Our Beliefs
Below are just a few of the things that we feel help to describe what the Tangled Woods Tradition is all about. Again, we can only give a brief overview of the true nature of our tradition on a website, but we feel that the information below will give you a good idea of what makes us who we are!
Our Gods
The Tangled Woods Tradition recognizes deity as both male and female...each equally important and equally powerful. We believe that the creative, divine energy of the Universe expresses itself to us in the form of a God and a Goddess, which mirrors ourselves to us as sacred beings. We believe that throughout time, the God and Goddess have come to us revealing different faces at different points in history, responding to what would be relevant to their children at that point. In general, as a tradition we worship deity as a single Goddess and a single God, and we view the many different gods and goddesses of the many different pantheons from early Paganism as different expressions and aspects of the Goddess and God. We do realize that some Witches view deity as that single source of universal divine energy with both masculine and feminine faces, and that others prefer to view deity in the same way as our ancient Pagan ancestors as many gods and many goddesses. To this we simply say that in circle casting, we invoke one Goddess and one God, and most of our rituals are written within this construct. However, if individual members are comfortable operating within these confines in the Tangled Woods setting, then we are happy to allow room for those various interpretations on the personal level.
We work with the God and the Goddess through their many different faces. We may call upon them by the many different names they have been called throughout time to invoke their different aspects, and we encourage the members of our tradition to connect to the God and Goddess through working with any pantheon that they feel called to, if they so desire. We pay equal reverence to the God and Goddess and strive to work with both equally...a fact that may take some adjusting to for those who came to the Craft primarily to work with the Goddess. Though certain of our rituals may focus solely on the Goddess or solely on the God, we take great care never to elevate one over the other. The breadth of their realm is far too vast to list here, and as we see each of the gods and goddesses of the various pantheons as different faces they have shown us throughout time, both of them become a rich and complex tapestry of characteristics. However, we can touch on some of the major associations of each one. The Goddess is the Lady of the Moon, Mother Earth, the triple phases of Maiden, Mother and Crone, the Warrioress, the Protectress, the Seductress and Lover, Queen of the Underworld, and the Cauldron through which we are all born and reborn. The God is the Lord of the Sun, the Green Man, the Lover and Seductor, the Protector, the goat-footed Horned One, the Lord of the Wild Hunt, the bringer of the Harvest, and the God of Sacrifice who resides in the Summerland only to be reborn. Both are nurturers and destroyers, both rule over fertility and love as well as death and rebirth, both teach us lessons both dark and light, both are responsible for the turning of the Wheel and the cycles of the seasons, and one cannot be without the other...they are both necessary to each other and to the sustenance of the earth.
Green Witchcraft
Green Witchcraft is probably the primary building block of the Tangled Woods Tradition. To us, Green Witchcraft means more than just the way you do magick. We will often use herbs, plants, flowers and other natural items in our spellwork, but it's about so much more than that. It's the way that we approach our spiritual path as a whole. It is the path of the natural witch, the wild witch, the cottage witch, and the hedge witch. To us, Witchcraft truly is a nature religion, and we see the spark of the Divine as being present in everything that lives and grows upon the earth. We, as children of the gods, are sacred and hold their spark within us. The animals that share this earth with us, the plants and trees that grow upon the land, the vast bodies of water that spread over most of the earth's surface, and the very core of the earth itself also contain that same divine spark, and therefore are also sacred. Because of this, all of these things are deserving of reverence. Reverence does not necessarily mean worship. We do not worship plants and animals, but rather we respect them and feel that we can learn from the, because we are all of the gods, and therefore we are all connected.
The natural world around us is one of the primary forums through which we connect to our God and Goddess, and strengthen our relationship with them. As we see the gods as being present all around us...embodied in the trees and plants, whispering to us through the wind, watching over us as the sun and moon, sending us messages in the form of animals, revealing their darker faces on a stormy night...working in the realm of the natural world affords us countless opportunities to connect with our Lord and Lady. We also will often work with the four natural elements of earth, air, fire and water in the physical sense, so we can gain a better understanding of the spirits that inhabit them and build a stronger relationship with them, which in turn strengthens our magick and rituals. As a tradition, we also encourage as many of our members as possible to grow at least some of their own plants, herbs, and food. By growing and tending a garden, as well as celebrating the 8 seasonal sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, we can better attune ourselves to the cycles of the earth and live in better harmony with it. So while we do enjoy ritual and ceremony to varying degrees at various times, Witches of the Tangled Woods can often be found outside, getting our hands dirty, and simply absorbing all that we can from nature itself!
The earth itself sustains us, and nurtures everything that lives upon it. Without its gifts, we could not survive. Therefore, we believe that we as Witches have a responsibility to nurture it in return. We encourage all Witches of the Tangled Woods to take steps both symbolic and practical to foster a mutually beneficial relationship with nature. This could mean anything from leaving out an offering for the spirits of your land, to volunteering to help with wildlife rescue. And in a very real and daily sense, this means taking practical steps to make a positive impact on the environment...such as recycling, reducing energy consumption, reducing fuel emissions, choosing environmentally friendly cleaning products, etc. We understand that not everyone who comes to us will be in the habit of "Green Living" at first, and that's OK. However, it is part of what we teach, and we do hope to inspire our members to make some environmentally friendly lifestyle changes.
The Tangled Woods Tradition recognizes deity as both male and female...each equally important and equally powerful. We believe that the creative, divine energy of the Universe expresses itself to us in the form of a God and a Goddess, which mirrors ourselves to us as sacred beings. We believe that throughout time, the God and Goddess have come to us revealing different faces at different points in history, responding to what would be relevant to their children at that point. In general, as a tradition we worship deity as a single Goddess and a single God, and we view the many different gods and goddesses of the many different pantheons from early Paganism as different expressions and aspects of the Goddess and God. We do realize that some Witches view deity as that single source of universal divine energy with both masculine and feminine faces, and that others prefer to view deity in the same way as our ancient Pagan ancestors as many gods and many goddesses. To this we simply say that in circle casting, we invoke one Goddess and one God, and most of our rituals are written within this construct. However, if individual members are comfortable operating within these confines in the Tangled Woods setting, then we are happy to allow room for those various interpretations on the personal level.
We work with the God and the Goddess through their many different faces. We may call upon them by the many different names they have been called throughout time to invoke their different aspects, and we encourage the members of our tradition to connect to the God and Goddess through working with any pantheon that they feel called to, if they so desire. We pay equal reverence to the God and Goddess and strive to work with both equally...a fact that may take some adjusting to for those who came to the Craft primarily to work with the Goddess. Though certain of our rituals may focus solely on the Goddess or solely on the God, we take great care never to elevate one over the other. The breadth of their realm is far too vast to list here, and as we see each of the gods and goddesses of the various pantheons as different faces they have shown us throughout time, both of them become a rich and complex tapestry of characteristics. However, we can touch on some of the major associations of each one. The Goddess is the Lady of the Moon, Mother Earth, the triple phases of Maiden, Mother and Crone, the Warrioress, the Protectress, the Seductress and Lover, Queen of the Underworld, and the Cauldron through which we are all born and reborn. The God is the Lord of the Sun, the Green Man, the Lover and Seductor, the Protector, the goat-footed Horned One, the Lord of the Wild Hunt, the bringer of the Harvest, and the God of Sacrifice who resides in the Summerland only to be reborn. Both are nurturers and destroyers, both rule over fertility and love as well as death and rebirth, both teach us lessons both dark and light, both are responsible for the turning of the Wheel and the cycles of the seasons, and one cannot be without the other...they are both necessary to each other and to the sustenance of the earth.
Green Witchcraft is probably the primary building block of the Tangled Woods Tradition. To us, Green Witchcraft means more than just the way you do magick. We will often use herbs, plants, flowers and other natural items in our spellwork, but it's about so much more than that. It's the way that we approach our spiritual path as a whole. It is the path of the natural witch, the wild witch, the cottage witch, and the hedge witch. To us, Witchcraft truly is a nature religion, and we see the spark of the Divine as being present in everything that lives and grows upon the earth. We, as children of the gods, are sacred and hold their spark within us. The animals that share this earth with us, the plants and trees that grow upon the land, the vast bodies of water that spread over most of the earth's surface, and the very core of the earth itself also contain that same divine spark, and therefore are also sacred. Because of this, all of these things are deserving of reverence. Reverence does not necessarily mean worship. We do not worship plants and animals, but rather we respect them and feel that we can learn from the, because we are all of the gods, and therefore we are all connected.
The natural world around us is one of the primary forums through which we connect to our God and Goddess, and strengthen our relationship with them. As we see the gods as being present all around us...embodied in the trees and plants, whispering to us through the wind, watching over us as the sun and moon, sending us messages in the form of animals, revealing their darker faces on a stormy night...working in the realm of the natural world affords us countless opportunities to connect with our Lord and Lady. We also will often work with the four natural elements of earth, air, fire and water in the physical sense, so we can gain a better understanding of the spirits that inhabit them and build a stronger relationship with them, which in turn strengthens our magick and rituals. As a tradition, we also encourage as many of our members as possible to grow at least some of their own plants, herbs, and food. By growing and tending a garden, as well as celebrating the 8 seasonal sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, we can better attune ourselves to the cycles of the earth and live in better harmony with it. So while we do enjoy ritual and ceremony to varying degrees at various times, Witches of the Tangled Woods can often be found outside, getting our hands dirty, and simply absorbing all that we can from nature itself!
The earth itself sustains us, and nurtures everything that lives upon it. Without its gifts, we could not survive. Therefore, we believe that we as Witches have a responsibility to nurture it in return. We encourage all Witches of the Tangled Woods to take steps both symbolic and practical to foster a mutually beneficial relationship with nature. This could mean anything from leaving out an offering for the spirits of your land, to volunteering to help with wildlife rescue. And in a very real and daily sense, this means taking practical steps to make a positive impact on the environment...such as recycling, reducing energy consumption, reducing fuel emissions, choosing environmentally friendly cleaning products, etc. We understand that not everyone who comes to us will be in the habit of "Green Living" at first, and that's OK. However, it is part of what we teach, and we do hope to inspire our members to make some environmentally friendly lifestyle changes.
Our Holidays
The Balance of Light & Dark
Members of the Tangled Woods Tradition recognize and celebrate the same 8 sabbats on the Wheel of the Year that are recognized by most Wiccans and Druids. For us, the sabbats are a time to rejoice and celebrate, honoring our Gods without asking for something in return. They are a time to be with our families, and to reflect upon the current stage of the Year Wheel's journey and how this stage is reflected in our own lives. We strive to align at least some part of our personal lives and activities with the cycles of the seasons, in order to live in harmony with the Wheel of the Year. Sabbats are typically marked with a ritual in observance of the current holiday, as well as feasting, dancing, merriment, and games that are a appropriate to the time of year.
Though many recognize Samhain as the "Witches' New Year," members of the Tangled Woods Tradition really see it more as the end or "death" of one cycle, with Yule marking the birth of a new cycle. The time between is a sort of dead time...a time of transition which we honor as "Witches' Rest." At Samhain, we honor our departed ancestors, and we mark the death of our God. He has sacrificed Himself to the harvest, and resides in the land of the dead, awaiting His rebirth. During this time, until He is reborn at Yule, we take time to rest and reflect upon the lessons we've learned in the cycle that has just come to a close. We allow ourselves a time of symbolic hibernation. Of course, this doesn't mean that we slack on our responsibilities. However, it does mean that we allow ourselves time to take on less work and fewer responsibilities, to embrace the darkness, and to turn inward for a period of personal reflection and growth.
At Yule, we celebrate as the Goddess once again gives birth to the God, returning Him to us and returning the light to the earth. Our own energy begins to raise as the daylight now waxes, and we begin to think about the goals we wish to set for ourselves for this new cycle. At Imbolc, we cast off the final clutches of winter, and coax along the warming of the earth. The Goddess becomes the Maiden and begins to entice the God, who is growing in strength and power. At this time of the year, we are still in the planning stages with the goals we have set for ourselves, and by Ostara we have a plan of action to work toward our goals in place. At Ostara we welcome spring and the March Hare. The God has matured and come into His power more fully, and may be honored in His Green Man aspect. We celebrate the early courtship of the God and Goddess, as well as the fertility that their courtship awakens in the earth.
By Beltane, the physical work that we are putting toward our goals is under way. We herald the coming summer and honor the union of the Gods...both their sacred marriage, and the physical coupling that results in the conception of a child, which will lead to the God's rebirth. Covens will often dance the maypole, and fertility blessings may take place at Beltane for those who wish them. For others, general blessings of health, wealth, and good fortune may take place instead. At Litha, the God and the daylight both reach the peak of their power, and though we honor the pregnant Goddess in Her mother stage, rituals will often focus most heavily on the God. The physical work towards our goals crescendos at this point as well, as we prepare for the harvest that will come soon.
At Lughnassadh, we honor the first cycle of the harvest...the harvest of grain. This time of year is often represented by the John Barleycorn face of the God. The Goddess' womb is full with the child she carries inside, and with the fruits of the harvest. The God's power begins to wane as he begins to pour more of His energy into the harvest. As we begin to the see the harvest yield its first fruits, we too begin to see the first fruits of our year's labors...the plans we began to set at Yule are starting to come to fruition. At Mabon, we celebrate the second and main harvest. We see the fruits of the harvest and the fruits of our year's labor come to bear. We give thanks to the Goddess as Mother Earth for the blessings of the harvest. And as each cut of the harvest also weakens the God, we begin to see the true nature of His sacrifice, and honor Him as the nurturer. Mabon is often referred to as the "Witches' Thanksgiving," and it is truly a time to give thanks for the blessings in our lives and for the bounty of the harvest. However, in the Tangled Woods Tradition, we also view it as a time of balance and reckoning. It is a time to think about the things you have done right as well as the things you have done wrong in the current cycle. It is also a time to make amends and right any wrongs so that you may leave them behind you when the current cycle comes to a close at Samhain.
Though many recognize Samhain as the "Witches' New Year," members of the Tangled Woods Tradition really see it more as the end or "death" of one cycle, with Yule marking the birth of a new cycle. The time between is a sort of dead time...a time of transition which we honor as "Witches' Rest." At Samhain, we honor our departed ancestors, and we mark the death of our God. He has sacrificed Himself to the harvest, and resides in the land of the dead, awaiting His rebirth. During this time, until He is reborn at Yule, we take time to rest and reflect upon the lessons we've learned in the cycle that has just come to a close. We allow ourselves a time of symbolic hibernation. Of course, this doesn't mean that we slack on our responsibilities. However, it does mean that we allow ourselves time to take on less work and fewer responsibilities, to embrace the darkness, and to turn inward for a period of personal reflection and growth.
At Yule, we celebrate as the Goddess once again gives birth to the God, returning Him to us and returning the light to the earth. Our own energy begins to raise as the daylight now waxes, and we begin to think about the goals we wish to set for ourselves for this new cycle. At Imbolc, we cast off the final clutches of winter, and coax along the warming of the earth. The Goddess becomes the Maiden and begins to entice the God, who is growing in strength and power. At this time of the year, we are still in the planning stages with the goals we have set for ourselves, and by Ostara we have a plan of action to work toward our goals in place. At Ostara we welcome spring and the March Hare. The God has matured and come into His power more fully, and may be honored in His Green Man aspect. We celebrate the early courtship of the God and Goddess, as well as the fertility that their courtship awakens in the earth.
By Beltane, the physical work that we are putting toward our goals is under way. We herald the coming summer and honor the union of the Gods...both their sacred marriage, and the physical coupling that results in the conception of a child, which will lead to the God's rebirth. Covens will often dance the maypole, and fertility blessings may take place at Beltane for those who wish them. For others, general blessings of health, wealth, and good fortune may take place instead. At Litha, the God and the daylight both reach the peak of their power, and though we honor the pregnant Goddess in Her mother stage, rituals will often focus most heavily on the God. The physical work towards our goals crescendos at this point as well, as we prepare for the harvest that will come soon.
At Lughnassadh, we honor the first cycle of the harvest...the harvest of grain. This time of year is often represented by the John Barleycorn face of the God. The Goddess' womb is full with the child she carries inside, and with the fruits of the harvest. The God's power begins to wane as he begins to pour more of His energy into the harvest. As we begin to the see the harvest yield its first fruits, we too begin to see the first fruits of our year's labors...the plans we began to set at Yule are starting to come to fruition. At Mabon, we celebrate the second and main harvest. We see the fruits of the harvest and the fruits of our year's labor come to bear. We give thanks to the Goddess as Mother Earth for the blessings of the harvest. And as each cut of the harvest also weakens the God, we begin to see the true nature of His sacrifice, and honor Him as the nurturer. Mabon is often referred to as the "Witches' Thanksgiving," and it is truly a time to give thanks for the blessings in our lives and for the bounty of the harvest. However, in the Tangled Woods Tradition, we also view it as a time of balance and reckoning. It is a time to think about the things you have done right as well as the things you have done wrong in the current cycle. It is also a time to make amends and right any wrongs so that you may leave them behind you when the current cycle comes to a close at Samhain.
Witches of the Tangled Woods work with a balance of light and dark energies. We recognize that there are light and dark aspects to our Gods, to nature, and even to our own beings. We feel that we have much to learn through working within both realms, and at all places in between. We feel that we are only truly empowered when we acknowledge both the darkness and the light, confront these elements of our own beings, and strive for a healthy balance that feeds the body, mind, and soul.
Some will take our goal to seek out this balance as an indication that we are depressed and detached people who practice black magick and are angry at the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are happy, healthy people who spend just as much time in frolic and merriment as we do in the deep, dark recesses of the soul! We simply believe that we have many lessons to learn from the darker faces of the God and Goddess, and from the darker spirits of the other worlds, and we seek to work with them as well as their lighter counterparts. We also believe that emotions such as anger, hurt, and sorrow are normal human emotions, and we allow ourselves to experience them rather than attempt to shut them out of our human existence. In practice, we do incorporate both light and dark workings into our path, but keep in mind that "dark workings" does not necessarily refer to magic. Examples might be hunting colored eggs and dancing with the March Hare at Ostara, and wearing skull face paint and doing a seance to commune with our dead ancestors at Samhain. It is true that our take on magickal ethics differs slightly from the norm, and that we do believe that defensive and aggressive magick can be appropriate at time. However, we do not believe in performing aggressive magick against another out of simple spite, jealousy, or frivolity. We believe that the act of aggressive magick against another should be justified, and we do have some guidelines in place for what we feel is appropriate.
Some will take our goal to seek out this balance as an indication that we are depressed and detached people who practice black magick and are angry at the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are happy, healthy people who spend just as much time in frolic and merriment as we do in the deep, dark recesses of the soul! We simply believe that we have many lessons to learn from the darker faces of the God and Goddess, and from the darker spirits of the other worlds, and we seek to work with them as well as their lighter counterparts. We also believe that emotions such as anger, hurt, and sorrow are normal human emotions, and we allow ourselves to experience them rather than attempt to shut them out of our human existence. In practice, we do incorporate both light and dark workings into our path, but keep in mind that "dark workings" does not necessarily refer to magic. Examples might be hunting colored eggs and dancing with the March Hare at Ostara, and wearing skull face paint and doing a seance to commune with our dead ancestors at Samhain. It is true that our take on magickal ethics differs slightly from the norm, and that we do believe that defensive and aggressive magick can be appropriate at time. However, we do not believe in performing aggressive magick against another out of simple spite, jealousy, or frivolity. We believe that the act of aggressive magick against another should be justified, and we do have some guidelines in place for what we feel is appropriate.
Our Ethics & The Motto of the Fianna
As a non-Wiccan tradition, we are not bound by and do not adhere to the Wiccan Rede or the Threefold Law. Though we do have some tradition guidelines in place for the practice of magick, magickal ethics are largely left up to the individual practitioner. Most of our members do believe that in general you reap what you sow...in others words, a basic law of return that allows for equal reactions to the actions you take. However, we do not necessarily believe that every act of aggressive or defensive magick, though it may harm someone else in the process, will warrant a punishment. We believe that every Witch of the Tangled Woods should use his or her own internal moral compass, rather than the threat of punishment or the promise of rewards, to determine whether an action is justified. We believe that the intent of the Witch, and what lies within his or her heart, will determine the outcome and whether or not there will be any energetic backlash or benefit. This means that we do not shirk away from defending ourselves or our loved ones because we fear punishment for hurting our attacker. This also means that if for some reason our intuition tells us that it would be a bad idea, we also don't necessarily do magick that would seemingly benefit another just for the possible gains, recognizing that we may be getting a bad feeling about it due to some hidden lesson, trouble, or purpose. We do believe in doing defensive magick, and even aggressive magick, if it can be justified. It is important, however, to state that we neve encourage magick that might harm another out of spite, anger, or petty jealousy. To us, these are not justifiable reasons.
Though we typically leave magickal ethics up to our individual members, we have adopted a code that is followed by many Druid practitioners, which we encourage our members to live by. As a tradition we embrace the Motto of the Fianna. The Fianna were an ancient clan of Irish Warriors. Their code is “Strength in our Hands; Truth in our Hearts; Fulfillment on our Lips.” To us, “Strength in our Hands” refers to having the courage to face up to your fears, living honorably, living passionately, using your personal strength…muscular, intellectual, etc…to help and benefit others, having the willingness to work toward the Greening of the Earth, and having the stamina to commit to a lifelong path of learning and growth as a Witch. “Truth in our Hearts” refers to valuing honesty and communication among your brothers and sisters of the Tangled Woods Tradition. It also refers to knowing the truth within your own heart…embracing the truth of your nature, shunning self-delusion, and learning to love all aspects of the self. “Fulfillment on our Lips,” to us, means that we speak out against injustice, speak in praise of that which is honorable, and take actions that are in accordance with our words. In other words, we “walk our talk.” The Tangled Woods Tradition has adopted the Motto of the Fianna because it touches on virtues that we place great value upon and feel called to live by. However, it does not dictate to our members specific actions that they can and cannot take, nor does it set up a system by which they will be punished or rewarded for those actions.
Though we typically leave magickal ethics up to our individual members, we have adopted a code that is followed by many Druid practitioners, which we encourage our members to live by. As a tradition we embrace the Motto of the Fianna. The Fianna were an ancient clan of Irish Warriors. Their code is “Strength in our Hands; Truth in our Hearts; Fulfillment on our Lips.” To us, “Strength in our Hands” refers to having the courage to face up to your fears, living honorably, living passionately, using your personal strength…muscular, intellectual, etc…to help and benefit others, having the willingness to work toward the Greening of the Earth, and having the stamina to commit to a lifelong path of learning and growth as a Witch. “Truth in our Hearts” refers to valuing honesty and communication among your brothers and sisters of the Tangled Woods Tradition. It also refers to knowing the truth within your own heart…embracing the truth of your nature, shunning self-delusion, and learning to love all aspects of the self. “Fulfillment on our Lips,” to us, means that we speak out against injustice, speak in praise of that which is honorable, and take actions that are in accordance with our words. In other words, we “walk our talk.” The Tangled Woods Tradition has adopted the Motto of the Fianna because it touches on virtues that we place great value upon and feel called to live by. However, it does not dictate to our members specific actions that they can and cannot take, nor does it set up a system by which they will be punished or rewarded for those actions.
Charity & Community
Everyone knows that helping those who you can is a wonderful thing, and the members of the Tangled Woods Tradition are no different. However, for us charitable activities serve two purposes. The first and most important focus is helping those who are in need. The second purpose is to do so in the name of Paganism, helping to show others that Pagans are good-natured and socially responsible people. The Tangled Woods Tradition wishes to instill in each of its members the importance of doing what we can for our communities. We see this as one of the many ways that we can give back to the Gods for all of their blessings. Therefore, at each of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, every coven of the Tangled Woods chooses a charity to benefit, and does so in the name of their coven. The charity that will receive the contribution at each sabbat is at the sole discretion of each individual coven, but the charity selected is often one that corresponds in some way to the current season or the mythos of the current sabbat. Of course, each coven is welcome to participate in any charitable activities that they wish at other times of the year, but choosing a charity to benefit at each sabbat is a staple of the Tangled Woods Tradition.
Another way that we try to "give back" is by encouraging members of the Tangled Woods Tradition to get involved in their local Pagan communities. This is not required of Tangled Woods members, but it is encouraged, because we recognize that our local Pagan communities will only be what we make of them. Paganism is growing very rapidly, which means that there are increasing numbers of people who are looking for teachers, for spiritual families to belong to, for events to attend, etc. We do believe that your personal spirituality should come above all else, and that any community activities that you choose to take part in should only be at a level where they contribute to your spirituality…not distract from it. However, our Pagan communities will not thrive and will not be able to hold awesome events and offer great resources without help. The more people who are willing to step up and do their small party to contribute, the less any one person or group will need to do, which will help everyone maintain a healthy balance.
Another way that we try to "give back" is by encouraging members of the Tangled Woods Tradition to get involved in their local Pagan communities. This is not required of Tangled Woods members, but it is encouraged, because we recognize that our local Pagan communities will only be what we make of them. Paganism is growing very rapidly, which means that there are increasing numbers of people who are looking for teachers, for spiritual families to belong to, for events to attend, etc. We do believe that your personal spirituality should come above all else, and that any community activities that you choose to take part in should only be at a level where they contribute to your spirituality…not distract from it. However, our Pagan communities will not thrive and will not be able to hold awesome events and offer great resources without help. The more people who are willing to step up and do their small party to contribute, the less any one person or group will need to do, which will help everyone maintain a healthy balance.
Our Influences
The Tangled Woods Tradition is not a tradition of Wiccan. It is a tradition of Witchcraft, and while we do incorporate some Wiccan influences, we also draw from some other sources, such as Druidry and Shamanism. In addition to this, we encourage each individual member to draw inspiration from other sources that they feel contribute to their Tangled Woods path. The various influences that provide inspiration for the Tangled Woods Tradition are part of what makes our tradition unique, and are part of what makes each individual Tangled Woods Witch's path unique.
In selecting our tradition’s code, we borrowed a page from Druidry when we selected the Motto of the Fianna. We also draw inspiration from Druidry in the extent to which they view nature as sacred and strive to revere it, which can be seen in the tree and forest symbolism that is so prevalent within our tradition. Another area of Druidic influence on the Tangled Woods Tradition is the concept of Awen or Imbas. The concept of Awen stems from the story of Ceridwen, and refers to poetic inspiration that we receive from the Gods, or a flash of divine understanding. We strive to seek out and be open to receiving this inspiration from the Gods, and to let it motivate us to do our best work in this life. Because of this, we strongly encourage creative expression among our members. We believe that creativity...in any form that speaks to us...is one of the ways we can make manifest the Awen. Therefore, among our members you are likely to find musicians, painters, crafters, sewers, gardeners, chefs, bakers, dancers, actors, writers, etc. It isn't the "talent" that matters, and we do not mean to imply that only those who are artistically gifted should seek out membership in the Tangled Woods Tradition. It is about finding your own form of creativity that allows you to express yourself freely, and using it to connect with the Gods and allow their divine spark shine through you.
From Shamanism, we have embraced the concept of the Three Worlds…the over world, the middle world, and the underworld…and the three selves that correspond with each. In truth, we believe that there are countless other worlds, but these are the three main worlds that we recognize and work with. Many of our physical practices as Witches of the Tangled Woods are also Shamanic in nature. For instance, we will often use Shamanic trance and journeying techniques to work with the spirits of the other worlds and confront our others selves. We also encourage all of our members to become familiar with and regularly work with their totem animals.
Aside from the broad spectrum of influences that we draw upon as a tradition, we also encourage our individual members to seek out influences of their own to blend into their paths. We feel that as long as they are contributing to the core Tangled Woods tenets, our members should be free to incorporate practices from any pantheons, cultures, folk magick practices, etc. that inspire them.
In selecting our tradition’s code, we borrowed a page from Druidry when we selected the Motto of the Fianna. We also draw inspiration from Druidry in the extent to which they view nature as sacred and strive to revere it, which can be seen in the tree and forest symbolism that is so prevalent within our tradition. Another area of Druidic influence on the Tangled Woods Tradition is the concept of Awen or Imbas. The concept of Awen stems from the story of Ceridwen, and refers to poetic inspiration that we receive from the Gods, or a flash of divine understanding. We strive to seek out and be open to receiving this inspiration from the Gods, and to let it motivate us to do our best work in this life. Because of this, we strongly encourage creative expression among our members. We believe that creativity...in any form that speaks to us...is one of the ways we can make manifest the Awen. Therefore, among our members you are likely to find musicians, painters, crafters, sewers, gardeners, chefs, bakers, dancers, actors, writers, etc. It isn't the "talent" that matters, and we do not mean to imply that only those who are artistically gifted should seek out membership in the Tangled Woods Tradition. It is about finding your own form of creativity that allows you to express yourself freely, and using it to connect with the Gods and allow their divine spark shine through you.
From Shamanism, we have embraced the concept of the Three Worlds…the over world, the middle world, and the underworld…and the three selves that correspond with each. In truth, we believe that there are countless other worlds, but these are the three main worlds that we recognize and work with. Many of our physical practices as Witches of the Tangled Woods are also Shamanic in nature. For instance, we will often use Shamanic trance and journeying techniques to work with the spirits of the other worlds and confront our others selves. We also encourage all of our members to become familiar with and regularly work with their totem animals.
Aside from the broad spectrum of influences that we draw upon as a tradition, we also encourage our individual members to seek out influences of their own to blend into their paths. We feel that as long as they are contributing to the core Tangled Woods tenets, our members should be free to incorporate practices from any pantheons, cultures, folk magick practices, etc. that inspire them.
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