Baucis & Philomen
Baucis & Philomen
Zeus and Hermes were wandering through Phrygia and, as Gods are wont to do, they were disguised as mere mortals. They stopped at a thousand homes and were refused hospitality just as many times. Finally, on a hill overlooking an especially nasty little town, they came upon the simple home of an elderly couple named Baucis and Philomen. The couple entertained the gods with great kindness, but could not fail to notice when the wine bowl kept refilling itself during the meal. Zeus and Hermes confessed to their godly identities and led the couple outside. When they looked down at the town they saw it had become a lake and when they looked at their hut, it had become a temple. Zeus offered to grant the couple any wish, and Philomen asked only to be a keeper of the temple, and that neither of them should outlive the other. And so the two of them faithfully kept up the temple for the rest of their days, and at the moment of their death, they were transformed into an oak tree and a linden tree that stood side by side.
I am only 16, and I have been practicing solitary Wicca for about a year. I am having problems with people
being frightened by this, including members of my family who are Christians and who want to pray over
me or have me exorcised. I would like to join a coven but I’m having a hard time meeting the right people.
Some of my friends seem to be interested in Wicca, but most of them only want me to do psychic readings
or help out friends who they fear have become possessed by evil spirits. Some of my friends only seem to be
interested in Witchcraft for the power that might come from it. This doesn’t seem right and I’m worried
about negative magic turning against me or my friends. I’m trying hard to just put my trust in the Goddess
and the God, but I would really like some help figuring all this out…
— Troubled in Tacoma
Your predicament is all too common for new (and young) Pagans. Now that a lot of people know you are
interested in Witchcraft, you are getting negative attention that can come with being “out.” This can be very
distracting to your spiritual practices. We recommend being more private about your beliefs at this point,
and sharing them only with the very few whom you know you can trust with really intimate secrets. You
can even deny your connection with Wicca if you need to, since we are all “Hidden Children of the
Goddess” and have the right, according to our Ordains (the Laws of Wicca), to reclaim our hidden status
when required.
Your family is another matter. If you are still living at home you will have to work this out with them. It
sounds like you are discovering some new things about yourself and are hoping for their approval (or
perhaps their disapproval?). Being reasonable will go a long way. Remember that minor concessions for the
sake of peace in your family need not compromise your connection with your beliefs, because true children
of the Goddess and God know who they are, no matter what they have to go through in public.
Hopefully, someone from the established Wiccan community will come forward to offer to teach you. But
many mainstream covens do not train or initiate minors or those still dependent on parental support, lest
we be accused of influencing minors against their best interests. But there are often “open circles” or
meetings, especially around colleges and universities, that are welcoming to families and friends and
include younger people. Ask (discreetly) if your local Unitarian Church has a CUUPS chapter. One of the
important reasons to be connected with a coven is so that you can develop your magical skills in the context
of a working ethical system that requires you to harm none. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous
individuals operating under the rubric of Witchcraft who have been known to prey on the inexperience and
vulnerability of the young. So please be careful. Your friends who mainly want the “power” of the Craft
may well be drawn into such a group, so it may be a good idea to dissociate yourself from them.
If you can’t find a responsible coven right away, don’t despair. Self-education is always an option. We could
make up a booklet for beginning Pagans, if there is any interest in this. Please send a short note and a
stamped self-addressed envelope to this newsletter and they will forward your request to us.
We cherish you and extend to you our blessings. May your strength grow to match your courage. May your
courage grow to match the challenges that are put in your life to promote your passage into the full power
of maturity. And may the Goddess and God of Wicca smile upon your progress.
— Baucis and Philomen
webmaster@9houses.org
editor@9houses.org
Back to Open Ways Home Page.
Back to Nine Houses of Gaia.