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Some pics of my recent trip to Kilkenny, Ireland

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Mother's Day Reverie

Large parts of my childhood are hard to remember. Discussion of this topic with my therapist has yielded to me the knowledge that a childhood full of trauma will cause the memory to lapse, because some things are simply too painful to recall.

My mother's death was shocking, even though we all saw it coming. A battle with aggressive colon cancer ended her life at the young age of twenty eight, so when I turned thirty this year, you can imagine it was a bittersweet sort of feeling. In the 90's, cancer was not as well understood as it is today, so her battle was one sided, and though I was young, I do recall the pain she experienced, quite clearly.

However, my mother's death claimed more than her life. My father was not prepared to raise a daughter on his own, and despite the mistakes he made in my youth, I have some insight to understand that he was trying his best. He worked long, hard hours--in factories and when the factories went away, he worked wherever he could find employment. He was always tired, but more than that, what I remember the most about  my father is the profound effect that my mother's death had on him.

It tore him up inside, and it haunted him. I cannot eve begin to imagine the pain of losing your spouse at such an early age, and I pray to the Gods that I never have to learn. He cried often, and I remember him as a lonely man who relied on his music to get him through trying times.

My mother's death, of course, effected me in ways I could never foresee as a child. Always, I found myself wondering how one situation or another might have been different, if my mother had been around. How things might have played out, what my worldview would be now if she were still alive. I think about it more than I thought I would.

I see my mother in other women. In their smiles and the way they laugh, in their warmness and their kindness, their wisdom and their strength. I see my mother in myself every day, for these same qualities. Her love of words, art and music affected me profoundly, and I carry a love for those things even to this day. My mother, in her short time here, taught me lessons. She taught me never to judge a book by its cover, and never to look down upon someone who has less than me. She was the pinnacle of the good, Christian woman--so it's interesting to understand now, how she affected my faith.

It's no secret that I am a Witch. I embrace the powers of the universe by worshiping two deities chiefly, The Dagda and The Morrigan. The Dagda, in Irish Mythology, is "The Good God", among his many titles, he is often called "The God of the World" and is associated with kindness, generosity, hard work, knowledge, time, justice, and fertility, to name just a few of his attributes; and his wife, The Morrigan, is the embodiment of The Fierce Mother. Strong, cunning, and all at once soft and terrifying, she embodies all aspects of the feminine--the maiden, the mother and the crone. I see, at once, myself, my mother and my grandmother in her. I see the women whom I admire within her, as well.

I was drawn to the Morrigan because I see all those aspects in her that I saw within the women in my life. My mother, kind and soft, compassionate, loving, honest and wise beyond her years. My grandmother and now my mother in law--kind but firm, always guiding me with their wisdom and strength, keeping me on the right path with the knowledge of their years; and finally, myself and the other young women in my life.

While I don't have any children of my own, I think of myself as a mother of sorts. I'm nearly ten years the elder to my fiance, so there are times when I must impart my own wisdom and knowledge to him. I care for my family, I nuture and see to it that everything moves in working order in our home by doing those things that the women in my youth taught me to do.

We as women have an important role to play in the lives of the people around us, whether we know it or not, we are invaluable to our loved ones. So this mother's day, I will be honoring not just the mothers in my life, but the women along my path who have taught me so much in the coarse of my life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being there where my mother could not, and know that the Goddess looks upon you and smiles for all your good deeds.

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Got some new sandals for the summer~

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                             The Morrigan // Aesthetics

                                      over hills and over meadows                                    see the crow fly, feel her shadow

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                                    An Dagda // Aesthetics 

                                   Chieftain of Danu, Bountiful Giver                                   Flame in the belly that sustains Life                                  Flame in the loins that continues Life                                Flame in the eye that comprehends Life                                          Be in us as we are in you

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                                  Cernunnos // Aesthetics

                                                   fur and feather                                                     scale and skin                                                   different without                                                 but the same within                                                     many of body                                                      one of soul                                                 through all creatures                                                are we made whole

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Tochmarc Étaíne - The Wooing of Etain - Passage 2

This section has been revisited in a more modern form of writing, to make digestion easier.

 Angus fought tirelessly with Triath, the son of Febal, of the Fir Bolg, the Men of Bags. Triath often led the games and was yet another fosterling in Midir's care. Triath would play and speak to Angus, which irked him greatly, until Mac Og would cry out to anyone who would listen; "It angers me that the son of serfs would speak to me as if I were of his stock and sort!" Angus, in his youthful arrogance, thought himself the rightful heir to the throne of Bri Leith, for he knew nothing of his true parentage.

   On one occasion, however, Triath heard Angus' lamentations, and grew angry.

       "I am no less insulted that a Bastard, motherless son should hold speech with me." And after Triath had spoken these words, Angus ran to Midir with tears in his eyes, having been shamed by the Son of Febal. Midir asked of him:

   "Why do you cry, Angus Og?"

   "Triath has defamed me as a Bastard. That I have no mother or father."

   "False are the words of Triath of the Fir Bolg." Midir insisted to the youth.

   "Who is my mother and from whence is my father, if I truly have parentage to claim?"

   Then Midir, who was the unknown half-brother of Angus Og, laughed a little through his words; "It is no hard matter to name them. The name of your father be Eochaid Ollathair, the Good God of the Tuatha De Dannan, and your mother the beautiful Boand of the river, who is the wife of the magician, Elcmar. It is I that have reared you in your father's stead, for he feared what Elcmar's wrath might be if he knew of your true lineage."

   "Take me to my father, that he may acknowledge me and that I am no longer hidden away here, under the insults of the Fir Bolg."

   After readying for their journey, Midir set out with his foster son to speak with Eochaid. Of late, he had resided in Uisnech of Meath, at the center of Ireland. When they came upon him, he was found among the assembled court of the Tuatha De Dannan, and Midir called his father aside to have speech with young Angus. The Dagda recognized him immediately for who he was and asked Midir; "What desires he, this youth who has come before me?"

   "A father's acknowledgement and for land to be given so that he may be free of the burden of insults leveled upon him by the Fir Bolg."

   The Dagda did not hesistate in his duty, and spoke freely to the two lads. "Indeed, he is my son, called Angus the Young by his mother, Boand. I had foreseen this day to come, but the house I wish to give him is not yet vacant."

   "What house is that?" Asked Midir, to which the Dagda replied; "North of the Boyne, the house where Elcmar resides. I never wished him ill to begin with, and I have no further wishes to injure him further."

   Midir could understand the Dagda's plight, but the desire to make Angus whole weighed heavily upon him. He asked, "What counsel then do you have for this lad?"

   "On the day of Samhain, let him go to Elcmar's house, and let him go armed. That is a day of peace and amity among the men and women of Ireland, on which none should do battle with his fellows; and Elcmar will be unarmed, save for a wand of white hazel, a gold brooch, and his clothing wrapped around him. Angus should go and threaten to slay Elcmar for his birthright, lest he yield to Angus the abode for night and day. Being Samhain, a day of peace, and knowing Elcmar as I do, he will yield to the will of Angus and vacate the house. When Elcmar returns the following morning, tell him these words; 'it is in days and nights that the world is spent, henceforth I claim this abode as my own'."  

   Angus and his foster-father set out, back to his land, and on the following Samhain, Aengus armed himself and came to the Elcmar's house and made a feint at Elcmar. The magician yielded to the youth's strength and promised him night and day as king of the house; and on the morrow, when Elcmar returned, Angus spoke these words to him;

   "It is in days and nights that the world is spent, henceforth I claim this abode as my own."

   Elcmar quarreled with the lad, but Angus put up his hand and spoke calmly to the magician, saying, "I shall not yield up this land until you have put it to the decision of the Dagda, in the presence of court of Ireland."

   Agreeing that it was right to stand trial, Elcmar and Angus traveled to the center of the island and made appeal to the Dagda, who judged each man's contract in accordance to his undertaking.

   "This youth belives my land belongs accordingly to himself, but I disagree--I was tricked out of house and home."

   Then said the Dagda to Elcmar, "It is fitting. You were taken unwares on a day of peace and amity. You traded your land for mercy shown to you, and thought your life dearer than your land and the home of your children and wife. Despite your cowardice, Elcmar, you will have land from me that will be no less prosperous than the House of the Boyne."

   "Where is such a place?" Elcmar asked, disbelieving. The Dagda replied; "Cleitech, with the three lands that encircle it. Your children will frolic all over its expanse, and you will enjoy the fruits of the bountiful land." [Cleitech - Klae-tae]

   "This contract is agreeable," said Elcmar, "so shall it be." He made a move to Cleitech and abided there, and Angus in the Brugh Na Boyne.

Notes:

Angus Og: AN-gus Ug - Angus, meaning "one choice" and "Og" referring to his age and youth, "young", hence "Angus the Young". When his name is spelled out as Angus MacOg, it becomes, "Angus the Young Son".

Triath - TRee-ah - Triath has many meanings; Boar, chief, king, and sea. Triath here may have some connection to Torc Triath, the mighty "King of Boars" that features in the Fenian Cycle.

Febal - FAY-bl - Febal seems to have been reduced to name only. He is the father of a few characters in Irish myths. His name's meaning is unclear to me. I have yet to find information regarding its source.

Fir Bolg - FEar-bul-ug - The Fir Bolg ruled Ireland long before the Tuatha De Dannan's arrival on her green shores, and when they did arrive there was an intense battle between the two groups. It is stated that the Tuatha De Dannan and the Fir Bolg are each descendants of Nemed, a supposed descendant of Noah. This is where Christianity is shoehorned into the situation. If this is the case, Christianity gave rise to Ireland's Pagan deities, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, eh? If we take out the Christian element, we are still left with the claim that both the Tuatha De Dannan and the Fir Bolg came from Greece. If you want to know more, read about the Nemedians and the Partholonians. As to their name, that is up for debate. Some believe Fir Bolg to mean "men of bags", others believe it to be in relation to the Belgae tribes that dwelt in Northern Gaul. Some yet consider "Bolg" as ambiguously referring to a deity, thus "The Men of the God/Goddess Bolg".

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Tochmarc Étaíne - The Wooing of Etain - Passage 1

This was written for use as study material for Thistle Protogrove of Ár nDraíocht Féin, a Druid Fellowship. That isn't to say that it cannot be used for study outside of this group, but please let me know if you are using it. Insight is welcome, discussion is encouraged. Using this well-known story, I hope to help folks become better acquainted with some of the Gods of Irish Religion. The writing in the notes is informal, in hopes of holding the attention of some very distracted readers. You know who you are--I still love you.

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There was a famous king of Ireland of the race of the Tuatha De Danann [Tua-dey-Dan-ann], Eochaid Ollathair [OH-hay-d ALLA-hay] his name. He was also named the Dagda [DAG-dha], for it was he that worked wonders for them and controlled the weather and the crops. Wherefore men said he was called The Good God. Elcmar of the Brug [BRU] had a wife whose name was Eithne [En-Ya] and another name for her was Boand [BO-an] . The Dagda desired her in carnal union. The woman would have yielded to the Dagda had it not been for fear of Elcmar [elk-MER] , so great was his power. Thereupon the Dagda sent Elcmar away on a journey to Bres [BUR-as: Beautiful] son of Elatha in Mag nInis [ALE-ah-hah-in-Mag-Nin-ISH] , and the Dagda worked great spells upon Elcmar as he set out, that he might not return betimes (that is, early) and he dispelled the darkness of night for him, and he kept hunger and thirst from him.  He sent him on long errands, so that nine months went by as one day, for he had said that he would return home again between day and night. Meanwhile the Dagda went in upon Elcmar's wife, and she bore him a son, Aengus, and the woman was whole of her sickness when Elcmar returned, and he perceived not her offense, that is, that she had lain with the Dagda.

The Dagda meanwhile brought his son to Midir's [MID-ir] house in Bri Leith in Tethba [BRUH-ley / TEY-buh] , to be fostered. There Aengus was reared for the space of nine years. Midir had a great playing-field in Bri Leith [BRUH-ley]. Thrice fifty lads of the young nobles of Ireland were there and thrice fifty maidens of the land of Ireland [150 boys + 150 girls = 300]. Aengus was the leader of them all, because of Midir's great love for him, and the beauty of his form and the nobility of his people. He was also called Mac Og (the Young Son), for his mother said: "Young is the son who was begotten at the break of day and born betwixt it and evening."

****1: NOTES****

This passage serves several purposes. Not only is it terribly important in Irish mythology to establish the lineage of a God or Goddess, but it is also terribly crucial, especially in earlier literature (of which sort this is) to highlight the parents' merits, abilities, and so on. This foreshadows those of the child, while adding bulk to the narrative in general; and as we know, this was important because they didn't have television, computers, and smart-phones back then. Initially, we see the very typical and oft-mentioned 'praises' to the Dagda for his abilities "for it was he that worked wonders for them and controlled the weather and crops". The next half of this section highlights his other abilities, which include magic and control over nature and time. The Dagda is sometimes referred to as "King of the Sidhe", for it is he who is accredited with building the Sidhe mounds, and who keeps the sacred magic of the Druids. Hence his title as Father of the Druids. These traits are highlighted by the rather potent spell he works on Elcmar. Furthermore, his deception here shows his cunning, a trait that is highlighted in Angus as something of a trickster.

After Angus Og's birth, he is transported by his father to Midir's house in Tethba, who one of his older sons. This section has a few of those ever-present homages to the Druidic fixation with the number three. The first is, of course, the statement of the length of time of the pregnancy and the passage of days. Nine months in a pregnancy, and as we know if you divide nine by three you get, well . . . three. Elcmar is gone for the span of the pregnancy, but experiences time differently thanks to An Dagda's spell, which causes him to perceive nine months as one day. Nine divided by three is three, three divided by three is one. I may be losing some of you. In Irish myths, Gods are often three in one, and I have long assumed these numerical clues to be hints at that theme.

In the next paragraph, we are given more numbers to think on. Again, we have the theme of nine leading back to one, with Angus being reared in the span of nine years. The next reference to the number three is a little more elusive, if you're just reading it at face value, but a sequence of equations leads to an infinite progression of the sacred number three.

"Thrice fifty lads of the young nobles of Ireland were there and thrice fifty maidens of the land of Ireland."

3x50 = 150x2 = 300

300/3 = 100

100/3 = 33.3r

What does the infinite nature of the number three here indicate? Well, the number is in regard to those whom Angus is leader of, perhaps indicating his connection to the eternal and divine. Likely as well is this as a reference to his link with the royalty and kingship of the Tuatha De Dannan. Whatever the case,  it is clear that numbers were hugely important in Irish, considering the nature of Ogam and the Druids' calenders of the phases of the moon and other celestial bodies. Figures such as The Morrigan and The Dagda, who are primordial mother and father archetypes each have a significant link to the triadic theme. The former having 6-9 Goddesses in her conclave, and the latter being referred to as a God of "Druidic sciences", and who is referenced as being of "multi-formed triads". Three is ever-present in Druidic writing, and surrounds the origins and stories of the Gods, seeming to hint at their divine qualities; and Angus the Young is no exception.

Names, phrases, and words in this section:

Tuatha De Danann - Tua-day-Dan-ann - There is some debate on the proper pronunciation and spelling of this phrase, mainly over the usage of "De", or "of". I won't get into that too much here, but wanted to make it apparent, if anyone ever sees it spelled sans "De", not to be alarmed or confused. It means the same thing either way, and that is "The Tribe/People of Danu". Danu being, of course, the ever-present but rarely heard from mother-deity in Irish mythology.

Eochaid Ollathair - OH-hay-d ALLA-hay - This is the Dagda's "true" name, which is handy to know seeing as how he has about a dozen or so monikers, many of which indicating his red nature.The color red is associated with magic and otherworldly forces in Irish mythology. Here, though, his name means "Horseman Allfather".

Dagda - DAG-dha - The Dagda, when translated quite literally and simply, means "The Good God", though there are other translations that have its meaning as "God of All" or "God of the World".

Brugh - BREW - This word refers to a dwelling or a house, though is sometimes translated as "mansion" or "palace". Brughs are where the Aes Sidhe [Ays-Shee] in Irish mythology dwell. An Dagda's Brugh na Boinne - The House at the River Boinne, which brings us to . . .

Boan - BO-an - Also spelled Boinne, the River Boinne is named for her, and in Irish mythology she is the Goddess associated with this body of water. The mother of Angus Og, her name means "White Cow".

Elcmar - ELK-mer - His name means "spiteful/envious one", from the proto-Irish "Ealcmhar". He serves as steward to the Dagda, and is husband to Boan. He is killed by Angus Og, and is clearly an ill-fated character from the start of things.

Bres - BUR-as - Bres the Beautiful appears in several legends, most notably the Silver Hand of Nuadu. Outwardly, he is considered to be the most beautiful and intelligent man in Ireland, but inwardly his heart is small and tarnished, full of ego and selfish vanity. Think the Beast in Beauty and the Beast before he turned all big and gnarly. Bres is made defacto King of the Tuatha De Danann due to Nuada's incapacity as King, and he drives the kingdom into the ground. Eventually, you have the God of Speech doing back-breaking labor and An Dagda being starved near to dying. He ends up being ousted as King, though, and everything is okay.

Elatha in Mag nInis - ALE-ah-hah-in-Mag-Nin-ISH - Often billed simply as Elatha, for reasons that should be quite obvious, though his name isn't as intimidating as it at first appears. He is a prince of the Formorians, considered to be the "bad guys" in several fables, never-minding that Irish mythology doesn't always have traditional concepts of 'good' and 'bad'. Before you go writing off the Fomorians as 'bad guys', bear in mind that one of the greatest heros of Irish oral tradition was half-Fomorian: That is, the shining one, Lugh. Anyways, Elatha is most likely the namesake remnant of a long-forgotten moon deity, as he is said to have visited Eriu [UR-you], the matron Goddess of Ireland, at night by way of a shining, silver boat.

Bri Leith / Tethba - BRUH-ley / TEY-buh -  In this passage, it states that "the Dagda meanwhile brought his son to Midir's house in Bri Leith in Tethba, to be fostered". Bri Leith was a place in Tethba, which was a kingdom, the location of which is still up for question. Most can agree that it encompassed parts of Westmeath and most of County Longford--the North-West of the Province of Leinster. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look at a Map of Ireland and find Dublin. You'll be in roughly the correct region.

*Note on Irish Writing*

"Young is the son who was begotten at the break of day and born betwixt  it and evening."

This is a very round about way of saying that Angus was born in the afternoon. It would seem rather pointless to us, nowadays, to be so particularly wordy about this, but to the Druids it was all about the number of syllables present in their sentences. This, of course, is utterly destroyed when translated to English, but you understand the objective, I hope. These numbers usually referred back to the number three, or were otherwise numbers divisible by three. Some part of this roundabout speech is also a product of the syntax of the old Irish language. You may have found some examples of that in the excerpt so far, such as:

". . . the woman was whole of her sickness when Elcmar returned, and he perceived not her offense, that is, that she had lain with the Dagda."

A modernized version would read:

" . . . she was no longer pregnant when Elcmar came back, and he had no idea that she had lain with the Dagda."

It is important to remember this syntax difference, and the numeric syllable importance whilst reading Irish myths, as it can be very easy to become confused in the esoteric style. Honesty is my way of conveyance, of this subject, I speak not untrue. See, it's easy once you get the hang of it, but until you do it can make your eyes glaze over.

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Alive In The Land of Nod - Our Ancestors and the Dead In Our Dreams

Part Two: Afterlife, Ancestors, and Ghosts

   Made clear by how we view our dead is the belief in an afterlife. Nearly every culture has indulged in the idea of life after death, a continuation of the mortal soul as an immortal and ethereal being. Perhaps the most readily recalled examples exist in ancient cultures, particularly the afterlife as painted by the Ancient Egyptians, whose burial rites call to mind modern embalming, in many respects. Most will remember the canopic jars and brains pulled out via a vicious hook to the nostrils; all this and more was done in preparation for the afterlife, where one's heart would be weighed against a feather to prove its purity.

   In the western world, particularly the United States, it is common to hear from Christian families that their departed loved ones are now in Heaven. These same families often believe in the departed's ability to intercede with God in the affairs of their still-living kin. In Christianity and Catholicism, All Saints Day, All Soul's Day and the Day of the Dead are all holidays used to venerate the dead, and may be a time to ask for favors from them.

   Veneration of the dead and ancestor worship has enjoyed long-standing activity among the cultures of the near and far east, as well as madagascar and Africa. Offerings of food, drink, light, and incense often accompany these rites. In Viatnemese culture, it is often common practice for a family to have an ancestral altar in their home or business; and indeed, the anniversary of the deceased death is treated as a holiday of sorts, when the entire family gathers around to share food with one another as well as the dead.

   So, what of ghosts? If veneration of our dead ancestors exists as a positive means to remember our loved ones who have passed, surely a positive note could be given to those beings, spirits, ghosts and ghouls, that have captured the imaginations of writers and artists for generations. Unsurprisingly, cultures the world over have conflicting viewpoints on the existence and nature of the spirits of the undead.

   Among Christians, there are often only two crowds of folks with opinions on spirits. There are those who believe ghosts to be the spirits of their dead loved ones, lingering on for some unfinished business or otherwise to protect their living relatives; and the crowd who believe that God would not allow a human spirit to linger on in the mortal plane, and thus any ghost or spirit is, in fact, a demon in the guise of a human. On the other hand, Muslims believe that what we call ghosts are in fact Jinn, creatures of smokeless and scorching fire; contrary to some opinions, Jinn are not portrayed as entirely evil in the Koran, but rather elemental creatures that, like humans, possess free will and the ability to discern between good and evil actions.

   In far eastern cultures, ghosts are almost always malevolent or dangerous, but respected as beings of intelligence and will. Strikingly horrific depictions of ghouls exist in Japan, China. Perhaps most notable is the Krasue of Thailand and Cambodia, which trails viscera from the glowing head of a beautiful, young woman and sustains itself on the blood of the living. She is especially asssociated with swamps and marshy areas, leading modern scholars to believe sightings of her may be linked to the glowing gases accompanying these areas.

   Spiritism and Spiritualism obviously lent a more positive view to ghosts and ghouls in the late 1800's (continuing into modern times) via mediums and sceance. A medium takes the messages of the living to the dead and vice versa, often aiding the family in closure for the loved one in question. Others contact mediums to find aid in the spirits of the dead regarding love life, financial, and spiritual matters.

   Speaking from my own personal experiences with Spiritism: the family that I was born into was a very interesting one. My great grandparents were avid spiritualists who conducted seances in the barn of their little, Indiana farm. People from all around town came to Colbert's seances and desired to contact the dead, see ghosts, or make sure that their deceased were in a 'better place' and no longer in pain. However, there were others who desired to contact demonic forces and angels. In my great grandmother's memoirs, she writes of feeling great unease at such events: unease which would eventually lead her to shutting down this family business, and later erecting a church. A church which my family still attends, and I attended as a small child.  Elements of spiritism were handed down, however.

   And on more than one occasion, paranormal things happened in the house. My aunt Eva was visited by my Great Grandmother, Naomi, who appeared as a peaceful, white specter over her bed. Eva reported her smile as being calm, serene, and comforting.  After my mother passed, many reported seeing a beautiful, blue light from the dining room, where the family would often sit and talk for hours. I had been convinced that everyone spoke of these things to comfort me, but one night my cousin Ricky and I were sitting in the living room when the darkened dining room was suddenly washed in blue light. The light was gone after only having been for a matter of seconds, but I was convinced and contented that my mother had returned to the home of her ancestors.

   To any sceptic, this may sound like the simple story telling of a sentimental or child, and perhaps there may be some truth to that. Our senses are capable of fabricating many things, but who is to say that even then, these experiences did not have an impact on the outlook of my and my family's understanding of life after death. Perhaps it helped us cope with this single and terrifying truth of humanity: that we all must expire. I am personally of the belief expounded by ghost enthusiasts:

   "If you don't believe in ghosts, you won't see them."

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Alive In The Land of Nod - Our Ancestors and the Dead In Our Dreams

Part One: Burial, Cremation, Excarnation, and the Respected Dead

Forward: This piece was written for a workshop I was to give over ancestors and the dead in our dreams. Due to an illness, I was unable to make the trip and give the workshop, but I'd like to share it here for my Druid friends and the curious to read.

   Life after death has captured the human imagination since we've had minds that could grasp the concept. Burials for the dead date back 300,000 years ago, the oldest being the mass grave of individuals in the ancient Karstic region of Spain. Evidence of ritual burial dates as far back as 100,000 years in Israel, where graves have been unearthed showing painted bones and graves adorned with mint, sage and flowers. Older evidence of such ritual and care of the dead may have yet to be discovered, but one thing is clear; the care of the dead has always been important to us.

   There are, of course, many logical reasons to having customs such as burial and cremation. The first and most obvious being the issue of cleanliness. Dead bodies are breading grounds for disease carrying insects and other more dangerous creatures which feed on carrion; but even carrion creatures have been venerated in cultures such as the Irish Celts, who saw crows and other death-eating birds as the mortal incarnations of Badb, one of the tutelary figures comprising the triple Goddess, The Morrigan.

    In Comanche, Tibetan, Zoroastrian, and some African traditions, the body is left out to be picked by birds, a process called excarnation. In Zoroastrianism, the bodies of the dead are seen as unclean and suseptable to demonic possession, which would result in pestulance, disease, and famine being spread wherever it would touch or visit. Thus came the concept of "The Tower of Silence"--a tower built with an open sky, far away from settlements, to allow the bodies of deceased Parsi to be picked clean by vultures. This ensures that the body does not contaminate the Sacred Elements. Hence, Cremation in Zoroastrianism has traditionally been banned.

   Among some Tibetan monks, the Sky Burial is seen as a means to return the body to the elements and is similar to the processs in Zoroastrianism; however, the body is left out in the open upon the mountains, where it may be taken by vultures as well as the elements. Many traditional African forms of Excarnation have been done away with, thanks to the advent of Christian missionaries who saw the practice as unclean and barbaric.

     In the Torah, blood should be returned to the ground once a body has expired, be it human or beast, as blood is seen as the sacred life force given to all living things through the grace of YHWH. "From dust you came and from dust you shall return." For similar reasons, the commandment against killing exists. It is not man's place to take the gift which YHWH has bestowed upon all living creatures. Exceptions were, of course, made for the ritual sacrifice of animals, but even this required great care, cleanliness, and ritual. Nothing was ever done lightly, and as it should be.

   Curiously, even medical lab cadavers can linger on to interact with the living. In "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers", Mary Roach describes students in Gross Anatomy Labs growing attached to the deceased with which they have worked. Many named their cadavers, and one girl observing a surgical procedure being performed on a decedant,  found herself unconsciously patting the arm of the body in question, silently reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. Further, the students of the Gross Anatomy Lab reported feeling sad when parts of their cadavers were taken away. Memorial services for their respective cadavers are held once their usefulness had been outlived, pun not intended. It is made clear, in Roach's account of the memorial, that the students sincerely viewed their training corpses as human beings with families who had truly touched many of the would-be-surgeons hearts during their time under the scalpel.

   So, as you can see, the world over we have had varying types of burial and care for the dead, but the fact remains that we go to great lengths to care for our fallen brothers and sisters. Why, however, is great care given to the dead? Many reasons can be given, from cleanliness to closure for the living, as well as procedures to ensure a good afterlife. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that we view the dead much the same as living people.

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Thoughts on the Wiccan Rede

Way back in 2015 (I know it wasn't that long ago, but with the current political climate, it feels like it's been decades.) I was in a Druidic grove affiliated with An Draiocht Fein. We talked about many things during my time there, but one that we came back to frequently was the Wiccan Rede. If you're an outsider, looking in and have fount his post, come from my Facebook, or otherwise are unfamiliar with the Rede it states this:

Bide the Witches' Rede ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Eight words the Rede thou must fulfill: An' it harm none, do as ye will. What ye send forth returns to thee, so ever mind the rule of three. Follow this with mind and heart, and merry ye meet and merry ye part.

In my Grove we contemplated one particular line of the Rede, perhaps as some might consider, the most important portion: An' it harm none, do as ye will. Even with he esoteric language, it is quite evident what this statement means--do what you will, but don't hurt anyone. Seems simple enough, methinks.

There were however, regular debates over this, the focal point of which being--can you really adhere to the Rede, since erring is human, and hurting someone happens by accident sometimes? Let's for a moment assume that the Rede is not talking about the Craft. What is it really saying?

I could always see the point folks in my Grove were attempting to make. Hurting people is inevitable. Sometimes, you say something you may have not meant as hurtful, but it hurt someone's feelings anyways. Have you broken the Rede by doing this? Are you a "bad Wiccan?" I don't think so, and I don't assume anyone reasonable would think so either.

In my personally opinion "Do what ye will, but harm none." is talking about intentional harm. We have all done things that accidentally hurt someone. We're humans, we mess up, but I think what's being spoken of here is the idea of intentionally hurting someone for some gain of your own, whether it be to gain power in a situation or to just bring someone down to your level.

That I think is where the next part of the Rede comes in:  What ye send forth returns to thee, so ever mind the rule of three. You hear even Christians and non-Wiccans say something similar to this sometimes. It's the basic power of Karma. Whatever you do comes back to you three fold, whether it be good or bad. It's a pretty big incentive to "Harm None" knowing that "Karma" will come back and bite you in the butt if you don't behave yourself, but I also tend to think we should want to do good for the sake of it.

This of course doesn't take into account instances where people are being attacked. For example, I'm very much not of the opinion that we should be tolerating hate speech, but I believe those instances are outstanding matters, which call to arms those with an ability or even a voice to fight back against these things; that is a different matter entirely. Fighting someone who is oppressing others is not unkindness, it is in fact the opposite.

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All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king

- JRR Tolkein 

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Witches and bugs! Please enjoy and thank you very much :)

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Pale light and the sound of crickets, searching in the muted dark

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Paweł  Bożek

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I’ve been having a war with myself recently, it’s an old war, a deep-seated conflict that began in my early childhood, and has coalesced recently into the perfect storm of anxiety and distress. Certainly, there are bigger things to worry about in this life, some say, than what God(s) you choose to worship. People who say that have a different approach to life, perhaps fundamentally simpler in its way, though knowing many of these people as I do, I know quite a few of them struggle in their own ways with the Great Beyond and the Big Question–perhaps not in the same sort of way I do, and I think that’s what makes them judge me the way they do.

And that’s where this struggle of mine comes into play. Judgment. You see, the vast majority of my family is Christian, and not just any flavor of Christian. They are evangelical, Wesleyans; which if you don’t know what that is, I will give a brief summary of what my experience growing up in it was. Basically, my grandfather preached about nothing but the End of Days, Jesus’ eventual return (I think I have “He will come as a thief in the night.” burned into my brain.) and the influence of Satan and his cohorts on the population. Every little thing that happened was seen as a sign of the end times, and of Lucifer’s ever growing hold over Earth and her children.

I don’t think I have to illustrate how much damage this does to a young mind. So you can imagine when I was called by Cernunnos, how frightened I was. This fear has not diminished, it has only grown.

It should be said that I am not scared of my Gods. I am scared of what Christians say about my Gods. I’m scared by the propaganda that says “All other Gods beside the One True are demons and you are inviting wickedness into your home by honoring them.” Why does it scare me? Because I spent the better part of my formative years deep in the clutches of Evangelicals. Because even though I have a relationship with my Gods, I have this nagging fear, programmed into me by all those years of hearing of fire and brimstone, end of days and the influence of satan.

And this is where my struggle comes into play.

It wasn’t so bad when my OCD was in remission. When I was able to shrug things off with practiced nonchalance, and stand beside my Pagan brothers and sisters with confidence, knowing that I’d never have to bow my head to any God ever again; but my mental health doesn’t allow for this anymore.

Now, I doubt and question everything, and along with that, I find those old fears that I had as a child, creeping back in. What if I am worshiping demons? What if I am inviting evil into my home?

These doubts forced me to become an atheist for a while–well over a year. Two, three years. I don’t know how long my altar sat untouched. I feared it too much to go back. I was scared of those ‘what if’ thoughts creeping back in. Christianity has an interesting way of answering all questions with fallacies. People in my family might tell me I have those doubts because it’s “God’s way of trying to pull be back into his flock.” So why then do these episodes of doubt coincide only with OCD flares? Why would God choose to lead through fear if he is all loving and all knowing? I don’t believe this answer is the true one.

The question I ask myself a lot is–can OCD coexist with religion? I don’t know if it can. Religion is of course not the absence of doubt, it’s the acceptance of it, and maybe that’s what I need to remember. None of us know fully what’s on the other side of veil, but maybe if we threw less hatred at each other, we could begin to heal.

I have experiences with my Gods that show that they are benevolent, that they have my best interest at heart. That they want me to succeed and they want to see me happy and loved. I know the Morrigan has been with me, protecting me my whole life from instances that could have killed me otherwise. I know that Cernunnos sees purpose in me, that the Dagda sees me as his child–that they love and guide me, and keep me safe. These are things that I know, because I have seen their influence in my life.

Christians who say these things about our Gods–that they are devils in disguise–are scared. They are scared because their faith teaches them that anything other, anything not of their narrow scope is wicked and evil. It’s no surprise that they see my Gods as shapechanging demons, ensnaring me and others with the promise of power.

I think this thought comes from a fundamentally flawed understanding of our Gods. I do not pray for power, or for the ability to dominate others. I do not seek to control the wills of others, or to manipulate others for my own gain. When I pray, I pray for the same things Christians pray for. Protection, strength, hope, compassion, healing. Certainly, there are pagans who do seek power, and do seek to dominate others with their positions and titles, but are there not Christians cut from this same cloth?

Evil comes in all forms, in every walk of life–Christian, pagan or otherwise. There is good and bad in everything, light and darkness in all things. The choices we make decide once and for all who we are, not the Gods that we pray to. Let us not forget that some of the worst atrocities in the world have been committed by Christians. It’s a wound that hurts the entire religion, but that doesn’t mean that all Christians are inherently evil. In the end, it’s up to their actions to determine that.

All I can know for sure is how I choose to interact with the world and what I choose is this; An’ ye harm none, do what ye will.