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Blog Posts of Note:
*Magic, Witches and the Bible
*A brief History of Wicca
*Wicca 101 part 1
*Wicca 101 part 2
*Spells and the Modern Witch
*Do Witches Worship Satan?
*Religious View
*Interview with a Witch
*A Witch's Story of Creation
*One Definition of the Divine
*I am a Witch
* Original Sin, from a Witches point of View
*Why a Witch Could care less about Harry Potter
*Satan is not my Sidekick
*The other people: Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Bible
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I feel so special right now, look Ma! I won an award!
| Something for us bloggers |
| 07.31.05 (8:34 am) [edit] |
So i wonder if i can enter OTHERS people writing too. I know some of my stuff is pathetic, but i know a few others around that could give me a run for my money. HAHAHAHAHAHHAhttp://news.sympatico.msn.ca/OddNews/ContentPosting .aspx?contentid=d54f503134 1849cd98ccb98d0a1f64a7&sh ow=False&number=0&showbyl ine=True&subtitle=&detect =&abc=abc" title="http://news.sympatico.msn.ca/OddNews/ContentPosting .aspx?contentid=d54f503134 1849cd98ccb98d0a1f64a7&sh ow=False&number=0&showbyl ine=True&subtitle=&detect =&abc=abc" target="_blank"http://news.sympatico.msn.ca/... FM |
| LUGHNASADH |
| 07.30.05 (7:25 am) [edit] |
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LUGHNASADH (August 1) Also called Lammas by those of us you can’t pronounce the above name. I think it’s like LOO-nus-uh, but even spelt out phonetically I still can’t say it. I may have Celtic Blood, but a Celtic Tongue I do not. Lammas Lore This is the festival of the first harvest, a time to celebrate God’s bounty and give thanks to him and to the Goddess for their renewed relationship which has brought the bounty to the fields. All well and good if you’re a peasant living in the middle ages without a grocery store just down the road. How do the urban dwellers, or even the sub-urban dwellers, celebrate the harvest in this consumerist-get-anything- you-want-at-any-time-of-y ear-month-day? One way is to consider what other sorts of harvests one’s reaped this past year: A promotion at work, finished a course in school, completed a project like; painting the house, knitting a scarf, writing a book, learning to make your moms super-duper perfect cookies. Anything that is an accomplishment is something that you can ‘harvest’ and celebrate. Take some time on Lammas to honour these accomplishments and consider what you can give back in ‘thanks’. In ancient times a portion of the harvest would be buried in the fields or burned as an offering to the Divine. They shared a portion with the God and Goddess because they understood the Gods brought the rain and sunshine, and provided the good black earth for growing. To these people they were as much apart of the growing process and out of deep respect returned their share. I’m pretty sure my neighbours wouldn’t appreciate me burning grain and wheat in my backyard this weekend, and I know there’s a by-law against it, so how can I show my respect for the Divine’s intervention in my life? In the same way that I can view my accomplishments as a type of harvest, I can dedicate a ‘good work’ or something to the Divine. I could cook a meal for a member of my church who is ill, I can volunteer at a shelter, food bank or charity. Or I can donate some money. Basically the idea is to give back something of myself, return the Divines Energy bestowed on me back into the universe by helping out my community. In some places it’s called Mission and Out-Reach. And it is my gift to the Divine as thanks for all their gifts to me. Wicca is a faith of traditions. As much as we rewrite those traditions most still enjoy recreating ‘old world’ traditions for themselves. Traditionally Lammas is the honoring of the God- Lugh (a Celtic Sun God) and Goddess-Tailtiu, Lugh’s foster mother who died while trying to save her people from starvation. Tailtiu was the Goddess of Agriculture and the Queen of the Fir-Bolg, a race of the race of peoples who inhabited Ireland before the coming of the Tuatha De Dannan. The Tuatha are the race of people modern day folks often call the Fae. One year the Fir Bolg had a poor harvest and Tailtiu went out in the forest to begin clearing more land to grow crops. The strain of this action, both physical and mental killed her and as she died Lugh promised his foster mother he would celebrate her life and sacrifice every year. We celebrate the harvest and its bounty but we also celebrate the sacrifice of the land for providing that bounty. The ritual of Lammas: Below is a relatively traditional layout of a Wiccan Ritual. For those Wiccan’s/pagans/witches looking for a ritual for Lammas, please feel free to cut and paste it. But please credit myself and Scott Cunningham- I used his chant- in your BOS. At this time of year one can put sheaves of wheat, barley or oats, fruit and breads on the altar. One can make Corn Dollies to represent the God and Goddess. Fruits and veggies that one grows themselves would be suitable to use during the ritual. Begin the ritual in the usual way of Sabbats: (I haven’t posted anything about this here, yet, so I can’t give links, yet) Cast your circle of sacred space Call the watchtowers Call to the God and Goddess Then to honour the God and Goddess say: Now is the time of the First Harvest, when the bounties of nature give of themselves so that we may survive. O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain, grant me the understanding of sacrifice as You prepare to deliver Yourself under the sickle of the Goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer. O Goddess of the Dark Moon, teach me the secrets of rebirth as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold. Eat some of the fruit on the altar and say: I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry wisdom of perfection. O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun, gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses, I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth. May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in the Mother's breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth of the coming Spring. Now take some time to think about your ‘harvest’ and what you are returning to the Divine. Write it on some paper or a piece of cloth that you can use as a prayer flag. After meditating on this awhile burn or bury the paper, or hang the flag so it’s fluttering can take your wishes to the Divine. (If your circle does not permit you to hang the flag, do it after the ritual) Thank the God and Goddess for attending Thank the watchtowers for attending Break the circle of sacred space You’re done Enjoy the holiday! Although often over looked as a minor Sabbat remember that even if you just have a family BBQ on this day or go out berry picking with your kids you are honouring The Divine’s World and Creation. And it helps since it’s also BC Day and we all get holidays anyways! (At least in British Columbia) |
| Burn Harry Potter Books |
| 07.29.05 (12:46 pm) [edit] |
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you betcha i used that subject line to get your attention! I was chatting with some Witchy friends the other day, after posting my other “Harry Potter http://www.tblog.com/template...” article and they told me about an interesting conversation they had about book burnings, magic and HP. My friend had this to say: One of the more common ways we, as Wiccans, perform magic is by See witches believe that by burning the paper that a spell is written on gives it power and the smoke takes the spell to the Divine to become true, or as my friend said bring it to reality. Yesterday I watched the movie Luther, and again the book burning came up as the Church burned his writings. Did that “bring Luther down?” no it infuriated people, made them want to read what they weren’t allowed. When has book burning ever worked? Books that “you’re not supposed to read” are all the more enticing because of that label. If we believe that writing a spell on a piece of paper then burning it is going to bring our spells to fruition, shouldn’t we then as good witches be happy they’re burning HP all over the place? It just brings more magic in to the world. (Really, I think burning books is atrocious behaviour and I’d only do it id I was going to freeze to death and I’d burned all the trees) This has been another facetious post by naughty Fairmoon. I’m in a really bad mood about something else. Luther is a very cool movie. I highly recommend it all. If my bad mood issues get cured I'll write about it tomorrow. |
| The Ruler of the Universe invades the moon |
| 07.27.05 (4:14 am) [edit] |
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So yesterday the Ruler of the universe and I were walking down to Playgroup. He was riding in style his preferred chariot of transportation -read: stroller- and I as life slave to the Ruler was pushing him merrily along. The Ruler loves airplanes and anything else that he sees in the sky. He'll hear one and stop whatever he's doing and look around to find where the sound is coming from. Then when he finally sees the airplane or helicopter he gets very excited. Yesterday he was doing the same thing and saying Nyah! Nyah! While pointing to the sky. Nyah is Rulerspeak for "what is that? Where is it? Isn't that cool? And "HEY PAY ATTENTION!" rulerspeak is complex and only I the hubbie and most Hamsters understand it. What I couldn't figure out was why he was saying it. I didn't see any airplanes or birds or even any clouds in the sky - we've been having great weather for about a week now. Then I saw what he was on about- the moon. It seemed larger in the sky yesterday, closer and bigger. It was quite full, being that it was full last week on the rulers birthday, and very prominent in the sky. I wasn't sure why he was making such a big deal about it and then it really hit me. I don't think he's seen it before. I mean really noticed or had any awareness that the Moon was up in the sky. It gave me this weird sorta sick elated feeling in my stomach and heart. I've always taken for granted that it's just there. As a part of Earth science class and later my witch studies I've learned its cycle and am just generally aware of it in the sky in its different modes. I don't know when I first say it. I don't know when I was first aware of its presence, but now here I've watched my kiddo discover something about his world that has forever changed it. There’s a moon now and two days ago it didn't exist. At least to him, and that was very cool to experience with him. When we were walking part home, we walked up a trail that goes behind some houses and meet a deer. We don’t often see deer in our neighbourhood, and this was the first time the rulers seen a deer, so all in all a very cool day of firsts for the ruler of the ever expanding universe. |
| Why a Witch could care less about Harry Potter. |
| 07.26.05 (12:49 pm) [edit] |
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Why a Witch could care less about Harry Potter. I swore to myself when the new HP book came out I would refrain from jumping to the Harry Potter is Satan, book burning-banning, insanity fray, but I just couldn’t stop myself. So I am here as the unofficial spokesperson of Witches and Wiccans to tell you how we feel about Harry Potter. (REMEMBER: I’m unofficial, I’m sure many witches/wiccan’s/pagans /etc out there will disagree, but most of the witches I’ve talked to do agree with what I’m about to say.) First off as a regular person walking down the street, I love the Harry Potter books. They are wonderful stories and I stick them on my shelf next to my other FANTASY books like the Greenmantle, Dangerous Angels, Dragons of Pern series, Narina series and Lord of the Rings. They are great works of FICTION. And I don’t take them any more seriously than I do the other NOVELS and fiction that I read. As a Witch, I bloody well hate them. No book in the last fifty years as done more damage to the truth about Modern Wiccan than HP. Now we’re got all these stupid little kids running around thinking that they can turn pin cushions into mice. The smart ones know the difference between fact and fiction, and that a rock from a goats stomach isn’t going to do squat against poison, but their parents are clearly idiots because: One, they think their kids are dumb and don’t know the difference between fact and fiction. And have to ban books to save their idiots children’s minds And/or Two, They are dumb because they don’t know, or bother to find out the truth between fact or fiction. Being a Witch in the HP world has absolutely nothing to do with the Modern Day Spirituality that is Wicca or The Craft. Thankfully J.K never refers to Wicca/paganism the Craft or any of the other terminology used by many Wiccan’s (see basic Wicca 101). She never refers to Christianity/Satan or Jesus either. In fact religion doesn’t play a role in the Novels at all, but I guess that’s another knicker twisting sore spot for the fundies, not a Pro towards the books. Yet still confusion about the Wiccan Faith reigns supreme and I am caught between loving the fiction and being pissed that there are even MORE misconceptions about Wicca because of these books. As a mum, I think these books are great. When the Ruler is old enough (I think he’ll be old enough when he’s the same age as the characters in the books) he can read them. In fact I’ll encourage him to read them. Why? Because reading rocks. I realized something when I was reading HP6 this past weekend. The True reason everyone one, especially the fundies, are getting their knickers in a knot about these books is not the witch and wizard references. It’s the simple fact that Harry Potter and the gang think for themselves. They are being instructed in the Morals of a specific society (i.e. the Wizarding World), yet when those morals would stop them from saving a friends life, or saving the world from an unmentionable evil (which the adults in the first books are too frightened/stupid/ignoran t to see) they very consciously question those morals and more often than not challenge them. These books in their own subtle way are teaching kids to think on their own, figure out for themselves the value of a societies morals and the difference between right and wrong, especially when what’s truly right goes against the societies perceived rights and wrongs. I’m not saying these books are teaching kids to break the law. We’re talking about morals or society, not legality. These kids are rabble rousers; the “change to world types”, and the people in power really like to suppress/repress them. It would seem to me the goal of the fundies in power is to have everyone one believe only what they want, to not have people question, or think for themselves. Having a bunch of bratty kids say, “no way, we’re going to do what’s right whether it’s the right YOU believe or not”, is just irksome. This is why I want my kid to read them. This is why I want all kids to read them. Kids need to experience for themselves that their thoughts, their decisions, have value and consequence. In Harry Potter the kids are challenging the status quo, thinking for themselves and creating personal values not based on what society THINKS is right, but what truly IS RIGHT. What’s more is that they take personal responsibility for their actions when they get caught, and stand up for what they believe in even when they know the punishment could be severe. The Adults in the book hate it and also try to quell it. HP shows kids that they have this power too, it’s magic to find out even at 13 you can think for yourself and do what’s right. It’s magic to realize that YOU can be your own personal authority, and man it gives you more power than a wand stuffed with unicorn butt hairs ever will. That’s why people love them. That’s why people hate them too. Don't forget to check out RedTigress's article "Harry Potter and the Finger that Points" http://www.tblog.com/template... |
| The Green Man |
| 07.25.05 (11:58 am) [edit] |
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Sometimes a good fiction book will sum up stuff you’ve been trying to explain pretty darn well. What is this… mystery that you’re talking about?” Valenti asked. In Gaul and Britain he was given the name Cernunnos. In Wales, he was sometimes called Mabon. The Germanic People knew him as Uller, the winter bowman. The Greeks and Romans knew him in various guises: as Apollo and Orion; the Egyptians as Amen-Ra; the Hindus as Surya. He appears in the bible as Nimrod-Genesis describing him as a ‘mighty hunter before the Lord’. He is a solar god, a huntsman and lord of animals, and he has been both the pursuer with his own pack of hounds, as well as the pursued with the hounds chasing him. The various descriptions of him become confusing when you try to put them all together, but I suppose that’s part of the mystery- just as the moon’s White Goddess has her own secrets. I like to think of him as The Green Man, an earthier view of the legendary Robin Hood- a trickster figure, if you will- but I think the name that best sums him up is Pan. [said Lewis]… “But you said he was a sun god,” said Ali. She knew her mythology even if the others didn’t. “That the Greeks knew him as Apollo and Orion. Wasn’t Pan a Greek god too? Lewis nodded. “I told you that it becomes confusing. But the reason that Pan serves best I think is that he is so adaptable. There is something of Pan in each of the gods I named. And he has always been a reflection of what one brings to him.” “I don’t understand,” Ali said. “I don’t like to throw semantics around, Ali, but if you did understand then he wouldn’t be a mystery.” “Yes, but-“ “That’s what the native people of [North America] call the little spirits of the wood-Manitou’s. Little mysteries. And Kitche Manitou is the great Mystery.” “But Pan… you said he’s a reflection…” “That is the Trickster aspect. He becomes what you bring to him. If you approach him with fear, he fills you with panic… If you approach him with lust, he appears as a lecherous satyr. He you approach him reverently, he becomes a majestic figure. If you approach him with evil, he appears as a demonic figure.” “You mean like Satan?” “Exactly. The Christians weren’t stupid. The borrowed what they could, from wherever it would be useful. They frowned on merriment and dancing, so the made Lucifer over in the shape of Pagan Pan who embodied –at least for them- all that they stood against… more from the GREENMANTLE by Charles de Lint, page180-181 I post this excerpt from the book because it shows how one even one aspect of the Divine can have so many names and personifications. I’ve mentioned before my belief that all Gods and Goddess are ONE, and that the different ones are personifications of a higher Power we can’t comprehend. I thought this was a good example of that idea. |
| Illusion |
| 07.25.05 (11:32 am) [edit] |
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“Man needs illusion, for without his illusions, man is nothing. The strength of you illusions is dependent on your strength of your will. The stronger your will, the more you will rule, for other men will always flock to him whose illusions are the most potent.” “Which is more illusory? Illusions built upon belief, or those built with reasoned disbelief?” From “GREENMANTLE” by Charles de Lint, pg 126 Read this the other day and been mulling on it ever since. |
| oddities of the dream world |
| 07.25.05 (5:23 am) [edit] |
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I had a very odd dream this morning. The ruler had woken up at 530 and we'd brought him in to our bed. He was cold. I always find it harder to sleep with the two men in my life in my bed. I end to get squished out. But I fell asleep again nevertheless and had this weird dream: The Hubbie gets up for work and the day is dreary and about to start raining. The ruler and I are both up too, and we follow him out to the car. The ruler climbs into his car seat and promptly falls back asleep. A girl from the Hubbies work shows up, she'll drive him in so we don't have to disturb the ruler sleeping. I'm fine with that and am heading back in the house to hang up some wet shoes, just before the hubbie leaves he tells me that after work he and a bunch of work people are going out for sushi and to a movie, he'll be home late. I'm pretty choked because this is all so last minute and truly I'd like to go too, but clearing haven't been invited. So I say some sort of profanity to him and walk into the house, momentarily forgetting the Ruler asleep in the van. I remember quickly enough and head back out the door, my moms sitting in the van with him. (I don't know where she came from) the ruler wakes up and we head in t the house. Soon after it starts pouring rain. When I walk up the stairs mom tells me she's hired someone to come in and clean the house before they head back to Ontario, a gift for me, a clean house. I'm pleased, until I see who she's hired. Its this person the hubbie and I once knew, a person who once called my hubbie a "lying two faced bastard" to my face and in the next breath said "I still think we can be friends, but as long as you're with him..." *shrugs shoulders and stands there looking smug* I can't believe this person in my house, cleaning IT! I wonder if she knows it’s my house, or if it's just a job and she doesn't remember where I live. I avoid her. Go into the kitchen when she's vacuuming the living room. Take the Ruler into his room and close the door. I don't want to talk to her, see her or even hear her voice. My sisters come into the room. "What was mom thinking?" they ask me. "I don't think mom knows who that person is" I say. We decide mom called a company and they sent out an employee, totally random, pure coincidence. The only problem. I don't believe in coincidence. There's a reason why she's here and I have to figure it out. But I don't know, all I do know is, I don't want her seeing the Ruler. I don't want them to interact in anyway. But it's pouring rain so we're stuck in the house. Then I wake up. This dream has left an awful residue on my skin this morning. I can't shake it. As I said I don't believe in coincidence and I know I had this dream for a reason. I don’t often remember my dreams these days. Getting woken up by a two year old called “DAA DAA” tends to drive dreams from my head. When I remember my dreams they feel important. What am I avoiding? What uncomfortable situation am I hiding from? Hhhhmmmmm unfortunately there’s a few. :P It’s a matter for figuring out which one in my head is connected to this person. To me dreams are like sign posts, the point towards thoughts, ideas, any matter of general junk swirling around in my head. People in dreams represent certain aspect of me and it's up to me to figure out -if I choose too- just what the different people in my dream represent. Don’t ask, I haven't figured it out yet. |
| i'm coming over to play surrogate |
| 07.24.05 (12:41 pm) [edit] |
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hhhhhmmmmm feeling lost. think i'll joins surrogates crusadehttp://www.tblog.com/template..., at least until my hummingbird mind takes me to another flower.
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| letter from a great grandson |
| 07.20.05 (5:24 pm) [edit] |
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Here is the thank you letter The Ruler wrote to his Great Grandparents to thank them for his birthday present. i thought it was well written for a two year old so i thought I'd share it. Thank you very much for the card that you sent me for my birthday Great Grandma and Grandpa. I liked all the animals on it a lot. I love animals and cars and trucks. I enjoyed looking at all the animals on the card and having my mum name them all for me. I'm still learning my animal names. I know most of them now, but I still don't say a lot of them because i want to say them perfectly the first time, so i wait until i'm sure i've got it right. Mum said that she would put the cheque in my bank account for me to save for a rainy day. Which by the looks of the weather these days isn't going to be awhile. But that's okay because i'm having my birthday party on the weekend and i love to play outside so the sunny weather is good. I don't like the goopy sunscreen mum smears on my everyday though. At night daddy gives me my bath to wash it off. I like that much better. On rainy days we sometimes watch videos, maybe that's what mum meant, we'd use your gift to get a video. My favorites are Baby Einstein, Toy Story and Finding Nemo. We have those on the shelf. My favorites from the library are Monsters Inc and A Bugs Life, maybe mum will buy one of those to watch on a rainy day. I like bugs, except when they land on me. There are lots of ants and butterflies in the yard. I like butterflies, but the ants crawl on me and i don't like that one bit. Mum and dad read me lots of books. I like 'cars and trucks and things that go', because I like cars and i can find Goldbug on every page. He's always hiding in a different car. I like bugs. Grandma gave me a book all about goldbug at a construction site. i like to say "toot toot" when i see the forebug with his whistle, some of the diggers have whistles too. When Granddad and i watched 'Thomas the Tank engine' on saturday I saw the trains saying "toot Toot" and i said it too. It made mum and dad and granddad smile so i say it all the time. I like having grandma and granddad here, they play with me lots and I like to play outside all day long. Mum says it wears her out so i think that she likes having them here too. Grandma said she's going to help make the cupcakes for my birthday party. Everyone will get their very own little cake. Mine will be the only one with candles on it, mum promised. My other grandma gave me a pin wheel so i could practice my 'blowing' for when it's time to blow out the candles on saturday. I guess my for real birthday was yesterday, but because my party is saturday I'm going to open all my presents then. I hope that i get a tool box of tools just like daddy has then I can help him build the garage walls and the fence in the back yard. I'd like some books and maybe a truck too. I don't want to sound like I'm being to greedy i already have lots of toys and besides mostly i like to play with rocks and sticks and snails in the yard anyway. but some new toys are always nice. Mum says it's time for my bath. I'm tired and sticky from playing all day. I had a good dinner too, keeping an eye on dads construction work, and making sure he's doing it right sure makes a boy hungry! we had turkey burgers. i like turkey burgers. I like bugs too, but not to eat. yuck. Thank you again very much. big hugs and kisses and lots of love, The Ruler of the universe |
| I'm like a bird |
| 07.17.05 (6:32 am) [edit] |
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I’ve always hated the song that I refer to in my subject. It's annoying and some stupid friend of mine thought it fit her to a T and so I associate the song with her, but I can't get the stupid song out of my head. True its a better song o have stuck in your head as apposed to say "the song that never ends", which is what was playing on my inner ear stereo, when I woke up at 3am this morning, in that horrid Lambchop voice. I'd rather have the bird song. I managed to drive lambchops song out of my head by singing the Zoobomafoo song, even though I don't know the words. Still I was a wake for 2 hours mentally packing my bags for my trip today. It's become a six month thing, these mums off for a mental holiday thingies It seems I have a tenuous grasp on my stress levels at the best of time and on occasion I need a holiday of "me time" It's the hubbies idea, he sees me getting a little odd, my behaviour goes just the healthy side of wonky and I get kicked out of the house for two days. Go somewhere, stay in a hotel, B&B and sleep, read, relax whatever, and comeback normal again. And Normal I do return, though truth be told I spend most of my "me time" writing in the Rulers journal about his funny antics and how much I love him, so I’m not really "away from it all". Today is the start of another mummy break. I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away. I'm off to a hotel in Harrison Hot Springs, until Tuesdays morning. Harrison Lake is the plan. I have two Einstein Bios to read and a Charles DeLint waiting for me. Don’t get me wrong im not a danger to myself or others (though I’m sure that there are some at a certain discussion board that believe I am) I’m just a mum, and all mums deserve to get breaks from their kids to have time for themselves. I’m lucky enough (I know how damn luck I am) to have a hubbie who agrees and is quite happy to send me a away and be super daddy for a couple days. Hyperbole. I like this word I use it a lot. Tuesday is The Rulers Second birthday. I plan to arrive back home with presies and as many balloons as I can fit in the truck of the car. Shhh don't tell. :D So it’s unlikely any of you will here from me until Wednesday. In other news, my parents arrived safety on Friday and so far all is good, I am covering a bit, cuz I think my sister has starting reading my blog. And well I'm end with, This is the song that never ends; it just goes on and on my friend. Somebody singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because... This is the song that never ends; it just goes on and on my friend. Somebody singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because... This is the song that never ends; it just goes on and on my friend. Somebody singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because... This is the song that never ends; it just goes on and on my friend. Somebody singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because... Haha! FM |
| home coming |
| 07.14.05 (4:04 am) [edit] |
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My Parents are going back to Vancouver tomorrow. The Rulers 2nd birthday is next week and they are finally going to be in town.They were in Ontario when he was born, three weeks early, they were planning on being here, but The Ruler had his own timing. They were in Onatrio Last year too, so I'm glad they're going to be here, but now I'm frantically cleaning the house! See my house, was their house, we bought it from them this past spring. Prior to that we lived in the Basement suite. Now we live upstairs and my sister lives in the basement. When my parents flee the harsh cold on Ontario winters they too with share the suite with my sister. (she's actually moving into the garage, we're in the process of closing in) How did i get into the situation? Beats me. One day I woke up and we were making stupid jokes about it. By the afternoon is was cold hard fact and suddenly i was landlady to my sister and parents. Freaky i know. Right now i feel like a kid left at home alone and i'm trying to clean up the worlds biggest party before they get back. I have to remind myself that "it's my house now" and the fact that we painted the grey bathroom blue, the pink- yes you read right- pink living room taupe and sage green, is okay. It's my house now and I love it these colours. I've dug up the ignored garden, much to the pleasure of my perfect-yard-and-house-ne ighbours, and somehow it still feeling like i've been messing around with my folks house. I had this horrid panic attack that i to paint the walls pink and mauve again, pile boxes of stuff in all the corners and leave papers all over the kitchen table, just so my parents will feel at home when they arrive. I resist. And I'm off to scrub the bathroom floor! FM |
| Creation Spirituality |
| 07.13.05 (12:00 pm) [edit] |
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This is from the website. I haven't altered or changed any of it. Here are ten vital tenets of Creation Spirituality that are embodied by the Cosmic Mass. They intertwine and reinforce each other, providing a resilient and cohesive foundation: 1. Original Blessing: We, and all of creation, are loved. That is our blessing and life should be savoured. We are not born in original sin, we are born in original blessing. 2. Earth Consciousness Our beliefs, values and practices must gratefully honour the Earth. Denying this truth is lethal. 3. New Cosmic Creation Story: Science reveals to us an evolving, expanding, universe, alive with cosmic consciousness active in each cell and every atom. We are part of this interconnected, inter-relational live whole. 4. Panentheism: Spirit is alive in all of creation, we are not separate and alone in our connection with the Divine. Like everything else in creation, the Divine is within us and we are within the Divine. 5. Letting Go: The ecstacy of loving is matched by the pain of letting go, there is no music without silence and no light without dark. We must revere the mystery of no-thing-ness. 6. Deep Ecumenism: The call of the Earth in this hour of need pierces through the constricting walls of dogma and religious practices. Creation centered spirituality is to be found in the sacred texts and oral beliefs from all the great spiritual traditions, and thus provides common ground. 7. Feminine Face of Divinity: Divinity is masculine and feminine, Father and Mother, active and receptive. Expanding our vision of the Creator to include the feminine will heal much of the disparity we create on earth. 8. Co-Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet: Our likeness to the Divine is our ability to create and our purpose is to return beauty with beauty. Without spiritual alignment we create destruction and suffering. 9. Calling All Prophets: A prophet carries the creative energy, or Word of God, and interferes with injustice and stagnation of the status quo. Prophetic inspiration is non-elitist, for the benefit of another, and activated from compassionate concern of another’s suffering. Creation Spirituality calls forth the prophet in us all. 10. The Four Paths: The deepening spiral of the four paths expands one’s experience of self and connection with the Divine. They are named as: • Via Positiva – expansive awe, joy, beauty, gratitude, blessing, sensuality, ecstacy; • Via Negativa – profound emptiness, fecund darkness, pain, letting go, acceptance; • Via Creativa – imagination, co-creativity, fertility, dialectical embrace of the fullness & the void, the silence and the sound that begets the power of birth itself; • Via Transformativa – compassion in action, constructive anger burns through the psychic numbing to embrace the cosmic pain, prophets rising up, spiritual warriors for social justice, experience the profound interconnectedness of all life. http://www.stmaryskerrisdale.ca/cosmicmass/" title="http://www.stmaryskerrisdale.ca/cosmicmass/" target="_blank"http://www.stmaryskerrisdale.... Written by: Maureen LaCroix, Founder of the Earth Revival Movement |
| After the Cosmic Mass |
| 07.13.05 (11:54 am) [edit] |
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Cosmic Mass http://matthewfox.org/sys-tmp... I’ve sorta been taking a break from this writing thing, especially the “spiritual writing”. Sometimes I just get burnt out from thinking about it so much. I had a deadline for my mag this week and also had to focus on getting that article down. I ended up writing about The Cosmic Mass http://www.stmaryskerrisdale.... that I went to last week and now I’m going to write about it here and I need to write something for the HolyWild about it, so this will have to do for both places. So if is sounds a little weird its cuz I’m attempting to address two different audiences with a story I’ve already spent two days trying to get down into words. What I experienced at the cosmic mass is difficult to put into words. It was so beyond the mundane world that there just isn’t a lot of words available to use. And the ones that are around sound airy fairy and lala-froo-froo when written down. As I was telling my friends about the evening I realized how silly and hippie dippy it all sounded “we were all connected, we were one with the divine.” That I found myself adding qualifiers to my statements. I know it sounds silly…crazy… stupid… weird… but it was the most amazing event I have ever attended. The whole point was to connect to the Divine, or God, or Goddess, or Christ, or whatever the heck you want to call your higher Power though the use of ritual, dance, music and story. The music was techno/trance and was truly bizarre to have that music playing in a Cathedral, and then even more bizarre to see little ole church ladies in their polyester pant suits rockin’ out to the music. Through a laid out service that follows the contours of “Creation Spirituality” http://www.stmaryskerrisdale.... we danced the Gauntlet of Joy, grief, healing and transformation. We felt the Divine Spirit enter our bodies with the Via Positiva dance. And felt abandonment though the Via Negativa, though whether we abandoned God or God abandoned us, is still unclear. During the Via Creativa we felt the presence of God again and hope, healing came back, and the recovery from grief started and soon we transformed it back it to spirit energy, a united of our souls to the soul of the divine through the Via Transformativa. For me it was very healing. I have been struggling with feelings of aloneness within my faith and to be surrounded my so many people who were all there to celebrate the divine helped me to feel reconnected. All faiths were honoured and respected. While Christian at its roots, honoring of the Goddess occurred and I cried big crocodile tears as a woman sang a song of a witch going to her burning. There in a Christian cathedral we felt the pain and sorrow of a witch. It sounds so dumb, but I was truly moved by the honour shown that night. “You’re going to swear like PIGS!” Matthew Fox http://matthewfox.org/sys-tmp... shouted, just as the beat was building. “And that sweat is going to cleanse you, and connect you to Spirit. I’ve never had more fun in a church. I’ve never felt more connected to the divine and the divinity within humanity. I did feel “one” with everything when I was there, and I continue to carry that feeling today. I hope it doesn’t get lost again, or stomped out of me. So much of my emotion about this evening has been put into my article for TimelessSpirit.com mag. and rewriting it is exhausting, so I will invite everyone to read that article when the August issue comes out. I am renewed in my faith. I feel connected to others who believe there is one Divine and that divine takes many forms. None of them are wrong, evil or sinful. I feel stronger for having gone. There are hundreds, thousands of people out there who are seeing the Divine in this way and is amazes me, awes me, humbles me. If any of you who read this then hear of a Cosmic Mass in your area, go. It doesn’t matter how spiritual are, or not. Go. Experience something unique, unbelievable and just down right cool. http://matthewfox.org/sys-tmp... FM |
| gardening is good for the Soul |
| 07.10.05 (5:33 am) [edit] |
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The weather has been pretty good for Vancouver the past few days and both the Ruler and I love being outside, so that's where we've been. Out enjoying the sun, the wind, and occasional sprinkle of rain and working in our garden. The hubbie is closing the the garage, and building a wall in the back yard. While I've benn pulling years and years of grass growth out of the flower beds. Funny how well the grass grows there, but our lawn is all moss. hhhhhmmmmm? The garden is really coming along and I'm hoping to have the lavender bed finished today. I forget how much i enjoy planting things and helping them to grow. I'm enjoying that i can express myself with this medium and plant a "witchypoo" garden with lavender, hyssop, monkshood, gentian, bee balm and other plants that will call to the hummingbirds, butterflies and fae. My friend gave me this little garden gnome http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wc...*14307 who is just adorable. I love my garden. It's been a wonderful few days. Even if all the rocks i've been moving around have been heavy and rude (:P --- surrogate!). Have a great day everyone. I might write later today or tomorrow, or the next time it rains! FM |
| I believe |
| 07.07.05 (12:41 pm) [edit] |
As I procrastinate about writing my article, I’ve been reading older pieces of writing that I'm done. I found this piece that I wrote back in 2000 about my beliefs. A lot has changed in my life since then, but reading this over I realized that they all still hold true:
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| cosmic mass and other news |
| 07.07.05 (10:00 am) [edit] |
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Trying to write an article to a deadline is both wonderful and hard. I love the experience i'm getting having deadlines and having to "force" myself to write an article on a specific subject. But sometimes an idea eludes me... this is where I am right now... In other news... I'm very upset over this bombing in London. Makes me scared, sad and I feel for everyone there. Makes me worry about the world my son is going to have to grow up in. Heading off the a Cosmic Mass tonight... http://www.stmaryskerrisdale....%20Revival.htm Been gardening up a storm to day which is good fun... The Rulers 2nd birthday is coming up and we're having one blow out of a party in a few weeks... that's about it... back to my article... "What inspires me about Witchcraft?" FM |
| tblog ate my computer |
| 07.03.05 (1:06 pm) [edit] |
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Sorry for so many posts of the same piece. Tblog and i had a bit of an argument the other day... it was not intended. FM |
| The fundamental difference |
| 07.01.05 (7:48 pm) [edit] |
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The fundamental difference. One of my close friends is leaving for Basic Training in the Canadian Army on Sunday. He and his future wife are coming over for dinner tonight, to celebrate Canada Day and to wish him a fond farewell. As a card carrying pacifist- well, if they had cards I’d carry one- I disagree with his choice. That being said I’m not interested in getting in to a debate about the Need of a militarily or anything like that, I’m going somewhere different with this. I disagree with his choice, but understand that my opinion means nil. I’m a friend, but his choices don’t need to be mine, nor to mine need to be his. I can accept his reasons and decisions and regardless of my feelings and support him, and his future wife, during this time. What got me thinking about this was a comment left at the Holy Wild Group http://s10.invisionfree.com/t..., regarding the article I posted “Witches, Magic and the Bible http://s10.invisionfree.com/t...” I’ve come to terms with being subtlety ignored and over looked there. I’m fine with it, my faith and opinions differ drastically from pretty much everyone else there. And rather than tell me off, then just pretend not to notice. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I’m not too sure at this point, but it’s a heck of a lot better than being preached at, which is what’s recently occurred. So at this point, one has to say to themselves, “AGAIN! Get over it Fairmoon, if you’re going to stick your nose out, you’re going to get swatted, especially at the Holy Wild where, err ummm, for lack of a better word, the Fundies hang out.” I tend towards the polite vernacular and say Devout, but you get the point. Anyways I digress. See it’s not so much as WHAT was said, I’m used to the hell and damnation thingy, the point was more the connotation behind the words; the fact that this person does not respect me or my beliefs and felt obligated in some way to tell me off. What’s with this moral superiority? Do people honestly feel better about themselves when they attempt to make others feel like crap? I say attempt, cuz I don’t feel like crap. In fact, I’ll admit it, I feel a little Superior Jane right now, because I understand the concepts of
All of which we as people, not as xtains, witches, Buddhist or Muslims should feel- but AS People- should strive towards. I get this. And don’t feel any need to slam my opinions about other people down their throats. This becomes the fundamental difference between myself (and my faith as I am a representative of my faith) and this other person and his faith (as he is a representative of his faith). To disagree is going to happen, I’m not going to kid myself about that. I accept that differences exist and I love people all the more for it. To be disrespectful when doing it is in tolerable and I won’t stand by and let it happen. Now before you scream “generalizations!” at me. I know that too. But I’m trying to make a point so back off. If we’re really and truly going to get anywhere with this religious thingy in the world, We’re all going to have to work damn hard at not just preaching “mine can beat up yours”, but actually try a little tolerance and compassion. Look for what’s similar within our faiths rather than strip down the differences. Practice some acceptance and unconditional Love, isn’t that what Jesus taught? (Yes I know someone out there will correct me, quote the bible, and say Jesus never used the words unconditional love, or whatever. well go ahead and prove to me Jesus wanted all the witches burned, but you'd better be able to quote Jesus verbatum before you do, thank you very much.) There that’s my point and my reason for being here. (Do I mean tblog or the planet? You decide.) My friend is leaving for the army. I don’t agree with his choices. We disagree at a very basic and fundamental level. But I love and respect him and his choices. We’ll have a great dinner and I’ll miss him when he leaves. I’ll always be there to support him; ALWAYS. As my darling surrogate says, Be good to each other. Happy Canada Day! (I’m wearing my Canadian girls kick butt undies to honour the day!) 1000 useless tbucks if you can tell me where the Superior Jane reference comes from |
Demystifying Misconceptions
This Blog chronicles the journey of one woman as she attempts to define her faith and place in the universe.
I'm a geeky sort of Fae most of the time
Blog Posts of Note:
*Christian and Wiccan at The Same Time
*A Walk with Jesus’ Mom
*Finding God in Wicca
*Universal Myth and Personal Myth- Definitions in Consensus Reality
The Matrix: Systems Healing and Thinking, an Introduction
*Magic, Witches and the Bible
*A brief History of Wicca
*Wicca 101 part 1
*Wicca 101 part 2
*Spells and the Modern Witch
*Do Witches Worship Satan?
*Religious View
*Interview with a Witch
*A Witch's Story of Creation
*One Definition of the Divine
*I am a Witch
* Original Sin, from a Witches point of View
*Why a Witch Could care less about Harry Potter
*Satan is not my Sidekick
*The other people: Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Bible