Witchcraft Survives Hard times come (hard eras, hard centuries even) and then go. But there has always been and there will always be those who work Magick, revere Nature, and perform Rituals singly and in groups. For example, ten years ago in October, our beloved and Founding High Priest, Lord Mordred died by suicide. Lady Airrawind’s name on my phone before dawn that morning alerted me something was terribly wrong. Lady Airrawind is a true hero from those days of Temple Of The Inner Circle, having kept the Bell Book and Candle open for business two plus years past any viability, and teaching the final TOTIC classes there and in her own home after the store closed. She also was first on the scene at Lady Morgana’s house and was in charge of cleaning after authorities left. In the next few weeks, there was an incredible amount of work done by current and returning Temple members and Initiates. I still feel an immense sense of gratitude for all the effort so many people put into packing up Lady Morgana’s house for her move to a beautiful senior’s apartment that Lady Scierna arranged for her. Lady Atheona arranged for a friend’s junk hauling business to pitch in overwhelming as it was. Then there was Lord Mordred’s memorial service. Lady Morgana and Lady Aisliong arranged the service at Davis. Lady Morgana requested ‘his boys’ Lords White Bison, Airebus, and Tanys to deliver eulogies. Lady Atheona asked that everyone send her their favorite ‘Mordy-ism’ and then she made the most incredible video montage of photos and Lord Mordred sayings. (https://youtu.be/rEp0X8m0p1M?si=-HjrEGZFjR-5yiel) This played at the memorial and is also available on our youtube channel. The outpouring of support and affection was overwhelming that night and for weeks after. And of course, Samhain was upon us. Samhain is often a difficult Sabbat for Witches, as our beloved dead are invited into the Ring with us to mingle and enjoy the food and drink we lay out for their Dumb Supper, and Lord Mordred of course was very beloved by all of us. Our Witches performed the Samhain Ritual beautifully and lovingly, and Lady Morgana, who was initially hesitant of holding our Samhain Ritual and indeed hesitant of keeping the Temple going without Lord Mordred, came around and started making plans for the Inner Circle Tradition’s future up there in the mountain with me. These were incredibly difficult weeks. Many tears were shed, and many kept asking “Why?”. But Witchcraft helped us continue, singly and together. This was ten years ago, and it still does. Lord Mordred often advised “When things get tough, dig into your Religion.” You will find strength in Witchcraft, whenever you need it, and however you practice it. We certainly do. originally posted on Facebook 11/8/2024 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=561826013216531&set=a.175189011880235  Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook & Instagram.
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 Our beloved, late founding High Priestess, Lady Morgana was born on this day in 1941.
All Inner Circle Witches and Witchlings owe Lady Morgana a huge debt of gratitude for this rich, amazing and effective Tradition she created for us from her own Coven lineage (both Lady Raven Brightwing's and Lady Virginia's), her vast knowledge of Magick in general, her Candle Shop Tradition teachings, and even her Buddhist training and incredible business experience. Her beloved husband, Lord Mordred, often described her as a vortex; you could not help but want to be around her. She was a force of nature, she was all but fearless, and she was also kind, generous, and gracious. She was also the epitome of a Witch. Anyone who met her knows what I mean. Her two stores, Cat 'N Cauldron and later Bell, Book, & Candle were the most incredible and resolute Witchcraft shops. If you had a question, she had an answer. If you had a problem, she had a solution. So while we remember her daily on our Altars, in our classes, and at our Sabbats, etc., on Morganamas more than any other day, we share memories of her, stories she told us, and love her that much more strongly. She made us who we are as Witches always trying to be better human beings. I know I am eternally grateful for all she did for me, and I am so looking forward to meeting her again in our next incarnations. Blessed Be Lady Morgana! Lord Tanys
All that being said, if you love horror movies, and Tarot, this is such a fun movie to watch (and maybe own)! I appreciated the astrological references in the movie, and the Houses spread the Tarot reader used, which is much like Lady Morgana's 'Whole Life' readings. If you don't know, Lady Morgana used a Houses of astrology reading, with a main card per House, and a clarifier card for each card.  Lady Morgana was voted Best Psychic Reader in Las Vegas at least once, and had a steady, committed clientele who sought her out for regular and one off readings at Cat N Cauldron and Bell Book and Candle. While we don't teach Tarot as a part of our curriculum, we do teach Tarot as a part of the Divination requirement for Initiation. we often teach classes on Tarot that go beyond fortune telling. Our Founders loved movies like this. They are super enjoyable. And if it keeps you out of church, well then even better. Make yourself some popcorn and have some fun with this movie and your cards!  Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook & Instagram.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 TEN YEARS SINCE BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE
Bell, Book And Candle shut down ten years ago this week. It had been such a Vegas institution that it is still very hard to believe. It was singular, it was incredibly magical, and it served the Occult community in Las Vegas well for several decades. Charmaine Dey (author of The Magic Candle and Casting The Rune Stones) and her husband Steve opened BB&C in the early 70s, with other well known Witches and authors Tarostar (Sacred Pentagraph and many more) and Sybil Leek (Diary Of A Witch, Complete art Of Witchcraft and many more) being mainstays at the shop, and in the corporation when BB&C was incorporated. The original site was on Las Vegas Boulevard South, on a sliver where LVB and 4th Street converge. ‘Talk Of The Town’ was next door for many years. The building on the site has only been demolished in the last few years. The second location was on East Charleston, close to Eastern where the antique shops are now. The third and last location was also on East Charleston, in a strip mall that for many years also housed Vessely Music, Macayos restaurant, with Blueberry Hill diner next to it. Ownership changed hands to Lucky Simone sometime after Charmaine died in 1983. Steve Dey continued to work there. When Lucky died (1997 or ’98 if I remember correctly) ownership passed one more time to Robin Criswell and Alex Triton, who most of us know as Lady Morgana and Lord Mordred. "Like many Witches, I got my start in Bell Book and Candle." It was 1989, I was newly stationed at Nellis AFB, and despite my Lutheran upbringing, I was a long time atheist. The first day I was brought to the shop I bought Anna Riva’s Secrets Of Magical Seals. The next day, I took a bus down and bought A Book Of Pagan Rituals and that was all it took. Steve Dey sold me many of the classics: A Witch’s Bible Compleat, Modern Magick, The Spiral Dance, Gems From The Equinox, Wicca For The Solitary Practitioner, The Golden Dawn, and several others as well as Tarot, Runes and thee coolest jewelry. It was the most magical, fascinating store I had ever seen. When Lady Morgana and Lord Mordred were offered to take over Bell Book and Candle, they jumped at the chance. They described it to me as a life-long dream come true. For a year or so, they ran their old store, Cat N Cauldron concurrently. This was home of Temple Of The Inner Circle, which used the same corporate documents as All Saints Church Of Mystic Science, which had also been founded by Charmaine and Steve Dey and Tarostar. We are fortunate to have both sets of corporate documents in our archives. Robin and Alex eventually closed Cat N Cauldron, and we all helped move the store and TOTIC to Bell Book and Candle. The back room became TOTIC with its beautiful Altar, large columns, banners and artwork. The fountains/candle nooks were removed, and a reading room and closet installed. Any customer who wanted to burn their candles at the shop could burn them on the Altar, under the gaze of an incredible Artisans’ Guild winged Isis statue. Soon a second Altar was installed to handle all the candles. We were lucky to have the legendary Ed Fitch come to one of our Saturday Night events, as well as authors on book tour like Christopher Penzcak. Lupercalia, Halloween, Karaoke, Belly Dancing, Lectures on Runes, Tarot, Ouija, Pendulum, Sabbats, Gated Candles, Aromatherapy (Uttati oils!), movie night, Street Smarts (Occult style)- the list goes on and on. And most Saturday events turned into late night parties, often like a dance club. All of the Elders of Inner Circle Sanctuary worked in the store; most of us here and there, but Lady Atheona worked it for several years. Lady Airrawind was the last, and we owe her a huge debt of gratitude for being the one to keep BB&C open realistically two years or so past any viability. She with Lady Rowyn also kept classes going after the store closed, and we are also very thankful for that! Temple classes started to be held in the front of the store. The final class began in January, 2014. Poor health, and changing times slowly led to the decline and closure of Bell Book and Candle. Please support local stores as much as possible. And remember the good, magical, Witchy times you had at Bell Book and Candle! Lord Tanys, High Priest, Inner Circle Sanctuary www.innercirclesanctuary.com/ Lady Morgana's Tradition lives on! www.facebook.com/sacredpentagraph Tarostar's Tradition lives on! web.archive.org/web/20131020024108/http://lasvegasbbc.com/whatto1.ivnu The old BB&C website set up by Lady Sisterwolf from a… let’s just say more innocent time. These pages starting in 2002 bring back many fond memories! witchworld109.com/main_page.html Las Vegas Occult history particularly BB&C to 1989 (a lot of which is used in this post) can be found on the late and wonderful Tarostar’s page www.blackmoonpublishing.com/left-hand-press Several versions of Tarostar’s incredible Sacred Pentagraph books can be purchased here www.amazon.com/Magic-Candle-Fundamentals-Ritual-Candle-Burning/dp/0942272005 The classic by Charmaine Dey www.amazon.com/Queen-Dreams-Heather-Valencia/dp/0671797239/ref=sr_1_1 Some memories of Bell Book and Candle by Charmaine’s niece can be found in this very interesting book redwheelweiser.com/book/a-book-of-pagan-rituals-9780877283485/ A Book Of Pagan Rituals The book that started it all off for me, purchased at BB&C in the Spring of 1989- still one of the best books out there!  Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook & Instagram.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 Thanksgiving 2023Happy Thanksgiving from Inner Circle Sanctuary! Any Coven (and in our case Temple till 2014) is like a family; a family of your choosing, a family with its own dynamics, a family devoted to the Art Magical. Even when we are not in Circle, in class, or one of our events, our Coven does have a social aspect that is invaluable. These are life long relationships, starting in the 90s for some of us. Beyond Magical practices, Covens are shoulders to cry on, hands to help out, and ears that listen. We grow together, go through good times and not so good together, and share experiences other people can't imagine.  We are very thankful for the people that make up our Coven. We are extremely thankful for the founders of our Tradition, Lady Morgana and Lord Mordred. Every class, every Sabbat, everything we do is a living testament to their brilliance and generosity. We hope you are thankful for the blessings you have in your life, and we hope they are many. Lord Tanys Read some other Thanksgiving Posts
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If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 We posted a meme recently, the punchline of which being our nightly practice of Witchcraft.  Funny and cute (I mean who doesn't like Pinky and The Brain) but true. On any given week, we have Online First Year Class on Monday, live First Year Class on Tuesday, New Student Class online Wednesday, live Second Year Class Thursday, Elders on Friday, and live First Year Class on Sunday Morning. We have one Public Event a month (at least) on Saturday, plus other special events. We have a Sabbat Practice the Sunday before every Sabbat. In between, we do other public events, Initiations, and Rites Of Passage. And our Elders and Coveners have their individual practices to attend to as well. As Thorn Mooney said in one of her excellent videos, [You are still a Solitary Witch even when you are a member of a Coven.] I paraphrase, but you get the gist. This is how Lady Morgana and Lord Mordred did it, and we carry their Lineage. It is our way of life, it is our honor, and it is our responsibility. It is also as convenient for students (Lady Morgana would call us Witchlings; how I miss that!) as we can make it. Notice I didn't say easy- "but if it was easy, it wouldn't be cool." by Lord Tanys  Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 Thanksgiving Edition 2022  I am very thankful Wicca is my way of life. I am particularly thankful for Lady Morgana’s Tradition, which we carry on to this day, and into the future. I am thankful for this Coven, Inner Circle Sanctuary, which is made up of so many wonderful people, new and long term, from so many different backgrounds, who make us the hardcore, hard working, proud Coven that we are. There’s a lot to unpack in the preceding statement. Wicca is so widespread now, so recognized, it may be easy to forget that it wasn’t always that way. It certainly wasn’t that way in the 90s even, in Family Court, when I had to teach the Family Specialists and even the judge about it, while fighting for custody of my son. It certainly wasn’t when our founder, Lady Morgana, started teaching her brand of Witchcraft to the public, and established Temple Of The Inner Circle. I am so thankful that Wicca is so widespread now, and so recognized- as it should be! We are sometimes asked what Tradition we are, and we have sometimes joked around with trying to create a clever “-ian” type of name for us, but realistically, our Tradition is the Inner Circle, the Mystical Dragons- names chosen by the “first brood” of TOTIC students, and approved by Lady Morgana. Although we had two beloved Gardnerians as Elders (Lady Pandora and Lord Loki) we are not Gardnerian. Although we use A Witches Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar as our first year textbook, we are not Alexandrian. We are Lady Morgana’s people. While generations come and go, and members come and go, Lady Morgana’s Tradition continues thanks to its members. Our members are hardcore. Does that seem an odd descriptor for a Wiccan? Does that not fit with your understanding of Wicca? Hardcore describes us to a T. One of our mottoes is Wicca To Be Proud Of and that takes hard work. Lots of it. Years of it. But the funny thing is when you love it, as we do, it doesn’t seem like work. It never gets old. I get as excited for each class and each Sabbat as I ever have. I am very proud of our Tradition, Lady Morgana’s Tradition, and all of our Coveners, of every degree. I also hear from Temple members who continue to practice as Lady Morgana taught us, and am very thankful for that. It is a rich Tradition, a deep Tradition, that constantly reveals its brilliance to me, and clearly to those people who see it as a way of life. While never “Bastardizing the Craft” as Lady Morgana put it, Temple Of the Inner Circle evolved over time, and Inner Circle Sanctuary continued this evolution. It is a very well thought out Tradition, both through research and practice, tradition and experimentation. Lady Morgana defined Wicca as “a disciplined philosophy” and this continues to be our modus operandi.  We teach six days a week, have a public lecture at least once a month, and of course celebrate every Sabbat. In between, we practice, perform Initiations, Handfastings, Requiems and other rites of passage. And alone, our members are expected to have a consistent daily magical practice. Lady Morgana’s opening line in new student class back in the Temple days was “Sooo, you vant to be vitches?” in a glorious, over the top German accent. I knew I did. I still do. You may notice I use Wicca, Witch, and Pagan almost interchangeably. This is intentional. Not necessarily to piss certain people off (though this is a happy benefit) but because we are. Our practice consists of all of these (and more), to the point where silly limitations disappear, and all are one for achieving mystical and magical results. This is the way we were raised, and I am VERY thankful for it. I am very thankful for Inner Circle Sanctuary. I am very thankful for Temple Of the Inner Circle. The former being my life’s work, the latter being my true Alma Mater. If you are Wiccan, I hope you are proud of your practice, and thankful for Wicca. I know I am. Lord Tanys  Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 A woman came into the World Famous Bell, Book & Candle several years ago, and gave our Lord Mordred her Golden Dawn material. This treasure trove included Enochian tablets, illustrations of Sacred Geometry, Talismans, and Rituals, including this Golden Dawn style Requiem for John Lennon. John Lennon would have been 80 this year.      Follow Inner Circle Sanctuary on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please don't hesitate to Contact Us. If you are interested in Joining our classes, please start with our questionnaire here. Want to see how we do things? Try out a sample test: Follow this link to a Google Doc: https://forms.gle/7oaQ5GF3d8k4CsA37 |
Inner Circle SanctuaryInner Circle Sanctuary is a school for traditional style Wicca and holds eight sabbat festivals every year. 
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Inner Circle Sanctuary
An Eclectic Traditionalist Oath-bound, Initiatory Wiccan Coven |
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