tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107722932012-02-16T15:03:27.001-05:00Contemplations and Practice of a Christian on the Druid PathAlinoreply@blogger.comBlogger711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-55051985156683899382007-04-26T22:14:00.000-04:002007-04-26T22:17:13.704-04:00

This blog has been discontinued (though please feel free to look through old posts).Please check out my new and up-to-date blog about my Druid path,Meadowsweet & Myrrh

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1144953329501654352006-04-13T13:08:00.000-04:002006-04-13T14:35:29.550-04:00

It is my experience that people of an open-minded and intellectually curious persuasion go through various stages when approaching the question of world religions and whether or not "all religions lead to God"... As I have written in the past (for example, in my post about my personal process of accepting Christ), I have come to terms with my own relationship with the Divine through the holy

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1144361804982659412006-04-06T17:57:00.000-04:002006-04-06T18:18:23.833-04:00

Rarely do I post anything in here that is wholly another's work; even with poems, I try at least to give some context or commentary. As of late, though, time is short, and though I don't have a great deal of it right now, I wanted to post something I found recently that immediately struck me as valuable and worth sharing."The widely respected Canadian ecologist Dr. David Suzuki has worked out a

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1143668024888185102006-03-29T15:26:00.000-05:002006-03-29T16:34:04.916-05:00

Though I have been meaning to update this blog with a new post for the past week, it seems that I have no one topic of any substantial length to discuss, but rather several smaller personal reflections that I decided I might share. I realize sometimes this on-going journal gets bogged down with heady intellectual and theological discussions, while at other times it is given to sudden flights into

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1143040850880511082006-03-22T10:10:00.000-05:002006-03-22T10:20:50.913-05:00

Well, it is only just past the Vernal Equinox, first day of spring, on which I would have loved to post, if Blogger.com hadn't been on the fritz. In any case, now is the time of year when the days finally grow longer than the nights, the sun climbs higher above the horizon each day, and the earth drinks warmth deep into its winter-wrapped bones and belly.Light is often associated with

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1142365474778350142006-03-14T14:08:00.000-05:002006-03-14T16:12:16.016-05:00

I Can't Even Save Myself : So Save YourselfThis post, the final in my three-part series on myths about the Christian faith and where they may be off-base, will be different in format from the previous two. For the simple reason that, as we have progressed through these topics, we have tread increasingly closer to the detailed and in-depth theological debates taking place within Christianity

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1141844707168053422006-03-08T13:46:00.000-05:002006-03-08T14:09:50.433-05:00

'The seasons intimate individually the bliss of Heaven, where there is "the beauty of spring, the brightness of summer, the plenty of autumn, the rest of winter."'Today I'm treating myself. I'm going to get all dressed up, go down to the park, then go out to eat by myself for dinner. I'm going to treat myself to good company, even if it's unrequited. Clouds and trees do not love back, the sun and

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1141730755525971782006-03-07T06:24:00.000-05:002006-03-07T06:26:44.106-05:00

Six at the Beginning Again means: Hold to him in truth and loyalty; This is without blame. Truth, like a full earthen bowl: Thus in the end Good fortune comes from without. – I ChingLove was, I thought, a fireyou set, or failed to set.Those cold nomadic years,scouring sand

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1141249712638740902006-03-01T16:13:00.000-05:002006-03-14T16:11:20.286-05:00

No Faith, No Sin, No Giving InI have had two amusing (and amusingly relevant) dreams as of late which motivate me to return to the (rather daunting) task of my continuing discussion of negative myths about the Christian faith and where they have misunderstood or misread the religion. I admit, with so much to say, any attempt to address some of these issues feels doomed to incompletion, even after

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1140562245514152792006-02-21T17:36:00.000-05:002006-02-21T20:14:50.796-05:00

I will continue with my three(-or-more)-part series about the modern myths regarding Christianity with the next post, but I thought that I would take a time-out to share some insight I've earned through my experiences the past few days.Like many of you, since I started practicing my Craft I have been haunted by the ideal of daily practice. When I do imaginative work on building my "magical self,"

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1140020432184761282006-02-15T10:31:00.000-05:002006-03-14T16:11:48.790-05:00

Something Borrowed, Something BlueMy study in witchcraft has finally reached a point where I am passing beyond Wicca 101 books and exploring some very interesting, insightful readings on the nature of sacred magic and the spirituality of witchcraft. I had hoped that these books would be informed and thoughtful enough to avoid, if not correct, some of the more common myths about Christianity's

Alinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1139619855929735542006-02-10T19:32:00.000-05:002006-02-10T20:04:15.956-05:00

I have been devoting a great deal of time on my days off from waitressing to work on this new book-project that I have started. Indeed, much more time already than I've ever devoted to any project other than my college thesis, which after the first few months became, at its worst moments, downright painful. The best thing about the project I am pursuing now is that, at its worst, I feel so

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1139523119330794022006-02-09T17:01:00.000-05:002006-02-09T17:11:59.343-05:00

On the tail of my previous post, I wanted to share this poem, an old-time favorite of mine.Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbirdby Wallace StevensI Among twenty snowy mountains, The only moving thing Was the eye of the blackbird.II I was of three minds, Like a tree In which there are three blackbirds.III The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds. It was a small part of the pantomime.IV A man

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1139521642005486402006-02-09T15:17:00.000-05:002006-02-09T17:00:56.743-05:00

Recently I have been contemplating the meaning of words like "valuable" and "significant" in terms of how we view the world around us and our relationship to it. This issue comes up every once in a while when I read an essay or book about witchcraft, or when I am in conversation with a fellow practitioner, and the claim is made that, because we are all connected, every little thing is important

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1138836544769488912006-02-01T20:57:00.000-05:002006-02-01T21:14:24.503-05:00

Tomorrow is Candlemas! I'm not sure exactly why, but I adore this holiday. Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas and Easter, but there's something about Candlemas that gets my engines revving. The first hints of spring, even in the coldest hours. More light, longer days, crocuses and candles and a thorough spring cleaning, new beginning--what's not to love? Anyway, I'll write a more formal

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1138639537242260662006-01-30T11:40:00.000-05:002006-01-30T11:45:37.266-05:00

Here is a poem from This Longing, a collection of poems, teaching stories and letters from Rumi. I find that it is often a comfort to remember, both during times when I am feeling silly or unsure in my personal practice, and when I find myself being a bit too hard on others for their own practices. Indeed, we need understanding and freedom to practice how our hearts tell us. But sometimes, we

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1138404731990616652006-01-27T17:54:00.000-05:002006-01-27T18:32:12.050-05:00

Recently finished The Circle Within, by Diane Sylvan (which I recommend, by the way, as an excellent book regarding the practical importance and spiritual significance of cultivating a daily practice of devotion within witchcraft that moves beyond spells and other such psychic work). In one of the final chapters, Sylvan discusses the initiation as a turning point in an individual's life. She

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1138222287761175982006-01-25T14:45:00.000-05:002006-01-25T15:51:27.830-05:00

In Zen Buddhism, there is an ideal of mindful presence known as "teahouse practice." The term comes from the analogy of an old woman who runs a teahouse on the edge of town. She is wise in the dharma and has cultivated a quiet joy about her that pervades her every action and even the very atmosphere. And though she never teaches or preaches a word about Buddhism, everyone in town is drawn to the

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1137746455655107422006-01-20T01:28:00.000-05:002006-01-20T03:45:06.580-05:00

For a long time it never occurred to me that not everyone feels drawn, let alone driven, along a spiritual path that is ultimately fulfilling only when realized and practiced as a "craft." For me, my engagement with the Divine and my religious experiences have always been aligned closely with my self-identity as a poet and artist. It was in a spiritual dream at a very young age where I first met

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1136931392858694342006-01-10T17:07:00.000-05:002006-01-10T17:33:21.096-05:00

I rarely post dreams in this blog, but I thought this one was especially enjoyable and may be fruitful to share. It was exceptionally vivid (as almost all of my dreams involving witchcraft are, though I do not have them very often) and, upon waking, struck me as being very purposefully instructive. In other words, no accident. I'm fond of dream analysis, particularly when the dream is confusing,

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1136926715713939322006-01-10T14:22:00.000-05:002006-01-11T16:11:13.523-05:00

There has been a great deal of debate among certain circles, recently, about the relationship among Christianity, Wicca, and witchcraft or magic in a more general sense. After an article of mine was posted on WitchVox.com, I received a number of emails, most of which were from people thanking me for exploring alternative methods for the practice of grounding and centering. Few of them realized

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1136317230527843042006-01-03T13:08:00.000-05:002006-01-03T14:40:30.583-05:00

I first came across the amazing, witty, neurotic Anne Lamott in her book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (which my father has persisted in calling "One Bird at a Time," as if writing were similar to hunting, or eating). I had no idea, at the time, that she was a strong, liberal Christian as well as a writer; not until I picked up her Traveling Mercies. It has been years since

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1133972827752356202005-12-07T11:25:00.000-05:002005-12-07T11:27:07.773-05:00

"I think if I were further along in my spiritual development I would have a clearer idea of how to ease Thom's inner pain, or I would be willing to quietly let him reap the results of his previous actions, while remaining myself at inner peace with the way reality has played out its patterns."- Jan NeumannHmm. How many times have these exact thoughts crossed my mind... If I were further along, if

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1131732407238533442005-11-11T13:00:00.000-05:002005-11-11T13:13:18.103-05:00

Briefly, what is the purpose of grounding? It is, most simply, a way of connecting to and interacting with an energy beyond ourselves. Rather than drawing on our own limited supply of physical and mental energy, which can quickly burn us out and result in unhealthy imbalances, we "tap into" the Divine in its infinite potential and activity. We do not drain ourselves, but nor do we overload

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1131641121392018732005-11-10T10:38:00.000-05:002005-11-10T11:45:23.350-05:00

I have never known a soldier--until now.Since he knows that disciplinemeans unbinding the bonds of suffering,he should practice discipline resolutely,without despair dulling his reason.Krishna, the mind if faltering,violent, strong and stubborn;I find it as diffiultto hold as the wind.Arjuna, he does not sufferdoom in this world or the next;any man who acts with honorcannot go the wrong way, my

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1130461769662978112005-10-27T21:05:00.000-04:002005-10-27T21:09:29.680-04:00

Proof of Excluded MiddleThe circle is open.Kneel. Come inside.What elegance, to deny:the porcelain pitcheris full, or the porcelainpitcher is not full. The milkbreathes in tides,like the moon with his ocean.Come inside. Supposethe pitcher is full: the whiteporcelain sweats in meditation, one palmopen, one curled under to herlotus belly. Between themshe offers up her possibilityto being

Alinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1129817003782582872005-10-25T19:30:00.000-04:002005-10-25T19:34:40.146-04:00

I am currently working on a series of poems centered around two main characters, both conceived primarily in mythological terms (the skylark, and the lion; that is, the poet and the orphan, respectively). The project grew out of my growing fascination with the concept of the "untrue" poem or the poetic "lie." The idea of untruth intrigues me. The challenge I set before myself is to write poems I

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1129318824684748472005-10-14T15:37:00.000-04:002005-10-14T15:50:07.266-04:00

I am your joy and your regret I am your fury and your elation I am your yearning and your sweat I am your faithless and your religion I see you altering history I see you abusing the land I see you and your selective amnesia And I love you still And I love you still - Alanis Morissette, "Still"Beautiful lyrics, which exactly capture my mood at the moment. It is so difficult, sometimes, to love

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1126796388158142072005-09-15T10:36:00.000-04:002005-09-15T10:59:48.166-04:00

In my last entry, I may have come across as a little harsh regarding comedy and its apparent abundance in today's society. I just wanted to note that, if I was, it was only really because I value comedy and laughter so much--as a way of connecting with others, expressing the pure joy and fun of being alive, and maybe most important of all, keeping things in perspective, getting away with fool's

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1126627096857433102005-09-13T11:46:00.000-04:002005-09-13T11:58:16.870-04:00

My first paper as a graduate student is for my Topics in Poetry class, which focuses on Poetry and Politics. We were asked to write a short essay about our concept of audience and "the relationship you strive/hope to establish between you (in your figurative role as writer) and your potential readership." What effect or "change" do we want our work to have, how may it manifest in a political

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1125591829076155272005-09-01T12:11:00.000-04:002005-09-01T12:26:57.436-04:00

"And since your expression is decidedly downcast, it seems as if these quotations about the nature of professional life have brought you to some melancholy conclusion. What can it be? Simply, you reply, that we, daughters of educated men, are between the devil and the deep sea. Behind us lies the patriarchal system; the private house, with its nullity, its immorality, its hypocrisy, its servility

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1124732894025164362005-08-22T13:43:00.000-04:002005-08-22T13:55:19.750-04:00

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.Cultural Creative94%Idealist81%Postmodernist56%

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1124387901529110692005-08-18T13:18:00.000-04:002005-08-18T13:59:36.980-04:00

Prosperity spells may be the most common spellwork performed, both in traditional folk magic and in modern times (second only to love spells, and perhaps various healing charms, which may or may not be considered effective from a physical, medical perspective). This being the case, I thought I would share my thoughts on the matter. Perhaps, if I ever have occasion to, I might write on love or

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1122660065458999322005-07-29T13:32:00.000-04:002005-07-29T14:01:05.470-04:00

As I posted when I'd only first begun this blog, I have many uneasy feelings about accepting the term "witch" as a label for my spiritual path. I can't fully explain this gradual change-of-heart that has been occuring in me since I first wrote this entry; I can only say that this uneasiness has been dissipating over the past few months. At the moment, I feel comfortable enough considering myself

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1120757991991239002005-07-07T13:35:00.000-04:002005-07-07T13:43:34.433-04:00

Honestly, the political rebel in me has so much to say about fear and freedom and distraction and excuses and retaliation.But the rest of me just wants everyone to be ok and the killing to stop. All the killing, theirs and ours.Reading Greene's second book, which scientifically supports Vonnegut in saying that every moment is eternal, so you will always be being born and you will always be dying

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1118505503094904572005-06-11T11:42:00.000-04:002005-06-11T11:59:12.776-04:00

To be honest, karma has always been my major problem with reincarnation. I found the whole idea had a kind of shallow, self-justifying ring to it. As if a person not only had an excuse to ignore others' suffering (which was karmically deserved) but to even scoff at those who suffered and died, since death (or the self, and thus the death of the self) was an illusion. But the Buddhists I know are

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1115058626154480882005-05-02T13:34:00.000-04:002005-05-02T14:30:26.156-04:00

I know I said yesterday that I would not be writing again for two weeks, but that was with the assumption that I would be busy drowning in a sea of finals and other course work until this weekend when I move out, graduate, and leave for my luxurious week-long cruise vacation with my boyfriend (we've been dating more than two years and have never gone on so much as a weekend get-away together, so

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1114881875864455392005-05-01T15:06:00.000-04:002005-05-01T15:07:16.970-04:00

This will be my last post for approximately two weeks. When I return, I will officially be a college graduate, and I'll be writing to you from my new iMac computer in my new apartment in Pittsburgh! I wanted to leave you with merry May Day wishes and a series of excerpts from my spirit journal that I began writing last summer as part of my creative writing work. I hope you enjoy! Until we meet

Alinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1114265734081953432005-04-23T10:10:00.000-04:002005-04-23T10:16:13.196-04:00

The Passion of ColicOut of the mouth of babes... Psalm 8Putting herself to sleep,she screams: she needs our helpto stop. The doctor saidwe could ignore her screamsand she'd pass out. But chaos roarsthrough the apartment, which is small.The moon is tiny although full, the starsfunereally mum. You may wishto think of them as heaven.You may fume at what makes youfeel helpless in her scream. Praises

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1114042140022745452005-04-20T19:45:00.000-04:002005-04-20T20:14:23.806-04:00

What do we consider saintly values? Are such values practical, or even possible, in our society? Is it more important to be a balanced human being, or to be wholly devoted to a single end? What role should aceticism play in the life of a saintly person? Is the saintly personality trusting, or overly-trusting and naive?On Monday, I posted a found poem from a text by William James, in particular a

Alinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1113860206312770332005-04-18T17:26:00.000-04:002005-04-18T17:36:46.313-04:00

I wanted to begin by saying thank you, everyone, for responding so much recently. I'm glad you enjoy my writing, and I regret that I can't spend more time on it. I promise to write much more once my thesis is done (except for that week's vacation after graduation, which I happen to think I richly deserve!).Meanwhile, here's another poem. This is what's known as a "found poem," which is a bit

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1113428903227041432005-04-13T17:44:00.000-04:002005-04-23T10:36:53.136-04:00

It looks like I will have time to write you a poem after all. To be honest, I should have been working on my senior thesis this afternoon, but who am I to tell the muse to wait? The following poem is actually guided in part by an assignment for class, for which we are supposed to write "a dream or a lie." I'm not sure exactly which this one is, but it is most definitely not your usual springtime

Alinoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1113410474285252842005-04-13T12:38:00.000-04:002005-04-13T16:36:49.226-04:00

While I may be bogged down with work and spending much of my time in doors in front of a computer screen, the earth is shaking loose her dresses and washing her hair. Until I have time to write a poem for you, please enjoy some of these photos of my favorite trees in bloom on campus. Linger on them--the longer I contemplate them, the more I am struck by the elegant line and curve of the dark

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1112548253010717362005-04-03T12:49:00.000-04:002005-04-03T13:12:47.866-04:00

It has been difficult convincing people that being Catholic does not mean being hopelessly entrenched in obsolete, ineffective religious dogma and rigid hierarchy that ignores the realistic needs of the laity. It has been difficult reminding them of the distinction between the Church as the mystic Body of Christ as manifest in the community of believers, in which individuals can put down roots to

Alinoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1112395894423696082005-04-01T17:30:00.000-05:002005-04-01T21:37:03.470-05:00

I know, I've been absolutely terrible with the blog up-keep recently. And I will most likely continue to be so until I've finished my senior thesis, at the very least. In the meantime, I thought I'd have some fun while making the most of academic work I have to finish anyway. So below, for your reading pleasure, are my answers to questions included on the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship (or, as my

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1111814215070864092005-03-25T23:57:00.000-05:002005-03-26T00:16:55.070-05:00

Good Friday, the end of Lent. I hadn't expected the season to take so much out of me. If I'm honest with myself, which I try my best to be, I have to admit that I just could not keep up with my own expectations. My promise to meditate twice daily faltered right around spring break, when I had to return home to a loud and stressful household (loud and stressful environments, especially my parents'

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1111626896071029922005-03-23T19:36:00.000-05:002005-03-23T20:14:56.073-05:00

Walking on the River IceA man could be a godif the ice wouldn't meltand he could stand the cold.-- Wendell Berry, from Collected Poems This is a wonderful poem. I hesitate to say too much about it, I want to give it the space and respect it deserves to speak for itself, silence and all. But see how such a simple, seemingly straight-forward image, evoked in only three lines, can touch upon a

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1111450755256110522005-03-21T19:04:00.000-05:002005-03-21T19:19:15.256-05:00

Days drawn from the lips of the sun, kiss grown long and longer across thesky. Days drawn from her lips restlessly parted, spiraling hesitation--now warm,now cold and harsh as lace. Draw her lips across the hill, the sun between herteeth, a new fruit still bitter, small. Split the sun, chapped and rushed, fromnow on it is even, growing round and ripe.Yesterday was both Palm Sunday, and the Vernal

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1111187626382853892005-03-18T17:53:00.000-05:002005-03-18T19:28:27.456-05:00

When I say that my religious life is defined by my "relationship" with the Divine--I mean it. I mean that it goes beyond just giving me simple answers to Big Questions or providing me with what I "need" materially or existentially; that it involves love and gratitude which, although ultimately fulfilling, are not always easy or pleasant experiences; that I understand the Divine as a personal (

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110866874073702302005-03-15T01:10:00.000-05:002005-03-15T01:16:08.566-05:00

Is magic simply "prayer with props"? After much thought on the matter (though I may very well change my mind after further thought in the future!), right now I'd have to say, no. It seems to me that there is a fundamental difference between "prayer" and "magic."Let's start by looking first at the common definitions of these words.Main Entry: prayer (noun)A reverent petition made to God, a god, or

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110822765814656472005-03-14T12:45:00.000-05:002005-03-14T19:15:08.076-05:00

After A Storm on Good FridayWhen the sun, squintingthrough the billows on the western horizon,catches the last tired drops that fallbelatedly from the brancheswith the pear tree petals,and I walk through itas if behind stained glass,my dress accentuatingthe cold breeze that wraps my body,I feel beautiful again.I composed the above poem several years ago while on a walk through my neighborhood "

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110428919736854492005-03-09T22:31:00.000-05:002005-03-09T23:48:42.406-05:00

This was going to be a post about how I'm giving up the "Catholic" label. I am reminded tonight of the opening of the Wiccan Rede, "In perfect love and perfect trust." And of the Bible's appeal to being "like a child" in our longing for God. It seems I know so many people--Neopagans and Christians alike--who have a certain cynicism entrenched in their worldview. Reverence, respect, awe and even

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110137479793028292005-03-07T09:58:00.000-05:002005-03-07T14:53:45.070-05:00

You are what you eat. Quite literally. No longer merely a motherly lecture, modern science has shown us that on a cellular level, "your entire body replaces its tissues and cells every one to seven years." If we appreciate our physical bodies as "temples of the spirit" and part of the interwoven natural world which reveals the immanent Divine, then how we maintain our bodies takes on a new level

Alinoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110077922378120412005-03-06T00:37:00.000-05:002005-03-05T21:59:13.476-05:00

The church that I attended for most of my childhood was a modern building, rather sparsely decorated and otherwise much like my elementary school, complete with "auditorium" and halls of classrooms in the back. In other words, it was nothing special. The idea of sacred space never occurred to me until I started my scholarly study of comparative religions in earnest, reading about some of the

Alinoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1110076785472836142005-03-05T21:26:00.000-05:002006-01-03T12:30:49.453-05:00

Cross-Quarter VotaryThis candlelit in winter's belly, its tomba flame, its hot blue bonesknock quick against the icy sunset,quick against the skin of riverscut from fat, crumbled farmland;This candle slips into my mouthlike bloodthrough veinedsilhouettes, trees buttressedby architectured windand a belly of bones,blue entombed blood slickand cracked;This candle,wick bent black asan undone tomb

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109619738617059762005-02-28T14:31:00.000-05:002005-02-28T14:46:15.336-05:00

Not of WaxMy heart, my little child, my dear, wanted a fishbowlfull of moon. I gave to her a plate of earth, a fern,a bit of moss on a smooth stone—no, she would nothave it. I found a net that held the wind and with itthe scent of thyme and rose—she was not mystified.A cup of water, ablaze with rippled flame to singas lip touched lip, flesh to crystal kiss—a bowlof moon, she said, and would have

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109538434373893892005-02-27T15:47:00.000-05:002005-02-27T16:08:47.036-05:00

You may have noticed that recently I attempted to add this blog to the same webring to which my mother site, Pulse Like Water, belongs. Alas, to no avail. I received an email in response which stated, "The web site you submitted has been denied due to the reasons cited below by the RingMaster: I'm looking for clear ChristoPagan content on sites who wish to join this ring."Interesting...I am now

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109390032093056492005-02-26T00:03:00.000-05:002005-02-26T12:05:37.430-05:00

I drag a boat over the oceanwith a solid rope.Will God hear?Will he take me all the way?Like water in goblets of unbaked clayI drip out slowly,and dry.My soul whirls. Dizzy. Let mediscover my home.-- Lal Dedtr. by Willis BarnstoneFrom the book Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, edited by Jane Hirshfield. (Who happens to be a wonderful poet herself! I had the

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109388474056391952005-02-25T22:34:00.000-05:002005-03-14T12:59:57.503-05:00

I've been doing a lot of talking--even "lecturing"--in here recently, and I'm starting to feel uncomfortable about it. I've been studying religion in an academic setting for four years, and the one thing I know for sure is that the more you learn and ask questions, the more you realize just how little you really know. That sounds cliché, but it's the truth, honest! So, to remind myself of this

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109301282457918612005-02-24T21:34:00.000-05:002005-02-26T12:05:03.403-05:00

As a Catholic pursuing a less-than-mainstream practice of your faith, you should probably get used to hearing this objection a lot. Both other practicing Catholics, and those who know enough about Catholicism to reject it, will often respond to the Catholic Craft with a dismissive or even offended, "You can't do that! The Church doesn't allow it!" How can we respond to this objection? Well, first

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109173763585945182005-02-23T09:55:00.000-05:002005-03-14T12:59:18.623-05:00

It seems the general concensus regarding the the names of the full moons throughout the year is the following:"Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1109117266864758072005-02-22T18:20:00.000-05:002005-02-22T19:10:55.046-05:00

Yes, I know, I know... I've already explained that I'm not a witch, haven't I? So what am I doing posting about a Neopagan website dedicated to becoming just that? Aren't I being a hypocrite? Or at the very least showing that I'm downright confused and in no position to give advice?Of course, I will be the first to admit that I am far from an authority on these matters (is anyone!?). I am still

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108489523926268722005-02-21T12:45:00.000-05:002005-02-26T12:03:23.140-05:00

One concern that has been on my mind recently is regarding sacred objects and their use in private ritual. The most obvious objection a Christian might have to using sacred tools is that it tends towards idolatry. Being Catholic, I've often had to explain to other Christians (in particular, regarding the saints) the distinction between worship and respect--that is, the difference between the

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108704388967755002005-02-18T00:07:00.000-05:002005-02-26T12:01:30.426-05:00

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is muchmore interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might bewrong."-- FeynmanThe man of the hour, my guy Richard Feynman (1918 - 1988), a scientist (physicist, to be precise) and author of a good many books. Ray (my boyfriend) adores the man, and I must admit, I have a certain fondness for him, as well. Why am I

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108690666471500002005-02-17T20:16:00.000-05:002005-02-17T21:15:09.340-05:00

At the beginning of last year, my boyfriend and I started a new club on our college campus called AFID, which stands for: The Agenda-less Forum for Interspiritual Dialogue. The idea was to provide an opportunity for students to come together to talk about religion, even if they didn't belong to a particular religious community. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Newman Association, Hillel--were

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108513475235808602005-02-15T19:13:00.000-05:002005-02-16T19:20:52.473-05:00

The following is a letter to the editor which I wrote in response to the article "Gnosticism, New Age, and the Da Vinci Code--What do they have in common?" by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. While I believe he gives a good overview of Gnosticism, I object to his general characterization of the New Age movement as spiritually shallow and ultimately self-destructive.Dear Editor,I'd like to respond

Alinoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108271136674376162005-02-13T00:39:00.000-05:002005-03-14T12:58:28.466-05:00

Another writing-based exercise, very similar to the Five-by-Five."Just as we feel at the touch of ice a sensation of cold, forgotten as soon as the finger becomes warm again, so the physical action of color is forgotten as soon as the eye turns away. On the other hand, as the physical coldness of ice, upon penetrating more deeply, arouses more complex feelings, and indeed a whole chain of

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108187911264993712005-02-12T01:02:00.000-05:002005-03-14T12:57:10.306-05:00

In addition to essays on doctrine and other ponderings, I thought I'd include in this blog some fun exercises, games and/or projects to share with you. If you're just starting out along this path, they might give you some ideas about how to get your feet wet in the Craft. If you're an old pro, then hopefully you can find something new here, or at least you might enjoy reading about variations on

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108171112530098102005-02-12T00:33:00.000-05:002005-02-16T19:09:39.613-05:00

At this point in time, I do not call myself a "witch," and I do not consider what I practice to be "witchcraft." However, many people might consider my interests and pursuits to be exactly in keeping with the modern witchcraft tradition, and so I return again and again to the question of whether or not I am comfortable adopting such a term. Below, I list some points which play a role in my

Alinoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108154255827369892005-02-11T15:30:00.000-05:002005-02-16T19:14:59.336-05:00

I have some exciting news! My chapbook of poetry, The Rosary Poems, has been published in the 2River Chapbook Series. You can find it online at www.2River.org (it will be permanently archived here). Richard Long, editor at 2River, writes:The Rosary Poems, rooted in contemplation of the twenty Mysteries, counterpoints Shaffer's attempt to move beyond the meditation of sacred texts into a direct

Alinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10772293.post-1108152822343126902005-02-11T15:07:00.000-05:002005-02-16T19:15:37.346-05:00

Hello everyone. Welcome to my blog. Here I will keep a public journal as I grow in my Catholic Craft. I encourage everyone reading this--neophytes as well as old-timers--to remember just how important journalling is as part of our spiritual journey. In addition to my writing here and the essays that appear on the Pulse Like Water website, I also keep a private journal. All of this writing has

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