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NEVER AGAIN THE BURNING

It is always the morning of my execution……

….I know they will come for me today.
Last night the jailer, pulling up his trousers,
Sneered, “Perhaps you’ll fancy the poll
They give you in the morning more then mine,
Stubborn bitch.” I think
He liked it better when I had strength
And spirit enough to fight him.
He is too stupid to lie just to torment me.
I will welcome death, though the dying scares me…
I was a healer…. how long ago? Oh Gods,
I cannot think straight anymore! And I know
That their gross insults to my body will never mend.
And the pain is constant, and they have sworn me
That I will go to the fire conscious and aware.
My Goddess, I am sick to my very soul with shame;
At the last I gave them screaming what they wanted,
Mouthed any obscenity they asked, told them
What they told me to say. My sanity remains
Only because Your names to with me to the pyre,
And the grave beyond, and only there.
Oh, Beloved, if I could only see you
One last time, that your clean spirit’s fire
Could rid me of this filth and fear….
The crowd gathers now.
I hear them outside, laughing, festive….
Gods grant I will be entertaining enough….
I wonder if those pious souls who in the past
Have asked my help will mourn me?
Well, I shall be glad to quit this stinking cell…
The rats grow bolder as I decline…
Oh, Mother, give me strength!
I hear the guards outside.
“What,” I taunt, “three of you
All for one small half-starved wench?
Indeed, terrible I must be!”
They have the grace to look ashamed,
The youngest one grown pale and horrified
At the light of me; I delivered his wife
Of a fine strong one not many weeks ago.
But now I dare not ask how the child fares.
“Nay, you must carry me or drag me,
My fine bravos….these ruined feet will never
Bear my weight again. I fear I danced too long
With your good priest and his fine Spanish boots.”
They haul me to my feel and the pain….
I will not scream again for their amusement!
I must go naked, then, to my death before these fools?
I would not have them see me so, who danced
Naked for the Goddess, graceful and free,
On winged feet without a trace of shame.
Their avaricious eyes defile me; as their
Twisted priests defiled my body’s temple….
There are many strangers here in the square,
Churchmen and villagers from all the country round….
I am to be a marvelous, far-felt lesson, I see.
They bind me to their stake, too tight, more agony…
The splintering pole claws my raw back,
My shoulders wrenched and cramping, the rough rope
Burning my wrists. My legs will not support me,
And I sag in my bonds, and I fill with terror,
As a pitcher with muddy water. A priest approaches….
Oh, Goddess, must I suffer them even now?
The crowd protests the cup in his hands.
He exhorts them gently; his sect bears mercy towards all,
Malice towards none, and might not even such as I
Be saved at the bitter end?
I don’t know this one. I fight to raise my head,
To spit in his face, for one last shred of defiance….
Mother of All, no! Not you…. here!
How have you come, Beloved,
To trade your green robes for their black,
Your antlered crown for their cross?
Surely I dream, I dream…..
But now I smell your clean scent,
And your dear presence cloaks me in peace.
Rage fires in your eyes, but your pure love
Sustains me, strengthens me and warms me.
You brush the hair back form my face….
The cup you hold gently to my bruised lips I gave you
At our handfasting…. softly you whisper,
“Drink deep of salvation, my dear love,”
And your voice, harsh with unshed tears,
Rips at my soul and my own tears begin, and fully
Do I drink of your deep eyes and the chalice,
And the taste of the flying herbs bursts upon my tongue,
Belladonna, aconite, dark sweet dreams….
They are coming now with the fire.
Almost you linger too long, haunted eyes on mine,
But as sleep steals over me, I see you melt
Safely into the throng.
I am drifting now; I hear my mother singing, far away….
The pain is gone. I am a little girl again…I am safe,
My mother is calling me and I run gladly into her arms….
But in the room I have left behind, someone has been careless
With the supper, Mother, they must turn the spit faster,
For I can smell the roasting meat burning,
And the dinner guests are shouting….

I wake in cold sweat, and cannot drink
From the glass you bring me. Oh, sisters, hear:
Our daughters must not dream these dreams!
We must defend ourselves, stand with out brothers,
And make the arsonists let us be.
Oh, sisters, hear: Never again,
Never again the burning.

Gale Perrigo (1985)

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Let’s Talk With the Witch – Laws, Rules & The Burning Times

Tonight’s podcast includes a reading from Scott Cunningham’s work, “Before Time Was.” Then Lady A concludes the Laws of the Witches tonight so we can move on to our history. And to give you a taste of our history to come, we conclude with a poem about the Burning Times. It is a very emotional and powerful poem that looks back in time and let the listener understand what our ancestors suffered and when through so we may have a religion today.

Valentine’s Day is For the Birds
…And Other Curiosities

You might know Geoffrey Chaucer from Canterbury Tales, but he’s also the first to name-drop St. Valentine, and link the name to love and mating.

Chaucer wrote a dream vision poem, Parliament of Fowls (circa 1381-1382) that’s a perfect match for this love-drunk modern phenomenon of Valentine’s Day.

It’s about the very romantic notion that birds in the wild find their mates this time of year. It’s the day when birds propose, and commit to making a nest together.

As an English major, I took a Medieval Lit class and labored over Chaucer’s Middle English. Here in this modern translation, like jumping to the Cliff Notes, you read the narrative of Nature herself:

You know that on Saint Valentine’s day,

By my statute and through my governance,

You come to choose – and then fly your way –

Your mates, as I your desires enhance.
Season of Longing

With the festival of Imbolc, that begins the month, we are at the mid-point between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

We are weary of winter, and eagerly looking for signs of Spring. A color for Imbolc is red, as it is with Valentine’s Day, the color of vitality, the heart’s blood and erotic passion.

Here’s more from a modern translation of Parliament of Fowls, which is set on a hill, near the Temple of Venus.

Saint Valentine, who art full high aloft –

Thus sing the small fowls for your sake –

Now welcome summer, with your sun soft,

That this winter’s weather does off-shake.

Isn’t it natural to look with a hopeful heart for signs of the coming warmth this time of year? And with it, comes the Springtime passion for life, the surge of vitality, that lies ahead?
More Valentine’s Day Curiosities

Who sent the first Valentine? Legend gives that honor to Charles, Duke of Orleans, who sent it while imprisoned in the Tower of London, in 1415. He wrote romantic verses for his wife, that can now be viewed in the British Museum.

Where did the XXX for kisses come from? You know how in olden times, when people who couldn’t write their name, made an X? To show they meant it, people would seal it with a kiss, with witnesses present. (This comes from the Farmer’s Almanac.)

The over-the-top holiday has lead to a backlash of humor. Here’s one, as seen on an e-card. “Today is Single’s Awareness Day, but Chin Up, Tomorrow is Half-Price Candy Day!”

The flower of the goddess of love Aphrodite (Greece) and Venus (Roman) in myth is the red rose. And, in keeping with the known legends of Saint Valentine, it’s also the flower of martyrs.

In Finland and Estonia, February 14th is “Friend’s Day,” a celebration of friendship.

In Wales, men carve love-spoons out of wood, with symbolic features like a key (to the heard), wheels (of his labor) and beads (for the children he’d like to have). In Ireland, a traditional gift is a bag of flour (which I received once from an Irishman).
Saints and Pagans

The origins of Valentine’s Day is super speculative, and might not even be related, though it’s unclear why Chaucer used that name in a poem. It’s quite possible that it’s only revisionist eyes that reached back into ancient Rome and the legends of the actual Saint (or Saints) named Valentine.

And from the pagan angle, there’s the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility and purification rite, and February itself is a month for purification. It seems a seasonal echo across cultures, since the Northern European festival of Imbolc (early February) is also one of purification, fertility and the very first signs of Spring.
 

By Molly Hall, Astrology Expert
Originally published and owned by About.com

Magickal Activity for February 14, Valentine’s Day

A Love Box

Items You Will Need:
A small heart-shaped box painted pink
Love Drawing Oil
One pink votive candle
A Small square of parchment paper
A lock of your own hair
Red ribbon
One rose quartz

Begin by drawing a heart in the center of the parchment paper. Inside the heart inscribe your name and the name of the one you desire or love. Wrap the parchment paper around the lock of your hair and secure it with the red ribbon. Place the parchment, along with the rose quartz, inside the box and close the lid.

Using a pin or sharp object inscribe your name and the name of the one you desire (or love) into the pink candle. Pick up the candle and anoint it with the love-drawing oil as you chant:
“May the God of love hear my plea,
And bring everlasting love to me.”

Set the candle on top of the box and light it. Gaze into the flame of the candle and visualize the one you love loving you in return. Chant the following seven times:
“Hail to thee, great God of Love,
Shine down on me from far above.
Bring the one I desire to me,
That we shall ever love. So Mote It Be.”

Just before the candle burns out drip some of the wax around the lid of the box to seal it shut. On Valentine’s Day, present the box to the one you desire as a token of your love and friendship.

February 14th

St. Valentine’s Day

St. Valentine’s Day is a festival of love that amalgamates the Pagan traditions of Rome and northern Europe. Valentine’s Day has it origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia (15 February) honoring Juno and Pan. During this time, unwed women obtained lovers by a form of lottery.

One myth recounts how a bishop named Valentine had conducted weddings for Roman soldiers against an order of Claudius II forbidding them to marry. When he was condemned to death, he cured the judge’s daughter of blindness and then sent her a letter signed, ‘your Valentine.”

Ethics of Love Magic – Is it OK to Perform

Love spells. They’re one of the things that often draws new folks to Wicca and Pagan religions. However, there’s a lot of question within the Pagan community about the ethics of on someone else. After all, if you’re performing magic on someone without their knowledge, aren’t you messing with their free will?

Most Wiccans will tell you that the best way to approach love magic is to avoid focusing on a specific individual as a target. Instead, use your energy and skills to focus on yourself — to draw love your way, or to help you present yourself as a person worthy of love. You could use your magical abilities to feel more confident and attractive, much like a magical makeover. In other words, fix yourself, not someone else.

Bear in mind that many Pagan traditions have no restrictions on the use of magic to change someone else. If you’re part of such a tradition, the use of love magic may well be within the boundaries of . In some traditions of folk magic, love magic is perfectly acceptable. It’s something that’s done as a matter of course, and is no more unethical than wearing a sexy perfume or a cute push-up bra. Magic is viewed as a tool, and can be used in tandem with the mundane to bring you what you want — after all, if you didn’t want to change things, you wouldn’t be doing magic in the first place, right?

Before casting any sort of working that affects another person, though, be sure to think about consequences. How will your actions affect not only you, but other people? Will it ultimately cause harm? Will it cause someone to be hurt, either directly or indirectly? These are all things that should be evaluated before performing any working at all, whether it’s a love spell or some other type of magic. If your tradition or belief system prohibits you from performing magic on someone without their consent or knowledge, then you’d be better of skipping the love magic, and focusing instead on self-improvement and self-empowerment.

Rather than aiming a love spell at someone and expecting them to become your devoted servant and doormat, consider looking at love spells as a method of (a) getting someone to notice you AND (b) getting the person to, once they’ve noticed you, find all the things about you that they like. If you maintain this perspective, you should be able to work love magic and still keep within your ethical boundaries.

 
By Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert

Originally published and owned by About.com

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2017 February 14

The Rosette Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Evangelos Souglakos

Explanation: Would the Rosette Nebula by any other name look as sweet? The bland New General Catalog designation of NGC 2237 doesn’t appear to diminish the appearance of this flowery emission nebula. Inside the nebula lies an open cluster of bright young stars designated NGC 2244. These stars formed about four million years ago from the nebular material and their stellar winds are clearing a hole in the nebula’s center, insulated by a layer of dust and hot gas. Ultraviolet light from the hot cluster stars causes the surrounding nebula to glow. The Rosette Nebula spans about 100 light-years across, lies about 5000 light-years away, and can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros).

Out late tonight? See moon and Jupiter

The Wisdom of Buddha

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.

Consult the Psychic Eight Ball Oracle

Query:

Will we have a romantic evening?

WOW! Hot time in the old town tonight, lol!

Your Weekly Domino Reading

That Which is Behind You

Four/Four

Trust your own feelings, thoughts and drives over those of the people around you. Only you are capable of deciding the proper path for you.

Your Current Place

One/Six

Now is a time for you to “sew up lose ends”. It will benefit you to finish any projects you have avoided completing, so you can move on to new and more fulfilling ventures.

That Which is before You

Blank/Three

The opportunity to strengthen your spiritual self is before you. These moments are very rare in one’s life, so it would behoove you to take advantage of this one.

Your Weekly MahJong Tile Reading

That Which is Behind You

Wan 4
Symbol: Lute
The Lute tile indicates a need for relaxation—a break from the stress of your everyday life. For people nearing the end of their career it may suggest that the time for them to retire has come.

Your Current Place

Bamboo 5
Symbol: Lotus Flower
The Lotus Flower tile represents birth or rebirth. On a spiritual level it may indicate you are about to reach new heights in your understanding of your place in the cosmos. Physically it may suggest a child is coming, or a new project is about to emerge. The Lotus Flower tile also speaks of regeneration, and may indicate a time of recovery from hardship—a new beginning.

That Which is Before You

Fall
Symbol: The Farmer
The Farmer represents rewards gained through hard work and faith in oneself. He harvests riches from the planting and nurturing of his crops.