of the Crossroads

A Course of Study in which you get "one-on-one" time with Raven Grimassi as well as community through a "membership only" Group list is available via "The College of the Crossroads".
Here is the link to the info if you want to check it out.

Learning from other paths and finding truth

Last fall 2008, I gave an interview to Christopher Blackwell, the moderator of the Paganmen list. Christopher's next newsletter was mostly one on Heathenry or about those I have refered to as Norse Practioners. They have a list called HeathenNation. This list is a bit like our LaVecchia *was*. It is composed of many members who, while praticing the "same" tradition, may not think or do all the same things. Raven Grimassi gave an interview in Christopher's next newsletter.

Why am I on the Paganmen list? Because we are looking for Paganmen (and women) and a way to grow our tradition.

Why am I on the HeathenNation list? Because they are looking to create a common area for practitioners and advance their tradition.

Maybe some of you out there remember what those eMail lists of the early 90s were like. Maybe you all remember what the lists were like before the American Tanaric Clan united under Umbrea & after. Maybe you don't. But what I see on HeathenNation is the same type of stuff that "we" (either members on those first lists of the 90s or as a Clan or as members of LaVecchia who were sharing with a large Pagan/Streghe audience) went through. They are in a period of intense activity and development. The discussions on HeathenNation are as detailed and passionate as ours were. There are obviously groups of individuals who are more alike and aligned with each other than others. There are those who have "special interests" (carving or a facination with a "Russian" heathen, or scientific studies in archeaology or DNA) and there are those who are mythos maniacs - I love those folks. And sometimes the variety of folks on the list butt heads. But they talk. It looks like they mostly use their own secular names and not just pagan names, which I find facinating. They disagree, sometimes vehemently but usually in a detailed and respectful way. I watch them and I can see them learning and I remember what it was like for us... What to say? How to say it? How much of it to say to those who are not "your people". The difference I think is that their Way places critical importance on "troth". Truth, honesty, fortrightness. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Respectfully. Doing honor to the Gods and to yourself and your "friends" (and this word is not used lightly). Any "Agendas" in these groups tend not to be hidden. The issues ... all of any of the issues... get placed on the table, discussed, worked out and through. These "Ways" (of interacting, of troth) are the ways that my birth family taught me. HeathenNation is definately NOT lacking in activity. But I ask myself will it last? Will they burn themselves out or will the activity rate continue? I think they will continue. I think this because they are composed of groups of larger groups (essentially their organizational approach is different than Clan but like LaVecchia without the malicious infighting). I think this because it seems that each group's link to their larger history seems stronger than what I saw on LaVecchia. I think their percieved strength of this link to their history is what allows them to feel strong enough not to *need* to take someone else (who's opinion may differ) "down". They do not seem to suffer from if "yours" is good then it diminishes "mine". Which was a lot of what seemed to go on, on LaVecchia. They are also more focused. They are not watered down by neoWiccans looking for Italian seasoning, all the while not sure how good the basil bush really is. They are fully commited to Heathenry, which while Pagan, is so very NOT Wicca. And this NOTWicca, aspect of Heathenry is what draws me to watch and learn. Again I think they will last. BUT only time will tell. What I want is to find a way to "get some of what they have" for US.

LaVecchia is quiet. Is it dead? Is Stregheria going to become either an underground pagan tradition or watered down Italian Wicca? I don't know. What I do know is that the lack of activity on LaVecchia makes me think that Raven's books on Italian Witchcraft created a pool of energy for people who were/are seeking. What I fear is that rather than finding a way to be true to "our" history, mythos, WAYS, that we have/are being drowned in a sea of watered down neoWicca. NeoWiccan for me is both a blessing and a curse. Did anyone see The Good Witch or The Good Witch's Garden on Hallmark this weekend? NeoWicca/NeoPaganism is a blessing because it brings our values into the mainstream and I think the mainstream needs MORE "Pagan" values. It is a curse because it waters down who and what we are so that the masses can understand and not be fearful. I think more and more that the key to our survival is to be unique, be specific, be who we are, right out there for everyone and anyone (Wiccan, neoWiccan, Pagan, Chritian, non-believer...) to see and let the cards fall where they may.

And this is why I have this blog. Because it is in this space that I can be WHO I am as a Strega. This is where I can put out the foundational tenants of our Ways. If others find this and are interested, Fine. If it is not for them, that is fine too. I am not looking to be popular, but true to what I know is true. How very "german/norse/heathen" of me. My maternal grandmother is probalby both proud of me and rolling in her Christian/Germanic grave.

Obama's Mama

My first husband was black. That's what his birth certificate said. His older brother was, again according to his birth certificate , black. His older sister was white. His younger brother white as well. His parents were of notable Free People of Color families from Natchitoches (Nack-a-tish was how they said it), LA. They came to New Orleans in their 20s. To look at any of them you would probably think Hispanic before you'd think black. Thick wavy black hair was a primary and beautiful family trait. But line their family up with other branches of the family tree and their history was easily deducible.

Obama's Mama was white. His father was a black African. So I wondered what does his birth certificate actually say? In Louisiana it would have said White or Black. In Hawaii it appears that it doesn't say either. It says his Mother was Caucasian and his Father was African.

If you ran into Obama, before he became famous, you'd probably say he was black. His family looks black. Michelle Robinson Obama's family looks black. I do not doubt, that despite his unusual upbringing by his interesting mother and amazing grandparents, he has had a African American experience in America. There is little anyone who appears black can do to avoid this not usually all good experience.

I am pleased and proud that Black Americans have Obama to look up to and inspire them. But I am also pleased and proud, as a white woman, that Obama's mama did the job she did raising him. It is my fervent hope that this unique cross cultural man and his family can bridge gaps and heal some of the wounds of history.

Where I've been

Provided because travel is a teaching and learning tool.


visited 47 states (94%)
Create your own visited map of The United States


visited 21 states (9.33%)
Create your own visited map of The World

Interview with Raven Grimassi

Please see this interview with my initiators' teacher: Raven Grimassi.

I am honored to be able to say that I know and have spent quality time with Raven. I will always appreciate that he has shared with me the teachings he and his family have preserved from the past.

Thanks very much to Christoper Blackwell for the interview and for publishing it online for all to see.


Interview with Raven Grimassi Religious Writer, Lecturer and Witch
By Christopher Blackwell

Raven Grimassi brings to mind of a variety of things. Founder of the Aridian Tradition of Stregheria, a researcher of Italian Witchcraft, he has studied and practiced several Wiccan traditions. He has been a constant student and teacher. He refuses to call himself a scholar, despite lifelong study and prefers calling himself a religious writer. He freely shares what he has learned by both giving lectures and workshops on what he has learned.


Yet any attempt to pin him with a label usually sets you up to discover that he does not neatly fit into the box you tried to put him in. To some, he is controversial, at least when his opinion differs from theirs, nor does he back off from what his own studies seem to reveal.


Christopher: You got an early start on your study of Italian folk magic and Witchcraft?


Raven: Yes, I grew up under the influence of what I now call peasant witchcraft. My mother was a war bride who came to the U.S. from Italy at the close of World War II. She brought with her the basics of the tradition I that I learned. Other relatives in Italy were instrumental in revealing deeper levels, and from this I created the Aridian Tradition of Italian witch. This is the published material, which is different in many ways from what I teach my initiates, and I personally practice.


Christopher: You then explored several varieties of Wicca as it developed?


Raven: Yes, I first became aware of Wicca in the summer of 1969. I encountered a young woman who worked at an herb shop in San Diego. Through her I was introduced to a series of people, and later initiated into a coven. This group claimed descent from Gerald Gardner, but this eventually proved to be false.


I also studied Wicca under Lady Sara Cunningham in the 1970s. In time I was connected with a group calling itself Brittic Wicca, and I was initiated into this tradition. Years later I was asked to become guardian of a Book of Shadows from the Pictish-Gaelic belonging to a friend who facing an early death. This position required initiation and so it was done.


Christopher: Yet in the end you came back to Strega and developed your Arician Tradition


:Raven: Yes, and I guess the old saying is true that “there’s no place like home.” The Arician Tradition, unlike the Aridian Tradition, is an initiate system. My published material is Aridian, not Arician.


Christopher: You’ve been regarded as a controversial figure, particularly in connection with Italian Witchcraft. Why do you believe this is?


Raven: It’s true that some people are skeptical and critical of my writings on the Italian Craft. They’re a relatively small band of people compared against the number of loyal readers who continually support my work. But like most critics the skeptics are quite vocal. The members of one group took it upon themselves to generate a campaign against my writings in many forums on the Internet. Sadly, this is a campaign of misinformation and misrepresentation. And unfortunately there are some people who believe whatever they read on the Internet.


But I suppose this is the fate of anyone who is a public figure. For some reason certain people enjoy fabricating negative tales, and other people appear eager to believe the worst about another person.


So, I just keep on living my passion and writing about what I believe in. That seems to be a reasonable way to spend my days in this lifetime.


Christopher: Wicca and Witchcraft, the endless controversy over what each is and how they relate to each over and what they are becoming - this seems to be an endless argument in Wiccan circles. Perhaps you could give our readers a brief idea of your views?


Raven: Well, back in the 1960s, Wicca and Witchcraft were one and the same. The words were interchangeable. This seems to have divided sometime in the 1980s. Wicca began to be viewed as the religion and Witchcraft was depicted as a magical craft. The next phase ushered in the notion that Wicca was something new, and many people considered it to be the invention of Gerald Gardner and his cohorts. That’s not a view I share, but it does seem clear that he added elements that didn’t come with the original system.


I see Wicca as a British version of Witchcraft, and one that has evolved over the years. I see Witchcraft as the magical and spiritual tradition of a pre-Christian European sect. Every region in Europe had its “witch people” and I believe these individuals served as a sort of tribal priestess and priest, and as a form of shaman.


Christopher: I noted one of your books is about helping the eclectic Wiccan or Witch on how to get their new tradition organized and functional. Is this similar to the method you used in putting together your own Aridian Tradition of Strega?


Raven: In a sense I suppose it is. I am interested in foundational material, and I used this to construct the Aridian and Arician systems. This was also my approach to writing my new book, “Crafting Wiccan Traditions.” I gathered the foundational material and the commonality of Craft traditions, and organized it into the book. This way people can look at elements of the entire Craft and see how everything fits together and functions.


Christopher: You wrote a book that tried to explain some of the energies used in working magic. I don't think I have heard much on the whys and wherefores of energy work before.


Raven: Right, and it’s also that many people don’t seem to care why something works. They just want it to work. But you see, in knowing why something works you can construct your own rituals and spells. If you don’t know why, and you don’t understand the inner mechanism, then you’ll always be reliant upon the people who do.


Christopher: How can people learn more about you your books, your traditions and upcoming events and that you will lecture or give workshops at?


Raven: There are several Internet sources for this information

http://www.ravengrimassi.net
http://www.ravensloft.biz
http://www.stregheria.com


Christopher: Anything new on the horizon that you would to let our readers know about?


Raven: I do have two projects underway. One is a new book tentatively titled, “The Cauldron of Knowledge.” It’s about how to retrieve ancestral knowledge & wisdom through the memory passed to you in your DNA. The book will most likely be available in the Fall of 2009.


The other project is a book tentatively titled, “The Witches’ Lore: A Compendium of the Works of Charles Leland on Italian Witchcraft.” I’ve been writing this book for many years. In addition to presenting what Leland wrote about Italian Witchcraft in several of his books, I also present commentaries on the topics. This helps flesh them out more, and I also include ethnographic support for the things he wrote about.


Christopher: What would you like to see modern Pagans accomplish that we have not yet done?


Raven: Move from tribal to a “united nation” of tribes. You see, history tells us that tribes are easy to conquer because they fight among each other. This weakens them and diverts their resources. The ancient Romans knew this when they fought the Celts, and the U.S. cavalry knew this when they battled the American Indians. Well, today there are people who oppose Paganism and everything under that umbrella, and they also know the principle of divide and conquer.


I think it was Benjamin Franklin who once said, during a meeting to plan the Revolutionary War against Britain, “If we do not hang together then we shall certainly hang separately.”


That’s something to think about.


Christopher: Thank you for taking the time for this interview.


Raven: I appreciate the opportunity. So, thank you very much for making this happen.

Teachers

Any one who wishes to become a student working toward initiation, must read the "Beginner's Training Manual" - Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi. So if you have an interest, read this book completely, think about the concepts and have questions ready before you look for a teacher. It has been my experience that one cannot be a partial Strega or Stregone. One either is or is not. There are many paths, this is but one.

Studying with a teacher typically means being willing to start fresh. Please be aware that what is published is more of an "outer court" introduction to Stregheria. The initiate Ways are taught by the teacher, and they DO differ from the books. Everyone comes to a tradition with experience and history. Some come with unpleasant baggage from other traditions. Some come with a wealth of positive experiences that may be different from what we practice. Everyone starts anew.

One becomes a member by being initiated into the Tradition by a Priest or Priestess after having dedicated to our ways and completed a course of study. As a Mystery Tradition we can only be taught by a Priest or Priestess and yes, this does mean joining the "group". Stregheria is meant to be a complete system practiced in groups. So anything other than group participation takes us a step away from the Tradition - a Tradition we are sworn to keep.

If you've "read the manual" and are still interested, please leave your contact information and a brief introduction on the comment section of this post. The comments are not posted until they are moderated. So your information is private and reviewed only by me via the website and later, with your permission, by a very limited number of potential teachers.

Blessings in your search, Nola

An Interview with Nola

I recently gave and interview to Christopher Blackwell on Stregheria.
It is in the Mabon 2008 edition.

Stregheria, Arician Tradition
Interview with a Third Degree Priestess - By Christopher Blackwell

Men sometimes complain that in Wicca there is no real position of importance for men, that besides being outnumbered by woman, the men sometimes feel that they are not really needed.

However, there are traditions where the man's role is every bit as important as the woman's. I asked a high priestess of the Stregheria, Arician Tradition, if she might explain some of the differences between her tradition and Wicca.


Christopher: Tell us a bit about yourself and how long you have practiced this tradition.


Nola: Let's see... I'll try to keep it short. I live in New Orleans and have all my life. I've traveled quite extensively in North America, Mexico, Central America and Europe, but have yet to touch Asia, Australia, South America or Antarctica. In all my travels I have never found a place as wonderfully interesting as my hometown. It's the most European city in America and definitely has a unique vibe.

My college training is in the sciences and this scientific approach colors the way I look at things and learn. When I look at what quantum physics tells us today, I have to work really hard not to see the metaphysical connections. As Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I work for one of the largest corporations in the world, am a wife, mom and post-Katrina community leader.

I've practiced this tradition since 1995.


Christopher: I believe that I have read that this tradition predates Wicca?


Nola: Our tradition’s thoughts on this are explained on the website above.

Something I believe should be clarified here is that Wicca is essentially a 20th century name so by definition almost all groups pre-date "Wicca". Every society/civilization called their religion by different names. Our tradition is based in a family tradition. The family tradition is documented back to the 14th Century. The links go back much farther. Our tradition has been extensively researched by its leaders and practitioners. It tends to attract those who want to dig deeply into the past and its practices. The last (academic) book I read with links to my tradition was Roman Religion and The Cult of Diana at Aricia by CMC Green. This book is not about our tradition but, as a practitioner, it is easy to see the historical links to what I have been taught. Oh and one other clarification our tradition is not a Roman tradition. It is pre-Roman, pagan in the “of the countryside” meaning of the word. It both pre-dates and was influenced by the Roman religion.

There are some who believe that what is practiced today by Pagans/Heathens/Wiccans is “neo”, a recreation or a creation based research and personal expression and that there is no such thing as a link to historical pagan past or a valid family tradition. We respect the rights of others to think this way. We can only hope that others respect that we see things differently.


Christopher: You mentioned that men have a very definite place in the cycle of yearly ceremonies in your tradition?


Nola: YES. Our year is divided in half. From May Day until Shadowfest the Goddess rules and the High Priestess leads the rituals. From Shadowfest until May Day the God rules and the High Priest leads the rituals. The leaders ritually give their reign over to the other at the appointed times. But that is not to say that the God or Goddess is not present when not ruling. In the winter, under the God's rule, it is quieter, more constrictive. In the silence She whispers in our ear. In the Summer, under Her rule, He calls us outside to work and play under the Sun. The Moon weaves in and out traversing the seasons, and in the lunar rites, He is there, shining light on Her. The lunar rituals are a bit more focused on the Goddess. The Solar rituals tell the story of the God and Goddess. We always have both icons on our altar to honor the balance between them. In our rituals men and women often come together to honor and bless each other.


Our deities are in an eternal dance and we are invited to dance with them. To enter this flow, the flow of Nature, of the moon and seasons, of the waxing and waning, we come to understand ourselves better, and see how we are aligned with the Gods. Through this alignment, we find divine rapport.


Our Tradition, Arician, is meant to be practiced in groups and is best practiced with an equal number of males and females. While we can practice as a solitary we cannot practice the Ways completely on our own. We understand the wholeness of Deity but because we are human we conceive of Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess. Nature is the Great Teacher who we look to for our understanding


Christopher: Not all groups use things like the Rede or or the Rule of Three. What does your tradition use for ethics?


Nola: We take personal responsibility for our thoughts and actions. We follow The Covenant of Aradia and we have our Basic Tenets of Belief and most importantly we have The Words of Aradia.

I suppose that the Rede's most direct correlations are in Aradia's Words Concerning the Law of Return: "Every act you perform will draw to itself three times the nature of the act (affecting us on three levels: soul, mind and body.) Such is the law. This affects not only the acts of each day but reaches into the future as well. Here the law establishes that those debts must be paid."

AND Concerning Freedom: "Freedom allows the mind body & spirit to be free of shame, guilt and restrictions… Freedom to act as you desire, harming no one by your deeds is the gift of Freedom."

But there are Words Concerning Nature, the Earth, Life, Death, Rebirth, The Gods, The Goddess, The God, Worship, Elements, The Astral plane, Magick, Christianity, Love, Sexuality, Marriage and others. The Words on each subject are few but when we take them and listen to the fact that Nature is the Great Teacher and integrate these with our mythos and celebrations around the wheel of the year, we can learn endless lessons.



Christopher: Do you use different seasonal celebrations than Wicca?


Nola: Yes and no. We all honor and revere Nature and Nature plays a huge part in defining the seasonal rituals. Our solar seasonal rituals fall at the standard pagan times for solar ritual. We have an established and integrated mythos that weaves through the seasons and differs slightly from the standard mythos associated with Wicca.

We have consorted deities, and they move through the year as one would expect: She gives birth to her child and lover at Winter Solstice. He grows, gains strength and proves himself, as the Sun waxes (Lupercus – Feb 2). They both mature (Spring Equinox). They come together at Lady's Day in May, and by Summer Equinox they wed, so that the Great Mother can bring forth the God’s gift of harvest (Aug 1). Later in that harvest, He is slain (the Slain God – Autumn Equinox) and departs to the Underworld; She mourns him, and follows, to understand the mystery of Death. She does not die, but goes before the Lord of Shadows and great mysteries are shared (Shadowfest – Oct). They couple, and bring forth the ever-reborn Child of Promise at the Winter Solstice. We also celebrate lunar rituals at each full moon.


Christopher: Does one have to have a particular ancestral background to be a member?


Nola: No. I freely admit that I was personally surprised to find what I had been looking for in an Italian tradition. I am not of Italian ancestry. In the New World many, if not most, are adopted or "Initiated" into our Tradition by a Priest or Priestess who can trace their Initiation to a particular blood-line.

Many traditions have the concept of reincarnation. Reincarnation is about your soul's path, not your genetics. Genetics help teach us the lessons we need to learn and can provide important links to our past. But our soul is not bound by the limitations of the physical. To paraphrase Aradia’s Words on Life: We are spiritual beings having a physical experience.


Christopher: Does becoming a member mean joining a group?


Nola: Eventually yes. What it means most is being willing to start fresh. Everyone comes to a tradition with experience and history. Some come with unpleasant baggage from other traditions. Some come with a wealth of positive experiences that may be different from what we practice. One must first find a teacher who will work with them. One studies with a teacher, or on a list with teachers (teachers are second degree and up.) One becomes a member by being initiated into the Tradition by a Priest or Priestess after having dedicated to our ways and completed a course of study. As a Mystery Tradition we can only be taught by a Priest or Priestess and yes, this does mean joining the "group". Stregheria is meant to be a complete system practiced in groups. So anything other than group participation takes us a step away from the Tradition - a Tradition we are sworn to keep.

Times as they are demand compromise. Our group practices as solitaries, remembering the group rites, and come together from all over the country to gather and circle as we can. Meanwhile, we stay linked via a Yahoo group and phone calls.


Christopher: How can our readers learn more?


Nola: Students of our Ways start with Raven Grimassi's books on Italian Witchcraft. Please be aware that what is published is more of an "outer court" introduction to Stregheria. The initiate Ways are taught by the teacher, and they DO differ from the books.


Christopher: What else would you like our readers to know about this tradition?


Nola: In a world where many enjoy doing their "own thing," our Tradition offers structure: it is a complete system, wherein everything has a purpose and reason. We can look across our mythos’ Wheel of the Year and see how we have come to this point. Our deities are consorted, so we never have to wonder who to invoke with whom. They rule realms - the earth, the heavens (sun & moon) and the Universe (stellar realm). Our Guardians watch over and guard us. Like Wiccans, our Tradition recognizes elementals and nature spirits. Our color associations are different, our tools are similar. It is rich and complete and works. It is a tradition that acknowledges, respects, and *requires* the contributions of male and female equally. It is a participatory system. One has to "do it" and not just read about it to know it. It does require a commitment and effort. It has been my experience that one cannot be a partial Streghe. One either is or is not. Over time and with practice the system lives within us, allowing us to perceive more clearly all that we endeavor.


Christopher: Thank you for your time and information.


Nola: Christopher, You are most welcome. It has been my pleasure.

PanGaia Interview with Raven Grimassi

Read it online.