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Letters
Plain Brown Wrapper
Is there any way you can send this in a plain wrapper? People in my area are being put through some bad things (even shot at!) because the practice the Craft. They confuse Witches with Satanists—any help you could give in this area would be most helpful.
L.S.
Port Richey, FL
We have always used mailing envelopes for our magazine. (We use them now for our catalog as well, though we still mail our fliers in the open.) As the mailing section on the bottom of the back cover indicates, I have considered mailing the magazines au natural, but I'm sure now that this will never happen. Since the post office managed to dump an entire box of 200 of them (each with its own little return address on it), without being able to return even one to me, I no longer have a reason for keeping the mailing info on the cover.
For those who indicate that they want us to take particular care with their privacy, we also mark out our name on any mailings and send nothing without an envelope.
He Sees You When You're Sleeping?
I noticed your comment about the improvement in postal service since switching to the Spring Valley post office. I thought you might be interested to know that while they may be delivering the magazines, they also apparently have taken unusual interest in them.
My latest issue was opened by the post office, I assume for inspection, before being forwarded to me. I have enclosed one of the seals placed on the slashed open envelope by the Spring Valley Post Office. I am not sure what they expected to find but I can only assume that suspicion, ignorance and prejudice against our beliefs and interest was behind their actions. Hopefully they read some of the magazine, becoming a little better educated and making this a [positive] action in the end. In any case, I thought you should know that Big Brother is watching.
Hixon, TN
The bulk mail guy at Spring Valley explained to me that the Post Office is legally entitled to check any non-first class mail, to confirm that it does not violate postal requirements. He said that regulations require an official to check one item in each bulk mailing. This time you "won." I don't know how much interest the postal clerks have in the magazines. I imagine they are too busy to pay much attention. As long as the magazine is undamaged there should be no problem—as I understand it, your local postal employees should not be opening mail. If you are concerned, you can get a first class subscription which no one else should ever open.
We want to hear about any such incidents. Most lost or damaged pieces are obviously consumed by the Machine. However, occasionally someone will tell us that he never receives a mailing. In such a case, we would want to pursue the problem, if possible. There are certainly potential problems. On one trip to the Post Office, I made the mistake of wearing my black t-shirt with the big silver pentagram on it (bright one). The clerk I encountered was officious and hostile. I had to explain that I was not a Satanist. (I don't know if he believed me.) I would suspect such a man if I had a problem with my mail. Fortunately, we have never confirmed a problem relating to religion.
Return of the Wall St. Witches
Last issue, Tarish brought to our attention an annoyingly frivolous article on Goddess worship in the Wall St. Journal. Since then, she has received a response to her letter to the editor. Though they did not print her letter, the Journal printed four others that put Goddess worship in a better light. The fifth and last letter warned of divine judeo-christian retribution for worshipping false gods. Too bad they chose that for the last word.
Our volunteer organized library is anxious to receive your magazine on a voluntary or barter basis. Because of the currency exchange restrictions here we are not allowed to order any publications from abroad! Above all, such titles (on the area of Magick & Wicca) are not available in any of the official libraries/shops because [they are] not allowed from our government
Please print our appeal in your journal. Any second hand/slight damaged books, tapes, crystals, pentagrams, ritual tools, altar cloths, etc. [we would] welcome as donation or as barter for any handicrafts, music LPs/tapes, videos, books on English, natural rose essences, etc. Any of your supplies welcome, also.
Very Sincerely Yours,
Rosen Paskalev
Tsar Sisman 23
Sofia — 1000
BULGARIA
Love and Stuff
Here is part of an interesting letter we received:
But this is my current belief: The Soul is Feminine and the Spirit is Masculine—together they form the Sacred Marriage which is Bliss, Ecstasy. My favorite gods are Maat and Thoth, because Thoth is Thought and Maat means Righteous. Maat weighs the soul with a white feather. If the soul is heavy with dark emotions, it will sink back down again, but in-lightenment, joy peace, laughter will rise. Our ultimate destiny is to create a Paradise, Garden of Eden, Fairyland on Earth from the darkness, chaos and ignorance around us. That the ship we sail is friend-ship and the wind that fills the sails is freedom and happiness? The white feather of Maat is that which tickles our Fancy (fantasy). The Sourcerer and Sourceress is the source of positive emotions. That the unified playing field of consciousness will attract like minded individuals (cannot be divided because they are the basic truth of themselves). Peace is a result of a Positive Lifestyle, a way of life? it is not just an absence of war. There is a war going on right now—it is a war against nature, against innocence, against Truth, against Love.
A story— there was an Elven Sorcerer who had a vision of a Bright Angel. And this Angel asked him to choose between Love and Power. The Sorcerer said, "Be gone, Thou Fiend, for Power without Love is violence and Love without Power is useless." Love without Power cannot create the fullness of Life that it needs, it cannot defend itself or protect its loves? People afraid of Love must be totally silly because Love is laughter and joy? Even tears and moments of sadness within Love are treasures because they highlight the joy.
C.S.
Alpine, CA | 
