The tragedy at Sandy Hook School

     I have been active on facebook  the last  two  days reading all  the comments related to  the tragedy at Sandy Hook School.  I  am going through many  different emotions and fighting to understand everything. Which is quite the task at  this current time.  This blog is to vent and express my feelings and opinions.  So  please bare with me as I  go through my  various emotions.

     I  find it a great tragedy when children are hurt  for no reason.  But for the kids to be killed is heinous.  Those lives could have turned into something wonderful. They  could have been artists, thinkers, leaders, teachers , the list is long and amazing. They had nothing holding them back. It was a great loss for them to  die in such a worthless manner. I  think of the ones that  lived and all  the mental  anguish they  are going to live through for the rest of their lives.  Their friends died in the very  same rooms that  they  will  be in.  How can you function normally when you know that is the spot where your friend died.

     In tragedies like this there are those that  stand and shine. There were people that  forgot about their own safety and thought about the kids. Vicki  Soto was one of those heroes.  Vicki hide her kids and waited for the gunman and told him they  were gone.  He then killed her. The courage she had, the moral strength she possessed is amazing.  I have to say  thanks to  Vicki and the others that  did  everything they could to  protect the children.  I  also  have to  say  thanks for giving me hope.  There are times that I  look out on society and I  think that it is slipping away. I  just hope there are others that  have Vicki's  attitude.

     I  went looking for answers, and I  was disgusted with  the results. I  learned what  the killer's name was and so I  decided to  see if he had a facebook  page that I  could see.  People out there were creating facebook  pages with  his name.  Supposedly to  help  the school. But if you truly wanted to  help  the school,  you would have named it after the school, not the killer.  This is why I  lose faith in humanity.  Someone thought it would be cool to  support a killer of kids.  Where did  these people learn their values?  Do  they  understand right and wrong?

     People are using this event for there personal  gain. If this event could assist their cause, they  were spewing a lot of crap.  Gun control is one of the issues going nuts right now.  I  believe in gun control but also I  believe in gun owner's rights.  If you are a hunter and you follow the laws, sure  you can have your fancy hunting rifle and shotgun.  But  there is no need for the semi-auto weapons.  People  do  have the right to  defend themselves. You  can't take away  the guns from the homeowner. Criminals aren't going to  follow the law and banning  guns would mean that  homeowners would be defenseless. 

     Guns kill that is what  they  are designed to  do, however the guns don't do  the killing. If you are so obsessed with killing someone , you will  find a way  to  do it.  The are other ways of killing people,  bombs, knives, cars, poison, and many  more.  So we need to improve our mental  health  resources so that  people don't get this bad.  It is still  very early in the investigation of the event. The killer killed his own mother,  why we don't know. I  feel  that  he attacked the school because he was angry with  his mom and the mom was part of the school. 

     The religious have been bringing there 'get god back into  school' rant into play. I  watched a video  that  explained that  this is a result of kicking god out of the schools in 1962.  That if we welcome god back into  the schools this would never happen again.  There is nothing more disgraceful than using the death of children to push  your faith.  This is an act of someone that  doesn't  deserve respect as well.  The man pimping god in schools is going against his own religion.

1.  The bible says that  the son shall not carry the sins of the father.  SO  then why  were the children the primary target?  These children didn't remove god from the schools, so  why  were they  attacked?  They  did  not sin!!!
2. The man in the video  claimed that  god doesn't go where he is not wanted.  When women are raped they  are begging for help, they  are asking for god to  help  them. Where was god? He was wanted.
3.  Most christian denominations give the age of accountability as 13.  If these children were so young,  why  did  this god allow them to  be punished for 'god' being kicked out of the schools. They  didn't understand the concept of god.
4. This man doesn't understand the 1st amendment. He talked about freedom of religion. And the right to  have religion in school. But  he fails to  see then that  all  religions must be honored. Is this same man going to  allow Allah  to  be in schools?  I  bet he would shutter if he saw a picture of Cernunnos  right next to  jesus.

     In the days ahead we are going to learn many sad facts about this event.  Motives and details of the events as they  unfolded.  In your hearts try to  find a way to  deal  with  all  the emotions going through you.

     I will not give the name of the killer.  I will  not help him become famous.  If you have troubles in life, you need to  find a way  to  deal with  them.  Before you con cider  going out and hurting someone,  you need to find alternatives.  If someone wronged you and you need revenge,  fight someone that  can defend themselves. If you go out and kill defenseless people like children and the elderly, I  think you are worthless as a person and you should be forgotten at  that moment.  I  think a law should be passed that  all  alleged killers names by withheld from the media. And if any media source releases the name of the killer , they  face a $100,000 fine.  People need to  remember Vicki Soto, and forget about the killer of children.

Yule and Christmas

    So  we are off and running into  this years 'War on Christmas", you can just feel  the disgust in the air. Since I  have left Christianity, I  have been deeply involved in this 'war'. But not  this year, I  am feeling bored with  the situation.  Nothing has changed from last  year, the same people are raising a fuss of saying "happy holidays".  And the question that I  want to  ask is why. Why is it so important to make this into a bigger deal  than what it needs to be?

    The Pagan Yule and the christian Christmas are not on the same day.  There could easily be respect for the to religious holidays,  but  that is not going to  happen in my lifetime. I  could post a page worth  of historical facts and they  won't make one bit of difference.  A couple of years ago I  made a YouTube video that expresses my point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-CEC3UbWU

     I  am greatly bothered by  fox news,  not much  of a surprise,  for their attacks on people that  use the word "holiday' instead of Christmas.   Because of the fact that there is nothing original about  Christianity , that  tree is of pagan origin.  And if you call it a  holiday  tree instead of a Christmas tree, you are viewed as unamerican.   In the land of religious freedoms and freedom of speech, you are a unamerican if you don't follow the conservative christian mentality.

     There is a time that  we have to  stand for  what  we believe in and what we know as true.  So I  have to  make my  stand about  this because if I  don't, who will?  If you are a christian and you want to  celebrate Christmas and you follow your traditions with  your close family and friends, I  am happy for you.  However, if you are the type  that  gets ticked off because someone said "happy holidays"  instead of  "Merry  Christmas".   You need to  rethink  your ideals .  Nobody  is supporting a different holiday,  they  are being respectful for  what  ever holiday  you may follow.  I  don't hear a single Jew complaining about  not hearing "Happy Hanukkah" when they  go  shopping.  The Pagans don't post complaints about not hearing "Blessed Yule"  when they  go out shopping. SO  the cashier in K-Mart said  'happy holidays',  is it worth getting so  angry about?

     The war on Christmas is a self-imposed war.  The zealot conservative Christians don't like to  handle anything that  takes away from their beliefs. Most have this closed minded view that  you are either for god or against god.  They fail  to understand what  true freedom of religion is all  about.  There are places on this  earth that have government controlled religion.  Where practicing Christianity is against the law.  And the Christians think  it is such a bad thing. But yet they  have no  troubles  trying to impose the same thing here as long as Christianity is the religion forced on everyone. 

     We as pagans view this time with  peace and happiness. The sunlight will  be returning on Yule, Winter has come, but it will  be gone soon  enough, and new life will  come forth. We  deal  with  the scars of Christianity.  We are told that  we must honor some of the christian traditions of Christmas, and it takes away from our Yule.   Our pagan ancestors were never this greedy.  They  understood what  was really important to life and love.  Yet  many  pagans dive into  the christian greed and pride and waste money on things that  are not really that  important.   When you  give, do  you give from the heart or from the checkbook? 

      I  want to  wish  everyone a 'Happy Holidays", and I  say  that  out of respect to  what  ever path  you walk.  No matter if it is Christmas, Yule, Hanaukah , or any other holiday,  I  wish  you happiness and love.

Courage

Courage is the ability to face adversity and overcome it. I have courage and I am proud of it. I am a very open person, I don't hide my feelings, my actions, and my desires. I stand by my word and my actions. If they are wrong then I was wrong. As I read in a person's blast about a month ago. The only people that know how far they can go , is the people that go too far. Maybe at times I have been rash, but there was action. Maybe I choose the wrong fight, but someone stood for the cause of the fight. An hour ago I didn't know how I should feel about this. But then I remembered what Churchill did and said. " Someone had to be the first, someone had to say NO." Churchill talked about Poland during the opening days of WW2. When the Germans attacked, Poland fought back. The poles were outclassed in every way but they said no to Germany.

tactics and ethics... I was questioned on my tactics used. I am puzzled and disappointed on this. A person should try to fight a battle with some ethics, but not be blinded by ethics. Like right now, our border patrol can't and won't fire in defence of themselves against illegals around our southern border. But these illegals have no trouble in shooting and harassing our men. People are told to fight with a good 'christian' moral or to be the better man in a situation. You can't fight a fight or work for a cause with one arm tied behind your back. Now my rule in dealing with others go like this. Try to treat others with respect unless they give you reasons to act without respect. Thus as long as someone doesn't fling some mud at me I won't start the mud flinging.

I am not a self centered person. I think about other people. So I will defend other people. I believe thinking "It doesn't involve me, thus I am not getting involved." is pretty shallow. People want to call others pagan brothers and sisters, what type of brother or sister are you when you stand back and let them get insulted. For a moment I was going to remove myself from the outside world, but I thought that was the wrong thing to do. That would be giving up. I have found strength in me, my spirit is strong. There are people that I help in the pagan community, I give them some of my strength to carry on when they need it.

I have the heart of a warrior. And I fight all battles that I see worth fighting because I think that someone should. I have that right. I don't start fights ,I help others that are in a fight already. So call me a troll. That is fine, I decided long ago that I would fight many fights, I am not going to change. For those of you that don't care about what goes on around you , I think you are a cow. You stand there as the world spins on by not adding anything to improve the situation. And to those that seem to run into the corners when the insults start and the stand for respect is going on, I think you are a rabbit. A scared little animal that jumps at the first sign of danger that also doesn't add to the world around them.  Be the Elk  that is majestic and stands with  grace. The Elk  can defend itself and its young when needed. You don't have to  start fights , you just need to  help  end them.

A poem .. Celtic Fire

       Celtic Fire

From the isles in the north,

Burns an immortal flame.

Stronger than any dragon's breath,

The fire burns in me the same.

In the arms of the Celtic Cross,

The four winds burn in balance.

A symbol of great unity,

A heart at a ready stance.

First is the wind of the North,

at first is seems cold and of spite.

But inside one shall truly see,

The steady hand of truth's might.

The western winds sweep forth,

Covering all lands it can find.

Hand of an inquisitive nature,

This wind strengthens the mind.

Of the east is a mystic breeze,

Searching for dreams and visions.

The hand of hopes and wishes,

Seeking forth of our mind's illusions.

The Southern wind is of warmth,

Full of emotion and compassion.

The wind full of heart's fire,

The hand that gives us passion.

The winds are bound by a ring,

A symbol that is eternal,

Linking the traveling winds,

A power thats fraternal.

In the center lies the heart,

The core for all of Celtic pride,

It is there for each of us,

All you have to do is look inside.


This poem is motivational to me. I wrote because it is to remind me of life and how it is supposed to be. Life is about strength, passion, knowledge, and faith. A person needs all of these in balance to truly live in my opinion.

Life in Balance

I am feeling a little bit philosophical today. So I will
reflect a little in my life. The one thing that I have been learning
is balance. Balance in everything must achieve to have a happy
life. Here are some examples. The foods that we eat must be a
balanced diet or we will get sick. If you are on a motorcycle you
must maintain a balance or you will crash. If you surround yourself
with violence , you will never know simply beauty. This balance
does apply to every aspect of life. look around you do you have
balance?

I love to collect dragons and birds of prey, that is very power
oriented decor, but I balance this with pictures of family and
friends. I love a good scary movie, but I also love to watch a
romantic comedy. I love and use the every changing technology
around us, but I still go to zoos and walk in nature.

The symbol above is the tao symbol 'Yin and Yang'. this is a
very important symbol that we all can learn from. It is a perfect
example of balance. You may look at it as equal and opposites, and
that is true in a way . Yes one part is black and the other is
white. But notice the spots in each half. They are opposites and yet
the same. You can't have beauty without strength. And strength can
be beautiful. This reflects into male and female balance. Every
person has both aspects of personality inside them. You can't live
in only one aspect, there must be balance.

And that is the way my faith has turned to be. I was a
christian for many years. But I always felt empty inside. I started
to do some soul searching and a lot of reading and I found a way
that has brought me a lot of peace. Today the Christians in a very
small way still venerate the mother but yet they don't. everyone
refers to 'Mother Nature' when we have bad weather. But to the
Christian faith there is only one god and it is the virgin Mary that
is the closest that they get to being a goddess. That is not
balance. I believe in the Mother/father aspects of the gods. In my
Celtic heritage, that is the way it was before the Christians came.
And that is the way I believe now. The mother is as important as the
father. Women are as important as men. It is a balance that
creates harmony in life. With this I feel at peace with the world.

SO before anyone tries to say what I am and what I am not, I am
a Pagan. What this means is that I honor the world and nature around
me. I don't look at nature and see what it could become, I look at
it for what it is. The trees, plants, bird, animals, winds and
smells, those are what is important to me. Where do you live? where
do you get your food? Where do you get the water that you drink? It
all comes from the earth, so that is where I place my honor. This is
not Satanism, I don't believe in an ultimate evil like the
Christians do. Celtic beliefs were in existence before the spread of
Christianity, remember that the Church had to convert the Celtic
people over, thus the Celtic faith was there first. Thus I am not an
evil person, I am just different. There are many pagans in the US,
and there are many types of pagans also. So don't let one person's
view ruin your opinion of the pagan community as a whole. And
before you say anything about the number of different pagans
groups, just remember all the branches of the Christian church, there
are the Lutherans, Methodists, Wesleyan, Mormons, and many more.
Just please keep an open mind.

Plum Wine recipe

plum wine recipe
What you will need:

7 pounds of fresh plums

5 cups hot water

5 pounds sugar

5 cups of apple juice

1 package of regular yeast

a 2 gallon mixing container

3 one gallon glass containers

Add to the 2 gallon mixing container the hot water sugar and apple juice. do it in that order so that the sugar dissolves better. wait 5-10 minutes and then add the package of yeast to the mix. In a bowl peel and pit the 7 pounds of plums. Then use a mixer to puree the plums. Add the plums to the 2 gallon mixing container and stir up the mix. Finally finish filling the 2 gallon contain with warm water. Allow the contain to sit for one hour. After one hour use a funnel to equally pour the mix into the three containers. The remaining space in the bottle is needed because as it ferments it will create a layer of foam and fruit. Place a 9- 15 inch balloon over the glass containers and place them in a warm area. The balloons are needed to allow the pressure to pass from the fermenting, and keep the outside air out.

the apple juice is used because of the natural acids in it. the acid balance is important in fermenting. That is why if you open a bottle of apple cider leave the cap loosely on in a warm area, in a month you will have HARD cider.

In 3 weeks you will need to filter out the fruit. When that is done add one cup sugar to each container and finish filling the bottles up with water. And place a new balloon over the bottles. Three weeks after then use a cheese cloth to filter out the wine for sediment. You can never get it all out. wait a week and if you see no more bubbling you can place into smaller bottles and let sit for 4 months and it is aged enough to drink.

Being Good Pagans

     How we conduct ourselves with others is very important.  Do  you show the patience to  others even when you are having a bad day? Do  you take things to  the extreme when you are not  happy? We all must learn to  stop  and breath and think  things through before we react.  We have to  treat  everyone that  tries to  treat us with respect the same respect back. And more importantly, if someone is trying to  remind us of our obligations to  society,  don't get rude.

     I  want to  talk  about this tonight because I  just had an experience on facebook  that  bothered me. A person posted in all  capital  letters that  she didn't like being added to  groups without her permission.  I  asked here if she considered that  others thought highly of  her and they  wanted to share something that  was special  to themselves.  And  because of a related post that  she also made that  was extremely rude, I  told here I  was defriending her.

    Telling people that  "I don't have anger management issues, you need to  learn to  shut-up." is not a positive way  to  resolve things.  In the post complaining about being added to groups, she never said please or made a polite request.   This person is older than me but  was acting in a childish manner. How  can anyone take her serious with  an attitude like this?  How can she function in society  if she explodes in such a manner?

     We need to  learn to  conduct ourselves in a good way. Not only to  our friends and family, but to all  people that  may interact with us.  There is an old saying " You never know about people. The  person that  you are mistreating today  might be the person that  could help  you tomorrow."  I  see people like this and I  want to  remind them that  they  need to  remember that  Social Networks allow everyone to see who  you are, so make it a good image of yourself.  Would you want someone like this in your community? If you don't like that  type of person, make sure that  you don't act in that  manner as well.

     First impressions are lasting impressions. If your conduct is rude, aggressive,  and vulgar,  do you think  anyone will  spend the time to get to  know you better?  If you are acting in a manner of a bratty 5 year old, do  you expect anyone to  give you the chance to  be part of something special?  There is standing up  for what  you believe in, and there is being a dick, they  are not the same thing.

Labels, are they really that bad?

    I  have entered into an old debate tonight, and it inspired me to make this blog.  Are labels such  a bad thing? I  think they  are useful  tools that can be used for good and bad.  We are who  we are, nothing can change that.  What  is the best way  to  express who  we are ... using a word or words to  describe who  we are. In other words, we use a label.

     In religious issues labeling people is considered to  be taboo. People are labeling people this or that  and most people  complain about being labeled.  Most  people  hate having a general label placed on them. He is a Christian,  she is a Pagan, They  are Pastafarians.  But how else can you try to understand a basis of other people's beliefs?   Labels are adjectives, they  describe who  we are. I am a pagan,  pagan is a label that  describes me.  If it is an honest description of who  you are, what is wrong with it.  Saying that  because I  am a pagan  , I  am a devil  worshipper is a label but  also  an insult.  People that  don't understand what  a pagan believes use the "devil worshipper" label as a way to  lower the pagan  below themselves.  It is easier to make people feel  low about themselves for a short time, than to improve yourself. 

     I use labels to understand people better.  Billy is not much  of a christian. I  want to  know what he believes in , so  that I  can understand and respect his  beliefs.   He then tells me that  he is an Agnostic Christian.  He applied a label to himself , and now I  know what  he believes even better. Jennifer is looking for help to  resolve an ethics issue in her beliefs.  She says that  she is an Eclectic Wiccan that  honors the Norse gods.  I  thus know everything I  need to know to  help out Jennifer.

     We as a people hate people calling use a title that  we didn't place on ourselves first. It  can be an honest description of  who  we are, but  unless we thought it up  first, forget about it.  This reflects on how fragile we are.  How much our egos get in the way.  If you can't accept someones general  opinion of  who  you are, specially if it is an honest one, you need to  calm down. 
    
     If someone uses a label in asking a question,  answer the question calmly and honestly.  Someone might ask if you are a witch, because they  have  no idea what  else you could be.  Someone might ask  me if I  am a warlock, and I  would tell  them, "No, I  am a druid, warlocks are a creation of Hollywood."  Then we can exchange a few questions and the person would have a better understanding of who I  am  by  using a few labels.

     We use labels everyday,  I find it silly that   people get so  angry when a label is used to  describe them.  We are all different people, we all  follow our unique paths. How else will others know what  sets us apart but with the use of labels.  Meet Jim........   sounds kinda boring... Jim.   Meet Jim Barnes , he has a PhD in Philosophy, he is a pagan, a writer , a liberal  thinker, and he collects postcards.  Jim Barnes seems like an amazing person to meet.  Labels when used can be wonderful tools.

     As I  said earlier , Labels can be used to  do  bad things.  Calling people names to insult or class them in a negative manner is wrong.  When other religious groups  call all  non-believers satanists, that is wrong. That is a label of hate. It is also  not an honest  classification of people.  You  have to learn to  consider where the labels are coming from before you judge them as terrible things.

     One label tat  I  absolutely hate is "Pagans and Wiccans"  . All Wiccans are pagans, so  why  are people treating them as a separate group? Are they in a different class than other pagans?

    I  feel  that  many  non-abrahamics  have a victim mentality.  They  are scarred   from Christianity from their past involvements with Christianity.  Christianity  has a long history of subjugating people into  smaller groups and then given a name to add salt to  the wounds.  This has made many  people  keep  their distance from any  title or label that  could possibly separate them or add another scar.

     This is shown time and time again when a pagan tries to  work  with a larger group of pagans.  How dare that  person try to  lead me, he is not like me , only I  can lead me.  How  do  we know that  person A is different from person B ? We use labels to  describe ourselves. And if the title doesn't fit out group, we resist and complain.   Titles can harm a group from advancing as they should.  I  was in a druid group and the worst thing you could be was a "Celtic Recon  or CR" .

     We live in a world that uses labels and rejects labels. We seek to be accepted  for who  we are, but are willing to reject those that  are different.  There is one description that fits us all, and should be considered before all  else.  I  am a pagan, I am also  Human ..... just like you. stop looking at the bad side of labels and use them honestly and you can open doors to  learn from others.

To be something more.. Part 2

     My  trek to  be a better person has been moving at a good pace. I  have been thinking long and hard about what  else I  could do  to make myself a better person and help others.  And I have some ideas that  I  would love to  share with  everyone.

     The first thing is about time.  Time is our biggest enemy, it never stops we can never get enough of it. SO  we are forced to make decisions on how to  use this limited resource.  Many  Celtic  and Wicca based groups use the "Year and a Day" period for training people.  And it is a good amount of time to  use. There is a lot to learn in a year for all pagans.  We should never stop learning, you stop learning you stop living. You  only exist if you don't apply your mind.  Some groups are very  strict on the 366 days of learning and some are more flexible.  I  think  that  there has to  be a great of flexibility of anyone that  seeks to lead others.

     Life is never easy, we have events that  occur in our lives that  take away  from our studies. You  might have been reading a book  by  Scott Cunningham , then all of a sudden something changed your  time devoted to  learning.  Do  we throw away  all progress made and have to  start on a new 'year and a day'? I  think that  wouldn't work.  Most paths have 8  Sabbaths, 4 major and 4 minor. And since our Sabbaths are connected to  the changing seasons that  are the same duration. So I  suggest  dividing the year and a day into  4 quarters or 13 week periods.  Have a self test or have  your  spiritual guide  test you on what  you  were supposed to learn.  If you pass then you can move on to  the next quarter, if not  go back  and learn what  you need to learn.

     Why  am I  thinking about this? Because I have decided that if I  am going to  help others and work  as a spiritual  guide for others, I  need to  create a year and a day study  program .  And this would be a major task.  I  will  learn from creating this system, plus I  could help  anyone that  is seeking advice. Having something worked out on paper will work  as a guideline for both people.  I  am still  wanting to  be a part of an open circle not a coven.  I  am willing to  help  anyone out. I  just don't want people to  think  that  I  am  their only person that  they  can talk  to.

     The idea that  I  had is that  a person would start his/her training that  day  after a major Sabbath.  Then  on the next Sabbath they  would present themselves with  what  they  have created and what  they learned by discussion.  They  would bring their  BOS and other books with  them and any  tools  that  they  made and explain why  they  are a certain way.   Then their guide could ask a few questions and get a feeling of how the person is advancing.  There can never be a formal  test,  because we all must follow out own path.

     I  had an idea of creating a code of ethics notebook in with my BOS.  In this book I  would add  all the judgements that  I make .  The purpose is to  hold myself accountable for the actions that I  do.  I  am seeing too much  flip flopping in the presidential election with  Romney.  And I  think  that  by creating this notebook , it  would  strengthen my resolve in staying true to what I  say  and do.  We all have our moments when we  soften up our convictions.  I  would be making an oath  to  the book  to  uphold the ethics that I  create in that  book.  This  would be a good thing in helping others as well , because I  will have some established rules and an explanation why I  feel  that  way.  I  can't impose them on anyone, but  if someone has a question on a certain subject I  could discuss it with  them.  And that  is what  a person should do if they  are going to  be part of a community.

     I have bought a briefcase that I  am going to  keep  all my pagan papers in.  I  am trying to  think of all of the functions ministers have.  I am still  working on my  marriage ceremony speech. I have most of the pre-martial counseling class worked out.  I  haven't figured out how to  handle a funeral, I have been to  so  few in my  life,  I  have a lot of research to  do  there.

     Being a spiritual guide is also more than just knowing information. It is about interacting with others, developing a personality that  can cross bridges and  through the barriers that  people have.  I know people that  are are very intelligent and socially dumb, and vice versa. So learning to  talk  with  people and not just talking at people is a skill  that  must be learned and applied to  everyday life.  Being social doesn't mean that  you have to  be nice all  the time. There is a time where tough love is needed. There is a time when what  you believe in must come before having a friend.  To be a spiritual  guide sometimes we must take a course of actions  to get noticed and to let others know that  they  are not alone.

     This  brings me back  to  the Robert Frost poem.   I  think  that  we must go  through some ordeals to  get stronger. We must  experience life to understand life.  I  am a strong person and I  want to  help others. There are people out there that have taken the road less traveled and got lost along the way. I  am walking the road less traveled and I  want to  help  those also on the road as well. And in the end it will make all  the difference.

To be something more..

     We all must seek  to  be a better person today  than what  we were yesterday.  In what  way  we are better is up  to  each  and everyone of us.  My  changes in life have been going very  well. I  am seeing the vast contrast in the person I  am today  and the person I  was 5 years ago.  I  am not even close in  being the mean person that I  was .  When I  became an Ordain minister through the Universal Life Church there was two  simple rules. Do  the right thing and spread love. I  am going to  do  the right thing, but I  am going to  spread my type of love.  If you have read my previous blogs you would see that  I  am not a 'love and light'  type of person. But what  I  will  give is support to  those that  need it or want it. I  have a former co-worker that  I  was working on giving him some helpful support. And I  hope that  I  was able to  get through to him some of the basics.

     I  have been wanting to  be something more than who  I  am today. The thoughts of leading others to  a better life have been bouncing around in my head. It feels good to  help others. I  want to  help other people  on their path, not convert anyone, just help  those that  are wanting some  assistance.  But to lead , I  need to have something to offer people .  I  have a great deal of advice, experiences, and wisdom.  I  have been trying to  figure out a basis for a foundation of advancement for others. And in return I  will learn and become a better person as well.

     But  this desire is more than a pagan course. I  would like to  help others in other areas of life.  Telling people about their work  ethic and responsibilities to the world around them.  Why? Well I have complained many  of times about how ministers refuse to  give real world advice to their people. They teach  of scripture, but  not of the world around them.  Balance is something that  must be maintained in so many  aspects of life, so  many  different aspects of life must be discussed and learned from.

     The marines have a shirt that  says.."Lead , follow, or get out of the way."  There are times in life that  we have to  do  those three things.  When something is important to  you,  you must take control and lead to success.  When you see others working for a just cause  you must follow their lead and assist them into  achieving their goal.  When people are doing something that doesn't effect you , you must learn tolerance and get out of the way.

     I  was told that  I  would similar to  a life coach. And maybe that  would  be the best way  to  describe what  I  want to  do. But I  want to  be the teacher of people and touch  people's lives in a positive way.  I  don't want to  be the High Priest of a coven or grove. I  want to  be a part of a large open circle and  build off of each other.  A community of people respecting each other as equals .  So I  am devoting some time in building a foundation for a series of lessons that  I  as a minister would need.  The first part would be writing done a program for pre-marital  counseling  and marriage support classes.  And then research  some grief counseling lessons to build a  program  for losing a loved one.

     In  the end , I  will be a better person.  Now look in the mirror and ask  yourself  one question. What  can I  do  today  to make myself a better person?  Then ask  yourself, Why  haven't I  done that  already.  We set or own limitations. Others only have control over us if we let them. Don't let anyone tell  you that  you can never be better.  All  you have to  do is take that  first step.

Creating a code of Ethics

     In my last  blog I  talked about choosing ethics over friends and vice versa.  I  realized that some of us don't have an established set of ethics and some probably don't have anything except the very simplest figured out.   We need a code of ethics for ourselves to  be better people.  Now I  am not suggesting a code of ethics that  fits all people, that would be impossible. I  am talking about creating a code of ethics that  is for you, and only you.

     First step is deciding what  type of person you are now and the person you want to  be. I  am a person at a crossroads, I  am trying to  be a valued part of the pagan community.  I  am a currently a person that was angrier and stubborn as a bull,  but is now more open and understanding to others.  I have learned a great deal  about  paganism and I  have so much more to learn.  But a  code of ethics is something that  just doesn't pertain to paganism, it is about our whole lives.  I  am an honest person, I  voice my  opinion,  I  have worked with  the same company for 20 years. I  am a diovorced father of two.  there are many  little things and big things that  makes us who  we are.   I  would like to  be an Author,  Spiritual  advisor, politically active, smarter, trusted, and happy.

     Second step is figuring out who  has inspired you or affected you in a positive manner.  Write a list of these people and why  they  affected you.  Please use historically correct people if  you can.  If you workj  with  other people and discuss matters like I  am doing here,  some people will  find it hard to  take you serious if you list an anime character is a  ethical source.  Yes I  have grown inspiration from fictional  characters, but I  will seperate my views of fantasy  and history.  There are people that  have  molded us into  the people we are today.  Keeping them alive in our thoughts and writings is a great way  to  honor them.

    So  grab a piece of paper and start writing down things that  are important ethics to  have and go into  detail. Also  please write  them in a positive manner. These will  become your commandments,  and when you violate them , you are sinning to  yourself.  I know that  many will  disagree with  that, but  building your own ethics and following them is what  developes ourselves into  better people.

1. I  shall  be honest
2. I  shall  stand for what  I  believe in.  (  Winston Churchill said " You  have enemies, good. That means you stood up  for something sometime in you life.")
3. I  will  voice my  opinion. (Winston Churchill taught me the power of a mouse in one of his speeches."
4.  I  will  do  the right thing.
5. I  will  show respect for other people's beliefs. But  tolerence can only be mutual.
6. I  will  follow the laws of the land.
7.  I will always  be me.

     So  there are my  first seven.  There are many  more, some major and some minor. These mean alot to  me. I  shall be honest, because if I can't be honest with others, why  should they  be honest with me.  I  will stand up  for  what I  believe in, too many  stand aside and let the wrongs occur unchecked. Someone has to  say no.  Voicing my opinion, some of  you know I  am very  good at that,  How can anyone know how you feel if you don't open your mouth.  Doing the right thing, is very  simple, if you know it  to be right , just do it then.  

     Number 5 is  a harder one to  explain.  I  have my  beliefs and everyone else has their own views.  I  might not like or understand  some other religious belief,  but I  will  respect that person's right to follow his/her heart.  I  will take what I  know of other religions at try to understand  how the other person feels.  As long as the other person doesn't  attack my beliefs I  will  not attack other person's beliefs.  Only when both people respect the other's view can tolerence be established. And with  tolerence  there can come co-existence.

    Number 6 is a touchy one as well.  I  will  follow the laws of the land. And that means ALL laws. There will  be no exceptions to  this.  That means I  will  not speed and I  will wear my  seatbelt.  I  will  not try to  justify an excuse into  breaking a law.  Some people  say  that  it is alright to  smoke pot, it is a harmless drug.  But  with my  stance, it is still illegal  for a reason, I  will  follow the laws.

      Wintston Churchill  motivated me alot.  The quote from above  also  has a different message in it.  You  can't always be everyone's friend.  In many  groups that I  belonged to,  I  am told that  everone should just get along.  Each  person is unique, and so  we all have different views on various topics. Sometimes  this differences will  cause a conflict. That is a part of life.  To  get along with everyone like  some people think, would require us to be silent sometimes and to  give up a part of who  we are.  Churchill  was strongly opposed to  appeasement before World War 2.   And that is what  we are asked to  do  when we ask asked to 'just get along'.  It is our differences that make us who  we are and if we can work  through them it makes us as a whole stronger. So  I  will  be me.

     I  talked about breaking our personnal  commandments. When we do  this the punishment is simple, you have to  look  at yourself in the mirror and admit you screwed up.  If you know you are following your personal commandments you will  be able to  look in the mirror with  pride.

    Your person commandments can be  usede to improve yourself. I have one about reading at least 100 pages a week.  This is about discovering yourself  and bettering yourself. Only when you know yourself and what  you want in life can you move forward.

Ethics and Friendship

     Well I  am dealing with  an issue that  I  think many ignore. Do  you place more importance on your ethics or your friends?  I  believe that  too many  people are placing the importance on friends than ethics.  I  believe that a person should place importance on ethics first then friends.  Yes this does mean that  you will  not have as many  friends as others, but you would have better friends than the others as well.

     Let me start from the beginning, I  am active in Facebook  groups, and I  have been involved in many   heated debates. I am an open honest person that  draws a line in the sand and I  will  defend it with a great passion. I have also been trying to  be nicer and more understanding.  My  sense of humor is still  a bit on the dry side.   I  get into   these heated topics and I  see some actions of people that  drives me nuts. People seem to  forget about doing the right thing and do  things just to  be friends.  Is it worth while to  have a certain person be your friend if that  person causes you to  act in unhonorable ways?  Are you going to  defend a friend if they are acting with no  respect to others and is openly being deceptive?

     I think  the loss of your honor is too  high of a price to  pay to  be popular.  I  want good friends that I  can be proud of.  I  have a friend that is an atheist, he can be meaner than me at times, but he is honest and openly expresses himself.  I  am proud to  call  him my friend.  I  can handle his moods because I  can trust him and he has my  respect.  Because we have a good friendship, I  can discuss  anything with him, and I  know I  would get a good discussion from him.

     In one group  that I  am dealing with there was a discussion about vegans. Some vegans are out of touch  with  reality and need to  rethink their position in my opinion.  I  was trying to  joke around and  made the comment about handling a Milky Way to  a vegan. The nougat in the Milky Way has egg whites in it.  This caused one person to  go irrational in response. She had to post 9  different images or links  about animal cruelty.  She decided to  go  on a campaign to promote  her views.  Some of the images were pathetic in my  opinion.  She posted a picture of a man standing over a lion  while holding a compound bow.  I  tried to  explain that  many  meat eaters are also  against trophy hunting. 

     The issue I  have with  vegans that  are vegans because of animal  abuse is that  they  are hypocrites.  They  want to  place a higher value on certain animals  lives compared to everything else.   Stop slaughtering the cows but kill all  the rats.  I  made points about how all life should be treated with  equal reverence.  That  plants have been proven to have nervous systems  and react to outside stimuli. So  shouldn't the head of lettuce be valued just like the cow. Both are lifeforms  from this planet.

     Well  the lady  didn't take this too  well. She made a post saying that  the group was evil. In which I  responded that the group  isn't evil, it is just a difference of opinion.  I  thought her comment was very irrational.  She was so  wrapped up in her agenda that  she has lost all objectivity.

     I did  no name calling or insulting. however a few members started to  do  passive attacks on me. One person asked if I  was a bully in school.  By  asking the question  she placed the suggestion that  I  was bullying  people.  And peoples view toward me changed.  The worst thing was it was the only thing this person posted.  She couldn't  add a  positive viewpoint to  the chat, only a negative passive attack.

     So  the group  admin finally  came to  the room and asked people to knock off the heated discussion.  I  agreed and dropped it.  But  the lady that  got so  upset with me couldn't drop it. And I  quote, "We need to keep talking about it not push it under the carpet". So  she has no  issues of ignoring the group  admins request.   Now I have been working on being a nicer person.  My  atheist  friend reminded me of a song " Carrot Juice is Murder". And it is a light hearted way  to  break  the anger.  If you can't stop  and laugh  at the situation, you are taking it too  seriously.  So I  posted the link in the group .  And behold, the lady in question took it as an attack on her.  And she posted that she wished the subject would end but  the other person (me) wouldn't let it end and that  other person (me) has attacked her.   Now this  is a problem because it says she wants to  continue the discussion against the admins request, then says she wishes it to  end. So as I  see it, she only wants to  hear  from people that  agree with  her.   She played the victim card,  right after  starting  a fight.  This is how passive aggressive people fight battles.  They cause fights and then claim to  be the victim. Hoping that others will  side with  her and criminalize the supposed attackers.

      And people did  side with her and helped her attack me. I  was criminalized when I  was suggested of being a bully.  The person made a general statement of repeated attacks  on her so  that  she could be a victim.  this works in making sure that  nobody sides with me because they  would be afraid of  being criminalized as well.  I made no attacks on her, none.  I posted my points and views on being a vegan and about animal cruelty.  Never  aimed a comment toward her.  As I stated in the beginning I  draw the line in the sand and I  defend it.  So  they  started to  say  that I  was 'the dog and the bone."  Fine  that  does describe me at times, I  am not going to  lie about who I  am.  But if I  am that  dog with  the bone, this lady  is the neighbor that  throws pebbles at the dog , then complains when the dog barks in response.

     And nobody stood against her except me.  Nobody seen the actions she was doing and told her that  she was wrong.  The quote I  made from her is still  up in the group,  but  not a single person will  do  anything about it. Why  because they  choose being  every one's friends before being ethically honest with others and themselves.  In so many  other facebook groups I  dealt with  the same basic theme.  People defended the friend that  was behaving badly  over the poor ethics that  the person showed.  A good friend will  tell you that  you are being an idiot, a bad friend  will  just smile and fake it.  SO maybe I  am wasting my time writing this blog. As I  stated  being ethically honest  comes in a distant  second  to  being every one's friend.

     And you might be thinking that I  am angry with  the lady, but I  am not mad at her. I  feel  sorry for her.  She faces the toughest punishment  imagined... She has to look at herself in the mirror and know that  she is corrupt, out of balance, irrational,and lacks respect for others.  She stated to opposing views on how she wanted the conversation to end.  Either you  do  or you don't.  She was goading  for a response so  that  she can passively attack  someone with  false claims of attack.  She is so  high strung on her agenda she  see any opposing  views as attacks on herself.  And when told to  stop, she refused.

What  does it say about you as a person if you can't  stand up for what you believe in.  If you can't or won't stand up  for the little things, why should I  or anyone else trust you when the big things occur.  Every time you allow someone to  act badly and do  nothing , you are agreeing with  their actions. If bill  seen frank  steal  twenty bucks and does nothing about it,  The bill is supporting stealing from others. If you can't be honest with yourself, why  would you be honest with others.  I have chosen a difficult road of being ethical. I have ruffled many  feathers, but I can look in the mirror and be proud of what I  have done today.

Who do we have to be.... Everyone!

     I  have been answering some questions online about how I  am and why I  do  what  I  do.  I  think  many  pagans believe that  they are out to make the world a better place.  I  think  that  way  as well, but I  perform that  task  differently than many out  there. Many  of my  Wiccan friends tell  me to  love everyone, sorry that  doesn't work  for me. They  tell  me to  be positive, some situations outside need a more rough nature to  resolve them.  Embrace the light, somethings run  from the light.  I have to  do  things differently.

     I  worked on my intro  video  for YouTube today. and I  was trying to  explain who I  am.  I  am a very  complex person so  trying to put it into  words in front of a video camera in 10 minutes wasn't working well  for me.  So I  decided to  write a blog about it instead.   If you are wanting to  change the world you have to do so many  things.  Filling the world with  love doesn't help  everything.  We have to  be everyone to  change the world around us.

•  I have to  be the scholar.  Try to  teach  those around me about  what  type of people Pagans are.
• I have to  be the Warrior. To protect myself and others from those that  choose hate and violence.
• I have to  be the Peacemaker. When peace can be made, it  must be attempted.
• I  have to  be the Antagonist.  I have to  oppose those that  wish  to lie about who  pagans are, letting them know that  the battle they  wish  will  be fought .
• I  have to  be the reporter. To  tell  others of what I  seen and know.
• I have to  be the builder.  Willing to  build  things that  are broken.
• I have to  be the artist. To  express my  passions in different ways so  that many  can understand.
• I  have to  be the follower.  To  know when others know better.
• I have to  be the leader.  So  that  people know that  they  are not alone.
• I have to  be silent.  To know when the battle should not be fought at  this time.
• I have to  be the Judge. To  decide the course I must follow.
• I have to  be the parent. To  show  what is wrong and right.
• I have to  be the Philosopher. To  build a code of honor and ethics.

     I have to  be all  these things and probably more to  be the person I need to be. I  can't run when others attack my beliefs. I must  stand like the warrior. When they  wish  to  silence me, I  must be the reporter that  tells others the fight is on.  When they tell us that  our dreams are foolish, I  must be the Artist and the builder to  tell others that  our dreams are still  alive. I have to  be the judge to  myself, so  that  I  do  not stray  from course. We are these things, but we must decide to  use these professions  to make the world a better place.   If you do not defend, you will surrender. If you do  not report, you will not be known. If you do not teach, you will  know of your ways.  If  you do not act morally, you will  not be honored.

      I have to  be everyone. I have decided to  be a better person. I have helped people understand the world better. I have to  bare the scars of my work  as well.  I have gained enemies, but that is the price I  take. Winston Churchill  made a statement that  unless you have people mad at you, you haven't stood up  for anything.  If you can't handle having people mad at you, then you need to  rethink  everything. I  tried writing a book  many  years ago.  A story of a warrior that  had an old wise father.  The Father told his son one  piece of advice that  fits here.
        There are many  things in life worth  fighting for....
        There are quite a few things worth  killing for....
        There are somethings worth dying for..
         But  there is only a handful of thing in life worth  living for...
        And when you  learn what  those are. Then you know what  your life is for.

     How important is your beliefs? Are you willing to  fight for them?  Are they  worth killing for? There are only a few things in life that  matter, everything else is trivial.  My  son is worth  killing for, but I  would rather stay  alive and help  him be a better person. I live for him.  My  ethics and beliefs are also  very important,  I  would die for them as well.  With  the understanding that  my  death  might help   someone else keep  their freedom.  But I  would per fer to  fight so  that  I  can practise as I  wish.
     And here is where my  issue with  light and love eclectic Wiccans comes out.  If you run  and shun everything that  may seem dark.  Then you are not willing to  fight for anything. And if you don't know what you are fighting for, how  can you know what  you are living for.  Until  you draw the lines, you don't know what  type of person you can be.  I  forget who  said this,  " Only those that  test their limits , know their limits."

   I  guess I  am asking every pagan out there to  look  at  themselves and ask  themselves, Are you happy  being the person that  you are?  Can you do more to  be a better person?  To  cause change in the world  we have to  be better people.  Simply invoking love into  everything isn't enough.  It  takes work and dirt to  move a mountain.  If you can't get dirty,  you are in the way  of others.  We are washable,  get your hands dirty and  then after the work , wash  them off.  I  can make a video or image that  is  considered dark  and mean,  and then  create something that is positive and helps others.  If I  can do  it, so  can you.
    

Grounding and centering... from my archives

I have been learning a lot lately. I have learned that i have not been grounding and centering myself like I should at times. So I have been doing research on Grounding and Centering, plus I was given a wonderful description by Cindy. I created my own grounding and centering exercise that I will be working on.

Because I like to share my research and ideas , I will post it here and look at any feedback.

Ritual experiences are both psychic and psychological. Which means that Ground and Center exercises must be oriented on both levels. The Tree exercise focuses your mind on a concrete image, then guides your psyche to a Grounded and Centered state. The image of the tree evokes feelings of stability and connectedness with the Earth, when these feelings and images are focused upon, the associated psychic state follows right along.
Being grounded means that you have established a firm connection with the physical world. Focusing on the Earth makes us more aware of the physical world that surrounds us. Awareness of the physical world keeps us from being swept away. Instead, we become able to experience these feelings with a balanced awareness that is both objective and subjective.
Psychically, the Earth is a source of psychic and physical energy, and when we connect with the Earth, we channel that energy through us instead of relying solely on our own energy reserves. Grounding properly helps prevent weakness, headaches, and the other possible side effects of energy work. But Headaches will occur to those that our new to this exercise.

Centering, involves clearing the mind and refocusing it. To become aware of the person that we are inside and not outside. "I AM HERE, AND NOW IS MY MOMENT" Is the best way to explain the purpose.
An important part of centering is your awareness of yourself; becoming aware of the Lord and Lady that lies within us all. This awareness promotes stability, confidence, and a healthy ability to express your will.
Psychically, centering allows you to work from a stable foundation, helping to keep you from being magically thrown off balance. The Eastern philosophy of chi is a very good way of explaining the psychic aspect of centering. Our physical bodies have a center of gravity that moves and shifts as we move. Likewise, our energy field has a center that corresponds to our center of gravity. The center of gravity for a man is usually between the navel and the base of the sternum Focusing your mind on this area brings your awareness to the center of your energy field. This allows you to use more of the energy you have available, while still drawing energy from Mother Earth.


One last thing that needs to be cleared. up is that Ground and Center is not the same thing as a Trance state; in fact, the two are polar opposites. If you seem to be having trance like symptoms while trying to ground and center, talk with your teacher. These symptoms can include dreamlike visions, or a general feeling of being disconnected from your surroundings, as if they don't seem real.
If Ground and Center exercises seem to take too long, you may be trying too hard; or you may be achieving Ground and Center without recognizing it. If this happens, do something else for a while and try again later. Ground and Center is a skill, like any other, which only gets easier with practice; so practice. practice, practice.
Step one. Stand with your feet together and hands together at your center of gravity. Clear the mind and view a young tree in your mind.

Step two. Trees must grow roots so spread your feet apart a comfortable distance and vision your toes and heel becoming roots Slowly push your hands down pushing away all the negative energies that you have. Then cup your hands and vision positive energy coming through your feet and legs. Repeat this action until you feel comfortable. Then return hands to the starting position.

Step three. Trees must grow branches. Raise your hands straight up and out with your fingers extended. Feel the waves of energy shoot out of your fingers. And then vision energy entering your fingers and down your arms. Hold position for a couple of minutes.

Step four. While holding position picture yourself being the tree. Your eyes are in the middle of the main trunk. You can see the many branches, the squirrels and birds hopping around. You can see your branches float in the wind. The sun is shining down on you being partially blocked by your leaves on the top branches. You look down and see the roots entering the ground and the animals walking around you. Move your toes and you feel the cool earth moving around them.

Step five. You are now grounded and centered, slowly lower your arms and open your eyes.

This is something I  wrote roughly two  years ago....

Adapting Celtic beliefs for the modern age.

I am a very strong believer in my  Celtic heritage. But I live in the modern world. There are things that I know now that my ancestors didn't know. I have been adding Modern science with the Celtic views and I am not sure where I stand . But I am coming with something stronger and better for me. This is no way meant to change how others practice their belief system. But it is something I did want to share.

The Celts lived in the northern hemisphere and had very little knowledge of the southern hemisphere. We now know that the seasons in the south are inverted compared to the Northern hemisphere. While the North is in Winter the South is having summer. So there is a dual cycle to the year. one for the north and one for the south. As the North is celebrating Samhain, the South is enjoying Beltane.

So this places a lot of rethinking of the old Celtic traditions. Cernunnos doesn't die as the days get shorter. The days get shorter due to the angel of the earth in respect to the sun. So the changing of the days would be the cycle of the goddess not the god. Cernunnos is ever vigilant looking over the animals. The battle of the holly and Oak kings is just a changing of the guards. The cycle of life continues but in a different way. Life must end for new life to start, and the changing from the north to southern hemispheres allows plants and animals to continue the cycle. The plants die and wither away to make room for the new life.

In this manner, winter is not a bad thing. It is the recovery and cleansing of the earth. There is many other minor gods or dieties that die only to return the next year. The Corn king doesn't sacrifice himself for the world. The Corn King feeds the world around him as long as they respect him. He provides his bounty to man and then leaves for other lands so that the land he graced could be cleansed and prepared for his return.

not all has been figured out. For those that view Cernunnos as the Sun aspect. As the fertility god as well he travels to the different hemisphere to tend to his creations that need more attention, but never completely abandons the other hemisphere. He is the greenman to be in the woods and watch over the animals.

Never Again the burning times

Never again the burning times
Never again the pain,
Never again the dark times
Never again to be maim.
Blinded by religious fervor
Giulty for being free
Sought out by your endeavor
Punish those like me
Violence against the unchristian kind
Bringing trial through Ordeal
Your religion closed your mind
Hunting those down with zeal.
They had to hide themselves in lies
Afraid to show truth
In shadows hidden from christian eyes
Only time to soothe
They tried to live in peaceful ways
Out of christian sight
Living in those perilous days
Considered to be blight.
Never again the burning times
Never again the pain
Never again the dark times
I won’t let it happen again.

This is a poem that  I  wrote a couple years ago. With  Michelle Bachmann starting muslim witch  hunts, I  felt the need to  share it.

Cartoons (anime) are so pagan...

I  am an older guy , but I  am still  watching cartoons. Partly because I  am a divorced father that  believes I  need to be informed of my  kids TV habbits. The majority of the time I  am caughting pagan themes in kids programs.

Power Rangers had  Mystic force and which  the 5 ranmgers represented the 5 elements, they even had a snow/ice wizard that  reminded me of the pale moon goddess.  The fought elemental creatures and had a forbidden forest with mythological creatures hiding in it. Some of the evil creatures had a very  strong egyptian theme to  them. They was a cat creature that  would remind anyone of Besat.

Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog.  The title itself is heavy in Celtic mythos.  And the knights called upon thier elemental weapons and armor by  saying a phrase strong of Pagan themes. The Fire inside me, the Earth beneath me, the Air above me...  This was a live action series But some kids watched it.

There was Witch, in this series the 5 ladies were witches and they each  had a unique power.  They traveled to  a parrel realm and fought against evil.

Avater, the last Air Bender was an awesome program. It  had a lot of matrial arts training moments but a lot of meditation tid bits. They  worked with  the elements and fought against evil. The Part I  loved was when they  we teaching Ang about the Chahkras at a remote temple.

Most of us  know of Thor and Marvel comics, sometimes they  did Thor justice but I  found that  they did  the rest of Asgard a great disservice. They  made all  the rest of the Norse gods seem emotinally  challenged.

Avatar the James Cameron movie was soaking wet with  Pagan influences. I  was thinking that  he was actually promoting a pagan view on life throughout the movie.

I  think  that  these programs and movies are wwonderful  and terrible in similar ways.  They  open windows  for others to  get a small peek into paganism, but sometimes it is a distorted view.  Sadly it also  might makle some kids thing that  the paganism that  we follow is just cartoon material and not possibly real.  This is a tool to  explain some basic aspects of paganism to others. When  people have questions you could refer to  a cartoon series and use characters to  build an image in thier mind.

Overdue , Overdone, Over and Out.

    Greetings everyone, Well it has been a few months since I  posted anything here, so I  am Overdue. Life has been keeping me busy with  a wild range of things to handle, some good and so not so  wonderful.

     Earlier this week my better half had to  put a cat down.  It has been a sad week  for that  reason. Riley was a wonderful cat. He was a black manx  with  the a calm mellow attitude.  I have had him in my  life for two  and a half years.  Age was starting to effect him, and so  we didn't want him to  suffer any  more. Cindy made an altar for him.  That  cat changed my  views on cats. When I  was a very  young boy I  raised rabbits, a cat got into a cage and killed several bunnies. I  disliked cats since that  event. Riley changed my  attitude about cats, which is amazing because I  am a very  stuburn person.

                                                             Riley the Amazing cat.

     I have been trying to stay  cool, Central  Iowa is getting very hot. And as luck  turns out, within a weeks time my  power windows and my  blower motor stop  working, so I  have a sweat box to  drive  home from work in.  I  am Overdone in this heat, I  work in a cooler so I  am more comfortabe in the early  spring and late fall.

     I have been reading many  books, doing research, writing down many  journals, making plans, Drawing various artwork for a cartoon project  that  I  am planning on doing.  I have also  posted many  youtube videos. I  have been walking away from the anti-christian videos that I  used to  do  and trying to  concentrate on pagan themed videos.  The hardest part is getting a larger group of viewers.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZQNB7TCLVk

      So I  better get a plan in actions to show everyone what  I  have been working on. Take care Over and Out.

The Darker side of Wicca. Part 3

     Wicca hasn't been around very long. It is a part of the Neopagan movement. It has exploded in numbers because of the many virtues it offers. Also when you compare Wicca with all it possibilities to Christianity with all of its limitations, how could you resist Wicca. If you have been watching how paganism has grown and become more mainstream, you probably seen this coming. To many people becoming "wiccan" without someone to help them accomplish the goal.

      Many wiccan traditions require a person to be initiated by a high level priest or priestess. But so many people have chosen this path and they are so spread out it is impossible for everyone to get shown all of the structure in that belief system. This has resulted in many people creating a belief that is missing major parts. Many people have mixed understandings on how things should be. People letting personal feelings interfere with something that has the potential of being wonderful.

      Recently I read "Living Wicca, by Scott Cunningham" I enjoy his books and they do give me things to think about. He made a couple statements that I have been pondering...... "Wiccan traditions are one of our religion's strongest survival mechanisms. Structure is necessary for every religion's survival. Without it, it will crumble in confusion and chaos."...... "Wicca isn't a spiritual free-for-all. A true wiccan tradition must be based on Wiccan Conventions. Though there is plenty of room for personal touches, some things are essentially wiccan and can't be discarded." So what happens when these traditions are ignored or forgotten? I believe that many people that say they are wiccan, have only half the story. Since Wicca is a branch of Paganism, what effects Wicca effects paganism.

      Let's start off with the most overwhelming one. "Hey , I am male and I am not evil." I find it troubling that many wiccans have such a hard time accepting a male god aspect. They are so scarred by Christianity that they will shun any male god concept. That is like getting a bad haircut and deciding to go bald from that moment on. Just because there was a bad result with this one male god concept doesn't mean that they are all bad. There is a male and female aspect, the lord and the lady. Yet I have talked to many wiccans that 'honor' at least 4 goddesses, but not one single god. How can you honor the many aspects of the universe if you are refusing to accept a male god?

      Wouldn't it be great if we were all just happy and didn't have a care in the world. Well then you are dreaming, in reality there is light and dark aspects of nature. And too many wiccans seem to shun anything remotely 'negative'. The cycle of life requires us to be born and for us to die to make room for the next generation. It is a reoccurring cycle of life that everything that lives must also die. The crone is so abused and neglected by many 'happy' wiccans. The crone is called upon for dark mean things, I have seen wiccans call on a crone for vengeance, but shun her the rest of the time. The crone is not evil, she is wisdom, kindness, caring, nurturing, and if you piss her off she will make you pay dearly. How many of you had a grandmother while you were kids. She was there to help you, care for you, she loved you. And in those rare occasions when someone did you wrong, she got angry. The crone is a spiritual grandmother.. Treat her with some respect.

    Light and Dark, you can't have one without the other. Moments in life require us to be not so  nice. Just like above where wiccans seem to shun the crone. They  also seem to  shun anything considered dark.  Many  wiccans will  yell  and scream "Harm none", but  that is not realistic. You  have to  be able to  protect yourself and others around you.  And how do  you know that  something that  helps you doesn't hurt someone else.  The concept of Harm none is about making people think  before they  do something that  they might regret.  I  remind wiccans that  talk  about shunning darkness if they  love looking at the full moon.  And of course they  love looking at the full  moon and rituals during the Esbats. I have to  remind them that  the moon shines brightest during the darkness of night.  Even in darkness there is beauty and purpose, stop shunning it.

     Be honest with yourself.  There is a structure of titles with  Wicca and most of paganism.  You  can't  just read a book or two  and declare yourself a priest or priestess.  I have seen people claim a title that  they  have not earned, not only does it make them look bad, it makes other wiccans look bad as well.  I could spend twenty bucks and become an ordained minister,  but have I  earned the title, no.  Think long and hard if you really deserve to  be called a certain title before you claim it. And a title doesn't make you a better person, you are still  you without or with that  title.

     Wicca is a form of paganism, it is not a separate  entity.  Wicca is  pagan just like Asatru is pagan. As pagans you have to  embrace the diversity of the pagan community. To  shun any  group of pagans because they  are 'hostile' or 'negative' is to  turn your back on fellow pagans.

      Honoring gods and goddess should take time. I have seen wiccansyoutube video that covers this perfectly. Too many wiccans treat gods and goddesses as Pokemon cards. whenever the need arises they pull the card out and demand service. That is not how it works, You have to build a relationship with the gods and goddesses. going down a list of Celtic goddesses until you find the one that fits doesn't work.  You have to  do  what  they  call on you to  do  first, before they  are going to help  you in anyway.

     I have read the Wiccan Rede many  times. It is not the law of Wicca,  In 1974 a complete twenty-six line poem entitled "The Wiccan Rede" was published in the neo-Pagan magazine Earth Religion News.  Use it as a guideline not as dogmatic laws.

     There has to  be structure, something that is not changing to build your beliefs on. I believe that too many  people that  are new to  Wicca  have failed to  build this structure. They are constantly reworking what  they  believe to  fit the moment that  they  need it.  That is just as wrong as the Christians that  pick  and choose from the bible to  justify the actions that  they  do.  They  will have one verse that  says don't do it, and another that  says to do it,  so  they  are covered in anyway needed.  Sometimes we can't rewrite our beliefs to  fit the situation. If the situation  doesn't fit your beliefs, maybe the situation is wrong and you have to  change that.

     I  am not saying that  you can't be a solitary  practitioner, I  am a solitary  practitioner, but not wiccan.  I  think  that many wiccans have jumped into  this head first without thinking and without taking the time to learn all  the details.  I  would be great if there were more groups so  that  everyone can find someone to  interact with about the path  they have chosen.  I  believe that  those that are knowledgeable of Wiccan and paganism  should reach out to  those that  are needing a hand and guide them on their path. We shouldn't and can't walk their path, but maybe our paths could run along other 's  paths and help  them out from time to  time.

The Darker side of Wicca, Part 2

     I have to  give credit  where credit is due, and shame where shame is due. First off there are good wiccans out there.  People that have been part of a coven  and learned a tradition and have a great deal of structure into  there belief system.  I  didn't say  that  in part one, and I  should have.

     Part two is about politics in paganism.  How paganism is not a group of happy everybody gets along with  everyone else.   Pagans generally have many  different views that reflect the many  different branches of paganism. And it is these different views can cause a tremendous amount of anguish in a group of people, Online or in Real life interactions.

     So Part one was posted in the group in question. Many  people changed there views about me. Some people apologized for their actions and we moved on.  I  watched for a few days from the sidelines as events unfolded, and then I  was allowed back into  the group.  One person struck me as a massive drama queen.  One of the Admins posted that  they  were called Nazis.  In my previous blog I  made a reference to how people like me  were treated compares to how Hitler treated the Jews. I  even used the word totalaristic, but I  never used the word Nazi.  This person was playing victim. Though she was one of the people seeking to  delete posts and remove people, the moment someone  commented about her actions in a manner she didn't like, she tried to make everyone believe that  she was unjustly attacked. The only person that  called her or any of the other admins Nazis, was herself. Shortly after I  returned this person made a post." Post deleted 3.2.1" . Because she knew that I  was posting on the group. I  saw this post and asked her why she felt the need to make a post, and she refused to  comment.  Miss Atwell can't play victim if she is caught causing troubles.

     The group leader had numerous times told people that they  need to  take there negative ways out of the group. Mrs. Muck posted many  times that  she thinks there is too much hostility and that people need to  take it  outside of the group. Yet there was a young man that  decided to  take any outside issue and vent about it in the group. He was complaining about someone "playing Pagan".  In a post he later said that  the person he was complaining about was not in the group, and that  he was just venting.  Mrs Muck posted on that  very thread, but never told him to  keep his outside troubles outside of the group. I  guess that  was one of those selective rule enforcements.

     Upon my return  to  this  group  I  made a comment about  how the admins for the group were set-up. Would you believe that  they  had someone that  was actually an online store account as an admin.  So I  made a comment about maybe adding some of the ones that  were on the other side of the fence as admins to  help  get things balanced.  It wouldn't change  how people acted, but then someone wouldn't have to  worry so much  about being alienated.  This idea resulted into  a messed-up election process. Two polls were created, the first one I  had people supporting me, I  guess that  didn't sit well  with the admins and they deleted the first poll and created a second one under a different person's account. They  were adding names, removing names. and turned it into  a circus. The dumbest part I  see was the current admins added there names to  the list of people. This was about adding  different people and they  turned it into  a  way  to  see who likes them and who  doesn't.  Because with  the wonders of facebook  you can see who  voted for who.  I  made a comment about giving everyone a week  to  vote on who  they  wanted, the current admins gave it just a couple days.  talking about controlling a vote. And the final straw for the supposed elections was so  corrupt, I  felt that  the republicans had taken over the pagan group. Mrs. Muck  disclosed after the "election" that one of the 2 people SHE promoted to admin was her husband. After the fact, and she had the nerve to  ask if anyone had any  problems with it... with  people knowing that  at least 2 people were banned from the group on the same day. It is like having the Republicans controlling the election and saying that  Obama has a fair chance of winning.

     So I  was one of the people banned from the group.  But I was able to  see the posts still  and watched as the darkness swept across this group.  The two new admins made posts stating that  they  were going to  remove the negativity from the group, deleting negative posts and the people  that  posted them. Wow complete and total censorship has been installed. But you would have to  hope that  these new anti-negativity rules would be enforced on everyone equally. But alas they aren't.  I  seen new admin Ryan have a conversation with  people calling me a "hatemonger" . I never called people a name like that in any  form, I  was viewed as negative because I  would disagree with  some of the posts people made. Now the last  time I  checked Hatemonger was a negative insult.  Did Ryan do  anything to stop such  posts? No he allowed them to continue.  I  watched a long thread in which  a different member called a person  several  negative names, 3 of the 4 admins were active in this long thread, and they did NOTHING.  So  these admins are not against negativity, they are only against select people that  do it.  One thing that  I  remind myself is this fact. "The battle between right and wrong is lost the moment that  you allow your friends to  do  something that  you wouldn't allow your enemy to  do."  Selective  rule enforcement is corruption. How can they  claim to  be positive and just people when they  act in such a corrupt manner.


     Leaders need to  lead, they  need to  follow a set line of rules. In parenting you have to  be consistent when disciplining the child or they  will  not learn. You  can't say  one day  that it is all right, then the next spank  the child for the same exact situation. You  can't make two  sets of rules for two  children, that  will  cause nothing more that  hate and fighting.  Honor and integrity are needed if you want to  be someone people can look up to.  There are times we have to  make the not so  nice decision.  And this transfers to many of these eclectic wiccans,  They  are lacking structure and consistency with their beliefs.  They  want to be surrounded  by  love and light, they  will  shun darkness, and anyone that  doesn't  will face all  the darkness that  they  hide beneath  their supposed good nature.