Members of regional coven say it isn’t what most people might think
In time for Halloween ...
Members of regional coven say it isn’t what most people might think
By ERIC LONG - elong@sungazette.com
http://www.sungazette.com/religion/articles.asp?articleID=10967
CRAIG S. McKIBBEN JR./Sun-Gazette
Much of the iconography of the “Children of the Divine” coven is related to their worship of the Egyptian pantheon of gods. The pentagram, a religious icon in the Wiccan religion relays the symbolism of the four traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water with the fifth (pointing upward, a feature which differentiates the Wiccan symbol from Satanism,) symbolizing the Akasha, or spirit. In top photo, Mark Homler, High Priest of the Children of the Divine Coven recreates the ritual of Casting the Circle, a step taken by the high priest to protect the circle of worshippers from negative energy during worship. At left, Sandra Craven, High Priestess of the coven, recreates a ritual known as Invoking the Goddess which invites the spirit of the goddess, in her coven’s case, Isis, to be present in the coven’s circle during worship.
Along with the fall season that leads up to Halloween, many people think of witches on broomsticks and all the concepts that have been popularized over centuries.
But two members of a coven that operates in this region say that Wicca, the religion of witches, is not what most people think it is.
Mark Homler, who lives just off Route 287 near Jersey Shore, is a high priest in that coven and said there are misconceptions that many people carry.
He said his path into Wicca came from disappointment.
‘‘I started out as a born-again Christian, but that didn’t satisfy me because pastors were preaching fire and brimstone and one of the preachers, off the pulpit, was having an affair,’’ Homler said.
‘‘He was out there breaking the Commandments.’’
Homler said he met a woman who was a practicing Wiccan and began to learn about that religion.
‘‘We sat down, had a conversation,’’ he said.
‘‘We read books and I fell in love with the religion itself. Just the idea of learning about how to practice the craft and do healings attracted me.’’
Homler said the coven to which he belongs has actually performed several healings.
‘‘We heal people — we try to better their lives through witchcraft,’’ he explained.
He also explained that he is the high priest of his coven. His neighbor and the high priestess of the coven, Sandra Craven, said she got involved in Wicca through Homler.
‘‘My sister, Cecilia Craven, got into it. Mark introduced us to it,’’ she said.
‘‘I just started by reading books, anything and everything I could get my hands on I read and I liked it, it was interesting,’’ she said.
Their coven, which has 13 members, is called ‘‘Children of the Divine.’’
Homler explained that 13 is the smallest number of members a coven can hold, but that a coven can have more than that.
Craven’s own attraction to Wicca also came from a Christian tradition.
‘‘My sister and I were raised Catholic, so we were told at one time that we believe blindly in the Catholic religion, which is true,’’ she said.
‘‘With Wicca, you see what is done. Through meditation, you can ‘visit’ with the goddess.’’
Homler said that depending on the Pantheon (beliefs) you ascribe to, you have a certain goddess to follow.
‘‘We go through an Egyptian Pantheon and the goddess is Isis,’’ Homler said.
‘‘Just as in Christianity they say God has a thousand names, that is basically Pagan. The name of the goddess depends on the pantheon you follow. We call it Isis.
‘‘We are known as Hermetic witches because this is the Pantheon we feel comfortable with, through the ancient Egyptian religion.’’
According to Homler, Wicca is a nature-based religion.
‘‘We are very open-minded,’’ he said. ‘‘We accept anybody, no matter their lifestyle. I am gay and I have a partner. Christianity generically denounces us. But Wicca accepts everyone, no matter what their lifestyle is, or what their stature is, or how much money they make.’’
He said other differences between established religions also made Wicca appealing to him as well.
‘‘We also don’t have to fear the ones we pray to,’’ Homler said.
‘‘They say about being God-fearing. We don’t have to fear our god.’’
But there are similarities.
‘‘We do have things similar to the Ten Commandments,’’ he said. ‘‘We call them Principles of Belief.’’
He also said there is one big misconception.
‘‘Most people think witches are Satanic — we are not, that is a Christian concept.
‘‘We try to practice the ancient ways as close as we possibly can.’’
Craven said certain tools are used in that practice.
‘‘We practice through herbs, oils, candles, stones,’’ she said.
Homler listed other misconceptions.
‘‘We do not sacrifice,’’ he said.
‘‘The ancient Druids did sacrifice.’’
Craven said some Druid and Wiccan customs got confused, but they are not the same.
‘‘Things got confused and I think they adapted some of each others’ ways,’’ she explained.
‘‘But we don’t do sacrifices, nor do we condone or allow it,’’ Homler said.
‘‘Magic is energy we gather from nature. We are used as vessels through the goddess as we form an idea in our head. When it comes to the healings, we just form an idea in our heads, we see what needs healed and we direct the energy into that part of the body, mind or soul that needs healed.’’
He said a child related to one coven member was healed from cancer, even after chemotherapy and radiation had failed to help.
Sabbaths celebrated by Wiccans include Yule, which occurs at winter solstice around Dec. 21 or so; Ostara, at the spring equinox about March 21; Imbolc, around Feb. 1 and Beltane, which is known as the May Day festival.
Halloween is also special to Wiccans, who call it Sanhaim (pronounced SOW-an, which is the witches’ new year, Craven said.
‘‘We also honor our loved ones who have crossed over,’’ Homler explained.
‘‘We also remember the ones who have died for us, the ones killed back in the burning times (such as the Salem witch trials). That was actually worldwide.’’
He said most of the real witches committed suicide, often drowning themselves rather than be tortured by Puritan or other authorities.
Wiccan practices include magic, tarot cards, astrology and magic, among other skills. Others specialize in spells.
Craven said Wiccans also do not believe there is such a place as hell.
But Wiccans are not evil.
‘‘The main thing with Wicca is there are two laws we go by — love is the law because we are to love everybody no matter what; the other is the Wiccan Rede, to do as thou will, as it harms none,’’ Homler said.
Wiccans do use items like crystals, brooms, staffs and cauldrons used in ceremonies, all related to directing in positive energy and excluding negative energy, he said.
According to Homler, Wicca has been around for about 50,000 years, well before the time of Jesus Christ.
‘‘Wicca is a way of life,’’ Craven said. ‘‘We don’t just meet once a week at a building, it is every day for us. As a rule, it makes you a better person. It opens doors for you to be more patient with people.’’
But there can be a dark side to Wicca, Homler said.
‘‘We don’t believe in all good or all evil — there is evil in everybody. It is the way people practice their magic or witchcraft that makes the difference,’’ he explained.
‘‘I have heard of a witch, a woman, who practiced the left-hand path — the dark side of the craft.
‘‘She wanted what she wanted and did not care who she hurt along the way.’’
More information is available online at Wikipedia, at www.wikipedia.org, or by emailing to Homler at sapphire_webweaver2002@yahoo.com
Members of regional coven say it isn’t what most people might think
By ERIC LONG - elong@sungazette.com
http://www.sungazette.com/religion/articles.asp?articleID=10967
CRAIG S. McKIBBEN JR./Sun-Gazette
Much of the iconography of the “Children of the Divine” coven is related to their worship of the Egyptian pantheon of gods. The pentagram, a religious icon in the Wiccan religion relays the symbolism of the four traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water with the fifth (pointing upward, a feature which differentiates the Wiccan symbol from Satanism,) symbolizing the Akasha, or spirit. In top photo, Mark Homler, High Priest of the Children of the Divine Coven recreates the ritual of Casting the Circle, a step taken by the high priest to protect the circle of worshippers from negative energy during worship. At left, Sandra Craven, High Priestess of the coven, recreates a ritual known as Invoking the Goddess which invites the spirit of the goddess, in her coven’s case, Isis, to be present in the coven’s circle during worship.
Along with the fall season that leads up to Halloween, many people think of witches on broomsticks and all the concepts that have been popularized over centuries.
But two members of a coven that operates in this region say that Wicca, the religion of witches, is not what most people think it is.
Mark Homler, who lives just off Route 287 near Jersey Shore, is a high priest in that coven and said there are misconceptions that many people carry.
He said his path into Wicca came from disappointment.
‘‘I started out as a born-again Christian, but that didn’t satisfy me because pastors were preaching fire and brimstone and one of the preachers, off the pulpit, was having an affair,’’ Homler said.
‘‘He was out there breaking the Commandments.’’
Homler said he met a woman who was a practicing Wiccan and began to learn about that religion.
‘‘We sat down, had a conversation,’’ he said.
‘‘We read books and I fell in love with the religion itself. Just the idea of learning about how to practice the craft and do healings attracted me.’’
Homler said the coven to which he belongs has actually performed several healings.
‘‘We heal people — we try to better their lives through witchcraft,’’ he explained.
He also explained that he is the high priest of his coven. His neighbor and the high priestess of the coven, Sandra Craven, said she got involved in Wicca through Homler.
‘‘My sister, Cecilia Craven, got into it. Mark introduced us to it,’’ she said.
‘‘I just started by reading books, anything and everything I could get my hands on I read and I liked it, it was interesting,’’ she said.
Their coven, which has 13 members, is called ‘‘Children of the Divine.’’
Homler explained that 13 is the smallest number of members a coven can hold, but that a coven can have more than that.
Craven’s own attraction to Wicca also came from a Christian tradition.
‘‘My sister and I were raised Catholic, so we were told at one time that we believe blindly in the Catholic religion, which is true,’’ she said.
‘‘With Wicca, you see what is done. Through meditation, you can ‘visit’ with the goddess.’’
Homler said that depending on the Pantheon (beliefs) you ascribe to, you have a certain goddess to follow.
‘‘We go through an Egyptian Pantheon and the goddess is Isis,’’ Homler said.
‘‘Just as in Christianity they say God has a thousand names, that is basically Pagan. The name of the goddess depends on the pantheon you follow. We call it Isis.
‘‘We are known as Hermetic witches because this is the Pantheon we feel comfortable with, through the ancient Egyptian religion.’’
According to Homler, Wicca is a nature-based religion.
‘‘We are very open-minded,’’ he said. ‘‘We accept anybody, no matter their lifestyle. I am gay and I have a partner. Christianity generically denounces us. But Wicca accepts everyone, no matter what their lifestyle is, or what their stature is, or how much money they make.’’
He said other differences between established religions also made Wicca appealing to him as well.
‘‘We also don’t have to fear the ones we pray to,’’ Homler said.
‘‘They say about being God-fearing. We don’t have to fear our god.’’
But there are similarities.
‘‘We do have things similar to the Ten Commandments,’’ he said. ‘‘We call them Principles of Belief.’’
He also said there is one big misconception.
‘‘Most people think witches are Satanic — we are not, that is a Christian concept.
‘‘We try to practice the ancient ways as close as we possibly can.’’
Craven said certain tools are used in that practice.
‘‘We practice through herbs, oils, candles, stones,’’ she said.
Homler listed other misconceptions.
‘‘We do not sacrifice,’’ he said.
‘‘The ancient Druids did sacrifice.’’
Craven said some Druid and Wiccan customs got confused, but they are not the same.
‘‘Things got confused and I think they adapted some of each others’ ways,’’ she explained.
‘‘But we don’t do sacrifices, nor do we condone or allow it,’’ Homler said.
‘‘Magic is energy we gather from nature. We are used as vessels through the goddess as we form an idea in our head. When it comes to the healings, we just form an idea in our heads, we see what needs healed and we direct the energy into that part of the body, mind or soul that needs healed.’’
He said a child related to one coven member was healed from cancer, even after chemotherapy and radiation had failed to help.
Sabbaths celebrated by Wiccans include Yule, which occurs at winter solstice around Dec. 21 or so; Ostara, at the spring equinox about March 21; Imbolc, around Feb. 1 and Beltane, which is known as the May Day festival.
Halloween is also special to Wiccans, who call it Sanhaim (pronounced SOW-an, which is the witches’ new year, Craven said.
‘‘We also honor our loved ones who have crossed over,’’ Homler explained.
‘‘We also remember the ones who have died for us, the ones killed back in the burning times (such as the Salem witch trials). That was actually worldwide.’’
He said most of the real witches committed suicide, often drowning themselves rather than be tortured by Puritan or other authorities.
Wiccan practices include magic, tarot cards, astrology and magic, among other skills. Others specialize in spells.
Craven said Wiccans also do not believe there is such a place as hell.
But Wiccans are not evil.
‘‘The main thing with Wicca is there are two laws we go by — love is the law because we are to love everybody no matter what; the other is the Wiccan Rede, to do as thou will, as it harms none,’’ Homler said.
Wiccans do use items like crystals, brooms, staffs and cauldrons used in ceremonies, all related to directing in positive energy and excluding negative energy, he said.
According to Homler, Wicca has been around for about 50,000 years, well before the time of Jesus Christ.
‘‘Wicca is a way of life,’’ Craven said. ‘‘We don’t just meet once a week at a building, it is every day for us. As a rule, it makes you a better person. It opens doors for you to be more patient with people.’’
But there can be a dark side to Wicca, Homler said.
‘‘We don’t believe in all good or all evil — there is evil in everybody. It is the way people practice their magic or witchcraft that makes the difference,’’ he explained.
‘‘I have heard of a witch, a woman, who practiced the left-hand path — the dark side of the craft.
‘‘She wanted what she wanted and did not care who she hurt along the way.’’
More information is available online at Wikipedia, at www.wikipedia.org, or by emailing to Homler at sapphire_webweaver2002@yahoo.com
posted by Aestrea Raven at Thursday, November 02, 2006
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