Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Pagan Timeline


When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an Earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a Mother Goddess and Father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. Our bible is the wind and the rain.  We respect life, cherish the free will of living beings and accept the sacredness of all creation.

We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. We have a sense of humor. We don't want to convert you. And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the same right we give you--to live in peace.



Pagan Timeline: the good and bad.  If you scroll towards the bottom you will see the Modern Witch Hunts in South Africa.  For the New Year, if you need a project or group, support the women in Africa.



Pagan Timeline
 






 




Saturday, November 23, 2013

A Year and a Day


Leading any type of spiritual life can be a difficult path.  In Wicca, it is traditional to take a journey of at least a year and a day to discover what Wicca is all about before deciding whether or not to dedicate yourself to this path.  Although Wicca is a beautiful religion that celebrates nature and our place in it, it is not the only path.

Although the year and the day rule for initiates is most commonly found in Wicca, it occasionally appears in other Pagan paths as well.  This time period is based upon a number of early European traditions.  In some feudal societies, if a serf ran away and was absent from his Lord's holdings for a year and a day, he was automatically considered a free man.  In Scotland, a couple who lived together as husband and wife for a year and a day were accorded all the privileges of marriage, whether or not they were formally wed. 
Many solitaries choose to study for this time, prior to any sort of self-dedication ritual.  If you recently became part of a group, this time period is enough that you and the group's other members can get to know one another.  It's also a time in which you can familiarize yourself with the concepts and principles of the coven.

Before you embark on telling the World that you have spent the last Year and a Day working on your path studies; think, will those who I tell this to take me seriously.  Can I really hold my own when questioned about what I have learned?  Am I still unsure about the names and purposes of Deity?  Do I understand that there is much more to learn and that I have only scratched the tip of the iceberg?

Even after a Year and a Day, a Wiccan never ceases to learn.  I have been learning for years.  This past year I decided to try a blog.  To share my research and help others find their path.  Sometimes it is good to go back to basics and remember where you started so you can continue in the future.  Others study by books, interviews, traveling, meditating or numerous other ways. 

Just remember to keep things simple.  Our lives doesn’t revolve around Wicca, it’s only a part of it.  Nothing has to be fancy, elaborate, or complicated.  You don’t need fancy tools, a decorative altar, a candle of every color or an expensive leather Book of Shadows.  All you need is “me, myself and I” to work true magic.  All the “stuff” comes with time.


Some great books to start with could be:

¥      The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews by Scott Cunningham

¥      The Wicca Handbook by Eileen Holland

¥      Wicca: A Year and a Day by Timothy Roderick

¥      Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation by Silver Ravenwolf

¥      The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

¥      The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft by Denise Zimmermann and Katherine A. Gleason


And this has been my Year and a Day, again.  I hope I helped some readers explore deeper into their path or helped others start their journey.  I'm not sure where I'll take this blog next.  There are numerous other deities, concepts, paths and more that I could post about.  Maybe I'll just do a post on the Sabbats of rituals.  Or maybe I'll just post as I find things.  Leave a comment below if you have a topic to explore or other ideas.  Or click on "no comments" to bring up the comment box.  The comment will not show right away but it would be great to add others input.  I do not know much outside of Norse Wicca but ask away.  Enjoy your path and thank you for reading along!

 

 

"I am Pagan. I am a part of the whole of Nature. The Rocks, the Animals, the Plants, the Elements, and Stars are my relatives. Other humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors, genders, sexual orientations, ages, nationalities, religions, lifestyles. Planet Earth is my home. I am a part of this large family of Nature, not the master of it. I have my own special part to play and I seek to discover and play that part to the best of my ability. I seek to live in harmony with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect.  So may it be!"   ~ Selena Fox



Friday, November 22, 2013

A Year in Review!

So, what have we learned over the past year?...

Eight Guidelines / Principles:
1. A free and responsible search for Truth and meaning.
It is a word that holds so much in its definition and includes such a wide variety of moral and philosophical beliefs that many are drawn to it as a simple statement of what to stand for.  In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character.
Laguz l-rune , predominantly with healing, peacefulness, love, truth, compassion, intuition and forgiveness.
Teiwaz t-rune , the truth will always be victorious in the end.
Balder, God of truth, love and light.
Vor, Goddess of truth.
Forseti, God of justice, peace and truth.

 
2. The inherent worth and Dignity of every being.
Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to respect and ethical treatment.  Human dignity should be inviolable.  To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all.  If anything comes out in the Eddas and Sagas it is that without honor we are nothing.  Living by the Rede, the Law of Return or whatever ethical system you embrace is honor.
Gar, spear, is also the name of , sacrifice and dignity.
Mannaz m-rune , to remember your ancestors, to act fairly and to honor the Gods.
Teiwaz t-rune , represents inner strength, morality and honor.
Hlin, Goddess of compassion and consolation.
Aegir, God of the sea, famed for his hospitality.
 
3.The Strength to allow one to achieve in the face of opposition.
Not merely physical strength or even “energetic” strength, such as chi or ond, but also strength of will, belief, conviction and ethics.  The strength to do and say the right thing, even in the face of severe consequences.  Courage enables us all to face the hard times in life in order to receive the rewards and benefits on the other side.
Ehwaz e, symbolizes inner strength and fortitude.
Stan for st rune, stone, a mark of one’s strength, skill and achievements.
Uruz u , associated with strength, tenacity, courage and survival skills.
Laguz l-rune , water, lake, flow, inner strength. 
Magni, God of strength.
Thor, the most powerful of the Gods.



4. Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth.
Acceptance of our faults and the faults of others helps us to be patient and to avoid hurtful kinds of criticism or judgment.  For Asatru, fidelity is most important in terms of our faith and troth to the Gods.  In order for such a relationship to work, both must be honest and faithful to each other.  No one being has all the answers, we all must work together.
Ear q, Earth, healing energy, body and home.
Thurisaz T, allowing one’s destiny to unfold as it should, and allowing one’s self to experience all that life has to offer us.
Algiz x, encourages us to channel our energies towards the greater good. 
Sif, Goddess whose hair was cut while sleep had faith of its return.
Frigg, Goddess of family had great patience and tolerance, often defending Odin when his actions were questioned.
 
5. Temperance and harmony protects the rhythm of daily life.
Temperance is generally defined by control over excess.  True humility is recognizing both our strengths and our weaknesses and working to cultivate the former and transform the latter.  Humility helps us to be modest, to see that we are no better than anyone else and to be able to accept other people's help when we need it.
Wunjo w , a point of balance, a sense of fulfillment and transformation.
Ehwaz e , heralds change for the better brought about by gradual development and steady progress.
Haglaz the h-rune , represents the concept of balance.
Hela, Goddess of death, which is inevitable for balance.
Forseti, God of justice and peace, the great arbiter.
 
6. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.  It is the justice of law shaped by the lore of our ancestors and passed out with good judgment and true by those who can see the truth.
Teiwaz t-rune , a rune of justice, strengths, warriors and order.
Laguz l-rune , predominantly with healing, peacefulness, love, truth, compassion, intuition and forgiveness.
Forseti, God of justice and reconciliation.
Tyr , God of war and law.
Syn, Goddess of justice and defense.




7. Wisdom from the world's religions inspires ethical and spiritual life.
In Wicca, we place a great emphasis on personal responsibility; use your knowledge to make informed decisions and be ready to accept the consequences of all of your actions.  Wisdom is the ability to see what is for the best and when or when not to act.  It comes from life experience. 
Ansuz a-rune , it is a rune of inspiration, wisdom, aspirations and communication.
Eihaz , represents cycles and is a rune of wisdom and communication.
Pertho , with this we learn lessons and gain wisdom.
 Yr for y, rune combinations of skills and knowledge applied to materials taken from nature.
Mimir is the wise head in the well.
Snotra, Goddess of virtue, wisdom, self-discipline and justice.
Odin, God of war and death, wisdom and poetry.
 
8. Give out Love and let it come in.
To be able to be kind, considerate, gentle and sympathetic makes you all the more attractive.  Love, awe, respect and veneration for life, the Gods and ourselves.  Gratitude for all the gifts we have been given and the heartfelt willingness to pass those gifts on to others.
Laukaz l-rune , predominantly with healing, peacefulness, love, truth, compassion, intuition and forgiveness .
Ingwaz for ng q, is all about common sense and simple strengths, the home and love of the family, caring and human warmth.
Frigg , Goddess of romance, marriage, sex and reproduction.
Freya , Goddess of war, death and sexuality.
Freyr , worshipped as a phallic fertility God.
Sjofn, Goddess associated with love.
Lofn, Goddess of forbidden loves.
 
 
Four Seasons / Elements:
Winter, Earth is Home, Earth
The Earth is fertile and stable, associated with the Goddess. The planet itself is a ball of life, and as the Wheel of the Year turns, we can watch all the aspects of life take place in the Earth.
Berkanan b rune , rune of ‘Mother Earth,’ the ‘Great Mother,’ or the ‘Earth Goddess.’
Ear rune of the ea, Earth, healing energy, body and home.
Inguz ing N, Inguz is considered to be the name of an old Germanic Earth.
othala o, ancestors, foundation, experience and property. 
Jord, Goddess of the Earth.
Gefjun, Goddess of fertility and plough.
 
Spring, Spirit is Enchanted, Air
Air is the element of the East, connected to the soul and the breath of life. If you’re doing a working related to communication, wisdom or the powers of the mind, Air is the element to focus on. Air carries away your troubles, blows away strife, and carries positive thoughts to those who are far away.
Ansuz a-rune , promises spiritual renewal and progress, clear vision and good health.
Air (wind, future, change, ideas), when we breathe in deeply we inhale this life force and rhythmic breathing exercises helps to attune you to the powers of Air.
Sunna, Goddess of Sun.
Mani, God of Moon.
Idunn, Goddess of youth.




Summer, Body is a Temple, Fire
Fire is a purifying, masculine energy, associated with the South, and connected to strong will and energy. Fire both creates and destroys, and symbolizes the fertility of the God.  Fire can heal or harm, and can bring about new life or destroy the old and worn.
Cen c rune c, rune of the brightly burning torch that lights up the hall in the evening, whose flames represent the safe, tempered Fire of the hearth.
Cweorth for q, to help someone get through burning times, and have the strength to excise what needs to go.
Kenaz k-rune k, is light, inspiration and knowledge are often associated with this rune, as in ‘shedding light on a problem’, or ‘ gaining enlightenment’.
Loki, God of fire.
Baldr, God of light and love.
 
Autumn, Mind is Divine, Water
Water is a feminine energy and highly connected with the aspects of the Goddess. Used for healing, cleansing, and purification, Water is related to the West, and associated with passion and emotion. In many spiritual paths, consecrated Water can be found – holy water is just regular Water with salt added to it and usually a blessing or invocation is said above it.
Isaz i-rune , ice, lack of motion or blockage.
Laukaz l-rune , it represents the ebb and flow of life, to embrace change as it is the only constant in life.
Hagalaz h-rune h, means hail, precipitation, transformation
Njord, God of sea, wind, fish and wealth.
Elli, Goddess of old age who beat Thor in wrestling.
Ran, Goddess of the sea.
 
 
Eight Observations / Sabbats:


Winter Solstice, Yule
               Moon
               Birth
              
Imbolc, Charming of the Plow
               Love
               Weather
 
Spring Equinox, Summer Finding
               Renewal
               Nature




Beltane, May Day
               Maypole
               Mother
 
Summer Solstice, Midsummer
               Sun
               Father
 
Lammas, Freyr Fest
               Harvest
               Ancestors
 
Autumn Equinox, Winter Finding
               Veterans (Warriors)
               Thanksgiving
 
Samhain, Winter Night
               Death
               Halloween


 

 

Thank You and Blessed Be!

Vielen Dank, dass sie selig werden!

Dziękuję i Niech będzie błogosławiony!

Благодарю вас, и благодать!

TAnk yEu FAnd blesed be!!