Welcome to Gaia! ::

I adored the discussion we had in the main forum about the necessity of following the threefold law, but whether or not you believe in its truth it is something that should be read. The long version of the rede is attributed to Doreen Valiente, if I recall correctly.

The Threefold Law
Ever ye mind the Law of Three,
What ye send forth comes back to thee.
If you follow this with mind and heart,
Then merry ye meet and merry ye part.

The Witches Rede
these eight words the Witches Rede fulfill:
an harm ye none, do as ye will.

The Witches Rede- Long Version!
Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.
Tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen you much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name, let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, singing out the baleful tune.
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch wood in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest, towers with might in the fire it brings the God's sight.
Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning- adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.
But - Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolg shows watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lammas night power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree By the Lady blessed you'll be.
Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend Lest you be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.
True in love you must ever be unless your love is false to thee.
Eight words the Rede fulfil "An' ye harm none, do what ye wilt".

The Charge of the Goddess

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arienrod, Brigid, and by many other names:

Whenever you have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall you assemble in some secret place, and adore the spirit of Me, Who am Queen of all Witches. There shall you assemble, who have not yet won my deepest secrets and fain would learn all sorceries; to these will I teach things as yet unknown.
You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you are really free, you shall be naked in your rites; and you shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in My praise. For Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and Mine also is joy on Earth; for My law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it, let nothing stop you or turn you aside; for Mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life, and the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality.
I am the gracious Goddess, Who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of humankind. Upon Earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. I do not demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and My love is poured out upon the Earth.

Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of whose feet are thehosts of heaven,
whose body encircles the universe:

I am the beauty of the green Earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of humankind.
Call unto your soul; arise, and come unto me; for I am the soul of Nature, Who gives life to the Universe. From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return; and before My face, beloved of Gods and of all peoples, let your innermost Divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let My celebration be within the heart that rejoices; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
You who think to seek for Me, know your seeking and yearning shall avail you not unless you know the mystery: that is... if that which you seek you find not within yourself, you will never find it without yourself. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

- Doreen Valiente, Aradia de Toscano

The Charge of the Crone

She has been the Maiden, and remembers that joy.
She has been the Mother, and recalls that pleasure.
But age has changed her,and taught her the mysteries of the Wheel that is ever turning, the Wheel that is life, death, and rebirth. She is the whirling tornado, the erupting volcano, the rising tidal wave, the trembling of the earth's crust.
With age comes an understanding of the past, and a glimpse of the future.
For, in the turning of the Wheel, the past is the future, and the future is the past. She is the Learned One, the Teacher, the Bringer of Inevitable Change.
She is the Dark of the Moon, the Hidden One, the invisible unknown that lies ahead. But do not fear her for she is not malicious, and her touch, however harsh, is love.
Only in ignorance is she scorned and reviled. Those who do not know her, parody her as the ugly old woman whose powers were said to blight crops and sour the milk in the cow. It is fear that turns her age into abomination, her wrinkles into hideous deformity, and her voice into an evil and manipulative cackle. For those who sought power over the earth were afraid to face her wisdom and her unalterable truth.
But in the old days, we sat at her feet to learn the most ancient lore. From her came the knowledge of the healing herbs, and the chants and songs that shaped our lives. She sat in honour at our councils, our marketplaces, in our homes. She governed our governing, and interpreted our laws. She gave focus to our changing seasons.
She was our teacher, our oracle, our promise of rebirth.

Lol. I feel for you hand. BoS for me translates into Binder of Shadows. I'm OCD about organization sooo It was never a question of handwriting everything in a book. I'd die.

Me too. <3 Mine is all hand written.

Oh holy mother. <33 That's so awesome. I want something like that! =D