Lionfish Mermaid
A bit of Pagan art for you all. Pretty decent for my first time using Prismacolor markers, wouldn't you say?
Monday
Sunday
January 25th, 2015
One of my New Year's resolutions was to start keeping a dream journal again. It's a lot easier said than done - the last thing I want to do when I wake up is write, and I have to make sure to always have a notebook and pen next to me, because I want even less to have to get out of bed to write. That being said, when it's done consistently, the benefits of having such a journal are significant.
One result is that you begin to remember more of your dreams, and more frequently. A month ago, I was remembering almost nothing of anything that happened during sleep, whereas now, I can always at the bare minimum recall some major images and themes. More and more frequently, I find myself remembering dreams in greater detail, and sometimes even having multiple dreams in one night. This is, to reiterate the fact, after only a month. As a practice maintained, you can expect to remember your dreams in detail almost every night.
While interesting from a purely theoretical perspective, dreams can actually tell us a lot about ourselves, and by recording them, we can determine underlying patterns to our mental and physical health, among other things. To put this in context, allow me to explain first that I've been recording my dreams on and off again since middle school. As such, I have a lot of material to examine. Also, I have what I am finally self-diagnosing as a generalized anxiety disorder, which tends to manifest itself as OCD. Bearing these things in mind, I've realized over the course of several years that I tend to dream about water when my emotions are particularly strong about something, and that if I'm headed into a period of especially bad anxiety I dream about drowning. It gives me a bit of a heads up into my mental state and the chance to head things off at the pass, so to speak.
On the metaphysical end of the spectrum, recording one's dreams offers a lot of possibilities. For instance, it makes an interesting means of divination. There's all sorts of spells about placing a given herb under one's pillow to dream about a future lover or some such, but I generally go one simpler - often, a particularly vivid dream may give an indication of how the following day will go. Just two nights ago, I had a repetitive dream about triumph over obstacles, and then yesterday I aced the audition I had been worried about. Also, dreams may involve astral travel or meeting with deities and other spirits.
This barely touches on all the things one can learn; consider it my pitch to you to start a journal if you don't already. Sweet dreams...
Image source
One result is that you begin to remember more of your dreams, and more frequently. A month ago, I was remembering almost nothing of anything that happened during sleep, whereas now, I can always at the bare minimum recall some major images and themes. More and more frequently, I find myself remembering dreams in greater detail, and sometimes even having multiple dreams in one night. This is, to reiterate the fact, after only a month. As a practice maintained, you can expect to remember your dreams in detail almost every night.
While interesting from a purely theoretical perspective, dreams can actually tell us a lot about ourselves, and by recording them, we can determine underlying patterns to our mental and physical health, among other things. To put this in context, allow me to explain first that I've been recording my dreams on and off again since middle school. As such, I have a lot of material to examine. Also, I have what I am finally self-diagnosing as a generalized anxiety disorder, which tends to manifest itself as OCD. Bearing these things in mind, I've realized over the course of several years that I tend to dream about water when my emotions are particularly strong about something, and that if I'm headed into a period of especially bad anxiety I dream about drowning. It gives me a bit of a heads up into my mental state and the chance to head things off at the pass, so to speak.
On the metaphysical end of the spectrum, recording one's dreams offers a lot of possibilities. For instance, it makes an interesting means of divination. There's all sorts of spells about placing a given herb under one's pillow to dream about a future lover or some such, but I generally go one simpler - often, a particularly vivid dream may give an indication of how the following day will go. Just two nights ago, I had a repetitive dream about triumph over obstacles, and then yesterday I aced the audition I had been worried about. Also, dreams may involve astral travel or meeting with deities and other spirits.
This barely touches on all the things one can learn; consider it my pitch to you to start a journal if you don't already. Sweet dreams...
Image source
Monday
January 19th, 2015
Well, I go back to class tomorrow! My fingers are crossed for a good day; both of my Tuesday courses are ones I've been really looking forward to, so hopefully it will be a good time.
After spending about a month's worth of days working on it, I finally finished crocheting my Celtic knot shawl. The pattern is available for free here on Ravelry, if anyone is interested in giving it a go (you may have to make a free Ravelry account to be able to view it). I would rate the design as being of intermediate difficulty, although the knot pattern itself was very easy to follow.
According to the woman who posted the pattern, this design came from a book of Celtic knotwork, and symbolizes human interconnectedness and friendship.
I've always loved these seemingly endless patterns, but realized that I actually know very little about the history of their use. As such, I've done a bit of a Google search to learn more about Celtic knotwork.
These popular patterns, generally presenting a stylized image of a knot as opposed to taking a realism-based approach, are found in the Celtic style of Insular art. Insular artwork - also known as Hiberno-Saxon art - developed in the post-Roman history of the British isles. The name "insular" itself comes from the Latin "insula", meaning island. Most insular art comes from Celtic Ireland, beginning around 600 CE.
While the classic Celtic knot came about after the fall of the Romans, the designs may have been rooted in Roman patterns. In the 300-400s CE, knotwork began to appear in Roman mosaic floor tiles. Similar motifs are found in Byzantine, Coptic, Islamic, and Russian artwork of the same time period; given the growth of trade and cross-cultural exchange in this era, it seems probable that the geometric designs of the Middle East spread along the trade routes of the time and morphed eventually into the Celtic knotwork that we recognize today.
Most of our modern understanding of these Celtic art forms comes from its preservation at Christian hands. Therefore, what we know must be taken with a grain of salt, given the contemporary monks' tendency to try to appropriate local practices and erase any Pagan overtones. That being said, it is clear that prior to the Christianization of the Celts, their artwork consisted of predominately spiral, step, and key patterns.
These designs, and variations thereof, found their way into the illuminations of Christian manuscripts, as well as onto gravestones and other cross-bearing emblems. Much of the modern understanding of the knotted designs comes from the preservation of these pieces.
Lots of websites propose potential "meanings" for different styles of knotwork; however, as with much of the rest of Celtic history, few written records survive to document the actual intended symbolism. There is no evidence that I could find to prove a religious or philosophical association with the designs. That being said, a few relatively standard interpretations stand out. The first is the idea of eternity, which should be mostly intuitive, given the fact that the knots usually are endless. Also, associations with nature, man, and the elements seems to be the widely accepted correspondence. Published books on the matter are likely more authoritative on the subject than uncited sources on the internet, so I will leave it at that.
One design in particular that I will mention is the triquetra.
You may recognize this design - most Neo-Pagans probably do. This simple piece of Celtic knotwork is often used in Pagan circles to represent, for example, the Triple Goddess. In Christian circles, it is taken to represent the Holy Trinity. Many variations on the design exist; for instance, the intertwined circle in the image above may be a more modern version.
To my understanding of it, the usage of the Celtic knot has been so widespread and predominately secular for long enough that it is not cultural appropriation to use the designs in one's work. If I am mistaken in my understanding of this, by all means drop me a message.
At any rate, I enjoyed putting together this miniature history lesson, and hope that it has been informative.
After spending about a month's worth of days working on it, I finally finished crocheting my Celtic knot shawl. The pattern is available for free here on Ravelry, if anyone is interested in giving it a go (you may have to make a free Ravelry account to be able to view it). I would rate the design as being of intermediate difficulty, although the knot pattern itself was very easy to follow.
According to the woman who posted the pattern, this design came from a book of Celtic knotwork, and symbolizes human interconnectedness and friendship.
I've always loved these seemingly endless patterns, but realized that I actually know very little about the history of their use. As such, I've done a bit of a Google search to learn more about Celtic knotwork.
These popular patterns, generally presenting a stylized image of a knot as opposed to taking a realism-based approach, are found in the Celtic style of Insular art. Insular artwork - also known as Hiberno-Saxon art - developed in the post-Roman history of the British isles. The name "insular" itself comes from the Latin "insula", meaning island. Most insular art comes from Celtic Ireland, beginning around 600 CE.
While the classic Celtic knot came about after the fall of the Romans, the designs may have been rooted in Roman patterns. In the 300-400s CE, knotwork began to appear in Roman mosaic floor tiles. Similar motifs are found in Byzantine, Coptic, Islamic, and Russian artwork of the same time period; given the growth of trade and cross-cultural exchange in this era, it seems probable that the geometric designs of the Middle East spread along the trade routes of the time and morphed eventually into the Celtic knotwork that we recognize today.
Most of our modern understanding of these Celtic art forms comes from its preservation at Christian hands. Therefore, what we know must be taken with a grain of salt, given the contemporary monks' tendency to try to appropriate local practices and erase any Pagan overtones. That being said, it is clear that prior to the Christianization of the Celts, their artwork consisted of predominately spiral, step, and key patterns.
These designs, and variations thereof, found their way into the illuminations of Christian manuscripts, as well as onto gravestones and other cross-bearing emblems. Much of the modern understanding of the knotted designs comes from the preservation of these pieces.
Lots of websites propose potential "meanings" for different styles of knotwork; however, as with much of the rest of Celtic history, few written records survive to document the actual intended symbolism. There is no evidence that I could find to prove a religious or philosophical association with the designs. That being said, a few relatively standard interpretations stand out. The first is the idea of eternity, which should be mostly intuitive, given the fact that the knots usually are endless. Also, associations with nature, man, and the elements seems to be the widely accepted correspondence. Published books on the matter are likely more authoritative on the subject than uncited sources on the internet, so I will leave it at that.
One design in particular that I will mention is the triquetra.
You may recognize this design - most Neo-Pagans probably do. This simple piece of Celtic knotwork is often used in Pagan circles to represent, for example, the Triple Goddess. In Christian circles, it is taken to represent the Holy Trinity. Many variations on the design exist; for instance, the intertwined circle in the image above may be a more modern version.
To my understanding of it, the usage of the Celtic knot has been so widespread and predominately secular for long enough that it is not cultural appropriation to use the designs in one's work. If I am mistaken in my understanding of this, by all means drop me a message.
At any rate, I enjoyed putting together this miniature history lesson, and hope that it has been informative.
Friday
January 8th, 2014
I thought I'd put out another book review, this time of I text I bought at a bookstore while in Iowa with my folks for Christmas. The title is Handfasting and Wedding Rituals: Inviting Hera's Blessing, by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein (2003).
I'd like to preface my actual review by saying that I really, really liked this book. It was incredibly inclusive and accessible, and altogether a thoughtful, well-composed read.
Never having seen a text solely devoted to Pagan weddings before, I immediately knew that this was going to be a take-home item for me. Regardless of whether or not I ever have a handfasting ritual of my own, the fact remains that I have multiple friends who might, and truthfully, it seems important to understand the wedding ceremonial practices of whatever religion one subscribes to.
The book has a dozen or so subheadings, and the information therein spans everything from party favors and choices of incense to developing Quarter calls which won't freak out any of the non-Pagans in the crowd. In fact, that's one thing among many that the book does very well - developing level one, two, and three suggestions, the authors provide varying levels of Pagan over- and undertones. For example, if one wants a handfasting but also wants to invite one's extremely conservative Christian relatives, Raven and Tannin offer level one rituals wherein the Paganism is there, but it's subtle enough that it shouldn't cause an issue. If one is on the opposite end of the spectrum and wants a hardcore Pagan wedding with as much overt ritual as possible, they provide that, too, in the level three handfastings. Level two rituals are written to be somewhere in the middle - a bit of Pagan Lite, if you will - for people whose family and friends are generally supportive, but would be uncomfortable with an ultra-Pagan ceremony.
Another thing that the book does incredibly well is to develop rituals that any couple can participate in. If one or more partners has a physical disability, but would still like to incorporate the traditional jumping of the broomstick, Raven and Tannin provide accessible alternatives. For all those same-sex Pagan couples out there? Raven and Tannin have an entire chapter devoted to LGBTQ+ handfastings, with specific rituals for transgender, genderfluid, bisexual, and polyamourous couples, in addition to the commonly-acknowledged gay and lesbian relationships. Moreover, for those same-sex couples who want to incorporate the symbolic Great Rite in a way they can identify with, the authors provide solutions. Is your significant other of a different religion? Raven and Tannin take that into account as well, providing examples of how to blend wedding traditions across religious lines for Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and so forth.
For all my fellow theatre lovers out there, have you considered including a bit of drama in your handfasting? If reenactment of mythological weddings (Hades and Persephone, Janet and Tam Lin, etc.) sounds like something you might be interested in, this book provides sample scripts, as well as ideas for costumes and props.
No book is ever perfect, but in general my criticisms here are minor ones. On occasion, the language used was probably more appropriate to the year in which it was published then present day. Couples may find that the substitution of a word here or there is the only change really necessary.
Also, it would have been nice to see a handfasting included for we Pagans on the asexual spectrum. So much of the language in our rituals, no matter which book one reads, focuses on fertility, sacred sex, and etcetera. I don't take issue with that - in many cases, the language is beautifully poetic - but it's not the intent of every couple to "get busy" after they're married. That being said, most of the rituals are pretty easily adapted by changing a handful of words, so it's not like it's a huge deal, either.
Anyway, if you have any interest in learning more about handfasting in Pagan traditions, I strongly recommend you check out this book.
Wednesday
January 7th, 2014
Hazelnut gave me a copy of this book as a Yule gift, and I thought I
might review it here for anyone interested in learning more about the
fairy peoples. You may recognize the format if you've seen other books
by the same publisher, such as The Crystal Bible.
Title: The Fairy Bible
Author: Teresa Moorey
Date of Publication: July 1, 2008
All in all, I thought it was a reasonably informative book, and most of its meditations and other exercises were well-composed, but buyers should be aware that some of the content is a little watered down, and parts of it come across as more of a "how-to-Pagan" than a strictly-informative guide to the fairy realms. Ultimately, know what you're buying. There definitely is quality information in it, but in places it takes a bit of digging.
I would call it, "fairies for beginners", and not, "the definitive guide" as the cover suggests.
Title: The Fairy Bible
Author: Teresa Moorey
Date of Publication: July 1, 2008
I was impressed in general by the text's content; many similar books that I've read in the past just invent names of fairy species that aren't backed by any sort of history or lore. Granted, many of the texts I've read are intended for younger audiences, but even so. All entries in this book introduce the original mythology for the spirits, and some also give examples of how they have been reimagined in pop culture.
The book's categories are as follows: Water, Air, Fire, Earth, House, Flower, Tree, and Weather. Each category then has the related spirits, as well as information at the end of each section on meditations that can be done to contact these fairies. Most of them also have suggestions for the
kinds of altars that could be established to attract the type of spirit in question, as well as to make your living space a more welcoming environment for them.
Most of The Fairy Bible's entries come from the folklore of Western Europe,
particularly the British Isles, and I was left feeling like the inhabitants of other cultures were rather under-represented. That being said, the book does incorporate entries for djinn, domovoiye, a few Native American entities, and a Japanese water spirit, so it did make some level of effort.
Still, some of what the author considered suitable content was questionable to me. For example, the book contained sections on several deities, including Pan, Brighid, Hermes, and others. While I certainly don't object to learning more about these Powers in general, it seems to me that it might offend said god/desses to be included in a book regarding Fey. This is not to say that Fey are lesser Powers - many of them certainly possess astounding capabilities - but it seems odd to me that deities which are never portrayed as fairies in their myths are then included in the book.
Not only that, but famous fairy entities that one would expect to see in a book like this - for instance, the illustrious Queen Mab - were hardly mentioned at all.
The book's categories are as follows: Water, Air, Fire, Earth, House, Flower, Tree, and Weather. Each category then has the related spirits, as well as information at the end of each section on meditations that can be done to contact these fairies. Most of them also have suggestions for the
kinds of altars that could be established to attract the type of spirit in question, as well as to make your living space a more welcoming environment for them.
Most of The Fairy Bible's entries come from the folklore of Western Europe,
Still, some of what the author considered suitable content was questionable to me. For example, the book contained sections on several deities, including Pan, Brighid, Hermes, and others. While I certainly don't object to learning more about these Powers in general, it seems to me that it might offend said god/desses to be included in a book regarding Fey. This is not to say that Fey are lesser Powers - many of them certainly possess astounding capabilities - but it seems odd to me that deities which are never portrayed as fairies in their myths are then included in the book.
Not only that, but famous fairy entities that one would expect to see in a book like this - for instance, the illustrious Queen Mab - were hardly mentioned at all.
All in all, I thought it was a reasonably informative book, and most of its meditations and other exercises were well-composed, but buyers should be aware that some of the content is a little watered down, and parts of it come across as more of a "how-to-Pagan" than a strictly-informative guide to the fairy realms. Ultimately, know what you're buying. There definitely is quality information in it, but in places it takes a bit of digging.
I would call it, "fairies for beginners", and not, "the definitive guide" as the cover suggests.
Tuesday
January 6th, 2014
Hey there, internet. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to A) remember that I have a blog and B) to remember to actually post things on it. Another one is to start keeping a dream diary again - so far so good on that one.
In any case, I do have some news! Quite a bit of news, actually. Most excitingly, I got together with Hazelnut last Saturday for the first time since September. We exchanged Yule gifts - she gave me a copy of The Fairy Bible (review to follow), and then we went over to Gypsy Haven. They've done so much with the place since I was there last, and the energy feels fantastic. While I could easily have emptied my bank account in there, I only made one purchase, albeit a significant one. The pendant, more or less identical to the one pictured, features a lemniscate (the infinity symbol) set with stones coordinating to the seven major chakras. Insofar as I can tell, the stones in descending order are Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Aventurine, Tiger's Eye, and two kinds of Agate, but those are my guesses only; the sites selling these over the web are incredibly unspecific.
At any rate, I love it because the lemniscate is a symbol of neurodivergence, as well as an inside joke with my girlfriend. I love gemstones, I need more chakra-related jewelry, and it's also really satisfying to rub the smooth texture of the stones.
We hung out and talked at the store for a while with the owners, and then we all went over to the local drum circle. It was so nice to be back - I hadn't been in a year, at least, and everyone was so friendly, as always. It's truly a great opportunity to recharge my energy. One woman had a rain drum and thunder sticks that her husband had made her, so we closed the evening with a rainstorm drum session, and it was totally amazing.
In conclusion, I really need to get back to doing more witchy things. I've missed this.
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