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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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 Ye Olde Magick Shoppe Ye Olde Magick Shoppe |
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Inner Circle Sanctuary
An Eclectic Traditionalist Oath-bound, Initiatory Wiccan Coven |
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