The Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction

Editors: PanGaia magazine and Llewellyn publishing
ISBN: 0738712698/9780738712697

What's it about? It's a selection of short stories from pagan authors as collected by a panel of judges for PanGaia magazine.

What did I like about it? There was variety so if you didn't like the style of one author, at least you could look forward to the next, in addition to which no one piece was overly long or short.

My favourite stories were A Valkyrie Among Jews by April, which incidentally was the winning story according to the Introduction to the book, and Black Doe by Vylar Kaftan.

A Valkyrie Among Jews examines pagan identity and the conflict that sometimes arises between the birth religion and paganism of converts. In this instance, the pagan convert is a woman working in a Jewish retirement centre where she is surrounded by the religion of her upbringing. Black Doe was a very well written story about a woman who is shunned by her tribe at her own request in order to feel free, but has to turn to the gods for help. According to the author, the story was written in response to challenge to write about "survivor's guilt about food poisoning and someone getting a haircut" (page 209) and the author certainly delivers. It's also the last story, so was a real treat.

I would be interested to read more work from either of these authors, which I suppose is the purpose of anthology: to bring new authors to the attention of readers.

What didn't I like? All but two of the stories in the anthology.

I'm afraid most of the pieces held no interest for me, and I continued reading only so I could discuss them with fellow readers in the book club. I found myself half a page in on one story, and already hoping the next work was better.

Every story involved the supernatural or fantasy in some way, i.e. there was no real, modern world stories which I think has been mentioned by another reviewer, Eli, here. I kept hoping I'd find a piece that wasn't overtly pagan, fantasy or magical but it never arrived. I've read pieces by pagan authors which have not fantasy, science fiction, magical or pagan elements but are just very good stories. One, in particular springs to mind; it's about a girl working behind a bakery counter as life passed by. There is nothing in the storyline that would label it as pagan; it addresses ordinary concerns from a pagan point of view, i.e. the author. I guess, though, this is not the anthology to find such a narrative.

I do enjoy reading books with magic, the supernatural, myth and manifest deity, but I would dearly love to see writing from pagan authors which veers from the expected genres and, in this regard, I think this collection missed an opportunity.

Would I recommend it? I would recommend the two stories I mentioned above, just not the whole book.

Rating: 2½/5.

Book Giveaway – Uneasy Lies The Head

The Pagan Writers' Community blog are offering "Uneasy Lies The Head", a book by S. P. Hendrick, as a giveaway.

"In the near future, Britain has given up its constitutional monarchy to become a republic. But though the crown is a museum piece and the family no longer bears its ancient titles, Stephen Windsor feels the stirrings of the lives of ancient Sacred Kings in his bones, which is not surprising as at key points in Britain's history he has been reincarnated to perform the supreme kingly act. And though the throne is empty and forgotten, the Land remembers, and calls once more for a crown upon a royal head... and royal blood upon the ground!"

Why not go over to the Pagan Writers' Community blog and see if you can't nab yourself a copy of this five star read, as rated by the reviewers at Good Reads?

Faery Tale: One Woman’s Search for Enchantment in a Modern World

Author: Signe Pike
ISBN: 9781848503724

What’s it about? According to the author, “It’s an examination of the loss of myth in modern culture” (page 9).   I would say it’s a personal exploration into the current belief (or lack thereof) in fairies in the modern world, as experienced by one young woman by travelling through Mexico, England, the Isle of Man, Ireland and Scotland, all the while still grieving the loss of her father about whom she has mixed emotions.

By reacquainting herself with the belief in faery, Signe Pike feels she may find a way to work through the conflicting emotions she has following the loss of her father, but before undertaking the journey to faery, Signe relinquishes her job in publishing and moves interstate, away from the city.  Life-changing events indeed.   

Why did I read it?   Because it was offered to me.

What did I like about it?  It’s an amazingly easy read.   It shows that Signe Pike worked in the publishing industry, because the book is very well organised, with a warm voice, unimposing language and her memories of her father are interposed nicely with the main narrative.

Signe Pike clearly did her research and was enthused by her subject; her descriptions refrain from being flowery or expansive, but the impressions given provide a good image in the mind’s eye of the places visited.   Thankfully, too, the book progresses from the Disney-like fairy creatures to musings on the Sith, Sidhe and other historical manifestations of the “other crowd“.  

What didn’t I like?   The research undertaken was done post-travel, and there were errors.  For instance, on page 185 of the U.K. paperback edition, the following appears:

“… elderflower liquor … made from the flowers on the hawthorn trees, you know, the faery trees“.

Elderflowers are from elder trees, which not unlike hawthorn is thought to reign back luck down on those who cut it down without permission, but most definitely isn’t the same as hawthorn.   Hawthorn does produce berries (haws) which can be made into wine though.

I didn’t agree with a lot of the connections/extrapolations the author made; some I felt were more than a step too far.  Many sites were missed out, owing to financial restrictions, and I felt some research before the trip might have been beneficial, but this is a personal journey, so I suspect serious research was beyond the scope of the book.

Would I recommend it?  Sure:  To those that really, really want to believe in that magic they knew as a child; to those that  want to dip their little toe in the mystical otherworld; to those going on holiday and want something easy and light to read, but nothing too serious; to those that might frequent Glastonbury, the town, not the festival.  

I would not recommend it to anyone that has spent time traversing the Otherworld; I just don’t think they would appreciate it very much.

Rating: 3½/5.

Lughnasa Live

RTÉ broadcast this programme on Sunday, 31 July 2011 in celebration of Lughnasa:  Lughnasa Live.  Now, you can watch this 55 minute long programme which includes snippets on selkies, Eddie Lenihan on the loss of the renowned Irish storytelling, and much more.

Enjoy!

9th Century Irish Myth and the Internet

I read this and thought it needed reblogging, because it is an inspired connection between the Irish myth and the internet of today.

From Mo Thearmann:

This always comes to mind when I see people acting like idiots online. It's from Tecosca Cormaic (The Instructions of King Cormac).

"O Cormac, grandson of Conn", said Carbery, "What is the worst pleading and arguing?"

"Not hard to tell", said Cormac.
"Contending against knowledge,
contending without proofs
taking refuge in bad language
a stiff delivery,
a muttering speech
hair-splitting
uncertain proofs,
despising books
turning against custom
shifting one's pleading
inciting the mob
blowing one's own trumpet
shouting at the top of one's voice."

Trance Portation: Learning to Navigate the Inner World

By: Diana L. Paxson
ISBN: 9781578634057


What I like:  The book is very well organised and the information is solid.  The book is designed to be read over a period of months, as each chapter's exercise is undertaken and understood before moving on to the next.   The text contains an appendix aimed at teachers who are taking students through the process of trance.  As such, this book is suitable for teaching groups though the author suggests it is suitable for solitary students.

What I dislike:  the style of delivery rather dry and uninspiring; I had to push myself to read the book, as it was part of a book club group read. I am not a newcomer to trance, and perhaps this made it more difficult for me to engage with the information provided.

There appears to be a serious flaw with the book: the author assumes every reader is capable of adapting each exercise to their own tradition, but this is not always the case. For instance, if the reader is also new to particular path, faith or tradition they will have no understanding of the landscape traversed by followers, or the deities, entities, etc. and, as such, will not know how to adapt the exercises therein. Although Paxson does provide some examples, these are not comprehensive and this could leave a newcomer rather at a loss.

Would I recommend it to others:  As it is aimed more at the newcomer, I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone for the reasons stated above; however, I would think it suitable for students to work through with their teachers.

Rating:  3½/5.

Lament by Damian Byrne

Thanks to mo thearmann and Tairis for bringing this to my attention.

Labels

"I don't believe what I do because I am a polytheist animist; I am a polytheist animist because of what I believe."

This is paraphrasing Paul Mitchell speaking on Druidcast Episode 51, who made a similar statement in relation to druidry. 

I came to the reconnectionist polytheist community rather late in life.  My fundamental beliefs though have remained unaltered since I was 6 years of age^.   I know this seems ridiculous given people learn and grow over their lifetime, but the core of my beliefs have not altered, rather I have expanded, and deepened my understanding of the universe and my place in it over the years.   I never really understood the whole Catholic culture within which I was raised.  I honestly thought Catholicism, indeed Christianity as a whole, was just an eloborate play put on for children.  I felt the same way about Santa Claus.

I have always believed in the ability to manipulate reality, i.e. magic – a recent thread on a forum confirmed this wherein I noted one of the books that changed my life was a book of fairytales full of people who could wield this supernatural power.  I never believed in just one god who created all (a.k.a. intelligent design), but I sort of understood an underlying energy force that permeated everything whether supposedly alive or inanimate, but I could not express this until I was much older.  I always thought I was odd because of these thoughts.   Bearing in mind I attended religious schools, everyone around me seemed deeply religious and so I felt an outsider by believing what I did.   As I grew up and moved onto another religious school, I had conversations with my principal (Sister Marcella) about how the bible could be reconciled with scientific thought.  Sister Marcella was very patient with me and gave me pause for thought, but I still felt like my beliefs were unacceptable to society as a whole.   Even through the New Age movement, I didn't quite gel with what other people said was so.

Finding the pagan religions late in life didn't really change my beliefs.  My first encounters were with neo-wicca groups and, though these groups held similar beliefs, we were never really a match.   Cue chance encounter with a heathen and suddenly hard polytheism* comes into view.   You would think I might have encountered or, at the very least, googled these religions and their names long beforehand, but the internet wasn't that big when I first found the pagan communities.  As the world wide web expanded and Wikipedia came along, I began to understand how my thoughts, seeded as a child, and now maturing, were not unusual but were the subject of study; had modern-day followers and adherents; and had names.

These days there seems to be a reluctance to use labels, but, for me, why use a long-winded monologue to express what you believe, when you can reduce it to a few words.   Finding a term for my beliefs came as a relief because I had grown up with people who identified with Catholic and Christian, just two short words that encapsulated all that they held dear, whereas I had none.

There are many words that can express a single part of me, but none that encapsulate the whole, no one word really could, when you think about it, e.g. I have more than one given name as well as my surname.   So, if you want to know more about me, here are some labels which you can attach to me:

animal, animist, bibliophile, bitch, confidante, consumer, cousin, creator, dabbler, Darwinist, daughter, descendant, destroyer, diviner, drop-out, female, fool, foreigner, friend, grand-daughter, heathen, human, immigrant, interloper, introvert, listener, niece, observer, pagan, photographer, (wannabe) poet, polytheist, predator, reader, romantic, shrew, sister, student, subject, thinker, traveller, watcher, woman ...

I will continually add to this list over the coming weeks as I do some further exploration.  Apply any of the above labels to me, if you will, I truly don't mind.  They don't define me; well, not all of me, just one small part of who I am.























^ I'm sure you've heard this before and you're sick of it, probably don't even believe it, but do read on.
* I use the term hard to distinguish between those polytheists that believe all god/esses are one god/ess, and those who believe as I do that all are separate individuals/identities.  In no way does the use of hard imply my beliefs are truer or superior to those of soft polytheists.

Lost Scottish Folk Tales to be Published Online

Today, the BBC published an article about the notebooks of Alexander Carmichael being published online.   It is believed that his Carmina Gadelica, published in 1900, contained only one-tenth of his material, so when the material from his notebooks is published online at The Carmichael Watson Project today, we should be in for a treat.

I am going to try and find a way to see the Exhibit at the Edinburgh University Library.

Revelation

In concentrating on my own pursuits, I have come to learn something I found rather surprising.   The religion in which I grew up, the religion I thought was wholly ingrained in one line of my family is only three generations deep.

As it turns out, my links to Ireland are to a protestant line in all but one branch of my family tree.  The conversion is mostly likely because of my ancestors married a Catholic and, at the time, the church required those marrying a Catholic convert before marriage.

I have found it interesting to learn there are practices within my family line that would be considered dubious, if not wholly unacceptable by the church and to learn that there are two definite lines along which my predecessors were known for certain things that might fall under the heading of psychic or magical.  Until I explored my personal beliefs and came to my current path, I had never heard these things discussed, yet the more I delved into my family tree, the more my family became open to discussing those who came before and, given my interests, provided me with information which they thought relevant.

I don't claim to come from a long line of witches - certainly no-one in my family wants to be associated with such a term - but what modern day pagans and witches might term magical practices or psychic ability certainly has shown itself in my family's past, they just didn't use the same terms I might.   I have found it suprising, always believing I was the only one who held such interests.   To learn, just last year that one of my cousins (whom I thought devoutly Catholic) is heavily into Crowley was also somewhat of a shock.

I have had some very interesting conversations with my grandmother about her little nuances but the idea that I might equate this with a religion or magical practices is abhorrent to her as she is extremely anti-religion/faith, being a confirmed atheist.   Even so, her knowledge of certain areas is invaluable to me and, if I can catch her in the right frame of mind, we have interesting discussions about "knowing".

All in all, I realise now that rather than look to the outside for inspiration, or influence I should have been looking to my own clan all along.

Making Connections

So I realise I have been quiet with this blog and an update is long overdue, for which I apologise. I haven't really much to say, as not much has really caught my attention or had an impact.

I missed my trip to the megaliths of Wales owing to illness, but during my convalescence I renewed my acquaintance with my family tree research, prompted by a query from a distant cousin researching one particular branch. Since then, I have spent more time getting to know my ancestors - who they were and what they did.

I've found myself spending the same amount of time on the internet, though mostly sifting through archives for information on ancestors rather than the websites I usually visit. As it turns out, I didn't miss a lot of the websites I once visited and so, once again, I had a huge spring clean and many websites have fallen by the wayside; most of them pagan or pagan-related.

It's time, I think, I concentrated on the things I enjoy, rather than pottering around places on the net to fill in time at work when it's quiet. So, my resolve is to spend more time learning about the family members from my past (and trying to find that elusive Scottish connection - I may actually have one!), spend more time on my photography, my reading and writing of poetry, and learning Gaelic. Life is far too short to just fill in time and, I believe, to do so would be a disservice to myself; and, to my mind, somewhat dishonourable to the memory of my ancestors who might have placed a much higher value on "free time".

So, if things remain quiet here, you'll have an idea of what I might be up to.

Callanais - Looking Down the Avenue

Dunchraigaig Cairn, Kilmartin

Taken on 2010 tour of Scotland and Outer Hebrides with Megalithic Tours.  I fully intend to return to the Kilmartin area to explore the historical sites and spend some time at the wonderful Kilmartin House Trust Museum.

Three Stones of a circle located on Machrie Moor

A picture taken on a tour of the west of Scotland with Megalithic Tours in 2010.  One of the many stone circles of Machrie Moor on the isle of Arran.

Prayer of the Woods

prayer of the woods, a photo by krist.lawrence on Flickr.

---

This image has appeared on a few blogs that I read recently and, well, I like it, so it's being posted here, too. Given the UK government's recent strategies, this seems more than appropriate.

This images comes courtesy of Krist Lawrence, who posted it on Flickr.

Review: "Ravenwood" by Nathan Lowell

Author:  Nathan Lowell
Format:  Podcast/Audiobook

After reading other reviews of "Ravenwood" I decided to download it and give it a try as my preferred listening option on the commute to and from work. The author, Nathan Lowell was a far superior narrator his own story than others to whom I had listened and, though the plot developed slowly, I was happy to listen further to the pleasant reading.

I have to admit I was at a loss as to the time and place that Tanyth, the main character, inhabited. At once, it seemed to be the past but I could not figure the exact time or even a location and this niggled me - just a little. After a while, however, I settled into her story and as new characters were slowly introduced I felt more and more comfortable.

The story centres around Tanyth, a woman who travels (on foot) from place to place learning from the wiser of her sex about herbs - growing, eating and medicinal applications. To keep herself safe she travels dressed as a man and it is clear, almost from the start, there is something in Tanyth's past which has led to this path; her history is glimpsed occasionally as the story develops.

On her way to meet another wise woman, Tanyth finds herself in a hamlet of young people who seem a little out-of-place. As one of their number falls ill, Tanyth skills are called for. Eventually the residents convince Tanyth to stay over the winter before resuming her travels and teach two of the community's number to do for themselves, their own healer having passed away. Tanyth finds herself undergoing personal changes in the hamlet, as the residents and their activities come under scrutiny from undesirables.

"Ravenwood" is peppered throughout with rituals which have their basis in wicca and paganism; some of this feels a little forced, whereas the herbal lore easily slips into the storyline. It also contains a fair bit of violence, and I found it difficult to listen to one section near the end of the story in which the author describes some wounds rather graphically. Nathan Lowell is very descriptive, but not overly so, to the point where a picture is easily built within the mind. He manages to create the environment and atmosphere of Ravenswood, slowly but surely, and eventually you fall into Tanyth's world only to be disappointed when you finally leave, all the while hoping that you will one day be able to return. Nathan Lowell has indicated this is part one of further adventures of Tanyth Fairport and I, for one, will be listening again.

Rating: 4/5.

Earth Hour 2011

Tomorrow I will be taking part in Earth Hour, an event organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (otherwise known as the WWF) as a reminder to ourselves, and world leaders that we need to tackle climate change, and our impact on nature urgently.

It started just four years ago in Sydney, but has now grown to a world-wide phenomenon. It's easy to take part, and easy to register. It's a great reminder of just how much we rely on technology we don't need, because you will have fun with the lights off (No! Not necessarily that kind of fun) and the power off. Boardgames by candlelight, storytelling by firesides and so on.

Really, I urge you to take part, let's see what the stars really look like over our cities when the lights go down for an hour. It's not much, even my workplace take part as do a number of usually brightly-lit landmarks.

Go on: register now. Just be sure to click on the right link for your country.

And, enjoy the company of friends by candlight for a hour tomorrow.

Truth v. Intolerance

Once again, I find myself worked up over the dissemination of misinformation by pagans - the catalyst for this blog post being the celebration of St. Patrick's Day.   This year, and last the Wild Hunt have done an excellent post on the matter of St Patrick and his supposed "genocide of the druids".

For me, it's important to get as close to the truth as possible, especially with regard to historical matters but, for others, "gut feelings" and wild supposition is just as valid proof as personal letters and biographies.  It seems some pagans want to play the game of martyrdom themselves and will rely on fabrications to do so. Myself, I am not into denigrating other religions just for the sake of it, though sometimes I am happy to criticise my fellow pagans. Some of my best religious discussions have been with those of another faith. Thus, I find myself intolerant of those pagans who would spout spurious information to all and sundry, disregarding reason to do so and without thought to the detrimental effect on others, especially when it appears to be no more than petty point scoring.  It would appear that critical thinking, and fact-checking is not an admiral trait in some pagan circles. 

I wish I wasn't this intolerant; I wish I could just let things lie and walk away, but somehow I can't. I get myself embroiled in these pointless arguments and when I request source materials but get no sensible response, I find myself getting frustrated, annoyed and then angry.

Let's face it, though it is just no good arguing with sheep.

I find myself intolerant of those that are happy to be sheeple* yet I have no right to be so. After all, isn't ignorance bliss, and what gives me the right to judge?  Perhaps this is something I should work on?   I have walked away from a lot of pagan groups, events and websites because I just couldn't stand the lack of common sense or individual thought amongst attendees.  Maybe it's that time again?  Time to walk away and stick with those who are happy to have questions asked of them; those who willingly point me in the direction of source materials enabling me to do the research myself and reach my own conclusions or, at the very least, eliminate a few theories and/or return with further questions.

What can I do to improve on this intolerance?  I suppose I could always become a real hermit, so I only have to be mindful of myself.   Or, I could stick to those fellow pagans who think as I do ... but then ... isn't that just avoiding the issue?  I could give up searching for the truth, facts, accuracy, or substantiated claims.   I have ruled out becoming a sheeple myself.   Are there any other options? 

Thoughts anyone?














* Those who act like sheep and run with the herd without question, even over a cliff.

Magical Realms Stamp Issue

The Royal Mail postal service in the UK has issued a new series of stamps featuring characters from myth and fiction with a magical bent.  Nanny Ogg and Rincewind from the Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett, Aslan and The White Witch from "The Chronicles of Narnia", Dumbledore and Voldemort from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, and Merlin and Morgan Le Fey from Arthurian legend.

Brighid

Through another blogger, Tairis, I found links to two programmes on Brighid from Ireland. Although in Irish, they come with English subtitles.

Part One - pre-Christian Brighid; and

Part Two - into Christianity and the modern era.

Reviews: "Shadowmagic" and "The Prince of Hazel & Oak"

Author: John Lenahan
ISBN:   1905548923/978-1905548927 (Shadowmagic)
              0007425597/978-0007425594 (Prince of Hazel & Oak)

"Shadowmagic: Prince of Hazel and Oak" is the sequel to "Shadowmagic" by John Lenahan and, despite being aimed at young men, these books appeal to me immensely. Okay, so I haven't actually read the books but listened to the podcasts downloadable from iTunes and Podiobooks, but I am going to buy the books and I am going to give them to friends because I think that John Lenahan knows how to write a rip-roaring tale. Yes, the main character is a bit obnoxious at times, but show me a teenage boy that isn't.

The Shadowmagic series runs at a face pace and is packed with adventure and humour. Both books are set in the land of Tir Na Og where fairies, banshees, pucas, brownies and sentient trees reside and into this world was thrown young Conor, the said Prince of Hazel and Oak, who grew up in the real world not knowing his was the heir to the House of Oak, his father having kept this secret from him all his life in order to protect Conor from his uncle, Cialtie, who was determined to kill him.

In "Shadowmagic: Prince of Hazel and Oak", after making it back to real world from his first adventure in Tir Na Og, Conor finds himself in yet more trouble as the police believe he has murdered his own father who has gone missing. The truth is, Conor's father is mortally ill and so, once again, Conor is hurled back to Tir Na Og, but this time there is a stowaway: the policeman, Brendan, who is determined to see Conor brought to justice. Conor now find himselfs struggling to save his father's life, and save Tir Na Og from Cialtie, with the help of his loyal friends and one confused policeman.

Sure, Conor can be a bit obnoxious at times, but what teenage boy isn't? His friends soon knock it out of him, and the supporting characters are fantastic, loveable at times, and they are what really makes these books a joy. Well ... okay, the storytelling skills of John Lenahan have a lot to do with it and his reading for the podcasts is of exceptional quality for Podiobooks.

Seriously, folks: read "Shadowmagic" and "Shadowmagic: Prince of Hazel and Oak" for a rip-roaring tale of a boy's own adventure in the Otherworld.

Rating: 5/5

Tradition/Judgement

The title is a reference to two Greenwood Tarot cards that have drawn today.   The first was from my real-life deck, the second from the online draw; both are more than relevant.   A chance chat with a relative in Ireland has shown some light on something I had (almost) forgotten.   Now, I am intrigued and am planning a trip there for this year; something I had not planned to do for several years.

I have previously mentioned on this blog how I have only known about my maternal family history for a short time.  Now, this morning, a light has been shone on my paternal line from a source from which I generally keep myself distant (family/personal issues).   I have been made aware that certain things have also been passed down my paternal line, though very much out-of-sight.  An offer has been made and I feel ... no!  I know that I cannot refuse.  I am more than surprised and, if I am honest, nervous.

I am vaguely aware that this will mean change and a significant change at that.  When it comes to personal matters, I have always been wary of change, fearful even, but this one seems necessary though once on the other side I am generally adaptable.  This, though, is something I have wanted but pushed to the back of mind (that old wariness again) and now, it appears it has arrived.

So, the Tradition card relates to my family and its history and the Judgement card relates to the following:

"The only thing in life that is assured is that if you wait long enough, it will change. How you survive that change and who you are after change is down to you. The major element in this process is judgement of yourself and others. This may relate to an assessment regarding a personal matter or situation, and could be linked to the process of forgiving. It may also relate to a group or social decision.


In the process of judgement, both as an individual and on the universal level, honesty is the key. Be honest, be forgiving, be patient, but most of all, be assured change is at hand.


Remember, the universe has a long memory. Nothing is ever forgotten.


...


Your approach to the issues in this card affects your future, decides the nature or even the possibility of your rebirth.


The entrance to a passage grave beckons you; this is a place to lay your past to rest, a still safe sanctified space in which the parts of your life can be reconstituted after the trauma of Death. (see Rebirth, eight of cups).


You are sensitive, and require someone to stand watch for you; either the highest part of oneself, an ancestral guardian... "*

I think the above is able to convey what I am unable put into words here.  I do these online draws for fun when I am bored and they have no bearing whatsoever but, in this one instance, it is a strange coincidence. 

It's only three hours in and already it's proving a fateful and enlightening day.












* From The Greenwood Tarot.

Me Time

Misty Morning III

Grey and misty morn'
Just after the dawn
Cold crisp breath
Giving me new life
Long, dawdling walk
As only the birds talk
Relishing the serenity
Ahead of the day's insanity.

© Ancestral Celt 2011

Dream Work

For months now the passenger side window is my car has not been working and I have been meaning to get it fixed, but other things have taken priority.   I get a chance to test it regularly, oft time because I forget it's broken.

Last night I had a dream that I was driving in my car and the window was down and I couldn't get it up again, and the wind was whistling through the car.   So, as I was driving this evening I tried the button again, not remembering it doesn't work and it went down.  Then I remembered it had been broken for months and my thoughts turned to the dream I had last night and I wondered about the connection.   I've been having crazy dreams the last week: not bad dreams or nightmares, just bizarre scenarios that aren't connected to anything in particular like the puppy and new kitten talking to each other about day to day happenings around the farm.  So why was last night's dream so prophetic?  Was it prophetic or was my subconscious doing the "work" I should have been doing myself?  It is a dark/new moon energy this week and I find gale-like winds such as have been whipping their way across the countryside powerful ~ I work best with storms and crazy energy ~ so perhaps a part of me (that part that sleeps most of the time) took advantage.

Either way it's a crazy situation: a long electrical/mechanical failure rights itself and I have a dream about it the night before I find it's fixed.

A Treat

For Imbolg this year I decided to treat myself to a session on candle-making.  It's a long time since I've done any kind of workshop and practical things often elude my fumbling digits.  The course is being run by the same people who managed to instill in me an ability to mix, blend and burn credible loose incense and it's the one practical thing I can do and am proud of, despite some seriously stinky mistakes.

I am not sure which kinds of candles we will be making, but I am looking forward to it.   Even if I only learn the process and cannot recreate it myself, I will be happy.  I will be sure to post a review of the workshop here, once I have had time to digest what I've learned, if anything.

Save our Ancient Forests (UK)

Following Rowan's and Solsticedreamer's posts i am posting this for the benefit of uk readers of my blog.  Our ancient woodland is under threat from privatisation, and needs all the support we can give.

Click here to take you to the petition.

Besom Engine

Another borrowed blog:

graveyarddirt:

EARLY 19TH C BESOM ENGINE, via Ebay
Early nineteenth century blacksmith made besom engine or to use its more common name besom clamp. This was a tool that was used in the manufacture of besom brushes or using there more common name witches broomstick.This tool was used to clamp the birch twigs to the hazel handle.
There were two ways this tool could be used. One way was to secure the spiked end into the ground, place the twigs around the bottom end of the hazel handle and place into the jaws of the clamp. Then using your foot apply pressure on the clamp handle to close the jaws together and then you can bind the twigs onto the handle. Alternatively you could secure the clamp in a bench vice and repeat the process using your hand.
This is obviously a rare item and as such would make a wonderful piece for the collector of rural crafts.
A picture of my new baby. Sexy little beast, right?

Art on You - Baphomet

fuckyeahbaphomet:

(Baphomet, by Art On You Studios)

Borrowed Post

I have reblogged this from a Tumblr blog I follow via a feed.  I don't normally borrow other people's blog posts, but this one was different, because I completely sympathised and understood the sentiment completely


graveyarddirt:

Spring Menu, 2011, by Ms. Graveyard Dirt

Here’s the exciting follow-up to yesterday’s heretical journal entry: our annual Bride’s Day-Candlemas-Imbolc menu. Before anyone else has another knee-jerk reaction let me just say - no, I’m not trying to subtly* influence and manipulate people into eating what I think is right (“…AND HERE’S THE MOTHERFUCKING FOOD YOU SHOULD BE FUCKING EATING, RETARDS”). What I AM trying to do, though, is give an example of how I’m attempting to eat seasonally when observing a season-based festival or sabbat.

* It’s a scientific fact that I’m completely incapable of being subtle.

Four things are always taken into account when creating a menu that’s eaten on a holy day that celebrates a turn of the agricultural year: what my ancestors were eating at that time of year, what Italics’ ancestors were eating at that time of year, what the land we live on provides at that time of year and any non-traditional food or dish that has a personal - or significant - value to us as a household at that time of year.

(There’s potentially five things you can take into account, but because I don’t subscribe to any sort of religion I don’t have a culture to fall back on. If you don’t feel connected to your ancestors or the land you’re living on, you always have the option of looking into what the people of your religion ate at that time of the year.)

I’m Ukrainian, with a splash of nomadic plains Indian (Hunkpapa, Lakhota). Italics is, more or less, Scottish (there’s Irish and French in there somewhere, but in small amounts). We both live in his homeland, Scotland, so we observe Imbolc - Spring - at the very start of February due to being in the northern hemisphere. Because Bride’s Day-Candlemas-Imbolc is so very fucking British Isles I give the Ukie shit a rest for once (but only because Easter is totally Slavtastic) and focus on what the land actually provides during this time of the year, and what it’s provided for countless effing generations.

Wheat, barely and oats are the three “grains” I associate with Scotland, and traditional Scottish cookery. But because Italics suffers from coeliac/celiac disease we don’t eat wheat or gluten, so we focus on oats instead. (Oats, by the way, are a-okay for celiacs as long as they’re prepared and packaged in a wheat/gluten-free environment.) I still bake bread for Bride, but I also bake a loaf that both Italics and I can break in communion together.

At this time of year in Scotland the only fresh vegetables are winter vegetables, and those are primarily greens and chthonic, root-based plants. I know that might sound limiting, but it’s not. Think bulbs, vegetables that are at their best once frostbitten, anything that stores happily throughout the cold months and the very new, very tender hardy shoots that are already appearing outside: apples, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chicory, fennel, garlic, horseradish, kale, onions, parsnips, pears, potatoes, rocket, shallots, sprouts, squash, swede (known as rutabaga in the USofA), turnips and wild plants’n’herbs.

The heavily pregnant ewes begin dribbling milk around this time, so a huge focus on Imbolc’s meal - at least to me - is the return of milk and dairy products to the diet. (That gets celebrated in dessert, when I make a homemade batch of crème brûlée using organic, full-fat cream.) Because we’re carnivores flesh comes in the form of preserved meat (I personally brine a brisket for Bride), but if corned beef wasn’t set in stone - which it is - we would probably eat game (pheasant, grouse, duck, partridge, rabbit, venison) because that was what was available during this time of the year.

(PS: I’m only not mentioning fish/seafood as suitable options because I fucking LOATHE fish, and because - like I said above - we always eat homemade corned beef when celebrating Bride’s Day. <- Once something gets recognized as an annual tradition it’s hard to be cavalier about mixing shit up, ESPECIALLY when you’re autistic. I mean, fuck, you’ve seen Rainman, right? Brined brisket for Bride on Bride’s Day is totally Judge Wapner, People’s Court at 4 fucking PM in this motherfucking house.)

Taking everything I said into account, this is the meal we eat to celebrate the return of Spring using what’s actually available and in season during that time:

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Cave of Forgotten Dreams from Nate Calloway on Vimeo.

Another video to share with you, this time the trailer to Werner Herzog‘s Cave of Forgotten Dreams. This is a 3D film shot inside Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave in southern France. These are some of the oldest cave paintings known. The film seems to have good reviews on IMDB and is set to be released on March 25th, 2011 in the UK.

Source: Anthropology.net

Shadowmagic

Author:  John Lenahan
ISBN:  1905548893 / 978-1905548897


Shadowmagic is great audio book, narrated wonderfully by the author. This is a fast-paced story about a teenage boy whose life is turned upside down upon the sudden arrival of relatives of whom he knew nothing and who are determined to see him dead.

The main character is Connor, raised by a one-handed father, Oisin, who speaks to him in ancient languages and teaches him to use a sword. Connor is transported to the land of Tir Na Og, a place inhabited by Imps, Ban Sidhe, Leprechauns and Pookas and where the trees hug back.

Sure Connor's sense of humour is not to everyone's taste, but it keeps his spirits up when all manner of misfortune befalls him. There isn't much in the way of character introductions and background is rarely provided, but it's not necessary because their actions speak for themselves. At times, some of the voices used for different characters were slightly, ever so slightly off-putting but I kind of had the feeling it was more how Connor interpreted, or might have mimicked them himself.

The story runs at a fair pace and you hardly have time to breathe, which is how Connor himself must feel. The author has deftly told a story without any of surplus that often gets in the way of a good tale. This type of adventure is probably aimed at tweenage boys, but as a woman of a certain age I truly enjoyed listening to the podcast version on my commute to and from work for the week, only just resisting listening to it between times.

I recommend the audio version of Shadowmagic to anyone that has to face boring tasks, as you will lose yourself in the land of Tir Na Og with Connor, his family and friends in no time; that it the skill of John Lenahan's storytelling, and narration.

Rating: 4/5

Coming Soon: Thor!

This looks like it could be good and I truly hope it is.

Candle

 

An experiment in night photography.

Bonus

This year I was fortunate indeed to get a bonus from my employer.  Most of it has been used sensibly, but there has been one thing I have always wanted to own.  I don't need it, I just want it.   For years, I had coveted others who owned similar pieces and, when I finally had the money to purchase a copy, the person making them had gone out of business.  Recently though I found one that caught my eye and when the bonus was announced, I secretly kept an eye on it and thought if I could manage to do so I would purchase it.  

Well, the bonus was paid and it was more than I expected, so I took the plunge.  Today, it arrived in the post and here, dear folks, it is.   It's very heavy, but so comfortable I hardly know I'm wearing it.   Yes, it's entirely frivolous, but I love it.

Tir Nan Og

A beautiful short film, in my opinion, that I caught purely by accident.

A Thought for Others

It is winter, it is cold and with the holidays approaching many find themselves in crisis, for various reasons.   There are a myriad of charities out there who help others, especially at this time of year.   I wonder though how many people take the time of think of others who need our help. 

There was an article this year stating that women, in particular, spend more on themselves at this time of year then they do their friends, which was not particularly shocking to me, given how many people (mostly women) I see out shopping and the amount of responsibility that traditionally falls to women over the holiday season - presents, cards, cooking, decorating.   However, I find it odd that we spend so much money on our family, friends and having a good time but some appear to forget how hard this time of year can be for others.

Being on my own, I tend to think of this as a peaceful time and a time for reflection, and nearly every year since I have been separated from my family, my thoughts inevitably turn to those who find winter and the holidays particularly difficult to endure and those are not alone by choice.   To this end, it at this time of year I take particular care to find a local charity who helps those in crisis.   Usually I choose a homeless charity: some ask for parcels (many supply lists of essential items to help with creating beneficial gifts) or ask for volunteers, either unskilled to help with general matters, or skilled especially therapists, counsellors, advisors prepared to offer their services and skills at the temporary shelters set-up when shops and other businesses shut down.

This year I am thinking of contributing to a charity that assists people who are dealing with mental health issues which can become worse as the holiday period, full of cheer for most, approaches.  I am not sure who or how I can help, but I will be spending the next few weeks finding something appropriate.

Just to be clear, I regularly contribute to my chosen charities throughout the year; however, in winter I feel I must try to do more, as I have a roof over my head, central heating and access to everything I need and even though I am alone over the holidays, it is by choice, not enforced as it is for so many others.

I wonder, does anybody else indulge in more charitable acts over the Yule/Christmas/Winter Holiday period?

No Price on Friendship

I am lucky to know a few people who are talented indeed.  Not all are friends, some are acquaintances and some I know only through the internet.   One (now lost) internet connection led me to meet a wonderful lady of the witchy persuasion who has become a great friend indeed.

Over the years I have known her, this friend has helped me on a number of occasions and I think we have learned a lot from each other.   My friend runs a pagan shop and does relatively well - though she would probably say she would like to do better - and, despite this, she still finds time to look after others.   I am one of those lucky people for whom she cares.

When I first moved to London, I developed an annoying reaction to the water during the Winter months: my skin would itch, turn red, blotchy, cracked and papery and, aged just 26, my hands and lower arms would resemble that of someone in their 90s. Over the years, I have sought various treatments for it, GPs, hand creams, homeopathy, oat-filled muslin bags, supplements, etc., but nothing touched it. Last winter, my friend created a cream from ingredients fetched from a local graveyard and the results were magical. Now the winter water doesn't cause so much damage. Every time my hands go in the water I use the cream and my hands are age appropriate, i.e. soft, smooth and sans sores.

I know that this friend, along with some help, spends a fair bit of time collecting the ingredients, preparing them and making the cream, but she never charges me for it, even though she should and I offer. I am ever so grateful to know such a wonderful, talented, caring person I might never have met were it not for the internet, but one whose friendship is priceless.

Is the Curse of Tara affecting those who have desecrated the complex?

Is the Curse of Tara affecting those who have desecrated the complex? | Celtic Myth Podshow News

I have only just finished reading Eddie Lenihan's "Meeting the Other Crowd", so this article make interesting reading indeed.

A Long Lost Treasure

I realised today that one of my all-time favourite books was missing from my catalogue.  I have spent a few hours now trying to search for its details on various book sites, so I can upload it to my catalogue, but the closest edition I can find was published in 1970, whereas I have an edition that states it is a "First Edition" but with a copyright in 1969 and two earlier dates of 1967.   Perhaps mine was the first Australian edition?

The book in question is "The World's Best Fairy Tales" edited by Belle Becker Sideman and with simple, but lovely illustrations by Fritz Kredel.

I have owned this book now for night on 40 years. It was gifted to my parents when I was born. I read it and re-read it and re-read many times as a child and I still enjoy the tales, even if they have been modified to make them more palatable. Even so, my favourite tale is "The Goose-Girl" mostly because of the sentence passed on the servant girl; it was gruesome to this child's mind, but I relished it and though she deserved it. The magic in the tale also captured my imagination, as it did in all the tales.

I doubt I will ever give this book up, and now that it has been retrieved from storage, I hope to find a bookbinder to repair its sorry, leatherbound spine and restore it somewhat to its glory days.