From:    Ammond Shadowcraft 
To:      All                                      Msg #99, 09-Nov-89 20:06edt
Subject: Rethinking the Tools

                     RETHINKING THE QUARTERS AND TOOLS

     In times past, from our ceremonial forbears, we received instructions
 on the quarters and their usage. As time and technology has progressed I
 feel that we need to update our directions, their meanings and usages.

     First and foremost there is a move to switch the tools for east and
 south. This entails moving the athame to south and the wand to east. This
 is a great idea. Why? Because a tool should not be destroyed by that which
 created it. Fire help us to refine steel. Carbon dioxide laden air enables
 plant growth.  Courage and bravery are better symbolized by the athame and
 sword than with the wand.

     And in fact, I wonder if our forbearers have tricked us by "pying" or
 confusing the directions. Some of this has been done in the past to
 separate the older traditions from the newer emerging ones. It probably
 happened here also.

     So I got to thinking that perhaps an update, a complete update, of the
 quarters and directions might be in order. After all, no one told me I
 couldn't. So I did.

     I chose a sexual focus for each of the directions, a color, a tool,
 and a weapon. Energyforms or spirits are optional. The sexual focus seems
 to be fairly traditional. Since nothing is frozen in stone you can assign
 either sex to any direction or none at all.

     It seems apparent to me that the quarters are assigned to help us
 focus the elements into a coherent structure surrounding center, the point
 where Goddess and God meet. Additionally it is the intersection of flesh
 and spirit. Neither can be separated from the other without massive
 transition.

     Here then is my updated chart of quarters.

DIRECTION       ELEMENT         TOOL            WEAPON
---------       -------         ----            ------
MALE
East            AIR             Fan             WAND
Apollo          Yellow          Flag            Scourge
Athena          Light Blue      Streamer        Whip

South           FIRE            Censure         ATHAME
Horus           Red             Match           Sword
Isis            Maroon          Candle          Axe

FEMALE
West            WATER           Chalice         TRIDENT
Aphrodite       Pinkish Blue    Bowl            Net
Neptune         Sea Green       Horn            Spear

North           EARTH           Trowel          MACE
Cerredwin       Humus           Pick            Stone Club
Cernnunos       Leather         Awl             War Hammer

     In meditations I found that each direction had a general energetic
 focus. The more active and penetrating ones I assigned the the male
 polarity.  The more passive and enfolding ones were assigned the female
 polarity.  Of course you get to assign them according to your needs.