Q. How much do classes cost?
A. There is no cost for classes.

Q. Where do I attend classes?
A. We hold both in-person classes (we’re located in Warner Robins, GA) and online classes.

Q. Do I need any books?
A. Both the online and in person classes we use the following books:

The Real Witches Craft by Kate West,
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penzak,
Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland,
Wicca: the Complete Craft by DJ Conway.

The book list varies by year to year and depends on the degree program. It’s not necessary buy any of the books. I rarely give
reading assignments. While I base my lectures on the above listed books, lecture content is not exclusively from said sources.

Q. How do the online classes work? You just email me a lesson and then maybe I get to hear from an instructor once in a while–
right?
A. No, teachers and students interact just as though they were in a classroom. The online classes use Skype. Skype is a program which
allows student and teacher to converse and to see each other over the internet. To use Skype, you’ll have to download the client
program from http://Skype.com.

Q. When are classes held?
A. The in person classes are held Saturdays at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.

Q. What time are the online classes held?
Online classes are held Sundays at 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

Q. What else can you tell me about the classes?
A. Class duration is usually one to one and a half hours long. The class format is a mixture of lectures based on reading material, and
our own experience coupled with teachings specific to the Dark Moon Tradition, and student participation. Additionally, we try to be
as hands-on as possible when it comes to things like herbalism, divination, and other ‘crafty’ types of activities. Additionally as part
of their training, our second-degree students will from time to time teach a class. One of the students will also be assigned to
mentor you. Not to say you won’t be able to email or call me with questions should you want to do so.

Q. How do I get setup for the online classes?
A. After you’ve downloaded and installed Skype, you’ll also have to register an account with http://skype.com. The software and
registration is free. Once you have your account set up, execute the Skype program and sign in—via the program not the web—and
send a request to add CircleOfTheDarkMoon as a contact. When we receive your request, we’ll add you as a contact and add you to
our class group and then on Sundays at 3:00 PM ET, we’ll initiate the call. So what you need to do on Sunday is load Skype, log in
via the program, and wait for a call from CIRCLEOFTHEDARKMOON and then answer it. After that things work pretty much the same
as any other conference call except we’ll be using computers, web cams, microphones, and earphones or speakers.  computers,
web cams, microphones, and earphones or speakers.

Q. Do I need any special hardware to participate in the online classes?
A. Even if you don’t have a web cam, you can still use Skype with just speakers and microphones or a headphone/microphone combo set.

However, we recommend getting a cheap headphone/microphone combination set available at Best Buy or similar stores for around
$40. The reason for that is with headphones, we don’t have the problem of feedback from the PC speakers.

Q. Does it cost anything to use Skype?
A. No, don’t worry about buying Skype credit or any of the other crap they want to sell you. The part of Skype we’re using is a free
service.

Q. How do I set up Skype?
A. You will need to tell Skype what type of microphone/webcam/speakers you’re using. You do that via the options tab on Skype. The
Skype website has fairly good instructions for setting up your hardware. If you’re having real difficulties, contact us and we’ll assist
you.

Q. Anything else?
A. Be sure to register with this forum. The Wytcheboard page is part of the Circle of the Dark Moon web site, and such is where we put
upload class handouts and where you can ask questions of all the members.

Q. What if I want to attend in person classes?
A. Contact us for registration for in person classes.

The Witches’ Pyramid of Four Pillars

There are many tools used in Modern Witchcraft. According to some Wiccan systems, the first four are not physical, but rather are qualities which must be developed within the witch.

The “Four Pillars of the Witches Temple” are;

To Know (nescere)
-corresponds to Air
-represents the witch’s reason/intellect/intuition/wisdom and other more mystical understandings…

Basically this has to do with the gaining of knowledge, whether it be from books, teachers, or from experience. This also includes anything having to do with organising said knowledge: remembering, analyzing, dissecting, logical reasoning, imagining, linking, and many more. This is shown in many kinds of knowledge needed to do ritual: from remembering the words to invocations, to knowing when to cast the circle, to knowing what incense to use, to remembering how it feels when one grounds correctly.

In witchcraft knowledge is power. No knowledge is ever wasted, and you may find that your fifth grade Creative Writing class taught you things useable for creating invocations, or that your Aunt Jean’s gardening tips are helping you with your herb growing, or your Tai Chi class helped get the idea of centering across.

The admonitions “Know Thyself”, “Know your Craft”, “Learn” and “Apply you Learning” are all included in the pillar.

To Will (velle)
-corresponds to Fire
-represents the witch’s Will/Discipline/her skills in the arts of magic and life.

This can be split into two categories: the mundane and the Magickal. The mundane is where a with tries to keep their life in good order, and to follow through on promises and commitments. The magickal version refers to the Will to see a spell or ritual to its completion, keeping the intent clear without letting onself get distracted.
Concentration, Discipline and Drive are definitely a part of this, as well as Enthusiasm for doing ritual in the first place.

Placing one’s will in tandem with Divine Will is also incuded.

“Keep you thoughts and deeds in good order” and “Breathe and Eat correctly” belong here (though really just the act of living up to all the Goals could be listed inder “To Will”)

To Dare (audere)
-corresponds to Water
-represents the witch’s Emotions/Heart since the word courage derives from a word that means “heart”

“To Dar” encompasses the acts of facing fears, especially with regards to doing magick. Dare to experiment with what one has learned to gain more experience, like trying out that new astral travel technique or trance working. Dare to meet the Gods and interacte with them. Dare to deal with inner darkness.

This is not to say that one must never feel fear. Fear must be felt and examined before it can be dealt with. The more one tries to hide one’s fear from one’s self, the more power that fear will have over one’s self. Facing the Shadow within can be more traumatic than facing the most awe-inspiring Deity. However, Starhawk mentions in her book The Spiral Dance, “Where there’s fear, there’s power.” One’s greatest fear can mask one’s greatest strength.

It must be stated that any emotion or personal attribute brought into a magickal circle will be increased and strengthened. This explains the admonition at the gateway “Better to fall upon this knife/Than enter here in fear, or strife”. Give strength to your courage.

To Keep [the] Silence (tacere)
-corresponds with Earth
“To Keep the Silence” is often interpreted as “To Keep Silent”: that is, to keep secret knowledge of witchcraft, of membership and places of meetings etc., except in cases of voucher-for persons. “To Keep Silent” is probably a good general practice since it keeps the foolhardy from trying things that might be dangerous or from getting flack from less sympathetic neighbours. This is, however, not the whole story.

“Silence” represents the ‘still point’… the silence within… The correspondence with Earth here also gives another hint of this interpretation, since in order to begin to work magick, we generally “ground” and “center” ourselves. It is difficult to keep clear one’s intent if other extraneous thoughts keep flitting by and being distracting.

Listening to the Gods and Nature (and other people for that matter) is also intimated since one cannot hear unless there is silence first.

Again, “Keeping your thoughts in good order” as well as “Meditate” come under this heading

To Go (ire)
-corresponds to Spirit

Some traditions use the fifth Element of Spirit as embodying the power “To Go”: to go forth, to journey, to make manifest, to evolove. Most traditions assign Spirit to the Gods, making spirit a combination of the other four elements in perfect balance.

Conclusion

If one sees each of these qualities written on a four-sided pyramid, “To Keep the Silence” would be on the base, with the other three (To Know, To Will, To Dare) rising from the base (ie. Earth, foundation) to meet at the top. All things begin and end in Silence.

All of these qualities must be developed to gain proficiency in magick. (Remember “Achieve Balance”)Sources:

sources:

The Way of the Goddess by Ly Warren-Clarke
Dalukah’s Notes
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

Signifigator (Your innate characteristics): �

Strength

You face trials ahead but with head held high, you are able to grasp firmly your destiny. You will master the forces within you.

Objects in Your Dream:

Poster from the movie “Blow”:

10 of Cups

You fear that your former life of abusing drugs or being associated with the drug world will destroy your happiness

Broken Headboard:

10 of Pentacles (rev)

You have a hard time letting go of things that no longer serve your best interests: e.g. broken relationships, things you’ve lost but may never find again, your own doubts and fears.

Oreos & Milk:

5 of Swords (rev)

In your past there was a conflict and while you were victorious you paid a high price for your victory—loss of childhood innocence or something that represents former happiness.

Transition Card (influences People in Dream):

Queen of Swords (rev)

Trying to find meaning and even demanding that there must be a meaning to what happened to you in the past is a fruitless endeavor.

People in Your Dreams

You smoking marijuana:

Knight of Cups (rev)

Be wary of falling into old habits for doing this could jeopardize future happiness. Or, this could simple be a fear of that happening. You seem to have a lot of emotional baggage from your past.

Your Friend, Amanda:

Queen of Pentacles

Amanda represents a time when you were happier and things seemed simpler and everything made sense. Now, you are feeling very confused and are unsure of what to do.

You & Amanda:

9 of Swords (rev)

Here again, Amanda represents something from your past or a sense of loss. I feel that you are almost nostalgic about something and are desperately trying to regain it. Your heart is crossed and you can’t see your way to solve this problem or resolve some old conflict. Until you are able to do this you will be blocked from true wisdom and emotional calm.

Transition Card (influences Symbols or the Deepest Meanings of your Dreams):

Knight of Pentacles (rev)

You need a rest or currently are in limbo about something. However, don’t hang on to the past too long or spend too much time searching for meaning in your past for your future will require your attention for your future holds abundance or fertility if only you can adapt to your changing environment.

Symbols in Your Dreams

A Wall (appeared twice):

The Devil

You have misplaced blame. Take responsibility for what happened and move forward. You’ve been using these feelings like a wall to prop up a false sense of being a victim thus creating an imbalance in your life. The wall is a barrier you must move through to create a new you.

Castle:

The Emperor

A castle and an emperor or a king appears in your dream. But the emperor like the castle has decayed and fallen into ruin. You have weakened the foundation of your life or perhaps your relationship with a father-figure has deteriorated. You recognize this and wish for more stability in your life.

Shattered Windows in Castle:

The Fool

The Fool represents you and the new beginning and everything before you on a journey to a new life, and all you are hoping for but the broken windows suggest you must first move beyond the shattered halls of your past. While it is good to seek answers about the past the future and present are more important. Make a radical change in your life in the face of conventional wisdom.

Hunger (for Oreos and milk):

Temperance

Seek balance in your life and beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself—cut yourself some slack.

Haunted Buildings:

The Empress

You have some unfinished emotional business with something or someone from your past—possibly your mother or a mother-figure or perhaps even with yourself.

The Past Influences:

The Page of Pentacles (rev)

Carelessness in the past has caused you grief in the present. Pay more attention to practical matters. Seek new challenges or studies and don’t rest on your laurels. Be warned you don’t know as much as you think you do.

The Present Influences:

The World (rev)

You feel as though your world has literally been turned upside down and are languishing. But chaos and change are all part of growth. You lack confidence about your present and it’s not really all that bad. You tend to see the worst possible outcome in every situation.

The Future Influences:

The Mage (rev)

You have all you need at your disposal if only you will start to apply yourself and have a little faith. Continue your studies whether they be a magickal ones or mundane ones at a school. However do not let your blossoming abilities lead you down the path of manipulation and overly controlling others for that is an addiction as bad the other you suffered.

What it all Means:

The Hierophant

Through studies both magickal and mundane you will find what you seek but more importantly to you, you will come through this difficulty. You will learn (so make sure you keep studying), you will find some of the answers your looking for (others you will never know and must accept this as fact), and finally society will accept you and you will find contentment within structures others might find too confining but will make you happy.