Thursday, January 24, 2008, 05:25 AM EST [General]
One of the greatest gifts of being Pagan for me, is the gift of understanding life transitions. It goes well beyond a mental comprehension. It is to the point of where it feels so much a part of me, like it is in my DNA.
What I most love about being Pagan, is that I take solace in the slow, constant rhythms of my Deities, the seasons, the moons, the cycles of life - maturity - death and rebirth again. It gives me the security even if Chicken Little yells at the top of his lungs, THE SKY IS FALLING...... it really isn't.
I take the stance, not that "everything is going to be alright", but that there is always a next step, a next cycle of the God/Goddess. Life goes on. I take this to heart whether it is in personal dealings or global warming, there is always another forced pendulum swing. It may not be to my liking, but I will hardly fall off the edge of the world.
Daily stuff does not bother me as much as it used to. I'm realizing the daily ups and downs of life are all a part of a bigger pattern. I'm not talking anything cosmic or Zen like. I'm talking about the bigger pattern in my personal evolution.
I realize no matter how much pleasure or pain I feel it is just a temporary part of the bigger cycles. They each create one another. They are two sides to the same coin. The coin's name is my life.
As a counselor I was forced to become Pagan. Or at least it was a forced choice from deep within me. If you do not learn to adapt to the daily transitions of life that goes on in your client's lives and your own life, you either become an addict yourself or start taking mental health medications. We have the highest addiction and suicide rates in the country.
I've come to really dislike human drama, the lifetime channel or most Reality TV, unless if it is raw competition related. I'm not sure if it is because I'm getting colder and more distant or just more intrigued with the things in life that are beautiful. I enjoy life as a work of art, without the over analyzing or talking/processing it endlessly. I'm enjoying just the acceptance of it all without a need to ask why.
I take solace in being Pagan. I take solace in my smallness, not as a curse or as a need to be saved by some Deity. I take solace in not having to be in the middle of everything, ever arranging life to my liking. I love and accept not being in control. I am comfortable in discomfort and life transitions, for that is a cornerstone of my religion.
Thursday, January 24, 2008, 05:18 AM EST [General]
Ingredients: 4 cups water, 4 cups broccoli, 3 cups hash browns, 2 cups skim milk, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped celery, ½ teaspoon pepper, 3 tablespoons all purpose flour, 6 ounces Velveeta cubed, 1 cup salsa
Directions 1. In a large sauce pan combine water, all vegetables and pepper, boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes 2. Combine milk and flour separately and gradually stir mixture into main soup. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened 3. Add Velveeta cheese and stir, until melted 4. Add salsa, warm through and serve
20. Pantheon? My own unique consisting of 8 dieites and the center
21. Pantheon you don't know much about but would like to learn? Celtic/Druid - but tooo much on my plate to do so!
22. Salt or smudge? I prefer salt if I'm outside, and smudging inside.
23. Incense sticks or cones? Niether bothers my sinus's
24. Robes or skyclad? Just plain clothes for now, if I would not have neighbors then definitely sky clad!!!!
25. Last moon ritual? Today!
26. Last Sabbat celebrated? Yule.
27. Student or Teacher? Student?
28. Fragrance oils or essential oils? Neither.
29. Storebought potions or home-made? Home made, though have yet to actually make a potion yet
30. Totem animal? Hawk - big surprise and cats of any kind
31. Pendulum or Dowsing rods? Niether
32. Tarot cards or Animal Medicine cards? Tarot - Robin Wood
33. Journal or Book of Shadows? Book of Shadows
34. Your familiar? Dog... if I get the meaning of familiar
35. Guardian Angel or Spirit Guide? My spirit guides, don't believe/use angel
36. Public ritual or closed circle? Have never been to a closed ritual, only to public and my own solitary
37. Workshops or books? Face to face teaching preferrable
38. Best spell? It was more sorcery, than spell. It was an arrow sleep spell. Put my wife to sleep in about 15 minutes, near instantly. I've also done some other more personal spells
39. Candle magick or Herbal magick? Defintely candle magick
A recent spiritual event happened to me. One of my closest deities prompted me to write this blog. Many times we lump God/masculine energy under one umbrella. I believe no matter what energy or Deity, everything has at least 2 faces, 2 sides to it. There is an active yang and a passive yin energy. The two sides in my pantheon for God energy are Hunter and Protector. I feel all of us carry parts of these energies within us.
Hunter energy is active, seeking, unconventional, often solitary or in small groups. It's focus tends to be narrow and intense. A Hunter tends to be more focused in it's emotional, carrying only what it needs at the moment, no excessive baggage. Emotions are like a sword - a liability to self and others if the wielder does know how to use it. Focus is everything to a Hunter. A Hunter NEVER wastes energy. A craving or a desire is what spurs any of us to become a Hunter of anything. Whether it is a midnight snack, finding a mate or going to the mall/grocery store to buy something. A Hunter is much more likely to run and fight another day, cutting losses vs. chasing after something improbable. The Hunter does not take things personally. The Hunter enjoys a good exertion, a good chase, even if the outcome is not to it's liking. All that matters is right effort and right mind. If not properly balanced this energy becomes cold and heartless.
Protector/Soldier energy is more reactive, more passive, organized, sticking to convention, organization and rules. Strength in numbers is a key. Endless vigilance and boundaries are part of this energy. It is always looking for a possible threat. This is not necessarily bad, but can lead to paranoia in it's extreme. The purpose is nurturing and protection of beyond itself - a clan/tribe/society. The focus is much more emotionally motivated. You become this way, when you have something of value to defend or something to lose. This can be your ego, self esteem, an object, oil, a job, family, an ideal, whatever you hold dear to you. Fear is a motivator for the establishment of this energy. This energy also tends to be very stubborn, dig in your heals for the long run. If not properly balanced this energy becomes paranoid, over indulgent and over smothering.
Neither energy is better than the other. Both require training and are not perfected overnight. Few people now a days have the patience for either. Most of us want a quick fix. Most of us want bad things to just go away and not learn to defend ourselves.
1.Single or Taken - Taken in more than a few ways. 2. Zodiac sign -- Leo 3. Birthday - July 22 4. Male or Female -- male 5. Preschool - Some Catholic school 6. Elementary - Arlington Elementary 7. Middle - Greenbriar 8. High School -- Strongsville High Shcool 9. Eye color -- Brown 10. Hair is Natural or dyed? - balding ;) 11 .Aim Name -- Nope 12. Are you a health freak?- Hell no, I love my junk food! 13. Are you slim? Dieting? Overweight? - A bit on the slim side, but otherwise perfect 14. Is your teeth: All there? All there! 15. If you had only one choice of entertainment would it be: Sex, Friends, Books, Music or TV? - Tough one, only if sex meant hours of cuddling, foreplay and talking in addition to sex itself. 16. Middle name -- Raidho 17. Do you love someone - many people, but romantically you bet ;) 18. Is that someone on your top friends -- Yes 19. How many Piercings do you have? -- None 20. Piercings below the shoulders? - Still no 21. Righty or lefty -- Righty
FIRSTS : 22. First kiss, where did it happen and what age? -- At an amusement park 23. First piercing - I said no already!!!! 24. First city you lived in -- Parma 25. First Crush -- Kristie 26. First sport -- Wrestling 27. First pet -- Fish 28. First vacation -- Hungary
CURRENTLY : 29. Smoke free? -- Yes 30. Alcohol Free? - No, not completely 31. Eating - Kettle chips 32. Drinking - Dr. Pepper 33. Listening to - the wind outside
YOUR FUTURE: 34. Planning on: Getting a new job/position? Going back to school? Getting on Government Assistance? -- Getting a new job eventually 35. Plenty of Money by: -- Getting rich quick scheme, marrying into it, lottery, working for it? - Perhaps writing a book 36. Want kids? -- Already have one, probably no more 37. Want to get married? - Already am
WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX? 38. Driving a: sports car, luxury car, hummer, pimped up truck? - Sports car 39. Lips or eyes? -- both! 40. Looks or personality? - Definitely personality, though the person must at least care about themselves and how they look, even if they do not have the attributes. 41. Slut or man whore? -- Neither!! 42. Intelligence or attraction? -- Both are a must!!! 43. Romantic or spontaneous? - If I have to choose, romantic 44. Being a Model, Actor/ress, Singer, Musician, Politician, Joe-shmoe? - Musician 45. Color of hair and eyes you like the best? - Honestly it does not matter, but definitely longer hair. 46. Do you like em: Body-builder type, On the beach type or The model type? - Curvy, non anorexic, some muscle tone and definition, but definitely no skinny mini 47. Body or mind? - More mind than body, but both, for both need to be exercised and trained to remain pleasing to the person's mate
HAVE YOU EVER : 48. Had sex in a vehicle? -- Yes 49. Kissed a stranger -- No 50. Lost glasses/contacts - No never 51. Ran away from home ? - No, but I should have! 52. Broken a bone? - Yes 1 arm broken, and 1 leg facture, 1 nose, several fingers 53. Been caught skinny dipping? - No, have never actually skinny dipped 54. Broken someone's heart? - Yes, sort of 55. Been arrested? -- No, But I've danced dangerously close numerous times 56. Got caught with someone else's spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend? -- No 57. Cried when someone died? - No one I ever have known closely has died 58. Had a long relationship before -- Yes
DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 59. Yourself -- Yes 60. Miracles - No - "luck/miracles is when preparation meets opportunity" 61. Love - Yes 62. Lying to a loved one to save your ass about something? - Yes 63. Sex on the first date - Generally no, but there are always exceptions 64. Kissing on the first date - Yes!!! unless I feel there is no 2nd date in the works. 65. Angels -- No
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY : 66. Is there one person you want to be with right now? - YES!!! 67. Have you ever really liked someone that you shouldn't have? - yes and no 68. Have you've ever seen a ghost? -- Yes 69. Do you believe in God? and the Goddess? Yes but not in a conventional way.
