Thirst for The Waters of Enlightenment

Dear High Priestess

I am having some problems finding a coven or group of pagans and witches to work with. I checked out some open circles but I got a really weird vibe. Honestly there seem to be a lot of creeps out there. There was one group that had too simple an approach for me and another that was way too complicated for my tastes. I also spent a good amount of time with another group as an outer court (uninitiated member) only to find out that they had no intentions of sharing true mysteries and initiating me. I guess I should count my blessings because at least I live in a big city and there are lots of choices. I have a country cousin and she has little to no options but on the other hand, she's surrounded by nature and the goddess and can easily tune in on her own. I was hoping you might have a spell or some good advice to help me find my way. How will I know which group to work with and do you know of something I can do to lead me to the right coven for me.

thanks and blessed be
The Seeker

Camel Watch

Dear Seeker
I posted this film from today's news just as a reminder that the thirst for the waters of enlightenment are REAL and the well so dry that we can even see the physical manifestations of it. Unfortunately, like you, the camels of today's world are also thirsting. They are thirsting for water as you are thirsting for the words and teachings of the Goddess. And the way things are going environmentally, even your cousin may soon have serious problems getting in touch with Mother Nature. I ask that you say some prayers (along with all the other readers) for the Camels in Afghanistan. I ask you to do this because the magick I offer up as a solution to your dilemma, involves the energies of this amazing creature.

In the Tarot, the wisdom and secret teachings of Wicca are represented by the High Priestess card. The High Priestess is also the one who leads the coven and reveals the mysteries.

The Gimel meditation is based in Kabbalah and helps to align you with the energies of the High Priestess card. It brings personal revelation and reveals your own internal store of wisdom as well as revealing the teachings of the Goddess. If you wish to become an initiated witch or a High Priestess yourself, do the Gimel meditation three times within the 28 day lunar cycle. Begin on the new moon, repeat on the full moon, and once again on the dark moon.

The third Hebrew letter, Gimel (ג), is assigned to the High Priestess. Gimel (or Gamal) means Camel; a strange, mysterious and exotic creature like the Priestess. The Camel also has somewhat of a bad reputation, and is said to be obstinate and bad tempered. Similar things are said about the Lesbian, the Feminist, or any woman who cuts her own way in the world without a man.

The Camel is more positively regarded for its ability to hold on to nourishment. Unlike the horse, it is able to store nutrients in the body and survive long arduous journeys through the desert without eating or drinking. The High Priestess represents the preservation of the old religion or goddess cults. She stored the ‘fat’ or knowledge of the goddess and delivered Her ways safely through the barren wasteland of patriarchal dominance.

How is it that so much information survived about Goddess worship even though the Church Fathers spent over 500 years (13th to 18th Centuries) trying to eradicate witches?! The High Priestess is the "herstory" of women secretly stored in the belly of time. Like the Camel, who provides its own sustenance when no external source is available; the pagan soul essentially lived off an internal spiritual hump after their temples were destroyed. Although the last witch burning of the Inquisition took place at the end of the 18th Century, it was not until 1951 that the Witchcraft Laws were repealed in England, making it legal for witches to practice and speak openly about their faith. That’s an awful long time to go without ‘water’!

The most interesting feature of the camel besides its hump is the cleft in the upper lip. Kabbalistic lore speaks of an angel who presses a finger to all human newborns as they enter the birth canal. By making an indentation in the upper lip, the infant forgets all knowledge of previous lives. The Camel, with its exaggerated cleft reminds us of how the wisdom of the generations is guarded. (And the thirsty Camels of Afghanistan remind us that we must guard the material wellbeing of Mother Earth as the Patriarchy continues its dominance and rape of Her land and forestry. We must guard well as mankind is not content to destroy the spiritual wealth of the Goddess but is hellbent on devastating her physical treasures as well.)

Here is the Ritual for the Gimel:

Gimel shares the same numerical value as the word Chochmah meaning "Wisdom". This is the most valued possession of the Priestess. To make yourself worthy of guarding her mysteries, press your index finger against the cleft of your upper lip and vibrate the word "Chochmah".

The Ch’s must produce a guttural sound as if you were clearing phlegm from the throat and getting ready to spit. Camels are known for their treacherous spitting, but spit is actually a sacred form of magick.

Saliva, blood, semen, and vaginal secretions are all used in sympathetic magickal rituals to create links between the practitioner of the spell and the person upon whom the magic is being worked. Its magical use is mentioned in the Koran, Pliny of ancient Rome wrote that spit could heal a wound, ancient Semitic tribes spit on the ground to ward off evil. Hopi Indians spit to rid the mind of negative thoughts, and in Scotland and America, pacts are sealed with spit. Almost every culture around the world has ritualistic folklore about spitting. The common themes are both the bringing of good luck and the warding off of bad vibes.

As you ‘spit’ wisdom (or Chochmah) out of your mouth, ask that you be led down a good path in your quest for knowledge of the occult. There are many unsavory characters operating under the guise of Wicca. Ask that you be steered clear of those that abuse the craft. Ask that you be led towards a loving, wise, and empowering coven. So Mote it Be.

For more Kabbalistic meditations and rituals based on the Tarot, check out TarotPower; 22 Keys to Unlocking Magick, Spellcraft, and Meditation.