6 Qualities of a Witch

There have been many articles and blogs over the years that give their ideas of what makes a good Witch, many of them offer practical and great advice. This is a topic that I have thought about often and would like to share my thoughts on qualities that I think a Witch should adhere to in order to be an effective Witch.  However, you will notice that most of these are not specifically magick related but more having to do with our day to day activities within a coven, with others within the Craft and just all people on a day to day basis.

1. Keep Your Word - This may seem like a mundane obvious statement but it really does apply to the Witch.  As Witches we understand that our Word is extremely important.  The spoken word is in and of itself an act of magick.  What we say can repel or attract people and situations to us, it can build a friendship or destroy one.  It can determine whether or not you are to be trusted.  Maybe this isn't an issue to some people on a day to day basis but it will matter when working with the spirits. Within ROOW we know the importance of establishing a strong relationship with the spirits who assist us in our ritual and magickal workings.  If a Witch can't keep her word when she says she will do something then just like with people the spirits will in turn begin to distrust us and will be unlikely to aid with our workings.  If you say you are going to do it then make sure you follow through.  If you aren't sure then say so.  Honesty is always important.

2.Always Seek to Know More -

As many seasoned Witches will tell you one never stops learning.  Know one, no matter how many years they have behind them, knows all things.  Know one is a master of all things.  There will be areas where we excel and areas where we won't be as good.  This is true of everyone.  We must always seek to learn more and be open minded to new ideas of expansion. One of the best things I was taught by my teacher Katina Smith is that even after one is initiated as a Witch and a Priestess when we gain new students they will be teaching us just as much as we are teaching them. Katina and I had our moments of debate while I was learning and we both learned much in the process.  Having students helps to remind us of not only what we do know but of what areas we may need to look into to learn something new.

3. Check You Ego at the Door - This is a big one. People of all walks of society fall prey to it and the world of magick and the occult is no exception.  It is actually common and expected that at some point in time the Witch will face his/her ego.  Some ego is healthy and normal but if left unchecked it can cause one's sense of self become inflated and a guru mentality can occur.  Obviously, witchcraft is not a religion of gurus.  We always look to uplift each other if and when possible. If you notice your sense of power and self becoming a bit more than normal just take a second to remember that you are a Witch not a God and remember that ultimately we serve the Spirit. Which brings me to number 4.

4. Serve the Spirit First - For some of you, depending on your tradition, this may mean your particular God or Gods. Within ROOW we refer to the One Eternal Spirit and in this regard one should always remember that their first task is to ALWAYS serve the Spirit.  Everything else is secondary.  Remembering this will actually help you in all of the above instances as well.

5. Remember the Importance of Study and Research - This topic is one that can go many ways.  I understand that Witchcraft is in many ways a practice that relies on intuition and practical experience.  These elements are very important and can be lacking in todays world.  However, don't forget the importance of research and study. It may not matter to you how the ancients viewed Hekate back in the day but understanding her origins and how she was viewed and worshiped will deepen your work with her. You may not personally be a fan of the old grimoires but without them we would never have evolved to what the occult and witchcraft is today.  The old ceremonial magick influenced today's Wicca and the New Age movement in many ways. There work may seem obscure but if you study them and look beneath the surface you may find that they still offer a lot to the seeker and practitioner today.

6. Maintain Humility - This may be one that surprises people the most.  I was taught to always remember that a Witch should maintain humility.  Again, this is somewhat mirrored the above statements but feel it needs it's own section because I feel it is the most important and most often lacking in the community.  No matter our titles or ranks within our own traditions at the end of the day we are all doing our best to serve the Spirit in our own ways. Some of us have more experience, some of us may be more well known in the community.  Some of us have small covens and some of us have large covens while others serve as solitaries in their own way.  At the end of the day we are all learning and growing.  Even the biggest grand pooba is human, has problems and areas of their lives that are not perfect and where they need to grow. Always remember that you too were once a new Witch and be kind to others of the Craft.

One an end note I would like to add something here.  This applies more to those who teach the Craft but I feel needs being said.  We as teachers, Witches and clergy must always strive to teach our students as well as or better than we were taught. A good teacher always wants their students to excel and to exceed them in the Craft.  We don't see our students as competition or always try to one up them so we can feel superior or better. This serves no one and definitely does little to serve the Spirit.
I hope these views have given you food for thought. Blessed Be!

Magick High and Low

Magick High and Low was the first and only book written by Mary Oneida Toups.  It was published in 1975 by a small local publisher in New Orleans, LA.  The book was only sold by her store and while it was available to the general customer, it was mainly used as a source for the students of her Order. This small book provides some insight into how Oneida views magick as well as ritual.  It provided a small window into what was also taught within the Order.  Since Oneida's passing The Religious Order of Witchcraft has grown, been passed on to new students and has since come full circle.  Every priest/priestess brings their own element to the work but the foundations and it's teachings remain the same.

ROOW is a unique Witchcraft tradition.  It is heavily influenced by Ceremonial magick (in some ways may resemble a magickal order) and yet is balanced with the workings of folk magick (hense the name of the book).  She was greatly inspired by and influenced by people such as Israel Regardie, Aleister Crowly, E. A. Budge etc..however, living in New Orleans brought it's own magickal feel with its influence of the religion of Voodoo and magical practice of Hoodoo. Please keep in mind that while our tradition was influenced by Voodoo and Hoodoo ( in terms of working with the spirits and folk magick) we do not now, nor have we ever taught either of these practices.  Voodoo is a beautiful religion in it's own right that has it's own methods of teaching and practice that is unique and different from that Witchcraft.  One could certainly combine Hoodoo magick with Witchcraft but would require special training by a Hoodoo Practitioner. Hoodoo has it's own style of working that requires one and one training with a practitioner to master. So while it is compatible with our work we do not teach it as part of our Witchcraft Order.  As for low magick Oneida's favorite and most used kind of magick was candle magick.  She used it for a few good reasons.  It is easy to do, fairly inexpensive requiring little in the way of fancy tools and it is effective!


Ceremonial Magick seems to be the area that can throw off potential students of ROOW. Our rituals and training are very structured and demand a lot our of our members.  The Ceremonial aspect of the Order connects us to the Eternal Spirit and helps us, over time, to begin the inner workings of transmutation that are necessary to achieve a state of magickal and spiritual competency.  Folk magick gives us a myriad set of tools needed to be an effective witch.  Working with the spirits, angels, intelligences etc provides a working relationship on a daily basis to meet all of our spiritual and magickal needs. In essence our Order is best described as Hermetic, Esoteric and Gnostic in it's approach. It was very common practice for Oneida to use her Bible for magickal workings and we still to this day require our students to have a copy of the Bible. Teachings also include work with the Qabalah as well.

So we are different from many of the Witchcraft groups out there but we do provide a solid approach to magick and ritual for the student who shares an interest in not only low magick but of high magick as well. To Oneida there was no distinction in the type of magick used.  In her book on page. 39 she, herself, defines the word Witch as "female magician of power and skill"!  We gain that power and skill through research, study, practice and a lot of hard work.  The seeker will always be looking to push themselves to the next level in all areas of magick and spiritual practice.  The witch is always learning and growing and never stops.  Anyone who tells you they know everything knows nothing and those who carry multiple titles usually are, as the saying goes, "a jack of all trades and a master of none."  No matter what path you take stick with it and learn as much as you can and become a master at it. The Religious Order of Witchcraft's system will not be for everyone but we will continue to teach and be here for those who feel called to serve the Spirit and we will continue to do so as Oneida Toups envisioned it!

This is my first blog in a while to get my writing creativity going.  I will be working on more blogs that center around types of magick in the future!

In Memory of Queen Mary Oneida Toups

All Hallows is right around the corner and I am pretty busy of late with work, personal engagements and helping our High Priestess with the Religious Order of Witchcraft.  While getting things ready both Lady Katina and I realized that either Mary Oneida Toups never had an official obituary or it was somehow lost, believe me we looked.  So with that in mind we decided that a woman who offered so much of her time and love of the Craft and who founded the Order deserved a loving obituary.  Yeah, it's way overdo and we of the Religious Order of Witchcraft would like to honor Oneida in some way.  This unofficial obituary is in memory of the life and Spirit that was Queen Mary Oneida Toups.  We of the Religious Order of Witchcraft offer this little piece of gratitude to you Oneida.  Blessed Be!

In Memory of Queen Mary Oneida Toups

It is on this day, October 24, 2015, that we of The Religious Order of Witchcraft honor and dedicate our work to the late Mary Oneida Toups.  Mary was born on April 25, 1928 in Meridian, Mississippi to Arthur Hodgin and Mary Ellen Killing.  She lived a typical and ordinary life for a woman of the time period up until 1969. Mary had been married and was a hardworking mother who had little time to invest on a mystical path. However, by 1970 Oneida achieved the beginning of her success that lead to her life as a Witch.

               On September 1, 1970 Oneida Toups opened her first Witchcraft and Voodoo supplies store called Oneida’s Witchcraft Shop in New Orleans, LA. Along with her shop Oneida Toups legally established the Religious Order of Witchcraft on February 2, 1972 with the help of Boots Toups and Mac John Rebennack, who were not members of the Order but were a strong support system for her work. It was one of the first of its kind in the day to be legally recognized within the U.S.  The Religious Order of Witchcraft grew and so too did Oneida’s shop.  Mary was well respected and feared by those in New Orleans and many people flocked to her for her advice and magickal help. Visitors to her shop also included many well-known names, such as Jackie Gleason, so widely known was she for her magick.

               Throughout this time, while Oneida Toups was very successful achieved a great deal within a short amount of time.  Oneida succumbed to an illness in September of 1981. After her passing the Order was taken over and maintained by Lord Russell George who passed on Oneida Toups teachings until his passing in 2014.

               Today the Religious Order of Witchcraft is headed by Lady Katina Smith with several initiates and clergy, from various parts of the country, who continue to provide one of the most complete magickal/religious training systems as created and devised by Oneida Toups herself.  The thriving of her teachings is what Oneida wanted most along with her name to be remembered long after her passing. There are many who claim to have personally known her, and many who claim to be initiates within the Order.  Many, but not all, of those claims are unfounded and simply untrue.  There are also many websites dedicated to sharing colorful stories of Oneida Toups and her life as a witch.  While these stories are interesting and entertaining for the New Orleans Tourist, many of these stories are just that, pure entertainment.  Many of the stories told are embellishments and some completely made up. However, we of the Religious Order of Witchcraft, know that these stories help to keep Oneida’s memory and name alive to this very day. Mary Oneida Toups achieved what she had set out to accomplish.  She attained recognition long after her passing and her Order is still active.  We are privileged and honored to continue passing on Queen Mary Oneida Toups vision and goal to elevate the spirit of seekers of the occult. Blessings to you Queen Mary Oneida Toups and may your memory continue to live on!

Summer Solstice and the Blessings of Our Goddess

The Summer Solstice is fast approaching and the light of the sun continues growing until, on June 21, 2015 it will once again meet it's apex high in the sky. First, lets start by explaining some of the historically traditional ideas surrounding the solstice from various cultures as well as its form in most Pagan and Neo-Wiccan circles. I understand that there will be variations by traditions but these seem to be almost universal concepts in general.

Historical and Traditional Pagan/Neo-Wiccan Views:

Fire light abounds on Summer Solstice today just as it did in times past.  The lighting of bonfires and fire torches act as forms of imitation magick symbolizing the healing and life-giving powers of the sun in the sky.  In some ancient cultures wooden wheels were set aflame and rolled down the hills to symbolizes the sun as it is born in the east and descends into the western skies at dusk. It is a time to revel in the triumph of the sun's light over the darkness which, for our ancient ancestors, was a very powerful symbol of Life and it's ability to overcome the obstacles faced over the cold, dark winter months.  We often take for granted the changing seasons in our current modern age but for the ancients the seasons and it's changes often meant life and death literally.  Many cultures celebrated Summer Solstice and it played an important role for them, especially for those of the Norse culture where their winters were long, dark and very harsh.While Summer Solstice honors the sun it also honors the flowing waters of the Goddess (bringing about a peak of both energies) in honor of her cooling and cleansing waters that we today (and especially our ancestors needed) to stave off droughts of crops during particularly harsh, hot summer weather.

 As the longest day of the year approaches and the weather warms us we spend more time socializing, we feel invigorated and motivated by our projects and ideas.  There is a slew of activity that always seems abuzz and there is much joy and laughter. Charms for protection are commonly made at this time. In Roman culture women often left offerings to the Goddess Vesta (Goddess of hearth and home) asking for blessings on their homes and families.  This is also an auspicious time to have weddings were we may ask for the blessings of the God/Goddess to bring us longevity, abundance, fertility, wealth and health. 

In some traditions this is a night to invoke the energy of the faeries and of nature spirits to bless our work and to draw us closer to the magick deep in the earth. Oak trees are seen as powerful symbols of the God in his time as King, as in the Oak King, and in Celtic Lore the Oak's sacred month is June for this very reason. 

However, just as the sun reaches it's zenith on this night so to does it bring about some sadness because we know that the following day will herald the sun's decline in the sky.  Though we may not think about it at first the days will slowly begin to turn darker once again.  The Oak King is seen as a gatekeeper in this way, at Summer Solstice, just as he too acts as the gatekeeper during the time of Winter Solstice though of opposing forces.  During Winter Solstice he looks through the gateway (in his form as Holly King) to see his rebirth, the life that sits before him ready to be actualized and fruitful, just as the high school graduate reflects upon their next chapter in life to college and beyond.  So too does the Oak King look out from the gate on Summer Solstice night, however, he is reflecting on his decline and the waning of his powers and descent into the deep void of the Dark Womb of the Goddess where he will be later sacrificed so that he may once again be reborn of the Mother.  Sacrifice of the Old God giving way to the birth of the new God is a common symbol in many groups.

The Religious Order of Witchcraft View of Summer Solstice:

Within ROOW we have a different view of Our Goddess and Our God surrounding the changing seasons.  It is during the Spring Equinox that Our Goddess takes on the lead and comes into Her own.  This is the time of Our Goddess's Rule, where she is at her peak and holds power.  While the Sun is at its Apex, it is the Goddess in Her guise as Mother Earth who flows with the abundance of growth, life and celebration. It is during the warmer months that Our Goddess is in Rule. I must admit that this is a concept that I had difficulties when I felt began my training within ROOW.  I was constantly stuck on the fact that the Goddess is lunar, while the God is solar and only viewed it mainly from the aspects of the sky. However, it is important to remember that the Goddess is not only lunar, she is also the Earth and flowing waters of life. She is the world made Manifest on the physical plane.At this time the earth is awake and alive. Her body yields up it's fruits to nourish our bodies, minds and spirits for without Her we could not sustain our bodies in this world.  I should point out that within ROOW there is no sacrifice of the God in any way.  The Goddess and the God are seen as two balanced opposites.  One half of the year is ruled by Our Goddess, where her power and energies reign supreme but like the cycles of the seasons, and from day to night to day again the God takes up power the second half of the year where his energies will be at their highest and he will be in Power. It is in the dark half of the year that Our God is in rule until the changing tides bring the Goddess once again to her seat of Power. It is a delicate balance of light and dark, life and death, thought and action when unmanifest becomes made manifest.

It is important within ROOW that we not only look at the Sabbats as they relate to the natural world around us but it's reflection within us as well.  As above/ so below, the Macrocosm and the Microcosm are but one.  A smaller version of the larger piece of the puzzle that is the Universe. We take this time to become aware of the many blessings that have been manifested in our own lives throughout the year cycle.  Just as the Mother Earth birthed forth anew in life so to do we enter the same process on a personal scale every year as we to move through the many changes of our lives. We give thanks for all that we have accomplished, we ask for many more blessings to come in our lives and we enjoy our families, friends and enjoy this time of celebration in all it's glory.

Below is a small list of some associated God/Goddesses and symbols for Summer Solstice:

Gods:  Sol, Ra, Helios, Apollo, Horus
Goddesses: Juno, Vesta, Minerva, Hestia, Isis
Direction: South
Angel: Archangel Michael
Plants, Herbs and Resins: Amber, Frankincense, Myrrh, Rue, Oak, Mistletoe , Mint, Basil, Hyssop, Lavender, St. John's Wort, Rowan, Dragon's Blood, Sage and Pine
Stones: Citrine, Clear Quartz, Amber, Garnet, Tiger's Eye and Yellow Tourmaline
Colors: Yellow, Gold, Orange
Magickal Workings/Celebrations: Blessings of home/family and for health, Protection, Weddings and all celebrations of hope, joy and achievements made

Full Dyad Moon 2015

Full Dyad Moon

Blessed Full Moon to everyone!  Tonight is the Full Dyad Moon which falls under the sign of Sagittarius. During the full moon we honor the Goddess of Earth, Moon and Water.  For me currently, I am working with the Goddess Hekate and I am having some interesting results which I will share at a later time.  This blog post however, I wanted to just share a bit of info on this particular moon.  Every full moon, while a great time to work with and manifest anything one needs,it is also unique depending on the sign that it falls under. If you also work a lot with the Planetary Hours and Days of the Week, of which I do, then you can also correlate the Day of the Week and even down to the Planetary hour to harness even more energy into what you need most!

With the full moon in Sagittarius this is a great time to really work with our deeper emotional selves.  It is common under this particular full moon for people to be drawn to past emotional hurts and pains bringing them to the surface and dwelling on them.  However, with the aid of the lunar energies we can channel this energy to take a more active approach to awareness and being in the moment.  By bringing our awareness to this present point in time, we can then see ourselves as we are right here and right now.  We can use this moon to heal the past and to manifest our greatest spiritual desires! 

We can also look to the full moon landing on a Tuesday to assist us even further in our endeavors. The day Tuesday is ruled by the planet Mars and is a powerful influence in attaining victory in all matters but especially in legal challenges as well as igniting passions that may have seemed to fizzle out in our relationships or just in any area of life that requires our creative passions to fuel our work.
Due to the full moon in Sagittarius the energy of Mars can be used to push through victoriously in claiming victory over inner struggles connected to the past pain that we may continue to carry to the detriment of our present situations.  It is so easy to allow old pain and hurt to dictate our actions years later when they no longer serve us in any positive capacity.

No matter how you choose to Honor the Goddess or what you wish to manifest under this full moon be sure to utilize all astrological and planetary influences to better attune to the lunar force and to make manifest your deepest desires and dreams!

Blessing Be!
Lady Stacey