Sunday 30 June 2013 What An Honor Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Germany Chosen To Speak For Islam
Saturday 29 June 2013 Most Precious Charm
LP Pian is one of the most famous present-time guru masters who have good knowledge in the magical arts amulets and Buddhist Dharma. His amulet is very famous in protection and wealth.
Powerful master has combine his thai magical power with Tibetans' Most Precious Living Gemstone.
9 eye DZI bead will enable the wearer to gain power and influence, and to enhance his/her reputation further. It also brings wealth and windfall luck to the wearer.
Recently, the world was stunned when China Airlines plane crashed in Nagoya. The tragedy, however, proved to be a boon for Dzi beads market when one of the crash victim, Mr Chen, miraculously survived when wearing a 'nine eyed' Dzi. He revealed this during a television interview.
Recently, the world was stunned when China Airlines plane crashed in Nagoya. The tragedy, however, proved to be a boon for Dzi beads market when one of the crash victim, Mr Chen, miraculously survived when wearing a 'nine eyed' Dzi. He revealed this during a television interview.
Ancient Tibetan Dzi
For thousands of years, Tibetans have viewed Dzi as a living gemstone. It is meant for devout worship and is reverently kept and passed down over generations. The ancient Dzi absorbs cosmic energy from the universe, hence it can guard against misfortune and brings blessings, stabilizes blood pressure, increases the internal 'qi', gives good fortune and bliss. Till now, Dzi enjoys great popularity around the world, and it is a revered sacred charm for protection, worship, health, as well as a symbol of wealth.
Place of Origin and Legend
Dzi is not only a very rare and precious gemstone, it is also one of the seven treasures in Tibetan Buddhism. The main places of origin are Western Tibet, Eastern Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh and certain regions in the Himalayas. Dzi has been around for 2000 to 2500 years. According to legend, Dzi is actually a "God's treasure" which has descended to earth and was discovered by the Tibetans. Hence the Tibetans still regard Dzi as the "heavenly stone".
Stories on the origin of Dzi varies, one account has it that it flowed from a stream in Ngari; another believed that it was the treasure of the Azha Kingdom, Tibet; yet others thought it was one of the gemstones in the treasury of the Tagzig Kingdom. It is also said to be the celestial essence from Manjushri Bodhisattva's previous incarnate (Manjushri Buddha); some believed it was made by Asura; it is even said to be made from meteorites that plummeted down to earth. According to another legend, the compassionate Vajravarahi Buddha let Dzi descended to earth to stop the spreading of epidemic because it possessed the power to guard against evil. What can be verified is, although modern technology can replicate the appearance of Dzi, it is unable to reproduce the strong magnetic energy that Dzi possess. Neither can it replace the religious belief passed down over the generations. Hence, judging from its unique quality and extensive historical value, Dzi is very valuable.
Historical Accounts
The earliest record of Dzi in China's history is in the Tang Dynasty. When Princess Wencheng married Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, the most expensive betrothal gift was a Buddha statue built according to the image of the 12 year old Jowo Sakyamuni. It was brought to Tibet all the way from Chang'an. The Buddha's diadem, cape, decorative strap and robe were splendidly adorned with various pearls, agates, turquoises, corals and hundreds of various Dzi, including three Nine-eyed Dzi beads, Triple-eyed Dzi beads, Double-eyed Dzi beads, Tiger-tooth not only are they sacred, but they are also rare and precious.
Dzi Bead is the Tibetans' Most Precious Living Gemstone
The Tibetans regard Dzi bead as the most precious living gemstone and it is the treasure offered to the royal family generations after generations. In Tibet, the ancient pure Dzi beads can be used for mortgage purposes in Banks or the City's Credit Bureau. Therefore, to the Tibetans, Dzi bead is no different from cash. Because of their small size, they are easy to maintain and carried around, the royalty and the rich will exchange their domesticated animals, land and money for them. It is also not uncommon to see expensive goods being exchanged for Dzi beads.
Dzi bead is an essential ornament in a Tibetan lady's adulthood and marriage ceremony. The quantity and quality of the Dzi beads can reveal the wealth of the family. Besides that, Dzi Bead is also a precious medical ingredient in many Tibetan medical dictionaries.
Dzi bead is the Tibetan's most precious amulet. It is believed that devout worship of the Dzi Bead can remove hindrance of karma, receive blessings, prevention against stroke, guard against evil, improves vitality and increase wealth.
Strong Magnetic Energy
Dzi Beads possess nature's cosmic magnetic energy. According to a scientific study, Japanese researchers discovered that Dzi Beads contain 14 elements from Mars.
The 9 Eye Dzi Bead is the most popular type of Dzi Bead and the most powerful. It is often called the Wealth Bead due to its power to remove obstacles and replace them with personal and professional advancement, power, intelligence, success and boundless wealth.
The master has use very special auspious wood that is find in thailand to make this 9 eye Dzi bead. He use old tibetian magic to bless these 9 eye Dzo beads, follow by using thai magical arts to make hand written metal scroll which are find in these chains whci will make you more well loved by peoples and more richer than last time!
Metal scroll find on the chain to make you more well loved and more richer by each days.
After you has this chain of charms, its the precious key to success! Evil eye will come after you. Jealous people will come back stab you!Do not fear! This chain of treasures stop the evil eyes of people and spirits to stay away from you! Behind contain tiger gods which will stop people from jealous of you from your success, stop evil spirits to disturb you!
I believe you had heard of many success stories from people who has wear powerful Dzi beads, many people who has improved their lives after using powerful thai amulets. This chain of charms will be the one which will lead you to the road of success and unstoppable wealth.
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Rules Of Order Andor Magickally Stupid Not Magick
Rules, I love rules. Rules create order. I try to obey them, even when I dont understand them. I have, however, told my kids that some rules are created to protect stupid people because nobody in their right mind would run a red light in the middle of rush hour traffic. The neat coolio books that one obtains from these quaint occult bookstores are full of magickal rules and knowledge but seriously lacking the first hand experiences that I so desired. You know, the Rules for the Magickally Stupid. So again, I restate my intentions for this blog. I am trying to gain input from more experienced folks. I do NOT want it on a silver platter, thank you. I am just trying to preclude running some magickal red lights. And I dont want the Tim Burton version of the story, although his vision is definitely duly noted.
So in my efforts to ready myself for the Self Intitiation Ritual (SIR), I have been procuring advice, doing some research and practicing body mechanics. I was told to by a likely-reliable source to try not to attach too many impressions on it and in the same context was told:
"(Dont worry about it)... Dont even think at all"
This has been lighting up my tilt lights for quite sometime.
Then, Robert provided valuable insight on his HD, Robert's Rules of Magick, and the leaders of groups (SOB vs. milquetoast), which in my opinion completely contradicted the previous guidance(s) provided to me by the likely reliable resource.
So in the spirit of my "overthinking" things, I wondered the following about the likely-reliable resource:
Maybe the person doesnt know what I/they am/are talking about?
Maybe the wizard (see previous post) is tricking me?
Maybe I'm being set up to fail?
Maybe I'm not seeing the obvious connection between being an educated magician and "not thinking"? I WILL get to the level of "educated" one day though
Maybe I am being tested to show what I'm made of?
Either way (thinking or not thinking), I am going by my intuitions and will think about and research the aspects of the SIR, as much as possible. You know, "Doing Work". The Burtonized fluffy bunny version of the fairy-tale will be kept in mind but my BS meter will be actively engaged.
Thank You Robert (AKA POS) for your valuable insight, you definitely educated me on the multi-dimensions of magick, and magicians in general. (BOW)
Friday 28 June 2013 Church Leadership Training Resources
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Thursday This N That Broken Into Beautiful
Reference: witchnest.blogspot.com
Wednesday 26 June 2013 Quan Yin Goddess Of Mercy And Compassion
Guan Yin (, pinyin guanyin, Wade-Giles: kuan-yin) is an exact translation of Avalokitasvara (, Sanskrit). The prefix "ava" = down; "lokita = "to notice, behold, observe and "svara = "sound, noise or sound perceiver. Literally "he who perceives sound (or hears the cries of sentient beings who need help)." From Tibetan Chenrezig translates as "chen = "eye; "re = "continuity and" zig" = to look. From this one can derive the meaning "he who always looks upon all beings (with the eye of compassion). "Illustration right is Avalokite'svara.
According to legend, Quan Yin was born into this world as Miao Shan, the daughter of a king of the Chou Dynasty (1050-256 B.C.). Another legend says, in a previous time a devoted, compassionate monk became a Bodhisattva, who later became Avalokite'svara. Most of the Buddhas and Boddhisattvas have a living breathing man or woman associated with them. This shows humanities ability to become enlightened with dedicated practice.
In the Buddhist teachings, Avalokite'svara Bodhisattva postponed his own Buddhahood and vowed to end suffering by listening to and assisting every sentient being to attain enlightenment.
Lama Jigme a Tibetan Buddhist monk explains, "No matter how you address the Buddha of Compassion (by which name), the Buddha of Compassion is still the Buddha of Compassion." He says about the mantra, "Chenrezig's Six-syllable mantra, Om Ma-ni Pad-me Hum, is the compassionate wisdom of all the Buddhas manifested as sound. Illustration right is Chenrezig.
Bokar Rinpoche writes, "Every person whose heart is moved by love and compassion, who deeply and sincerely acts for the benefit of others without concern for fame, profit, social position, or recognition expresses the activity of Chenrezig."
Duane, Reiki Teacher says I've always found the theory that Quan Yin, Mother Mary, Isis, Avalokite'svara, Kannon and even Ha Hai-i Wuhti of Hopi Indian lore (amongst many others) are all actually one and the same manifesting at different times, to different cultures in an attempt to bolster the belief that love and compassion are amongst the stronger powers known to man to be quite fascinating."
Interesting indeed... let's take that a step further... ultimately we are all One. This implies that you and I are One, as well you and Quan Yin are One. And Quan Yin and I are One... as she and every sentient being are One. We humans just don't recognize this. We have forgotten and see ourselves as separate from everything and everyone. Isolated and alone... we suffer. This is an illusion! We simply have forgotten our connectedness and our own Sacredness.
A few Souls incarnate with full remembrance. Some of them we recognize and call 'Buddhas, Avatars, Saints or Messengers of God'. They are us... walking, breathing, talking reminders who impart knowledge. They show us 'Who We Truly Are'. But we only see their Specialness or Godliness, put them on pedestals and end up worshiping them. We create entire religions full of dogmas based on their messages. We think so little of ourselves that we couldn't possibly be 'THAT'. So we worship it, rather then remembering, emulating and becoming 'THAT' ourselves.
Even if we have the understanding we are 'THAT', we still don't fully believe. For if we did... when we do... we will walk not only in the footsteps of the Great Masters... we will be the One's creating the footsteps. All we have to do is set aside our beliefs, forget all we have learned, feel our connectedness and just be... in this moment.
We are all Love and Compassion in beautiful diversity. If we all walked this, imagine the wondrous, magical things we'd create together. Reiki helps us remember, builds our compassion and love, and reconnects us to the Gift of Spirit. Thanks Usui Sensei for this great gift!
~Bonnee
"This blog post was inspired by '"Reiki Sense of Compassion"' by Duane Flowers"
Origin: candle-magic.blogspot.com
Tuesday 25 June 2013 Powerful Ganesh Guru Yantra
On the spiritual unequivocally Ganesha symbolizes the upper limit attributes of Tutor. Ganesha is the imparter of the upper limit form of knowledge; the sure scholarly.
The Ganesh Yantra of a nature voguish is the symbolization of that upper limit aspect of knowledge. The meaning of the Sing of this Yantra Om Brahmanaspatye Namah is I check out the blessing of the one who is the lord of divine knowledge.
Tough Ganesh Tutor Yantra
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* Ganesh Sing for Consideration (prophet666.com)
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Wiccan Spell Amulet Success Accomplishments Goals Business Career Power Runes Herbs Gemstones Wicca Pagan
30,00USD
This vial pendant contains a runescript, gemstones and herbs known for their associations with power and success in general. The combination of earthy materials and ancient runic symbols are meant to draw to the wearer the ability to achieve goals, see and seize opportunities, take life into your own hands, and pursue your dreams... whether they be business and money related, magical, scholarly or more personal. The ingredients are also associated with self confidence and fire (courage and passion).
Makes a great gift to tell someone you want them to succeed at all they do, and let them know that you support their dreams.
Wear as a necklace or carry in your pocket or purse, or hang in your home or work space.
The metal and acrylic pendant comes on an approx. 17" (seventeen inch) gunmetal chain with a toggle clasp. If you need it to be longer or shorter just let me know and I will make it to fit you. Each of these are hand made upon ordering just for you, so please allow for small variances. Also, if you feel there is something extra or specific that you would like your amulet to encompass for you let me know via convo. or note to seller and we can work together.
Have a look at my other spell necklaces here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteMoonWitchcraft?section id=7693154
**NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN. DO NOT EAT THIS PRODUCT. If you have certain plant allergies this product may not be right for you. The pendant is not water tight, so dont get it wet.
*Ships from Canada. For important shipping info see my shop polices before ordering: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteMoonWitchcraft/policy
This vial pendant contains a runescript, gemstones and herbs known for their associations with power and success in general. The combination of earthy materials and ancient runic symbols are meant to draw to the wearer the ability to achieve goals, see and seize opportunities, take life into your own hands, and pursue your dreams... whether they be business and money related, magical, scholarly or more personal. The ingredients are also associated with self confidence and fire (courage and passion).
Makes a great gift to tell someone you want them to succeed at all they do, and let them know that you support their dreams.
Wear as a necklace or carry in your pocket or purse, or hang in your home or work space.
The metal and acrylic pendant comes on an approx. 17" (seventeen inch) gunmetal chain with a toggle clasp. If you need it to be longer or shorter just let me know and I will make it to fit you. Each of these are hand made upon ordering just for you, so please allow for small variances. Also, if you feel there is something extra or specific that you would like your amulet to encompass for you let me know via convo. or note to seller and we can work together.
Have a look at my other spell necklaces here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteMoonWitchcraft?section id=7693154
**NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN. DO NOT EAT THIS PRODUCT. If you have certain plant allergies this product may not be right for you. The pendant is not water tight, so dont get it wet.
*Ships from Canada. For important shipping info see my shop polices before ordering: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteMoonWitchcraft/policy
Ships from Canada
Monday 24 June 2013 Vienna Preserves Remains Of Destroyed Synagogue In Underground Museum
B"H
The sins of he Catholic Church have not been forgotten by generations of Jews, and they will probably never be forgiven. Reading about the forced conversions, expulsions, and burnings that took place still effect me on a very deep level.I read about the small toy horse and rider, and I think about the last moments of a child's life, hiding in the community synagogue while it is burned down around him, screaming "Shema Ysrael!" at the top of his lungs to fight against the heat and the smoke.
I think of other children, carried away from their families, screaming, by priests and nuns and forced to submit to a foreign god. Stripped of their heritage, their hope, and their families, their lives were destroyed.
I think of mothers and fathers, wracked with pain, forced onto rudderless boats in chains and robbed of their greatest possession: their children.
This is a horror story, told in an underground bunker. I am not surprised that, on their way to remembering the Holocaust, Hashm has lead the people of Vienna to remember that it is only one of many.
M
Vienna's underground synagogue
Aug. 21, 2008
STEPHEN GABRIEL ROSENBERG, THE JERUSALEM POST
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1219218610072 on the other, the large number of impoverished Jews who were considered to be a drain on the city. But in the case of Vienna, all the Jews, as well as others, were under the jurisdiction and protection of Duke Albrecht V, so he could not lose face by expelling them, as he had been asked to do by the pope. A libel was then concocted, as elsewhere, that the Jews had desecrated the host, the symbol of the body of Christ, and so it became an ecclesiastical matter and outside the competence of the duke.
On May 23, 1420, at the behest of the Church, Duke Albrecht ordered the forcible conversion of the Jews. Those that had not converted or escaped or been sent off in the boats were burned at the stake on March 12, 1421, and their beautiful synagogue destroyed.
Centuries later, after the horrors of the Holocaust, the city of Vienna agreed to erect a memorial to the victims of the Nazi camps and in 1995 a design was selected for erection in the Judenplatz, the central area of medieval Jewry in Vienna. The chosen memorial was to be an empty stone-faced building with locked doors, designed by the British sculptress Rachel Whitehouse, to symbolize the locking out and destruction of Viennese Jewry by the Nazis. Luckily, before this rather anodyne memorial was erected, the city decided to send in its archeological team to dig down under the Judenplatz to see if there were any remains of its past. The result was sensational.
Less than three meters below ground level, the experts came across the stump walls and foundations of the medieval synagogue that had been destroyed in 1421. Its ground plan was clear and the archeologists could discern that it had stood over a period of 200 years, in three distinct phases. Nearby they went down even further and found that the whole area had been used to build wooden barracks in the second century for the Roman soldiers that had occupied the area, then called Vindobona.
To the credit of the city fathers, their experts were allowed to work for three years to make a meticulous record of the three phases of the synagogue and to preserve its remains within an underground annex to what was to become the Jewish Museum of medieval Vienna. What did this medieval synagogue look like? As usual with archeological digs, a certain amount of imagination is required, but here there were a large number of clues. The whole history of the terrible events of 1420/1 had been recorded in a Hebrew document called the Gezera of Vienna, which aimed to warn other cities of what the future might hold for them.
The Gezera is a contemporary document written in a heavily Jewish style, recording the great fortitude of the Jews that refused to convert and predicting the early defeat and demise of the duke. It is written with pride and authority and reflects the past importance of the community and its shul. This is confirmed by the archeological finds.
The earliest synagogue was a simple rectangular room and can be dated to around 1236, by the find of a coin, an Austrian penny of that date, on the surface of the plaster floor. The wall with the ark faced southeast, the direction of Jerusalem. There was a small entrance lobby to the north and a narrow women's annex to the south, with window-slits into the main chamber.
Some years later, when presumably the community had increased in number and wealth, the synagogue was largely rebuilt to double the size by increasing its length and setting two columns in the interior to change the simple room into a double vaulted nave with a central bima (reader's platform), rather like the famous Altneu Shul of Prague, which dates from 1270. It had a rectangular bima, while that of Vienna was clearly hexagonal, a unique feature. The hexagon was formed by slender Gothic columns and hung with oil lamps, remains of which were found in the debris alongside.
In the last phase of the synagogue, which dates to about 1350 or later, the double-barreled hall was again extended, the ark placed on a raised platform and pushed further east, and several side rooms added which were probably used for study and may even have housed a small yeshiva. The text of the Gezera suggests that one was active in Vienna in the later years of the community. This time the women's annex was also increased, which it had not been in the second phase.
Among finds in the debris of the destruction were a fine wooden comb (of the kind still used today to check for lice eggs), a large drinking beaker, the remains of a small toy horse and rider and a metal stylus, as used for writing on wax. The handle was in the shape of a young boy, and possibly these finds indicate the use of the rooms for a Hebrew school for youngsters. Another find was a medieval key, perhaps even the key used by the shamash (beadle) to lock up the synagogue.
Nine lead tokens, the size of large coins, were also found. They were embossed with formal designs, such as an eagle, a rosette and one with two kings holding a crown, and they are unique in Austria. Though not definitely of Jewish origin, it is tempting to see them as associated with the money-lending trade, and they may have counted as ersatz money for use among the Jewish merchants.
Today these remains are beautifully exhibited in the underground museum, which is regularly visited by non-Jewish schoolchildren to give them a flavor of early Jewish life in their capital.
After the destruction of 1421, it was not until 1624 that the Emperor Ferdinand II allowed the Jews to return and settle in Leopoldstadt, a suburb situated between two arms of the newly-regulated Danube, and by 1670 there were 137 dwellings there housing some 500 Jewish families.
But it was not until 200 years later, in 1825, that another synagogue was built in the main town, the first one to be erected there after the destroyed medieval one. It was designed by a non-Jewish architect, famous for his theaters, and built behind a residential facade, as required by the Catholic Church at that time. Thus it escaped the destruction of the November 1938 Kristallnacht pogrom that destroyed the 59 other Jewish prayer halls of Vienna. Nevertheless the interior was later ransacked by the Nazis, but has now been restored to its former theatrical glory.
The Stadttempel, as it is called, is the glory of modern-day Jewish Vienna, but even with its checkered life of 180 years, it cannot compare with the remains of the medieval synagogue of pre-1421, so beautifully displayed in the underground museum under the Judenplatz, which dates active Jewish life in the city back to some 800 years ago.
The writer is a fellow of the W.F. Albright Institute of Archeological Research in Jerusalem.
Papa Legba Spirit At The Crossroads
"I AM THE STAFF OF HIS POWER IN HIS YOUTH, AND HE IS THE ROD OF MY OLD AGE. AND WHATEVER HE WILLS HAPPENS TO ME."
LEGBA THE MISTERIO OF THE CROSSROADS, IS A LOA THAT CAN BE AS NOBLE AS HE CAN BE CHAOTIC, HE CAN REPRESENT ORDER AND DISORDER, HE CAN BE CREATIVE AS HE IS DESTRUCTIVE. LEGBA IS THE DIVINE TRICKSTER OF THE ROADS, AND THE GREATEST SYMBOL OF TRANSFORMATION. HE IS THE YOUNG DISOBEDIENT CHILD BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE WISE OLD SAGE, HE EMBODIES CHANGE IN EVERY CORNER, IN EVERY STAGE, IN EVERY STEP ONE TAKES. ONE MOMENT ONE CAN BE STRONG AND HEALTHY AS AN OX, AND THE NEXT MOMENT ONE CAN BE AS FRAGILE AS A BUTTERFLY. IN ONE CORNER ONE CAN BE FULL OF VIBRANT LIFE, WHILE IN THE NEXT CORNER ONE CAN BE AS COLD AS A CORPSE. PAPA LEGBA REPRESENTS THE PATHWAYS ONE CHOOSES, TO BE AS DIVINE AS GOD SO INTENDS US TO BE "OUR CREATIVE NATURE", BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE EMBODIES HUMAN FAILINGS,"OUR DESTRUCTIVE NATURE."
LEGBA IS NOT ONE, BUT MANY AND THEY ARE ALWAYS PRESENT, ALWAYS VIGILANT, ALWAYS READY TO UNLEASH NEW FORMS OF CORRUPTION AND DESTRUCTION AS HE IS READY TO BRING BLESSINGS, ABUNDANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES. HE IS ONE OF THE ELDEST OF THE DIVINE SPIRITS BUT WITHIN HIM LIES THE VITALITY AND YOUTH THAT WOULD PORTRAY HIM AS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST. HE IS THE MASTER LINGUIST, THE GREAT MESSENGER, THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE KEYS TO THE REALM OF THE DIVINE, THE REALM OF THE LIVING AND THE REALM OF THE DEAD. LEGBA IS ALSO VERY WISE AND OFTEN RESIDES IN EVERY REALM, OFTEN ON THE SIDE OR ON THE OUTSKIRTS, UNNOTICED BUT ALWAYS WATCHING, VIGILANT AND ALWAYS READY TO ACT.
LEGBA IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE CROSSROADS BUT ALSO THE GUARDIAN OF PATHWAYS, OF ENTRANCES AND EXITS, AND IT IS WITHIN THESE POINTS THAT HE HAS THE POWER OVER DESTINY WHICH HE IS SECOND IN RANKS UNDER THE DIVINE SPIRIT OF DESTINY, FA. BUT UNLIKE FA WHO STANDS HIGH ABOVE IN A REMOTE AREA OFTEN UNREACHABLE, LEGBA IS CLOSE TO THE GROUND, BELOW A PERSON'S HEAD AND TORSO, SYMBOLIZING HIS CLOSENESS AND EVER PRESENCE IN OUR WORLD.
LEGBA AS THE GHEDE CAN BE MALICIOUS, AND OFTEN IGNORES SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS AND HIS DECEITFUL, OFTEN MALICIOUS TRICKSTER WAYS KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES, THIS GOES FOR THE LIVING, THE DEAD, THE DIVINE AND THE DEMONIC ALIKE. BUT LEGBA IS A MISTERIO WHICH NO ONE CAN FULLY COMPREHEND, AND OFTEN HIS ACTS OF TRECHERY AND DECEITFULNESS, WHICH AT THE TIME SEAMS UNJUSTIFIED TO THE HUMANS HE DEALS HIS CARDS TO IS THE WAY LEGBA HELPS THOSE WHO NEED IT, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO RECONCILE AND FIND A SOLUTION WHICH IN TURN WILL RESTORE BALANCE IN THE INDIVIDUALS LIFE.
LIKE THE GEDE, ELEGBA'S APPETITE IS COLOSSAL, AND LIKE THE OGUN, HIS JOB IS NEVER DONE, FOR HE LIKE OGUN, KNOWS NO REST. IT IS BECAUSE OF LEGBA'S OFTEN MALICIOUS, PLAYFUL AND TRICKSTER WAYS, BUEN DIOS EL TODOPODEROSO "GOD" AND UNLIKE OTHER DIVISION OF SPIRITS THAT ARE GOVERNED BY A HEAD SPIRIT, LEGBA DOES NOT HAVE HIS OWN KINGDOM AND DOES NOT GOVERN ANY, BUT HE IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EVERY DIVISION, BECAUSE WITHOUT FIRST AGKNOWLEDING HIS PRESENCE, HE WILL REFUSE TO OPEN THE GATEWAYS TO OTHER LOASES. BUT AS I HAVE STATED LEGBA ARE MANY, THEY ARE LIKE EVERY DIVISION, A LEGION; AND IN SANSE AND 21 DIVISION THEY ARE KNOWN COLLECTIVELY AS LEBANES, LECUAS OR LEGUAS. PAPA BUEN DIOS KNOWS THAT TO HAVE A DIVISION OF LEGBA APART FROM OTHER DIVISIONS WOULD BE A GROUP OF MASTERS OF CHAOS AND DISORDER. FOR THIS REASON EACH LEGBA ALTHOUGH THEY WORK UNDER OTHER DIVISIONS, ARE NEVER VIEWED AS LESS THAN OR INSIGNIFICANT THAN THE LEADER OF THAT PARTICULAR DIVISION, FOR TO SEE IT THAT WAY IS TO INSULT LEGBA, INSURING THAT HE DOES NOT OPEN THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND BLESSING AND IN TURN BRINGING CHAOS INTO AN INDIVIDUALS LIFE.
ELEGBA "LEGBA" IS HERE AND THERE, IN ONE PLACE AT A TIME, BUT STILL IN MANY, AND THEIR IS NO KINGDOM OR DIVISION OF SPIRITS WHERE ELEGBA IS NOT PRESENT. HE IS IN EVERY HOUSE, IN EVERY DOOR, IN EVERY PATHWAY, IN EVERY CORNER, AND IT IS THERE WHERE ELEGBA LEARNS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS. HE THUS BECOMES THE EMISSARY OF GOD, HIS SPOKESMAN, INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, BETWEEN MEN AND SPIRIT, BETWEEN THE DIVINE AND HOLY, AND THE DEMONIC. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE ALWAYS QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS MORAL JUDGMENT AND HIS SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY. HE IS ALWAYS UNPREDICTABLE AND UNCONTROLLABLE, AND FOR THIS REASON LIKE ALL LOA HE IS A MYSTERY.
IN AFRICA AS IS WITH CUBA ELEGBA "ELEGGUA / NI~nO DE ATOCHA" IS VIEWED AS A YOUNG, PHALLIC SPIRIT WITH AN UNSEASONAL APPETITE FOR SEXUAL ENERGY, BUT IN HAITI HE IS VIEWED AS PAPA LEGBA, "SAINT LAZARUS" THE ANCIENT WHITE BEARED SAGE OF EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM. IN SANTO DOMINGO AND PUERTO RICO HE IS SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA "LEGGUA" HOLDING BABY JESUS, BOTH YOUNG AND OLD BUT OF THE SAME NACION, WHILE SAN LAZARUS IS PAPA VIEJO OR LEGBA CARIFU, THE ELDER SPIRIT WHO HAS CROSSED MANY ROADS IN HIS LIFE AND IS ALWAYS READY FOR THE NEXT ROAD AND STAGE OF HIS LIFE.
IN ALL TRADITIONS, UMBANDA, CANDOMBLE, SANTERIA, SANSE, AND ALL IN BETWEEN, HE IS INVOKED AND PRAYED TO FIRST BEFORE ANY OTHER MISTERIO, BEFORE ANY DIVISION, SO THAT THE LIVING ENSURE THAT HE IS PLEASED AND WILL ALLOW THE GATEWAYS TO BE OPENED. EVEN IN ESPIRITISMO CRIOLLO ONE KNOCKS ON THE WOODEN TABLE THREE TIMES TO SAN HILARION ENSURING HIS BLESSINGS, BEFORE ANY CANDLE IS LIT OR BELL RUNG.
ALTHOUGH MANY TRADITIONS SYNCHRONIZE HIM WITH EL NI~nO DE ATOCHA, AND SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA, "EACH LEGUA HAS HIS VUELTA.". MANY SYNCHRONIZE PAPA LEGBA WITH THAT OF SAN LAZARUS, WHILE THE YOUNGER SPIRITS WITHIN THIS DIVISION ENJOY TO DANCE AND PLAY PRANKS, THE ELDERS OF THIS DIVISION ARE SAREEN AND WALK WITH A LIMP, IN WHICH THEY SUPPORT THEIR BALANCE BY A CANE, CRUTCHES OR WALKING STICKS. WHILE THE YOUNGER LEGBAS DRESS IN FINE SATINS AND SILK ADORNED WITH COWRIE SHELLS, THE ELDER LEGBAS DRESS IN TATTERED HEAVILY USED SACK CLOTHS WHICH DEMONSTRATES THEIR ON GOING MISSION, AGE AND HARD WORK. WHILE THE YOUNGER LEGBA ENJOY, SWEETS, TOYS, WHISTLES, COINS, NOISE MAKERS, SWEETENED COFFEE WITH MILK SINCE HE IS THE ONE WHO OPENS THE DOORS, MAPPING THE DIRECTION AND PASSES ALONG THE PATHS, THE ONE WHO KNOWS ALL LANGUAGES.
"PAPA LEGBA, ABRE LA PUERTA PARA M'i, PAPA LEGBA, ABRE LA PUERTA PARA M'i ABRE LA PUERTA PARA M'i, PAPA, !PARA YO PASAR, CUANDO VUELVA YO LE AGRADECER'e AL LWA! ABRA LA VERJA PARA EL LWA, ABRA LA VERJA PAPA LEGBA. ABRA LA VERJA PARA EL LWA, ABRA LA VERJA, PAPA LEGBA QUE HEMOS LLEGADO, QUE ESPERAR'e POR ELLOS AQU'i. PAPA LEGBA, OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME, PAPA LEGBA, OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME, PAPA LEGBA, I GO TO WHEN I AGAIN THANK THE LWA! OPEN THE GATE TO THE LWA, OPEN THE GATE, OPEN THE GATE FOR THE LWA FOR ME PAPA LEGBA, OPEN THE GATE, PAPA LEGBA AND I WILL WAIT FOR THEN HERE."
LEGBA IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE CENTRAL POLE USED TO INVOKE THE OTHER LOA WITHIN THE TEMPLES. HE IS THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH RESTS THE WORLD OF BOTH THE DEAD AND THE MYSTERIES. HIS STAFF, CANE OR POLE SYMBOLIZES THE PHALIC SYMBOL IN WHICH LIFE ALL THOUGH UNSEEN AT FIRST COMES THROUGH. HE SIMPLY IS THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH RESTS THE SPIRIT WORLD, AND HE IS THE CENTRAL AXIS OF EVERY PUNTO FIRMADO, EVERY VEVE AND EVERY SIGIL WRITTEN WITH CASCARILLA, SALT OR POWDERED CORN MEAL "NO MATTER HOW SIMPLE OR COMPLEX" IN WHICH ALL MISTERIO MANIFEST.
ALTHOUGH ELEGBA IS A TRICKSTER LWA HE IS ALSO THE MASTER OF HUMBLENESS AND HUMILITY. HUMILITY IS A WAY TO SEE THE VIRTUES OF THOSE AROUND YOU AND IN TRULY UNDERSTANDING THEIR ATTITUDE IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION. WHEN A PERSON IS HUMBLE, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF OTHERS. ONLY WITH HUMILITY AND HUMBLENESS CAN HUMANS COMMUNICATE AND SHARE IDEAS, AND IT IS IN THESE GREAT VIRTUES WHERE PAPA LEGBA MANIFESTS.
AS LEGBA IS HUMBLE AND A TRICKSTER AT THE SAME TIME, HE ALSO DEMONSTRATES THAT AMONGST THE HUMBLE IS WHERE HE IS PRESENT BESTOWING HIS BLESSINGS, WHILE AMONGST THE CORRUPT, HE IS PRESENT WAITING FOR THE MOMENT TO STRIKE HIS MIGHTY BLOW. ALTHOUGH HE IS PRESENT IN ALL CEREMONIES, IT IS WITHIN THE MOST MODEST OF GATHERINGS THAT ONE SEES THE SIDE OF PAPA LEGBA FEW RARELY WITNESS.
AS THE MASTER LINGUIST AND MESSENGER OF THE MISRERIOS, LOASES, ORISHA AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF SPIRITS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THOSE THAT FOLLOW THESE TRADITIONS KNOW THE NAME OF THE CAMINO OR VUELTA OF LEGUA THAT MAKES UP THEIR CUADRO. FOR THIS REASON THE GUERILLERO CEREMONY IN OCHA AND THE PUNTO DE LOS ENCRUCIJADAS IN SANSE IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE WITHIN THESE TRADITIONS, AND THE VUELTA OR CAMINO OF THESE SPIRITS CAN ONLY BE DECIPHERED BY THOSE HIGHLY TRAINED INITIATES OF THESE TRADITIONS.
Papa Legba is an old man, of a thin and lithesome body, and is viewed as a dark skinned man or a well suntanned individual, because he's always in the open sunlight the roads and covers up in the coolness of night. Like the Santeria Orisha Babalu Aye, Papa Legba is often seen accompanied by dogs. In Sanse the healing aspect of Babalu Aye is synchronized with Saint Roque and is known as the Lwa Papa Sobo. Although Saint Lazarus is also seen as Legba Carifou the Legba who can bring illnesses at the crossroads and passages of life.
He is feared, greatly respected, always venerated and loved especially since he demonstrates kindness and opens the pathways for great opportunities. If Legba was the demons within Pandora's box he would be every single one, especially that one known as Hope.
EVERY DAY BELONGS TO LEGBA BUT HE IS TRADITIONALLY VENERATED ON MONDAYS. IN HIS RADA PERSONAGE HE FAVORS THE COLORS RED AND WHITE, WHILE IN HIS PETRO PERSONAGE RED AND BLACK ARE HIS COLORS. IN DOMINICAN 21 DIVISION AND THE PUERTO RICAN SANSE TRADITION, BROWN IS ALSO ADDED TO HIS COLORS. HIS SACRED SYMBOLS ARE SKELETON KEYS, CROSSES, CANES AND CRUTCHES, AND EACH OF HIS VUELTA WITHIN SANSE, VODOU AND 21 DIVISION HE IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH A CATHOLIC SAINT SUCH NINO DE ATOCHA, SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA, SAN PEDRO AND SAN LAZARO WHILE IN CUBAN ESPIRIRISMO CRUZADO AND PUERTO RICAN ESPIRIRISMO DE LA MESA BLANCA HE IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAN HILARION, WHO IS KNOWN AS LECUA OR LEGUA IN SANSE. EVERY AFRO CARRIBEAN AND AFRO SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY HAS A PAPA LEGBA, AND HE IS KNOWN AS EXU, ESHU, LEBA, ELEGBARA, ELEGGUA, ELEDA, ELEGUASITO, E`u, AND LUBANIBA, TO NAME A FEW.
PAPA LEGBA ENJOYS HIS TOBACCO, HIS CIGAR SMOKE CAN NOT BE REPLACED, "IF YOUR HEALTH CONSCIOUS, THEN PAPA LEGBA IS NOT A LOA YOU WANT TO WORK WITH.". PAPA LEGBA LOVES TO COVER HIS HEAD WITH A PAVA "STRAW HAT, AND WHILE MOST OF HIS OFFERINGS ARE PLACED ON THE GROUND HE OFTEN WILL EXCEPT A SACK CLOTH BAG FILLED WITH HIS OFFERINGS WHICH IS HUNG ON A BRANCH OF A.CEIBA TREE NEAR OR ON A CROSSROADS. HE HAS A FAITHFUL WIFE WHO IS ALSO A LWA AND HER NAME IS ADJESSI. ADJESSI IS THE FEMININE ASPECT OF PAPA LEGBA AND IS KNOWN IN SOME TRADITIONS AS POMBA GIRA. ADJESSI IN HAITIAN VODOU IS KNOWN AS GRAN AYIZAN VELEKETE WHO IS THE WIFE OF LOCO. PAPA LOCO AS HE IS ALSO KNOWN IN A VUELTA OF PAPA LEGBA WHO IS SYNCHRENIZED WITH SAN JOAQUIN AND IS THE LWA WHO LEADS SPIRITS OF THE DEAD INTO THE HEAD. ADJESSI / AYIZAN IS ALSO KNOWN AS LA SE~nORITA KLEMEZIN KLEMEY OR METRESA CLARABEL AND IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAINT CLAIRE.
IN LEGBA'S DARKEST PETRO ASPECTS HE IS KARIFU, OR ESHU, AND SOME SYNCHRONIZE THIS LOA WITH THE ANGEL OF THE MORNING STAR, THE LIGHT BRINGER OR THE LOA WHO HAS THE KEYS TO THE REALMS OF HELL. IN THIS VUELTA HE IS ALSO KNOWN AS LEGBA MANOSE ( LEGBA NAN PETRO ) WHO IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE CATHOLIC SAINT, SAN CAYETANO.
AS I HAVE STATED PAPA LEGBA IS ALWAYS SALUTED WITH RUM, WATER AND TOBACCO SMOKE, AND HE IS THE LOA THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO US THROUGH DIVINATION TOOLS SUCH AS THE COCONUT, SEA SHELLS, BONES, TOBACCO, DICE, PLAYING CARDS AND THE TAROT. ( IN THE TAROT HE IS EL LOCO, THE JESTER OR THE FOOL CARD.) HIS ATTENTION IS GOTTEN BY THE WRAPPING OF THE ALTAR WITH THE KNUCKLES, THE RINGING OF THE CAMPANA, OR THE RATTLING OF THE MARACA, TCHA TCHA, ASSON, OR CHEKERE. EACH TRADITION AND DIVISION OF SPIRITS HAS ITS TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT USED FOR GETTING HIS ATTENTION AND GESTURES.
SERVICIOS
PAPA LEGBA ENJOYS MANY SERVICIOS AND EACH VUELTA HAS HIS PREFERENCE, AND IS ALWAYS DETERMINED BY THE CASTING OF COCONUT OR SEA SHELLS. HE ENJOYS TO DRINK WATER, HARD LIQUOR, COFFEE, AND COLA SOFT DRINKS, AND HE ENJOYS TO FEAST ON CORN MEAL, POP CORN, BREAD, PLANTAINS, YAMS, YUCCA, MALANGA SMOTHERED IN PALM OIL AND SPRINKLED WITH COCONUT MEAT. OFFERINGS INCLUDE STEAK, PORK, POLTRY, GOAT MEAT AND ALL FRESH FRUIT, THE FRUIT IS OFTEN SERVED WITH FRESH SUGAR CANE AND PLACED WITHIN JIGUERAS. IN SOME ASPECTS HE ENJOYS SALTED FISH AND ROOSTER MEAT, SERVED OVER BLACK OR RED BEANS AND RICE, AND IS ALWAYS TOPPED OF WITH A GLASS OF LIQUOR AND A LIT PIPE OF TOBACCO OR LIT CIGARS. HIS YOUNGER VUELTAS ENJOYS HARD CANDIES, COINS, SWEETENED YUCA GUAVA PAIST AND FROSTED CAKES, WHILE HIS PETRO VUELTAS ENJOY FOODS PREPARED WITH A LOT OF SPICES, CAYENNE PEPPERS, OR HOT CHILI OR TOBACCO SAUCE ALL SERVED ON TERRA COTTA PLATES, HOLLOWED GOURDS AND JIGUERAS.
THERE ARE MANY VUELTAS OF LEGBA, SOME HONORED IN TEMPLES WHILE OTHERS IN SOCIEDADES. SOME ARE KNOWN MORE SO IN ONE TRADITION, WHILE OTHERS ARE ONLY VENERATED IN SMALLER SOCIEDADES. OF THESE ONE FINDS LEGBA THE VAGABOND THAT WALKS DURING THE NIGHT, OR LEGBA MIWA THAT RESIDES MIWA BEHIND MIRRORS, LEGBA EL VIEJO THAT RESIDES WITHIN MIRRORS, LEGBA OF THE CROSSROADS, OR LEGBA WITH HIS CANE OR PITCH FORK, LEGBA THE TRICKSTER OR LEGBA THE SAGE, BUT NO MATTER WHERE ONE FINDS HIM; ONE ALWAYS FINDS A LOA OF RAW HUMAN EMOTIONS, FEARS AND DESIRES.
PRAYER TO ESHU
I praise the mysteries and power of Eshu!
You are the messenger of Olodumare, the Orisha and the Ancestors
You are the owner of the four directions:
North, South, East and West
You are the keeper of the Ashe' of the Orisha
You are the guardian of the gates of fortune
You are the Lord of flexibility
You are the Lord of choice, chance and change!
Eshu protect my family.
Protect the initiates of the Temple and me also.
Let me not be moved against the people.
Let not the people be moved against me.
Grant me long life.
Grant me peace.
Grant me elevation of my consciousness.
Grant me the ability to use my own hands.
Eshu I salute you
"
SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS
Happy Birthday Paracelsus
Friday 21 June 2013 Website Egodeath Com
Credit: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
Thursday 20 June 2013 10 Suggestions On How To Celebrate Wicca Festivalswitch Sabbatts If Youre Restricted
1) One of the easiest ways to quietly celebrate is to wear colours associated with the festival on the day. So for Litha, dig out your red, orange, yellow and green clothes!2) Make a small gesture while you are out. It can mean sitting quietly for 10 minutes in the sun and appreciating the glory of its heat. Or it could be an act of giving to show your humble thanks - flowers for a friend, putting some money in a charity box. 3) Cook with traditional foods. So for Litha this will include honey, thyme or summer fruits. 4) Light a candle and aim to have some time for quiet contemplation in front of, or around, it. No one need know what you're thinking. 5) Break up rituals into smaller segments so that you fit in 5 minutes in the morning and say, 10 minutes later on in the evening.6) Carry something with you all day, such as a Litha gemstone (anything yellow or green, tiger's eye and lapis lazuli), a pressed flower (or lavender), an amulet or a God or Goddess representation.7) Generally have a bit of fun - especially for Litha! This is the time to connect with the fairies/faeries/fey and so a bit of mischievous giggling and laughter will conjure the right feel and tone.8) A quick tarot reading can be very beneficial if you have cards with you. The energies are very often lively and open so even if you are not experienced you can get some great insight. 9) If you grew herbs such as mint or parsley at Ostara, make a small ritual out of cutting and using your successful yield. Yep, even I can grow mint!10) Lastly, say a few words to yourself. They can be in the style of an incantation, something self-affirming that you intend to do over the next few months or something between you and the divine Gods and Goddesses. As long as it's meaningful to you, it will be altering the energies around you in a positive way and will make the difference.
Source: about-world-religions.blogspot.com
Tuesday 18 June 2013 I Have Difficulty Supporting Inernational Pagan Coming Out Day
In their very own words, "IPCOD is a not-for-profit organization working to achieve greater acceptance and equity for Pagans at home, at work, and in every community."
Basically, May 2 is encouraged to be a day when pagans who are ready, are to share with others that they are pagan. The key word there is "ready." What I do like about this movement is that it's not about coming out of the broom closet is not taken lightly. They understand that doing so is a very complex issue and offer guidance on their website about the subject. The page offering a guide to coming out can be found here.
IPCOD lists their reasons for encouraging pagans to come out as this:
"There are benefits, personally and for our religious community as a whole, as more Pagans come out. Some of these benefits include the reduction of anxiety caused by living a double life and creating a climate of greater acceptance for all Pagans."
Why I Don't Wholeheartedly Agree With This Statement
Unfortunately there's also a lot that I don't like about this movement. Most of all, I find the entire thing far too simplistic.
If I came out, would I end this so called anxiety about living a double life? Sure, but what this website seems to minimize is the anxiety that you would be getting in it's place. One day you are considered normal by your family, friends, and significant other....once you've came out you just might become the span of Satan. Does that sound like all your anxiety is going to be gone?
For me the anxiety would increase tenfold. Not for myself but my children. If everyone I knew really discovered that I was a pagan what would they think of me as a mother? Would I risk losing my children? Would their friends treat them differently? Would they lose friends? This is why I stay in the broom closet with all but my closest family and friends. I do it for my children!
IPCOD does list the following as Risks of Coming Out
o Not everyone will be understanding or accepting.
o Some relationships may be permanently changed.
o In extreme cases, coming out may cause economic hardship or could have a negative impact on child custody cases.
What? Does this make coming out sound worth it to you? You may be tormented every day. You may lose friends and family. You may lose your job. And you may lose your children.
In this day and age, I would be better off coming out as a lesbian. It would be better received than that I'm a pagan. I understand that in order to make paganism better accepted more people do need to come out. You can't change the perception of paganism without doing so. However, as a mother, I'm not willing to martyr myself or my children!
One can argue however that by hiding who I truly am, I'm not teaching them to be true to themselves. I can certainly understand that point of view and I don't deny it. But their care, safety and well-being comes first. If I come out to the world as a pagan, I will no longer be putting my children first.
IPCOD states, "It's a day when individuals, deciding on their own terms, take a step that helps foster a society that truly does tolerate all religions."
Wait? All religions? I thought we were supposed to be creating a better acceptance of paganism? Now our coming out is somehow going to create people to accept Islam after 9/11, Scientology, and The Flying Spaghetti Monster?
I for one am not sure that I want all religions to be accepted. Should we tolerate the Extreme Muslims that encourage people to become suicide bombers or the Fundamental Right Christians that are trying to take away basic health care for women?
I know, I know. That's not what IPCOD means right?
I used to constantly advocate religious tolerance but there's a double edged sword there. What is the limit to what we are supposed to tolerate? If a religion is created that makes human sacrifice part of their ritual are we supposed to tolerate that? I know this is an extreme example but the more I see religions causing harm, the more I want to get rid of the idea of "religion" all together.
I know all of this is a very pessimistic view about what should be a very great thing. Having this opinion certainly won't get me any fans and may even piss some people off. I do believe it will be a great thing...eventually. I just think in the world today we have bigger priorities. Basic human rights are being taken away. I think out priority right now should be fighting for our right to survive meaning we have decent jobs, healthy food, and great health care. Once we have those in place, then I feel we can start to work on being accepted for who we are.
What would be the point of people accepting that we are pagan if we are still destitute, hungry, and sick? The worst part is that IPCOD is honest and says these are the very things that could happen as a result of coming out! Doesn't that seem ass backwards?
I'm not saying International Pagan Coming Out Day isn't a good thing, a great thing even. But everything can't be solved in a day. Just as Earth Day has gotten backlash for being a movement that focuses on a day and not a lifetime of everyday choices, I see something similar going on here with International Pagan Coming Out Day. One day isn't going to fix thousands of years of intolerance.
Has the gay and lesbian community ended intolerance by declaring "I'm here! I'm queer! Deal with it?" It's happened very very gradually. I do think that us pagans are next. We are next on the list to gain acceptance. But it's not going to happen by assaulting the opposition with an "I'm here! I'm pagan! Deal with it!" attitude.
For me what has worked is letting my friends and family that know very gradually. First, I share my interest in astrology. Then maybe I express that I think God is a woman. Over time, I shared my interests with them and when they wouldn't get a shock to the system I admitted that I was a pagan and practiced witchcraft. Gradually has NEVER failed me!
Now when I said a version of, "I'm here! I'm pagan! Deal with it!" gaining acceptance failed EVERY single time.
It's also been a gradual process working up to the world. I started with my closest friends. Then told a few family members. Next a few more trusted friends. Over the years my circle of those that know has slowly but surely gotten bigger. I like it this way. I don't want the whole world to know at once. I wouldn't be able to handle that.
Most of all, I don't think coming out of the broom closet should be done because it's been turned into a damn holiday. It just cheapens it somehow for me. The time that is right is different for everyone. No one should circle a date on a calender and decide that should be the day that you come out. For me, then it's no longer a personal path. Spirituality and identity is no longer a personal journey. Coming out of the broom closest is one of the most personal experiences that you can have. No one should ever do it because of a date on the calender.
I know I'm supposed to write about how great a movement I think this is but we don't even tolerate each other in the pagan community! This is why we have the Pagan Enough movement. If we can't even tolerate each other, is it realistic that the rest of the world will?
I am sure I will get barraged with comments from people insisting that I am overly negative about International Pagan Coming Out Day and that an immense amount of good will come out of this movement. I hope it does. Sincerely I do. But at the same time if one person experiences harm because of this, then it isn't successful. Lives could become ruined because of this day. It's no exaggeration to say that people could even die because of this day. I hope the creators are willing to shoulder that kind of karma.
When we say we want acceptance as pagans, what exactly does that mean? When a person says the words "acceptance" and "tolerance" it can mean many different things to many different people? Do we want paganism to be accepted as a valid religion? Do we want respect? Do we want magick to be taken seriously? Do we want to have open conversations with people of other religions? Or do we simply mean that we want to be left alone and free to practice and believe what we want? Does it mean we have the same equal rights as other religions? No here on the IPCOD website did I find this explained.
After writing this post, I found an article at Patheon that brings the term "pagan" into question. The article is titled "Is It time for Pagans to Stop Being Pagan." It argues that "pagan" as an umbrella term fails to adequately describe what paganism is. We have such diverse practices and beliefs that the word "pagan" simply is not sufficient to describe what we all do. With such diversity under the term "pagan," is it reasonable to expect the world to understand what it is that we practice and gain this acceptance and tolerance that we strive for? I have spoken to so many people that practice paganism, Wicca, and witchcraft that would prefer to not be labeled at all.
I also took issue with the fact that IPCOD said the difference between them and Pagan Pride is"that Pagan Pride is for people who are already out of the closet and headed for the front door." Really? That seems pretty inaccurate to me. When I looked up Pagan Pride it was said that it's "Pagan Pride is a movement among the American Neopagan community to provide a positive public image of Neopagans and Neopaganism." The fact that IPCOD defined Pagan Pride their own way left a very bad taste in my mouth. It sounds to me that they have the exact same goals. And what the heck is meant by "headed for the front door?"
Are they the ones chanting "We're here. We're pagan! Deal with it!"?
Monday 17 June 2013 Does Superstition Really Help You Win Bingo
Sunday 16 June 2013 Interview With Joanne Harris Runemarks And Runelight Part Four
Joanne Harris "> Are you more interested in how the runes were used in pre-conversion Europe or how they're used in the modern world?
"Fava Bean Elder Futhar Rune Set"
Seriously. "Futhar" runes made from fava beans.
Sold as "perfect for those practicing Italian witchcraft."
What.
JH - I don't think we can truly know how the runes were originally used. We can try to guess - and there are clues to be found, both in ancient texts and in the original languages - but my view is that belief in magic, like belief in religion, is a very personal thing. Blind adherence to rules set out a thousand or two thousand years ago is as pointless as trying to pretend that scientific advancement has not changed our perception of the Divine. My attitude is this: if it works for you, then that's the way to do it for you. It may not work for anyone else, but that isn't your problem. To paraphrase "Siddharta", everyone follows his own path. If you're following anyone else - even me - you're going the wrong way.
My interest in runes spans both the ancient and modern beliefs. I included rune-casting in the "modern pagan" sense because, regardless of its usage (or not) in earlier times, it has been assimilated into modern practice to fit changing times and attitudes. This I think is perfectly acceptable; we should not feel constrained to think backward in terms of spirituality, but to build on whatever wisdom we have inherited.
Earthquakes are actually caused by the
Amazing Lava Man. Everybody knows "that".
KS - At one point in "Runemarks", Maddy thinks through the various explanations of earthquakes she's been given. One ties them to the writhing of the World Serpent at the root of the World Tree; one connects them to a semi-Christian idea of the struggles of wicked souls in the underworld as they wait for the End of Days. Odin provides a third explanation, telling Maddy about "rivers of fire under the earth and avalanches of hot mud and mountains boiling over like kettles; but this seemed to Maddy to be the least likely explanation of all, and she was inclined to believe that he had exaggerated the tale, as he did so many things." This can be read as fairly accurate representation of the struggle between religious belief and scientific understanding here in the United States, unfortunately! Religion offers simple answers and eternal truths; science asks for complex thought and constant questioning. How would you describe the relationship between religion and science in the United Kingdom today?
JH - I guess we have the same conflicts as in the US. We in the UK tend to inherit the US's social problems somewhere along the line, including some of the more extreme manifestations of religious mania. We have not yet gone so far as to teach creationism in our schools, but it's only a matter of time. Already a number of Catholic schools have refused to allow their female pupils to take a vaccine that protects them against cervical cancer on the grounds that it would "encourage immorality." The heart sinks at such stupidity. But...
"
Doctor Faustus making a deal with the Devil
I don't believe the role of religion should be to offer "simple answers." Like Goethe's Faust"- as opposed to Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus"- I think that the human condition is to strive, and that as soon as we stop striving (to explore, to understand, to create, to live in harmony with each other), then we have lost our way. In ancient times, our perception of the divine was limited by our limited knowledge of the world around us. At that time, it was perfectly acceptable to believe in such things as a flat earth or a physical Hell, to see perfectly natural phenomena as part of a supernatural universe.
The God of the Old Testament (and elsewhere) is a very primitive depiction of the divine - as represented by some very primitive people living in a primitive time, who see him as a kind of vengeful warlord with a mentality as barbaric as their own. The God of the New Testament is very different. Two thousand years later, even aspects of the New Testament (the Immaculate Conception, etc.) are being disputed by the church, and many parts of the Old Testament (e.g., stoning your son for drunkenness, not wearing mixed fibers, human sacrifice, etc.) have been dismissed by most as no longer valid in a modern context.
What I'm saying is that, as our knowledge of the universe has expanded, so should our appreciation of the divine. I don't see science and religion as mutually exclusive. The world is changing constantly. So must our assumptions.
"
How much can we trust the V"olusp'a" prophetess?
Faroe Islands postage stamp by Anker Eli Petersen
KS - Your novels contain several clever examples of folk etymology. "AEsir" is linked to "Seer-Folk", which is reminiscent of Snorri Sturluson's idea that the AEsir came from Asia. This is an interesting take on oral transmission and transmutation. You've written that "no-one had written [the Norse myths] down at the time, and the fullest accounts came from Christian chroniclers centuries later, and were at best, incomplete, and at worst, badly distorted." In "Runemarks", Loki says that "there's rather a lot the Oracle didn't foretell, and old tales have a habit of getting twisted." The tagline for "Runelight" is "Never trust an Oracle," and there's a suggestion that "V"olusp'a" simply contains the untrustworthy words of a prophetess, not a statement of fact or religious dogma. I really like your idea that the myths may not tell the whole truth, which ties in with the debate (among both scholars and heathens) about the trustworthiness of the surviving mythology as an actual record of pre-Christian belief. Many of your characters were worshiped as living gods in the ancient North (and in modern pagan revivals), and we know that at least "some" actual religious belief is recorded in the myths. How do you personally see the relationship of religion, myth and literature? How does it affect you as an author to know that some readers literally worship the characters your write about?
"
Some selected Norse gods on the Runemarks
" coverJH - I don't see the gods of" Runemarks" as my characters or my property, and I hope I've left enough leeway in my fiction for my 'Asatr'u readers to understand that I am not in any way trying to make fun of the gods they worship. What I'm trying to do in my way is to demonstrate how stories evolve and how heroes - be they religious figures, historical figures or both - cast long shadows in their wake. These shadows become part of the oral and written tradition and, as centuries pass, are embellished, rewritten and re-interpreted by successive generations. Thus a hero can become a god or a god dwindle into legend. I hope I haven't offended anyone who truly believes; that was never my intention.
KS - Your portrayal of the Order - the new religion that basically takes over after Ragnar"ok - is pretty grim. You write that the Order's "temples were built on the ruins of springs and barrows and standing stones that once were sacred to an older faith" and that its members kill animals born with runemarks, take babies born with runemarks away from their parents, empty pagan barrows and reconsecrate them, and hang and burn pagans as people "who were in fact the servants of the enemy, and therefore had no souls to save." You have written that you don't hate Christians or "the Catholic Church, organized religion or any other kind of religious group. What I do hate is intolerance, repression, moral superiority, the concepts of original sin, holy war and eternal damnation, plus the various acts that certain individuals are willing to perpetrate in the name of their religion, certain that God is on their side." Without ever mentioning Christianity in your novels, it's pretty clear that the Order is a mythologized version of the Church, since so many of your examples parallel the actual (and often violent) history of northern conversion. There are a vast number of ways to turn Norse mythology into modern fiction (cf. J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", M.D. Lachlan's "Wolfsangel", Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's "Thor", etc.), but you chose to focus on the (literarily transformed) clash between paganism and Christianity. Why did you choose this particular aspect?
Today, there's a lot of talk about a war on religion and a war on women.
Way back in 1612, the ladies of Pendle "really" had it rough.
JH - Because it is the closest thing to what really happened to our indigenous beliefs. In Pendle, not far from where I live, there are still gibbets where witches were hanged. In Europe, the early Christian church was responsible for centuries of gruesome persecution - as well as the destruction of many precious ancient texts - in the attempt to stamp out all previous beliefs. There's a reason they're called the Dark Ages. And to think that certain people are trying to take us back there...
However, I still dispute that the Order is a mythologized version of Christianity. For a start, no mention of Christ, or any Christ-figure is ever made. In parenthesis, can I say that I do believe in the historical figure of Jesus, though not in his divinity? To me, he is a marvelous example of a truly wise man whose excellent advice - to be good to each other - has been shanghaied throughout history by people who have twisted his words to fit their twisted agenda. Christianity is not the only patriarchal religion in the world, and - as far as I'm concerned - they are all equally to blame for the spread of intolerance, hypocrisy, religious hatred and holy war.
Rant over. Moving on...
"
Stuck in the middle with you...
KS - In Runelight", Maggie (at least at the beginning) is a dedicated believer in the Order. She wears "a white headscarf of the type World's Enders called the "bergha"," which seems clearly connected to the burqa worn by traditional Muslim women. She has been trained to be unimaginative, to be obedient - and she responds emotionally to language "of sacrifice, and power, and mysteries." You also mention "wealthy Outlanders with their strings of wives, veiled from head to foot in black, dark eyes modestly lowered." Given your statements about religious intolerance and repression, was this meant to point out commonalities in the treatment of women in Christian and Muslim societies?
JH - Absolutely. And remember, traditional Muslim dress is not so different to the way in which women in Europe traditionally dressed,or the way modern nuns still veil their heads and shoulders. Remember too that - during the first part of the Middle Ages - a woman wearing men's clothing was punishable by death; the charge was, officially, heresy. It's one of the reasons they burnt Joan of Arc, who also casts a long shadow. Throughout history, there have been religious taboos over male and female clothing; the Koran and the Sunnah are filled with rules about what men and women can and can't wear. I have simply transferred some of this to my story.
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