tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15510488768895960662024-03-13T14:08:37.841-04:00Hearth and HedgeAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.comBlogger349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-76677709809332625442017-12-29T22:30:00.002-05:002017-12-29T22:30:53.057-05:00Hiatus It's probably obvious given the lack of updates, but this blog is currently on a long hiatus. I may return again in 2018 and revamp this blog, or I may write for/on another site. Uncertain at the moment. <br /><br />I'm still checking comments about once or twice a month if anyone wants to get a hold of me, or has questions about something I've written, but a reply might take a while! Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-52227466571362418752017-04-10T16:50:00.000-04:002017-04-10T16:50:47.145-04:00An update!Yesterday was the first day that really, truly felt like spring. There had been some hints here and there, but yesterday had everything. Clear sky, warm-ish weather, a cool breeze, melting snow, the smell of wet earth, and even a few flowers on a shrub. I'm ready for longer, sunnier days. <br />
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Spiritually, I haven't been up to much new. I pray to Hestia most days at my hearth shrine, I light her oil lamp and make a small offering of myrrh into the flame. I am writing a new prayer for this little evening ritual. Oh, and I'm in a book! I contributed a prayer/poem(?) to "First and Last," a devotional anthology for Hestia that was recently released. If you are interested in Hestia, the book is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Last-Devotional-Bibliotheca-Alexandrina/dp/1544055889/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491856367&sr=8-2&keywords=first+and+last">available on Amazon. </a><br />
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I have also been working on a submission for a <a href="https://neosalexandria.org/bibliotheca-alexandrina/calls-for-submissions/at-the-gates-of-dawn-and-dusk-a-devotional-for-eos-and-aurora/">devotional to Eos and Aurora.</a>
Maybe even two, if I can get the second idea out of my head and onto paper. The more creative types of writing, prayers and poems and such, have always been harder for me. Also, this one will require me to watch a few sunrises, which is so not the time my body wants to be awake, but oh well. <br /><br />I have moved Artemis' shrine into the kitchen for now, and moved Hekate's into my work room, as I lean back around to focus more on the craft elements of my practice. I might combine these two shrines into one, at some point...<br /><br />I've been experimenting with making self-igniting incense powder. Mostly because it looks cool. Now that the weather is warming up I want to start on those videos, and I'll probably do one for an incense recipe once I get it hammered out. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-13581719079172198742017-02-02T22:33:00.001-05:002017-02-02T22:33:17.148-05:00When is Imbolc? I often see people asking about when, exactly, Imbolc is celebrated. The truth is the answer is a bit complicated. People see Imbolc listed in books as either the first of second of February, and figure maybe it moves around like the solstices and equinoxes do, and that's not always the case. For many, Imbolc is a fixed-date festival and does not move (although it does for some, more on that later).<br /><br />I think part of the problem comes from the fact that the ancient Celts considered sunset to be the start of the new day, as several ancient cultures did. So, matching that to how we view our days, a holiday might start on the sunset of the 1st, and last until the sunset of the 2nd. (Or the 31st to the 1st.)<br /><br />Another source of confusion comes from Imbolc versus Candlemas, and how the name is sometimes seen as interchangeable within neo-paganism. Imbolc is an old Celtic festival, and has strong ties to the goddess Brigid. Brigid became a saint in the Catholic church, and her feast day is still the 1st of February. On the other hand, Candlemas is a Christian holiday, which has ties to quite a few old pagan customs, and is still celebrated on the 2nd of February. Groundhog Day is another date that can be considered in all this, as weather divination would be popular around the time of Imbolc, and of course that is what Groundhog's Day is all about - which, again, falls on the 2nd. <br /><br />To make matters more complicated, remember how I said the festival moves for some? Some choose to celebrate on the exact date between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Since the solstice and equinox shift from year to year, this means the date of Imbolc also moves when using this method. For those curious, this year that date is he 3rd of February.<br /><br />Let's make things more complicated... some instead choose to celebrate on the full moon nearest the 1st, or when the first signs of spring actually show up, or traditionally with the blooming of blackthorn, or the beginning of the lambing season, which of course can all vary from year to year.<br /><br />All this is a long way of saying that Imbolc is celebrated... well, whenever you or your tradition says it should be celebrated. Do you want to celebrate from the 31st of Jan to the 1st of Feb? From the First to the second? Just the first? Just the second? Or how about on the third, or the full moon, or...? It really comes down to the individual practitioner, and what makes sense for their tradition.<br /><br />Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-50736251794268558252017-01-12T02:28:00.002-05:002017-01-12T02:28:48.308-05:00Happy 2017!With the hectic travel and holidays of December over, I've finally been able to sit down and spend a bit of time thinking about what direction I want to go in, in 2017.<br />
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First and foremost, my health. I need to stay consistent with my meds, and I need to lose some weight (at least the bit of weight I gained last year, but more would be better). The first should hopefully help with the second. Health first, or else the other things will be much harder.<br />
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I want to spend more time honoring Artemis this year. She's my chief deity and her shrine has been sitting unattended for months now, for crying out loud! While I have been doing other rituals for her, the daily practice has lapsed. That's pretty unacceptable to me, so that needs to change right away.<br />
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I also want to dedicate more time to spirit journeying/spirit work. I've fallen out of that aspect of my practice a bit, and it's time to get back into it.<br />
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With my fancy new book, I want to work on transferring my information (which is currently mostly on the computer) to that. I want to have added at least 45 finished pages to the book, which is less than one a week, and should be doable. <br />
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Finally, I want to get out of my comfort zone a bit and do some videos on YouTube. There are several things I've wanted to write about, but I think would be easier to do in video. Might be interesting to do something different. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-71610016885300301412016-12-04T19:11:00.000-05:002016-12-04T19:17:56.511-05:00Hestia, Days Twenty and Twentyone<i>20. Art that reminds you of this deity.
<br />21. Music that makes you think of this deity.</i></br></br>The first thing that comes into my mind is the veiled Vestal Virgin statues (in particular, the one shown), perhaps for obvious reasons. I remember learning in art class that to those studying sculpture in years past, making such a veiled sculpture was almost a final test of sorts, as they are especially difficult to do. (Art class was over a decade ago now, so hopefully I'm remembering that right.) Perhaps less obviously, often when I see a warm autumn or winter fire scene, those tend to remind me of Hestia, as well. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R_D0qnX6zDg/WESxztUa8kI/AAAAAAAAA5k/s4nsDv_EZa0qmRGx02vEfhhMPkKt3tW5ACLcB/s1600/5585949-Veiled_Vestal_Virgin-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R_D0qnX6zDg/WESxztUa8kI/AAAAAAAAA5k/s4nsDv_EZa0qmRGx02vEfhhMPkKt3tW5ACLcB/s400/5585949-Veiled_Vestal_Virgin-0.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veiled Vestal Virgin<br />
Raffaelle Monti (1818 - 1881)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As for music, there's not really any music in particular that reminds me of Hestia. Perhaps some Christmas carols, as they always remind me of being much younger, at home, bringing up good winter memories of family for me. <br />
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To add on some extra, I see scent is not mentioned on the 30 days, but scent is such a huge trigger for memory for me. The scent of baking bread, of baking sweets like apple pie, pumpkin pie, mincemeat, cinnamon rolls, ginger cookies... all those warm baking scents remind me of home and the hearth. Amber, as well, is a scent I have come to associate with Hestia, and with a few other hearth goddesses as well. I forgot to mention this on the day for offerings, but amber incense is something I occasionally offer to Hestia (occasionally, as my kitchen doesn't have a window, so I don't like to burn too much incense there as it bothers my partner), but I also keep a small box of amber resin tucked away that I bring out to hold and smell when meditating on the hearth. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-46500507059863122182016-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:002016-12-03T10:00:59.075-05:00Hesta, Day Nineteen<i>19. What quality or qualities of this god do you most admire? What quality or qualities of them do you find the most troubling?</i></br></br>Hestia is an interesting deity, because, to me anyway, there's not much to find troubling. Unlike some deities who have questionable myths, or sides to them that are hard to mesh with, I do not feel that with Hestia. I mean, the biggest thing for me would be that Hestia has ties to bread baking, and carbs aren't good for me. Even if I love them. Stop tempting me with delicious carbs! <br />
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What I admire about Hestia is that she is stability. She is the home. She is the warm hearth fire. She is welcoming and hospitable, but she will not be trampled on - disrespect a fire and see how well it goes for you. Yet she is forgiving, understanding, compassionate. She is unwavering in her dedication to follow her own path and purpose. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-66103575325516265112016-12-02T21:05:00.002-05:002016-12-03T10:01:19.890-05:00Hestia, Day Eighteen<i>18. How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG)</i><br /></br>
Oh Hestia, I have not forgotten about you! After a two year pause (where did those years go?!), I am finally committing to finishing this project for Hestia. <br />
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Historically speaking we know Hestia chose to remain a virgin, unmarried, never having children. We know that her Roman counterpart, Vesta, was served by a group of virgin priestesses. But that is all we know. <br />
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We don't know how Hestia felt about those who did marry, those who did not, those who had children, and those who did not, those with many partners, those with few, those with none. We don't know about how she felt about people attracted to their own genders, another gender, we don't know how she felt about gender in general. We can know what was the cultural norm in parts and particular times of Ancient Greece, but we do not know, in particular how Hestia feels. It's just never spoken of. It does not come up in myths. It doesn't seem to be addressed in hymns. And in my opinion? It's because she just doesn't care. <br />
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Hestia made the best choice for herself, and she wants you to make the best choice for you, period. Hestia wants you to have a happy and stable home, whatever that might look like for you. Not what it might be for you your culture, your neighbors, your parents, or anyone else, only what it is for you. <br /><br />Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-51766982543487377162016-11-25T23:17:00.002-05:002016-11-25T23:17:37.887-05:00Physical and Mental Illness in the Pagan CommunityLupa Greenwolf recently wrote an <a href="https://humanisticpaganism.com/2016/11/22/psych-meds-self-care-and-paganism-by-lupa-greenwolf/">amazing article</a> inspired by an image I've seen floating around the community. The original image showed a forest and labeled it as an 'anti-depressant,' then blow that an image of anti-depressant pilled labeled 'shit.'<br /><br />I have had a very hard time trying to put into words why this sort of stuff is so frustrating, and so thankfully, someone has done a wonderful job doing something I haven't been able to! <br /><br />I will say, though, as someone who spends a boat load of time in the deep woods, in grain fields, at rivers, in meadows, etc. - I still need my anti-depressant medication because <i>that's not really how depression works for a lot of people. </i>Thanks. <br /><br />And I always want to stop and say, hey, if someone had a physical chronic illness you wouldn't tell them not to take their medication, would you? That hugging a tree would cure them? But... yeah, a lot of people would. I know, because having a chronic physical condition as well, I've heard it plenty of times. <br /><br />And hearing, well, just cure yourself! But that's not how it works... Or even worse, hearing people say that anyone with any sort of mental or even physical illness shouldn't be a witch, or even a pagan. (As if any sort of ill person should be banned from religion?) What in the world? Look, I've been a witch and a pagan for well over a decade, and the idea I shouldn't be doing this because someone else, who doesn't have any idea what it's like to deal with one of these illnesses, thinks they can make that call for me? Fuck off with what nonsense. <br /><br />Not all mental illnesses are the same. Not all people dealing with even the same mental illness face the same situations. If you've never been in that situation, and you're trying to make that call for someone else, maybe you need to step back and actually listen to the people who are actually living with it - and there are plenty of us in the community doing just that.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-12425221932691916402016-11-22T18:49:00.001-05:002016-11-22T18:49:23.207-05:00ThanksgivingThanksgiving is in two days here in the US, and I think this is the
first Thanksgiving in a few years where I am basically free from kitchen
duties! Usually Thanksgiving is at my grandparents, and I help them
cook. This year my partner and I are in Denver with her family, and
she's the one who gets to help with most of the cooking. My contribution is a bag of frozen meatballs dumped into a crock pot with some whole berry cranberry sauce, and some cocktail sauce. Might sound strange but it tastes good. Thank the Gods for crock pots, let me tell you. Even my
grandmother gets a year off, since she is going to my Dad's where he
will have done the work. (He bought a new house earlier this year which actually fits guests!) It's not that I don't like cooking, but who doesn't want a break now and then? I'm sure after a million years Mama feels the same. <br /><br />Since I'll have more free time this year, I've decided to take the time to properly honor Hestia, and make the offerings for a safe winter, since I did not do this during Samhain as I normally would (and it's finally getting cooler out). Since it's Thanksgiving, it seems like an appropriate time to, you know, actually give thanks and all that. <br /><br />Speaking of Hestia, my hymn was accepted for the devotional to her that will eventfully be coming out, so that's quite exciting for me! Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-3224528016264192732016-11-20T22:08:00.002-05:002016-11-20T22:08:56.314-05:00Moon Phase Wall Calendars I have a product to plug for today's post - nothing I'm selling or anything like that, just something someone recently told me about, and I think it'll be amazingly useful for me, so I'm passing the info along. <br />
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I'm sure these are old news for some people, but they're new to me, wall calendars that have the moon phase pictured on every day. The one that was originally shown to me was this one <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331829/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3JRZOPGSV4OE3&coliid=I1DY8RV5TPQTIJ">Lunar 2017 Wall Calendar: A Glow-in-the-Dark Calendar for the Lunar Year</a>. Each month has a photograph of the moon as it's image, and each day has the moon phase drawn out, rather than just a percent listed. Also, it apparently glows in the dark, which is always a bonus in my book.<br />
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Another I found was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631361538/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3JRZOPGSV4OE3&coliid=I3OR2CZCTZ9XR9">Lunaria 2017 Lunar Astrology Wall Calendar</a>. This one has various classical paintings, with poems, myths, folklore, and so on. This calendar also has the moon phases clearly drawn on each day, but it also includes more astrological information on each day. This one is also actually laid out in lunar months, meaning it begins with the new moon (0% illuminated), rather than following calendar months - although each standard calendar month/day is listed as well. <br /><br />I like the simplistic approach of the first, since I don't really need all the extra astrological information, but the art and such of the second appeals to me more. (As well as actually being laid out by lunar months!) <br /><br />I know there are various apps and the like out there, but for me it's nice to have something paper that I can flip through to plan out festivals and such, since most of them are calculated by the lunar date. Should be a helpful item to have.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-34600517515367946352016-11-17T22:55:00.003-05:002016-11-18T02:29:40.687-05:00Hekate's Night?So, apparently yesterday was the festival of Hekate's night. I've read about this a bit before, but it's something I chose not to incorporate into my practice. Since my personal practice has a mix of modern and ancient holidays, I thought I'd write a little about how I do choose to bring in festivals, using this as an example. <br />
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First, I like to look at the details and history of the festival (be it ancient history, or more modern). In this case, Hekate's night does not seem to be an ancient festival, either Greek or Roman. Perhaps it comes from some other culture, but I have found no evidence for that. <br />
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I have sometimes seen this festival called Hecatesia, with an alternate date of August 13th or 16th, but again, there doesn't seem to be any real information on this festival. Sometimes the August 13th festival is presented as something different. Since I have seen Artemis mentioned with this one, I wonder if it stems from the Kourotrophos festival? There are also possible Roman origins there, but again, in those cases it would be something other than what is presented on November 16th. <br />
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All of this kind of hits on a personal pet peeve of mine, which is modern 'made-up' information being passed of as something with legitimate history behind it... but of course, the history is rarely really there. <br />
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So, looking to the modern practices, information is kind of scarce there, as well! Hekate is described as wandering that night with her hounds and other
spirits, and suppers are left out for her, which sounds no different
from the Deipnon - which is a monthly festival I already celebrate. (Actually, a theory I have seen is that the date comes from a misunderstanding. Someone wrote about celebrating the Deipnon on that night, but did not note that it was a moveable lunar festival, and copy and paste, copy and paste... and so Hekate's night was born.) The only additional tidbit I can find is it's apparently a night that witches are initiated into her cult, but again, there never seem to be sources to dig into this deeper. Also, this wouldn't fit in with my particular practice anyway. <br />
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Another aspect to celebrating holidays in general is fellowship, knowing you're celebrating something other devotees are, but... well, again, I get that with Hekate's Deipnon each month. Aside from that, I feel more called to the modern Rite of Her Sacred Fires when dealing with that aspect - that's the real fellowship night of the year for me, since a large part of the festival often involves sharing your altar and experiences with others. I did consider that a celebration in November might be an interesting counterpoint to Sacred Fires, which is held in May, but that's basically what Samhain is acting as these days. <br />
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One last thing to consider is that the more parties, the better, right? Well... my personal calendar isn't exactly empty, you know? (I should blog the whole list, some day...) That's why I consider which festivals to celebrate a bit more carefully. If it's not adding something different or particular for me, there are other things I could be putting my energy towards. That's how I feel in this case. There's nothing particularly special about this night, it is too similar to other aspects of my practice, and I don't feel I'd get much from it. It doesn't mean that no one should celebrate it, of course, but for me it's a no go. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-37885940007152427572016-11-15T22:41:00.002-05:002016-11-15T22:41:22.332-05:00Full Moon Ritual for SeleneThis is a simple little ritual that I try to do each month when the moon is full. I prefer to do this ritual outside if at all possible, even on cloudy nights, or inside at a window from which the moon is visible if outside isn't an option. <br /><br />I begin the ritual by lighting some incense. I often just use sticks or cones of jasmine, gardenia, or other white flowers. For those who prefer lose incense, the Orphic hymns recommend burning aromatic herbs such as bay, lavender, basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, lemon balm, and chamomile.<br /><br />I take a few moments to focus myself, and then I recite the Orphic hymn to Selene (hymn number 9):<br />Hear me, O Divine Queen,
<br />O light-bringing and splendid Selene,
<br />O bull-horned Moon,
<br />crossing the air as you race with night.
<br />Nocturnal, torch-bearing,
<br />Maiden of the beautiful stars, <br />O Moon,
waxing and waning,
<br />feminine and masculine,
<br />luminous, lover of horses,
<br />mother of time, bearer of fruit,
<br />amber-colored, moody,
<br />shining in the night,
<br />all-seeing and vigilant,
<br />surrounded by beautiful stars,
<br />you delight in the quiet
and in the richness of the night,
<br />you grant fulfillment and favor
as, like a jewel, you shine in the night.
<br />Long-cloaked marshal of the stars,
<br />wise maiden whose motion is circular, <br />
come, O blessed and gentle Lady,
<br />lady of the stars, <br />through your own light
shine and save, O maiden,
your *initiates. <br />(Original line is new initiates. I also sometimes replace initiates with devotee/devotees.)<br /><br />After reciting the hymn a small libation is poured out for Selene. I often just use cool water. While pouring I say something along the lines of, O Selene, may you be well pleased with this offering. <br /><br />I follow the libation either with my own personal prayers, or more often, silent meditation. After I thank Selene for her presence, and leave the ritual space. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-26918291806886829402016-11-13T22:28:00.003-05:002016-11-13T22:28:47.134-05:00SupportTonight I went to an interfaith meeting at the reform Jewish temple my partner's family sometimes attends. It was specifically an event for the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities in the area (the Jewish and Christian groups actually share the temple/church together), but you know, secret agent pagan? In truth I've attended a lot of events there and never felt unwelcome, and the same goes for tonight. <br /><br />The meeting was a support group of sorts? It was a night for the three communities to come together, share some prayers and songs, and speak a little on what the future would bring, and so on. There were potions where we spoke to those around us about our fears and hopes for the coming few years. There are, understandably, a lot of worries. And there is, thankfully, hope to be found, and communities coming together to lift each other up. <br /><br />This is the beginning of something bigger for this group. Unfortunately, not living in the area, it's not something I'll really be able to participate - but it does make me think about seeking out these sorts of things at home. Now is a good time for it. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-50681737346515685952016-11-09T19:19:00.000-05:002016-11-09T20:15:36.092-05:00Oh, America...I don't usually get into politics here, but you know what... I just feel so disappointed in my country right now. <br />
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I'm queer. My partner is trans. We, along with many others in the community are quite worried about what Trump/Pence will be bringing. This morning my own mother tried to tell my sister (not her daughter), who is a lesbian, and myself that Hillary would have been worse for us. What? Worse than a guy who outright says he wants to roll back marriage equity, who wants to do away with protections that are in place... And, you know, a guy who, from all the people he could have picked, picked Pence. The guy who wanted to defund HIV programs and use that money for conversion therapy. (And that's just one of many nasty things on his record.)<br />
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This morning I had a little moment of panic, maybe we should get married right now! But then I remembered, if it goes back to the states to decide, we don't live in a shit state (at least in that sense). My heart goes out to all the people that do, however. <br />
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NH isn't doing great in other ways, however, and I am likely to lose my healthcare. I am thankful that I got the surgery I needed before it became an emergency that would put me deep into debt. I don't know what I will do about the medicines I need.<br />
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If I can go back to my mother for a moment, I saw her earlier saying
strong women don't get sexually assaulted - this was to excuse some of
the things Trump has said, and did. For obvious reasons, she does not
know about the fact that I have been sexually assaulted. <br />
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And of course it's not just these things. There are many, many communities out there right now who are very nervous about what the future will bring. I can't blame them at all. Everyone says it will be fine, he won't really do X or Y, but as of right now we have no idea what he will or won't do. Maybe he will be an amazing President, wouldn't that be something? But we can't know right now, we can only know what he has said he wants to do. If you're reading this, and you care at all, please stand up for these communities, fight for them. Fight for yourself. Don't let these things happen without a fight. <br />
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Everything that is going on right now is making me sick to my stomach. I'm going to spend a long, long time outside looking at the moon and praying to Selene tonight, because I really need her peace right now. <br /><br />(And I'm pretty sure this whole thing just caused my relationship with my mom to crash and burn. She wouldn't let up on Facebook, so bye. We were never super close, she didn't raise me, and we've lived in different states for the past decade. I'm not as torn up about it as I imagine I should be. I mean I love my mom, because she's my mom, but I'm an adult with my own boundaries, and she's crossed them over and over today. I do not need that in my life.)Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-78493850907575516302016-11-02T22:38:00.000-04:002016-11-02T22:38:55.949-04:00A New BookSo I decided to treat myself to an 'early' Yule present (but not that early, because it won't be here until mid-December anyway) - a new book of shadows to write in. <br /><br />For many, many years I just used a three ring binder and regular notebook paper. It wasn't elegant, but it was practical and it worked very well. Eventually I began using a hardcover sketchbook, then another, and things started getting broken up into different books. Using sketchbooks definitely let me add a lot of personal artistic touches, which was great, but the 'journal' style format, using different books for different subjects (due to size, or trying to keep some organization going), it just doesn't work as well for me. <br /><br />So I decided to take the leap and buy a nicely made book from an online crafter. It's got a beautiful design on the outside, and while the overall size isn't huge (like so many books seem to be!) it's got tons of paper in it... and the best thing? It's a post bound book, meaning I can add additional paper if necessary, move pages around as much as I like, I can take the pages out and print on them if necessary, and so on. <br /><br />I've seen various post bound books floating around before, but I was never sure if that's what I really wanted, since I don't always like how they look - and, well, a lot of the nicer ones tend to be expensive. I think it will be worth it in the end, though. After having tried all these different things, I do think this is what's going to work best for me. And it will be nice to actually have everything back together in the same place again. <br /><br />So it won't be here for a while still, but I'm really looking forward to creating something a bit more lasting than my previous attempts. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-19948226459061461882016-11-01T22:11:00.000-04:002016-11-02T00:11:45.105-04:00Colder weather? Today is the day I traditionally make a special offering to Hestia, keep her fire burning all day, in the hopes that she will keep my family and our homes safe and warm during the winter months. Fuel is expensive, things go wrong and break, power outages... All bad when it's below freezing out. <br />
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The thing is, I'm just not feeling it right now. It's been high 70s, even up into the 80s, the past few weeks in Denver. Meanwhile, it's in the high 40s back home. I've kept a candle lit today for Hestia, I'm trying to think of back home, but this weather has me all in the wrong mind.<br />
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I know a lot of people would be saying, hey, don't complain, it's too cold! But, truth is, I've just always liked colder weather. (After living in Western Washington five years, the one thing I missed the most was the snow.) Temperatures in the 50s? Great day for me. <br />
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One of my favorite memories from when I was little, was when it would snow in the late evening. It would be dark out, and my grandfather would turn on the porch and garage lights, and plow the driveway so it wouldn't be as bad in the morning. Playing out in the front yard in the dark, under all the giant pine trees, snow still coming down. There's just something magical about it. Even now, when the snow starts coming down in the night, I'll still go out and roam around in it, enjoying it. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-45230734618759406152016-10-31T23:32:00.001-04:002016-10-31T23:32:45.816-04:00What kind of gods...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spent the day at the botanic gardens. There were a variety of Dia de los Muertos memorials around the park, including one for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. <br />
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A story has been making the rounds in the LGBTQA community about a group of Christians trying to use the Pulse massacre in their hell house. <br />
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If you're lucky enough to not know what a hell house is, it's where they show a bunch of sinners, like a woman getting an abortion, people partying, doing drugs, whatever, often these people then appear in a hell scene, and at the end you're supposed to be so scared of what you saw you jump up and get saved by Jesus. <br />
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Frankly, I think the concept is disgusting altogether, but the idea that these people wanted to show off the 'sins' of people who were brutally massacred, as if they deserved that sort of thing... how fucking gross do you have to be? And to top it off, the event was canceled because they tried to hold it in a public school (apparently misrepresenting the event to get there), and the organizers have the audacity to say that people are a bunch of haters? The lack of self-awareness is amazing. Apparently "God will work it out," though. Hmm... well the event was canceled, so maybe that's God's way of saying you shouldn't be hateful, insensitive people. Whatever happened to that whole love and compassion thing Jesus was so big on?<br />
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Meanwhile, in the polytheist community, in India some Muslims destroyed some Hindu temples, and personal property. Apparently retribution for... someone mocking them? Article was unclear. In reply to this I saw a Hindu saying that their gods were laughing at the Muslim children and widows in the middle east. I know there's a lot of bad blood there, and that's putting it mildly, but holy shit man... if you all ever see me saying my gods are laughing at the suffering of children, please take my keyboard away from me. <br />
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I know Greek myth is full of some nasty events, but there's a reason why most Greek polytheists don't take the myths as literal 'word of God' events. They're human stories. Humans trying to grasp something so much bigger. So while I don't want to speak on the behalf of any gods that are out there... like... you know, if your God is cool with exploiting a recent tragedy, if you think your God is sitting up there laughing at suffering children, well, maybe you've got some shitty gods. Or, more likely, maybe you're just a shitty person. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-21229963594591104932016-08-12T22:21:00.001-04:002016-08-12T22:21:35.326-04:00UPG: Polymnia and KleioPolymnia and Kleio are two of the nine Olympic muses. Polymnia is the muse of hymns, sacred poetry, and so on, while Kleio is the muse of history. (You can read more about both of them <a href="http://hearthandhedge.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-muses-part-1.html">in this post</a>.) I am still only in the very beginning of my journey to know these two goddesses, but I hope to add to this post as time goes on. <br />
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I have found Polymnia to appreciate offerings of light white or pink wines, usually those which have been watered down, as well as fresh figs. For incense I would suggest light, airy scents (but not necessarily floral). Something like sandalwood, perhaps. I have come to associate her with the colors light blue, grey, white, and a light sandy gold color. In addition to the symbols associated with her in antiquity, I also associate her with butterflies, and with the pitcher and bowl, two items many modern worshipers of the Hellenic gods often use in their devotions - either to purify before devotions, or to make libations at altars. <br />
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In antiquity Polymnia was known to wrap a long cloak or veil around herself. Although not something I have worked with yet, I do feel somewhat called to wrap in such a cloth before calling on her for inspiration. <br /><br />Kleio I have come to associate with the colors orange, red, yellow, and gold. Strong, vibrant colors, as well as with lions. Offerings of frankincense. Strong spicy teas, and maybe coffee? Non-physical offerings of studying history, teaching history, and so on... although, that's probably an obvious one, considering her role. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-25181366383951230632016-07-27T14:29:00.003-04:002016-07-27T14:29:44.114-04:00The Trouble With Life Expectancy Life expectancy is something I see getting brought up occasionally in pagan conversation. The trouble is, a lot of people don't really seem to understand what life expectancy means. The person who most recently brought this up to me was attempting to say, well, the ancient Greeks had an average lifespan of only 30-40 years old, so a lot of them probably never communicated with a deity. (So whatever they had to say was probably not worth listening to? Ironically, this person was only 30, so...) I find this a very, very bizarre statement all around, but mostly because... well, it's not like people in Ancient Greece were all just falling over dead at the age of 35. <br /><br />See, the thing about those lifespans that look so low to us now, is that they include infant deaths. Death was indeed very common for infants and young children. All those young deaths brought down the average as a whole. However, if you made it out of young childhood, you had a much better shot at leading a fairly long life. Sure, disease was still an issue, war, and of course childbirth itself was very dangerous, and social status played a part as well, but you know, a lot of people still managed to live into their 60s, 70s, and so on. <br /><br />I mean, after all, you had to be at least 60 to be a member of the Spartan senate. And it's not like they had a hard time with this, getting into the senate was quite a competitive thing, and people who did enter the senate often served for quite a while. <br /><br />So life expectancy doesn't really tell us about any of that, how long people might live once they were out of early childhood. What we can see from life expectancy is that, say, in the modern US, thanks to medical advancements, many infants and children are no longer dying so early. And yeah, that's a good thing. I'm not knocking modern life, modern medicine, modern technology. I'm a fan of all that good stuff. Just don't think we should misunderstand or underestimate our ancestors, the lives they lived, what those lives were like, and yes, the things they did accomplish. Because they accomplished a lot. <br /><br />Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-14608466431093773512016-07-25T01:22:00.003-04:002016-07-25T01:27:54.438-04:00UPG relating to Hekate So, considering my recent post on the whole <a href="http://hearthandhedge.blogspot.com/2016/07/upg-and-modern-practice.html">UPG</a> thing, I figured maybe it would be a good time to actually share some of mine, little things I've discovered that aren't historical in nature. In this case those relating to Hekate, but others will come later in the week... <br />
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For offerings I have found Hekate calls for the fat rendered off from cooking beef. I believe the first time this happened I was cooking some ground beef on the night of Hekate's deipnon (a monthly festival dedicated to her, which is from antiquity), and I just had the overwhelming urge to save the fat which I would have otherwise discarded, to add it to my offerings that night. I did, and I have tried to do so whenever I cook beef. Apples are another offering I find she likes, that doesn't seem to have been emphasized historically. <br />
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I associate red roses with Hekate, and it seems quite a few people actually do this. Someone once said to me they associate no flowers with Hekate, because she was not a 'flowery' goddess, but that's why I like roses for her. They're beautiful, like she is... but they have thorns, they can draw blood, and they have a reputation as difficult to grow. Yet, those that grow them find the time and effort worth it. <br />
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I have also come to associate common sage with her (not white/smudging sage). And for stones, labradorite and lava rock. I find wells to be sacred to her, among other deities - perhaps because they are a liminal space, a link to the underworld. In the Orphic hymn she is called "Hekate of the Roads," and this is something I have come to emphasize in my own practice in many ways. <br />
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For symbols I tend to look to her historical ones, but there is also the crescent moon with it's 'horns' pointing downward. I associate this with all chthonic deities, but Hekate especially. <br />
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I find she likes frankincense and myrrh, although both would likely have been offered at some point in antiquity. Patchouli is another incense for her, as well as other deep earthy scents, or the scent of heavy night blooming flowers. Thick, sort of sweet, the scent of a hot, humid summer night. <br />
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I have come to know her as "queen of the night-singing ones," in other words, those insects and other creatures which call at night. Again, very much the sound of summer. <br />
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I suppose my associating her with summer is an odd UPG in itself. Many seem to see her more in the autumn weather, and I do see here there as well, she is present all year, but there is simply something about a summer night that makes me think of her in so many ways. Especially when a storm is brewing in the distance. That charge on the air you don't often get in autumn. <br /><br />As far as other modern practices go, again, there is the <a href="http://hekatecovenant.com/rite-of-her-sacred-fires/">Rite of Her Sacred Fires</a> which I <a href="http://hearthandhedge.blogspot.com/2016_05_01_archive.html">celebrated this year</a>. It's not personal, I didn't create it, and a whole bunch of people participate in it, but it is modern. As, at this point in time, I do still celebrate the wheel of the year, and so I honor Hekate at Samhain. Again, perhaps not that unusual in modern paganism, but it is not an ancient practice, so I'll include it. Samhain reminds me a bit of her monthly deipnon festival, and it is one of the liminal times of year, where everything is moving from life to death. To that end, I also associate her a bit with Beltane, the other half of that time, when things move from death back to life. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-73214487609504952872016-07-24T00:58:00.000-04:002016-07-25T00:58:54.071-04:00UPG and Modern PracticeSo I like history, that's no secret to anyone who's interacted with me for more than five minutes. When it comes to my spirituality, I do have some reconstructionist tendencies. Say, for getting to know deities... the cultures they came from gave them particular meanings, some specific to the culture, they worshiped them for hundreds, if not thousands of years, established their rites, and so on. These people knew their gods, and I think we'd be kinda silly to ignore the surviving knowledge and understandings these people had. <br />
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Some people tend to see that, and think oh, hey, this person is stuck in the past, they don't like anything modern. Which isn't true. Hell, I wouldn't even flat out call myself a reconstructionist. I'm not at all against modern practices, creations, and I'm not against unverified personal gnosis. (UPG - the idea that I might have a particular spiritual practice that doesn't necessarily apply to others, and isn't 'verified' by sources from antiquity.) I have partaken in modern rites (<a href="http://hearthandhedge.blogspot.com/2016_05_01_archive.html">Her Sacred Fires</a>, for example?), I have made my own modern associations for the deities I have built relationships with. <br />
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What bothers me is when people try to pass of these things as ancient, when they're not. Like, the Ancient Greeks didn't offer pumpkins to Hekate on Oct 31st, because the ancient Greeks didn't have pumpkins, nor did they have a calendar that would easily correspond to our idea of Oct 31st. Does it mean no one should do this? Nope, if you feel called to it, go for it... just, you know, don't paint it as something it's not. Don't tell me this is what the Ancient Greeks did. That sort of thing doesn't help anyone, and only makes it more confusing for those seeking out the historical side of things. <br />
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I am not at all against modern practices... but don't call them something they're not. If the practice is valid, even if only for you, you don't need to take a fake history onto it to make it sound better. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-28271144169838210102016-07-10T01:03:00.000-04:002016-07-10T01:03:25.294-04:00Happy New YearA few days ago was the first day of the new Athenian year, and I celebrated in the tradition way... which is to say, I didn't do anything at all. For whatever reason, the Athenians didn't really have any specific festivals for the new year. City officials made offerings to Athena and Zeus on the last day of the year, and all business, trials, and so on, had to be finished up before the new year began. I probably should have made some offerings at the end of the year, but real talk, I am tired as heck and it's been a rough week all around. I'll make the offerings next month. Kinda the nice thing about Greek polytheism, the unit of the month tends to be much more emphasized over the year, every month has the festivals for ending and beginning new again.<br /><br /><br /><br />Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-73829183195512367512016-06-27T09:10:00.000-04:002016-06-27T09:41:09.867-04:00Reconsidering Smudging With Sage Bundles in Neo-paganism Cultural appropriate is a real hot button issue for a lot of modern pagans, particularly when it begins to concern Native Americans. Although some Native tribes are quite open to those who are sincere, many Native Americans have come forward and asked people to please stop taking their traditions, and please stop taking them and using them out of context, or without any relation to a tribe, and so on. This is often met, unfortunately, with cries of things like "we're all one people," "spirituality needs to be shared," and "you should feel grateful that people want to emulate you." I would think one only needs to consider the history and current issues facing Native American populations to realize why these aren't exactly great things to say. (And yet...) <br />
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But the use of sage in particular is an issue I find interesting. Smudging with sage sticks, generally white sage <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">(Salvia apiana), is just so ubiquitous within modern paganism, nobody seems to question it, or look at it's origins. White sage is native to western North America. The spiritual associations of it, using it for purification, the rituals surrounding it, and so on, all originate with some Native American tribes. White sage is also not the only plant used in such a way, of course, sagebrush, cedar, and other local plants would have all been used by various tribes.</span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">So why is it this one thing which seems to have become so widely spread throughout the pagan community? Especially when we consider that the pagan roots we tend to draw from have their own purification traditions.<br /><br />Let's look at Greece, for example. C</span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">ommon sage (Salvia officinalis) is native to the
Mediterranean. Same genus as white sage, but a different species. Common sage, sometimes also called garden sage, is what you're likely to find in grocery stores for
use in cooking. (Although white sage is edible, and was/is used as a
source of food.) Common sage is found in Greece. It was very, very likely that it was one of the "aromatic herbs" burned as an incense offering to some of the gods. The Orphic Hymns recommend aromatic herbs be burned for Hestia, Hera, Athene, and Selene, for example. <br /><br />But the Greeks didn't use common sage in smudging rituals like some Native American tribes would do. In Greek ritual, purification of people and spaces would have generally been accomplished with lustral water and barley. <br /><br />Which is all not to say that no one else ever purified with incense, smoke, sacred fires, and so on. That's found in many, many places all over the world. It's just, there are so many ways to do this without pulling from Native American customs. So again, I can't help but wonder why that in particular was the thing to become standard practice for so many folks. Particularly when, for many pagans, connecting to our ancestral roots is such an important element of the practice. Why didn't we look more to what they did? Their traditions are just as valid, and often easily accessible, after all. <br /><br />I doubt that I could ever talk someone out of using a sage stick if it's become something they've done in their practice for quite a while, and I'm not even sure if that's my 'goal' here, so to speak. But I do think paganism, as a whole, would benefit in looking at, and finding the value in some of our other purification traditions. <br /><br />As a final note, I'm always someone who's often going on about the importance of looking locally, working locally, and so on, in witchcraft. However, it's quite possible to work locally, and even respect indigenous traditions, without lifting elements of their spirituality directly from them. Living in those areas would probably open you to the use of these kinds of sage in general, but I think there would have to be ways to utilize these plants respectfully, you know? Being aware of the cultures that still use them as part of their living tradition. Not living in an area where sage is native, I can't speak more on that. There's not really an easy equivalent where I live (not to mention, so many plants here have been imported, so they are local but not native). I'd be interested to hear more from witches living in such areas, however. </span></span>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-28450146653433107482016-06-26T01:07:00.002-04:002016-06-26T13:11:28.888-04:00I'm not and have never been a Christian. Also I made a sworn enemy and didn't even know it. Oh gosh, while all that other stuff was going down someone said sent me a message - now on Facebook if you're not friends with someone, their message gets sent to the requests folder. Which apparently also has a filtered section as well(?). I did not know this. I had three messages in it, two of which I felt bad about missing for so long, one of which has provided some amazing entertainment after a somewhat stressful night. <br />
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So a month or two ago I had to ban someone from a group I admin for. I banned for them bashing Christianity and bashing a few other groups within paganism. Then personally insulting me when I said, hey, admin here, could you not? Which, all that, against our clearly stated rules. Anyway. So they also sent me a message after that. Most of it was just self-righteous babbling. With the lovely ending where they tell me to admit I'm an idiot or "you've otherwise just made an enemy you don't want who's remarkably popular and who doesn't take kindly to shite like this."<br />
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Oh. My. God. If you have to say something like that then, you know... mayyyybe not as cool as you think? (I was 'warned' that admins meet some real interesting people, heh, guess that was not a lie.)<br />
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But there was something in the message that made me pause. She said because I was defending Christians, I must be one. I've heard this before from other pagans. Some of which have also said I'm clearly carrying around baggage from my Christian upbringing. <br />
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Here's the thing. I was not raised Christian. I have NEVER truly been Christian. My grandmother is Shinto/Buddhist/sort-of-atheist, my grandfather is a theist who introduced me to many religions, and supported me in studying paganism. The closest I came to Christianity was a single year of a Christian kindergarten, because it was the only place that wasn't super far away from the house. You know what I remember from that year? A teacher telling me not to say something was wicked awesome, because wicked is bad. (I live in New Hampshire, things are wicked here. That's the law.) I have not been a Christian, I am not a Christian nor am I a Christo-pagan. I just don't like when people make broad, ignorant, sweeping statements about the followers an entire religion. Debate about Christian beliefs would be fine, I have engaged in it myself, and there are many aspects of Christianity I disagree with... but that doesn't mean I'm into insulting the whole lot of it, and those who believe in it. If you can't make a point without resorting to personal insults, your point must not be very strong. <br />
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Meanwhile both this person, and the others who have said this to me... were raised Christian or have ties to Christianity. Kinda ironic, huh? Kinda good to examine your own baggage before guessing about another person's. Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1551048876889596066.post-2988881874735710522016-06-25T21:28:00.001-04:002016-07-24T21:11:17.797-04:00Oh boy...You know what I didn't miss in my break away from the pagan community? People who tried to pass their personal opinions off as historical facts. <br />
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For example, someone flat out claiming "(Hekate) <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">is not the goddess of magic." Ummm, okay... Because, I mean, she certainly was, and is. She is a goddess of witchcraft and magic, that's like, one of her major functions. There are bunches of primary sources from antiquity which show her in this light. Since there's some confusion about what that means, a primary source is information that comes directly from ancient Greece. Not archeologist speculation, or someone writing about their thoughts on her in the modern day. It's stuff that comes directly from the ancient Greeks themselves. <br /><br />Of course that doesn't matter. Because. "</span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Who's says the research you are studying is even the right research????… </span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Who says the Greek were even right???" (Direct quotes folks, because the more question marks the better!) <br /><br />Yes. Who is to say the ancient Greeks were even right. Those silly ancient Greeks who worshiped her for centuries, who erected countless shrines to her, who (in Athens anyway) celebrated her supper on the last night of every lunar month. What do those crazy people even know? After all, what are a few measly centuries compared to, you know, the few years you've put in... <br /><br />But hey, it's just her opinion, right? Look, I'm all about the continuing growth of deities, their mythologies, and having personal relationships and understandings with these deities... but when you flat out state a fact like that? That's not an opinion anymore. You can say, hey, you know, I never really connected with that aspect of Hekate, it doesn't fit into my practice, and that would be fine. But to act like it doesn't exist at all? Nope, sorry, that's not how it works. That's no longer an opinion, not a belief, and it is factually wrong. It is not insulting a belief to point out an incorrect fact, because it's <i>not a belief</i>. <br /><br />To end of this little rant, let me tell you about a book my partner and I have been listening to in the car. It's about aliens coming to take over the earth (and kill all people in the process, it seems), and a group of people who want the aliens to come do this. My partner's kinda caught up on that, why would anyone want aliens to destroy all people? Me. I do. Fling us all into the sun. Go for it. We probably deserve it. <br />(Okay, okay, not really, I don't really want aliens to fling us all into the sun. Even if sometimes the Internet makes me reconsider.)<br /><br />((Edit: I also love backpedaling. Now it's just, well, Hekate wasn't <i>only</i> goddess of magic! Of course she wasn't. Also there are about a thousand better ways to say that. And you know, when it's clear someone has misunderstood your (super unclear) statement, the awesome thing to do is... you know... clarify. Not throw a fit and start ranting about sources and ancient Greeks and whatnot.)) </span></span> Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06749457203992209711noreply@blogger.com1