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There are doubtlessly readers of this article that believe I have no
ethics. Those readers are entitled to there opinion however shallow I
may feel that opinion is.
I am the High Priest of Covenant Of The Doves, the comments I make
here are necessarily my personal ethics and viewpoint and not that of
my High Priestess or members of the Coven. Even as a leader of a
coven, I have no right or power to speak for another person. They do
however necessarily govern my actions as a High Priest.
The only way I know to state my ethical viewpoint is by a annotated
recitation of the Laws of the Craft of the Wise as they pertain to
ethics and have been revealed to me by my teachers, the writings of
others and that which the Lord and Lady have made clear to me through
their visions and actions.
I bear the mundane name Crowley that has a certain significance in the
craft community beyond my personal contributions. Yes, I am proved of
the legacy of that name as members of my family have played important
parts in history. Aleister Crowley was by no means the most important
of them nor the least.
Aleister Crowley, the Current Lord Crowley and myself all bear common
ancestors to Sir Ambrose Crowley, Lord Mayor of London (at the time
of Cromwell) and author of the 'Law Book of the Crowley Iron Works'
which is considered to be the bases of British statutory law. This, I
hope will clear up confusion about my relationship to Aleister Crowley.
The name Hearth Witch is far more dear to me than Crowley, as it
represents a true understanding of what the WICCA is. When an
astronaut looks out of the window of his space capsule and sees the
body of our Lady looking back at him. The astronaut knows, in that
moment that technology, and the centuries of mans' labor that put him
there, are pale when compared to the wonders of our Lady.
MY CRAFT ETHICS BY JAMES CROWLEY III 12/19/86
I feel that it is necessary to explain some of the structure of the
Covenant of the Doves. We say that we have one degree but that is not
strictly true. There are 4 things that happen to a person on the
pathway. We cannot call them degrees as they do not happen in the
same order to each person.
1. Dedication to the coven.
2. Initiation by the God and Goddess
3. Worldly recognition of their Initiation by the Gods and their ability to act as a Priest or Priestess
4. Birth or Adoption into the family which is as permanent and unrevokable as the Initiation of the Lord and Lady.
THE WITCH 'LAW'
Do not what you desire -
do what is necessary.
Take all you are given -
give all of yourself.
"What I have - - - I hold."
When all else is lost, and not until then,
prepare to die with dignity.
There are two kinds of law, Law of Tribe and the Law of Goddess (ie:
natural law). The Law of Tribe requires the services of a Priesthood.
The Law of the Goddess require no Priesthood as they are
self-enforcing. If you see an apparent violation of the law of the
Goddess, there are only two possible explanations. The law is not of
the Goddess but of man, or you do not understand that law of the
Goddess. If you see a ball fall up, either someone is deceiving you,
or you are in a spacecraft or similar artificial environment that is
manifesting some of the "fine print" in the law of the
Goddess. This partial telling of the laws contain both the law of the
tribe and that of the Goddess. It is left to the wisdom of the
student to learn which is which.
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COVEN
The High Priestess must be an ordained Nymph or a Crone.
The High Priest must be an ordained Magician.
The High Priestess is the final word on the quality of Worship as the
High Priest is the final word on the quality of Magick within the
WICCA Circles.
The High Priest's relationship is: Father, Brother, and Lover.
The Priestess's relationship is: Mother, Sister, and Lover.
THE PRIEST AND PRIESTESS ARE THE LEADERS OF THE COVEN IN THE MUNDANE
WORLD, NOT IT'S DICTATORS. MEMBERS MUST BE GIVEN A VOICE IN THE
ACTIONS OF THE COVEN.
The Covenant of the Doves is necessarily a theocracy not a democracy.
Meetings are opened to all who are dedicated and sometimes to
concerned outsiders. Whatever the business, it is open to discussion
by all. There are no votes taken because when it is all said and
done, there are only two people in the coven that bear the
responsibility for the actions of this coven, the High Priestess and
the High Priest. So, the final decision is theirs ALONE.
When the Circle is cast by The Priest and Priestess, they are necessarily
the ABSOLUTE RULERS OF THE COVEN. No witch shall enter the
Circle with out PERFECT LOVE AND PERFECT TRUST in all members
of the Circle. The only question of the order of the Priest or
Priestess is: if told to jump, it is permissible to ask how high --
on the way up.
IF ONE DISAGREES WITH THE DECISION OF THE LEADERS OF ANY COVEN OR
CIRCLE. IT IS THEIR RIGHT AND DUTYTO LEAVE THE COVEN. THERE IS NO
OTHER LAWFUL RECOURSE.
LEADERS MUST BE EVER MINDFUL THAT MEMBERS WILL SOON LEAVE AN UNJUST LEADER.
THE LAW OF THE COVEN
THE CIRCLE IS A PLACE THAT IS NOT A PLACE, BETWEEN THE WORLDS.
A COVEN IS A FULLY AUTONOMOUS UNIT ANSWERABLE TO NO POWER BEYOND ITS
OWN, SAVE THE LORD AND LADY.
IN ANY DISPUTE WITHIN THE FAMILY (COVEN) OR TRIBE, NO ONE MAY INVOKE
ANY LAW BUT THOSE OF THE FAMILY AND TRIBE.
It being known that the Circle is a "place that is not a place,
between the worlds", and that what is between the Worlds does
not concern the World. Discussion of actions taking place within a
consecrated circle is appropriate for discussion only within that
Circle, or by Elders of the Craft in a Council of Elders Convened by
the High Priest and High Priestess of the coven involved as only
Elders can or should have any direct knowledge of actions that take
place within the Circle of another Coven.
With the fragmentation of the WICCA since the burning times, the
identification of Elders of the Craft is at best ambiguous. The only
working definition that I can feel comfortable with is: Those members
of the WICCA community that the High Priest and High Priestess of the
Coven recognize as their peers regardless of what rank they hold in
other circles.
THE WORD OF A WITCH NEED NO BOND OR CONTRACT. IT IS NECESSARILY TRUE AND
FREE OF EQUIVOCATION.
We make it clear to all around us that we do not tolerate lying. If it
is on the part of a friend or an acquaintance, we will cease contact
with them, if necessary. If it is a member of the craft, we do not
willingly stand in the same circle with them. If they are a student,
this is one of the few areas that we will invoke banishment as a
punishment (or, if there are extenuating circumstances and the person
is of extreme value to the coven and the Craft, we will consider
corporal punishment or an equivalent alternative proposed by the
student to balance the wrong done to the Coven, in lieu of
banishment). If they are an Initiate, it is necessarily more harmful
to the family, and therefore, more serious.
PERFECT LOVE AND PERFECT TRUST (my fingers wanted to type love is the law)
Perfect love and perfect trust are not words spoken in blind faith. They do
not mean a blanket trust. Perfect love and perfect trust are what was
in the hearts of the few, and most dear, that when they heard rumors,
first came to us and said "what are these rumors about ...".
These people knew that as fallible as we are, these rumors were not
a reflection of our will. These people sought to know what happened,
not to satisfy any of their own devices or to judge us, but to share
our pain and the load. These people are of different traditions and
levels of worldly Craft learning, but these people will always hold a
place in my heart second only to my brothers and sisters that are
literally of the My Family.
THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF SECRETS IN THE WICCA CIRCLE AND ALL ARE INVIOLATE
EXCEPT IN AN ELDER CIRCLE, AND THEN ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE
RELATIVE TO CRAFT BUSINESS AND HELD IN THAT ELDER CIRCLE.
1. Secrets that are within the Circles that are private to the members
of that coven. (ie: when Charlie has a few drinks he.....
2. The secret held by the High Priestess and High Priest of the inside
and outside Circle affairs of the coven members, due to their office.
3. The social and magick practices of the Craft that cannot be talked
of outside of the Wicca without being taken out of context and sensationalized.
THERE ARE AS MANY WAYS TO LOVE THE GODDESS AS SHE HAS NAMES.
All ways of loving the Goddess are correct. None are Wrong as long as
they are based in love.
Say not "they are wrong" say "they are a different path
from mine".
Until you know in your heart that you have found your path, do not deny
any wicca path that you have not walked.
When you find your path, still walk other paths with your brothers and
sisters in joy and love.
"THE WICCA SHALL BE NAKED IN THERE RITE"
All mankind is naked before God and Goddess.
NO STRANGER NOT BORN IN THE FAMILY SHALL LEAD THE FAMILY OR A TOTEM OF THE FAMILY.
NO ONE WHO RALLIES AGAINST HIS FAMILY OR TRIBE SHALL BE KEPT IN
BANISHMENT PAST 14 YEARS AFTER THE EVENT, IF THAT UNDO THE HARM CAUSED.
NO ONE WHO EXTENDED THEMSELVES IN THE SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILY OR TRIBE
SHALL BE BANISHED FOR OLD AGE OR THE ACTIONS OF INFIRMITY.
IT IS NECESSARY THAT SCRYING, VISIONS, ASPECTING AND ALL OTHER APPARENT
VISIONS OF OUR LORD AND LADY BE QUESTIONED. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR
REBIRTH THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT OUR OWN WISHFUL THINKING OR
PRIDE, IF THERE BE THE LEAST DOUBT, THE VISION MUST BE DENIED.
If a true vision is denied by the initiated, the Lady will underline
the truth in the vision in an unquestionable form. If this
underlining comes as a punishment, it is still a small price to pay
when compared to the consequences of a false vision.
IF EVER ANY OF THE TRIBE NEED A HOUSE OR LAND AND NONE WILL SELL, THEN
CRAFT MAY BE USED TO INCLINE THE OWNERS TO SELL, PROVIDED IT HARMETH
HIM NOT, AND THE FULL PRICE IS PAID WITHOUT HAGGLING. NEVER BARGAIN
OR CHEAPEN ANYTHING YOU BUY BY THE ART.
NO MAN, WOMAN, HIGH PRIESTESS, OR HIGH PRIEST CAN SAY WHAT "HARMS NONE".
The answer to this is for the Gods, not man. A just action may well harm
someone in some way in the mundane world (every action has an equal
and opposite reaction). It is always best to give the action and the
power to the Goddess, and abide by her will. If it cannot be given to
her after due consideration, then one must act in the most just form
that is possible, freely taking on to our selves all adverse reaction
of an error in judgment.
NO ONE MAY DO ANYTHING WHICH WILL ENDANGER ANY OF THE TRIBE OR BRING
THEM INTO CONTACT WITH THE LAW OF THE LAND.
THE ART MAY ONLY BE USED IN ERNEST AND NEVER FOR SHOW OR VAIN GLORY.
NO PERSON MAY BE WARNED OF HIS FATE MORE THAN THREE TIMES.
MAIDEN: (Youngsters still new to the Craft, or older ones who do ritual work
and do not mind publicity.) Young people oriented to cope with, and
the ability to handle publicity. Some knowledge of occult and the
Craft both in its practical and religious aspects is necessary.
Childless women, virgins; Warm friendly people with good powers of projection.
NYMPHS - (Do the bulk of ritual work, young adults.) Creative people,
artists, dancers, singers, etc. Very mature, rational and
responsible. Intuitive and uninhibited. Knowledge of Craft and
occultism, etc. necessary. Dislikes publicity.
CRONES: (executive branch - teachers of neophytes, makes judgments, etc.)
Must be sober and serious, but with a sense of humor, very mature in
most all ways, intuitive of the true nature and inner working of
things. Older folks, intellectual, Masters of there Craft, and
dislike publicity.
No woman shall be a Maiden who has not been in her courses.
No woman shall be ordained unless she has passed her 17th year, nor
shall she have her ordination recognized until that time.
No woman shall have her ordination recognized unless she is in her
courses, has ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes, two ears, a nose. Her
generative organs and breasts must be complete. The honorable loss of
limbs or the effects of torture following ordination shall not
invalidate the ordination.
No woman shall be a Nymph who has not coupled.
No woman shall be a Crone who has not given birth.
No man shall be a Magician who has not healed.
No man shall be ordained unless he has passed his 33rd year, nor shall
he have his ordination recognized until that time.
No man shall have his ordination recognized unless he is the father of
a living child, has ten fingers and ten toes, two eyes, two ears and
a nose and generative organs complete. The honorable loss of limbs or
the effects of torture following ordination shall not invalidate the ordination.
In their youth, let those who cannot swing the axe till the field.
Those who cannot till the field carry water. Those who cannot carry
water, nor till the field, nor chase, nor battle, nor be of service
to their family or tribe, let them leave it.
None shall be kept as a child forever. Better that they be banished if
they cannot grow in mind.
INITIATION
NO PERSON MAY BE CALLED TO INITIATION MORE THAN THREE TIMES.
NO PERSON MAY BE INITIATED WHO HAS LESS THAN 20 YEARS OF LIFE LEFT TO
THEM AT THE TIME OF INITIATION.
No High Priestess or High Priest of the WICCA can cause an initiation
to take place. Initiation is in the hands of the Lord and Lady. The
teacher can only provide the environment that will aide in the
initiation if the God and Goddess so will it.
If one questions the validity of their own initiation, there can be but
one answer, the initiation did not take place. An initiation by the
Gods will be remembered.
Let your judgment on matters which you make be fit to the size of the
case, not to your feelings. Let your heart not rule your mind, nor
mind your heart, but bear a balance as has been taught you.
Not all are chosen for the tribe, nor are all in the tribe of one
family, nor are all in the family to be initiated, nor are all the
initiated to be ordained. Your yoke is to be as strong as you can
bear, but no stronger.
James Crowley
P. O. Box 16025
North Hollywood, CA
91615-6025