Certainly! Most people will have seen some "western" film with the Cowboys and Indians smoking "the pipe of peace". Well, it wasn't tobacco they were smoking. There is also a tiny fungus know as "magic mushrooms". They can get you as high as a kite. Probably it is this sort of thing that evolved into the phrase "getting high" on drugs. Nevertheless, the most important thing is "belief". Many Pagans do not use drugs at all; but they do still "fly" in a spiritual sense.
hello there there is a ointment that is called flying ointment that is used to help enhance astral projection it was used alot back when wicca was first bought in the U.S. there is a toxic verson i have and a nontoxic both are usefull and ill glady post the nontoxic one here
flying ointment
1 part dittany of crete
1 part cinqurfoil
1 part mugwort
1 part parsely
or
# 2
2 drops sandalwood
1 drop jasmine oil
1 drop benzoin
1 drop mace oil
how to make a ointment
the shorting method
gently heat four parts shotening over low heat until liquefied.
watch that it doesnt burn,the slowly add the herbs it calls for one part at a time,blend with a wooden spoon until it is mixed well and then keep heating until you have the scent you want then when you have you scent strain through cheesecloth into a heat poof container then add one half tsp of vodka to each pint as a natural pereserative store in a cool dark place
beeswax method
place one-forth cup or so of beeswax on a burner add about the same amount of olive oil,hazelnut, sesame or some other vegetable oil stir with a wooden spoon until the wax has melted into the
oil now let it cool slightly until it just about to thicken now add the oils or crushed herbs (finely crushed that is) now stir the them all in and then put it in a heat poor container
:)Brysing:) I wasnt implying that pagans and witches do drugs. I should have explained myself better in my previous post. My apologies.
I was referring to the flying ointment, which might have been prescribed, out of frustration, by a witch who probably found it difficult to explain to a non-believer what a spiritual high is. In all likelihood in defense to show the witch hunter that it wasnt literal flying, but a state of mind.
I would also like to add that it was indeed a paste to promote astral projection, it would make the skin slightly red and tingle.
Back in the days of witchhunts witches could not convene as they liked, so those who could not attend physically would astrally project to the meeting place. Many witches claimed that they were able to see everything that was physically happening. When they finally were able to compare the meetings activities it was accurate.
So flying ointment is really just an herbal paste used to astrally project in a ritualistic way. The "sightings" of witches flying have been questioned and most believe that this was just people who happened to see the witches spirit as she astrally flew to her meeting place to convene with her coven. Walking astrally is no fun and would take forever! =P
So, basically, are we saying that it is an ointment that alters one's state of mind and it is the altered state of mind that helps astral projection?
If so, I can believe that. I've been taking care of someone who needs heavy sedation due to his pain and terminal illness. In his sedated slumber, I saw a certain body movement... it's hard to explain... but his hands and legs jerked up and down, as though he was falling into his own body. It happened just once. He has been sedated several times before and after that, but i havent seen that sort of movement again. It could have been an astral projection. But it could also have been an hallucination... I dunno. It's hard to tell.
Many of the early recipes for "flying ointments" were in fact composed largely of hallucinogenics. They were not necessarily rubbed over the entire body (which could well be lethal), but rather applied to the mucous membranes where they would be easily absorbed in smaller doses into the body. This is where the idea of riding the broomstick came into being. The end of the broomstick was rubbed with the ointment and then used to apply the ointment to the Witch. Under the influence of the hallucinogens, the Witch felt that they were flying...but they did not fly in actuality.
In the case of the classic "flying ointment" it is less about astral projection and far more about hallucinations. The same sort of hallucination occurs under the influence of modern drugs such as LSD, and under LSD there have been many, many cases of users also believing they were flying.
this may sound a bit perverted but this is just a thought on flying ointments. what if the true use of the ointments were to be used as a lubricant. And the "flying to the sabbat to do spells" is symbolism of sex magic? as you said, it can be anything that makes the body "Tingle." They get to the "sabbats" by masturbation in sex magic and the "sabbat" is the trance recieved during the climax. Once they have don that they worship their gods and goddesses and so on. I personally dont believe that even if they could fly, it wouldnt be ethical in any essence of the word because if people saw them flying out of their chimney on a broomstick, they would know that they were witches and so it would basically be purposefully accusing yourself of witchcraft. I think that most witches in those days were solitary for the most part. If you dont really understand what I am trying to say its ok because I myself cant really get my thoughts together right now. :( but if you can really think about the theory, it will make sense
