Showing posts with label youth father elder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label youth father elder. Show all posts

Monday, August 20, 2007



Wiccan Justice Rituals

(excerpt from Out of the Shadows

And Into the Light an

ebook of Shadows

available only at

www.theresachaze.com)

by

Theresa Chaze

More than protection, justice rituals are for situations which are bigger than the individual or when you want to clear your karma or break karmic ties with another. They are the best way to release the situation to the wisdom of a higher power. However by doing so you also forfeit your control over the end results. By letting go, you allow the best and highest good to determine the outcome. There are many situations both on the personal level and on the grand scale that would benefit from setting aside the ego and allowing Goddess/God to deal with the challenge.

On a personal level, Justice Rituals are the best way to deal with karmic lessons and relationships that have been connected in more than one lifetime. Souls who do not resolve the challenges between them are forced to come together until the conflict has been balanced and all debts are paid. However, if one soul has made an honest attempt to grow beyond the lesson while the other refuses to learn, there is a process where the karmic ties could be severed and each pays full measure of what is owed without possibility of grace. This is not to be done lightly. Every attempt should be made to resolve the karma between the souls involved. For as long as the matter stays between souls, grace can be given. It could be seen as debt forgiveness on a soul level. If for whatever reason they can not balance out their differences, then a soul can petition to have Karmic Separation.

Another way of using Justice Rituals is to actively balance out your own karma. By asking for help and grace you can mitigate many of the harsher lessons associated with paying karmic debt. By calling down, so to speak, your own karma you demonstrate that you are willing to learn and change. It is a quick way to face old challenges, however it can be very harsh. Before you make the decision to go forward, you must ask yourself if this is what you really want. The severity of the lessons may be tempered if you put in a stipulation that you are taught in such way that you will know and understand the process. You may also ask for a guide to help you forge ahead. Such a guide would be much like the three ghosts in the Christmas Carol. They showed Scrooge his past, present and future thereby giving him the information he needed to able to change his behavior and the course of his future. You can also ask for the Divine to show you the original source of the behavior you are be challenged to grow through or the beginning of the karmic conflict. By going back and tracking the problem from the beginning you can understand how it is affecting your life at this time. Once you understand why things have unfolding as they have, you can start the healing process.

On a larger scale, rituals can used in many ways to aid society achieve justice for all its members. Every generation has their challenges that threaten society’s ability to grow into enlightenment. But fortunately within each generation there have born those who are willing to sacrifice their own egos in order to keep light in the world and hope alive. They are the enlightened souls who see beyond the fear of the moment and do their best to stabilize the situation until the all the truth can be revealed. After 9-11, instead of giving into the hysteria, they worked to have only those directly responsible to be revealed so they could pay the debt for the harm they had caused. Unlike many, they did not give into the hatred of wishing “them” all dead so God could sort them out. Instead the enlightened ones set up barriers so that those responsible could not escape into unknown regions and set up beacons through which they could be tracked. On a smaller scale, the same rituals have been used to help police find rapist, child molesters, and other threats to society. It is a way to help the police find them so that the justice system may do its job in prosecuting them according the existing laws. To use these rituals in any other way is to cross the thin line between justice and vengeance. Cross the line and you may find yourself on the receiving end of justice.

The following rituals are for both the individual and groups. They are to be used wisely and with only justice in mind. To do other is to put yourself at risk.



To find a karmic guide

You will need

9 white two hour candles

For nine days at approximately the same time you will light one of the candles and repeat the following nine times

Please Goddess (God) send a guide who will be teach me

to reach all my best possibilities.

Let the lessons and wisdom come from love

so my challenges will come from above.

Help me have the opportunity of grace

so that I may erase

mistakes I made from greed and haste.

With malice and hatred toward none

I wish the challenges of the past to be done.

Let the battles once lost now be won

With all my heart I wish to make amends

so old wounds are able to mend.


Meditate on the flame until you can see inner light and then take a cleansing bath, allowing the candle to burn down. For the next weeks be more aware of the people you meet for through them you will be led to the people and places you need to learn the most.


Sisters of Justice

What you will need:

four white two hour candles

For four nights in a row, light a candle and repeat:

“Four sisters of days gone by

who an injustice you could not abide.

Give me the clarity of true sight

and the strength to do what is right.

Let ego and injustice be unveiled

so that justice and truth may prevail.

May those who wish to do harm

find their actions set off alarms.

Let their motives be clear to sight

and may their actions bring them only blight.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Magical Fantasy Videos--Harry Potter, LOTR, Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley
Video clips to amuse and excit your imagination.


Friday, June 29, 2007

Awakening the Dragon--Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy--Real Magic verses the fictional of the Harry Potter Series




Saturday, April 21, 2007


If you have questions about life, money, or love, go to www.asknow.com to ask one free question of the spiritual advisors. Allow us to give you a little peek into the future, so you to you make more informed decisions about which path to take in the matters of money or love. In addition, we can help you communicate with the other realms and find the answers you need from your past or the loved ones who have crossed over. Our Wiccan Priestess can also teach you the magic you will need to reach your positive goals of wisdom, prosperity, healing and psychic self defense.

Friday, April 20, 2007

PetSafe Animal Rescue needs your help


Memorial weekend in the Traverse City area, PetSafe will be hosting a fund raising yard sale. They need donations, volunteers to help and people to buy from their sale. If you can help call Michael at 231-+668-7359.

Although Petsafe is always in need of cash donations, they are in desperate need of foster families to help cats and dogs. Petsafe provides the food, veterinary care, and supplies. The family provides a loving, safe home and transportation to the adoption events, which take place at the Traverse City Petsmart on most Saturdays and Sundays. The average time a dog spends in a foster home is about two weeks. A single family could save 25 dogs a year by just taking in one at a time. Cats, however, take a little longer; therefore, there is a greater need for feline foster homes. Before an animal is placed in foster home, it is checked for medical and behavioral issues. During the foster time, the animal is altered to prevent unwanted litters and is socialized. The foster family evaluates its temperament and helps determine what kind of living situation would be the best match. By the time it is available for adoption, there are one or more people who knows it well enough to be able to vouch for their character.

The second greatest need is for loving families who are looking to adopt. Petsafe is only designed to temporarily care for them until permanent families can be found. However, they are a no kill organization, so animals in their system will remain in foster homes until they are adopted, which is why there are frequent holds on the intake of animals. Their resources simple cannot properly support all those who are in need; therefore, finding good homes is their primary concern. For every cat or dog that is adopted, space is made available for another to be rescued.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Greetings,
Here is April's issue of Messages from the Universe. Although the individual article are copyrighted by the individual authors, you are welcome to share ezine as a whole. The link address is

http://www.geocities.com/tirgana/messagesApril2007.pdf

You may have to cut and paste the addess into your browser.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Christopher Stewart




Solar Eclipse Sunday March 18th
By Christopher P. Stewart(Christopher P. Stewart)


The Moon's close proximity to the Earth (perigee) also raises the possibility of earthquakes and other geophysical disruptions. The rise and fall of world leaders are often marked by a solar eclipse - occurring in Pisces, ...
Intuitive Living Medical Intuitive... - http://intuitiveliving.blogspot.com/index.html

Monday, March 12, 2007

Out of the Shadows and Into the Light
Wiccan Wisdom
By
Theresa Chaze

Valkyrie Publishing announces the March 1 release of Theresa Chaze's new ebook, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light. It is a 105-page ebook containing Wiccan wisdom and rituals for the beginner as well as the advanced practitioner. It contains rituals for the individual as well as for groups.

Although Wicca is a modern term, it is based on traditions that reach back to when humans toiled the soil and hunted the forests for food. It is a wisdom, which helps Wiccan and Pagans work in harmony with the rhythms of nature to provide and protect the family or tribe. Most of us today do not grow our own food or hunt in the forest; instead, we work jobs and forage in supermarkets. This doesn’t change the essential nature of our goals, which is to provide for our families and ourselves. By working in harmony with the nature's energy, which surrounds us, we can bring balance, peace and prosperity into our lives. This doesn’t mean our lives will be without challenges, but it does mean with faith in ourselves and the Divine we can weather our challenges to reach our best and highest good.

Wiccans also respect other religions. We do not alter their rituals or prayers as an anti-religion. I have heard of covens, which as part of their initiation require the initiate to say the Lord’s Prayer backward. Wicca is based on spiritual traditions, which began long before Christ walked upon the Earth. We are a positive, loving force in the universe. Only by respecting all paths can we honor ourselves, each other and the Divine life force, no matter what is called, which is in all of us.

In Out of the Shadows and Into the Light, I share some of what I have learned. It is a positive healing magic, meant to help you on your path. If you are looking for rituals to control or harm another, you are looking in the wrong book. Anytime you try to control another’s destiny, it is black magic. Which brings me to the Wiccan Creed “do what ye will, but harm none.” and the “rule of three”. The only exception to these rules is in self-defense. Once you are no longer being attacked, you must stop; otherwise, you become the attacker and the rules apply to you. Both the creed and the rule of three have been hotly debated. Whether you call it the rule of three, karma, or what goes around comes around, your actions do have consequences for good or evil. Harm or manipulate another, no matter what your intentions, and you open yourself to the same at another’s hand. However, random acts of kindness bring help and healing back to you when you need it. It is your choice.

There are two categories of protection. The first is a response to an attack that has already begun. Rituals, which reflect back or bind the other’s negative energy, fall into this section. The second set of rituals are preventative measures, which include cleansing, shields, and reinforcing your own energy. Protection rituals or spells, which reflect back or bind, are specifically for self-defense on a spiritual level. Once you are in a safe spot, you can then turn your attention to preventing further aggression. These protection rituals are solely for self-defense. To follow the attacker and to continue, reverse the roles and you become the attacker. These rituals are specifically designed for self-defense, nothing more.

More than protection, justice rituals are for situations, which are bigger than the individual is, when you want to clear your karma, or break karmic ties with another. They are the best way to release the situation to the wisdom of a higher power. However by doing so you also forfeit your control over the end results. By letting go, you allow the best and highest good to determine the outcome. There are many situations both on the personal level and on the grand scale that would benefit from setting aside the ego and allowing Goddess/God to deal with the challenge.

What would a book of Shadows be without prosperity rituals--a book of other wisdom. But if you are looking for rituals to help you win the lottery or to steal others’ belongings, you need to look elsewhere. There aren’t many rich witches out there who didn’t become so without hard work. That doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen, only that is unlikely that you will win millions. Prosperity is more than the sum total of what is in you bank account, but of who you are and what you have accomplished. That doesn't mean you can set aside the mundane needs of life and go meditate on a hill--even then you have to eat. What it does mean that you need to take responsibility for your decisions and your life. Casting spells and doing rituals can help, but I have yet to meet a rich witch. The best way to insure a successful, prosperous life is to remain in school and get a good education. In doing so, you'll find a source of satisfaction as well as being able to live comfortably.

Most love rituals are in fact black magic. If you try to influence another against their will to love you, even for good reason, it is black magic and eventually you will pay. In the movie, The Craft, the one witch discovered how dangerous it can be. She forced a classmate to love her, but instead of a lover, she created a dangerous stalker. Besides wouldn't you prefer to have a love match where you were loved you for yourself instead of forcing someone to love you. How could you ever trust the love between you? Created in trickery and deceit, it could never be a strong bond. Also in doing so, you would create very bad karma and destroy any chance you and any of your true soul mates would have of connecting.

As with the protection rituals, the following are not meant to be the only path to take. If you are physically ill or injured for goodness sake, seek medical help. I am not a doctor or a medical professional. Healing rituals are designed to heal from the spiritual down to the physical. Many illnesses, both on the physical and emotional level have their sources in the spiritual. By healing etheric body or the soul, the physical body is restored. There isn't a simple explanation of why illness happens--nor are there any cure all. Frequently illnesses are learning experiences, karmic balancing or the result of emotional trauma. The only way to deal with them is to find the root cause. In doing so, the lesson is learn or the trauma is understood so trapped emotions can be released. This is no guarantee that the physical ailment will just disappear, but it will aid with the healing process.

Wiccan and Paganism are multi-dimensional paths whose main purpose is to be able both live well and in harmony with the universe. You won’t find them on street corners trying to convert others, nor do they actively attack others; it would be against their belief system. Instead, they chose a life’s path in the pursuit of wisdom, honor and harmony. They work their jobs, care for their families, and pay their bills, while trying to make this world a little better for everyone.



"An amazing and in depth BOS written by the published Wiccan writer Theresa Chaze. An Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church, Wiccan Priestess, and expert in Dragon Magic, Mz Chaze shares her personal wisdom and experiences with the reader. The artwork is inspiring and you will find invaluable spells, rituals, Moon phases,
Pagan Holy Days and much much more. Not the run of the mill BOS fare, but a tantalizing buffet!"

GrannyMoon



“When I use the term “awesome” in reference to Theresa Chaze’s new book, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light, it is such an understatement that I really feel ashamed I cannot come up with a better term. Out of the Shadows and Into the Light is an excellent reference guide for anyone who really wants to know what Wicca is really all about. Theresa, an Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church and Wiccan Priestess, guides us through rituals, alter-building and dragon magic with such a gentle and easy tone that even those of us who don’t practice Wicca can understand that it’s not about evil, but about finding good in the world. It has totally changed my way of thinking. I believe that if more people would realize that Wicca is not about burning animals at the alter or casting evil spells, but concentrate on Theresa’s principles that “…Wicca is a wisdom…based on living in harmony with the rhythms of nature to provide and protect the family…,” you will see the full impact that those who practice Wicca are trying to portray. I highly recommend Out of the Shadows and Into the Light…a must read for anyone who wants to know the REAL world of Wicca.”

--Dorothy Thompson, editor, The Writer’s Life (www.thewriterslife.net) and editor/contributing author of Romancing the Soul (Zumaya Publications 2004)


Out of the Shadows and Into the Light is only available at www.theresachaze.com. Downloads are five dollars to be paid through Paypal.

Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. Her screenplay, Never Can Say Good-bye, is one of the 2006 winners of the Gloria Film Festival. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site www.theresachaze.com.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Prevented from Harassing Wiccans and Pagan
Christians Claim Discrimination
By
Theresa Chaze


On September 23 2006, several friends and myself drove down the Pagan Pride Day in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The sun was playing peak-a-boo with us all the way down. However, by the time we got to the park the clouds had parted somewhat. It was a beautiful day and we were excited about going to the festival. The parking lot was nearly full. We ended up finding parking spots on opposite ends of the lot for our two vehicles. As we walked to meet each other, we were suddenly confronted by men declaring we were evil and going to hell. Some of them quietly handed out flyers with Christian tracts to pedestrians walking by, but they were also putting them on the windshields. Others weren't so benign. They verbally assaulted people going into the festival, sometimes blocking their path and declaring they were in league with the devil. One man was arrested for using a bullhorn without a permit. Others went around the parking lot, writing down license plate numbers of the cars present. The only reason they would want that information is to harass the vehicle owners later. Granted after a certain point, I stopped being nice to them. I’m a fully dedicate Wiccan Priestess, who goes out of her way to help others and make the world a little better. I resented being called evil and being cursed to damnation by people who knew nothing about me.
We paid our admission with cat food for the local animal rescue group and joined in the festivities. With or without garb, people were enjoying each other’s company, the shopping and the positive energy of the group as a whole. We arrived in time to take a scrying class. After which, our group started breaking off to find our own interests. One of the local animal rescue groups had a few cats and dogs that were available for adoption. Angie commented that they had lost me for a while; she and Kayla went on to shop, while the two others found another class. I talked with the rescue volunteers for a while and scratched a few furry heads before moving on. There was some beautiful hand made crafts, intuitive readers and representatives from some Occult shops in Michigan. I stopped to chat and promote my novels. On the far end was a shop that sold inexpensive daggers and swords; none of them would be really considered weapons, being more decorative than being able to hold a true edge. I found one that was really cute and affordable, so I bought it. One of the SCA groups was teaching the younger children how to fence with patted sparing swords and showing off their own skill with their blades. There were also rituals being performed for the healing of the planet and for the equinox. There were other forms of entertainment, including a magician who did magic along the lines of the Mind Freak.
The atmosphere was relaxed with people laughing, chatting and enjoying the festival. Everyone was having a good time, except for the group of “Christians” who continued to screech how evil we were for not believing in their one true God. If harassing the festival goers in the parking lot was not enough, they were given specific areas in the park where they could spout their bigotry and negativity. Law enforcement kept an obvious presence by standing off to side, close enough to keep the two groups from colliding, but far enough so they wouldn‘t interfere with either group.. Most of the festival patrons ignored the Christians. The more they were disregarded, the louder the Christians became. No one from the festival or from law enforcement made any attempt to silence them. A few people did mock them, but they did not interfere with their free speech. They were able to spew their bigotry and ignorance to their hearts content. As the afternoon passed and the coming storm make its presence more apparent, the Christians disbursed.
You would think that would have been the end of the story, but is not. David Ickes and seven other members of the Worldwide Street Preachers’ Fellowship with the help of the Allied Defense Fun have suited the City of Grand Rapids, claiming their First Amendment Rights were violated by police when they attempted to speak in a public park.
“It is truly disturbing when those charged with upholding the law disregard or do not understand the First Amendment rights of citizens,” said ADF-allied attorney Randall Wenger of the Lancaster, Pa., law firm Clymer & Musser, P.C. “The officers in this situation acted in violation of the Constitution when they chose to silence those who were simply exercising their free speech rights.”
I was there for most of the festival. They were not silenced, just mocked and ignored. They were also prevented from harassing the festival goers by being limited to selected areas in the park. They claim that they did not use amplification equipment, but this is not true. It was the reason the person was arrested.
Ickes and the others claimed they merely wanted to address the festival goers. Their group was able to speak out; they were just prevented from harassing others who walk a different spiritual path. They had the right to speak out. We also had the First Amendment right to mock them and ignore them. They claim their First Amendment right of free speech was violated; however, they were violating our First Amendment right of freedom of religion.
“Religious speech is protected under the First Amendment and cannot be silenced because of a city-imposed permit requirement,” Wenger explained.
This is true, but so is our right not to be Christian and to live our lives free of harassment and intimidation. Ickes and his fellow preachers have the right to believe whatever they wish, but they do not have the right to inflict it on others.
A copy of the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in World Wide Street Preachers’ Fellowship v. The City of Grand Rapids is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesComplaint.pdf. The motion for preliminary injunction may be viewed at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesPIMotion.pdf. The memorandum in support of the motion for preliminary injunction is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesPIMemo.pdf.


Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. Her screenplay, Never Can Say Good-bye, is one of the 2006 winners of the Gloria Film Festival. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site www.theresachaze.com.




Technorati Profile

Monday, March 05, 2007

Wiccan Book of Shadows--A Review
"Out of the Shadows and Into the Light, A Book of Shadows for the Modern World."
A Review by GrannyMoon

An amazing and in depth BOS written by the published Wiccan writer Theresa Chaze. An Ordained Minister
of the Universal Life Church, Wiccan Priestess, and expert in Dragon Magic, Mz Chaze shares her personal wisdom
and experiences with the reader. The artwork is inspiring and you will find invaluable spells, rituals, Moon phases,
Pagan Holy Days and much much more. Not the run of the mill BOS fare, but a tantalizing buffet!

Her other works, "Dragon Clan Trilogy", "Awakening the Dragon" and "Dragon Domain", as well as,
"Sisters, Mother, Daughters", her free fantasy e-book, are available on her website,
http://geocities.com/tirgana/Tirgana.html

Sunday, March 04, 2007


Messages Fromt The Universe March Issue

Here is March's issue of Messages From the Universe. Sorry it was
late. As always, the individual authors retain the copyright of the
articles, but you are more than welcome to share the ezine

You may hve to cut and paste the address in your browser.

http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/MessgesMarch2007.pdf

Tuesday, February 27, 2007




Out of the Shadows and Into the Light
Wiccan Wisdom
By
Theresa Chaze

Valkyrie Publishing announces the March 1 release of Theresa Chaze's new ebook, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light. It is a 105-page ebook containing Wiccan wisdom and rituals for the beginner as well as the advanced practitioner. It contains rituals for the individual as well as for groups.
Although Wicca is a modern term, it is based on traditions that reach back to when humans toiled the soil and hunted the forests for food. It is a wisdom, which helps Wiccan and Pagans work in harmony with the rhythms of nature to provide and protect the family or tribe. Most of us today do not grow our own food or hunt in the forest; instead, we work jobs and forage in supermarkets. This doesn’t change the essential nature of our goals, which is to provide for our families and ourselves. By working in harmony with the nature's energy, which surrounds us, we can bring balance, peace and prosperity into our lives. This doesn’t mean our lives will be without challenges, but it does mean with faith in ourselves and the Divine we can weather our challenges to reach our best and highest good.
Wiccans also respect other religions. We do not alter their rituals or prayers as an anti-religion. I have heard of covens, which as part of their initiation require the initiate to say the Lord’s Prayer backward. Wicca is based on spiritual traditions, which began long before Christ walked upon the Earth. We are a positive, loving force in the universe. Only by respecting all paths can we honor ourselves, each other and the Divine life force, no matter what is called, which is in all of us.
In my soon to be published Book of Shadows called, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light, I share some of what I have learned. It is a positive healing magic, meant to help you on your path. If you are looking for rituals to control or harm another, you are looking in the wrong book. Anytime you try to control another’s destiny, it is black magic. Which brings me to the Wiccan Creed “do what ye will, but harm none.” and the “rule of three”. The only exception to these rules is in self-defense. Once you are no longer being attacked, you must stop; otherwise, you become the attacker and the rules apply to you. Both the creed and the rule of three have been hotly debated. Whether you call it the rule of three, karma, or what goes around comes around, your actions do have consequences for good or evil. Harm or manipulate another, no matter what your intentions, and you open yourself to the same at another’s hand. However, random acts of kindness bring help and healing back to you when you need it. It is your choice.
There are two categories of protection. The first is a response to an attack that has already begun. Rituals, which reflect back or bind the other’s negative energy, fall into this section. The second set of rituals are preventative measures, which include cleansing, shields, and reinforcing your own energy. Protection rituals or spells, which reflect back or bind, are specifically for self-defense on a spiritual level. Once you are in a safe spot, you can then turn your attention to preventing further aggression. These protection rituals are solely for self-defense. To follow the attacker and to continue, reverse the roles and you become the attacker. These rituals are specifically designed for self-defense, nothing more.
More than protection, justice rituals are for situations, which are bigger than the individual is, when you want to clear your karma, or break karmic ties with another. They are the best way to release the situation to the wisdom of a higher power. However by doing so you also forfeit your control over the end results. By letting go, you allow the best and highest good to determine the outcome. There are many situations both on the personal level and on the grand scale that would benefit from setting aside the ego and allowing Goddess/God to deal with the challenge.
What would a book of Shadows be without prosperity rituals--a book of other wisdom. But if you are looking for rituals to help you win the lottery or to steal others’ belongings, you need to look elsewhere. There aren’t many rich witches out there who didn’t become so without hard work. That doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen, only that is unlikely that you will win millions. Prosperity is more than the sum total of what is in you bank account, but of who you are and what you have accomplished. That doesn't mean you can set aside the mundane needs of life and go meditate on a hill--even then you have to eat. What it does mean that you need to take responsibility for your decisions and your life. Casting spells and doing rituals can help, but I have yet to meet a rich witch. The best way to insure a successful, prosperous life is to remain in school and get a good education. In doing so, you'll find a source of satisfaction as well as being able to live comfortably.
Most love rituals are in fact black magic. If you try to influence another against their will to love you, even for good reason, it is black magic and eventually you will pay. In the movie, The Craft, the one witch discovered how dangerous it can be. She forced a classmate to love her, but instead of a lover, she created a dangerous stalker. Besides wouldn't you prefer to have a love match where you were loved you for yourself instead of forcing someone to love you. How could you ever trust the love between you? Created in trickery and deceit, it could never be a strong bond. Also in doing so, you would create very bad karma and destroy any chance you and any of your true soul mates would have of connecting.
As with the protection rituals, the following are not meant to be the only path to take. If you are physically ill or injured for goodness sake, seek medical help. I am not a doctor or a medical professional. Healing rituals are designed to heal from the spiritual down to the physical. Many illnesses, both on the physical and emotional level have their sources in the spiritual. By healing etheric body or the soul, the physical body is restored. There isn't a simple explanation of why illness happens--nor are there any cure all. Frequently illnesses are learning experiences, karmic balancing or the result of emotional trauma. The only way to deal with them is to find the root cause. In doing so, the lesson is learn or the trauma is understood so trapped emotions can be released. This is no guarantee that the physical ailment will just disappear, but it will aid with the healing process.
Wiccan and Paganism are multi-dimensional paths whose main purpose is to be able both live well and in harmony with the universe. You won’t find them on street corners trying to convert others, nor do they actively attack others; it would be against their belief system. Instead, they chose a life’s path in the pursuit of wisdom, honor and harmony. They work their jobs, care for their families, and pay their bills, while trying to make this world a little better for everyone.

“When I use the term “awesome” in reference to Theresa Chaze’s new book, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light, it is such an understatement that I really feel ashamed I cannot come up with a better term. Out of the Shadows and Into the Light is an excellent reference guide for anyone who really wants to know what Wicca is really all about. Theresa, an Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church and Wiccan Priestess, guides us through rituals, alter-building and dragon magic with such a gentle and easy tone that even those of us who don’t practice Wicca can understand that it’s not about evil, but about finding good in the world. It has totally changed my way of thinking. I believe that if more people would realize that Wicca is not about burning animals at the alter or casting evil spells, but concentrate on Theresa’s principles that “…Wicca is a wisdom…based on living in harmony with the rhythms of nature to provide and protect the family…,” you will see the full impact that those who practice Wicca are trying to portray. I highly recommend Out of the Shadows and Into the Light…a must read for anyone who wants to know the REAL world of Wicca.”
--Dorothy Thompson, editor, The Writer’s Life (www.thewriterslife.net) and editor/contributing author of Romancing the Soul (Zumaya Publications 2004)

Out of the Shadows and Into the Light is only available at www.theresachaze.com. Downloads are five dollars to be paid through Paypal.

Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. Her screenplay, Never Can Say Good-bye, is one of the 2006 winners of the Gloria Film Festival. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site www.theresachaze.com.

Monday, February 26, 2007



Energy Reading for March 2007
By
Theresa Chaze


There continues to be many multi-level and multi-dimensional changes happening for everyone. If you think you have been excluded, you are either not paying attention or you are lying to yourself. It is the time of revelation, not the one from the Bible, but the exposing of our true hearts and souls. No longer will excuses or the blame game be able to hide us from what karma accounting we have earned. For those who chose to have the courage to face the challenges head on, there will be resources and the support that you need; those, who chose to attempt to run, will be bit in the butt by what they are running from.

From the past, we are carrying forward the need for peace and harmony. Although we thought we had a brief time out, it was just an illusion. The changes continued within and without even though we seemed to be hiding in a safe place. At that time the changes were happening on such a grand scale, we couldn't see how they affected our individual lives. But the spiral has once again to tighten its loops and we will once again be swept up in the energy changes.

For the month of March, the energy will be represented by the Death card. I'm going out on a limb to say that in March, Death will affect our lives on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. There will be many who chose to leave the earthly plane this month. Their jobs are either done or they are no longer able to accomplish their tasks from this plane of existence. Instead, they will move to the upper realms and direct the flow of energy from there. Those that will remain will have their beliefs and traditions challenged down to the core. As the waves crash on the shore, something old will be unearthed, which will prove much that is believed as truth to be false. No one will unscathed; no one will be left untouched by the changing sands of light.

The energy we will take out of March is Rejuvenation or the Judgment card. Casting off the old shackles, we will find new freedom from the old traditions and beliefs. The Justice bill will be coming due for everyone. How we have treated ourselves, others, and the planet will determine what color ink the balance will be written in. Those who have done harm and refused to learn their karmic lessons will find a deficit in their accounts, while those, who have come to the aid of others and done their best to move forward, will be blessed beyond their imagination.

There were two cards that wanted to describe the challenges we will all be facing. The six of cups is the past coming into the present like the snake eating its tail we will begin a new cycle by going back to the beginning. Old friends, old challenges, and old beliefs will reappear in our lives. Some will be blessings, while others will again challenge us. The second card is the eight of pentacles. It is a card of acceleration and out of control movement. Half hazard encounters and coincidences will make us question just how much control we have in our lives. The answer is as much as we are willing to take responsibility for. Their are no accidents in life, just attention getting methods of the Divine when we don't listen to the messages being sent.

Sunday, February 18, 2007




Theresa Chaze--Wiccan Priestess, Ordained Minister, Civil Rights Activist and Fantasy Writer



Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She flies her readers to magical realms and others worlds on the wings of her dragon spirit. An Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church and Wiccan Priestess, Theresa Chaze's work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. However, her non-fiction focuses on civil rights, ethical animal treatment, and responsible environmental management, which includes rapidly moving away from fossil fuels into alternatives.

Her resume is as diverse as her interests. On the mundane level, she graduated from Michigan State University with Bachelor Degrees in English and Video Production; after which she worked for several years at local TV stations. On a more spiritual level, she is a Tarot Reader and a Reiki Healer. She is a natural born intuitive and empath with an instinctive connection to animals and nature spirits. Through her maternal lineage, she is able to not only sense those who have crossed over, but she can also communicate with them. In the summer of 1981, she initiated on the Wiccan path. Samhain of 1997, she fully dedicated to the path of the Goddess. February, 2007 she became an Ordained Minster of the Universal Life Church.

Her major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy, Awakening the Dragon and Dragon Domain, and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. Her Book of Shadows, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light will be released on March 1; it will only be available through her website. Her screenplay, Never Can Say Good-bye, is one of the 2006 winners of the Gloria Film Festival. Additional non-fiction articles and observations can be found in her newsletter; the link can be found on her site at www.theresachaze.com. Readers are welcome to visit site to download her free ebook and join her newsletter list.

Monday, February 12, 2007


Valentine's Day Magic
(an excerpt from Out of the Shadows
And into the Light)

Love Rituals

Most love rituals are in fact black magic. If you try to influence another against their will to love you, even for good reason, it is black magic and eventually you will pay. In the movie, The Craft, the one witch discovered how dangerous it could be. She forced a classmate to love her, but instead of a lover, she created a dangerous stalker. Besides wouldn't you prefer to have a love match where you were loved you for yourself instead of forcing someone to love you. How could you ever trust the love between you? Created in trickery and deceit, it could never be a dependable bond. Also in doing so, you would create very bad karma and destroy any chance you and any of your true soul mates would have of connecting.
There also several kinds of soul mates, not all of them are romantic. Some temporarily appear in our lives to help heal old wounds or to balance out karma. Some are friends from the past have found each other this time around just because they enjoy each other’s company. Still there are soul mates, who have been love matches many times before. They have laugh, cried and grown as souls together. This bond is one that cannot be broken, nor is it calm and serene, but frequently passionate and challenging as you force each other to grow towards your best and highest good.
The best way to find a love in your life is to find love in yourself first. Once you see the beauty of your soul, others will see it as well. Be yourself. Do what you like to do. It is the only way you will find someone who will love you not a facade.
With ever word you speak, every action you take you teach others how much value you place on yourself and how you expect to be treated. When you love and respect yourself, others will honor you the same way. These rituals are to help you create a wonderful love affair with yourself and restore your self respect. They will heal old wounds and help you take back your own power. In doing so, you meet others as an equal. After all, to find your soul mate you have to be able to look them in the eyes to see the soul within.
I’ve also include a few semi-traditional love spells that will draw in a romantic soul mate. Remember, that until you love yourself, no one else will either. Secondly, if you are looking for someone to date or mate, remember to list human as one of the qualities, otherwise you might find yourself with the cutest puppy instead of a spouse.


Reuniting with our own power

What you will need:

A pink candle
A red candle
A purple candle
The courage to grow and change

So many people have lost the ability to see the perfection of their own soul. Instead, they see only the imperfections that society places on them. They give up their individuality to be accepted by others and in doing so deprive themselves of their power. This ritual reinforces your soul's true self. In claiming your selfness, you become a beacon, which allows others to do the same.

After creating your circle of protection--
Light the pink candle to reclaim your friendship with yourself
Light the red candle to reclaim the passion you feel for what makes you special
Light the purple to reclaim your unique place in the universe.

Then say:

“I'm not afraid to question, for that is how I answers are found.
I'm not afraid to take back my power,
for that is how strength is born.
I'm not afraid to speak my wisdom,
for that is now knowledge is shared.
I'm not afraid to love,
for that is how healing begins.
I'm not afraid to be yourself,
for that is how others are freed.
I'm not afraid to see all women as my sisters, mothers, and daughters,
nor am I afraid to see all men as my brothers, fathers, and sons
for that is how they shall see me.
I shall rebuild what was destroyed.
For in seeing the good in myself I can see the good in others.
In seeing light in others that I have seen within,
we create a common bond that creates understanding.
In creating that bond, we reclaim our power over our lives
and send out a love that can save the world.”

Meditate on the flames until you feel peaceful. Then release your circle and allow the candles to burn down.

Finding your life path

Sometimes we lose our way emotionally and spiritually. It is okay to question where we have been and where we would like to go. In clarifying things our own minds, we frequently find possibilities that we previously over looked. This ritual and meditation will help find your path, whether it be an old one renewed or a new one that you thought was impossible.

What you will need:

A white candle
Your favorite incense

Light the candle and incense, saying:

“There was a time
I didn't have a rhythm.
For I lost me
in a sea of disbelieve.
Yet there was a spark
that sang to me as a lark.
There was still hope
that I could find the strength to cope.
Goddess show me the right track
to find so I might find my way back.
On the threshold I stand
to this foreign land.
Here in my heart questions do live,
yet the answers I cannot give.
Shall I go forth to the new and unknown
or shall stay in this place where the familiar is shown.
Goddess, show me the way to my best and highest good
so I made decide with true vision and truth without fear's hood.”

Meditate on the candle with an open heart until the candle burn down. The true message might not come at the moment but through signs and dreams. Be more aware of the world around you. Signs don't always come in flashing neon; more often than not they are as subtle as butterfly wings.





Call to the Goddess

What you will need:

A white candle
A green candle
A silver candle (or a second white if you cannot find silver)
A full moon

Cast your circle of protection. Light all three candles and say:

“I am one.
I am all.
I am separate
yet connected.
I am the shaft of wheat growing in the field,
fertile--indispensable to all that lives.
It’s my body that creates the future,
as I was created in the past.
Every shaft blows in the wind,
yet it dances to music it alone hears.

Each is unique.
Each is alone.
Each ripens
in its own time.
Separate, yet within the earth all the roots are forever intertwined
giving us strength beyond the one.
Each grounds the power of the eternal
within the roots of tomorrow.

We are the protectors.
We are the teachers.
We are the healers,
which insure the future.
Seeing beyond the moment, we have clarity of vision
to see the past and create the future.
We are the creative influence,
which inspires others to reach for the stars.

One face is a daughter.
One face is a mother.
One face is a crone,
yet there is but one.
Within each is all, sister, mother, daughter, grandmother each in turn,
yet all remain within each soul.
One with all within the heart of the moon,
we share feminine passion.
One face is son.
One face is a father.
One face is an elder,
yet there is but one
Within each is all, brother, father, son, grandfather each in turn,
yet all remain within each soul.

I call to them from before.
I call to those from now.
I call to those yet to come.
Together let us become the wheat,
whose roots intertwine in the field of all realities
those that have been and those yet to be.
I call you to speak with one voice
that will echo among the ages.

Let our voices be heard.
Let our voices be as one.
Let our voices radiate the power
to create our will.
Open the doors between the realms of time and space,
as we stand on the threshold between yesterday and tomorrow.
Let our voices be clear and strong,
sending our message beyond the beyond.

In the time before time.
In the time before space.
In the time before the first
life sparked into being
there was the spirit of the Life Bringers.
Older than old, with no beginning or end
they challenged the darkness to produce life and light.

Through them came all the others.
Through them came all life.
Through them came all possibilities.
I call to them now with their memory of all
to awaken and return to this time and space.
Bring your wisdom and grace
back to this realm.
Let all the others, to numerous to name, both light and dark
return at your side.
Our world has been bloodied by greed and hate.
Our world has become a place of fear and shame.
Our world has been over run by men,
who wish to control and dominate,
destroying all that creates life and light.
Return to us now in our realm,
make your power be felt.

Make your power be seen.
Make your power be the force,
which restores balance and justice in all nations.
As it was in the beginning and every moment after,
may the light of your love fill every women.
May your flame fill our souls, hearts and minds.
Connect us with each other and with the Divine light.
May we be the healers, the warriors, the truth speakers,
the creators of the divine spark of peace and love.
With each may be the all,
yet within the all may each voice
sing its own truth with clarity and pride.
As the one became many,
may the many become one
let our will be done.”

Okay here are the traditional ones. Remember not to get specific in either name or description. List the character traits you desire--do not list the physical ones as if you were giving a description to a police sketch artist. Ask for intelligence, a sense of humor, educational level, for mutual respect, that she or he be attractive to you and you to him or her, ask for an age range--do not ask that he have long, sandy blonde hair that is held back in a ponytail, stunning blue eyes, dimples, a good butt, and is wearing a blue shirt who just happens to looks like Mike in the next cubicle. That would be black magic and bad karma.



Three candles love spell--
if you really think you must

What you will need:

A pink candle
A white candle
A red candle
And a list of attributes you would like in a mate
White, pink and red rose petals

Sprinkle the rose petals together on the list, saying:

“Loved from within I do reach out
with complete hope and lack of doubt.”

Fold the four corners of the list toward the center, keeping the rose petals inside saying:

“From the east, south, west and north
I look for love in every port.”

Light the white candle and allow the wax drip on the list, sealing the edges close to keep the rose petals inside and say:

“With pure motives I seek out
the one who will share love with lack of doubt.”

Light the pink candle and allow the wax to drip on the list, sealing it and say:

“Let our friendship be filled with trust and wonder
which will make us stronger when others attempt to rip us asunder.”

Light the red candle and drip the red on the other two seals and say:

“May our passion for life and each other
keeps us together one to another.
We do seek to become one
while keeping our individuality from being undone.
Strong in ourselves separate and bold
but together we chose each other hold.
Not out of need or shame
we come to each other freely without blame.
Seeking to help each other grow towards the Divine light
we still have each other for comfort on the darkness night.”


Three roses

A very simple love spell, which allows you to ask for three things your true love will be.

What you will need:

Three white roses
A river or creek
Red thread
Three slips of paper with the three most important qualities you seek. For example:

My true love will be a man (woman) who is honest and kind.
My true love will be a man (woman) who respects me as much as I respect him/her.
My true love will be a man (woman) who is forgiving, honorable and wise with a sense of humor, which helps him meet life with balance.

Tie a quality to each of the rose with the red thread. Go to the river and toss in a rose for each line.

“One to seek
One to find
One to make our love shine”

Then go something that you really enjoy doing that involves other people. Having a good time doing an activity you love brings you into contact with others of like mind. In short--be yourself, love life, laugh and play and others will be drawn your way.

Sunday, February 11, 2007


Wiccans and Pagans continue to fight for their civil rights.


Freedom of Speech
Freedom of relgion
The Freedom to stand up for what we belive in.

Dedicated to Sgt. Patrick Stewart, the Wiccan soldier who died in Afganistan and the VA refuses to honor his one last wish - a pentacle on his grave stone. Filmed at Sacred Harvest Festival 2006 The song "The Symbol" was written and sun by Celia who can conntacted at www.CeliaOnline.com. WitchyFilms continues to produce videos, which help promote freedom of speach and religion. Their site is www.WitchyFilms.com. Circle Sanctuary continues to help Sgt. Stewards family fight for his rights. They can be reached at www.circlesanctuary.com

Blessed are those who can fight for their rights with faith, courage and love.













For more information, visit the following links.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-02-Thu-2006/news/6149634.html

http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oef/profiles/stewartpatrickd.html

http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/stewartlifeandtimes.htm

http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/stewartmemorial.htm

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Book Publishing and Promotion with Janet Elaine Smith






Last night I appeared on Janet Elaine Smiths podcast "Marketing for Fun and Profit" . In case you missed it, you can hear it in the archives here:
http://internetvoicesradio.com/page9.html
You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page for the replay of the podcast and the MP3 stream.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Northern Michigan Sheriff Department Ignores Wiccans Civil Rights

On October 18, 2006 at approximately 2 am I was stopped by Deputy Justin Revnell. He claimed that I had been weaving as I drove. He approached my vehicle, but refused to tell me why he stopped me. He asked for my driver’s information. I indicated that it was in my purse, which was in the back seat of my car. He told me to get it. I couldn’t reach my purse from the driver’s seat so I attempted to open my door. Revnell angrily slammed it shut. I tried to explain that getting out was the only way to reach my purse. Revnell opened my car door and ordered me to the back of my car. As I complied with his order, he reached in and took my purse out of the back seat. As he walked around, he was riffling through it. I continued to ask why I was stopped and to talk to his supervisor. He asked if there was anything that could hurt or cut him. I told him about my small athame set in the pocket. Without asking for an explanation of why I had them, he hand cuff me and put me in the back seat of his patrol car. I was very confused and very frightened. I didn’t understand why this was happening to me and they refused to give me any information, nor were my right read to me. Revnell and another officer searched my car. I did not consent to search of my purse or car, nor did the deputies give me a breathalyzer test or any other test for driving under the influence. It was quite apparent that I wasn’t impaired, therefore there was no reason for them to detain me.
Neither officer would tell me why I was stopped and subsequently arrested until we were at the jail garage. At that time, Revnell told me that I was stopped for swerving and was charged with Felony concealed weapon. I was taken inside and searched by a male deputy, even though there were female officers available. He then took my information and then searched me again; only this time it was much more personal. When another officer walked around the desk, he immediately stopped and stepped away from me. At all times I was cooperative. I was placed in a hallway. A few minutes later, I started having problems breathing and asked for the prescription inhaler, which was in my purse. The officers denied me access. The asthma attack became increasingly severe and I repeatedly asked for my inhaler; each time I was denied. One deputy stuck his head in the hallway and told me to stop making myself sick. It wasn’t until after I had vomited, urinated on myself, and was to the point of blacking out was I given access to my inhaler. Soon after a deputy who claimed to be a supervisor walked in the hallway, but I still couldn’t breathe well enough to talk. I did the best I could to explain that I couldn’t talk at the moment and asked him to come back. He never did, but Revnell’s supervisor did. I was able to talk and explained that I my athames were not weapons but religious objects and that they were so small that they couldn’t be used for weapons. The supervisor didn’t understand why Revnell arrested me. I told him that I have asthma and hypoglycemia; I was already late eating. He promised me that I would have access to my inhaler and that food would be provided.
I was placed in a holding cell and a sack lunch was given to me with two sandwiches, an apple, a cookie and juice. The bread on the sandwich was dry and stale. The meat was brownish green. The cookie was hard. None of it could be safely eaten. I rationed the juice for the rest of the night to keep my blood sugar from dropping too low. At one point, I sitting with my back against the wall and I got really dizzy. Then, I was waking up face down on the mattress; I don’t know how I got there.
Later, the booking process was finished with the fingerprinting and photographing. Again, I was searched by a male officer. My rights still had not be read to me. Although the deputies allowed me access to my inhaler, it was done reluctantly and only after my repeated requests. However, when breakfast was served, I was excluded.
I went before the magistrate around 9 am. My bond was set at five thousand dollars with ten percent down. I was scheduled to go before the judge at 2 pm. I called my employer for a loan. He agreed and the deputies gave me a contact number to give him. I continued to wait to be released. Lunch was served and I was given food but by that time I was too sick to eat.
The time past and I began to question when I was going before the judge. The deputies told me my paperwork had to be processed. Mid afternoon, access to my inhaler was cut off. One deputy suggested I be taken to the nurse; another one told him to shut up. I kept asking when I was going before the judge and was told my paperwork still wasn’t done.
Late afternoon there was an altercation with another inmate. He was brought in earlier. Both he and the officers had a verbal exchange that including insulting each other mothers. However, once the deputies stopped tormenting him, the inmate sat quietly in the cell with several others. Late in the afternoon, two officers from Cadillac came to transfer him. Once again, they verbally assaulted him. He offered to pay the eighty dollars that he owed; the money was at his home. He offered to have someone bring it to them. They said that was fine as long as they could be at the jail in the next two minute and he couldn’t use the phone to call anyone. He begged to talk to his social worker many times. They laughed at them. He was handcuff and his legs chained. Flanked by four officers who greatly out weighted him, he was taken outside. Moments later, there was shouting and the sounds of a struggle. Three or four more officers ran out. Some of the deputies came back in a few minutes later. One of them was laughing and bragging that he would have beaten his face bloody. After the inmates in the cell next to mine were moved, three deputies carried him back inside and dumped him on the mattress. One of them had his gun pulled with one hand and held the inmate down with the other. The gun was pointed at me in the next cell. I heard that he was no longer going to be transferred but charged with felony destruction of property for breaking a patrol car windshield. I don’t understand how he could have being shackled and surrounded. After the offices left him alone in the cell, he took off his t-shirt. His arms and upper torso were covered in red marks that were rapidly turning into bruises; they badly beat him. He put his shirt back on and unsteadily walked to the mattress. He laid down. I’d never seen anyone fall asleep that fast. I was worried that he was severely hurt.
When things calmed down, I once again asked when I was going before the judge. They still hadn’t done my paperwork but that another inmate and myself would be going before the judge before 5pm. Shortly after I was told that it was too late for the judge to see me but that my bond had been paid. Dinner was served. A short time after I was taken out of my cell and processed. I was able to use the phone to call my employer. He told me that he attempted to pay my bond before noon, but was told that I would be arranged at 2pm and the bond would be lowered. When he hadn’t heard from me by 2:30, he called again and in spite of the deputies assurance that I would be arranged, he paid my bond before 3pm. I was allowed to call a cab. I asked where my car had been towed. Originally, the deputy insisted that my car was exactly where I left it; I knew that to be false. Eventually, he told me the name of the towing service. However, instead of the cash I had, I was given a check that the cab driver wouldn’t accept. I had to use my credit card. The towing company was closed but there was a number to call. The cab driver allowed me to use his cell then left me there. Eventually the owner of the towing company arrived. It cost me $111.00 to get my car back. He wouldn’t take a check and again I had to use my credit card; it put me over my limit. My care was returned with a damaged exhausted system. I didn’t get home until almost eight o’clock.
I went before the judge the next morning. While I was waiting I met two others who had been in the jail the day before. One of them I had worked with briefly. He told me that he heard the deputies laughing how they were teaching me a lesson by withholding my paperwork and keeping me in custody longer than necessary. I went before Judge Thomas Phillips. He was the one and only person who read me my rights. My bond was changed to PR. I asked for a court appointed attorney.
On Friday, I was having difficulty breathing and my fingertips were numb. I went into Urgent care: I was diagnosis with Pleurisy. The doctor thought the numbness was due to breathing problems and should go away when the Pleurisy did. Since then I have been having panic attacks that have lead to asthma attacks and I’m afraid to leave my home.
Also on Friday, I called the District Attorney’s office. I simply didn’t understand why I was arrested. I told the man I talked to that the athames were ceremonial and never meant to be weapons. They were bought for 99 cents on Ebay and didn’t really have a true edge; technically, they were more decorative than anything else. He agreed that my First Amendment rights of freedom of religion would be a good defense. He promised to look into my case and get back to me; but he never did. I also called the Michigan Attorney General. The man I spoke to told me the AG office couldn’t get involved until I filed complains locally with the Sheriff Department and the District Attorney.
Phillip Settles was my court appointed attorney. He took my statement but didn’t want to hear about the religious aspects of the case. He told me the District Attorney offered a plea to the lesser charge of misdemeanor. I refused. During the preliminary hearing, Mr. Settles was able to get Deputy Revnell to contract facts in the police report and to admit that he wasn’t afraid of me. However, he never did go view the actual athames; if he had, he could have proven Revnell lied about the sizes. In the police report, Revnell photocopied my athames, but he didn’t put anything in to give scale or perspective so he was able to enlarge their appearance in the report. Mr. Settles said the size of the athames or their purpose didn’t factor in; they were double-edged and thereby illegal. After the Preliminary Hearing, I asked Mr. Settles how I could file a complaint about Revnell. He told me that it wouldn’t do any good and implied it wouldn’t be safe. Revnell is the Sheriff’s nephew and has a history of getting away with make witnesses disappear. He told me to Google “Justin Revnell” to see what kind of person I was dealing with. Reading the newspapers articles, I realized how lucky I was to have the second deputy arrive.
Eventually Mr. Settles filed two motions. One to dismiss the evidence on the grounds of an illegal search of my purse and on violations of First Amendment Right of freedom of religion. Chief Assistant District Attorney James Pappas answered the motions claiming that I told Revnell they were there without him asking and afterwards I claimed they were for protection. Neither which was true. Just on the common sense level, why would I tell just tell him something like that and if I had wanted them for protection, they wouldn’t have been buried in the bottom of my purse, which was buried in the back seat of my car. In addition, I wear my pentacle openly. I have appeared in the local media on TV 9 & !0, several times in the Record Eagle and on WTCM. It is common knowledge that I am Wiccan. However, Mr. Settles told me that because of Revnell’s family connections, he would automatically be believed and I would be considered a liar.
During the process, the Grand Traverse Sheriff Department has continued to harass me. I have been followed many times for no reason. I have turned off on to side streets just to get away from the main traffic, only to have the patrol car do the same. Several times, I pulled into parking lots and gone into the stores just to make them go away. On November 30, 2006, I was pulled over for illegally beeping my horn. January 4, as I pulled out of the driveway of the small factory I worked at, I noticed headlight further down Park Drive; they were stationary. It was 2 am. On one side of the road is apartments; the rest of the road has businesses, which were closed except for where I worked. As I pulled out, the headlights started to move. Since I have been afraid to drive alone, a coworker, Linda, who lives in the same area, agreed to follow me most of the way home. She pulled out behind me. The headlight sped up and caught up to us at the stop light at South Airport and Park. It kept close behind us all the way to Chums Corners and beyond. I pulled into Glens and watch the GT Sheriff patrol car continue to follow Linda. The next day I called her and learned that he stayed behind her for another couple of miles.
On the day of the motions were to be heard, Mr. Settles spoke to the District Attorney and arranged for the charged to be dropped to a misdemeanor with a delayed sentencing before James Pappas arrived. It was the agreement that instead of daggers the charge would be possession of a switchblade. However, if the judge refused to accept the delayed sentencing than the charges would continue to be dropped until it was accepted. Mr. Settles told me that it was the best I could hope for and if I didn’t I risked receiving the maximum. Although I thought it was wrong, I accepted. Mr. Pappas arrived after the deal was done; he became angry and seemed to take it personal that I was no longer charged with a felony.
I have been sentenced to 180 days probation, five days community service and 490.00 in fines. Overall, it has cost me close to a thousand dollars in fees, lost wages, medical expenses and fines. I’m 48 years old and have never been even accused of a crime before. My record was totally clean. Yet I was guilty until proven innocent. My civil, religious and medical rights have been violated. I still have problems breathing and am afraid to leave my home for more than a short period of time.
The system that was supposed to protect me, victimized me instead. The system no longer works because the police no longer service and protect, but intimidate and harass. They do so with immunity from criminal and civil prosecution. They can do life threatening harm to the public and not be held responsible. This needs to change. I’m looking for an attorney, who will not only help me get financial compensation for the harm they did to me, but to change the law as well. The abusive officers and those that protect them need to be held accountable both civilly and criminally. Until they are, the abuse will only increase in frequency and severity.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007


Greetings,

Here is the February issue of Messages From the Universe. As always you may share the ezine, but the individual articles remain the sole property of the authors.



You may have to cut and past the link.





http://www.geocities.com/tirgana/MessageFeb07.pdf





Many blessings

Theresa

Monday, January 29, 2007




Prevented from Harassing Wiccans and Pagan
Christians Claim Discrimination
By
Theresa Chaze


On September 23 2006, several friends and myself drove down the Pagan Pride Day in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The sun was playing peak-a-boo with us all the way down. However, by the time we got to the park the clouds had parted somewhat. It was a beautiful day and we were excited about going to the festival. The parking lot was nearly full. We ended up finding parking spots on opposite ends of the lot for our two vehicles. As we walked to meet each other, we were suddenly confronted by men declaring we were evil and going to hell. Some of them quietly handed out flyers with Christian tracts to pedestrians walking by, but they were also putting them on the windshields. Others weren't so benign. They verbally assaulted people going into the festival, sometimes blocking their path and declaring they were in league with the devil. One man was arrested for using a bullhorn without a permit. Others went around the parking lot, writing down license plate numbers of the cars present. The only reason they would want that information is to harass the vehicle owners later. Granted after a certain point, I stopped being nice to them. I’m a fully dedicate Wiccan Priestess, who goes out of her way to help others and make the world a little better. I resented being called evil and being cursed to damnation by people who knew nothing about me.

We paid our admission with cat food for the local animal rescue group and joined in the festivities. With or without garb, people were enjoying each other’s company, the shopping and the positive energy of the group as a whole. We arrived in time to take a scrying class. After which, our group started breaking off to find our own interests. One of the local animal rescue groups had a few cats and dogs that were available for adoption. Angie commented that they had lost me for a while; she and Kayla went on to shop, while the two others found another class. I talked with the rescue volunteers for a while and scratched a few furry heads before moving on. There was some beautiful hand made crafts, intuitive readers and representatives from some Occult shops in Michigan. I stopped to chat and promote my novels. On the far end was a shop that sold inexpensive daggers and swords; none of them would be really considered weapons, being more decorative than being able to hold a true edge. I found one that was really cute and affordable, so I bought it. One of the SCA groups was teaching the younger children how to fence with patted sparing swords and showing off their own skill with their blades. There were also rituals being performed for the healing of the planet and for the equinox. There were other forms of entertainment, including a magician who did magic along the lines of the Mind Freak.

The atmosphere was relaxed with people laughing, chatting and enjoying the festival. Everyone was having a good time, except for the group of “Christians” who continued to screech how evil we were for not believing in their one true God. If harassing the festival goers in the parking lot was not enough, they were given specific areas in the park where they could spout their bigotry and negativity. Law enforcement kept an obvious presence by standing off to side, close enough to keep the two groups from colliding, but far enough so they wouldn‘t interfere with either group.. Most of the festival patrons ignored the Christians. The more they were disregarded, the louder the Christians became. No one from the festival or from law enforcement made any attempt to silence them. A few people did mock them, but they did not interfere with their free speech. They were able to spew their bigotry and ignorance to their hearts content. As the afternoon passed and the coming storm make its presence more apparent, the Christians disbursed.

You would think that would have been the end of the story, but is not. David Ickes and seven other members of the Worldwide Street Preachers’ Fellowship with the help of the Allied Defense Fun have suited the City of Grand Rapids, claiming their First Amendment Rights were violated by police when they attempted to speak in a public park.

“It is truly disturbing when those charged with upholding the law disregard or do not understand the First Amendment rights of citizens,” said ADF-allied attorney Randall Wenger of the Lancaster, Pa., law firm Clymer & Musser, P.C. “The officers in this situation acted in violation of the Constitution when they chose to silence those who were simply exercising their free speech rights.”

I was there for most of the festival. They were not silenced, just mocked and ignored. They were also prevented from harassing the festival goers by being limited to selected areas in the park. They claim that they did not use amplification equipment, but this is not true. It was the reason the person was arrested.

Ickes and the others claimed they merely wanted to address the festival goers. Their group was able to speak out; they were just prevented from harassing others who walk a different spiritual path. They had the right to speak out. We also had the First Amendment right to mock them and ignore them. They claim their First Amendment right of free speech was violated; however, they were violating our First Amendment right of freedom of religion.

“Religious speech is protected under the First Amendment and cannot be silenced because of a city-imposed permit requirement,” Wenger explained.

This is true, but so is our right not to be Christian and to live our lives free of harassment and intimidation. Ickes and his fellow preachers have the right to believe whatever they wish, but they do not have the right to inflict it on others.

A copy of the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in World Wide Street Preachers’ Fellowship v. The City of Grand Rapids is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesComplaint.pdf. The motion for preliminary injunction may be viewed at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesPIMotion.pdf. The memorandum in support of the motion for preliminary injunction is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/IckesPIMemo.pdf.