October 2nd, 2017

Had some fun yesterday over at Gaia House with SIPA; they put together a little crafting event painting rocks with fun images, affirmations, etc. The idea is to take the rocks after the fact and hide them for other people to stumble across.

I gave the one with the dragon away, and I'll probably keep the Eye of Horus stone, but the other two I may hide in the courtyard near where I have class.

Virtually any common stone works for this craft - I used river rocks, but there was also some sandstone pieces that came out nicely - and regular acrylic craft paint will stick so long as you let it dry between coats. A final spray-on coat of clear sealant should set it permanently.

April 8th, 2017

Happy April! School continues to give me the run-around, but I've worked a couple of spiritual events into my schedule. Last weekend, the city put on an 11 Days of Compassion program, which included a morning walk over at the Gaia House labyrinth. I had to get myself up earlier than I prefer for a Sunday, but the walk was really nice.

All the flowers were blooming, including these lovely tulips.

I was standing in the center of the labyrinth, thinking about how nice it would be if the fountain were running, and then it suddenly kicked on.

Then today, a friend from school drove with me over to a local gem and mineral show put on by the regional Earth Science club.

There were so many cool specimens, lots of which were from the area, but many others of which were from around the world. Crystals, fossils - you name it, it was probably there.

I tried to keep my purchases moderate. I got a piece of Bismuth, a Celestite cluster, a big chunk of Bloodstone, a Rhodonite pyramid, an Orthoceras fossil, and some Fluorite chunks (which were actually free from one of the vendors).

February 18th, 2017

SIPA hosted a fun little workshop tonight over at Gaia House - vision boards! I've made them before, but it's been awhile, and it was nice to get together with friends and tear up some magazines.

There was probably about eight or so of us who attended, and we made quite the mess. There were paper scraps and piles of glitter everywhere! Several people brought piles of magazines and cardstock, so we just tore into it finding words and images that stood out to us.

There were also snacks, and we got a Pagan playlist going on YouTube.

My in-progress vision board...

...and the finished version! I also wrote out my intentions and things on the back (and yes, that is Michelle Obama in the lower left corner - let's face it, her poise and grace are goals).

Last but not least, here's my vision board sitting on my altar where I can see it. I really like how it came together, and getting to be crafty was a great way to end my evening.

January 22nd, 2017

Hello, everyone, and Happy New Year. Yes, I'm a little late to the party, but I think we all know by now that I am incapable of posting consistently. I have some more explicitly Pagan things to share, but first: yesterday, all around the world, was the Women's March, in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington, DC. Things have been looking bad since the election back in November, but to echo the statement made by many others, for the first time yesterday, I felt hope.

I participated in the local march here at school. It's a small college town, but they still had a turnout of at least 1,000 people - we surrounded an entire city block!

Here is the sign I made to carry; in all caps, it says "I'M WITH HER," and then in smaller font, it lists "Black, Hispanic, Arab, Asian, Disabled, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-binary, Asexual, Muslim, Christian, Pagan, Hindu, Atheist, Mentally Ill, Lesbian, Immigrant, Buddhist, Sikh, Jew, Neurodivergent, Poor, Middle Class, CEO, Janitor, HUMAN".

And this is me at the Civic Center before the march, with my pantsuit, pussycat hat, "Love Trumps Hate" pin, and asexual pride pin. The local Women's Center was also giving out pins, so I got ones saying "Start by believing" and "I <3 consent".

Beforehand, there were some speeches and even a Native American blessing of the marchers, but there were so many people that I actually couldn't get close enough to hear what was going on. Instead, I met up with some friends, and we checked out the booths of local organizations like the Sierra Club. Gaia House also had a booth, specifically sharing information on their Labyrinth Peace Park.

Then we marched. We only went a little over a mile, but there were so many people that it took something like two hours. While we marched, we chanted things such as, "The people united will never be divided," "Justice - we're coming for it! Freedom - we're fighting for it!" and so on. There were news crews, and people filming, and even a group of frat boys standing outside their house with a megaphone to read off people's signs as they went by.

It seemed like every other car to go by would slow down to honk, wave, or give us a thumbs up. The reaction was so overwhelmingly positive, it was incredible. And it was also clear that people were there marching for a huge number of reasons - gender equality, racial equality, religious equality, LGBTQ+ rights (My favorite sign was held by the child of a queer couple in front of me - it was the pride flag with the words "Toddlers against fascists" on it.), acknowledgement of climate change, and more. I know I marched for all of these things.

I am not necessarily an outspoken person. I learned the hard way growing up that divergence from the norm would be punished by my peers, and nothing about who I am would typically be classed as "normal". As such, I tend to be quiet, and easily steamrolled by those who are willing to speak over me. I am going to end that. In the face of misogyny, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, misinformation, and fear-mongering, we must not be silent. I am not Wiccan, but I do ascribe to, "An it harm none, do what ye will". Or, to put it another way, "Do no harm, but take no shit". I am not going to sit back and take this shit. 

To all those who marched, thank you. To all those who could not march for one reason or another, your resistance is not less important just because it may be less visible. No matter what path you take, we all stand in solidarity against hatred, because we know that we are stronger together.

As scary as it is that this WWII poster is once again relevant, I will close with this final sentiment:

Freedom is in peril. Defend it with all your might.

November 13th, 2016

I didn't post this yesterday because I didn't get back to my room until late, but... it's been a week. I probably don't even have to say anything, because I think just about everybody the world over knows how Tuesday went down, but I feel the need to say something, anyway.

I have been crying all week - for myself, yes, but mostly for the millions of other Americans whose human rights are at stake. Still, some of that weight has been lessened by the outpouring of support for marginalized groups across the nation, as well as all the loud but peaceful protests that have continued almost non-stop since election day.

It was in this frame of mind that I went over to Gaia House last night. Tara had uncovered an old recording of the debate which launched SIPA as a group in 1998, and was showing it to those interested in a bit of SIPA history. Apparently, an ad had been run in a local newspaper for a workshop which essentially read: "New Age/Paganism - how the Church can battle it with the Word of God".

Tara and others were concerned by the negative phraseology of this advertisement. They attended the workshop to see what the group had to say, and then Don, one of the prominent members of the Pagan community in this area at the time, set up a debate/Q&A with the church's Evangelical Presbyterian reverend to address their concerns.

Here, a Catholic moderator introduced Don and the reverend; he had 10 minutes to summarize Evangelical Presbyterianism, and then Don had 10 minutes to summarize Neo-Paganism. Don then summarized the Pagan community's concerns with the advertisement, and followed up with a series of specific questions for the reverend to address. There was a break, and then the floor was opened to attendees for questions.

Things started off fairly tame - the reverend was clearly a conservative fundamentalist, but most of his introductory rhetoric was fairly typical and expected - the usual gamut of non-Christians worshiping false idols and needing to be returned to the Christian faith.

However, once Don and the community started asking more specific questions, it rapidly became clear just how far off the deep end this guy was. He apparently did not know that the U.S. constitution protects freedom of religion in the first amendment and thought that that was a matter left up to the states, but he was firmly against the right of any non-Christian to practice their religion openly. He also seemed convinced that Jesus endorsed violence in the name of self-defense (someone brought up "turning the other cheek" and he completely brushed this off), considered any non-Christian his enemy, though he claimed he did not mean this in a "violent" way, and he tried to pass Christians off as a minority group based on the fact that they cannot preach theology in textbooks alongside evolution.

Now, I should be clear that this man was an extremist, and I am aware that his opinions do not reflect the opinions of the majority of Evangelical Presbyterians. However, it did feel a little on the nose to watch this video now, when the rights of many are being threatened by a small, extreme, and vocal minority. In particular, I was reminded of the discrimination against Muslims which has become so prominent of late, though to be sure antisemitism and other forms of religious prejudice also remain problems.

This reverend went on to lose his position over this debate, as the views he voiced were too divisive for his community, but he apparently went on to start his own church elsewhere in the area where he continues to have a small following to this day, which no doubt says something in its own right.

However, the verbalization of all this negativity had a positive effect - SIPA was formed. So many Pagans/witches/etc. came out of the woodwork to attend this debate that they decided to form a group to practice with and support one another, and it's still around today, 18 years later.

As I was thinking about all this, I then noticed on a coffee table this little setup - for all those feeling upset, angry, and/or depressed by the election, there were candles to light and papers where one could leave a message or write down good thoughts for America.

Love was on there a couple of times, as was hope.

Now more than ever, we need both of these, hope to carry us, and love to finally trump hate.

September 20th, 2016

Every time I think 2016 can't get worse, it does. I know I haven't been very active of late, and I can't say that that's likely to change what with how busy school's been, and on top of that, my grandfather, who has leukemia, is in a very bad state and the doctors are guessing he only has a few days.

In light of that, I decided I needed to do something today to try and deal with everything. I've noticed over the past few weeks, a very specific labyrinth design kept popping up. First I saw it on a field trip to the Antheneum, and then there was a display in the theatre building using the same graphic, shown below.

I recognized it as being a slightly smaller version of the labyrinth at Gaia House, which is itself based on the labyrinth in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. Since the imagery kept reoccurring, I walked over to Gaia House this morning to spend some time walking their labyrinth.

The geodesic dome sculpture is in homage to Buckminster Fuller, who lived in this town for many years, while the labyrinth turns an old concrete slab into a peace park. It really was nice to enjoy the fresh air for a while before the day got really hot, and I've attended at least one ritual in this space, too, so that brought back good memories. I'd like to spend more time there if I can manage it, I feel like it would be healing.

There's also a really nice fountain and pool just beyond the dome, which is pretty.

The other thing I've noticed a lot lately is bird signs. This is a photo of three crows all sitting on top of a street light taken last week. I saw the trio a second time this morning. Birds always seem to show up at important times in my life. It's nice to see them.

I have done nothing to get ready for Mabon, and it looks like I'll be travelling on Thursday anyway. However, I am planning to attend the SIPA ritual this weekend, so I'm looking forward to that - I daresay I need it. We might even be camping out after the ritual, which would be cool.

April 24th, 2016

Had a busy but good day today, part of which involved heading over to the Gaia House for a few hours, to enjoy a reception for the artists who have work in the Pagan art exhibit which has been on display there this month. We enjoyed coffee, lemonade, and an assortment of little snacks, and generally were able just to hang out and chat.

My painting, with description, that I've had hanging up.

A collection of paintings, all by one lovely individual.

A series of nature photography, all by another artist.

Triple Goddess painting by one of our more Norse-inclined practitioners.

These two photos, by SIPA director Tara, have a rather interesting story. They were taken on vacation while visiting a haunted potter's field of unnamed soldiers. Apparently, just after these were taken (on actual film, not digitally), it started to storm, so obviously there was not enough sunlight to cause lens flare (the white patches on the photos are just glare on the glossy paper; the orange is actually present). Also, these were the only two photos on the whole strip of film with these strange colors, so it couldn't have been water damage. As such, Tara's thought is that she caught some spirits on camera. The one in the top photo actually even looks humanoid.

Me with my painting.

Hand-made grimoire.

Set of runes.

And just for good measure, this is the spiral garden I helped build last spring. As you can see, the plants are pretty well-established now. The sage and kale really took over, so that's pretty much what's growing at this point.

January 30th, 2016

Tonight was SIPA's Imbolg ritual over at the Gaia House. There were a lot of new people, plus the usual crowd of folks I'm starting to get to know. As part of their fundraiser, SIPA was raffling off a sword and chain mail shirt donated by one of their members. It would have been pretty cool to win, but I think my dorm might have a policy against swords...

Sword

Chain mail (and sword, but the lighting was bad and you can't really see it.)

Imbolg altar. Our ritual was dedicated to Brighid, and centered around red candles; everyone had a taper which we carved our intentions for the coming year in, before lighting them from the center candle, which has been used by SIPA since 2003, and was itself initially lit from Brighid's sacred fire in Ireland. Afterwards, we enjoyed milk and some delicious homemade bread.

My taper candle after the ritual. 

It was incredibly warm tonight - even at almost 9:00 at night, it's still now over 50⁰F outside. I don't know if I've ever known Imbolg to be so unseasonably warm!

January 28th, 2016

I thought I would share a photo of the pendant I picked up at Gaia House on Wednesday. I'm not certain what kind of stone it is; my original guess was Rhodonite, but it doesn't seem pink enough for that. Instead, it's a very brick-red color, with some black and grey inclusions. My second guess is that it's a kind of Jasper, but I really don't have much of an idea. 

A friend of mine proposed that it looks like an eggplant, which between its shape and its leafy little fitting, it does. "Eggplant-looking rock" doesn't tell me too much else about it, though.

I'm going to keep looking. I'd really like to identify it! If I haven't figured it out by Saturday, maybe I'll take it to the Imbolg ritual. Perhaps the person who donated it to Freecycle will be there and know what it is, or, failing that, possibly one of my other Pagan acquaintances might have an idea.

January 27th, 2016

Somewhere in the past 24 hours, my blog passed 20,000 page views. I never thought, when I started this page a little over four years ago, that it would be something I'd be able to keep going, let alone that anyone else would want to read it. I just wanted to thank you - yes, you - for stopping by, whether this is your first time or if you're a regular visitor. It really means a lot to me that my words and experiences are of interest to others, and if I've helped anyone by running this blog, then that's all I could ask. 

I wanted to put up another book review today while the text is still fresh in my mind, but first, here's a quick update on me: this week has been and will continue to be a busy one. Gaia House has been running a "Free-cycle" event the last day or two, so I swung by today and picked up an electric pencil sharpener and some kind of reddish crystal pendant necklace. I have a project due tomorrow morning for my Technical Woods class, and over the weekend, I'll be volunteering at Habitat for Humanity before attending SIPA's Imbolg ritual. I'm really looking forward to that! 

And now, without further ado... (I don't think I've said that in a while.)

Title: Dancing With Dragons: Invoke Their Ageless Wisdom & PowerAuthor: D. J. Conway

© 1994

I'll admit, I was a little wary of reading this after really not caring for a lot of Moon Magick, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked this quite a bit better.

The book breaks things down into a lot of smaller chapters, but essentially, she begins by discussing different cultures' perceptions of dragons, and ways in which dragon energies manifest themselves in the environment. She then discusses ritual tools specific to her brand of dragon magick, before leading into a series of rituals written to connect and work with different dragons for different purposes. The last group of chapters focuses on different types of dragons, where they can be found, and how and why one might work with them.

Dragon magick practitioners should be advised that Conway approaches her subject from a predominantly Wiccan perspective. I personally do not have an issue with that in this context, but if you prefer to work secularly or in some other variety of Pagan framework, then Conway's dragon rituals may or may not work for you.

She talks extensively about dragons of Eurasia, and Chinese dragons in particular, which I appreciated as my grounding in Chinese mythology is not as strong as I would like it to be. I'd really like to do a more in-depth study sometime, when I can get the books to that end. Anyway, I digress. Conway also touches briefly on the amphithere dragons of Central and South America, but she gets into some of the dismissive language which bothered me in Moon Magick; it strikes me as wrong to call civilizations such as the Aztecs "primitive", when in fact their society was highly sophisticated, no less so than any contemporary Old World nation.

On the whole, I liked Conway's rituals, and found her poetic incantations to be very nicely phrased. I tend to be a little picky about that sort of thing, but most of them, in my opinion, had both good meter and phraseology. 

Her text meshes well with previous research I've done into different kinds of dragons, and for that reason in particular, I connected with her work, because in general, it made a lot of sense to me.

There were only two other concerns which stuck out to me as something to look out for. Dancing With Dragons does provide a few mentions of ritual adaptations for disabled practitioners, but to be perfectly honest, it was pretty clear that Conway hadn't put more than the very minimum of thought into it. Whether they would actually be useful to anyone, I couldn't say for sure, but I kind of doubt it.

I also felt like Conway put a lot of emphasis on people having all of the exact tools she recommends. As someone who doesn't have access to a lot of the things her rituals employ, it bugs me a bit. Certainly any of the rituals could be adapted easily enough, but it still rubs me the wrong way to be told that I must have a specially engraved pentacle and a sword and a bunch of other stuff to work with dragons, when that is not the case.

Long story short, Conway's work seems to consistently come with at least a few caveats, but if you're looking for information on working with dragons, especially in a ritual setting, then Dancing With Dragons could be a good resource.

SIPA Yule 2015

Some pictures from the ritual yesterday! It was held indoors at Gaia House, although at a balmy 65⁰, we could pretty easily have had it outside. 

Table decorations for the post-ritual potluck.

Holly leaves inscribed with some Japanese phrases denoting what I want to grow in the coming year. (Other people used runes, but Japanese felt more applicable to my practice.) They say, よろこび (joy) 愛 (love), and 平和 (peace). The one saying joy I wrote in yellow, hence the fact that it doesn't show up in the picture. 

One of the members brought her pet Tegu, named Walter! I got to hold him - he's a real snuggle bug.

Getting ready for the gift exchange.

A Yule Carol booklet, with lots of the rewritten classics.

My gift from the gift exchange - three colored glass jars!

They look so pretty on my altar!

SIPA Bonfire

My local Pagan friends got together at Gaia House tonight as part of a community event to talk a bit about Samhain and the origins of Halloween. I wasn't able to make it to that because I had work, but I met up with them for pizza afterward, and then we drove over to the Touch of Nature center for a bonfire!

We didn't stay out too late, because we all had things to get ready for the ritual tomorrow, but it was nice to see everyone and have kind of a laid-back Samhain Eve.

There was also a ton of wildlife out tonight! We saw a raccoon, an opossum twice, three deer, and a bunny rabbit! 

It's probably going to rain on us tomorrow, but we have a shelter reserved, so we shouldn't get too wet. If anything, maybe it'll lend some ambiance. I'm just hoping it's not freezing cold!