Category: Articles

Please, Don’t Think You Know Me!

Please, Don’t Think You Know Me!

Author: Lady Abigail

“I have no fear of who you see,
For I can be only me.”

For me, it was a wonderful gift, being raised in the love and nurturing compassion of my Great Grandmother and learning from her the wisdom of family and history of her heritage, which was mixed in Native American traditions, Ozark Magick, Healing and Wisdom. She was truly an amazing person, and, oh yes, she was a Witch.

But it was not something she dressed up in; it was just simply who she was.

My Great Grandmother was a small woman just barely five foot tall. I would have to guess that she weighed maybe a hundred pounds and that would if she was soaking wet. For most of my life, I remember her wearing dark skirts and long-sleeve blouses even in summer. She wore a bonnet and sometimes gloves to keep the sun from darkening her skin. She dressed much as she had in her younger days.

She was in no way a threatening-looking person. In fact she was quite the opposite. Reflecting back, I would have to say, she gave the appearance of a “little house on the prairie” schoolteacher. But, those who knew her, truly knew her and respected her for the force of nature that she was unto this world, a person of good, healing, and wisdom.

Occasionally I would hear people saying things about my Great Grandmother and her being a Witch. I understood, even as a child, people enjoyed saying things about other people as long as they were not around. Sometimes it was about her goodness, but it was often filled with their fear and ignorance for someone they were afraid to know.

Over the years I have had people assume that because my Great Grandmother was a practicing Witch, it must have been somehow hard on me. Perhaps they believed that my Great Grandmother’s house was filled with rat tails and bat wings. Others would assume that since I was born into a family of Witches, then that made me a Witch.

Okay, kind of, yes, but not exactly.

My Great Grandmother believed that you were whom you made yourself into, the choice being yours. She taught me and gave me the gifts of knowledge, magick, and understanding of the powers hidden within the moon, earth, and nature. However, I had to also study and learn them.

Then, as I grew, the lessons grew and in time I learned that living within a world of magick, meant you would be learning for the rest of you life.

Witches know that once we open that first book, that study and knowledge are like a thirst we can never quench; a thirst that truly gives us an understand that surpasses every part of life.

Recently I had a young ‘witchlit’ make the comment that, “people were afraid of her … you know, since she was a witch and all.” (scary) But that is only because they knew that they should not mess with her, or make her mad because if she got mad, no telling what would happen.

I laughed, since most people have no idea I am a witch. I’m not in the broom closet by any means; I just don’t announce it as I walk into a room. I don’t need too.

In time, I will tell those in my life, friends outside my magick world, if I feel they need to know, which normally comes after they have a chance to get to know me. Then I let them decided how they feel about me, who and what they think I am.

If they stay in my life, I will cherish them. If they walk away, I let them go with understanding.

My Great Grandmother taught me at a young age, that it is not fear that brings a person respect. It only brings fear. And fear will in time breed hatred and contempt.

Unfortunately, there are some in our life’s who seem to confuse the two of these. Respect and Honor come from what others see deep within us, from our deeds and not our words.

My Great Grandmother was a Witch, but she was so much more. She was a daughter of the old south with Native American parents who walked the trail and escaped into a new life. She was the sister of a brother who was taken away by a religion that was not of her family’s believing, then forced by the government to send him away on a train to never be seen or heard from again. She was a wife and a mother. She was a widow and understood the struggles and joys of marriage, life, family, as well as the pains of losing those she loved.

Her husband died in World War I and her only son died in World War II. She was an honored grandmother and great grandmother. (Now a great-great-grandmother, as well.) She was a woman of means who survived alone and raised a family with no aid from anyone during the great depression.

Yes, she was a Witch, a Shaman, a Healer and a Wise Women. But she was so much more. All anyone even needs to have done was ask and she would have welcomed him or her into her life.

I have had people tell me that it freaked them out once they found out I was a practicing Witch. I have had some people feel so uncomfortable with that knowledge that they had to separate themselves from me completely, somehow unable to see past a label to the person within. How funny that people want to think they can guess who we are by just looking at us or by the title we carry in our life.

I have to tell you it is not a good idea to think you know someone because of how they dress, how they look, or what they may do in their life’s.

If you met me on a street, it is possible you would think I was the church lady. Other days you might think I was a streetwalker. But you never really know who a person is on the inside, unless they share that part of themselves with you.

Most of us know how to carefully mask the secrets we protect within ourselves. But that is because we carry our power within our spirits. No one can take it, nor do we give it away. We don’t need to put on a show, or act high and mighty to prove to someone who we are.

We know already.

In peace and magick,
Lady Abigail


Footnotes:
FYI: Practicing Witch- One who is actively working at the profession and skill of magick and/or Witchcraft. A Witch of continuing study and actively presuming additional levels of skill within the craft.

A Witch endeavoring to learn and grow beyond. Establishing magickal habits and continuing methods. Uninterrupted growth and study within the chosen occupation and skills of magick and/or Witchcraft.

Simple Thoughts on Churches and Personal Spirituality

Simple Thoughts on Churches and Personal Spirituality

Author: Disciple of Oghma

I left the Christian faith this last year. After 25 years, I had became everything one seeks to become in a Christian (I still had my issues, but who doesn’t?). But I met a balanced person who gave a thought provoking life testimony. I nearly flipped when I found out this person was a dark pagan. I started rethinking my whole world.

Now I am on a new personal path with a much greater respect for others.

Once I had left Christianity, I started seeing clearly a lot of the odd misconceptions that it promotes… such as the twisted definition of ‘love’ among other things.

If a Christian’s relationship with his or her God could be put in the context of human marriage terms, then the Christian should get a restraining order on God, change his or her name and leave. A funny thought unless you find truth in it.

Anyway… after a year of thought, I have realigned my perspective of the Path.

When I first left the Christian religion, I realized all the hate and rage and condemnation that I was throwing around in the name of ‘love’. In an attempt to decide if that was ‘just me’ or the teachings of the church, I have studied the faith from a different angle.

At first, I drew the conclusion it was a parasitic organism that has been using its popularity and influence to corrupt the nations.
But an idea struck me and I no longer think Christianity is to blame for the problems with people.

I think the Christian church is a symptom of the underlying weaknesses of people not the illness itself. It’s all about our desire to have a set of black-and-white fatalistic standards to use as a system of measurement to understand our world.

So we create a system of “Absolute Truths”.

Then we create a control-based system to ‘run it’ so that we can take advantage of our own desire not to take responsibility for ourselves and to enrich ourselves at the cost of others all… the while feeling pride at our ‘humble spirituality’.

So then what do we do?

We build a large comfortable plush little shrine to an image of human perfection and greatness. The average church, not including all the zoning permits, costs an average of $3-$5 million to build. (I Googled the “cost of church building” and plucked a few sums. It isn’t an absolute number but it gives a good idea to the cost.)

Then we throw our individual responsibilities at it, pray, and ask it to do everything for us. Our only real ‘job’, it would seem, is to use it as an excuse to hate, kill, steal, and harm any whom disagree with us and our god.

Jehovah is the icon of what the average selfish lazy person would be if he or she was a god:

“Let there be “less of you more of me in your life.”

“Give me the upper 10% of your prosperity.”

“I love you if you sing my praises and enslave yourself to me.”

“I’ll help if it suits me and if I don’t, it will work to your benefit”.

(These are beliefs that were generally promoted to me in my churches. I have been through four branches of Protestantism and studied several of the “spinoff faiths of Judaism.” So if you find this inaccurate, I only mean to explain the background from which I draw my current musings).

It is possible for any faith to become in every way as ‘dark’ as we have often accused the Judeo-Christian belief and all its related spin-offs (Mormon, Judaism, Catholic, Jehovah witness, Satanism, protestant, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc.) as being.

It seems the only way to avoid this path is to cut the problem off at the roots.

Personal Growth and Responsibility

It seems when we face ourselves, we very often discover that all the roots of our problems stem from either bad reactions to outside stimuli or a passive/active bad decision on our part.

This includes a new growing trend I am seeing in “disorganized religion” as well: The pop up Wicca/Pagan Sunday schools and the adoption of opposing religious practices like Wiccan “CHRISTenings”.

There is a great freedom in disorganized paths but people who seeks any sort of power should exercise a measure of discretion and be assured that they are grounded. Power without responsibility is dangerous, no matter what badge one wears.

Also we must accept ourselves entirely. We must accept all of our darkness as well as all of our light. To do otherwise is to dwarf one’s growth as well as grant power to the darkness, thus leaving it unchecked.

All of the dark aspects of ourselves, in proper controlled amounts, are actually healthy things. Greed, sloth, envy, pride, etc. Without any of these things, we would never strive, never seek to achieve or grow. They are integral parts of ourselves.

It is as unbalanced to applaud tendencies of light while divorcing ones of darkness just as it is to believe only in a female or only in a male creator.

We don’t have to be destructive either. To find balance and growth, one should simply accept both the inner darkness and inner light to be whole. If you are not whole, how can you grow and stand?

When we recognize our weakness, we master it and find balance. Otherwise it doesn’t matter what the name of your faith is or what you call yourself. You will simply continue to commit acts of cruelty, ignorance, sloth, malice, strife, theft, condemnation, and pride.

If we all would seize the opportunity to take responsibility, accept ourselves, correct our own errors, love and respect everyone – including respecting their rights to their own paths and their own views — and stop trying to make a black-and-white standard in this colorful world, perhaps we can be a better people and encourage growth in a better world.

Disciple_of_oghma

Planning and Performing Handfastings

Planning and Performing Handfastings

Author: Iris Firemoon

Handfastings are pagan wedding ceremonies, in which typically the couple’s hands are tied together to symbolize the joining of two people, or specifically, “tying the knot”. A handfasting can be a trial, lifetime, or eternal (spiritual) marriage. Depending on the intent of the couple and the national, state, or province laws, a handfasting can be a legal marriage as well.

Regardless of the legal or time extent of the union, marriages typically have one requirement. Both parties must willingly consent to a joining. However, this is not always a universal requirement.

In Ireland and Scotland, during the early Christian period it was a form of trial marriage, often performed in rural areas when a priest was not available. The couple could form a temporary, trial marriage, and then be married “in the Church” the next time a priest visited their area. This is similar to a betrothal, or a ceremony of exchanging vows of consent to a marriage at a future date and/or agreeing to a marriage contract.

“Telltown marriages” were named for the year and a day trial marriages contracted at the yearly festival held in Telltown, Ireland. The festival took place at Lughnassadh (August 1), and the trial marriage would last until the next Lughnassadh festival. At that time, they were free to leave the union if they desired.

We are going to explore two sides to a handfasting. On one side, we are planning the handfasting, and on the other, we are officiating. While not all of us will plan a handfasting, and not all of us will officiate them, these topics go hand in hand.

To plan a wedding, you must understand what it takes from your officiant, and to officiate, you must understand what goes into planning it. Priests and Priestesses are in essence clergy of this religion, and it may be requested of us to perform or aid in these duties.

PLANNING A HANDFASTING: While there are lots of things to consider when planning a wedding, such as a caterer and photographer, today we will stick to planning the ceremony itself.

When picking a date, the astrological influences around that time should be taken into consideration. At the very least, you would probably want to steer clear of getting hitched during a moon void-of-course, Mercury Retrograde, or when the Sun is in opposition of Venus.

Who to put on the guest list is an important fact to think about. When thinking of non-Pagan family members, and even those you will invite that might scoff at the idea of a Pagan wedding, the couple has to sit down and decide how obviously pagan they are going to let the ceremony become. In what a handfasting ritual implies and was first practiced in Wicca, there was no audience of people invited for the novelty of sharing the experience, or non-Craft people. However, since our society is more open to these experiences, things have changed.

Some families are more open to new experiences, and other families are more conservative. A wedding is not the best place to come out of the broom closet. Not only could it ruin a day that is considered to be special to most people, but also it could make everyone uncomfortable, and cause problems down the road.

However, allowing the thoughts and beliefs of family members to heavily influence the ceremony that you want could create feelings of regret. Think about what you and your partner want in the ceremony, and then think about how the guests would respond.

If the couple is set on having a more elaborate handfasting, but do not want to involve family and friends, two ceremonies could be held. The legal bond could be established at a more non-denominational ceremony, while the spiritual bond is fortified in an all-out handfasting.

My good friend who got married in 2004, she sent out a notice in her invitations about the nature of the ceremony. This gave guests a chance to opt out then. I believe that she also passed out programs that explained some of the various part of the ritual (their purpose, some history, and explanation), as well as contained the script of the ritual. The priestess also reinforced these explanations during the ceremony. She also let people come forward after the ceremony and ask questions.

When planning for cowan family members and friends, there are many elements standard to ritual that must be considered, such as the language of the ceremony, the altar, attire, casting a circle, calling quarters, cakes and ale, etc.

One way to make family and friends more comfortable with the background of the ceremony is to adapt the softer language. I have written and performed handfastings in which the couple asked that I omit words that may be misunderstood…such as Witch, Wiccan, and Pagan. Instead, I would create a strong earth-based theme in my ceremony.

I described concepts in terms of the cycles of the sun and the moon, our connection to all things, and in the symbolism of the circle. It may also be wise to explain the history and practice of included elements in the ceremony that might be alien to the guests, such as jumping over the broom, binding, the circle as sacred space, etc.

Keep in mind the attire that you will wear. While Pagan ritual attire is different than traditional wedding garb, you may want to think twice about what you wear. For example, you probably will not want to end up skyclad in front of your parents, and that it typically illegal in public. It would also be a wise move to alert Craft folk attending about any general attire suggestions, mention that family and friends will be in attendance, and to keep that in mind.

Also, think about other traditional elements of rituals, such as how the altar will be structured, whether or not you will set the area up in a physical circle, as well as cast a circle, and call Quarters, Goddess, and God.

Most rituals involved us casting a circle, and with a handfasting, this is no exception. Because of non-pagan family guests, some choose to cast and call the quarters before the guests arrive.

At my most recent ceremony, I all of the prep work, while the bride and groom sorted their affairs. A good friend of mine got married and had us cast a circle while the guests were there. Guests were explained the importance of the magick circle, sacred space, and the barrier that it created. They could then choose to sit inside the circle, or outside the circle.

There are many elements of a handfasting that make it different from other rituals, such as a wedding party, binding, challenge, exchange of vows and rings, as well as jumping over the broom.

Who’s in the wedding party? Handfastings are not the typical ritual, and as a result, we end up with some non-typical situations. If the guests at a wedding are cowan and Pagan, then there is a chance that some of the wedding party may be a mix.

The wedding party can range from coven members and Pagan friends, to the Pagan-friendly and the pagan-skeptical. Keep this in mind when planning on whether or not your wedding party will participate in the actual ceremony.

Find out whether or not they are comfortable with the roles that you are thinking of assigning them, and make sure that they know what to expect. The wedding party can take on group roles, such as setting up the altar, casting the circle, and calling quarters, etc.

Most weddings include an exchanging of vows, which are promises that the bride and groom make to each other. More conventional handfastings will also include exchanging of rings.

During the binding, the wrists of the bride and groom are bound together with ribbon. They clasp right_hand-to-right_hand, and left_hand-to-left_hand, crossing wrists. The priest/ess asks one of them if they wish to be bound to the other. This takes place of traditional “I do’s.”

Then, they may be a set of challenges the bride and group must pass to receive a blessing. The bride and groom, bound, are led to each element, then to any close family members (such as little ones) who want to participate. Bound, their bond is challenged by each.

Either the bride and groom are brought to each quarter, or the person representing that quarter (if you have them) comes to the bride and groom. They present a challenge of some sort, such as “I am the Elemental of the East, Guardian of Air. This is the element of life, of intelligence, of communication, and of thoughtfulness. It is the inspiration that moves us forward.

Do you and will you continue to share your thoughts, ideas, and burdens? Your hopes and dreams?” The bride and groom answer “We do.” They may then receive the blessing of that challenger.

Then, move around through a challenge by the remaining quarter guardians. In one handfasting I participated in, after the elemental challenges, the daughter of the bride had her own challenge. I would imagine that it could be extended to any person directly involved in the union.

When cakes and ale are partaken, this is the bride and groom’s first meal as a united couple.

Jumping over the broom is an African tradition still used today. Brooms were given as wedding gifts as a blessing of abundance, and they were decorated, and kept as keepsakes.

The action of jumping the broom also symbolizes crossing the threshold, as well as taking a leap of faith. Since the besom is a tool of cleansing, it also symbolizes the couple entering the marriage unencumbered. The wedding party or designated people hold the ends of the broom, while the bride/groom jump over it.

For more information on planning a handfasting, Selena Fox put together a great page: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/events/weddings.html

OFFICIATING A HANDFASTING: As priests and priestesses, we are sometimes asked, and at times required, to perform certain clergy duties. Included in the rites of passage that we may be asked to preside over are handfastings.

Not all handfastings are intended to be legal. Some are trial, some symbolic, and some only spiritual ceremonial unions. Legally recognized marriages have several benefits, however none of them are universal to all cultures and countries. In the United States, some of the benefits of a legal marriage include the ability to file joint taxes (which may decrease their total income tax), to control property, to be added to the same insurance policy, to make decisions for their spouse (including life and death decisions, such as the controversial “pulling the plug” scenario), and others.

Legal marriages also afford some spouses benefits should the couple divorce, such as child and spousal support. They can also sometimes establish the man as the legal father of a woman’s child, the woman as the legal mother of a man’s child, give the husband or wife and their family control over the sexual services, labor, and/or property of the spouse, and establish a joint fund of property for the benefit of children.

However, each state, province, or country will have its own requirements for deeming a marriage legal. As the officiant of any wedding ceremony, it is your responsibility to find out what is legally required of the ceremony, if the couple desires it to be legal. You cannot risk performing a ceremony that the couple believes is legal, and finding out later on that it was not. Should something ill happen as a result, you put yourself at risk for a lawsuit.

For example, a person could attempt to add a spouse (who was not previously covered) onto his or her insurance plan, but only to discover that their marriage was not legal, and cannot be added on to the policy. While they are wrestling with paperwork and arranging another ceremony that is legal, the spouse that was not covered is in an accident, all of which is not covered by any insurance.

Check with the local courts for the exact laws for the area. A marriage license, blood test, witnesses, and a licensed officiant may be required (among other things). For example, in Ohio, a marriage license must be obtained by the bride and groom in person at least three days prior to the ceremony. This license is valid for only 30 days. A blood test is no longer necessary.

However, if not a judge, mayor, or other public figure deemed eligible to perform such ceremonies, the officiant must be licensed by the State of Ohio. To obtain a license, the officiant must mail in $10 with an application and a photocopy of the ordination certificate.

While any person can officiate a handfasting, whether or not the ceremony that person performs is legally recognized depends on each state, province, or country. The area that you live in will have its own laws on who can officiate marriages and have them recognized by the government.

Some places require a license, some say that anyone ordained by their religious body can perform weddings, and others require a letter of good standing from the ordaining organization. In Washington D.C., a license must be obtained, and if you are not from the District, a person that is currently licensed in the city must go with you to vouch for you.

There is more information on various state and region laws here, but keep in mind that you will still want to verify with the local courts: http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ulcLibraryMarriageLaws

To find someone to officiate your handfasting: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_index/xclergy.html

Now, where can you get ordained? Ordination can occur through any religious body. Ordination “is the process in which clergy, monks or nuns are set apart and authorized by their religious denomination or non denominational seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies or otherwise to minister in a clerical capacity.” It typically occurs when a student has completed a certain level of study, or certain requirements within a religious group, and thus the requirements vary from group to group.

While eclectic Wicca teaches that self-initiation is permissible, thus indicating that this person is a priest or priestess of Wicca, this person is still not ordained.

In the U.S., most people have heard of the Universal Life Church, and its free online ordinations. I typically do not talk about it, because I do not believe that every person should go online and sign up for ordination, though it is possible. While there are laws on the legality of weddings, and the requirements to perform legal marriages, there are no laws on which religious bodies can perform ordinations.

If Wicca is a recognized religion, and a religious body deems a person capable of performing such ceremonies, then that person is ordained. But I would rather not mail in an ordination certificate from my Wiccan coven to the state of Ohio. Yes, I would rather mail in my ULC certificate for which I paid $4.95. It also gives solitaries the ability to apply for licenses if required and legally perform marriage ceremonies.

There is information on the ULC website as to which states accept and do not accept ULC ordinations, as well as which countries outside of the U.S. do accept them. Many people consider it a joke that people’s pets can be ordained through ULC. Of course, I feel that those people make it a joke, for it serves its purpose.

To check the Universal Life Church: http://www.ulc.org

In some situations, you may be asked to write the ceremony, or give input as to some of the elements. You must be familiar with the elements of a handfasting, as well as how to write and perform rituals. You should at least have a basic handfasting ritual that can be adapted if need be (somewhere stuffed in your pointed hat). If they wish to write their own, this basic ritual can also be given to the couple as a guideline.

You may be asked to counsel the couple, or be put in a situation where the couple needs advice. It is not uncommon for either the bride or groom to get cold feet, to ask questions about commitment, or have questions about the ceremony itself. It is part of the clergy role to act as a mentor and guide.

Be prepared to answer these sorts of questions, should they come up. However, if there are major differences that need to be reconciled, you may want to refer the couple to a professional that can help them sort issues out.

You also have the right to advise the couple address these issues before the ceremony, and even refuse to perform the ceremony should you feel it necessary.

While officiating a ceremony, you have the option of charging for services. Some people feel that it is unethical to charge for such services, but it is a service nonetheless. Some areas have laws establishing a maximum amount that can be charged for ministerial services.

Some of these laws are vague and say, for example, that no more than $15 dollars can be charged for the service of a minister. This type of wording does not say how much work is worth $15. Writing a ritual could be one set of services, performing the ceremony another set of services, etc. Check your local laws for specific information. When I officiate handfastings, I do not charge for my services, but have usually asked that my travel costs be covered.

Suggested reading:
Handfasted and Heartjoined by Lady Rhea
Handfasting and Wedding Rituals by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein
A Romantic Guide to Handfasting by Anna Franklin


Footnotes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handfasting
http://www.religioustolerance.org/mar_hand.htm
http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ulcLibraryMarriageLaws
Handfasting and Wedding Rituals by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein

The Top 5 Things Your Local Witch Wants You to Know

The Top 5 Things Your Local Witch Wants You to Know

Author: Holly Risingstar

I am a fairly ordinary woman. I’m in my early thirties; I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling Services; I work with families in crisis. I’ve got two kids, a husband, and family nearby; I love the arts, shopping, beadwork, travel, and photography. I’m addicted to the Grey’s Anatomy and Heroes. I drive a black Honda that has seen better days. I wish gas prices would go down. I’m in desperate need of a haircut.

Oh, and did I mention, I’m a witch?

No, really.

I was born into a nominally Jewish family and had five years’ worth of Hebrew school growing up, but it never felt right to me. I never felt connected, spiritually, to God. By the time I was hitting my teens, I had started to read more and more about the occult, and finally came across Scott Cunningham’s book Wicca: a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (considered by many to be the best introductory book on Wicca there is). Finally, I Got It. Something inside me knew this was my path, where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to be doing. I’ve been Wiccan for 17 years now, and I’ve never looked back.

Wicca is an earth-based, non-Judeo-Christian religion. The modern form was created from various pieces of pagan religion by Gerald Gardner in the 1930s, but from there has exploded into a rainbow of traditions, each with its own particular blend of magic, faith, and morals. Wicca is a legally recognized religion in the U.S and you can even have it imprinted on your dog tags in the Armed Forces. It is often cited as being the fastest-growing religion in the country.

When asked to write this piece on Wicca, I considered carefully what I might want to say. Should I launch into a defense of my beliefs? Normalize Wicca with other religions? Simply compare and contrast? Deliver an anecdotal “Day in the Life of a Witch” kind of thing?

I settled on this:

THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOUR LOCAL WITCH WOULD WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT WICCA

1.We are not Satanists.

You heard it here first! Wicca does not subscribe to a Judeo-Christian belief in God; therefore, we don’t believe in a Devil, Hell, or Heaven. Wiccans revere nature and treat the Mother Earth with great respect. Many (though not all) of us believe in some aspect of the Goddess; many also believe in some form of the God, Her consort.

The most common belief system involves the Triple Goddess; a Mother Goddess, symbolized by the moon, who watches over mothers and children, family and all matters pertaining to that phase of a woman’s life; a Maiden Goddess, who reigns over joy, youth, vitality, freedom, and so on; and a Crone Goddess, who holds the secrets of magic and is the Guardian of the Crossroads (in other words, a death-related Goddess. Not one who causes death, mind, but who assists those who are in this stage of existence.)

Often the Goddess has a God consort, symbolized by the Sun, who is her lover and assists her with Creation of all things. Often he is associated with forests, certain animals, and a vast variety of human experiences ranging from sex to war to creativity. One of the great joys of Wicca is the ability to choose which Goddesses and Gods have meaning and connection for you – though they’ve been known to choose the practitioner!

2.We have one law – An It Harm None, So Mote It Be.

Which means don’t harm anyone, including yourself. Sounds fairly simple, right? Not so easy. It’s a tough moral code to live by. We cannot, in good conscience, take revenge, cause harm, or cause another person problems on purpose. No killing, no stealing, respecting other human beings – sound familiar?

3.You probably know one of us.

Wiccans (and pagans of all flavors) are everywhere. We come from all walks of life; nurses, doctors, teachers, lawyers, convenience store clerks, computer programmers, business owners, you name it. We are not necessarily the odd chick down the street with the long hippie skirts and twelve cats. . .ok, well, she might be one of us.

We have our share of hippies, vegans, Goths, and assorted subcultures. But you won’t necessarily know us just looking at us – most people I tell about my religious leanings are surprised. As a co-worker (and devout Christian) recently said to me, “I was so surprised that you are – you know, what you are. I kept saying, “How can Holly be a heathen? She’s so nice!”

4.Yes, we do cast spells.

It’s very similar to praying. Spell casting simply means using rituals to help bring about a desired outcome; no more, no less. A conscientious witch never casts on another human being without that person’s consent and full knowledge, and she won’t do it for money, if she’s the real deal. Witches try never to violate another person’s free will. There are no big flashes like in the movies; I can’t fly, float, or make things disappear (though there’s a shot if I put it on my desk!), and lightning has certainly never flown out of my fingertips.

What I can do is help protect, heal, bring about some occurrences (like employment or good legal results), marry couples and bless children, and things of that nature. I do not hex, curse, or cause harm through magic. It’s not cool with the Goddess.

5.You may have participated in a Wiccan or Pagan tradition.

We have holidays, creation myths, and rituals just like any other religion.

Wiccans generally celebrate eight high holidays: Samhain (pronounced so-when) on October 31st is one of them. That jack o’lantern on your porch? Started out as turnips, decorated to keep away evil spirits. Next comes Yule, the Winter Solstice, on December 21st – and if you have a Christmas tree, know that it started as the use of evergreen to symbolize life and rebirth in Roman and Druidic rituals.

Following are Candlemas on February 2nd, which celebrates the lambing of the ewes and the returning spring; Litha, the spring equinox, on March 21st; Beltane on May 1st, which celebrates life, generativity, and is where the Maypole comes from (you are dancing around a phallus to make the fields fruitful, folks!) Next, the Summer Solstice on June 21st, then Lammas on August 2nd, which celebrates the height of summer.

Lastly we have Mabon, the autumnal equinox, which ends the cycle of growth and prepares us for Samhain and the winter to come. We also celebrate and worship on the night of the full moon; we may also celebrate life events like births, weddings, maturation of our children, and death. In this way we remain close to the cycles of the earth, never forgetting who we are and what is happening in the world around us.

Wicca and Paganism are rapidly becoming mainstreamed. Your local bookstore probably has a decent-sized section on Metaphysical Studies, and you’ll find plenty on the religion there.

We have our own magazines, hundreds of websites, bumper stickers, T-shirts, music, and so on. Being Wiccan or Pagan does not necessarily mean we’re strange; it means that we have a different belief system than the general American public.

If you run across a Wiccan or a Pagan, don’t be afraid to ask us questions. We won’t come to you, but if you ask we’re generally happy to share what we know with others. Most witches are delighted to have a chance to combat the stereotyping and misconceptions the public has of us.

When we part, Wiccans often say, “Blessed Be.” And so I’ll leave you with a Blessed Be – merry met, merry part, and merry meet again.


Footnotes:
Previously published in a Mensa newsletter.

Crone’s Corner – Catnip!

Crone’s Corner – Catnip!

It’s more than just fun for your cat. Researchers in the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University found that chemicals produced naturally in catnip (Nepeta cataria) repel cockroaches. Folklore includes numerous claims that catnip are repellent to insects and spiders. Results show that when given a choice between a surface treated with these plant oils and an untreated surface, cockroaches spent much more time on the untreated surface. One researcher observed that “the roaches will venture onto the treated surface, stop, turn around and walk off onto the untreated surface.” The chemical repellent in catnip is nepetalactone. Not every cat responds to the effects of catnip. If the cat doesn’t have a specific gene, it won’t react. About 80% of cats do have the gene, and enjoy the effects of catnip, which is purr-fectly safe and non-addictive.

Catnip tea was a regular beverage in England before the introduction of tea from China. It is also used today as an herbal remedy for upset stomach, insomnia (it contains a mild muscle relaxant), and cough.

GrannyMoon’s Morning Feast

 

Just for Fun……Test Your Cat Knowledge

Test Your Cat Knowledge

  • Cherise Udell

Since so many people enjoyed my first Cat Quiz in “What Is Your Cat IQ?” I thought I’d put forth round two of quizzing your cat knowledge. So, invite a purring pussy cat onto your lap and take this informative quiz together.

 

1. All cats have retractable claws. True or False?

False. Cheetahs do not retract their claws.

 

2. Myth, legend, and folklore surround the Maine Coon Cat. One legend claims these cats are the descendants of a cat belonging to Marie Antoinette. True or False?

True. According to legend, a ship captain named Samuel Clough attempted to help Marie Antoinette escape France, but was only able to save her cats. He sailed to America and left the kitties in Maine.

 

3. One cat can give birth to over 400 kittens in her lifetime. True of False?

True. A tabby named Dusty delivered 420 documented kittens in her lifetime. Hopefully, Dusty didn’t have to name them all!

 

4. Ailurophobia means “fear of cats.” True or False?

True.

 

5. Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hilter all hated cats. True or False?

True All of these men, who sought to dominate the world, did share a hatred of felines. Hmmmmm….

 

6. Feeding dog food to a cat on a regular basis can cause blindness in the cat. True or False?

True. Dog food typically lacks taurine, a nutrient essential for cat eye and heart health.

 

7. Carrots are toxic to cats. True or false?

False. But onions, green tomatoes, raw egg yolk, raw potatoes, grapes, raisins, poinsettias, philodendrons, dental floss, and aspirin can all cause havoc on a cat’s digestive system and health.

 

8. A group of kittens is called a litter. True or False?

False. Everyone I know refers to a group of kittens as a “litter,” however the proper term is “kindle.”

 

9. The world’s largest feral cat population is in Egypt. True or False?

False. The largest feral cat population is in Rome. Over 300,000 feral cats call famous Roman landmarks such as the Coliseum and Vatican City, home.

 

10. An ancient Chinese legend maintains that the cat is the result of a romantic tryst between a lioness and a monkey. True or False?

True. The legend suggests that the lioness endowed her offspring with dignity, while the monkey passed on curiosity and playfulness. I would have never thought that one up myself, but now that the Chinese mention it, it makes lots of sense!

 

How did you do? Did any of these answers surprise you? Have you ever heard the term “kindle” used to refer to a group of kittens? I am sure with a little creativity, we all could come up with a significantly more descriptive and endearing term to describe such cuteness! Any suggestions?

Origin Of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

The twelve days in the song are the twelve days starting Christmas Day, or in some traditions, the day after Christmas (December 26) (Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day, as being the feast day of St. Stephen Protomartyr) to the day before Epiphany, or the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6, or the Twelfth Day). Twelfth Night is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking.”

Although the specific origins of the chant are not known, it possibly began as a Twelfth Night “memories-and-forfeits” game, in which a leader recited a verse, each of the players repeated the verse, the leader added another verse, and so on until one of the players made a mistake, with the player who erred having to pay a penalty, such as offering up a kiss or a sweet. This is how the game is offered up in its earliest known printed version, in the children’s book Mirth without Mischief (c. 1780) published in England, which 100 years later Lady Gomme, a collector of folktales and rhymes, described playing every Twelfth Day night before eating mince pies and twelfth cake.[2]

The song apparently is older than the printed version, though it is not known how much older. Textual evidence indicates that the song was not English in origin, but French, though it is considered an English carol. Three French versions of the song are known. If the “partridge in a pear tree” of the English version is to be taken literally, then it seems as if the chant comes from France, since the red-legged (or French) partridge, which perches in trees more frequently than the native common (or grey) partridge, was not successfully introduced into England until about 1770.

The song was imported to the United States in 1910 by Emily Brown, of the Downer Teacher’s College in Milwaukee, WI, who had encountered the song in an English music store sometime before. She needed the song for the school Christmas pageant, an annual extravaganza that she was known for organizing

The Rede Does Not Say “Harm None”

The Rede Does Not Say “Harm None”

Author: Praxiteles

I have always been puzzled over the general notion that the Wiccan Rede can be reduced to “harm none”, but it wasn’t until recently that the significance of this dawned on me. Ethics and morality in Western culture are almost always the ethics of denial, restriction, and rules, instead of the ethics of opportunity.

Think of the 10 Commandments: thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not commit adultery; keep holy the Sabbath, honor thy mother and father. They define a negative space you simply shall not enter, and a positive space you simply must occupy. In the realm of morality, we’re just not used to positive ethics, to the ethics of opportunity. So it’s not surprising that what most people seem to take away from the Rede is the negative component, “harm none”. Yet, in my opinion, this reduction of the Rede misses the whole point, and does great damage to its essential nature!

If we move things from the realm of morality into another realm, this will become clearer. Suppose that your lover says to you “My darling, just as long as there isn’t any bondage-discipline or sado-masochism, we can make love in whatever way the mood and inspiration comes to us! We can let our imaginations and passions run free and enjoy each other!”

Suppose that he or she says this to you, and then you start talking about how you both must ensure that nothing that you do will lead to BDSM, and start going on about how important it is to consider the smallest implications of every action in your lovemaking, and whether or not it might not someday lead to BDSM. Wouldn’t that be missing the whole point? Wouldn’t you be focusing in exactly the wrong area? The whole point of mentioning the negative space was to say that everything else was the positive space—such a large space, such room for growth and flowering! That was the point, not the other!

Or suppose that a mother says to her children: “My dears, you can play and run and do whatever you want, and wear whatever clothes you want, so long as you stay on our property between the road and the stream.” And suppose that one child sits down and draws a map and focuses intently on the road and stream, and then walks around noting the boundary lines and continually talks to the other children about how they must not cross these boundaries. Yet, the other children are busy making up fun games to play, running around, climbing trees, and enjoying themselves.

The thought of the boundary only enters their minds when they come to the road or the stream during a game, and they take some care to turn aside the path of their running, or chose another place to hide. Wouldn’t you think those children were the ones who had gotten the real message intended by the mother? Further, wouldn’t it simply be wrong to say that the mother had told the children “never leave our property; never cross the road or the stream”?

Because, that is not what she said. Essentially she said if you don’t leave the property then you can do whatever you want and wear whatever you want. Perhaps, if questioned, she would say that if the children have on long pants and their good boots and if they don’t run, they could go across the stream.

Getting back to the Rede, it says: An it harm none, do as ye will. Clearly this is not logically equivalent to “harm none”. If we invert it, it says “An it cause harm, don’t will it”—and does not say “an it cause harm, don’t do it.” Thus, in some Traditions, the Rede is amended to read “An it harm none, do as ye will. An it cause harm, do as ye must.” The issue is whether the harm is willed or not, not whether it is done or not.

In my opinion, the part of the Rede that people should be focused on is “do as ye will”. The Rede defines a huge, wonderful, wide-open space in which each of us can figure out what our beings aspire to do, to be. As long as we aren’t harming others or ourselves, we can feel confident that we can aspire towards the flowering and revelation of our True Will.

This is the important part of the Rede, and not the bit about “harm none.” And I find it incredible that so much attention is given to the issue of “harm none”. I’ve seen endless discussion about whether it is even possible to live without harming others, evening bringing plants and bacteria into the term “others.” Some try to elevate it to an ideal, unattainable, but the direction to be followed, like the Buddhist notion of saving all sentient beings. Others use it as the reason they aren’t Wiccan. Such a stupid idea! Obviously one can’t live without harming others!

All of these positions are tangential, because the Rede doesn’t say that we must live without harming anyone or anything. The Rede says that we can do what we will if it isn’t harming anyone. If it is harming someone, then we can’t just do whatever we will—other factors and consideration enter the equation then. What those are, each of us must decide for him or herself. Even here, the Rede offers no rules. Even here, the Rede is of a very different character than the 10 Commandments and general Western morality.

Some people want to be told what to do and what not to do, what to think as good, and what to think as bad or evil. They want rules and regulations—commandments. They believe that without these, no social order is possible. Yet increasingly in this day and age we can see that that assumption is unfounded, and increasingly there are people who want to figure out a way to arrange society and ethics to allow for as much freedom of expression and being as possible; to use ethical formulations to protect and support freedom, instead of to deny and restrict it. And, in my opinion, these people are essentially following the Wiccan Rede, whether they know it or not.

Far from being a liability, I find the Wiccan Rede to be a wonderful asset. It clears away so much muck from morality, and redefines the entire realm in a positive way. Understanding it in a negative way undoes much of the greatness of the Rede. So in my opinion, people should stop reducing the Rede to “harm none” and start trying to have more fun in life!

Slipping Off the Bed: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!

Slipping Off the Bed: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!

Author: Sage Runepaw

I’m looking out my window and there’s no air conditioner in it, having been taken down as of half an hour ago. I admire the amount of light in my room again, and gaze out at the big tall maple across the street, the quiet setting, my butterscotch-gold car sitting next to the walkway and blending in with the golden oak leaves over the carpet of dry olive-green grass that’s sticking its scraggly self out, and enjoying the airy, autumnal energy. I’ve been practicing at attuning to the Four Winds, and I’ve been enjoying the energy that the not-Mabon-anymore, not-yet-Samhain time brings. I always like the “in between” spaces- they fascinate me. Anywho…

My across-the-street neighbor’s son comes out from the driveway and comes with a ball. He kicks the ball. It goes away, rolls up his incline driveway, and rolls back to him. This got me thinking, as I’m watching him pick it up, kick at it, go after it to retrieve it in the ubercute manner tiny toddlers do this in.

We kick things we want to ‘go somewhere’, but they come back, or we retrieve them. Do we ever really let them go? Do we keep them solely because they are “ours”? Do they bring anything back with them that wasn’t originally there… just adding on and ‘snowballing’ back at us? This is much like the way of the universe, isn’t it? – Seeing our intent go “out there”, sending it out, then later on, it comes back to us in the form of karma, be it good, bad, or whatever shade of grey in between. I’m not even going into spellcraft here- I’m sure that if you take a couple minutes to think about it, you’ll find a proverbial or metaphorical ‘ball’ in your life somewhere.

For all intents and purposes, I got up this morning, got breakfast and plopped my butt down back in bed to enjoy it and to journal down some things I’ve been discovering through my 303 studies and recent dreamwork. So I sit there, turn on my beloved new Zune (I’m not one for new technological toys unless my current, older ones which did the job broke- about 5 discmen and 2 boomboxes breaking and I’m ready!) , and start writing.

My vision suddenly becoming lower and lower to the aqua bedsheets should have warned me, but as I’d been snapped out of my own personal world- that of The Word Being Written As I Think It and the Mystery of Ink Capturing It in Time, coupled with the Beauty of Ink Manifesting on Paper- I felt my butt slide, though I wore long jeans and a t-shirt.

Now normally butt-sliding is usually designated for the loose toilet seat in the bathroom that Mom and I have been too lazy to fix (which usually results on saying hello to the cold ceramic floor or the cold porcelain, whichever comes first, and at the risk of giving TMI for the readers of this article) , but this time it was a fabric, soft, warmer butt-slide thing going on. And in the meantime I’m too stunned to react (as well as being a zombie because come on, I got up at 9:00 am on a week-day after a late night of work, and caffeine doesn’t work on me) – and so the next thing I see is me sitting on the floor staring at my heap of Stuff (capitalized due to the nature of the random objects in question never quite leaving the floor, getting relocated every time I clean) next to the bed.

So I’m sitting here a little longer than others might normally do, or the “Durrrrh?” moment, which consisted of many more long moments. And I’m staring, wondering why on earth I’m on the floor. And it occurs to me, again belatedly, that my perspective is not of the journal page I was writing in. My train of thought was entirely derailed (and rightly so) when I fell on my butt.

Then the proverbial lightning bolt struck- and it occurred to me that “This is not the perspective you’re used to”. Of course not, on a mundane level- it’s been years since I fell on my butt on the floor from the bed, even though I sit in the same exact spot on the floor when I’m drawing. On a spiritual level- and a synchronicity in my life, as I’d just been journaling about perspective itself and new realizations in my life- falling on my butt reminded me of three important things.

1) It reinforced that (this is my own personal truth talking) perspective can be everything, and all we have to do is quit the mental yammering inside our heads, or the “us” factor, or stopping our emotions and/or thoughts cold-turkey, open our eyes, and really -see-. Sometimes, detachment is better than letting something ride itself out to the end with a healthy outlet, or refusing point-blank to deal with something (remember that ball? it’ll come back with crap all over it for you to wipe off!) , or worse, twisting it- among many other things people can do.

2) It doesn’t matter if you’ve fallen off your proverbial comfort zone- you can always choose to get right back up. How long it takes you or the manner in which you get back up, however, is up to you. It’s also up to you whether or not you want to go back to the comfortable position you were in before- but whether or not you can actually attain that (and whether or not you’re actually comfortable if you do attain said comfy position) is up to the Gods of Comfortable Positions.

3) No matter how well you think you made that bed, you can and probably will fall out of it from the sheets suddenly gaining a mind of their own and ejecting you forcibly from them.

So what do we -do- with that proverbial ball? No matter which angle we view it from, we’ll still have a ball. It is what it is. Its purpose is open for interpretation, but it’s that interpretation that will affect how we interact with it. And like the sphere that it is, it’ll roll into our lives some way or other.

For me, it rolled into my life by my decision to break with a slow-morning tradition of getting back in bed and parking my butt on the desk chair to look out the window and admire the autumn weather. If I tried to go back to my comfort zone, I’d have missed out.

And no matter how I look at it, something that’s round and rolls in any direction is pretty freaking cool. 🙂

What’s the ball like in your life? How are you interacting with it?

What is Absolute Truth?

What is Absolute Truth?

Author: Disciple of Oghma

Absolute Truth is the purpose and quest of life. Whether people seek truth or not (and why) quietly motivate our society. Do they seek it for personal enlightenment? An enrichment of their lives? To spare their children the hardship and pain they have spent in an attempt for it?

Do they seek financial and social prosperity? Seek to use it to dominate? Or ‘guide’ others in a quiet attempt at self-flattery? Or do they flee from it? Numb them to the soul’s cry to understand the world and its place there in? Is it as Mark Twain said, “Most people’s lives are a prolonged effort not to think?”

So what is absolute truth? Does it exist or is it a creation of man to complicate his life to make him feel superior to animals by possessing something they do not?

Animals live in the now. Hunter and prey instinctively understand their place and find fulfillment in it never seeking to step aside from it. Are they wiser? All these things are aspects of truth. Some wrap Truth in myth. In an attempt to Quantify it and break its meanings down to a base level so as to convey their understanding of it to another. They wrap it in fable obscuring it. Repeated over time the story itself is emphasized and the meaning faded. Then the wrapping becomes the bone of contention. Others reject the truth because the fables veracity is disputed.

Instead of seeking the truth behind the symbols it becomes an excuse to quarrel over whose story is accurate. They each side feels superior and treats the others with snide unkindness. Does it really matter if the world sprang from one man and one woman, or if god dipped a sword in the sea and the drops that fell became land, or if slime turned to fish who grew legs?

We cannot prove beyond doubt any one fable as true for no verifiable witness remains. The truth is that the land is here and was here before us and will likely be after. It is an unnecessary argument. This only truly matters to Organizations that financially thrive off of domination and control of people by the means of defining their realities and perceptions. Such organizations do have helpful side affects but peace granted by slavery and the personal refusal to accept responsibility is at the heart of evil.

So what is truth then?

Truth is Perspective. Your thoughts, feelings, and emotions are just as your perceptions sight, sound, smell, taste, touch little more than data in the form of electrical impulses in your brain. So your perceptions shape your reality.

If one person perceives blue as green is his reality different than another’s? The other can adamantly explain the error of perception but to the color blind man the meaning has no distinction. In his reality, blue IS green. Is he wrong? Why? Is his perception of reality any more or less worthy to exist? Who has the right to demand he attribute meaning to his reality that is in contrast to his perceptions?

Some perceptions are commonplace possession. Killing is wrong. Love is right. Even then the perception of those complex meanings vary quite a bit. For order and balance to exist there must be commonly accepted norms. But on small personal matters considering others perceptions can be a learning experience and quite enlightening.

So the absolute truth? Truth is perception. So perception must be reality. Our civilization and the world we live in and our understanding of it is based off of our shared and jointly accepted perceptions of our world.

Although there are anomalies. Consider emotional ideal of Love. Everyone and no one agree. Everyone feels it but no one can describe it. Is it a need to project attractive ideals, needs, and perceptions on a person? Is it a shared need for one person to be all you think you need? A bond based on need? It is all of and none of these things to all people.

What is a name and why do we feel compelled to apply one for everything? Is a name a summation of a person’s hope and dreams? Outstanding qualities? Like or dislikes? If so why is it applied by parents to a child?

Why is the name not something the child seeks as they come into their majority? Is it a means to apply authority over or bind them to us? To name something you have quantified it? You know it and understand it and now it has no other value beyond its recorded purpose? No and yes. It is all based on personal perspective.

Then it is your choice whether to consider it or accept preconceived notions. To allow others to think for you and decide what reality envelops you. To let them decide if your life decisions should be based on the decrees of their perception of god (s) . If there is an absolute truth gospel given by the creator (s) and if you do or do not follow it your life will be affected for good or for ill.

The belief in God is not absolute truth. The perception of god and relationship with him, her, and/or them is a limitation of understanding that you place upon them. The limitations of name, story, and exhortations of lifestyle are tools to help people understand and develop their relationship with their creator and their world. They are not a tool by which to measure another’s developments and relationships.

Such things though perceived as absolute truth are not. Absolute truth is simply the understanding that people’s realities are the sum of their perceptions and the conclusions they draw from them. If their conclusions differ from yours it is your choice to review them and in effect review your own conclusions of reality. No ones opinion is more valuable than another and no one has to agree with anyone else.

In the end of such sharing is the complete reality. An interwoven conclusion of shared perception. A shared dream.

Your Feng Shui Consultant in Nature

Your Feng Shui Consultant in Nature

  • Annie B. Bond

To some, the concept that everything is alive and has intelligence may be foreign, but I have learned that the wisdom of Nature itself can guide people through every aspect of aligning their homes and office spaces with the purpose of the property.

We can access our own feng shui consultant in Nature Herself. She can guide us very specifically as to how to best align with Her for harmony and balance. Read more:

Feng shui means “wind and water” — aligning with the forces of nature. Instead of trying to dominate and control Nature, we learn to come into contact with Her as a co-creative partner, and elicit and respect Her wisdom.

Feng shui has long held to the notion of what has been referred to as the “Spirit of Place.” That spirit of place is a consciousness and as such is accessible and able to lend its wisdom to help us to live in harmony with the earth at that specific location. If asked, Nature will give us instructions that are specific and tailored to each situation about how best to live in harmony with Her. Through a direct connection and communication with the spirit of Nature itself, we have access to the original “author” of the various feng shui texts. Sometimes we forget that feng shui, and the Indian counterpart, Vastu are an art of divination. If not from Nature, then from whom do they divine?

This co-creative potential with nature has been demonstrated by many such as MacHaelle Small Wright in the gardens of Perelandra who, working with the spirit of nature of the gardens, demonstrated miraculous events such as insects who left crops alone and stayed instead only in the areas designated for them. There is also the now famous example of the magical gardens of Findhorn, where 40 pound cabbages grown in the sandy soil of Scotland defied conventional wisdom; by contacting the intelligence and consciousness of Nature itself, the gardeners gained a direct wisdom of how to proceed. Similarly, we hear stories of Luther Burbank teaching cacti and roses to grow without thorns simply by communicating with the consciousness of the plants themselves.

In the larger context of the Re-emergence of the Feminine principle upon the planet, we are really talking about re-uniting with an aspect of ourselves as Creators, with the aspect of ourselves reflected in Nature. We have thought of Nature as separated from ourselves for so long that many will find it difficult to think of it as anything other than foreign. However, it is the Shakti to our divine Shiva nature. When working together, as co-creative partners, magic happens! We interact with nature spirits in everything we do all day long, known or unknown. The difference between the magician, the alchemist, the Shaman, is that they do it consciously. So, let the magic begin.

What Your Sleep Position Says About You

What Your Sleep Position Says About You

  • Melissa Breyer

Starfish? Soldier? Yearner? How do you sleep? I fall firmly into the Fetus category of sleeping positions–curled up on my side–which, according to researchers at the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, suggests that I am a tough cookie with a sensitive heart. (And yes, it’s true…underneath it all I am a big mush.)

Sleep scientists believe the position in which a person sleeps offers important clues about their personality. Director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, Professor Chris Idzikowski, analyzed six common sleeping positions and found that each is associated with particular personality traits.

 

The Fetus
This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41 percent of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position. Those who curl up in the fetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.

The Log
Lying on your side with both arms down by your side is the sleep position favored by 14 percent of the people in the study. I’d adopt this position if it guaranteed sleeping like a log, but perhaps not at the risk of being naive. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

The Yearner
13 percent of people sleep in the pose of the yearner–on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious and cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely to change it.

 

Soldier
Are you one of the 8 percent who sleep lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides? Well hello, soldier. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don’t like a fuss, but set high standards for themselves and others. The soldier style is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep.

The Freefaller
If you sleep on your stomach with your hands around the pillow and your head turned to one side, you sleep in the freefall position. You are probably often gregarious and brash, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don’t like criticism or extreme situations. Seven percent of sleepers assume this posture, which happens to be good for digestion.

The Starfish
About 5 percent choose to lay on their back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don’t like to be the center of attention. The starfish position is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep

Feng Shui for the New Year

Feng Shui for the New Year

  • Betsy Stang

A new year is like a new doorway. A new year offers a new chance to bring who we truly are into manifestation. Each turn of the wheel has its wisdom. What does the wisdom of the New Year hold for you? Your home? Are there obstacles in your way?

In the Northern Hemisphere the New Year follows shortly after winter solstice, the time of year with the longest night, the time of the Great Yin, the Dark Feminine, when the energy of all growing things goes deepest into the ground. We are each given this time to dream of what we might become as the light and growth return.

In the ancient Chinese traditions this is the time of K’un—The Receptive, Earth

The Receptive brings about sublime success,
Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.
If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead,
He goes astray;
But if he follows, he finds guidance.
It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,
To forego friends in the east and north.
Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

The elements of spring are sleeping in the dark with the bears and moles and many other animals. In Native American traditions this is a time for dreaming, storytelling, coming together as community and of contacting the spirits of the Earth.

This is not a time to reach outside for answers, but to go deep within.
As we go in, we notice.

Notice your home. What patterns are outmoded? Where are the obstacles to your realization of self? Look at piles of what is not being used. Is there a tool, a skill you have, clothing, computers, cameras that you no longer use? Are they outmoded? Will you use their gifts? If not they need to move along, so give those possessions away. If you are not willing to pass them along, then use them.

Do you have old obligations and debts you have not dealt with? It’s time to clear them too, at least begin to gather the information you will need. It is not possible to truly move into prosperity and abundance, until you are in full integrity with yourself.

All traditions celebrate this time as new birth and the return of sun from its journey to the southern hemisphere. Be gentle with your new beginnings they are infants and need to be nourished until the sap starts to flow in early February.

Make small movements. Allow yourself quiet time. Listen. Clear, clean, restage resting and work places of your life. And bring sustainable light into the time of dark.

In the new year, as you sit cozy in your home, remember there are always those who are cold and hungry or in the dark. Can you pass along something you no longer need to someone who may need it more? Not just people, the animals need your help now too. Can you find a way to share your wisdom and prosperity with those who have no voice? The ancient Chinese masters said: “Feed the Earth, feed the fish and the birds and your world will be abundant.”

May you be a steward of the earth and have a new year full of abundance and joy.

—The Rev. Betsy Stang

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep Look Beautiful all Winter

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep Look Beautiful all Winter
By: Isadora Dunne


When the weather’s frosty and dry, skin becomes dryer, flakier and more irritated. So how is it that some women look so
darn supple and healthy, even in the dead of winter, while you’re all dry and chapped? As usual, we’re here to help with 10
tremendous tips to keeping beautiful in winter.

Apply full-spectrum sunscreen even when it’s chilly: You probably know that UVB rays are the sun’s burning rays, but UVA
radiation is the principal cause of wrinkling and skin cancer and can penetrate glass. Hello! This means that even if you’re
at home, driving or in the office by a window, you’ll need full-spectrum (both UVA and UVB) coverage. This is true on even
the cloudiest winter days. Murad Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 15 (Murad.com) is a high-quality choice.
Don’t linger in the bath or shower: Healthy skin has a protective superficial layer called the stratum corneum — essentially, a
natural “lipid barrier,” and as temperature and humidity drop, this natural barrier becomes vulnerable to damage, says
Stacy P. Salob, MD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New
York. She cautions against prolonged bathing, especially with hot water, because the water will sap moisture from this
superficial layer, leaving the skin drier, flakier and more susceptible to damage and irritation.
Cut back on acids and astringents: For the winter months, consider limiting your use of alpha-hydroxy acid products and
astringents that contain alcohol, Salob says. We may love these products for their exfoliating properties, but they can strip
the skin of its natural protective oils, leaving it easily irritated.

Humidify thyself: Bicoastal dermatologist Karyn Grossman recommends a humidifier in your bedroom and office to
prevent winter skin from drying out. Humidifiers keep air moist. Look for a UV model because they offer a germ-free mist,
better to soothe those dry lips and chapped skin. Grossman recommends brands such as the SlantFin GF350
Sip hot cocoa and get your antioxidants: According to recent studies, cocoa beans were found to contain large amounts of
natural antioxidants called flavonoids; thus cocoa powders made from these beans are an undeniably compelling choice of
drink. Go ahead, steam some milk and enjoy your cocoa-anti-oxidants!

Resuscitate Frigid Feet: For dry and flaky winter feet, try exfoliating with a scrub like Alba Sea Salt Body Scrub. Which
contains organic jojoba, avocado and vitamin E. Afterward, dry your tootsies and slip on cozy cotton socks overnight. Your
feet will feel pliant and smooth in the morning.

Revive Chapped Winter Lips: Aside from looking wretched, chapped lips feel awful. Problem is, we continually
exacerbate the condition by licking, so it’s an endless cycle. To roll off the dead skin, try the clever Dr. Feel good’s
Lipscription, expressly made for “dry-lip emergencies,” which buffs away dryness with exfoliating beads, then softens with
Vitamin E & chamomile.

Protect Those Tresses: Tippi Shorter, consulting stylist for Pantene, recommends using a leave-in conditioner before
blow-drying hair, or using hot irons. She likes Pantene Pro-V Daily Renewal Treatment and if you regularly use heated
styling tools, she suggests biweekly or monthly deep conditioning treatments to keep hair hydrated and soft.

Repair Winter Cells: Robert Scott, aesthetician and wellness expert, explains how skin is nourished by blood and lymph
fluid, and since less blood flows when you’re cold, you’ll want to compensate by giving skin extra protection and
nourishment. He recommends regenerating your skin’s appearance by using products that feature amino-peptides, which
work by renewing the skin’s outer cell layer, and he loves Olay Regenerist) because it repairs without irritating the skin.

Some Tips for Winter Yard Care

Winter Yard Care

1.Winter is the time for bare root, planting and transplanting of roses. This time of year is when you need to prune your
roses back. Leave the stalks at least one foot high, and take off all plant material that is dead and diseased.

2.Dormant spray is a good idea to use on your fruit trees. Its will keep pests in check. Make sure to fallow label instructions
and ask your local greenery plenty of questions to ensure best results.

3.Frost sensitive plants can be covered with a bed sheet, blanket or plastic sheeting. If the plant is wet when covered, frost
temperatures can still damage the plant. Make sure leaves and soil are simi dry before coverings.

4.Do not cut frost damage off the plants until you you see new growth.
Winter is a good time to get seed catalogs for the next seasons planting and to think of new design ideas.

Incense for Cats

Incense for Cats

Cats and magic have enjoyed a natural partnership throughout history. The Egyptians relied on feline cunning to destroy the rodents that plagued the Nile Valley granaries. Cats saved the population from starvation. Thereafter, cats were given a place of honor in Egypt.

The black jaguar of the Mayan people represented their most powerful deity and was the driving force behind their magic.

This is still true today. Giant ground pictures called intaglios, which are etched in to the Colorado basin of California, two mountain lions, each over a hindered feet long. According to the Mojave tribe, these are the tribal creator’s helpers.

Of course, no cat story would be complete without mentioning all the wonderful tales of Witches and their feline familiars.

One gem that has been handed down through English history is an incense recipe for cats:

3 teaspoons pine needles, dried and crushed

1 teaspoon frankincense

3 teaspoons catnip, dried and crushed

1/2-3/4 teaspoon gum arabic

Rain water to bind gun Arabic to the other ingredients.

Mix all ingredients together in a glass bowl. Burn on self-igniting charcoal. For your cat’s safety, burn this recipe before he or she comes in to play, or place the burner out of reach.

Pagan Hearth Recipes

 

Secular Santa Claus is Coming to Town: What’s so Christian about Santa Claus?

Secular Santa Claus is Coming to Town: What’s so Christian about Santa Claus?

By Austin Cline

Santa Claus as a Symbol of Modern Christmas:
Christians treat Christmas as a Christian holiday, and it certainly started out that way, but we can tell a lot about the real nature of holidays by how they are represented in popular culture. The most common, popular, and recognized symbol for Christmas today isn’t an infant Jesus or even a manger scene, but Santa Claus. It’s Santa who graces all the ads and decorations, not Jesus. Santa Claus is not, however, a religious figure or symbol — Santa is an amalgam of a little bit of Christianity, a little bit of pre-Christian paganism, and a whole lot of modern, secular myth-making.
 
Santa Claus, Christian Saint?:
Most assume that the Santa Claus of modern Christmas is based on a Saint Nicholas in Christianity, but any connection is tenuous at best. There was Nicholas who was bishop of Myra in the early 4th century and who stood up to anti-Christian persecution, but there’s no evidence that he died for refusing to renounce his faith. Legend has it that he did good works with his family’s fortune and he became a much-loved figure in most European cultures. Over time, he was given attributes of pagan figures who were popular during winter festivals.
 
Washington Irving and the Invention of Saint Nick:
It is argued by some that the modern Santa Claus was basically invented by Washington Irving who, in a satirical history of New York, described alleged Dutch beliefs about Sinter Claes, or Saint Nicholas. Most readers accepted Irving’s descriptions as fact and helped people to eventually adopt many of the beliefs and traditions attributed to the Dutch, though not during Irving’s lifetime.
 
Clement Moore and Saint Nicholas:
Most contemporary ideas about what Santa Claus does and looks like are based on the poem The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore. That has two things wrong: it’s original title was A Visit from Saint Nicholas, and it’s unlikely the Moore really wrote it. Moore claimed authorship in 1844, but it first appeared anonymously in 1823; explanations for how and why this happened are implausible. Some of this poem borrows from Washington Irving, some parallels Nordic and Germanic myths, and some may be original. This Santa Claus is completely secular: there’s not a single religious reference or symbol to be found.
 
Thomas Nast and the Popular Image of Santa Claus:
The poem attributed to Moore may be the basis for current conceptions of Santa Claus, but Thomas Nast’s drawings of Santa Claus during the latter half of the 19th century are what engraved a standard image of Santa Claus into everyone’s mind. Nast also added to the Santa character by having him read children’s letters, monitor children’s behavior, and record children’s names in books of Good and Bad behavior. Nast also seems to be the person who located Santa Claus and a workshop for toys a the North Pole. Although Santa here is smaller, like an elf, the image of Santa is basically fixed at this point.
 
Francis Church, Virginia, and Santa Claus as an Object of Faith:
In addition to Santa’s visual appearance, his character also had to be created. The most important source for this may be Francis Church and his infamous response to a letter from a little girl named Virginia who wondered if Santa really exists. Church said that Santa exists, but as everything but a real person. Church is the source of the idea that Santa is somehow the “spirit” of Christmas, such that not believing in Santa is the same as not believing in love and generosity. Not believing in Santa is treated like kicking puppies for fun.
 
What’s so Christian about Santa Claus?:
There’s little to nothing about Santa Claus that is either uniquely Christian or broadly religious. There are certainly a few religious elements to Santa, but he can’t be treated as a specifically religious figure. Almost everything that people today understand as part of the Santa Claus myth was invested in this figure fairly recently and, it appears, for entirely secular reasons. No one took a beloved religious icon and secularized it; Santa Claus as a Christmas figure has always been relatively secular, and this has only intensified over time.Because Santa is the central figure for Christmas in modern America, his basically secular nature says something important about Christmas itself. How can Christmas be essentially Christian when the leading symbol of Christmas is essentially secular? The answer is that it can’t — while Christmas may be a religious holy day for many observant Christians, the Christmas holiday in the broader American culture isn’t religious at all. Christmas in American culture is as secular as Santa Claus: it has some Christian elements and some pre-Christian pagan elements, but most of what makes up Christmas today was created recently and is basically secular.

The question of “what’s so Christian about Santa Claus?” is a stand-in for the larger question of “what’s so Christian about Christmas in modern America?” The answer to the first helps us answer the second, and it’s not an answer which many Christians will be pleased with. Not liking the situation won’t change anything, though, so what can Christians do? The obvious route to take is to replace secular observances of Christmas with religious ones.

So long as Christians continue to focus on Santa Claus coming to town to deliver gifts rather than on the birth of their savior, they will remain part of what they see as the problem. Dispensing with, or even just limiting, the role of Santa Claus and other secular elements of Christmas probably won’t be easy, but that only demonstrates just how deeply enmeshed in secular culture Christians have become. It also reveals just how much of their own religious Christmas they have abandoned in favor of secular celebrations. In effect, the harder it is the more this shows that they need to do it if they want to claim that Christmas is religious rather than secular.

In the meantime, the rest of us can enjoy Christmas as a secular holiday if we want.

Santa Claus by Many Names

Santa Claus by Many Names

By Kelli Mahoney

The jolly elf most Christian teens know as Santa Claus goes by many other names around the world. Like many Christmas symbols and traditions he has evolved from old stories and practices. In some cases his stories are based on actions by real people that have acted to add some joy into others’ lives. Still, he is a quintessential symbol of Christmas as we know it.
 
St. Nicholas:
Once there was a monk known as St. Nicholas. He was born in Patara (near what we now know as Turkey) in 280 AD. He was known to be very kind, and that reputation led to many legends and stories. One story involved him giving away his inherited wealth while he helped those who were sick and poor around the country. Another story is that he saved three sisters from being sold into slavery. Eventually he became known as the protector of children and sailors. He died on December 6th, and so there is now a celebration of his life on that day.
 
Sinter Klass:
The Dutch maintained the celebration of St. Nicholas far more than other cultures, and brought that celebration to America. The Dutch gave St. Nicholas the nickname, “Sinter Klass”, and by 1804 woodcuts of Sinter Klass came to define modern day images of Santa. Washington Irving popularized Sinter Klass in The History of New York by defining him as the patron saint of the city.
 
Christkind:
Christkind, which is German for “Christ Child,” was considered something like an angel that went along with St.Nicholas on his missions. He would bring presents to good children in Switzerland and Germany. He is sprite-like, often drawn with blond hair and angel wings.
 
Kris Kringle:
There are two theories on the origin of Kris Kringle. One is that the name is simply a mispronunciation and misunderstanding of the Christkind tradition. The other is that Kris Kringle began as Belsnickle among the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 1820s. He would ring his bell and give out cakes and nuts to small children, but if they misbehaved they would receive a spanking with his rod.
 
Father Christmas:
In England, Father Christmas comes down the chimney and visits homes on Christmas Eve. He leaves treats in children’s stockings. He would traditionally leave small toys and presents. Children would leave out mince pies and milk or brandy for him.
 
Pere Noel:
Pere Noel puts treats in the shoes of well-behaved French children. He is joined in his travels by Pere Fouettard. Pere Fouettard is the one who provides the spankings to bad children. While wooden shoes were used historically, today chocolate wooden shoes are filled with candies to commemorate the holiday. Northern France celebrates St. Nicholas Eve on December 6th, so Pere Noel visits then and on Christmas Day.
 
Babouschka:
There are several stories about Babouschka in Russia. One is that she put off traveling with the Wise Men to see the Baby Jesus, instead opting to have a party, and regretted it afterward. So she set out every year to find the baby Jesus and give Him her gifts. Instead, she does not find him and gives the gifts to the children she finds along the way. Another story is that she purposefully misled the wisemen, and soon realized her sin. She places gifts at the bedsides of Russian children, hoping that one of them is the baby Jesus and that He will forgive her sins.
 
Santa Claus:
Christmas shopping has been a tradition since the early 19th century. By 1820 stores advertised Christmas shopping, and by 1840 there were already separate holiday ads that featured Santa. In 1890 the Salvation Army began dressing up unemployed workers as Santa and having them solicit donations throughout New York. You can still see those Santas outside stores and on street corners today.

Yet it was Clement Clarke Moore, and Episcopal Minister, and Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, that brought us the epitome of our modern day Santa. In 1822 he wrote a long poem titled, An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas. It is what we now know as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and it gave us many of the modern day characteristics of Santa such as his sleigh, laughter, and ability to fly up a chimney. It was Nast that drew the cartoon of Santa in 1881 that depicted him with a round belly, white beard, large smile, and carrying a sack of toys. He gave Santa the red and white suit that we know so well today. He also provided Santa with his North Pole workshop, elves, and Mrs. Claus.