A new year is about to begin.
No one really knows what's coming, but one thing is certain, change is inevitable.
Survival isn't always to the strongest, it's to those who learn to adapt.
Adapting isn't changing who you are or what you believe, it's not giving up on your goals.
Instead, it may be changing your methods in order to adapt to your circumstances.
Even the healers and Witches from the Old Book suggested adapting in order to protect themselves.
In their own words:
"Keep a book in your own hand of write. Let brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out of your hands and never keep the book of another, for if found in their hand of write they may be taken and tortured. Each shall guard her own writing and destroy it if ever danger threatens. Learn as much as you may by heart, and when danger is past, rewrite your book if it be safe. For this reason, if any die, destroy their book if they have not been able to, for an if it be found tis clear proof against them, and 'Ye may not be a witch alone', so all their friends may be in danger of torture.
If taken, keep all thoughts of the craft from your mind, say you had bad dreams, a devil caused you to write this without your knowledge. Think to yourself, I know nothing, I remember nothing, I have forgotten all.If the torture be too much, say I will confess, I cannot bear this torment, what do you want me to say? If they try to make you speak of impossibilities, such as flying through the air, consorting with demons, sacrificing children, or eating a man's flesh, to obtain relief from the torture say I had an evil dream, I was not myself, I was crazed. Not all magistrates are bad. If there be an excuse, there may be mercy. If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards, say you babbled under the torture, you knew not what you did or said.If you be condemned, fear not, the fellowship is powerful. They may help you to escape if you are steadfast. If you betray aught, there is no hope for you in this life or that which is to come. And you go but to death, to the ecstasy of the Goddess.
The same of working tools, let them be of ordinary things that any may have in their home. Let the pentacles be of wax that may be melted. Have no sword unless your rank allows. Have no names or signs on anything, write these on in ink before consecrating and wash them off immediately afterward.
Ever remember, if tempted to boast or admit to belonging to the craft, you be endangering your brothers and sisters. For though now the fires of persecutions have died down, who knows when they may be revived? Many priests have knowledge of our secrets, and they full well know that most religious bigotry has died or calmed down, that many people would wish to join our craft if the truth were known of its joys and the churches would lose power. So if we take many recruits we may loose the fires of persecution against us again.
So ever keep the secrets."
