Apparently these are the makings of a witch, well they are if you lived in the 15th and 16th Centuary. Witchcraft practices became unmistakably linked with the idea of a “pact with the devil”, whereby witches succumbed to the devil’s tempations and agreed to carry out his work.

However, Anita Parker, 32 is a wiccan (white witch) and co-owner of Spellbound, a wiccan shop in Barnsley, England whole heartedly disagrees with the alleged alliance with the prince of darkness.

“Witches do not worship or even believe in satan, but rather we believe in personal responsibilityand personal growth. For example say you loose your temper, it’s your responsibility, you can’t say the devil made me do it. Therefore it’s up to you to pput the wrong you have done right again, no witch ever said it was an easy path!”.

The smell of incense burning in the small shop lingers in the air. Candles of different shapes, colours and sizes line the shelves with other charming strange objects.

Witchcraft, the craft of the wise, Wicca, these are terms used by modern witches like Anita. After watching cutomers come and go from Spellbound, it seems that the mysteries of the craft is prodominantly a feminine art.

Antia quickly shakes her head in response: “Oh no, witches can be female or male, I have a few friends that are into Wicca and who happen to be men. It’s strange that movies seem to protray men as warlocks or wizards, because males witches are simply caleed witch too”.

It would seem that with spending some time with Anita the sterotypic image of women with hooked noses, warts, green skin wearing pointed black hats, dancing naked around an open fire chanting to Satan simply does not exists. Yet what is Wicca and what is a witch?

Anita sips on her herbal tea pondering the replying: “Well Wicca is a spiritual way of life governed by balance in which you are responsible for, it encompasses a belief in a god and a goddess, a respect for the planet and ourselves. You could say a genuine concern for all living things.

“What it isn’t is a way to seek power over others and it is not in any way a beleif in the entity called Satan. To me a witch is  simply a person who seeks to control the forces within themselves, which makes life wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with nature.

“We belive in what comes around goes around, a law of three fold return. Basically this means whatever you do is returned three times over whether it’s good or bad. I wouldn’t say this is a special law for witches or witchcraft or even magic.

“I believe that it applies for everyone in their daily life.”

So it would seem that  witches sitting around a cauldron, dropping eye of newt , bat wings or demon’s breath into a magical brew are banished to childrens fairystories of old.  So what exacly are these mystical modern witches, what are they all about?

“Good question!” laughs Anita, “We are all about fulfilling th epotential of the human mind. The ritual and magical paraphenalia of our ceremonies act as a tool to open the mind and allow it’s hidden powers to somehow awake and work.”

Most societies are aware that certain indviduals have an apparent gift to heal and to harm by some magical force. Yet one can not help but realise people are no longer mystified compared to the dark ages. Gone are the times of town folk gathering in angry mobs shouting “Burn her she’s a witch!”

Today’s society is a never ending rat race, countries going to war, the econmy crashing, what education is wrong and right for children, new disease to combat, new and excitiing technolgies. So does the world have a place for such being as a witch?

Anita pauses, as if she is carfully thinkinh before answering, playing with her long brown bead around her neck: ” Well we held a Wiccan fare a few months ago in Barnsley and it had a lot of interest, so that speaks for itself.

“I’d say the craft is seen as a way through which to gain psychic balance and power within, and that is important, especially in today’s times. The cermonies which are practised whether in covens or alone are timeless despite their orgin. Therefore modern witchcraft responds to modern needs.

“Wicca, in my opinion ca be used to address today’s problems and concerns ina spiritual manner.”

It is puzzling to imaginethat people like Anita who share an interest in witch craft are still being mistaken for devil worshippers or serial killers in today’s modern times.

She agreed: “Yeah it’s hard to believe that we still are given this label of something fro an old horror film, it’s just ridiculous. Even I fhtere happen to be a painted pentagram painted on a wall at a murder scene the media focus on the witchcraft element not that fact that maybe the person who has committed the crime may be mentally ill. It’s just ridiculous.”

If you look into all different types of religion witches  do seem to be a recurrent theme across the world, never quite the same but always some how magical. With Anita’s beliefs as strong as ever she says:

“Every society has its witches and i’d say it’s as true now as it ever was. There could be one living right next door to you, without you knowing it!”.

The origin of Wicca is somewhat unknown as well. It is difficult to tell when exactly it started because so many of the followers practiced in secret because of the consequences they would have faced for being Wiccan openly. That goes back to those labels I mentioned. Many still do practice in secret and there could be a number of reasons for this. Maybe they do not think that their religion is anyone’s business, or they might be fearful of what other people would think about it or how they would be treated; again, I am going back to those labels. Anyway, Wicca either started in the 20th century somewhere in New England, or it was derived from some ancient religion that pre-dates Christianity. This is because some members claim that this religion has been continuous since the ancient religion, but kept a secret. Others claim that this is not true and that this form of Wicca is new and originated in the 1950s in England.

The person that I interviewed for this is Shaun Bass, which is an old friend from high school. When I knew him, he was atheist. So, it’s somewhat ironic that back then, he did not believe in any god, and now he believes in several within Wicca. The first subject that we touched on was the different holidays that they celebrate throughout the year. There are eight main holidays within Wicca. In order, they are Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh (pronounced Loonasaw), Mabon, Samhain, and Yule. All of these holidays basically follow the growth of the year’s crops. Imbolc is during the first of the year when the frost is still on the plants but is beginning to thaw.

Ostara, which is around Easter and the Spring Equinox, celebrates the life beginning again. Beltane is raising the crops and the food that is provided and Litha celebrates the continued growth and the preparation for harvest. Lughnasadh is basically a Wiccan’s Thanksgiving, or harvest time. Mabon represents the preparation for the coming year and gathering the harvest for the coming winter. Samhain is the celtic “end of the year” in some traditions and it takes place around Halloween; this is the most popular and well-known of the Wiccan holidays. Yule comes last, and is basically their Christmas before Christmas, the last holiday of the year.

Mr. Bass also mentioned the founder of Wicca, which is Gerald Gardner. Apparently Gardner “has written that he joined an existing Wiccan coven in 1939, taking the (then) usual vows of secrecy” (Robinson, 2006. Writings that formed the basis of Wicca, para. 3). He has also written quite a few books on the subject: High Magic’s Aid (1949), Witchcraft Today (1954), and The Meaning of Witchcraft. Many believe that these books that Gardner wrote were the beginning of the resurgence of Wicca. Today, it is one of the fastest growing religious groups in North America and Europe.

Wicca is one of the largest of the minority religions in the United States. There are no reliable estimates of the number of Wiccans in this country. Our best estimate is on the order of 750,000. That would make Wicca about the 5th largest organized religion in the United States, behind Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism.

(Robinson, 2006. Recent Wiccan History, para. 2).

There were other authors who published things before Gardner. One is Charles Leland who wrote Arcadia: Gospel of the Witches in 1899. Margaret Murray also wrote some; she wrote The Witch Cult and The God of the Witches (Robinson, 2006). These books were not well-accepted during their time by society due to their fear and lack of knowledge of the religion.

When I asked Mr. Bass how religion has shaped his life, he basically said something that I already mentioned, that he was atheist at one point in time and now he believes in many Gods or Goddesses. He believes this to be a good thing because it forced him to pursue understanding and knowledge of all the religions and the ways that they are similar or different. He says that the best lesson that Wicca teaches is to be willing to be free of restraints, but always mindful that every action has a consequence. In other words, be wise in all pursuits. As with any other religion, he did say that there are some challenges. His was a different kind of challenge though. He said that Wicca, basically, is too simplified for him. Wicca, in his words, has been watered down over the years so that almost anyone can do it. Because of this, he takes bits and pieces of other similar religions and studies different things in order for it to fulfill his religious needs. You have to understand that Mr. Bass is a very intelligent individual, and when I say that he was forced to study other religions, he really did do just that. He not only owns and has studied the Bible, but he has also done the same with the Torah (Jewish Bible), the Qur’an (Islam), and the Satanic Bible (Anti-religious).

I also asked him if there was any lesson that he disagrees with, and if so, why. He didn’t really point out any specific lesson, but rather a person. He doesn’t really care much for the founder of the religion, Gerald Gardner. He says that he was not a good person and used his followers for selfish indulgences, including lust. Although Gardner may be somewhat responsible for the resurgence of Wicca, Raymond Buckland was responsible for bringing it to the United States, which has obviously had an impact.

The next topic that we touched on was the different Gods that there are within Wicca. Basically, there are several that are prayed to or worshipped, but most people pick a certain one that “calls to them.” Mr. Bass honors Thoth, the Egyptian God of Wisdom, Knowledge, Speech, and Magick. With Wicca, it is basically a personal preference as to whom you honor. There are plenty to choose from, including Persephone (Greek Goddess), Pan (Greek God), Anubis (another Egyptian God), and Maat (Goddess of truth, justice, and honor; Thoth’s wife). The list goes on and on. Those are just some of the ones that Mr. Bass mentioned.

When I asked Mr. Bass why he chose Wicca over all of the other religions that are out there, he had an interesting answer. It started with the pentagram, the upward pointed five point star with a circle around it. This is not to be confused with the same symbol with the point facing downward; that is the symbol for a Satanist, which is one reason why they are a lot of times considered the same thing. He said that he used to draw that symbol before he knew what it was. When he found out, he knew he was “home,” he had found his religion. I found this to be interesting because you hear of things like this a lot, people that have some story as to why they are what they are or why they believe what they believe.

Wiccan/Pagan Pentagram

As you probably know, there aren’t really a large number of churches for Wiccans. This was a problem because I needed to attend a place of worship for this religion. Mr. Bass is part of a group that actually meets at a book store once a month and has their interactions there. Well, you’ve been to a book store, at least most people have. I am not sure if they have a certain place within the book store or if they just kind of meet there, but that is where his group meets at. There are quite a few other places where covens meet at; including someone’s house or out in nature, like a field or in a wooded area. Wiccans are very well tuned in to nature because that is what their religion is all about. All of nature is a part of the God or the Goddess, and every person is a part of it as well; everything is interconnected with everything else in some way. For this reason, a lot of them do like to meet out in nature somewhere because of the natural elements that are found there. It sounds like a serene place to attend “church” at.

Wicca is considered to be a different religion than most others, mainly because there are multiple gods and goddesses that are honored. Most religions are monotheistic, meaning they worship one god. There is a much larger number of monotheistic religions than there are polytheistic religions (worshipping more than one god or goddess). In order to show this difference, let us compare Wicca to Christianity, since that is a pretty well known religion. Just to start, the names of the religion mean different things. Wiccan means “either “wise ones” or “to bend or shape”” and Christianity means “followers of Christ” (Religion Facts, 2007. Comparison Chart: Wicca vs. Christianity). The symbols that their group is represented by are also obviously different. As I mentioned before, Wiccans use the pentagram and Christians are partial to the cross. There are a lot of beliefs that are different between these two religions. To name one is what they believe happens to people after they die, or afterlife. Wiccans believe in “reincarnation until reach the Summerland” and Christians believe in “resurrection, judgment, eternal heaven or hell” (Religion Facts, 2007. Comparison Chart).

The major difference that I mentioned before about the monotheism and polytheism is obviously a different between these two. Where these groups meet and what they are called as a group also differs. Wiccans generally meet outdoors in nature where Christians meet in churches. A group of Christians is called a congregation whereas a group of Wiccans is called a coven (Religion Facts, 2007). The rituals that these two different religions do regularly are also different. Wiccans usual rituals include “prayer, casting a circle, Drawing Down the Moon, reciting spells, dancing, singing, sharing cakes and wine or beer” while Christian rituals include “prayer, singing, reciting Scripture, Eucharist (bread and wine)” (Religion Facts, 2007. Comparison Chart). The prayer days or worship days between the two are different as well; Wiccans celebrate on full moons every year while Christians worship on Sundays. This list could go on and on for a while.

There are quite a few differences between Wicca and Christianity, but there are also some similarities as well. Some of the obvious ones are that they are both religious groups, they both have their own set of beliefs and morals, they both worship at least one God (or Goddess), and they both pray and/or worship to that God or Goddess. Both have certain days out of the year that are celebrated for some reason or another, and both have a main rule or “moral code” that can be summed up into one sentence. For Wiccans, it is part of the Wiccan Rede, and it is: “If it harms none, do what you will.” The Christians’ is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Religion Facts, 2007. Comparison Chart). These both obviously have strong meaning to their respective religion. The Wiccan moral code means that you shouldn’t harm anyone by doing what you do. The Christian one means that you should treat others in the same manner that you want to be treated. I believe that both of them give a good message.

We have talked about a lot of things here. Wicca has been an on and off interest for me for as long as I can remember and I am glad to have learned more about it. Granted, I was always interested in the spells and wanted to know if they really worked, but I never got that far and I don’t think that I will. There are some things that are better left to the experts; I wouldn’t know what I would be getting myself into. Hopefully, this has been educational and interesting as well. If you thought differently of Wiccans before, I hope this has shed a new light on them for you. Wiccans are just like any other person from a religious group; they are searching for the truth just as we are, they just have a different way of going about it than most.

It is very important that you examine your motives for becoming pagan. There are many lies out there that cause beginners to enter into paganism with a distorted view of what the pagan path really is. Becoming a pagan does not mean that you’ll be able to manifest millions of dollars nor does it mean that you’ll be able to cast death on whomever you wish. It is important to know that magick is only part of paganism, the other part involves worship and communion with the goddess and nature. It is also important to realize what magick really is. Magick is not power nor is it control. Magick is energy, at the basis of all things is magick. Magick is everything you can see, touch, taste, smell, and everything else that you can’t sense. Magick is much like a tool that we use, it is life-force.

Now that you have considered your reasoning behind joining the pagan path you must find information and instruction in pagan teachings. It is difficult these days to find good books that instruct young pagans. Many things written today are nothing more that an author’s attempt to make a few dollars. There are some basic rules that can help you weed out the good books from the bad ones. Any book that tells you that you must do something a certain way is not worth the purchase. Spells and rituals can always be tailored to the practitioner and there is no “right” nor “wrong” way of working a spell or ritual. If a book tells you that you will be able to talk to dragons and call up spirits whenever you want it is also not worth the purchase. Spirits may be called up at certain times and under certain conditions; however, they cannot be summoned whenever you want them. It is also important to note that the internet is full of wonderful information interwoven with garbage. If you just remember to use your head then it will not be difficult to separate the good information from the bad information.

When you have done enough personal research it may be time to find a coven or a teacher. Many pagans hold to the ancient maxim “when the student is ready, the teacher will come.” This is very true; however, safety must be considered when choosing covens and teachers. Before you start with a coven or teacher, test them. Any wise teacher will not mind you asking them to answer a few questions to prove themselves. If they show some hesitation or irritation then let that be a warning sign to you. When choosing a coven it is also important to consider the coven’s traditions. If a coven performs rituals skyclad and that makes you uncomfortable then don’t join that coven. Also, consider what magickal tradition the coven ascribes to. If the coven is mostly Alexandrian wiccans yet you prefer the teachings of the druids then you might want to consider another coven. Above all, remember to use common sense, and if something makes you uncomfortable then discuss it with the coven or teacher, if they do not address the matter in the way you’d like then leave them.

Remember that you will only receive out of paganism what you put into it. The path is lined with study and meditation. Through study you will find your way to oneness with the goddess and the world. I hope that the information provided will serve as a guide down that path.

Like Egypt, Crete was the site of a very early, very advanced society . The Minoan civilization were people who used to inhabit Crete till they were destroyed by natural and political means. These people have captured the imagination of many and remain in many ways an enigma. The Minoan civilization lasted over 1500 years, from 2600-1100 BC. Very little was known about Minoan Crete before the great excavations of Greek and foreign archaeologists that began about 1900, and the discovery of the palaces of Knossos and Mallia with their astonishing architecture and amazingly distinctive finds. Its history had passed into the realm of legend and remained a distant memory in Greek tradition and mythology.

When I visited Crete I found the preserved artworks of the Minoans to be exquisite and delightful. I was captivated by the romance and exuberance, the tasteful use of colour and the sheer artistry and clarity .The paintings and sculpture expressed the euphoria of the process of life and even death. What really intrigued me is how often the subject matter was dancing. In my imagination I could see from the images in the museum in Herakleion and in the archeological sites of Mallia and Knossos, how in particular the women moved. Circle type dancing as exists today was apparent, but I also was intrigued to discover images which suggested vigorous hip movements and trance moves sometimes depicted by solitary dancers that are not a part of contemporary traditional Cretan folk dance. I wanted to immerse my self in the surreal, civilized and beautiful world of the Minoans. The erotic spiral haired heavily made up and stylized women dancing, seemed to have a vibrancy which shone out and invited the willing to join them in their dance. 

Clues to how the Minoans danced can be observed in the traditional art forms central to Minoan culture – ceramics, frescos and stone carvings. In the early period, the ceramics were characterized by linear patterns of spirals, triangles, curved lines, crosses, fishbone motives and such. In the middle Minoan period naturalistic designs such fish, squids, birds and lilies were common. The “palace style” of the region around Knossos is characterized by strong geometric simplification of naturalistic shapes. Repeats are used, animal- human composites are common themes as are highly symbolic and stylized human figures.

After researching the temples and palaces of ancient Minoa I felt compelled to stitch together the images of dancing I saw on the freezes and three dimensional representations. I cut out scanned images and arranged them, using my intuition and studied the myths to create a dance style inspired and directed by the ancient artworks I had seen. Of all the cultures I have looked at the Minoans seem to have been the happiest and most joyful. What must it have felt like to dance like them? We can never truly know because Dance is always a response and in context with ones natural and social environment. However it is possible to obtain insights if one’s intention is clear and true.

We can gain insights of the subtle non-verbal nuances of any culture by observing their dance. art and mythology. The ancient Greeks believed that dancing was invented in Crete by the goddess. The Minoan civilization was the full flowering of a culture with a sacred female presence at its center. Crete, a Greek word, means “strong, or ruling, goddess.” Of all the ancient civilizations, the Cretan goddess reigned the longest as a goddess who was one in herself, without losing all or part of her power to a divine husband.

When women occupy a low position in society it is usually correlated by a covering of the body and some times face. We can assume from images of Minoan women that their sexuality is fully expressed that women must have occupied a high position in society.

When one is attempting to rediscover or recreate a dance it is important to look at the culture and the psychology of a people .Minoan women were powerful leaders in religion and society. Their culture seemed to be peaceful feminine and artistic. There are so many images of people dancing it seems safe to assume that dance was a major part of spiritual, domestic and social cohesion and even altered consciousness.

A Great deal of knowledge of Minoan culture is based on 3,000 year old clay tablets and elaborate wall paintings and floor mosaics, suggesting much about Minoan social relationships and religion .Drawings, paintings, and small statues frequently describe dancers and musicians. Often the dancers are in a circle or line, often with a musician or musicians in the center. Some times they are alone. In some images dancing is a highly symbolic and surreal activity, – strange creatures , human, plant and animal composites populate many of the art forms.

I could see that the flowing ebbing and curved shapes of nature are replicated in the dance moves. The Minoans were inspired by what they saw around them. The patterns the bees make when they perform their in flight dance. The playful exuberance of the dolphin jumping out of the sea. The circambulation of the sun and the moon. The changing face of the night sky, the patterns that emanate from flowers, birds’ courtship rituals. The movements of snakes, and the shapes of the Cretan terrain. All these elements seem to be encapsulated in the dance.

Minoan dances given in front of palace audiences, seems to have involved small companies dancing formal figures. We can see that dancers occasionally whirling at speed. Snake arms and vigorous hip movements were also in the Minoan dance vocabulary. Religious dancing in sacred groves and at alters is also depicted, which is less stylized and far more ecstatic and abandoned. There is much evidence to suggest that drugs were used to help elevate the proceedings. The poppy goddess is wearing seed heads cut for opium extraction. The Minoan culture must have been very well organized for its people to spend so much time in altered states of consciousness creating art and dancing. This is a world that seemed to me like a goddess inspired utopia.

In the Herakleion Archeological Museum I felt an energy and vibrancy that seemed to emanate from the goddess figures I looked at. They seemed to radiate an energy which a receptive person could easily connect with. The poppy goddess with her hands facing towards the viewer seemed to invite reciprocal connection. These figures often resided in domestic contexts. I am intrigued to how her obvious poppy antennae and blissed out look suggest a dreamy state of consciousness. This inspired me to create a dance piece that will affect the consciousness of the viewer and dancer alike.The tiny dancers on a gold ring (fig 1) suggest trance dances that I have observed in a variety of Middle Eastern cultures. The dancer in the middle seems to be creating an energy that the others are engaging in, either receiving or giving energy to the others. The strange creatures in the background are perhaps physical depictions of emanations from the dancers. I have recreated this dance scenario based on what I have observed and learnt from various middle eastern dances. fig 1

One of the most enigmatic and powerful of the Minoan goddesses is “the Snake Goddesses”. This particular goddess is usually considered to be a household divinity. She looks fierce has bare breasts and holds a snake in each hand. To me she looks like she is performing a dance. She resembles a protecting goddess. Of course she is one of many goddesses whose emblem is the snake. The snake also inspires so many Middle Eastern and Indian dance moves.

Minoan culture shares many symbols with predynastic Egypt, including the ankh and Hathor-like images such as cows and suckling calves. Evans remarks that the Minoan snake goddess and her attributes show a remarkable resemblance to Wazet, a manifestation of Hathor who sometimes appears as a serpent and carries a papyrus scepter with a snake wound around it. Babylonian Ishtar is similar to the snake goddess as are other artistic, mythological and ritualistic emblems from ancient Mesopotamia. The Minoan mother goddess was often represented by snakes, and was linked to the Earth shaker, a male represented by the bull and the sun, which would die each fall and be reborn each spring. This is identical to Sumerian myths of the dying and resurrecting sun god the consort and son of Innana. The inclusions of lions with goddesses are also related to how Ishtar is visually depicted.

The Bull is featured as a central divine animal. Many Minoan murals portrayed athletic competitions, which youths performing daring acrobatics on the backs of charging bulls.

The orientation of the palaces on Crete was determined in relation to Sirius, as was the position of Hathor’s temple on the Nile. Like the Egyptians, the Cretans celebrated the New Year at the early rising of Sirius in July. Evans speculates that during the unsettling time of the military unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, refugees from Lower Egypt may have emigrated to Crete. Perhaps dance moves were shared from a variety of cultures that the Minoans traded with. The Minoans were thought not to be of Greek origin and spoke a different language. Perhaps they originated in Syria. Where the Minoans originally came from can only be speculated.

Minoan art suggests that the society was interested in the mythological and spiritual and ritualistic qualities of animals, harvests, and the underworld. Other illustrations have led to some theories that the Minoans also believed in animal-headed demons. Minoan art suggests an influx of West Asian imagery, In Anatolia, Cybele is the goddess of Mt. Ida; the Cretan Mt. Ida is a sacred mountain. Dikte is the name of sacred places in both areas. Remarkably similar Neolithic clay figures, mostly of women, are found in Crete as in Asia Minor. Symbols connected to the goddess and Cretan religion are the bull, the dove, the serpent, the sacred tree, her double axe and the labyrinth. The worship of the goddess is connected with mind altering states initiated presumably by opium, drums, music and dance.

Dance /costume and music collude to create the experience of performance. It is fascinating that the Cretan woman’s costume is totally unique. The smooth form was fitted at the waist and flared gently to the ground. The ruffle style consisted of several succeeding layers of ruffles gradually increasing in circumference as it approached the ground. They were commonly decorated along the hem, sides and shoulder line with bands of woven tape or embroidery. .Women wore bodices composed of smooth fitted lace that fastened beneath the breasts leaving them exposed.

Minoans liked to dance through a classic labyrinth in a single path meant for meditative circumambulation. It was originally a spiral, but slowly evolved into the maze of angular turns familiar to us today. To enter it is to experience a ritual death; to escape from it is to be resurrected. Our modern world separates reality into component parts and it is hard for us to grasp the holistic nature of ancient peoples. In the ancient world, prayer was an active, trance-inducing combination of chanting, music and dance. The danced line into the labyrinth was a sacred path into the inner realm of the goddess. Ancient labyrinths are almost always associated with caves, often appearing at the cave’s mouth. Caves were the first Paleolithic temples, and the association of caves with sacred ceremonies consecrated to the goddess continued in Crete and Anatolia. And elsewhere. The labyrinth also represents descent into the unconscious structure of the mind, in search of wisdom and enlightenment. The Hindu mandalas are use for concentration in Yogic meditations, are often labyrinthine in design.

When I was rehearsing and formulating the Minoan goddess choreography. I found a shiny silver Cretan coin in the middle of the floor. One of my rituals before dancing is to tidy the room and brush the floor, so I know it was clear. I can only attribute metaphysical forces to its appearance. For me it is a sign that this dance vocabulary has a special otherworldly significance that does not fit into modern paradigms. Recreating dance moves from ancient Minoa can give us some insights into the psychological and spiritual feelings of the ancient dancers, as dance moves create emotions in their wake. However translating still images to movement sequences can only ever be a vague interpretation of the original. as cultural, geographical, social and religious factors all affect the dance experience. The art of Crete is so focused on the aesthetic qualities and a very naturalistic pleasing of the senses. Their art has informed us of a culture who lived for the enjoyment of life, who connected the domestic to the spiritual and whose dance was a true celebration of being alive in a beautiful world.

Between 10,000 and 6,000 BC the Africans of the Nile valley and great lakes region devised the stellar calendar. In 4,000 BC the solar calendar would mark the era of a new age; a dynastic period extended its greatness through an entire millennium. The pyramid builders and monument architects erected monolithic structures that till this day continue to marvel modern architecture.

The foundation of a culture’s spiritual system influenced by the celestial bodies and their movement in the heavens inspired them to erect monuments that marked the solstices and the equinoxes as well as the transits of the planets.

The veneration of the ancestors was also determined by the celestial movements; as translated in “The book of the dead” and “The book of coming forth by day”, “The coffin text, and Pyramid text. These religious text or papyrus scrolls are cryptic descriptions of allegorical stories of the deities that resided in the heavens that have considerably influenced their daily lives to such a high degree that magnificent temples were erected in their honor that are still in existence today.

The descendants of this culture who migrated from the Nile valley and great lakes region over period of generations became known as the Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria in West Africa whose cultural practices were and still are deeply submerged in ancestral veneration. Despite the emergence of Christian missionaries and Islamic Jihads there still resides within this cultural context the traditional Yoruba’s belief system is known as Ifa acknowledging the creator, Oludumare through the essence of nature. Oludumare` the creator force birthed the heavens into existence, thus bringing into existence the extensions of the creator; better known as Orisha.

A practice consisting of the acknowledgment of the creator through the forces of nature. Within the elements of earth wind water and fire there exist an entire pantheon of African deities known as Orisha, the indwelling spirit of consciousness that plays a significant role from the heavens in the daily lives of the practioners of the spiritual traditions of Ifa; The Yoruba believe that it is Orisha who guides the consciousness of an individual. It is said that there exist 400 Orisha; facets of nature which are earthly representations of the cosmos; heavenly energies, and therefore nothing exist or happens in the sky that does not have its influence or vibration on earth within nature’s elements and also in human behavior.

The traditional Yoruba believe that everything within nature on earth possesses a consciousness; plant animal mineral and man. The Orisha’s characters are based on the characteristic nature of the planets; their movements, such as oppositions, trines, sextiles and conjunctions in astrology and astronomy. These celestial events are interpreted from the Yoruba’s own cultural perspective.

The scope of this article is not intended to discuss the Ifa religious system in its entirety; only the major Orisha as their correspondence to the natal birth chart, the houses, inner and outer planets and transits.

If you could imagine the beginning and end of a circle you would come to understand the never ending cycle of creation, reincarnation transition and that all things created have a destiny that is influenced by the heavens. In traditional Ifa the Orisha or god of destiny is Orumila; also known as the oracle Orisha. Within the divination system of the Yoruba the Opan Ifa; divining board used in Ifa divination is similar to that of the astrological birth or natal chart that is divided into twelve houses equaling thirty degrees, the distance it takes the sun to travel in a day.

The twelve houses of the natal chart are areas of life governed by a particular planet, in regards to the traditional Yoruba’s cultural perception of ones existence these houses would be ruled by a particular essence in nature or Orisha; for instance:

The first house the self or outward appearance and surface personality is Aries the ram ruled by Mars, within the Yoruba tradition the Orisha of iron and steel, Ogun the warrior god possessing assertive and aggressive characteristics rules the first house. It is Ogun who is the patron of soldiers, police Officers, surgeons, railroad workers, welders, body builders, or anyone employed to work with iron and steel.

The second house the house of material possessions and money is Taurus ruled by Venus the goddess of love; within the Yoruba pantheon Orisha of the rivers lakes and all bodies of fresh water. Oshun the mother of abundance dominates this area of life; motherhood, wealth, and love.

The third house the house of duality, balance, communication, high energy is Gemini ruled by Mercury. The cosmic twins of the Yoruba pantheon the Ibeji; dominate in this area of life they are the ying and yang, positive and negative energies existing within all life.

The fourth house pertains to issues surrounding the home. Maternal, protective, nurturing and instinctive; qualities dominate in Cancer ruled by the moon. These are the attributes of the Orisha Yemoja, Orisha of the ocean, whose ebb and flow of the tides are a result of the moon which is an attribute of her as well.

The fifth house Leo ruled by the sun; a house of enjoyment romance, children, and most of all creativity in all aspects of existence. Here the illumination of the sun is reflectant of the wisdom of Orumila the Orisha of destiny who sits by the side of Oludumare the creator god of the Yoruba. It is within this aspect of existence where man chooses his or her destiny and it is recorded by Orumila in the presence of Oludumare at which time the breath of life is given to man upon his or her emergence on earth; hence the creation of man.

The six house Virgo a house of work, health, and service ruled by Mercury. Out of the Yoruba pantheon of Orisha it is Esu Orisha of the crossroads who is responsible for communication in every aspect of existence between the Orisha, the ancestors, man, and Oludumare. His realm of existence lies between the spirit world and the material world. His domain is within the crossroads; when the sun moon or planet crosses over into a various zodiac signs to assert a particular influence. This is an aspect of Esu, working to ensure that the other Orisha are able to serve their purposes. He is also known as the divine messenger the most important Orisha within the pantheon. His influence may also be found in the third house as well.

The seventh house of partnerships is a house of balance and harmony; a trait of Libra who is ruled by Venus. Here is another domain of Oshun that falls within the realm of love, romance and marriage. Oshun relishes in elegance, beauty, grace, artistry, charm charisma and refinement. She is the Yoruba goddess of love.

The eighth house of Scorpio ruled by Pluto this is a house of absolute power. Scorpio is one of the most powerful signs of the zodiac is it any wonder that the warrior Orisha Oya, also the storm goddess of the Yoruba dominates this eighth house of transformation, regeneration, death, sex reincarnation, and other peoples money; inheritances and financing. She is the hurricanes that form on the West coast of Africa traveling across the Atlantic with winds that generating anywhere from seventy to two hundred miles an hour, she is the tornados and twisters that uproots trees and houses. She is the only force within nature that has the ability to change the face of the earth from her destructive winds. This powerful Orisha is also responsible for carrying the spirits of the newly departed to the spirit world. In Nigeria it is Oya who dominates the market place. In some parts of Nigeria she is Oya of the Niger River; a force within nature to be respected, and a most formidable warrior attribute when invoked to fight for women’s rights.

The ninth house the domain of Sagittarius; a place of higher education, religion, philosophy, and divine law; ruled by Jupiter the planet of expansion, growth, and good fortune is the largest body in our solar system besides the sun. This would be the Yoruba’s planetary counterpart of Obatala the father of the Orisha; owner of the white cloth, he is the purity and illumination at its zenith, the Orisha of wisdom and intelligence, ruling the physical body his domain is all white fluids of the body, the skeletal structure, and the brain.

The tenth house of career status and reputation dominated by Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. The Yoruba pantheon of Orisha associates Babalu-Aiye with the planet Saturn, which is the taskmaster. Saturn is associated with patients, discipline, limitation, and structure. Babalu-Aiye is considered the Orisha of the earth. He can bring forth either prosperity or sickness and disease, for is also known as the deity of small pox, in Catholicism he is referred to as St. Lazarus.

The eleventh houseis the house of Aquarius dominated by upheaval, rebellion, and sudden unexpected events. Ruled by Uranus these characteristics of rebellion, upraises, sudden changes, and upheaval are traits of the warrior Orisha Shango the Orisha of thunder lightning and fire. During the course of history when Uranus was aspecting, or transiting Pluto this was a time of great change through acts of war and war, slave uprisings, and rebellions, especially in the Caribbean islands. The civil rights era was violent and turbulent as well bringing about great change. These historical events throughout history as violent as they were would be associated with the warrior aspects of not only Shango but the Orisha Ogun, and Oya. This fiery energy of the heavens denotes aggressive and assertive influences of the heavenly bodies. Within the Yoruba pantheon such Orisha would be called upon for protection from ones enemies.

The twelfth house of Pieces ruled by Neptune is deeply submerged in secrecy prone to illusionary facets of reality. This house is centered on seclusion and spirituality. This house of the subconscious is dominated by Olokun the Orisha of the ocean floor. Deep and mysterious his realm is; the old Yoruba proverb says that nobody knows what lies on the ocean floor. His aspects are reflectant in the dream time, the subconscious, and the altered state of consciousness when one enters spirit possession, ritual and various levels of initiations and numerous rites of passage. Olokun is considered to be the star of Africa; he would be considered the owner of the great mystery systems of Africa; known by many names. He sparks within us the genius within our being activating our super subconscious.

The interchangeable role played by the Orisha, and endless celestial bodies and their influence on one another can be somewhat overwhelming. As the study of astrology and astronomy becomes more advanced our comprehension of the Orisha and their planetary characteristics and similarities continue to remain a mystery to the uninitiated.