Do you have a magickal name? Do you share it with others? Maybe only with your coven sisters/brothers? With the God and Goddess only? How did you choose it? Did it "choose you"?
At this point in time, I do not really have a magical/spiritual name, although I've had several in the past.
The first spiritual name I remember choosing for myself was when I was an Egyptian Wiccan, and it was MeketHeru - which means something like 'protected by Horus.' At the time I wanted to take on the name as a dedication of sorts, as Horus was the first deity I'd ever felt pulled to develop a close relationship with. I chose it by looking at many ancient Egyptian names and their meanings, and carefully chose something which I felt reflected part of my relationship with Horus.
Names were considered very important in ancient Egypt, and this is shown in a few myths and customs they had. So, as I moved from Egyptian Wicca into reconstructionism, the significance of names and their role in my work grew quite a bit. I was initiated into a reconstructionist tradition and given another name, which I spent a lot of time meditating on. I took an interest in doing "true name" work, put simply, that is finding your soul's name, so to speak (which I did not have much success in - but learned a lot from at the same time). I also looked into taking on temporary names, working with them as talismans in a way, to develop a particular trait in myself, and that sort of thing.
I actually really enjoyed much of the name work I did as an Egyptian reconstructionist. I realize not everyone finds significance in spiritual names, but it was something that really spoke to me in the context I was working in at that time.
Now though? I don't really have a spiritual name. The name I took, and the name I was given, will both always have a special place with me - but they no longer reflect who I am now. Where I came from, yes, and that's important, but I don't go by either name now. It just doesn't feel right. Name work seems to be something I left behind with reconstruction, with the Egyptian deities who stepped back when my path took a dramatic change. The deities and spirits I find myself honoring and working with now don't seem to care one way or the other what name I call myself... It might be something that I might find myself exploring again some day, but right now? It just doesn't have a place within my current practice.
Showing posts with label pagan prompts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pagan prompts. Show all posts
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Prompt: Teachers (and Students)
There are many people this day and age that are searching for teachers. If you browse any Wiccan or Pagan forum, you'll find people searching. So the questions I am asking today is...What makes someone qualified to teach their spiritual path? In the case of Wicca, what would you look for? Years of study and practice? Initiation into a tradition? Teaching experience? What makes someone qualified, in your opinion, to teach another? At what point does a "student" become a "teacher"?
(Pagan Blog Prompts)
I'm not going to speak about Wicca (not being a Wiccan...), or even any other specific tradition, but instead I'm going to look a bit more broadly at the qualities most teachers, regardless of tradition, should have.
The first is, of course, at least a few years of solid experience in whatever they'll be teaching - be it their tradition, herbalism, or whatever else. It's hard to name an exact number, because the truth is, to steal a line from Doctor Who, "It doesn't work like that. Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person." To give an example, I've met people who happily boast about having been a Wiccan for more than fifteen years... and yet, they don't know when Imbolc is, or what it's about. Something that many others with much less experience would be able to tell you about with no issue. You need to find someone who hasn't just collected years, so to speak, but has filled those years with actual study and practice.
The problem is, if you're new to the information, you might not know how to tell if someone really has done this, or if a person is just lying or exaggerating. Years and even titles can be misleading, or totally made up. This is why it's important to get recommendations from others about a teacher, or to see how respected they are within their particular community, if you can do so. Even those things are not always a solid guarantee, but often they can shine light on some big problems.
Another necessary thing is some degree of consistency and stability. Personal practices grow and change, of course, but if someone is frequently making big changes that might be a sign that they're still working through a lot of things in their own practice, and so might not be ready to guide someone else on theirs. (One or two big changes is probably not a huge deal, that happens, but several in a short time is more of a red flag.)
Experience is good, but it's not enough. Knowing things doesn't automatically mean you'll be able to teach them. A teacher needs to be able to explain these concepts to others in a way that's easy for a beginner to understand. A teacher needs to understand that different people learn in different ways, and at different rates. A teacher needs to understand the order in which to teach things - how to build a strong foundation, and how to work off from that. How to present information, while still letting the student put in the work necessary to the practice.
A teacher needs to have patience, but a teacher also needs to know when a student (or potential student) is simply wasting their time. A teacher needs to know their own limits, and they need to be able to admit when they don't know something, or when they've been wrong about something. A teacher needs to be willing to still be a student, too. It's not easy to teach, and frankly I think we often don't give enough credit to those who do so well.
What about students, though? If you're looking for a teacher, the first thing you need to decide is what exactly it is you want to learn. I'm sure that sounds obvious to many people, but there are a lot of people who seem to skip that step for some reason... Additionally, a lot of people want to learn 'paganism,' which isn't really possible - paganism isn't a single tradition, it can involve all sorts of different practices and beliefs. (There are, however, some out there who are able to guide someone through forming their own eclectic practice.) You'll need to have some idea what it is you're after. If you're looking to learn a specific tradition, see what the requirements are for a teacher to have - if there are any. Some traditions have strict guidelines, while others are much more open.
Remember that teachers are people with their own lives. Don't waste their time - sincere questions or struggles are not a waste of time, but consistently being late, making last minute changes to plans, messing around, or not putting in the work to learn all are. If you're having lessons in the teacher's home, or in a public space, be respectful and leave things in the same condition as you found them (throw out your trash, etc). Be respectful of the teacher's tools and belongings. Don't expect your teacher to hand you everything on a silver platter, there will be points where you have to work for your information, and there will be points where you have to do the work of putting the information into actual practice.
(Pagan Blog Prompts)
I'm not going to speak about Wicca (not being a Wiccan...), or even any other specific tradition, but instead I'm going to look a bit more broadly at the qualities most teachers, regardless of tradition, should have.
The first is, of course, at least a few years of solid experience in whatever they'll be teaching - be it their tradition, herbalism, or whatever else. It's hard to name an exact number, because the truth is, to steal a line from Doctor Who, "It doesn't work like that. Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person." To give an example, I've met people who happily boast about having been a Wiccan for more than fifteen years... and yet, they don't know when Imbolc is, or what it's about. Something that many others with much less experience would be able to tell you about with no issue. You need to find someone who hasn't just collected years, so to speak, but has filled those years with actual study and practice.
The problem is, if you're new to the information, you might not know how to tell if someone really has done this, or if a person is just lying or exaggerating. Years and even titles can be misleading, or totally made up. This is why it's important to get recommendations from others about a teacher, or to see how respected they are within their particular community, if you can do so. Even those things are not always a solid guarantee, but often they can shine light on some big problems.
Another necessary thing is some degree of consistency and stability. Personal practices grow and change, of course, but if someone is frequently making big changes that might be a sign that they're still working through a lot of things in their own practice, and so might not be ready to guide someone else on theirs. (One or two big changes is probably not a huge deal, that happens, but several in a short time is more of a red flag.)
Experience is good, but it's not enough. Knowing things doesn't automatically mean you'll be able to teach them. A teacher needs to be able to explain these concepts to others in a way that's easy for a beginner to understand. A teacher needs to understand that different people learn in different ways, and at different rates. A teacher needs to understand the order in which to teach things - how to build a strong foundation, and how to work off from that. How to present information, while still letting the student put in the work necessary to the practice.
A teacher needs to have patience, but a teacher also needs to know when a student (or potential student) is simply wasting their time. A teacher needs to know their own limits, and they need to be able to admit when they don't know something, or when they've been wrong about something. A teacher needs to be willing to still be a student, too. It's not easy to teach, and frankly I think we often don't give enough credit to those who do so well.
What about students, though? If you're looking for a teacher, the first thing you need to decide is what exactly it is you want to learn. I'm sure that sounds obvious to many people, but there are a lot of people who seem to skip that step for some reason... Additionally, a lot of people want to learn 'paganism,' which isn't really possible - paganism isn't a single tradition, it can involve all sorts of different practices and beliefs. (There are, however, some out there who are able to guide someone through forming their own eclectic practice.) You'll need to have some idea what it is you're after. If you're looking to learn a specific tradition, see what the requirements are for a teacher to have - if there are any. Some traditions have strict guidelines, while others are much more open.
Remember that teachers are people with their own lives. Don't waste their time - sincere questions or struggles are not a waste of time, but consistently being late, making last minute changes to plans, messing around, or not putting in the work to learn all are. If you're having lessons in the teacher's home, or in a public space, be respectful and leave things in the same condition as you found them (throw out your trash, etc). Be respectful of the teacher's tools and belongings. Don't expect your teacher to hand you everything on a silver platter, there will be points where you have to work for your information, and there will be points where you have to do the work of putting the information into actual practice.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Prompt: Advice to Newbies
Everyone has their two cents on where to start, so where do you weigh in? If someone new to Paganism/Wicca/Witchcraft approached you and asked for some direction, what would you say? Start with books? If yes, what books would you recommend? Start out in nature? Seek a mentor?Today's topic is all about where you think a good starting place is and why.
My first bit of advice to any beginner, regardless of what path you're looking into, is to write things down! Record good information, record things you disagree with (and why), record any experiences, record what you're interested in learning more about... just write and record all sorts of things.
This serves two purposes. First, it's just a good way to keep and sort through all the information you'll be coming across - because there's very likely going to be a lot of it, especially if you're looking into more than one tradition, or taking an eclectic approach.
But second, as you progress down your spiritual path, it's really nice to have this sort of thing to look back on. You can see where you've grown, see where you may need to grow more, remember when you were interested in a particular topic, and so on.
As for where you learn? Unless you're looking into a particular tradition, often the best way to go is by using a variety of resources. Books (both historical non-fiction and modern pagan books), websites, talking to other pagans, and yes, if you're looking into a more nature-based path, get out into nature and learn there, as well. Cross-reference, get recommendations, fact check.
How one chooses to learn is also quite a personal thing... As a hedgewitch, I've come to where I am in my practice though self-teaching with books and the like, and that worked very well for me. However, others might find they learn much better with a teacher. That's really up to the individual, and how they best learn - although, of course, some traditions have specific requirements in that area.
Beyond that, I'd say another common mistake is putting off any form of practice. Pray, meditate, spend time in nature, learn little basic rituals, that sort of thing. It's good to read, it's good to study, it's good to have an understanding of what you're going to be doing... but too often I see people feel they need to study for a year, or years, before they can do anything - and then, even if a good amount of time has passed, they find themselves stuck, and unable to take those first few steps. Sometimes this is because they've taken in too much information, they get caught up in how much they don't know, they loose track of what they do know, or where they should start to later move to more advanced things. Don't jump into the deep-end with no idea of what you're doing, but do start taking those baby steps, building that strong foundation for your practice, sooner rather than later.
A similar mistake is feeling like you need every tool, herb, stone, etc. under the sun before you can do anything. Again, sometimes certain things might be tradition based, but generally speaking there are a lot of basic practices one can do that require NO materials at all. Don't let a lack of tools discourage you.
My first bit of advice to any beginner, regardless of what path you're looking into, is to write things down! Record good information, record things you disagree with (and why), record any experiences, record what you're interested in learning more about... just write and record all sorts of things.
This serves two purposes. First, it's just a good way to keep and sort through all the information you'll be coming across - because there's very likely going to be a lot of it, especially if you're looking into more than one tradition, or taking an eclectic approach.
But second, as you progress down your spiritual path, it's really nice to have this sort of thing to look back on. You can see where you've grown, see where you may need to grow more, remember when you were interested in a particular topic, and so on.
As for where you learn? Unless you're looking into a particular tradition, often the best way to go is by using a variety of resources. Books (both historical non-fiction and modern pagan books), websites, talking to other pagans, and yes, if you're looking into a more nature-based path, get out into nature and learn there, as well. Cross-reference, get recommendations, fact check.
How one chooses to learn is also quite a personal thing... As a hedgewitch, I've come to where I am in my practice though self-teaching with books and the like, and that worked very well for me. However, others might find they learn much better with a teacher. That's really up to the individual, and how they best learn - although, of course, some traditions have specific requirements in that area.
Beyond that, I'd say another common mistake is putting off any form of practice. Pray, meditate, spend time in nature, learn little basic rituals, that sort of thing. It's good to read, it's good to study, it's good to have an understanding of what you're going to be doing... but too often I see people feel they need to study for a year, or years, before they can do anything - and then, even if a good amount of time has passed, they find themselves stuck, and unable to take those first few steps. Sometimes this is because they've taken in too much information, they get caught up in how much they don't know, they loose track of what they do know, or where they should start to later move to more advanced things. Don't jump into the deep-end with no idea of what you're doing, but do start taking those baby steps, building that strong foundation for your practice, sooner rather than later.
A similar mistake is feeling like you need every tool, herb, stone, etc. under the sun before you can do anything. Again, sometimes certain things might be tradition based, but generally speaking there are a lot of basic practices one can do that require NO materials at all. Don't let a lack of tools discourage you.
Friday, January 11, 2013
A is for Altar
While specific traditions may have certain requirements of how an altar should be set up, generally speaking altars come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and can serve many different functions. They can be outdoors or indoors, in any room of the house (yes, even a bathroom might house a small purification altar, or an altar devoted to water in the shower). Altars can be big, small, formal, informal, hold only a few items, or be covered in things, they can be obviously altars, or quietly fit into their surroundings. The altar may be kept in a busy spot in the home, where it will be seen often and always be bringing your faith to the front of your mind. Or it can be kept in a more quiet location, for privacy, or to keep it from being bumped, touched, or whatever else. An altar can be out in the open, or kept in a small cuppboard. It can be a permanent altar, or one that is only set up when needed. An altar can change with the seasons, can be devoted to a deity, a place to honor ancestors or spirits, a place to do ritual workings, a place to meditate, make offerings - many will be a mix of a few things.
Basically, what I'm saying is, what an altar is? That's up to you. You may choose to not even have one, and that's fine too if that's what works for you. Personally though, I keep a few different altars in my home...
Artemis' (indoor) altar is fairly clean and simple. A statue of her, two tall tea light holders, and two small offering bowls. Usually one for food, and one for liquid, but occasionally I will put some salt into one of the bowls and use it to burn an offering of incense. Sometimes the altar is decorated with flowers, evergreens, or other plants, but most of the time it's just as it's shown. This altar is in the living room.
Then there's the hearth altar, kept in a corner of my kitchen. The top section is devoted to Westya, a hearth goddess. The candle's flame represents her, a symbol of the hearth fire. The candle sits in a small bowl that has some non-perishable offerings in it. Those offerings get changed each new moon, and are usually related to the season. Ground corn around Lammas, or pumpkin seeds at Samhain, for example. The two little plates are more offering bowls, for the daily devotion done at this altar. In front is a smooth flat stone, to be used in spirit-flight rituals as a hearth stone, a stone to help one come back from journeying.
Below that is not really an altar, but more of a little working space of odds and ends. Mortar and pestle, candle snuffer, shell filled with bits (such as a piece of sea glass, a penny, a key...), bowl of bits (such as birch bark, dog hair, a feather...), blessed candles, ritual oil holder, salve holder, a charm of berries, some stones... This space changes often.
Then on the next down is the ancestor's altar. A statue of Yinepu (Anubis), a deity of the dead. Many of my ancestor items are currently packed away from when I re-arranged my altars, I need to get them back out sometime... Meanwhile, the main points of the altar are two offering bowls for the ancestors, and one for Yinepu. (Below that are two more shelves, storage areas.)
Next to this altar is a cabinet where I keep my tools and some supplies, like candles, incense, oils, and the like. Some people like to keep their tools on their altars, but since these areas are rather small, I keep them safely in the cabinet when not in use.
Finally, there's the newest of the bunch. Just set up a few days ago, actually. Hidden away in the corner for a bit of private space, low to the ground so I can sit in front of it. Just a little working place, a place to meditate, do shamanic work, small rituals, and so on. To the left of the altar is a sistrum (a sort of rattle), on the top is a little wooden frog noise maker, incense, a beeswax candle with some moonstones and a sunstone - all for Artemis, then a few different objects for the elements. The row below that is still a bit empty, but on the left is a box of small ogham staves, in the center I'm working on a space to honor my spirit helpers, and to the right is where I'm currently keeping my wildwood cards (and where I will likely keep a small area for my 'weekly' card study). Below is just some storage right now, a journal, a shawl, and a box of supplies. I plan to be doing the bulk of my indoor work at the newest altar, so I am excited to see how it will grow and change as time goes on.
Beyond the altars shown here, I also maintain a few outdoor altars (yes, I really like altars...), but I think I've rambled on long enough for now, so those are probably best left to another upcoming project post.
(Altars are also the prompt of the week over at Pagan Prompts.)
Friday, December 21, 2012
Prompt: Yule 2012
Took a little break from blogging, but back now, and with a prompt post...
Yule is one of the bigger holidays for me. The celebration started yesterday, the evening before the solstice, and will run all the way through the calendar new year. This works well for me, as my family does celebrate (a secular) Christmas, and New Year's day is also a big holiday for us, so everything ends up coming together nicely.
Yule itself is many things to me. It is the start of the winter season, which has really been starting to show this last week. It is the midpoint of the dark half of the year. It's the shortest day, and so also the longest night. It's the rebirth of the sun, will start to grow stronger again after the solstice has passed. For me, Yule also marks the beginning of the new year. I associate Yule with midnight, the new moon, north, and earth.
Today was the solstice, which again, was the shortest day of the year - which also makes tonight one of the longest nights of the year. When sun set, I lit an electric candle on my altar, which will stay lit until dawn, to keep a spark of light alive through the long night. (Electric, since I won't be awake all night this year, and don't want to leave a burning candle alone for so long.) Tomorrow the day will be just a little longer, even if just by seconds, so tomorrow morning I'll go out at dawn to welcome the reborn sun, to make offerings, and to meditate.
Then, the day after tomorrow, I go down to my Grandparents' house. It'll be time to start the Christmas baking - lots of different cookies, cakes, and a mincemeat pie for my Grandfather and I. On Christmas eve I'll probably bake and decorate cookies with my siblings. I have to admit, I still love leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. Christmas day is a big dinner with family. Locally, on Christmas day is also when the sun actually rises a bit higher in the sky.
As many pagans probably know (and even a lot of non-pagans), Christmas and Yule share a lot of overlap in symbolism. So, coming from a family that doesn't really celebrate it in a religious way, there's really no issue blending it all together.
On New Year's Eve my Grandmother and I start prepping the food for the next day. Lots of traditional Japanese foods. We all also eat lots of junk foods, play board games, and watch the NHK New Year special on my Grandmother's Japanese satellite channel. Of course we also watch the ball drop in Times Square, and have a bit of sparkling cider or champagne. It's also tradition to keep a real bayberry candlestick lit on New Year's eve, and to let it burn down totally for blessings on the home.
On New Year's Day we have our big dinner. It'll be the last day of the Yule celebrations, but the first day of 2013 - a good time to honor the ancestors, and to make offerings to Westya in thanks, and to ask for blessings on the home for the coming year.
Yule is one of the bigger holidays for me. The celebration started yesterday, the evening before the solstice, and will run all the way through the calendar new year. This works well for me, as my family does celebrate (a secular) Christmas, and New Year's day is also a big holiday for us, so everything ends up coming together nicely.
Yule itself is many things to me. It is the start of the winter season, which has really been starting to show this last week. It is the midpoint of the dark half of the year. It's the shortest day, and so also the longest night. It's the rebirth of the sun, will start to grow stronger again after the solstice has passed. For me, Yule also marks the beginning of the new year. I associate Yule with midnight, the new moon, north, and earth.
Today was the solstice, which again, was the shortest day of the year - which also makes tonight one of the longest nights of the year. When sun set, I lit an electric candle on my altar, which will stay lit until dawn, to keep a spark of light alive through the long night. (Electric, since I won't be awake all night this year, and don't want to leave a burning candle alone for so long.) Tomorrow the day will be just a little longer, even if just by seconds, so tomorrow morning I'll go out at dawn to welcome the reborn sun, to make offerings, and to meditate.
Then, the day after tomorrow, I go down to my Grandparents' house. It'll be time to start the Christmas baking - lots of different cookies, cakes, and a mincemeat pie for my Grandfather and I. On Christmas eve I'll probably bake and decorate cookies with my siblings. I have to admit, I still love leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. Christmas day is a big dinner with family. Locally, on Christmas day is also when the sun actually rises a bit higher in the sky.
As many pagans probably know (and even a lot of non-pagans), Christmas and Yule share a lot of overlap in symbolism. So, coming from a family that doesn't really celebrate it in a religious way, there's really no issue blending it all together.
On New Year's Eve my Grandmother and I start prepping the food for the next day. Lots of traditional Japanese foods. We all also eat lots of junk foods, play board games, and watch the NHK New Year special on my Grandmother's Japanese satellite channel. Of course we also watch the ball drop in Times Square, and have a bit of sparkling cider or champagne. It's also tradition to keep a real bayberry candlestick lit on New Year's eve, and to let it burn down totally for blessings on the home.
On New Year's Day we have our big dinner. It'll be the last day of the Yule celebrations, but the first day of 2013 - a good time to honor the ancestors, and to make offerings to Westya in thanks, and to ask for blessings on the home for the coming year.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Prompt: Who makes your tools?
Some of my tools I have made myself, some I bought (be it handmade by another, from a store, or bought second hand), some were found, while others have been gifts from family and friends. Where my tools come from doesn't matter too much to me, and really I find it interesting to have, and to work with tools from a variety of places.
Likewise, when it comes to bought tools, they're all over the price range. Some were cheap, others were more expensive. An expensive tool is not necessarily better than a cheap one - there are tons of inexpensive options out there that work absolutely fine! No one should be pressured into buying expensive tools. On the other hand, it's not wrong to invest a bit of money into a tool if you know you're going to use it often, and use it for many years. Working and saving up money to treat yourself to a tool you like can be rewarding in itself, much as creating something on your own is rewarding.
I don't think it matters much where a tool comes from, how much it costs, and so on... as long as the tool speaks to you, that's what truly matters. For many, hand making a tool is a great way to ensure that the tool is as you want it, that it is personal to you and speaks to you. Many also choose to customize their bought tools - carving or painting symbols into it, or decorating it in other ways - to add a more personal touch. Sometimes, though, you just find the perfect item in a shop, and know it's what you've been looking for just as it is. One of these is not better than the others.
Making a tool is also a great way to start getting your energy into an item, but for me much of the bond comes through actual use, through time spent with it. A handmade item may have more of a head-start, so to speak, but in the end any tool that's used a lot will end up having that bond.
A tool is what you make of it. Whether you hand made your tool, if you saved up and worked hard for it, if you found an awesome bargain, if you traded for it, if you just found it walking through the woods... be proud of it! Don't let someone shame you because they think you should have done something different.
And remember, in the end a tool is just an aid. It can help, but all you really need is you.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Prompt: The Broom Closet
When I first started studying paganism I was pretty young, and the idea that this would be something I would have to hide from anyone just didn't occur to me. I told my family I was studying this, and it was never a big deal. I told my friends, and well, while they didn't seem to care much... someone eventually told someone else, who told someone else, and we know how that goes. Some people made fun of me - very few others were learning about paganism, or had family members that were pagan. Eventually people forgot, stopped caring, and when on to the next thing.
So because of that, I've never really hidden my faith - it's just been out there, like it or not, for a long time. My family knows. My friends know. It's caused a few issues over the years (some big, some small), but for the most part its been fine.
Even so, religion just isn't something I talk about much (offline, anyway). I'm a pretty private person in general, and the details of my practice just don't come out much - partly because most people just don't ask. I'll usually be direct if asked (unless it's at work!), although depending on who is asking I might not be very detailed... I usually won't say I'm a hedgewitch, or give details, unless it's someone I know very well. "I'm a pagan" is usually enough for most people, and thankfully I live in an area where I don't really have to fear being somewhat open about my beliefs.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Blue moon tonight... or is it?
I wrote a little bit about this before as part of a larger topic (which could stand a bit of touching up!), but figured it's an appropriate topic to re-visit tonight.
These days when one says blue moon, most people think of the second full moon in a month that contains two. This concept is actually based on a misunderstanding, however, which originated with the Sky and Telescope magazine. Originally a blue moon referred to the third full moon in a season which contained four full moons - most seasons only have three. That's the basic idea of it, and if you're interested in learning a bit more on the topic, and how the definition shifted in recent times, here's an article which explains it in more detail.
Now nothing against the monthly method - definitions change all the time, after all - but at this point in my practice I prefer to go with the seasonal method, so tonight is not a blue moon for me. (Tonight I'm celebrating the grain moon.) A blue moon isn't all that different from most other moons for me, anyway... they're neat because they don't come around often, but that's about the extent of it. I know some like to use it for long term goal planning, or other such things, but eh... works for some, but just doesn't work for me. Maybe someday it will take a more special place in the cycle, but for now...? Well, for now I have tonight's celebration to deal with, so off to prepare for that!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Prompt: Offerings
For those who perform rituals, do you give offerings? If so, what kind?
What is the meaning/purpose of offerings?
The Proto-Indo-Europeans had a concept called ghos-ti. It is the origin for our modern words of stranger, guest and host. It essentially refers to a reciprocal, or mutual relationship of giving and receiving/taking, many such relationships can be found within the universe, and in fact in some cosmologies this concept explains the very nature of the universe as a whole.
This is the reason I give offerings to the Gods and spirits. A balanced relationship can't be had by only taking. It's disrespectful to the ones you're taking from, and it's doing a disservice to yourself - you won't grow if things are always just handed to you, and you won't form a complex, deep, and lasting relationship by always taking. Imagine having a friend who always takes and never gives... you might put up with it for a while, but would it really be lasting and healthy for both individuals? It's unlikely.
Do the Gods really need our offerings? Perhaps not, but it shows them we do more than take, that we respect them, value them, and that we want to share what we can with them. The same goes for the spirits, the ancestors, and the like. Different Deities/spirits enjoy different things. Different foods, drinks, scents, colors, materials, actions, and so on. Taking the time to figure out what is part of building a relationship. We can research traditional offerings, and experiment with new ones.
So what offerings do I give? There is, of course, the standard food and drink... flour, cornmeal, barley, oats, bread, honey, wine, mead, beer, milk, cream, clarified butter, spices and herbs, cookies and cakes, parts of family meals, fruits, vegetables, nuts... well, you get the idea. Even cool water makes an appropriate offering at times. Beyond food and drink, there's flowers and other fresh plants, little crafted items, beads and charms, coins, fabrics, tools, artwork, incense, candles, and more.
Time and actions can also be offerings. Dedicating the actual process of making an item, for example. A deity of weaving might enjoy the actual act of weaving as an offering, not just the finished product. A nature deity might appreciate an offering of going out and cleaning litter. Sometimes just spending some time researching the deity, or spending time at their shrine, can be an offering - making the effort to keep them in mind, and investing time into the relationship.
One doesn't have to go broke making offerings... sometimes a cup of water, a few wildflowers, and the sincerity of the gift is all that is needed.
What is the meaning/purpose of offerings?
The Proto-Indo-Europeans had a concept called ghos-ti. It is the origin for our modern words of stranger, guest and host. It essentially refers to a reciprocal, or mutual relationship of giving and receiving/taking, many such relationships can be found within the universe, and in fact in some cosmologies this concept explains the very nature of the universe as a whole.
This is the reason I give offerings to the Gods and spirits. A balanced relationship can't be had by only taking. It's disrespectful to the ones you're taking from, and it's doing a disservice to yourself - you won't grow if things are always just handed to you, and you won't form a complex, deep, and lasting relationship by always taking. Imagine having a friend who always takes and never gives... you might put up with it for a while, but would it really be lasting and healthy for both individuals? It's unlikely.
Do the Gods really need our offerings? Perhaps not, but it shows them we do more than take, that we respect them, value them, and that we want to share what we can with them. The same goes for the spirits, the ancestors, and the like. Different Deities/spirits enjoy different things. Different foods, drinks, scents, colors, materials, actions, and so on. Taking the time to figure out what is part of building a relationship. We can research traditional offerings, and experiment with new ones.
So what offerings do I give? There is, of course, the standard food and drink... flour, cornmeal, barley, oats, bread, honey, wine, mead, beer, milk, cream, clarified butter, spices and herbs, cookies and cakes, parts of family meals, fruits, vegetables, nuts... well, you get the idea. Even cool water makes an appropriate offering at times. Beyond food and drink, there's flowers and other fresh plants, little crafted items, beads and charms, coins, fabrics, tools, artwork, incense, candles, and more.
Time and actions can also be offerings. Dedicating the actual process of making an item, for example. A deity of weaving might enjoy the actual act of weaving as an offering, not just the finished product. A nature deity might appreciate an offering of going out and cleaning litter. Sometimes just spending some time researching the deity, or spending time at their shrine, can be an offering - making the effort to keep them in mind, and investing time into the relationship.
One doesn't have to go broke making offerings... sometimes a cup of water, a few wildflowers, and the sincerity of the gift is all that is needed.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Nature Escapes
"What kind of nature escapes do you have where you are? Do you have a local trail that you can simply take a walk on to escape? Or perhaps you have some neat hiking nearby... Or maybe you are one of the lucky ones that can simply escape into your own backyard, literally."
I'm one of the lucky ones. When I'm at my apartment, there's a good stretch of woods that takes just a few minutes to walk to. There's also a farm at one end of the woods, sometimes I sit at the edge of it watching the wind in the corn. When I'm visiting my Grandparents, the woods are right on the edge of the back yard. Both woods have little streams in them, trails, all sorts of plants and animals, as you'd expect from New Hampshire woods.
Of course, I don't always think of the woods as an escape exactly (perhaps I've been spoiled by having them so close?). I forage for various herbs and plants, and practice my craft in the woods. No, when I think of an escape, I think of someplace I go more to relax, to vacation. Sure, sometimes I just go for walks in my woods... but I like to really escape, too, you know?
Living in New Hampshire there's a lot of options for that. Every summer I like to go up camping in the mountains, and swim in the large lakes and rivers in that area. I try to get away for at least a whole week at some point - but friends and I often go up for little day or weekend trips, too. There's tons of nature to just explore and enjoy here. If not up north, then down to the beach. Or up to Maine, or into Vermont. I do think I'm very lucky to have so much of the wild around me, and to have the means to enjoy it when I can.
I'm one of the lucky ones. When I'm at my apartment, there's a good stretch of woods that takes just a few minutes to walk to. There's also a farm at one end of the woods, sometimes I sit at the edge of it watching the wind in the corn. When I'm visiting my Grandparents, the woods are right on the edge of the back yard. Both woods have little streams in them, trails, all sorts of plants and animals, as you'd expect from New Hampshire woods.
Of course, I don't always think of the woods as an escape exactly (perhaps I've been spoiled by having them so close?). I forage for various herbs and plants, and practice my craft in the woods. No, when I think of an escape, I think of someplace I go more to relax, to vacation. Sure, sometimes I just go for walks in my woods... but I like to really escape, too, you know?
Living in New Hampshire there's a lot of options for that. Every summer I like to go up camping in the mountains, and swim in the large lakes and rivers in that area. I try to get away for at least a whole week at some point - but friends and I often go up for little day or weekend trips, too. There's tons of nature to just explore and enjoy here. If not up north, then down to the beach. Or up to Maine, or into Vermont. I do think I'm very lucky to have so much of the wild around me, and to have the means to enjoy it when I can.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Foraging
Do you do any foraging for herbs and other edibles?
Do you forage for food, magic or some other reason?
What sorts of plants are available for the picking in your area?
What are your favorite things to forage for?
From what I have seen, I'm a bit different from many pagans in that I currently do not garden at all, instead I forage for most of the different things that I use in my craft. Some of what I forage is also used for food. There are so many different plants to forage here, and of course while the bulk my foraging is done in the warmer summer months, there are things that can be gathered all year.
During June and July, many berries are in season. Blueberries come along first, followed a bit later by blackberries. These go mostly to cooking - put into pancakes, muffins, cakes, breads, or made into jams. (Or, you know, just eaten by the fistful off the bush.) Wild blueberries are especially abundant, one of my favorite things to forage for. They're a good bit smaller than the blueberries you usually find in stores, and more flavorful. Whatever blueberries don't get baked into something, or turned into jam, are frozen for use through the year. Wild strawberries also pop up around this time, again, they are smaller and have a stronger flavor than the strawberries found in stores. However, I have been seeing fewer of these in recent years, so they've become more of something to have a small snack of when found, rather than used in any other way. Wild grapes are in that same category.
The state flower of New Hampshire is the purple lilac. They tend to bloom in late April, early May... they are everywhere, and they're also edible. Dandelions are another common flower to forage for. They grow all through the summer months, and both the greens and flowers can be cooked and eaten. Lavender and clover are other flowers I forage for, both also edible. Along with being edible, they can be turned into teas or tinctures, or used in other ways - dried lavender for sachets, or incense for example.
Pine trees are everywhere, and I gather their needles, roots, bark, and resin. Pine needle tea has an interesting flavor (best with a bit of honey, in my opinion), is loaded with vitamin C, and can be used as a decongestant, among other things. (And should not be taken by pregnant women.) Oaks provide acorns, which need to be boiled a few times before eaten. They're somewhat similar in flavor to chestnuts, and you can also grind them into an acorn meal for various uses.
Fiddleheads (young ferns still curled up) are a popular foraging item in the spring - great when boiled, then sauteed in butter and garlic. Other plants I forage for include mugwort, cattail shoots, teaberries, milkweed, juniper, burdock, curled dock, wild carrot, and stinging nettles. There's just so many different things you can find around here if you look, and knowing where to get the various things I need has become a vital part of my craft.
(*Standard warning when it comes to foraging or using medicinal herbs - know what you're doing! Be careful that you know for sure what you're harvesting, there's a lot of good stuff out there, but there's also a lot of harmful plants as well... and sometimes they can look very similar. When using herbs for medicine, know the proper dose, know how it will interact with any medicines you take, or any health problems you have, etc. Foraging and herbalism can both be great, but do your homework first!)
Do you forage for food, magic or some other reason?
What sorts of plants are available for the picking in your area?
What are your favorite things to forage for?
From what I have seen, I'm a bit different from many pagans in that I currently do not garden at all, instead I forage for most of the different things that I use in my craft. Some of what I forage is also used for food. There are so many different plants to forage here, and of course while the bulk my foraging is done in the warmer summer months, there are things that can be gathered all year.
During June and July, many berries are in season. Blueberries come along first, followed a bit later by blackberries. These go mostly to cooking - put into pancakes, muffins, cakes, breads, or made into jams. (Or, you know, just eaten by the fistful off the bush.) Wild blueberries are especially abundant, one of my favorite things to forage for. They're a good bit smaller than the blueberries you usually find in stores, and more flavorful. Whatever blueberries don't get baked into something, or turned into jam, are frozen for use through the year. Wild strawberries also pop up around this time, again, they are smaller and have a stronger flavor than the strawberries found in stores. However, I have been seeing fewer of these in recent years, so they've become more of something to have a small snack of when found, rather than used in any other way. Wild grapes are in that same category.
The state flower of New Hampshire is the purple lilac. They tend to bloom in late April, early May... they are everywhere, and they're also edible. Dandelions are another common flower to forage for. They grow all through the summer months, and both the greens and flowers can be cooked and eaten. Lavender and clover are other flowers I forage for, both also edible. Along with being edible, they can be turned into teas or tinctures, or used in other ways - dried lavender for sachets, or incense for example.
Pine trees are everywhere, and I gather their needles, roots, bark, and resin. Pine needle tea has an interesting flavor (best with a bit of honey, in my opinion), is loaded with vitamin C, and can be used as a decongestant, among other things. (And should not be taken by pregnant women.) Oaks provide acorns, which need to be boiled a few times before eaten. They're somewhat similar in flavor to chestnuts, and you can also grind them into an acorn meal for various uses.
Fiddleheads (young ferns still curled up) are a popular foraging item in the spring - great when boiled, then sauteed in butter and garlic. Other plants I forage for include mugwort, cattail shoots, teaberries, milkweed, juniper, burdock, curled dock, wild carrot, and stinging nettles. There's just so many different things you can find around here if you look, and knowing where to get the various things I need has become a vital part of my craft.
(*Standard warning when it comes to foraging or using medicinal herbs - know what you're doing! Be careful that you know for sure what you're harvesting, there's a lot of good stuff out there, but there's also a lot of harmful plants as well... and sometimes they can look very similar. When using herbs for medicine, know the proper dose, know how it will interact with any medicines you take, or any health problems you have, etc. Foraging and herbalism can both be great, but do your homework first!)
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Changing Beliefs
"Do your beliefs change over the years as you change and develop?"
They absolutely have changed, and I imagine they will continue to change as the years go by.
If one is truly active on their spiritual path, it would be very strange for their beliefs to not change at all. Even after several years, if there aren't still changes now and then... well, a stagnant spirituality isn't very beneficial. They don't have to be major or radical changes, but beliefs should always continue to grow as you do. Time always brings small changes and new understandings.
This is my 13th year on my spiritual journey. This year alone has brought some major changes, and it has not been the only year to do so. Year 13 has really thrown me out of my comfort zone, and it almost feels like... like it's time to get more serious? I'm not sure that's quite the right term for how I'm feeling. I know where I am, I know where I want to be, I know what must be done to get there. In the past there were many times where I just let a path take me where it will. While I learned a hell of a lot that way, and it was necessary for me at the time, it feels like now is the time to walk the path with more purpose.
There have been many changes as I've grown, some huge, many much smaller. However, I've always had a pretty solid, but small, core set of beliefs as well. They developed within my first few years of exploring my spirituality, if not before I really set out on that road, and they've stuck with me since then. Those beliefs have certainly grown as I have come to have a fuller understanding of them and what they mean to me... but they have not really changed. Although, in many ways growth on a core idea is still a form of change.
Ah well, this prompt is a bit half answered. I want to talk more on the specific changes I've gone through, talk more on how my beliefs evolved over time, but that sort of reflection will come a bit later in the year...
They absolutely have changed, and I imagine they will continue to change as the years go by.
If one is truly active on their spiritual path, it would be very strange for their beliefs to not change at all. Even after several years, if there aren't still changes now and then... well, a stagnant spirituality isn't very beneficial. They don't have to be major or radical changes, but beliefs should always continue to grow as you do. Time always brings small changes and new understandings.
This is my 13th year on my spiritual journey. This year alone has brought some major changes, and it has not been the only year to do so. Year 13 has really thrown me out of my comfort zone, and it almost feels like... like it's time to get more serious? I'm not sure that's quite the right term for how I'm feeling. I know where I am, I know where I want to be, I know what must be done to get there. In the past there were many times where I just let a path take me where it will. While I learned a hell of a lot that way, and it was necessary for me at the time, it feels like now is the time to walk the path with more purpose.
There have been many changes as I've grown, some huge, many much smaller. However, I've always had a pretty solid, but small, core set of beliefs as well. They developed within my first few years of exploring my spirituality, if not before I really set out on that road, and they've stuck with me since then. Those beliefs have certainly grown as I have come to have a fuller understanding of them and what they mean to me... but they have not really changed. Although, in many ways growth on a core idea is still a form of change.
Ah well, this prompt is a bit half answered. I want to talk more on the specific changes I've gone through, talk more on how my beliefs evolved over time, but that sort of reflection will come a bit later in the year...
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