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| Home > News Archive > August 2005 | Search |
| August 2005 |
| Connections With Deity? Posted Friday, August 26, 2005 7:59 PM by Randall |
How do you connect with your deity? Is your relationship more with the
heart (love), mind (philosophical/educational), or soul (preparing self
for the afterlife) ?
Did your relationship start with one aspect that naturally flowed into
another area, or do you feel more comfortable keeping it on one level?
| A Question About 'Lineage' Posted Friday, August 26, 2005 7:57 PM by Randall |
I've got a question for either Wiccans or those that follow a system
which involves 'lineage'. Since I just belong to the unroyal order of
peasant pagan (yes, I know that's a tautology) heretics, I can't figure
out the answer to this.
I know someone who makes claims to having a 'lineage' , I suspect from a
Gardnerian line. However, it is not them who has this, but the
person they are married to.
They trade on this a lot and infact use this to uphold a position of
authority in their coven. I just can't see how this could be 'legit',
but maybe there is some loop hole I'm unaware of? I mean, can one
'aquire' it through some kind of 'spiritual osmosis', or, 'not the rose
but near the rose'?
| Fiction Based Religions? Posted Thursday, August 25, 2005 7:21 AM by Randall |
I was just struck by a side comment in the thread about the comparative
history of the Lord of the Rings about starting a religion based on a
book.
I can think of one or two examples of this; one group who base their
beliefs on Robert E Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land and possibly
L.Ron Hubbards lot (although in their case the books seem to have
followed the philosophy).
There's also film/TV related spirituality, like the small but
significant group who put 'Jedi' in the religion box in the last UK
census.
Are there any other fiction based religions out there?
| What Do Your Deities Look Like? Posted Thursday, August 25, 2005 7:20 AM by Randall |
What do you imagine the deities that you worship look like? Do you have
a physical description in mythology or other religious sources that you
use or do you rely mainly on your own insight?
Do you think deities tend to appear to humans in basically the same form
(or groups of forms) or do you think they often appear very differently
from one person to the next?
| Your Most Essential Pagan Web Site Posted Thursday, August 25, 2005 7:18 AM by Randall |
Other than The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum (and WitchVox as it is so popular
and well-known), what Pagan web site do you consider essential -- and
why? I'm not asking for the web site you think is most essential to
Pagans in general, but the one most essential to you personally.
| Webcrafting: Pagan Friendly Web Hosting Posted Monday, August 22, 2005 11:05 AM by Randall |
If you have looked for an affordable web host for a Pagan site, you know
how hard it can be to find a web host that is affordable enough,
powerful enough, and reliable enough but has terms of service that are
Pagan-friendly. Many affordable web hosts have terms of service that
make it very easy for those who oppose Pagan religions to get a site
removed from the web.
There are some affordable web hosts who ban Pagan sites outright. They
obviously are not Pagan-friendly. But there are many more subtle content
policy traps. For example, most affordable web hosts ban "adult
material." This sounds reasonable -- and even Pagan-Friendly -- until
you realize that adult material is far broader than just "porn." Does
your site have a picture of some ancient statue of a God with bare
breasts? That might be considered "adult material" if some Fundie
complains. Do you mention, or link to a site that mentions, the "Great
Rite'? Some web hosts would consider that adult material. Want to post a
review of a book on sex magick? Some web hosts might consider that
"adult material" if someone complained. Free hosts are usually even
worse with their terms of service and your viewers often have to put up
with all sorts of ads: banner ads, pop-up ads, pop-under ads, and
whatever else the free web hosting company can think of.
There are many other options. As you probably know, this site
(ecauldron.com) hosts with Dreamhost
and the webmaster highly recommends it as it has the best combination of
low cost, features, reliability, tech support, and few content
restrictions he has found. (Read more about why we host with Dreamhost here.)
Lunar Pages is another
affordable web host with few content restrictions. Unfortunately, this
about exhausts the "ideal" options. However, there are a large number of
other low cost web hosts to choose from if you do not think your content
will be much of a problem.
| Webcrafting: Nvu Review Posted Monday, August 22, 2005 11:00 AM by Randall |
Ongoing growth in the availability of strong open source applications
encourage keeping an eye out for Open Source alternatives to commercial
applications. With the release of Nvu there is a potential alternative
to FrontPage, GoLive and Dreamweaver as a graphical web editor.
This review is written for a non-professional web developer. A
non-professional web developer is expected to have a mandate to create
the web-site, comfort with 'publishing and design' concepts, and a light
understanding of HTML and CSS editing. This developer relies on the
graphical tool to guide the site creation, and perform the heavy lifting
in terms of HTML coding. Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe GoLive and
Dreamweaver provide the comparison. Nvu 1 (20050620), Windows version
was used in this review.
| Webcrafting: Creating Your Online News Room Posted Monday, August 22, 2005 10:58 AM by Randall |
From time to time, people ask me how public relations has changed during
the two decades in which I've been seeking publicity. My answer:
technology. Twenty years ago, the fax machine was a newfangled novelty.
Our primary means of communicating with journalists was the telephone
and the US Mail. The advent of e-mail and the web has made life easier
in many regards and tougher in others - namely, thanks to hordes of
clowns with money making schemes and software that "blasts" press
releases indiscriminately to reporters, it's become very hard to get
your e-mails through to spam-weary reporters. But there's another great
advantage provided to publicity seekers by the Internet -- the ability
to create an "online news room".
| Year of Crafting: Week 1: Animals Posted Monday, August 22, 2005 7:46 AM by Randall |
This week's crafting project is animals: Here is a list of ideas
and questions to get your creativity flowing:
Consider animals abstractly - pattern, texture, color, movement.
There are many animal similes and references in English (and other
languages too.) Make a piece inspired by one of these.
Are there any animals that are meaningful to you? Do you have an animal
guide? Make a piece to honor them.
Llama! (It's my friend's fault, I promise.)
Make a piece inspired by your pet, or the pet you'd like to have.
Good luck and happy crafting!
| "Guest Appearance" from a Deity? Posted Monday, August 22, 2005 7:42 AM by Randall |
Do you think a deity can make a one-off visit to someone depending on
the person's need? I mean, is there a difference between being
'thwapped' ( and hence a 'request') to follow a certain pantheon, and
say, a visit from a 'specialist'? Certain deities are associated with
certain 'talents' or areas of specialization so would be more
appropriate to some needs than others.
For example ,many people over the ages have referred to a visit from a
muse. And though they speak of it in an 'sudden inspiration' way, it could
be taken as litteral. So many artists have said that they felt something
'come through them, not from them' or speak as if they were creating for
this something and felt more like they were just a conduit for it.
Indeed, some have said they couldn't repeat a work, because they didn't
feel they had done it! Which makes it seem more like an 'outside'
influence.
Now I know that there are a kajillion 'mundane' explanations based on
'receptive' states of mind and such. But I was wondering if anyone
thought it might be something more? It would even be interesting if they
were picking it up from another person. However, from what I've read,
these 'inspirations' frequently feel like something from the past (so,
maybe a 'spirit' hanging about), or maybe.......?
If it is however something more, a 'greater spirit' shall we say, that
makes me wonder. Some people have written that deity chooses a person
for their needs, not the person's needs. Do people think this is always
the case? Or maybe, if one is engaged in activities that are in a
deities 'sphere', they are more likely to run into them?
| Welcome Osthein to Cauldron Council Posted Friday, August 19, 2005 8:08 PM by Randall |
The Hosts are pleased to announce that Osthein has agreed to come on
board Cauldron Staff as a member of Cauldron Council. We'd like to
welcome Osthein to Cauldron Council and we hope y'all will join us in
doing so.
| Welcome Everfool to Board Staff Posted Friday, August 19, 2005 8:05 PM by Randall |
Everfool has been kind enough (or is that foolish enough) to accept an
offer from the Senior Staff and Hosts to hang up his Threadspinner title
and take on the new job of a member of our message board staff. I'd like
to welcome Everfool to Cauldron staff and I hope y'all will join me in
doing so.
| Are Gods Moral Beings? Posted Friday, August 19, 2005 8:01 PM by Randall |
In another thread, a poster said this: "Truely - and I realize I am
contridicting myself - it is hard to imagine a god that is either good
or bad - god or gods just are what they are and it is our perception
that makes them good or bad. But again that is just a thought I am
having at the moment."
I think this brings up an interesting question -- are deities subject to
moral standards? Are those standards the same as human moral standards?
Is there such a think as a "bad" God?
| Hoodoo? Posted Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:21 AM by Randall |
I've never been much of a magic user, but recently, I've found myself
drawn more and more to studying hoodoo, not as an academic, but as a
practitioner. Part of this was sparked by my recent move to an old, very
Southern house in a traditionally African-American part of town; this
part of Florida is Zora Neale Hurston country, and there's a long
tradition of folk magic around here. While I'm a Hellenic Pagan by
religion, I've really become entranced by this *locality*, as a basis
for magic. Joshua and Darkhawk have both spoken eloquently on the
importance of place, and I'm feeling a very strong pull to follow the
local traditions, which are rich and fascinating. Not that I have any
intention of abandoning my gods, just... in this place, lodestone and
High John the Conqueror seem more right, and more potent, as magical
tools. It works here.
I've got some basic knowledge of the scholarship on hoodoo -- I wrote a
paper on the subject during my MA, and own a couple of the more famous
texts, like Hurston's Mules and Men. If you have scholarly
recommendations, i'd love to have them; however, what I'd really like to
know are your recommendations for practical study. I'm in the midst of
exploring Cat Yronwode's Lucky Mojo site, and am very impressed, to the
point that I'm considering signing up for her course. What are your
opinions?
| Traditional Since Last Tuesday? Posted Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:18 AM by Randall |
How do you feel about using the word "tradition" to refer to varieties
of worship or practice that started up or significantly deviated from
some other group in the past 10-ish years? It seems to be the standard
term for a specific way of being pagan, regardless of how long it has
been around.
Much of what my group does is loosely based on older folk customs some
of us do enough research to be accepted as recons (but for our crazy
heretical practices), yet we are not in any way a reconstructionist
tradition and we’re quite clear that we’re making this up as we go
along. It is wildly speculative recreation of a time and culture that
never was. It is a tradition that begins with us.
We've been known to joke that something is "traditional" if we've done
it more than once... or if it went over so well that we're sure to do it
again. We'll refer to the "traditional customs of our people... whoever
the heck they are..."
But if I use "tradition" to refer to the collective continuing practices
of my group, then it follows to use "traditional" to describe those
practices, regardless of their vintage.
| God, Goddess, Deity... Posted Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:16 AM by Randall |
Everywhere in the Cauldron, people bandy about the word god, goddess,
deity, etc. But quite often we're using the same word to refer to
different concepts. Our religious beliefs are our own, but for the word
"god", etc. to have any real meaning there has to be a common frame of
reference.
What exactly is it? What exactly separates the "god" from "not-god"?
Is it the nature of the thing itself? Does the word "god" refer to some
form of divine energy? But this hardly seems all-encompassing, because
some people believe gods to not be entities in their own right.
Is it the aspect of worship? Does something that is worshipped merit the
moniker of "god"? In that case, what exactly constitutes worship?
Is it importance to our lives? Are the central aspects of our lives
gods? If so, shouldn't there be gods like Money and Family or Internet
Connection?
If a god is simply some creature awesomely powerful, what makes it
different from, say, a demon? Why is one spirit "god" and the other not?
Is the question even answerable, seeing as many of us approach it from
different premises? Or am I missing the obvious here?
| Something Queer About Magick? Posted Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:15 AM by Randall |
How does one's sexuality affect magic? I'm curious as to how different
traditions would view the matter (if it mattered at all to them). In
your opinion, are there differences between the straight and gay magic
user when casting spells? Must spells cast on the non-hetero be tailored
somehow? Are there certain magical rituals only available to straight
people, and vice versa?
| Introducing the Year of Crafting! Posted Monday, August 15, 2005 8:57 PM by Randall |
What is the Year of Crafting?
An opportunity to show your creations to others, to get feedback, and
exchange tips and techniques - maybe even trade pieces.
Every Sunday we (Garnet and Eihdos) will create a new thread in the
Crafts and Hobbies folder, describing the theme of the week - it might
be something like "Blue" or "Magical creatures". Your job is to create
something - be it a piece of jewelry, soaps or candles, computer
graphics, something embroidered or something carved in wood, or even a
recipe - associated with that theme, and share it with the rest of us.
We got the idea for this project from the Creative Wire Jewelry forum at
Delphi. Too see what one participant made during their Year of Jewelry,
see Eni Oken's blog.
http://enioken.com/jewelry/yoj1_13.html
Do I have to create a piece every week?
No. The Year of Crafting is supposed to be about fun, learning, and
inspiration, not about stress and performance anxiety. And while it
might be possible for some of the the jewelry makers to show something
new every week, others do work-intensive projects like chain-mail armor
or quilts.
Where do I post pictures?
In the designated threads in the Crafts and Hobbies folder. You can post
pictures as attachments, but we prefer that you post links to your
pictures instead, if possible. We want those on dial-up to be able to
read the discussions too.
If you don't have web space for your pictures, use a free image hosting
service such as Photobucket or XS.
http://www.photobucket.com/
I think your themes suck. Does this mean I can't join the YoC?
While we're crushed and devasted to hear that you don't like our themes,
we still want your participation. Choose your own themes and create
away. :)
http://xs.to/
| Mixed Religion Relationships? Posted Monday, August 15, 2005 8:53 PM by Randall |
I'm a pagan: Taoist, self-studying Druidry, practicing magic/kitchen
witchery -- and the new boyfriend is an Episcopalian.
We've dicussed the differences between us concerning religion. He is ok
with my path and I am ok with his. There is sort of a Prime Directive
(non interference) thing between us.
My question for The Cauldron masses is: have any of you been in a
mixed-religion relationship? What are the negatives that can crop up?
| Developing Will Posted Saturday, August 13, 2005 10:02 PM by Randall |
The term "will" is thrown out a lot in discussions of magic and what
makes it work.
In the magic 101 books that I've read, though, I've never seen a
comprehensive explanation of how to develop will. I've seen some
exercises in CM books (Regardie's Middle Pillar, IIRC).
So, how do you develop will? And is this a useful exercise for someone
like me, who doesn't practice much, if any magic?
| Being Out? Posted Friday, August 12, 2005 10:10 PM by Randall |
All right, this may sound silly, but what exactly does it mean to
be "out" in my community? I sometimes wear a pentacle (yes, outside my
clothes) but when someone asks me my religion (my doctor, for example),
I say nothing. Some of my closest friends know my beliefs, but I don't
volunteer that information to strangers, I mean, why should I?
| Cauldron Member Handbook Update -- August 2005 Posted Friday, August 12, 2005 2:45 PM by Randall |
A new and expanded edition of the Cauldron Member Handbook is now out.
The major addition for this version is illustrated (with screen shots)
documentation on basic message board use. This should help new members,
who are not used to our somewhat different message board software, learn
to use our forum.
Other changes include other minor additions (like a staff list) rules
revisions, other minor updates, and is slightly reorganized to make
things easier to find. If you have the July edition (1.5.0) you can
probably manage without downloading this edition -- unless you are
having trouble getting the hang of the message board and would like the
new docs. This version is about a 525K download -- it's a zipped Acrobat
(PDF) file.
| Review: Reclaiming the Commons Posted Thursday, August 11, 2005 7:53 AM by Randall |
One of the reviewers of this book on Amazon.com describes it as
"radically conservative", and I think they struck the heart of it in a
weird sort of way. Reclaiming the Commons deals with the layers
of history and the ways "the old days" actually worked -- and in which
they worked better than the present day. Donahue portrays himself as a
radical environmentalist who was, to put it bluntly, shocked into
actually dealing with the needs to adapt modern life to ecological
responsibility realistically, addressing the needs of modern humans and
the consequences and responsibilities of modern technology.
| Making Gods Fit the Maiden-Mother-Crone Construct? Posted Wednesday, August 10, 2005 10:43 PM by Randall |
How is it decided which goddess fit where in a Maiden-Mother-Crone
construct? What qualities make Brighid for example, a maiden and not a
mother?
Also how are Gods placed into the corresponding roles in regards to the
Wheel of the Year? I recently read a bit online that used the Wiccan
Wheel of the Year holidays, some Irish Gods and so on, but the roles
were unrecognizable to me.
Does a goddess have to be somebody's mother to be a Mother Goddess? I'm
really wanting to understand this concept. Any help would be appreciated.
| What Have You Been Harvesting? Posted Wednesday, August 10, 2005 10:41 PM by Randall |
It's that time of year that I kind of like to look around, and see what
I have accomplished during the year. I like to think of it as my
Personal Harvest.
So far this year, I have been keeping up with my Yoga a lot better,
getting more exercise, and eating better. I have also noticed that a lot
of the Personal Rituals I have worked on through the year have had a
very positive effect... I have been more accepting of change, and had
very little anxiety. I still would like to get over my insomnia, but I
am beginning to think I need to see a Dr. about that.
So... What have you Harvested this year?
| New CafePress Product Line: Magickal Childe Posted Tuesday, August 09, 2005 9:49 PM by Randall |
Do you have -- or know -- a magickal childe? Thanks to the donation of a
wonderful piece of art by Seichi (SEICHIMAT), we have a new line of
clothing and gift items for you and your "magickal childe" in our
CafePress Sift Shop.
| Religious Significance of Food? Posted Tuesday, August 09, 2005 9:40 PM by Randall |
Are there any dishes that have a religious (or magical or spiritual)
significance to you? When do you eat them? How do you make them?
| Moral Absolutes? Posted Tuesday, August 09, 2005 9:38 PM by Randall |
I was thinking about this yesterday after reading the “Sacred Sex” and
“What is Sacred” threads. The point came up several times about
something being sacred that is not necessarily right or wrong. And
morality in general has been touched on in the past but not like this...
What are some specific things that we all can agree are Morally Wrong
regardless of your particular faith?
What are some things that may seem Immoral on the surface but that may
have a gray area or exceptions?
For example – I would contend that Rape is absolutely morally wrong and
it is difficult/impossible to find any gray area. On the other hand,
stealing may seem absolutely wrong – but what about the starving man
that steals bread to feed his family or the lie told to spare someones
feelings?
I am curious as to your views. And remember – I am looking for logical
reasons for something being wrong, not faith based reasons such as my
god said so, etc. It should something that everyone can agree is either
a Moral Absolute or a Moral gray area that is for the most part wrong.
| Energy Recuperation? Posted Monday, August 08, 2005 10:25 PM by Randall |
At this festival I was at, I ended up doing a lot more energy work
(largely of the grounding and centering sort of thing, with some
shielding and smoothing stuff) than I'm used to doing. (Or rather, than
I'm used to doing intensively over that long a period of time. The cool
thing was that I did manage to do it all.)
I was very sensible and did my best to get lots of sleep (including two
3 hour naps on Saturday), and eat sensibly, and all of that. And I'm
actually surprisingly functional today, which is good.
But now that I'm home, it occured to me to ask: what do you all do when
that kind of thing comes up? Beyond the general 'Be kind to your body,
drink lots of water' sort of advice. Any particular knacks you've picked
up?
| Co-Religionists You Would Like to Disown Posted Monday, August 08, 2005 10:21 PM by Randall |
Every religion has them...those folks that make your religion look bad,
and make you just want to scream. They range from the very dangerous
(like Osama bin Laden) to the just plainly annoying (like Silver
Ravenwolf). They don't have to be famous either. It could just be that
person letting her kids beat the crap out of each other while she
answers her cell phone during Circle.
Who would you like to disown? Why would you like to disown them? (If you
are thinking of a specific person, please do not mention the real name
of the person.)
| Message Board Profile Update Posted Monday, August 08, 2005 2:24 PM by Randall |
We have added a new (fourth) section to TC Profiles: Online. This
section gives you a place to enter (if and only if you wish to) your
instant messenger ids (AIM, ICQ, MSNM, Skype, and Y!M), your CauldronMUX
ID, your eBay ID and links to your blog, your Livejournal, your website,
your photo gallery (Flickr or the like) and a link to your MySpace.com
profile. [Note: very few people will have ALL of these. :)]
Remember that any info you enter in this section (and the rest of your
profile) can be seen by anyone who clicks on your name in a message
header, in the gusest list, or the like. So don't put anything in your
profile that you do not want the world to be able to see.
HOW TO ENTER/CHANGE PROFILE DATA:
You can enter or change information in your profile by logging on to our
message board and selecting "My Controls" from the top menu line and
then selecting "User Profile" from the left option pane. Remember to
scroll down and press the save button if you add or change any info.
| Cauldron and Candle #61 Available Posted Sunday, August 07, 2005 10:16 PM by Randall |
The August 2005 issue (#61) of the Cauldron and Candle newsletter has
been sent to over 2400 subscribers and is now available on our web site.
The editor skipped the July issue because of burnout and this new issue
is the first in a much more streamlined format that is far less work to
produce.
| Offerings of Thanks? Posted Sunday, August 07, 2005 9:59 PM by Randall |
My family has been in some pretty dire financial situations here
recently. I was faced with the options last month of whether to pay the
electric bill or be short on the rent, in other words. I spent alot of
time praying for help, and it came!
Now, I feel that considerable thanks are in order. I pray to a
Wiccan-type God and Goddess, who are still nameless to me, so I don't
expect any specific instructions, since none of you know my Deities
preferences, but what would you do? In your religion, are specific
offerings of thanks in order, or is a simple heartfelt prayer of thanks
sufficient? If an offering is in order, what does your Diety expect or
enjoy?
| What is 'Sacred'? Posted Sunday, August 07, 2005 9:55 PM by Randall |
I was reading a post tonight and 'the word' :-) came up again. The word
of course, is 'sacred'. Is it some lack in me that wonders why humans
have to 'contextulize' (I know that's not a word:B )everything and give
every little thing a reason? Even if one believes their human self to be
by default 'sacred', does that mean all our activities are as
well? I don't see how it can be any other way. Or I should say, I don't
understand how people parse out this quality of sacredness in the ways
that they do. This dialogue started running through my head (Nurse!
Meds. over here!) and it is an example of the circuity one can get
caught in: (oh, no offence intended ):
Profane: DAMN! I gotta go shopping today.
So, how do people 'allot' 'sacredness' to things? Why do people
allot sacredness to things, and why some things but not others? What is
it based on?
Or, to put it another way - what is 'sacred', what is not, why and why
not? (If at all)
Sacred: Do not curse that
which is sacred.
Profane: Shopping is 'sacred'?.
Sacred: Of
course, it supplies you with food.
Profane: Yeah, I know. It doesn't
make shopping sacred.
Sacred: But without food...
Profane: I'd
die. I got that far, thanks. But it's still work.
Sacred: But work is
sacred for it supplies the food.
Profane: I was thinking of the time
and hassle of going to the store.
Sacred: But work supplies the food
that enables you to work. Walk with joy!
Profane: I was thinking of
taking the car.
Sacred: It's the journey that counts, not the vessel.
Profane:
But cars pollute the earth that supplies the food.
Sacred : I believe
stores have delivery services. Walk.
Profane: I see, it's more
'sacred' to let someone ELSE pollute?.
Sacred : You are avoiding the
issue. Don't curse shopping.
Profane: Why not? and drop the 'circle
of life thing' . I hated the 'Lion King'.
Sacred: All things are
sacred, because you are sacred.
Profane: So, everything I do is
'sacred' ? What about eliminating personal waste?
Sacred: Ever been
constipated?
Profane: O.K., I'll give you that one, but when is
something NOT sacred?
Sacred: Never.
Profane: So, should I pick up
the dry-cleaning as well?
| Sources of Herb Lore? Posted Saturday, August 06, 2005 10:26 PM by Randall |
Does anyone know of a good, reliable book on herb lore? Or any ancient
texts (like the Odyssey, though I dunno if it has herb lore) that might
touch on the subject? I'm wary of following anything I have that
mentions herbs. My books are all of the 101 variety, and I'm pretty sure
at least two are 'fluffy'. Wouldn't want to use an herb for, say,
protection and then find out, "hey, this one really attracts smelly
people!"
| Amber Runes? Posted Saturday, August 06, 2005 10:24 PM by Randall |
I've been looking for a set of amber runes forever, and I was wondering
if anyone has ever seen any, either online or in a store? I've seen lots
of the amber onyx, but I'm looking for actual amber. I'm getting the
feeling I'm going to have to make them myself- which, really, wouldn't
be a bad idea anyways. Has anyone here ever worked with amber, and know
how easy/difficult it would be to carve it?
| Then and Now, Us or Them? Posted Friday, August 05, 2005 6:55 PM by Randall |
Some of the recent threads got me to thinking. (yeah...be very afraid of
being bored to death...run now) Most of us here at the Cauldron
read. A lot. We read about the tradition we follow, if such material is
available, we read about the divinities that we feel thumped by, we read
about what others are doing and why so-and-so thinks its great/crap/or
only tolerable.
And here is what I got to thinking. In some of the Recon discussions it
has come up that nobody realistically expects to go sacrifice a 100 head
of cattle to their Gods; but at the same time, recons and others put a
lot of effort into finding out how TO worship in modern times. And how
it was done in the distant past always plays in, not only how to
worship, but how the deities in question were seen and defined. And from
my totally unverifiable UPG, I have found that some of the definitions I
have read of various beings is nothing like what I have felt. So how do
we know, when being so studiously devout, that what we read really
does describe a particular God or Goddess?
What we are reading, after all, is the perception of another human...as
fallable as we ourselves. I often see pagans dismiss the Bible, for
instance...as 'written by men with agendas'. Why would pagan writers be
any different? Why are some of the books we peruse for our faiths be any
different?
Its not that I would ignore those tomes, I think books have value...but
that being then, and we are firmly stuck in now, I have to
look askance occasionally. It sometimes is as simple as knowing the moon
is a chunk of stone, not a glowing goddess; we have the science to be
skeptics in far more concrete manner than the Greeks who originated the
word! And then, there must be differences between how the original
writers would have viewed or explained things, as well....some of that
is clear when they disagree with each other even when nearly
contemporary.
So, I am curious, how do the rest of you reconcile the disjunct in time
and technology, in science and history...its not that I thing the folks
back then were primitive idiots.
I don't... I think they were capable of the exact level of reasoning
that we are; but came to their conclusion based (as our conclusions are
as well) on the limits of their own age's science and cultural taboos.
And does anyone else ever read something, very authoritatively written
and just go "Oh, give me a freakin' break..that is absurd!"
| Magickal Inks? Posted Thursday, August 04, 2005 10:15 PM by Randall |
I keep seeing magickal inks for sale online. I suppose it would be
easier to just buy some, but I'd rather make my own if I could. Problem
is, I'm not sure how one goes about making ink of any kind. I've found a
few ink "recipes" online, but I don't know which ones to try. Some of
them say you can make ink out of poke berries. Has anyone tried this? Do
you have to add anything to the juice? I ask because I've got poke
growing outside my window and it'd be nice if I could find a use for it.
Also, if the main ingredient in an ink is berry juice, does it ever 'go
bad'? How long does that stuff keep? What kind of container should it be
stored in? I'd really appreciate any help with this.
| Supernatural Hierarchies? Posted Thursday, August 04, 2005 10:13 PM by Randall |
In the "Demonic Hauntings?" thread the original poster asked how you
know what you're dealing with on the spiritual side. I agree with
various other posters that it's a matter of feel. However, it reminded
me of a book I've been going through for a while called Working with
Angels, Fairies and Nature Spirits (or similar) which really brought
into question where the dividing line is between one kind of spirit
entity and another.
The author of the book generally thinks in terms of devas, lumping all
the entities he works with into that category and describing them as
being of various degrees of power and influence, hence you might have a
deva of an atom or a deva of a planet.
What do you think, is the difference between a vegetation spirit and a
god merely a matter of size? Are they all pretty much the same thing
merely having different functions? Do some have personality and others
not? Or are the various beings very different indeed, like different
genuses?
What about hierarchies? Are all the fae subservient to the Earth
Goddess? Are there hierarchies within the realm of the fae?
Also, what about angels - are they just a new age flavour of the month
or do they really exist and what's the difference between an angel and a
fairy or a god?
| When Bad Things Happen? Posted Tuesday, August 02, 2005 10:14 PM by Randall |
In the differing Pagan religions, what are reasons for bad, awful,
tragic things happening to good people? I am working with a child who
has a form of dystrophy that will kill him. Parents are religious, and
mom said the old "God doesn't give us more than we can handle". I am
glad for her that that works for the family, that they take comfort. I
also know many who have not been able to handle the hard things in life
-- the streets and mental instutions are full of them, not to mention
the suicides...
This is probably unanswerable, but I am wondering (to be clear), if any
of the Pagan religions try to answer this...
| The Goddess' Portion? Posted Tuesday, August 02, 2005 10:11 PM by Randall |
This is really directed at the crafty folks on The Cauldron. Especially
those who sell their wares. Do you find that the Goddess takes her 'cut'
of the stuff you sell.
I've recently started glass engraving and I took a load of my stuff to a
convention in the north of England a few weeks back. It being mostly
fine glasswear I expected the Goddess to take one piece and she did.
It was a unique piece because I'd found the glass in a thrift shop, a
very fine tulip shaped stemmed glass which I'd turned into a chalice by
engraving the Uffington white horse image (like my sig) on it and then
engraved around the top the names of the various celtic and germanic
horse goddesses. When I pulled it out of the packaging the glass cracked
around the top and I was left holding a perfect circlet of glass with
the goddess names on and a pile of smashed glass on the floor.
I didn't mind because I'd been expecting it, although I was sad to see
the glass break. Strangely enough the coven who arranged the convention
have Epona as their patron deity.
| Shadow Chatting in CauldronMUX Tuesday! Posted Tuesday, August 02, 2005 8:46 AM by Randall |
Yes, campers, I'm yet again spending a day in the MUX waiting for a
doctor's appointment! So please, come keep me company as we chat the day
away. I will be in the lounge, and my puppet FluffBun will be in the
entry for those people that want to show up as a guest and look around.
| Lammas/Lughnasadh Posted Monday, August 01, 2005 8:25 PM by Randall |
It's the Celtic holiday/Wiccan sabbat Lughnasadh, and I thought a
discussion thread would be appropriate. Does anyone keep this holiday?
How do you celebrate? What's its significance to you?
I've read that Wiccans celebrate Lughnasadh, but I'm actually not
exactly sure why, since the holiday seems to center around an Irish god,
Lugh. Would one of our Wiccan members mind explaining this?
| Paganism as a "Role-Playing Game"? Posted Monday, August 01, 2005 8:24 PM by Randall |
Have you run into "Pagans" (especially in real life) that treat their
path as a role-playing game? What I mean is; they have all the
accessories (capes, cloaks, athemes, chalice, books, etc) but they are
clueless as to the faith part of it?
I see them constantly online and usually ignore them, but it is harder
when I go to a Pagans Night Out event and they are sitting there,
holding forth on the correct way to pins ones cloak, etc., but they have
no clue as to their own path other than what some book has said. And
usually a really pitiful book at that. They seem to use their path as a
fashion accessory.
Then you see them 6 months later... and they have jumped ship from
whatever trad or path they were on to a different one... three months
later, it'll be something else... sigh. I am not talking about teens
here, I know a 50 year old man that does this! Drives me nuts.
How do you handle this?
| Healing Deities Posted Monday, August 01, 2005 8:22 PM by Randall |
I am interested in experiences people have had with deities that are
traditionally known as healing deities. Has anyone had health problems
that you believe have been made better by contact with certain deities?
I am especially interested in accounts relating to Celtic deities.