What are the Basics of Gray Witchcraft?

The Principles of Our Way:
The environment of this great planet, planet Earth, is the cathedral of our worship. Therefore, as often as possible our rites should be held in the forests, by the sea, on the mountaintops of the desert, within the fields of the plains, or wherever nature prevails with a loud voice. Whenever this is not possible gardens, chambers, or man-made shelters will suffice, but they must be purified and their false nature acknowledged.

Always seek out wisdom and truth. It is found in the things of humanity: religious texts, philosophical notes, cryptic poems, paintings, and rare manuscripts. However, the greatest of wisdoms and truths are found in the simplicity of nature: within stones, herbs, fields, forests, deserts, animals, and the elements of old. Listen to the elements of old and the elements of new, for in them are hidden the secrets of our universe.

Cautiously accept change, for it is part of our nature, however, steer clear of those who would have it quickly, for the Earth herself declares not rapid change, but a steady shifting of her ways.

There can be no monopoly on wisdom and truth. However there will be some who would use it for harm. Therefore, share your wisdom with others, but share it according to necessity, experience, and balance.

Mock not another’s beliefs and convictions, but rather share our beliefs and convictions with them. To do so can only lead them toward balance and harmony, for knowledge breeds acceptance.

Ensure that your actions are honorable and true, for all that you do will be written in time forever, and shall return to you infinitely, good or bane. Do not adhere to those who would claim you can distance yourself from your actions, for this is a falsity. Only your actions may distance themselves from you through the course of the ripples of time.

Beware of those who would dominate, control, and manipulate you, your workings, and reverences. Such one-sided ideologies are not balanced and harmonious and will surely end in disaster. If all are not equal in unity, if one individual’s voice is all that is heard above the rest, and if one individual’s way is all that is accepted than they have not understood our way. There are no chieftains with authority in our nature, for chieftains
given authority quickly forget the necessities of all things in unity. Honor all things animate and inanimate, for this is our way. We are the kings and queens of this world, and our duty is to care for it. Do not destroy life save it be to preserve another or your own.

And know in your hearts that these are the principles of our way.

The Thirteen Dedications of the Gray Witch:
I. The God/dess is the infinite, the “cause of the first cause” that always was and yet never was. All other gods, goddesses and things are faces of the One true Unity. They may be honored separately or together, but all are One.

II. You shall seek out total and complete balance in all things that you are, that you do, and that you shall seek to be.

III. You shall only use magick to achieve balance and truth.

IV. You shall make certain that every action is thought out thoroughly before it is acted upon and that balance and unity are its objective.

V. You shall never lie to hide your deeds and desires unless by lying you are preserving the balance of nature that has not already been tainted by your actions.

VI. You shall uphold the rights of all toward nature, and of nature toward all, for this is balance.

VII. You shall hold no ideals of humanity above the ideals of nature’s balance.

VIII. You shall respect all things living, all things dead, and all things spiritual in nature.

IX. You shall only disturb an environment when it is necessary for balance.

X. You shall recognize “balance” as anything that upholds nature and unity; be it physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, or ideological.

XI. You shall be committed to your beliefs, family, clan, tribe, nation, and world.

XII. You shall seek out balanced health, balanced love, balanced truth, and practice moderation.

XIII. You shall not adhere to any beliefs, methods, or evidences of proof that distinctly contradict the Thirteen Dedications, for anyone can make an apparent truth manifest.

Our Creed
I give myself unto the God/dess,
The creators of our universe,
For they are the Spirit of Love,
Who formed us from the Earth,
I live in the Unity that is Them,
Complete and as One,
And believe Their love shines brightly,
Through the Earth, Moon, and Sun,
I believe there is balance,
I shall seek it everywhere,
I believe it’s my duty to live,
To seek love and to share,
I trust in the power of magick,
Which is rooted in my faith,
And I trust in my family and coven,
To keep and make all safe,
This is my creed…
So mote it be!

The Nine Noble Virtues:
I. Courage- be courageous in all that you do
II. Truth- seek out truth and share it, but rebuke unjust lies
III. Honor- be honorable, just, and true
IV. Fidelity- give allegiance to your beliefs, family, clan, tribe, nation, and world
V. Discipline- practice self-discipline, moderation, proper guidance, and justice
VI. Hospitality- practice hospitality toward all, but beware the stranger’s word
VII. Self Reliance- know yourself, rely on yourself, and trust in yourself
VIII. Industriousness- knowledge and hard work are the keys to survival
IX. Perseverance- do not cease to uphold your convictions and attain your goals

Identity of worship and reverence:
Practitioners of the gray craft may hold their rites either solitarily or in groups. There are no correct or incorrect ways by which to hold the rites of gray witchcraft other than by upholding the nature of our way. As long as one or many are upholding the ways of the gray craft they may rightly call themselves practitioners of our way.

The way of the Gray Wizard is found in the nature of our way, the Principles of our way, the Thirteen Dedications, the Creed, and the Nine Noble Virtues.

These are the qualifications of the gray craft…

Additional Explanation of Beliefs
* Both good and bane are necessary for proper balance as is clearly defined by nature. The Gray Wizard or Witch looks to nature to seek out proper balance and harmony.

* Karmic law and its methods are written into nature to ensure proper balance. Karmic law is not based upon intentions but rather on actions; karmic law by itself has no care for intentions.

* It is natural, balanced, and acceptable to express love equally toward each gender and race, and to make a commitment toward the unification of humanity; all things are bisexual by nature.

* Commitment to family and partners is an action of balance and harmony that ensures the survival of nature, however, commitment should never include the exclusion of others; exclusive monogamy is an imbalanced practice that hinders the unification of humankind.

* All of nature is privy to the basic natural rights of life, liberty, reproduction, expression, thought, movement, freewill, and growth. These are things that should not be censored, restricted, denied, or sold for monetary gain. As these basic natural rights are given, so should they only be taken away or withheld; nature is the image of the God/dess.

* All things have a spirit energy that is part of the ‘Unity’ of the God/dess and are destined to evolve into either total unity or total discord. There is no single destination for one, but a single destination for all; our intentions only affect our universal destiny.

* Energy, which comprises all things, can neither be created nor destroyed, but only transformed. Therefore, as all things that are now are the God/dess, all things that are no more still remain, but have been transformed. The God/dess always was and always will be, and S/he can only transform into H/er own destiny, which is also our destiny.

* All things within nature are inherently balanced, useful, and with purpose when used in moderation and according to their perspective purposes.

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