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Article Specs Article ID: 13952 VoxAcct: 388474 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 1,045 RSS Views: 4,822

Mary is Christian - unlike most of my friends - and for that reason I have to be careful what I say or do around her. Most friends who visit my home are aware of the diversity of the world, and their place in it. Some Christians by contrast expect a comfortable fit wherever they go and resent the bursting of their bubble when discovering their outlook is not universally shared. Up until this point, Marys seemingly tolerant nature allowed me to invite her to mingle with the dangerous folk who socialize here regularly, but now something had changed.

What is wrong? I asked Mary who responded by burying her face in her hands and crying louder.

I think it was because of what you said. Diana explained, motioning me aside so we could speak without being overheard. When I said I hate

Article Specs Article ID: 13937 VoxAcct: 325740 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 797 RSS Views: 4,768

When I was sixteen I developed Anorexia Nervosa. During the year and a half battle, I dropped over twenty pounds, yo-yoed between weights, dealt with depression, anxiety, and a number of other issues. Twenty pounds is not nearly as serious as it could have become, I know. I got lucky that it didnt get worse. Physically, I was not that ill. The illness was completely and entirely mental. I was dealing with self-hatred, feeling worthless, like I was created wrong.

Over the December holidays, I was shopping for gifts with my family. We celebrate a very secular Christmas and I celebrate Yule in my own ways on my own. I was seventeen at this point, a senior in high school. I decided to buy myself a Yule gift while I was at Borders and headed back to the religion section of the store.

There were a few titles I was familiar with but

Article Specs Article ID: 14045 VoxAcct: 394379 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 553 RSS Views: 4,768

I used the term jshmay (pronounced zhamay) because that is closest to what we know in this paradigm as faeries. Jshmay are ethereal creatures, often considered a hallucination, seen floating just above the ground in wooded and wild areas. They are translucent and glow and are normally extremely beautiful (or ugly) depending upon your relationship with them.

I created a space at my home for the fey to play because of my affinity to them and their propensity to see items that I cherished or required as objects of their desire. They often hid my keys, absconded with my earrings, and even disappeared my cell phone. (It reappeared in my pocket two years later!)

Over time I came to realize that the jshmay were simply seeking my attention and a connection to me, thus the frustrating searches for my watch that I always hang over the post at the foot of my bed. As I tuned into these magical creatures, I began to realize that they added much to my life when I acknowledged them.

One afternoon while lazing on the edge of the everglades, small alligators eying me from the opposite bank, I drifted into a waking dream. From in between the Cyprus knees, several dainty, aqua

Article Specs Article ID: 13958 VoxAcct: 286227 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 824 RSS Views: 4,768

The first book I picked up was How To Be a Witch by Edain McCoy. It taught me a few lessons. First of all, power is responsibility. Secondly, it is not up to us to punish others; it is the divines job for that.

I did a poor job studying Wicca, for there was much turmoil in me at the time. I despised the major religions at the time, especially Christianity. I hated myself at the time as well. I was a newbie in the religion, a fluffy bunny, and a hater. Any or all of the above describes me at that point. But many of us have gone through this stage, so I will not dwell on it.

I searched around for a calling, but found Wicca just wasnt it. As my soul calmed, I realized it was not Christianity, Islam, or Judaism that were bad -- for I had some really good friends who followed the ways of these religions in a positive manner and I started to see

Article Specs Article ID: 14098 VoxAcct: 306066 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 924 RSS Views: 4,822

Might you want to be a Priest or Priestess of one of them?

Read on and we'll think about what your place might be on the color wheel.

Are you one whose main concern is the truth, no matter how harsh? Do you always want to probe deeper, see farther, into things, to get to the heart of them? Do you not mind, sometimes, sitting within mystery and the unknown and being one with them? Perhaps people have called you a mystic. Self- awareness, quiet contemplation, prayer and ritual, the passing of spirits into the next dimension - these are important concerns of yours. You might liken yourself to the midnight sky or to the bottom of the ocean.
If so - perhaps you are one who serves Lady Black.

Are you one who loves the forest, rocks of all kinds, planting, gardening, and working with their hands? Are you interested in carpentry, in crafts, in homemaking? Would you say that home is central to you? Do you love animals? Are you possessed of a great sense of tradition and history, of the value of old things? Do you feel the rhythms of the earth beneath your feet?
If so - perhaps you are one who serves Lord Brown.

Are you one who is gentle, compassionate, whom others call a counselor or

Article Specs Article ID: 14091 VoxAcct: 395550 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 744 RSS Views: 4,822

Eventually, I decided to dive in headfirst and do what felt right.

I do not write to share my path to Paganism since I imagine its the same story as a thousand others: disillusion with the faith of my father meets a desire to return to the faiths of my ancestors. Instead, I write to share a positive experience in tolerance from the unlikeliest of audiences. My hope is that sharing this experience will give others the courage to do as I did and shed the mask. The more of us there are that go public, the more the public will see that were not that different and were certainly not evil, devil-worshiping baby-eaters.

I

Article Specs Article ID: 14110 VoxAcct: 394444 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 1,675 RSS Views: 4,822

Thus I have reserve when I might have to explain, about my choice in faith, to my husbands family who are devout Christian. Any attempt to speak to them could very well backfire. Right now I feel like Id rather swallow glass than to have another response similar that of my mothers.

The term blood is thicker than water is not always applicable to everyone, especially when youre a Heathen/Pagan in the family.

Let me first say that there are far too many that have had to endure the horrifying thought of, What if my family doesnt understand? After a discussion, (or an argument in my case) they then afterward receive the -thumbs down- response. This is also not unusual for those who choose to tell their family and friends about other life choices such as being gay/lesbian or believing in the supernatural. The risk of rejection is so great for some people, as they never step forward to inform anyone about their choices, and

Article Specs Article ID: 14109 VoxAcct: 279768 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 673 RSS Views: 4,822

In the unlit recesses of the cave, her mind works as her body lies still, remembering. The small round stone rests heavy on her belly -- she can feel its weight through the soft fabric and the way it rocks gently as each breath lifts it and lets it drop again. Her mind travels the stumbling, sometimes frantic pathways of the past, aflame with inspiration; she brings it back again, turns

Article Specs Article ID: 14058 VoxAcct: 394550 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 1,153 RSS Views: 4,822

I surf these stores for two things:
Items that I do not have the hardware to create by myself, and
Item Designs that I like.

The items that I do not have the capability to create myself (A cauldron, for example) I will purchase. Some items, like a cauldron, are better off purchased unless you are in the business of casting steel or own a forge; neither of which is the case for me. Not only is the cost significantly less if you purchase these items rather than buying all of the equipment and materials that you would need to create them from scratch, but you will forgo the pain and humiliation of creating an unusable object due to your lack of experience.

From a design aspect, I am always looking for new images or ideas that I

Article Specs Article ID: 13934 VoxAcct: 328867 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 527 RSS Views: 5,151

A figurine rests on my altar, molded from red earthy clay. I painted her gold and carved on wavy lines, shaped arms, head and torso. Her closed eyes conceal mystery and inner wisdom. The clay goddess embodies the Divine Feminine. To me, spirituality is a spiritual relationship with the Divine Feminine. The Goddess Brighid reflects qualities in me, who I am and what I am about. As the goddess of poetry, she inspires me to express my inner creativity. Poets have venerated her for centuries and continue to this day.

Brighid is the Celtic Mother Goddess I choose to honor. She is one of the most powerful Celtic goddesses. She comes from the Tuatha De Danann (People of the Goddess Danu) , from early Ireland. She is the daughter of the Daghda, The God of Great Knowledge. They were one of the mythic races that settled in Ireland and were the ancestors of the modern Gaels. The Goddess Brighid is known by different names such as Brighid, Brigit, Brigantia, and Brigindo. Her name is derived from the Celtic brig or exalted one. She is the Great Goddess of healers, poets, mystics and smiths.

I have studied my ancestral heritage in relation to the Goddess Brighid. Her origins are Celtic and I have a Celtic background. This is another reason why the Goddess Brighid speaks so personally to me, a part of my natural heritage. I also enjoy listening to Celtic music and learning about Celtic mythology, legends and

Article Specs Article ID: 14027 VoxAcct: 296448 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 808 RSS Views: 5,151

This can make it difficult to be active in pagan life. Camps and gatherings are often too much to cope with. Going for a hike is right out. A simple walk in a park can be draining even with the use of a walking stick. At times meditation is difficult. Trying to focus can be an immense struggle when youre in constant pain and exhausted no matter how much sleep you get. It can even be difficult to do things like a tarot reading because you cant hold the meanings together in your head.

Physical restrictions due to a chronic condition can make it difficult to feel as if youre connected with the Goddess (or Deity or general energy or nature etc) . Conducting rituals indoors because cold weather makes your pain worse, you can feel cut off from the Earth and its energies. You can feel cut off from other Pagans and the community at large because its difficult to get out and get to meetings. And because the level of pain youre in is unpredictable, it often means you have to cancel plans at the last minute.

This can be disheartening. You can end up feeling like youre not a proper Pagan.

Well you are.

Illness isnt something that

Article Specs Article ID: 14033 VoxAcct: 359118 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 681 RSS Views: 5,211

That is how I used to live. Caught on a wheel of doing what everyone said I should do. Of being the person everyone thought I should be. Making commitments that made me miserable, socializing with people that I didnt like. People who had no depth. I never could relate to those people. I think maybe they saw that. I never did fit in too well. I always grew bored with their gossip and backstabbing. They always had something to say about someone elses business. It seems that that is all people talk about anymore.

The second part of my

Article Specs Article ID: 14073 VoxAcct: 394686 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 1,150 RSS Views: 5,211

Yet, in my journey, I have often wondered as to whether I am a true neo-pagan because I do not attempt magick. So many people ask me if I cast spells once they find out my beliefs, and are immensely disappointed when I say no. I own books of spells, such as Scott Cunninghams Book of Shadows, yet I do not use them. I have not even put a protection spell on my house and family I suppose I believe the love we have is strong enough to protect us.

Recently I realized that I do have my own form of magic: cooking. I am by no means a wonderful chef, however I am known to wake up in the morning and make scones or pancakes for breakfast. It is nothing much, but it is healing. I put on music- usually Irish pub songs or show tunes- and bake to my hearts desire. While I bake, I feel the energy sparking around me and going into whatever I make. If I am sad or upset,

Article Specs Article ID: 14078 VoxAcct: 378957 Section: earth Age Group: Teen Days Up: 6 Times Read: 496 RSS Views: 5,151

The definition of Paganism has changed, will continue to change, and be the source of many debates. Originally, as Im sure many of you know, it meant a country dweller someone whose life and faith patterned after nature usually agricultural workers and was influenced by the land. While I am not saying that all pre-civilization or ancient people praised an Earth Mother and Sun God (because they didnt) , I am saying that all old faiths were a part of daily life, and the daily life revolved around the land. Myths; careers; where homes were set; when one hunted, planted, harvested, and rested; These were all dictated by the cycles of nature, and morphed into depictions of natural phenomena represented by Gods, Myth, and Religion.

But this article is not about the debate of how earth based Pagans are (or should be) today. That is a debate I cant possibly expect to go over within this article. This is rather to go over a few feelings I have that I think, in the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, have been pushed to the back of our minds.

People are the land. People cannot really own land and the land cannot own people, but they can have bonds with one another. Plants, animals, and humans are

Article Specs Article ID: 14049 VoxAcct: 393257 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 377 RSS Views: 5,151

The pigments that provide flowers with their bright colors, the molecules that give them their unique scents, and even the compounds that help repel predators are some of the many elements that have been identifies as having healing properties. The flowers listed here are some of the most widely used and studied in herbal medicine

Cheerful Calendula
Uses since Roman times, calendula (Calendula officinalis) has a centuries-old reputation as a wound healer. The bright yellow and orange blossoms contain volatile oils, tannins and resins that calm inflammation and speed healing. In recent studies, calendula has been proven to help heal venous leg ulcers, which are notoriously slow-healing wounds caused by poor circulation. Calendula often is a primary ingredient in herbal salves for skin rashes, diaper rash, minor cuts and burns, and chapped lips. A strong tea made from calendula blossoms makes an excellent footbath for athletes foot, a facial wash for acne, and eyewash for conjunctivitis, a mouth rinse for aphthous ulcers (canker sores) or a wash for yeast infections.

Help Your Heart with Hawthorn
European doctors and herbalists have long been savvy to the heart-healthy benefits of hawthorn (Cataegus) ; theyve been prescribing hawthorn since the late 1800s for angina, heart rhythm disturbances and mild congestive heart failure. The abundant clusters of pink and

Article Specs Article ID: 14028 VoxAcct: 363656 Section: earth Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 673 RSS Views: 5,211

Recently, I was on a Pagan forum (alas, my main source of Pagan fellowship) , and the topic of offerings to the land spirits came up. I immediately chimed in, suggesting eggshells and banana peels and fruit skins. But the next post, in response to mine, chided how disrespectful it was to offer my trash pile as an offering.

Trash pile? I felt somewhat insulted on behalf of my compost heap. I just couldnt see how anyone would confuse composting with garbage. Garbage is, well, disgusting and useless while compost is a pillar of a bountiful garden. With composting, you know what goes into it; you know what chemicals the matter is emitting as it decomposes; you know how those chemicals affect your plants.

If my peppers are looking a little droopy, I know the potassium in banana peels will help them to perk right back up. Calcium in eggshells can be a great help as well, giving fruits and veggies stronger flavors. Natural fertilizers and insecticides such as coffee grounds and tobacco leaves also have many of the same qualities as composted material; you know whats

Article Specs Article ID: 14056 VoxAcct: 188382 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 636 RSS Views: 5,211

For me this raises more questions than it answers.

What exactly is meant by the human spirit? Is it really something that differs from material and physical things? Is it a literal human spirit as believed by followers of some religions; a dualist point of view of a spirit that is of a different substance to the body that survives after death as Descartes claimed? It certainly seems to imply this, but that just does not seem to describe my experience of spirituality or those of some others that I know especially as I am someone who finds the dualism pill a hard one to swallow. These are perhaps questions for another time and are discussed in my essay, Spirit and Character.

Then there are those people who do not feel that they cant fit their beliefs into any particular religion or religious belief. These people often regard their beliefs as their spirituality, but are

Article Specs Article ID: 14085 VoxAcct: 394444 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 629 RSS Views: 5,211

First of all, this essay is not about Pagan demographics or the arguments surrounding the Pagan equals poverty stigma. Such as a denotative message associated with a term, for example poor pagan, to mean poverty and Paganism go hand-in-hand. Secondly, my objective is to share how spiritual and personal growths renew the inner self during times or trial or difficulty. I have personally suffered from economic misfortune, and have found purchasing needs for rituals and spiritual enjoyment hard to afford.

Simple things like purchasing herbal tea mixes, driving to the local Pagan/Heathen shop, buying incense and even soaps add up as big expenses. The dollar doesnt stretch as far as it use to. I didnt think a recession could get this bad, but it has. Daily I regularly see new homeless people of all ages pushing their possessions inside shopping carts, and even more shoppers over crowding the local second-hand goods boutique. I use to buy items from the local metaphysical stores

Article Specs Article ID: 14074 VoxAcct: 379828 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 6 Times Read: 736 RSS Views: 18,159

Love is also the same essence that lies within the pyramid of Magick. As we can read from the Christian Bible, Jesus taught the public the most powerful Magick in the guise of a commandment. Love is present and is preached by all religions. Even in a religion that does not highly encourage the practice of its application towards all humanity, at the least, its presence shall and will always still be present.

The world, having different religions and various spiritual sects, is mostly composed of immature practitioners. As a result, only a few can properly uphold the essence of such teaching. Love is too powerful for just anybody to be able to both contain and execute. As proof, in general, the whole world desires love, but then the fruit of such dream is the existence of a vile world. Mankind is too weak for such powerful spell called Love.

The irony and wonder is that a man, even though weak, is always in perfect state to love and of being loved. Yet, people, many of us, most of the time, still fail.

We all know that perfect moment of Love the first sight, first touch, first kiss. A person may have no occult training, yet just that one moment of Love instantly makes him or her the master of all mantras... that