All the words in the world
cannot compensate
When all your worlds, in a word,
are now desolate
© Ancestral Celt 2009
04 September 2009
03 September 2009
17 August 2009
Yet Another Pagan Dating Site
Its seems there are more and more sites for pagan singles, and here is yet another: Wiccan/Pagan Singles Club, which is part of the Ning social networking site. Again, it is based in the United States of America, but there are a few from the United Kingdom.
I do know of a few couples who found each other through these type of sites, so they must work on some level.
I do know of a few couples who found each other through these type of sites, so they must work on some level.
08 August 2009
Diplays of Faith
Most people are aware of the British Airways employee who went to court over the wearing of her cross (and lost), and I am pretty sure most pagans have encountered those pagans who insist on wearing the biggest pentacle possible, or fantasy costumes, or t-shirts with "pagan and proud" slogans or similar, or have their foreheads tattooed with Theban. It's almost as if these pagans have to display their religious beliefs in order to be seen to be "walking the walk" rather than "talking the talk". This made me wonder how important it was to pagans, in general, to wear their faith, or indeed, to display anything that might proclaim their allegiance to paganism.
From a personal perspective, I don't feel the need to be in anyone's face about my beliefs. I live in a Christian country (albeit one with a pagan history) and I respect that. My religion is not about offending anyone; its about my personal beliefs. That said, I do have one or two items on display, as it were, but, I am more than happy to remove, or cover them if it's required, i.e. for matters of health and safety.
What I do have is a car sticker, which is more humorous than pagan ("Witches Parking; All Others Will be Toad"). I'd prefer the sign, but I don't have a regular parking space over which to hang a sign. When the day comes that I have my own parking space, even if its my own driveway, I will put up the sign and remove the sticker from my car. The only other means by which I can be identified as pagan by sight alone is if I am wearing my charm bracelet. It has a witchy/pagan theme with charms to which I have felt drawn. I don't wear it everyday, nor do I wear it everywhere. Most people don't look too closely and don't notice the details in the charms at all. I have to admit, it's more a fashion item than a statement about my beliefs. I also wear a triple spiral ring daily; it's never removed. I don't consider it overtly pagan, certainly no-one has ever associated it with paganism or my beliefs. So, unless I am in my car, I doubt anyone would know anything about my beliefs.
The majority of Christians don't display their beliefs either and, personally, I don't tend to ask about a person's religious alliance, so I would never know, just by looking at someone, the nature of their faith. I was always taught not to talk religion or politics in social situations, and I never have. So, why is it some pagans feel the need for overt displays of paganism?
The reason I ask this is because recently there have been a spate of pagans asserting their right to wear their pentacle anywhere they like, because the Christians can wear their crosses everywhere, anytime, they like. Well, no, they can't. The British Airways employee lost because there was a dress code in place, that was policy, at British Airways; Christians have to abide by Health & Safety law just like everyone else and, often, that means the removal of any and all jewellery (chefs, for instance, often have to cover up with that awful blue tape in order to stay safe).
When I was considered Catholic, I would not have worn my cross into a mosque or other religious building as a matter of respect. I have always strived to abide by the maxim: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." In other words, I try not to offend others and attempt blend in as much as possible to the culture in which I am mingling. That's not to say I won't speak up if I, myself, am offended.
Perhaps I am just too "low key" as a pagan?
I wear smart clothes to work, as is required, I wear jeans and a shirt in my leisure hours. I'm not really into fancy dress, unless it's a fancy dress masked ball. The pentacle means nothing to me so I would never consider it an emblem of my religious path, nor would I knock anyone for wearing it, provided it wasn't the size of a hubcap. *LOL* I don't wear cloaks or robes for ritual, or seasonal celebrations and I probably never will; again I would never knock anyone for wearing them, in those circumstances. Were my place of work to ask me to remove my bracelet because it offends one of the Christians in the office, I would, BUT, I would also raise objections to anyone wearing the cross, etc. (not that anyone does) on grounds on discrimination.
I know I'm a pagan - a polytheist animist who "dabbles" in witchcraft - but I don't necessarily need or want others to know it. In this country, I can go about practising my beliefs pretty much uninterrupted, provided I stay within the law - I haven't yet breached it, nor am I likely to need to - and I've never suffered any kind of abuse or discrimination for my beliefs. In fact, I've found most people quite amenable: especially my employers.
Still, I am interested in the thoughts of others on this matter. Is it enough for you to know you are pagan, or do you prefer to broadcast it to all and sundry on a second-by-second basis to the rest of the world as outlandishly as possible? *LOL* Or, are you somewhere in between?
From a personal perspective, I don't feel the need to be in anyone's face about my beliefs. I live in a Christian country (albeit one with a pagan history) and I respect that. My religion is not about offending anyone; its about my personal beliefs. That said, I do have one or two items on display, as it were, but, I am more than happy to remove, or cover them if it's required, i.e. for matters of health and safety.
What I do have is a car sticker, which is more humorous than pagan ("Witches Parking; All Others Will be Toad"). I'd prefer the sign, but I don't have a regular parking space over which to hang a sign. When the day comes that I have my own parking space, even if its my own driveway, I will put up the sign and remove the sticker from my car. The only other means by which I can be identified as pagan by sight alone is if I am wearing my charm bracelet. It has a witchy/pagan theme with charms to which I have felt drawn. I don't wear it everyday, nor do I wear it everywhere. Most people don't look too closely and don't notice the details in the charms at all. I have to admit, it's more a fashion item than a statement about my beliefs. I also wear a triple spiral ring daily; it's never removed. I don't consider it overtly pagan, certainly no-one has ever associated it with paganism or my beliefs. So, unless I am in my car, I doubt anyone would know anything about my beliefs.
The majority of Christians don't display their beliefs either and, personally, I don't tend to ask about a person's religious alliance, so I would never know, just by looking at someone, the nature of their faith. I was always taught not to talk religion or politics in social situations, and I never have. So, why is it some pagans feel the need for overt displays of paganism?
The reason I ask this is because recently there have been a spate of pagans asserting their right to wear their pentacle anywhere they like, because the Christians can wear their crosses everywhere, anytime, they like. Well, no, they can't. The British Airways employee lost because there was a dress code in place, that was policy, at British Airways; Christians have to abide by Health & Safety law just like everyone else and, often, that means the removal of any and all jewellery (chefs, for instance, often have to cover up with that awful blue tape in order to stay safe).
When I was considered Catholic, I would not have worn my cross into a mosque or other religious building as a matter of respect. I have always strived to abide by the maxim: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." In other words, I try not to offend others and attempt blend in as much as possible to the culture in which I am mingling. That's not to say I won't speak up if I, myself, am offended.
Perhaps I am just too "low key" as a pagan?
I wear smart clothes to work, as is required, I wear jeans and a shirt in my leisure hours. I'm not really into fancy dress, unless it's a fancy dress masked ball. The pentacle means nothing to me so I would never consider it an emblem of my religious path, nor would I knock anyone for wearing it, provided it wasn't the size of a hubcap. *LOL* I don't wear cloaks or robes for ritual, or seasonal celebrations and I probably never will; again I would never knock anyone for wearing them, in those circumstances. Were my place of work to ask me to remove my bracelet because it offends one of the Christians in the office, I would, BUT, I would also raise objections to anyone wearing the cross, etc. (not that anyone does) on grounds on discrimination.
I know I'm a pagan - a polytheist animist who "dabbles" in witchcraft - but I don't necessarily need or want others to know it. In this country, I can go about practising my beliefs pretty much uninterrupted, provided I stay within the law - I haven't yet breached it, nor am I likely to need to - and I've never suffered any kind of abuse or discrimination for my beliefs. In fact, I've found most people quite amenable: especially my employers.
Still, I am interested in the thoughts of others on this matter. Is it enough for you to know you are pagan, or do you prefer to broadcast it to all and sundry on a second-by-second basis to the rest of the world as outlandishly as possible? *LOL* Or, are you somewhere in between?
07 July 2009
£50,000 job for a witch ...
Wookey Hole is currently witchless
A Job Centre is advertising a "witch" vacancy with tourist site Wookey Hole, in Somerset, for £50,000 a year.
The witch, who has to live in the site's caves, is expected to teach witchcraft and magic.
Wookey Hole staff say the role is straightforward: live in the cave, be a witch and do the things witches do.
The advert for the post, placed in the local press as well as job centres, says applicants must be able to cackle and cannot be allergic to cats.
The job has come up after the previous witch retired from the role.
"We are witchless as the moment so need to get the role filled as soon as possible," said Daniel Medley from the tourist destination.
Read the rest of this article at: BBC News.
A Job Centre is advertising a "witch" vacancy with tourist site Wookey Hole, in Somerset, for £50,000 a year.
The witch, who has to live in the site's caves, is expected to teach witchcraft and magic.
Wookey Hole staff say the role is straightforward: live in the cave, be a witch and do the things witches do.
The advert for the post, placed in the local press as well as job centres, says applicants must be able to cackle and cannot be allergic to cats.
The job has come up after the previous witch retired from the role.
"We are witchless as the moment so need to get the role filled as soon as possible," said Daniel Medley from the tourist destination.
Read the rest of this article at: BBC News.
06 July 2009
The Ancestry
I was listening to the Midsummer edition of The Celtic Myth Podshow and was taken aback by a track called "Midsummer" by Jillian LaDage. It transported me away to another time and place and I instantly loved it. I was so taken by it that I immediately downloaded it on iTunes, in the hope the other tracks were just as brilliant, before I realised I could preview the song as the website of Tarith Cote.
Even so, I wasn't disappointed. The album is described as "a journey that leads from the medieval sands of Turkey and the Byzantine Empire to the moors and legends of the ancient Celts". Its certainly a mixture of sounds, and haunting ones at that, but remains cohesive throughout combining sumptious music with storytelling songs in a sensual voice.
I wish I could elucidate on how this album made me feel. Its very much how I responded to Sa Dingding's "Alive" album, and like that album, I have been playing these tracks non-stop since I downloaded them. Please go and try the samples of Jillian LaDage's album at the Tarith Cote website and let yourself be whisked off to lands of wonder.
Rating: 4.5/5
10 June 2009
Justice in the eyes of the Unforgiving
I thought some more about what I wrote earlier this week, and I realised I may be at odds with the ancients in that I do not believe in the death penalty, but I am a believe in a life for life. In other words, if its proved beyond all doubt that you murdered someone, you should spend your life paying for it. I have always thought death an easy option, in comparison to serving a life sentence in gaol, and rarely is a life sentence really for life these days. Now, if someone killed one my own then they would probably want to spend the rest of their life in gaol, as opposed to any kind of life I might allow them were they at my disposal.
Recently, I watched a film, called "Ten Canoes", an ancient aboriginal story. During the course of the movie, a man is killed in retaliation for a slight, but its a case of mistaken identity; the wrong person is murdered. The murderer takes himself off, with a second, to the tribe of the victim in order to face his punishment. Both he, and his second, stand before the other tribe and face a barrage of spears. The murderer receives a wound just at the last, survives, and is carried away by his kin, including his second, who remains unharmed throughout. The tribe of the victim consider the debt for their dead brother paid. Unkown to them, the murderer later dies from his wounds. A natural kind of justice perhaps?
I felt that even if the murderer had survived, he had faced his punishment honourably and so the debt was paid. Much like the Sons of Tuireann, who completed the tasks set them, despite expectations they would perish.
From a personal point of view, I am never sure that our current justice system is adequate or imposes the kind of justice I would want. Then, I think of some of the people who might want to extract justice in the ways mentioned above and, perhaps, that would be worse, resulting in an ever escalating level of violence as we see in gang wars. Revenge killings are still reported in the news with regularity, too, however, this is not the type of personal justice I am advocating.
For me, each situation is different with individual requirements for compensation. Even I don't always seek compensation from those that slight me; some just aren't worth my time, and others lead to escalating wrongdoing.
What kind of justice would I want in a situation of manslaughter or murder? What if, as in the "Ten Canoes" situation, it was mistaken identity? I do know that I won't get the compensation I want; as my beliefs are at odds with our current justice system. I do know that I couldn't forgive the perpetrator, as so many others have done, and as is becoming somewhat expected by our society. Society might even consider me a godless heathen for thinking this way ...
Recently, I watched a film, called "Ten Canoes", an ancient aboriginal story. During the course of the movie, a man is killed in retaliation for a slight, but its a case of mistaken identity; the wrong person is murdered. The murderer takes himself off, with a second, to the tribe of the victim in order to face his punishment. Both he, and his second, stand before the other tribe and face a barrage of spears. The murderer receives a wound just at the last, survives, and is carried away by his kin, including his second, who remains unharmed throughout. The tribe of the victim consider the debt for their dead brother paid. Unkown to them, the murderer later dies from his wounds. A natural kind of justice perhaps?
I felt that even if the murderer had survived, he had faced his punishment honourably and so the debt was paid. Much like the Sons of Tuireann, who completed the tasks set them, despite expectations they would perish.
From a personal point of view, I am never sure that our current justice system is adequate or imposes the kind of justice I would want. Then, I think of some of the people who might want to extract justice in the ways mentioned above and, perhaps, that would be worse, resulting in an ever escalating level of violence as we see in gang wars. Revenge killings are still reported in the news with regularity, too, however, this is not the type of personal justice I am advocating.
For me, each situation is different with individual requirements for compensation. Even I don't always seek compensation from those that slight me; some just aren't worth my time, and others lead to escalating wrongdoing.
What kind of justice would I want in a situation of manslaughter or murder? What if, as in the "Ten Canoes" situation, it was mistaken identity? I do know that I won't get the compensation I want; as my beliefs are at odds with our current justice system. I do know that I couldn't forgive the perpetrator, as so many others have done, and as is becoming somewhat expected by our society. Society might even consider me a godless heathen for thinking this way ...
08 June 2009
Unforgiving
I have to acknowledge that I am an unforgiving person. I have always been so, even growing up within the Catholic faith, forgiveness was a tenet I never understood. Turning the other cheek was something I thought you ought to do when drawing back your fist, or other weapon before striking your enemy down with full force.
I have always felt that when someone wrongs me, I am entitled to compensation of a sort, even if its just an apology, but I'd prefer they suffer as I had. Perhaps this is why the laws of the ancients always appealed: they always extracted a price for wrongdoing. For instance, the price extracted by Lugh from the Sons of Tuireann for the slaughter of Cian. Although Lugh thought the tasks he set might kill them, the Sons of Tuireann return triumphant, and the debt is satisfied. To me that (almost) makes sense.
It has always been a strange thing to me that the male of the species is able to engage in violent, physical combat and, even if one comes out clearly the winner, both can consider the matter which was the catalyst for the fight closed and resume their previous (good) relationship. I acknowledge this is not always the case, but I have seen it occur often enough, and it occurs regularly in the myths. For my own part, I can consider a matter closed, but it will remain on record in my memory banks.
Don't get me wrong: I don't demand compensation for every slight or from every opponent. I am quite happy to debate matters, and will even take an opposing side in order to gain a deeper understanding of another's point of view, or just to play devil's advocate. I rarely take offence during an argument and rarely do I take such things personally; in fact, others have commented on my inability to take personal offence. Provided no personal insults are slung, I see no reason to seek satisfaction.
What I cannot do is forgive anyone, or anything that attacks me, my family or my friends, nor will I forget, which may separate me from the ancients. Just because someone pays the price for their actions against me, it does not necessarily follow I will forget the matter. A trust will have been broken and no compensation can restore trust.
I realised over the weekend, that I have no qualms about being the unforgiving sort. I used to feel (the Catholic) guilt over not being able to forgive, or turn the other cheek, but not anymore. Its how I feel; how I am. I am not inclined to change either.
I have always felt that when someone wrongs me, I am entitled to compensation of a sort, even if its just an apology, but I'd prefer they suffer as I had. Perhaps this is why the laws of the ancients always appealed: they always extracted a price for wrongdoing. For instance, the price extracted by Lugh from the Sons of Tuireann for the slaughter of Cian. Although Lugh thought the tasks he set might kill them, the Sons of Tuireann return triumphant, and the debt is satisfied. To me that (almost) makes sense.
It has always been a strange thing to me that the male of the species is able to engage in violent, physical combat and, even if one comes out clearly the winner, both can consider the matter which was the catalyst for the fight closed and resume their previous (good) relationship. I acknowledge this is not always the case, but I have seen it occur often enough, and it occurs regularly in the myths. For my own part, I can consider a matter closed, but it will remain on record in my memory banks.
Don't get me wrong: I don't demand compensation for every slight or from every opponent. I am quite happy to debate matters, and will even take an opposing side in order to gain a deeper understanding of another's point of view, or just to play devil's advocate. I rarely take offence during an argument and rarely do I take such things personally; in fact, others have commented on my inability to take personal offence. Provided no personal insults are slung, I see no reason to seek satisfaction.
What I cannot do is forgive anyone, or anything that attacks me, my family or my friends, nor will I forget, which may separate me from the ancients. Just because someone pays the price for their actions against me, it does not necessarily follow I will forget the matter. A trust will have been broken and no compensation can restore trust.
I realised over the weekend, that I have no qualms about being the unforgiving sort. I used to feel (the Catholic) guilt over not being able to forgive, or turn the other cheek, but not anymore. Its how I feel; how I am. I am not inclined to change either.
05 June 2009
Worst Day of My Life ...
I am posting this here, even though its off topic, because I had nowhere else to put it.
Yesterday was probably the worst day of my life (not accounting for anything in the future). I won't go into details, suffice to say: I was made acutely aware of just how insignificant and unimportant my life is in the most hurtful way possible. I am pretty sure an immeasurable number of days (maybe even years) will pass before ... well ... before I feel other than depressed, upset and angry; in that order.
To the universe: thanks for nowt.
Yesterday was probably the worst day of my life (not accounting for anything in the future). I won't go into details, suffice to say: I was made acutely aware of just how insignificant and unimportant my life is in the most hurtful way possible. I am pretty sure an immeasurable number of days (maybe even years) will pass before ... well ... before I feel other than depressed, upset and angry; in that order.
To the universe: thanks for nowt.
01 June 2009
Business is Booming
Although we are in an economic depression, some are still setting up business and doing well for themselves.
This is true for a friend of mine, Lady Arachne, who started making robes and cloaks for various friends on a part-time basis. Lady Arachne was getting so many requests, she decided to set up a business and, eventually, had to quit her job in order to fill the orders she received.
Well, now, Lady Arachne has set up her website and has expanded her range to include fantasy dresses and robes for handfastings and weddings. As the orders come in, and her range increases, Lady Arachne is still happy to take commissions for bespoke items.
This is true for a friend of mine, Lady Arachne, who started making robes and cloaks for various friends on a part-time basis. Lady Arachne was getting so many requests, she decided to set up a business and, eventually, had to quit her job in order to fill the orders she received.
Well, now, Lady Arachne has set up her website and has expanded her range to include fantasy dresses and robes for handfastings and weddings. As the orders come in, and her range increases, Lady Arachne is still happy to take commissions for bespoke items.
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