Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Pushy

So the latest comment to this blog is from some pushy obnoxious Christian blogger quoting scripture at me. It's not even relevant to the topic to which he was responding. In fact, it's not even anti-pagan propaganda, which at least would make sense.

It's just Bible spam.

Why do people have to be like this?

I appreciate your concern for my soul, but honestly, it's the largest religion in the world; so prevalent in fact that in the US, the most culturally diverse nation in the world, it is socially acceptable to just assume that any given person is Christian, because more than half of them are.

Do you REALLY think it's even remotely possible you're saying anything I haven't heard? At 24 years old, if it was at all possible for a person to say a thing which could convince me to explore that particular religion, I'd have heard it by now. Promise.

Enough is enough.

P.S. It's a fallacy to assume I don't want to go to Hell. I know people there, it'll be fine.

P.P.S. Seriously considering visiting his blog and dropping a logic bomb on a few of his posts. Any opinions?

May Omens

I'm not going to go looking tonight, I'm going to take today's big event as a sign itself.

A friend of mine stole the show on stage at a club in down town Pensacola tonight.

Here's to hoping the month of may gets me that much applause.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Who Broke Religion?

So, almost all religions are couched in some kind of mythology, stories about founding sages and ancient leaders to explain the origin of their beliefs. Invariably these characters are attributed spectacular magical powers.

Moses turned water into blood, Christ turned it into wine. Solomon built a palace in one night. The Buddha could talk to animals. Taliesin brought trees to life and Merlin turned a prince into a hawk. Tiresias could see the future and Heracles stopped a charging bull by hand.

Why don't these things still happen? Again, invariably these powers are derived from some form of spiritual purity, enlightenment and/or closeness to the gods.

As a practitioner of your religion of choice, if you can't do these things, either your religion is founded on lies, or you are less worthy than they were. It's that simple.

I can. Perhaps I'm not as strong as Heracles, and I can't turn people into pigs like Circe, but I see the future, call the rain, and I once turned water into wine. No joke, I have a witness.

So if you are a devout follower of your religion, and neither you nor anyone around you is doing these things, you're doing something wrong. What are you missing? Is it your fault, or did something get lost in translation between the ancients and what people are teaching you?

I can't answer this one, but it's certainly food for thought.

Car Prayer to Hermes

I wrote this extemporaneously just now because I felt like it. Someone on facebook was talking about car trouble.

Blessed be oh god of travel,

My car's components please don't unravel.
Good gas mileage I need,
For that I plead.
And may my breaks still work,
So I don't hit that jerk.
Now when I turn the key,
Make that engine purr for me.
Hermes please hear my call,
And please don't let the engine stall.

April Omen

Continuing the experiment. Today's omen, as I was walking home, the neighbor's dog comes charging across four or five lawns, barking his fool head off, stops to threaten me, and then takes off into his own yard.

I expect April to be manic and uncontrolled. Oh joy.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Christmas Omens

I skipped the first couple of days because I'm a dope, but a friend of mine some of you may know brought to my attention a tradition of using omens derived from the "twelve days of Christmas" to determine the course of the year to come.

From December 26th until January 6th, one goes outside each day in search of a divinatory omen, corresponding to a month of the year. January on the 26th, February on the 27th, and so on.

She is blogging hers, so I am going to follow suit. We'll see how it goes.

http://mallowandwhitepine.wordpress.com/2013/12/28/the-12-omens-of-christmas/

Today, December 28th, corresponds to March. I stepped outside and asked for a sign. Before I had even finished speaking I heard wind chimes from down the road. I have never heard these particular chimes before.

I go to bed every night playing music including a heavy use of wind chimes as a sleep aid. I expect March to be a month of peace and rest.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Pick A Topic

Okay folks. Comment on this post with your suggestions and I'll pick a name from a hat (unless there's only one, which would be disappointing) and whoever wins I'll write a post based on your suggestion.

I'll probably end up using all of them one at a time, the winner just goes first.

Get commenting.

May you find what you seek,
Katharine

Duck Dynasty Dumbass

See what I did there with the alliteration? I'm clever.


So this is a polarizing topic, and I'm still seeing stuff about it, so I can't resist.

If you've been living under a rock, or you're reading this ten years later or something, Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson is a bigoted piece of crap who just got fired from the television program for the spite he was drooling in an interview, and it's created a social media civil war.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/duck-dynasty-controversy-galvanizes-partisan-backlash-article-1.1557327

To be honest I have not read exactly what it was he said, I don't need to, because it really doesn't matter. I'm going to present an opinion here I haven't seen much of.

Why do you give a fuck people?

You may perceive him as a bigoted asshole, as I do; or as a paragon of Christian virtue. In which case you are also a bigoted asshole, but that's neither here nor there. You have the right to your opinions, and to speak them, and I have a right to call you a moron.

You may feel that A&E was justified in firing him for violating their standards of social conscience, or you may feel that they are impeding his right to free speech.

For the record, the first amendment only prevents agents of the government from inhibiting free speech, it doesn't apply to corporate entities, and "equal opportunity employment" is a choice, it's not a law. Chick-Fil-A openly fires people for being gay and they aren't violating law because it doesn't say "equal opportunity employer" in their hiring contract. Regardless of ethics, A&E has a legal right to fire people for anything they say while speaking as a representative of the station. They can't fire him for what he says to his neighbor, but if he's on camera, he represents them.

That being said, no matter which side of the fence you should happen to fall on, why does it really matter? Get over it and move on. If you think A&E was right, good for you, now go back to whatever it is you do when you're not in a froth about celebrities.

If you think they were wrong, I'm sure Robertson can find some other station to put him on camera, until a few weeks ago he was one of the most popular men in America. Also, he was a billionaire before the show. I'm sure after they fired him he wept all the way home in his Lamborghini... Yeah... I guarantee this is nothing but more publicity to him, and all publicity is good publicity. Just ask Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus.

Get over it and move on America.

One Liners (Part One)

I stand for sitting. I fight for peace. I believe in doubt. And if I offend you, I truly, deeply, don't give a shit.

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
Eagles may soar, but snakes don't get sucked into jet engines.
Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Eat right, stay fit, die anyway.

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
Borrow money only from pessimists; they don't expect it back.
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.
To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.
The key to creativity is disguising your sources.
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
The Ark was built by a lone amateur, The Titanic was built by a large group of professionals.
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
If you come to a fork in the road, take it.
You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours.
It ain't over till it's over.
The future ain't what it used to be.
You can observe a lot just by watching.
The best way to give advice is to find out what people want to hear, and let them hear it.
If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
Humans seem to be unique in the animal kingdom in their ability to learn from the mistakes of others, they are also unique in the fact that they seem to have no desire to do so.
Experience is a teacher that gives the test before the lesson.
Chicken Little only has to be right once.
Statistically one out of every one people dies.
The probability of the odds being accurate is very small.
In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.

Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat the course.
On the other hand, you have different fingers.
Save a tree... Eat a beaver

Mind Your Own Business

So we are all aware of this social pattern, but I've been realizing how pointless it is.

It starts with someone having an opinion. Some shmuck doesn't like what someone else is doing, or wearing, or saying, or thinking. Person A has an opinion about Person B. Let's call them Frank and Bob.

So let's say Bob is gay.

Frank doesn't like the fact that Bob is gay, Bob is not hurting Frank by being gay, Bob is not hurting anyone. In fact, Bob being gay has no appreciable effect on anyone who isn't attracted to Bob, least of all Frank. Frank still doesn't like it, and he says so.

This makes Bob feel bad. Bob doesn't just feel bad, he feels awful. He doubts himself, his identity, his worth as a person. He even tries to change who he is, just because Frank doesn't like him.

Bob and Frank are both morons. That's right, both of them.

Frank has a strong opinion about something which is none of his business and does not effect him in anyway, and tries to do something about it for no intelligent reason whatsoever. Frank clearly has some serious problems with prioritizing, and no life of his own, if he has time to criticize Bob, or even notice for that matter.

Bob has similar problems with setting priorities, if he spends more than five minutes thinking about someone as shallow and boring as Frank.

Frank, get a life. Bob, don't give Frank your life.

Now, before we think this is JUST about gay rights, it's not. This patterns happens in just about every aspect of life. If you care what someone else is wearing, or if you care what someone thinks of what you're wearing, you're just as bad as the above example. This goes double for religion, and it's true in politics, and just about everything else.

Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one, and no one wants to see yours.

If you're not the self absorbed prick who can't keep his mouth shut and mind his own business about people who aren't doing anything to him... Then you know who he is. Tell him to go soak his head, and move on with your life. Give me one intelligent reason why you give a flying rat's ass about someone like that.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Gender, Spirituality, Hypocracy

I wholeheartedly believe in gender roles. They exist for a reason, they're important. I also believe they should be flexible. I can't rightly call myself a feminist because feminism has largely eliminated gender roles. I do not approve.

The goal that a woman should be ABLE to work, to live and act as she chooses, was and is a noble one; but in practice what feminism has done is moved from one forced social expectation to another. Women are no longer forced to be "housewives", but now we no longer have the option, even if we wanted to.

Many times I've encountered women with children at home who struggle with the desire to be present in their children's lives versus the inability to support a family on a single income. This situation was created by the expectation that the average American family with 2.5 children will have two full time incomes. One of the many many many reasons I will never have children and I'm not sold on the idea of pets is my unwillingness to waste that much of my life on the pursuit of money.

It is natural, genetic, and part of universal racial memory for men to be providers and protectors, and women to be nurturers and care givers.

If an individual should deviate from this norm, they should feel free to express themselves as is natural to them. We all know a Mama Bear who's up in arms to defend her clan, and we all know at least one Mister Mom. Two of my closest friends in Pensacola are these, you know who you are.

Once upon a time, men and women had equal roles in religion. Men were the law makers, the dispensers of justice. Women were the comforters, the healers, the spiritual guides. Today this is rarely so. Either women or men are marginalized; I'm looking at you, Christianity and Dianic Wicca; or in more enlightened practices it is regarded as sexist to have gender oriented roles and therefore all spiritual leaders tend to occupy the same roles. Even when the ritualism of the religion involves honoring gender duality, after the pageantry is over priest and priestess share the same tasks.

To forbid anyone from taking the role they are suited to based on gender, or anything else, would be backward and wasteful. To not even have these specialized roles is no better.

The work-a-day world is sucking the life out of me, but there is no place in this society, no niche to be filled, for someone like me. There hasn't been for a very long time. Once upon a time I'd have been a priestess living on the auspices of the temple and serving the community full time. In these times I am forced to work for a living and contribute only what little strength I have left to spare to helping those around me.

Our society is guilty of failing to recognize the unique gifts of the individual, of forcing everyone to become a cog in the industrial machine. We are no longer people, we are "human resources".

We have been standardized, and this process has included stripping all differentiation between the genders. And yet, somehow it is still taboo  to cross from one gender to the other. We're supposed to all act the same, but that only means women should act like men, not the other way around. Way to go feminists, hope you're proud of yourselves. You didn't achieve female freedom, you just became men with boobs.

Winter Solstice Prayer

Dark be night and cool be air,
Gathered round be friends who care.
Solstice moon hangs in the sky,
Be of good cheer and all know why.
Though hard the path and full of strife,
In darkest night there be new life.
Waxing high the dark folk's power,
But light's reborn upon this hour.
From dark folk who be here,
To all who now are gathered near,
May light thee guide,
the dark protect and hide.
Be safe my friends and ever well,
This is my spell,
For you who are so dear to me,
So it is so shall it be.

UPDATE 12/22/13:

I wrote this poem extemporaneously (in one continuous stream of consciousness without going back to edit anything) last night, at midnight on the Winter Solstice. I posted it almost immediately after it was finished.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Power of Words

Lao Tzu said, "Mind your thoughts; they become your words. Mind your words; they become your actions. Mind your actions; they become habit. Mind your habits; they become your character. Mind your character; it becomes your destiny."

I want to address the power of words for a moment. As an infant, you thought in images, ideas, concepts. As adults, most of us think in words. There is an inner monologue going on in your head all the time. In fact, as you read this, if you know my voice, chances are you are hearing these words in your head in my voice. Now, if I mention Morgan Freeman at this juncture, you'll probably read the rest of the article in his voice. All of it, with commentary in your own.

This method of thought creates far more potential for nuance and abstract thinking than communication in images and pure ideas. However, it can be limiting as well. Language trains HOW we think, and vice versa. I recall reading an article some years ago to the effect that the more technologically advanced a culture is, the more words it will have for various colors. That for instance there is a tribe in the Amazon with one word for all shades of red and orange.

There are quite a few words I feel are harmful to clarity of thought, and I sometimes suspect it is intentional.

For instance, tolerance. Consider the following sentences:

"I like rock music."

"I can tolerate rock music."

To tolerate is to regard something as inferior, but to allow it to exist because it is not worth eliminating.

And yet, people preach tolerance. We should tolerate minorities, other races, other religions. Not love, not even accept, but tolerate. Why? Because the majority, the normal folks, are better, and it is a demonstration of their superior moral standards that they allow the rest of us to be different.

Simply using the word tolerate reinforces that way of thinking, whether you consciously realize it or not, because subconsciously we all know the negative connotation of tolerance, and by using the word in this context we relate the two ideas.

Then, when we say "dark" and mean something negative. Such as "that is a very dark story"; what we are subconsciously reinforcing both for ourselves and everyone else, is that darkness itself is a bad thing. That the setting of the sun is a negative event. An event which must be tolerated, if you will. Rather than a natural progression of the balance of the world to be celebrated as part of the grand pattern.

So, mind your words, for they become your thoughts.

May you find what you seek,
Katharine Alice Jones


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

To Be Dark

I have been asked what exactly it means to be a dark witch. The explaining of these ideas is my magnum opus, my great work.

I am a dark witch. According to a large number of organized religions and other philosophies, I'm evil. I'm okay with that. I'm the wicked witch of the south east if you like. Or maybe the not-so-wicked witch. Depends on who you ask.

But dark, does not mean evil. Dark just literally means dark. The Dark Arts encompass all things which aren't light. Anything which is aesthetically unpleasant to the human reckoning of the world. My work deals with the night, the moon, the stars, nocturnal animals, rodents, reptiles, insects.

Most famous of all of course the Dark Arts involve death. The energy of death itself, deities associated with death, communication with the souls of the dead. Even the taking of life, but also understanding and coping with death.

I have often comforted those who have recently experienced a loss; and I ease the passing of those who are dying, whether by reassuring them against fear, easing their physical pain, or simply helping them to pass more quickly.

Everyone thinks of the Dark Arts in terms of things like curses. That is true, but so many conveniently forget that the darkness is also the great healer of the soul, the keeper of secrets, the guardian of those who wish to hide.

It is my work, as a dark witch, to guide those who are lost in the darkness, and to protect against the harmful creatures who dwell there. Only, where as a white lighter is inclined to "banish" the demon; I prefer simply to ask them to go away. Maybe even give them a job.

Remember, it's okay to be dark. The stars can only be seen at night.

UPDATE 12/29/13:

It's worth adding here a note on terminology. "White Lighter" comes originally from the TV show "Charmed", but it fit the concept perfectly. A white lighter is anyone who denies the darkness. At best these are people who refuse to BE dark, and at worst, those who suffer the delusion that the universe itself is inherently good and there is no darkness at all.

The term "Fluffy Bunny" is often used interchangeably, but I feel that one has more of an implication of a dabbler who doesn't take The Craft seriously, whereas a White Lighter can easily be extremely talented and well educated.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Neo-Hellenism.

This seems like an excellent topic with which to begin.

Hellenism is the religion and culture of the Ancient Greeks. It may be referred to in three basic forms.

Traditional Hellenism is the path as it was once practiced, the way of the ancients, by the ancients. Traditional Hellenism is a dead religion. It was outlawed by the Roman empire in 529. Because of the nature of Traditional Hellenism, requiring the use of centralized temples, and a priesthood handed down from one generation to the next, it cannot be revived in its original form.

Traditional Hellenism was practiced over the course of thousands of years, and may be rightly said to actually consist of numerous religions, flowing into one another. Hellenism changed constantly with the growth of society and the needs of its followers.

Reconstructionist Hellenism is an attempt to follow Hellenic tradition with as much loyalty as possible, based primarily on folklore, written histories and archeological findings. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as Traditional Hellenism. It cannot be traditional, because the traditions are observed selectively. No temples, and no priests.

Neo-Hellenism is a term I coined myself for a concept which has occurred spontaneously from several different sources. The essence of Neo-Hellenism is the effort to bring the ancient ways of the Hellenes into the modern world. We strive for what Hellenism could have been if it had continued in an unbroken tradition.

Hellenism was always a living religion. There was no fixed doctrine, the priesthood changed and adapted the practices to modern conventions. It was not uncommon even to add new gods to the pantheon, both as times changed and new influences were present, and to keep peace between the Hellenes and other peoples who joined their society. Many of the Greek gods are from Thrace, Asia Minor and Africa.

In the course of modernization, we have of course done away with public temples, as in the information age they are no longer needed as community centers. We have largely dispensed with sacrifices as well. No one has performed a hecatomb (ritual sacrifice of a hundred head of cattle) since the Roman empire.

A continuous initiated priesthood is no longer possible, so the Neo-Hellenic priesthood is initiated by the gods themselves. A great emphasis is placed on personal gnosis. To be called by a god is to become an apprentice to the priesthood. The priest, then, is one who speaks to one or more of the gods and acts on their behalf. The high priest in turn has dedicated their entire life to their deity, and is devoted to aiding all other followers of the path.

Because of the deeply personal nature of this path, it is left to each follower to find their own truth, to decide for themselves whether or not to acknowledge those who call themselves members of the priesthood, and to take from these people only what they find to be of value. The gods do not require an intermediary, the presence of the priests is for your benefit, not theirs.

All are welcomed, whether you choose to follow the word of the priesthood or not. Not even all of the priests necessarily acknowledge one another; though thus far I have not seen two priests I considered legitimate who did not respect one another. As is common in this age, there are of course some who simply make the claim in order to make themselves feel special.

May you find what you seek,
Katharine Alice Jones

UPDATE 12/18/13:

I am going to answer comments by updating the original post rather than adding a comment, so it won't get lost.

Thank you Bookfloozy. I hadn't been aware of the parallels to Buddhism, I'm glad to know.

There is, at present, no formal organization of our priesthood. Each priest and high priest is initiated by the gods themselves. Which is why we are left to our own devices to judge the legitimacy of each individual claim. I can say that I acknowledge so and so as a priest of whichever deity, but I wasn't actually there for the initiation, and that still leaves you to question whether or not you agree with me.

Our devotional rites and rituals take whatever form we may be guided to follow. As high priestess of Hecate I maintain a permanent shrine in my home. Stay tuned and I'll write an entry on altars and include a photograph. I often meditate and light candles at the shrine, as well as offerings, and it's where a large portion of my spellwork is conducted.

Most of my practice is rather practical. I take walks late at night and explore. Not long ago I was actually stopped by the police for being pagan in a wealthy neighborhood. One of the residents thought I looked suspicious. The officer just wanted to know where I got the awesome black leather riding jacket. He wanted one.

I also consider my work with the sick and homeless, and my activism, to be religious in nature. For me, there is not spiritual and mundane. Everything is spiritual. When I help Hecate's people, I am honoring her. Last month I made an appearance at a local city counsel meeting to support the vote for a bill in favor of domestic partnership, and hosted the first annual observance of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, in Pensacola.

There are not communal worship practices in place at present, because there are so few of us. At present I'm only in contact with two other devoted Hellenes, and I have met neither one in person.

Mystical practices, however, there are in spades. I do a great deal of spirit work, including necromancy; that is, communication with the dead and spirits associated with death.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Welcome to my blog. Bear with me as I get the hang of how this works and what to do with it.

If this effort aids or enriches anyone, I will consider it a success. My intention is to post my articles, thoughts and random musings on spirituality, magic, witchcraft, philosophy, and whatever else I decide could be helpful.

I have a wide range of experience to pull from, and a lifetime devotee to the craft, I am constantly seeking more.

I will gladly take suggestions for topics, and I try to read all my messages. If you don't receive a response to a comment on the blog, email me.

I am going to try to post semi-regularly, so check back often.