Confessions of an American Witch

This last Sunday (or was it, Saturday), Morning Glory Reader died in hospice early in the morning. Morning Glory was an important influence in my life because she created Herbs and Arts occult shop at Colfax and Race in 1993. Those familiar with my stories about my Denver occult education will recall that I lived my second life in her shop from September 1996 when I entered the open ritual community until 1999 when she sold the store to another owner, and the vibe changed.  Khari ceased to do business with Herbs and Arts when the new owner wanted pottery at a price point cheaper than her loss point. Sad, really, Morning Glory's Herbs and Arts had been the first to accept my wife's pottery to sell in their store. I wish I had photos from the old days. Being braver than Khari, or having been a Public Witch at Work, I had taken full advantage of the classes that teachers had announced at the Open Full Moons. I took several Wicca 101s, and Tarot 101s. From one couple, we went from ...

The other day, I made the mistake of looking at the Great Gherkin's website. To see if he was alive. Because he accounts for a significant amount of my pageviews on my old Gleamings from the Dawn blog. Is he (and his model wife) still selling what I was complaining that they were hawking back in the day? No, the video title was about a mind virus. It seems that the Great Gherkin is selling sci fi in the second era of Trump. Probably with Democrats as the alien invaders. I didn't watch the video.  That wasn't my problem with his page. The Great Gherkin will be the Great Gherkin. No, speaking as a teacher that wrote a piece for the Hermetic Golden Dawn Flying Roll commentary book, my issue is the idea that for less than three hundred US dollars, a student can get access to all lessons of every Grade of the HGD system, just so the Pickle can include GD membership as a bonus material to his current scam. How did I get into this book?!? That the understanding of the Golden Dawn ...

Given my experience as a lodge officer and student of the Hermetic Golden Dawn and its offshoots, occasionally I need to explain (if only to remind myself) why I am not allowed to teach and lead in GD.  A who's who of the Golden Dawn community. I was not selected by a lodge to be a leader, or teacher. No, I accidentally declared myself one when attending my first Open Full Moon in fall 1996. Finding myself in the presence of a hundred-plus Denver witches, all who seemed to be experts in some esoteric field or another, I introduced myself with the only thing that I felt confident in discussing: Hermetic Golden Dawn, Thelema, and Aliester Crowley. It was either that, or talk about being an erotica author, right? Everyone who heard that initial introduction of mine, which included the mention that I was a published writer, no one ever allowed me to move past, or forget that intro. I got rewarded, or punished for it, depending upon the ego of the occultist. A couple of shop owners used...

 After the drama of multiple schedule, "It's on--it's off because Khari's a fickle artist," one might be interested in how my scheduled Golden Dawn study night went off. Or not.  Pretend to be as interested as this chick here. Could it be godform coloring night? First, let me get my grief about the event scheduling out of the way. I wanted a regular schedule, and Khari's an artist with an health condition who wants to be able to "on-and-off" her event as she wishes. Therefore, there is no long term advertising, just short. Not exactly how my style of marketing works. The few people on my level Hermetic Golden Dawn, or working Thelema, in the Denver, Colorado area is rare; and my joke about my most interested reader being an FBI agent, reporting to the President, could be a sad truth (occult writers profiting from black magick books are considered to be a threat according to some police departments--more so than the death threats that the author is ge...

From a notebook February/March 2003: Added to the Zelator (1=10) Grade ritual of the Evolving Order of Eclectic Ways, formerly known as an Order of the Thelemic Golden Dawn, later of the Stella Mother, Isis Urania. Zelator seems to be called up to the altar to met the Hierophant.  My dear Sister Butterfly,  Bast Temple is pleased to offer you the privilege and duty of holding Outer Order Voting Rights. Because of the increased influence over the members of the lodge that such a privilege necessarily confers, the lodge requires you to take a further pledge of your fidelity to the well-being of the lodge. As with the previous oaths that you have taken in the presence of the higher powers and in the presence of your brothers and sisters of this lodge, this oath contains nothing contary to your civil, moral, or religious duties. Are you willing to take this pledge? Then place your left hand upon the symbol of the Order from which we draw our lessons-- white triangle with red cross...

Remember to love the religion of the day. We come in peace with literature. Monday be Wicca, Tuesday, hail Buddha, Wednesday Woden Tree, Thursday Hermetic lore, Friday Catholic fare, Saturday Jewish kosher, Sunday Mormon heaven. Seven choices, better by dice, chaos magic prevents reincarnation as a Texan.  You might have to be a child of the 80s to get that last joke . . . do they still make fun of chaos magicians in better magical schools? No kidding, they do, awesome. Chaos rules. 

 Just in case, I wasn't clear in some of my previous posts, while the Wiccan Open Full Moons that we were hosting have been cancelled, the Golden Dawn study is still on. Isis always plays three games at the same time; it's not cheating. Yes, the remote and (if anyone shows up) local Denver study of the Papyrus of Ani as Source Code for Hermetic Golden Dawn is still happening. I did not cancel my project. Just Khari's. After all, she's the one that's investing in Dragonfest as if it's going to lead to new members. It won't. If it does, then she deserves to be elected Hierophant.  Sadly, my nearly thirty years of experience in the Denver's Wiccan event community tells me that Dragonfest people only do Dragonfest--nothing else.  They only have time and energy for Dragonfest.  And there are organizational meetings all year round, so it's an all year commitment. No, we just lost Khari as the next Hierophant. Hence, if I attract members who want to elect m...

Attention all students: Posted in the page section is the book list for the Fall 2025 Golden Dawn Remote and Local  Study Group . We meet once a month, starting in September. Look for a James Wasserman edition of the Book of the Dead. For those can, either in person here in Denver, or in astral form, starting September 6, 2025, I will be starting an once an month study involving books, going out in the studio, and performing a ritual, etc. Therefore, I will "heavy lodge study" on Full Moon Saturday  until the end of 2025. Whether I go past that point will depend on how much material that I have discovered, or response, or some other measurement.  I doubt Khari will be a real factor. She says there a desire to study, but she's banking on Dragonfest . . . and Dragonfest people get sucked into that Commitment Black Hole.  No, Walnut Community Church is now a cover just in case I make money as a esoteric teacher, nothing more . . . it's not to exist because I needed a sp...

Let it be declared from the East: The Hierophant of Bast Temple has cancelled August 9, 2025 Open Full Moon. Reason? It's too close to the end of Dragonfest. Which is important. I am never going to get this ever again. Because Khari believes that Dragonfest people are going to sign up for her classes.  Basically, cutting me out of the teaching loop, right? No one from that crowd will be Thelemic or Hermetic . . . or anything that I am selling . . . it's a waste for me, simply the wrong audience bucket. But Khari insists that the business has to go this way. Because the pottery artist slash witch knows best. Not the Confidence Artist who has dreamed of owning an occult shop and esoteric school since 1984--no, it has to be her--and her ever random whim that has to be the correct business plan.  The amount of work that woman has made me trash over the years. And here I am again . . . no stable event schedule because Khari demands having my business have Stop and Go Scheduling to ...

Here is the suggested opening reading list for those taking part in the upcoming study program for both Outer and Inner Order of Bast Temple Fall 2025 Golden Dawn course. The Egyptian Book of the Dead--or Coming Into the Light. Our preferred edition is the 1890 facsimile edition . . . the secret RC Mathers version. Consider this book as a correspondence course for Outer Order members. If we have to consult one of the Hermetic rituals, here is our Holy Bible of GD texts. But let us not forget our origin story . . . our real birth story . . . down to the studs. The Holy Cipher--could you read a secret love message sent to you? No? Bad GDer! Your classmate Anubis says that he is not going to do any of the reading. Yeah, some people have memorized this like a Wiccan magical script--horrors!!! It is a good news, bad news situation.  What do you want to hear first? Good news? Or bad? Well, given that they are the same . . . . on Day C, it was with great sadness that Past Hierophant Morga...

Given that being Kid Friendly is one of the Landmarks of Walnut Hill Pagan (Wicca) Community Church, perhaps you might want to know why we insist on that policy. Especially given that I was deflocked by Banefire "the Open Full Moon Friday People" for violating community safety standards. They had to create a Safe and Sober anti-marijuana policy to bar me from the Spiritual Centre which they hold their events . . . because Lady Catherine felt unsafe.  Or was it merely the fact that I started to criticize them exactly the same way that my mentor, Maggie Moonstone did? Anyways, for Safe and Sober" scared to crowd, it should be noted that I am a medical marijuana patient. For my back and migraines.  Update: It is not "Safe and Sober" on Capital Hill any more. It's "Do not show up, if you're inebriated." Huh? What?  What the hell has happened at Open Full Moon Fridays since they shoved me out of that burning dumpster fire? Outside of the fact that ...

Great news: We have a functional fire pit for the Open drumming and potluck on Saturday, June 14, 2025.  And not some rusted hole.  An actual functional fire pit. Lucky us. Oh, you laugh.  Upfront drumming area with a brand new fire pit. This is what happens when you leave your fire pit out for several winters . . . Khari. In all fairness, to me and Khari, we do use our fire pit all year around, so we know that it's an tri-annual replacement item (needing replacement every three years or so). We are probably going to convert the old one into a "flower pot." Because we are creative artists. The plan for June 14, 2025  is as follows: Where: 2727 N. Cook St., Denver, Colorado 80205 (North of the Zoo and Golf course) When: Helpers show up at 5 pm; gate opens at 6 pm for the Potluck. Pagan drumming starts at 7 pm in front area; Norse Three Toasts Blot in back area at 7:30. Cost: Free to attend--please bring a dish to the potluck, if you can. And your preferred toasting dr...

Khari's beloved Bear, Richard, seemed to have one last joke to play on me--a tree. Surprise, your RC brother wants an oak tree. Khari wanted a tree in the west of the lawn area for shade. And privacy.  In my head, it's to mess up the feng shi (how is that spelled?). And my personal view. We discussed getting a cherry tree. I pushed for a cherry tree. Oriental. Or fruit. Yet, no buying happened.  I would blame the cost of the garden project, but I really think that was simply not the right type of tree. Simply, Richard was going to be his memorial tree. It had to be.  Because of the Donna Tree. My Mother-in-law Tree. Donna Tree--resting place of my mother-in-law. For those who do not already know the story, the tree gracing the east of my lawn sprouted in a bowl of nuts at my mother-in-law's house. Donna planted it into a pot. Later, she gave it to us. After her suicide, Khari put some of her mom's ashes at the base of that tree; hence, in my head, it's her final res...