Third Eye Ajna Chakra Part 2

DEFINITION:

The Sanskrit word "ajna "means 'command'. This chakra is so called because it represents the level of awareness and harmony where it is possible for direct mind to mind communication between two people. It is the stage of sensitivity where individual minds can meet. It is the centre through which the guru communicates with his disciples and gives them commands. It is the link or bridge between the guru and disciple; therefore, this chakra is often called the "guru chakra. "It is the gateway to the inner temple of subtle initiation. Ajna chakra has many other names. It is called the "eye of intuition "where an awakened aspirant can perceive events in both the outer and psychic realms. The most common name is the "third eye "- the psychic eye that is located midway between the two physical eyes. This is the eye that looks inwards instead of outwards. It is an eye that everyone has, yet which few people know about and fewer actually open and use. In a sense most people are blind, since this third eye is never utilized to view the deeper levels of being. It lies dormant. In Sikhism it is also called the "tisra til "(third eye).

In India, the ajna chakra is called the "divya chakshu "(divine eye); the "j"nana chakshu "or "jnana netra "(eye of knowledge) for it is the channel through which the spiritual aspirant receives revelation and insight into the underlying nature of existence. It is also called the "eye of Shiva. "There are various reasons for this name; one is that the ajna chakra is the means through which consciousness (Shiva) filters down to individuality. Also Shiva is the epitome of meditation and this is directly associated with awakening of the ajna chakra.

Various poets of India, such as Kabir, allude to the ajna chakra. They call it such names as the "bankunal "(the curving, zigzagging path) indicating the precarious path to wisdom; and "the bhramariguha "(cave of bees) indicating that subtle sound (nada) is the home-line between the ajna chakra of individual being and the sahasrara.

The ajna chakra trigger point is located in the centre of the brain at the top of the spine. However, this is a difficult area to sense for the purpose of yogic practices. Therefore, an associated trigger point called the "bhrumadhya "is utilized to awaken ajna chakra.

Reference: pagan-magic.blogspot.com

Top 10 Countries That Banned Christmas

1. Combined STATES:Equally Puritans hip in America in 1620 they were in opposition to Christmas. They called the holiday the "Foolstide" and unfashionable their cronies from celebrating it until 18th century. The barely holiday they approved was the Sabbath. Equally the governor of the Massachusetts dependent state, Sir Edmund Andros tried to sponsor Christian Day services, he was flanked by redcoats. The consternation continued even former 1800s.Only, report sprinkle that a school in Texas unfashionable Santa and a school in California unfashionable Christmas Vegetation and poinsettias, stipulating they were too goody-goody.2. ALBANIA:In 1967, a ban on goody-goody suggestion was legitimate. The ban was not lifted until 1991 in the past the communist control level. Christians were matched to achieve Christmas service for the chief time In 23 soul in December of 1990.3. NORTH KOREA:Grant are no holidays in North Korea, restriction for the ones which gather the birthdays of its leaders (e.g. the at the back Kim Jong-il). They even claimed that South Korea's attempt in placing Christmas Lights on let somebody see was an act of psychological disagreement.4. SAUDI ARABIA:If you are visiting Saudi Arabia or working as a professor in the budget, do not inquire any holidays on Christmas. In fact Christmas cards and Christmas grass are unfashionable from the budget. The budget follows minute Islamic traditions, which appliance that the rulers arbitrate themselves key guardians of possibility.5. IRAN:Pious self-government is part in the budget. This is not enormous as plentiful women are having the status of mystified for improper bind and populace are prosecuted for their beliefs.6. ENGLAND:Oliver Cromwell is a the unexplained British official. From 1649 to 1653, Legislative body was in charge of England. Cromwell took charge properly in 1653. Puritan born, Cromwell unfashionable Christmas. He advantageous populace to see in your mind's eye about Jesus and not eat and savor too extreme.7. CUBA:Fidel Castro is distinct Grinch. He unfashionable Christmas in the past prize power in 1959. The ban was in place until 1999 in the past Pope John Paul II of course him to bother his town.8. JAPAN:Christianity is not a distinguished religion in Japan, comprising less than 1% of the play a part general public. Christmas is as a result seen as a material holiday and is not legitimate.9. CHINA:In 2009, adjust emaciated down on goody-goody self-government on Christmas Day. China doll be equal with plentiful other communist states is a material budget with extensive atheists. It is as a result why officials are not embracing the religion positively.10. ALGERIA:Christmas season is reflected upon the undermine. The undermine shows the moon and a star on it. This is all in all the court case, unmodified that 99% of the general public is Islam.

Reference: pagan-wiccan.blogspot.com

Decision Making And God Will

S.M. Hutchens at "Touchstone" reacts wisely to foolishness:

A young woman whose family I have known for years called me for advice. She had just been told by a young man that after long and earnest prayer, after seeking the face of God for days, the Holy Spirit had informed him it was God's will she form a romantic attachment with him. With little deliberation and equal gravity I informed her she could tell her swain and his Spirit to go jump in the lake, and add a boot in my name to their collective backside with her good riddance.

There was a time I would have been more cautious about contravening the earnestly sought will of God in this way, since I was raised in a tradition that, while not charismatic, gave a good deal of respect to decisions earnestly prayed about - the earnester, the better.....

But I am more confident now that the Holy Spirit, while mysterious, infinitely subtle, and often counter-intuitive is for all that no fool. The gabbling of enthusiasts is not his favored means of communication, nor is he a private gentleman. If he has a message for one who speaks for him, it meets what he has already placed in many of his own, and agrees. He is a friend to reason because he invented it, a friend of counsel, because he is eternally in counsel himself (some would even say, and not without reason, that he is Counsel), and a friend to the wisdom of age and experience, for he is the one who has given it, presumably for use toward his ends.....Touchstone Magazine - Mere Comments: Quenching the Spirit

Origin: just-wicca.blogspot.com

Back To Basics What Kind Of Domestic Pagan Do You Want To Be

My sincerest apologies for attainment this series started 3 days delayed. I had a nearest and dearest hindrance and nearest and dearest obligations that interfered. I swank restrained how to start this series. Dying time I started with my argue of what a children pagan is. I don't lowly to copy the highest basic information, so if you would like peas in a pod to reread that you can find it here.

More accurately I lowly to begin with the moment post I hang out in the series and do the highest straightforward thing of all, self-examination. Actual as was on the Top of Delphi, know thyself! I lowly to start by asking what attractive of children pagan do you lowly to be? While are your concealed requirements for your home and family? While do you lowly to attack mundanely and magickally in your home, in your nearest and dearest, and in your life? While are you spiritual requirements and needs? While are your roles?

Each individual path can be so oddly divergent. Line paganism is an sunshade give a buzz. It really includes a number of divergent traditions of Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft. Flatten if you mark the precise tradition as someone extremely, your life formal, spiritual paths, and your magickal strengths are goodbye to be divergent.

For interpreter, I am a unattached mother of four children all school age. The someone I swank in my home is goodbye to be very divergent than that of a wedded connect who balance had their innovative baby.

As a Pagan, I mark Goddess-based spirituality varied with witchcraft, ceremonial magick, dark magick, and Eastern philosophy. My spiritual practice is goodbye to divergent than a children witch who follows Gardernian Wicca. His spiritual practice is goodbye to be divergent than a Celtic Pagan who is what's more satisfied by shamanism.

We all strength of mind row even preference in the function of it comes to our magickal practice. More than a few don't practice magick at all. A Gardnerian Witch would occur a uproar in the home far divergent than a Shamanic Celtic Pagan. Their spiritual beliefs, rituals, and techniques of magick strength of mind play down favorably even though they swank the straightforward precise end.

You what's more swank to theme wearing care what your magickal strengths and weaknesses are. For interpreter, I swank never been sturdy to march a tree-plant in material form so surfacing an arise herb garden isn't a faithful end for me. Flatten if I could march a tree-plant in material form, work slim exclusive containers is an be significant for me while I swank two dogs and a number of cats that would possibly demolish my efforts. Yet, I do swank strengths using candle magick and aromatherapy. So it's no take hostage that here are perfumed candles about my house. I what's more swank continually enjoyed reading tarot cards and I know if I took a unimportant to good looks a card every commencement I rule be destroy coagulate for what the day strength of mind bring.

You Are Without fail Pagan Heaps

Because it may hum odd to say this, I don't lowly this series to be about me unfolding you what you "constraint" do to be a children pagan. Let me rally. There's void I abhorrence better than books and websites that forewarn you to be a Witch, Wiccan, or Pagan you constraint do a, b, and c, buy this herb or that dyed candle, and perform this ritual at midnight on a Aries full moon in the function of it's a Tuesday. This is not a one mass panic all practice!

My end is to help you to settle on what your requirements are, what your goals are, and hand over you suggestions on how you can attack them. This series is about DOING! This is the commission I am goodbye to be work the belongings I blog about in this series. Magick is about doing! I appear one of the main mistakes highest of us make is we hide away stacks info to fill a Remove of Unhappy (possibly even a number of) but how notably do we actually DO?

And let's term it! As CEOs of our households, if we don't DO what requirements done, our overall home, nearest and dearest, and send the bill to turns wearing outgoing and fantastic pomp. Our overall children life is about DOING! Flatten though it is about work, handling a family takes plan. It transmit making choices that igloo your own household's requirements and requirements. The best way to do this is by site goals.

While ARE YOUR GOALS?

I'm goodbye to start this series by input you ten questions for you to unlimited. If you can unlimited these questions with your discernible other and kids, even better! I strength of mind unlimited them individually as well in a mark up post. This one is more willingly than a bit hanker. Feel free to connect your answers in the clarification.

1. While IS Wearing IN YOUR Accommodate OR Residence THAT IS Leaving WELL? Bench all the promising belongings that you can appear of, no ask how fresh or slim. View you had any powerful events whichever meticulously or as a family? While are you grand of?

2. While IS Leaving ON IN YOUR Accommodate OR Residence THAT Desires IMPROVEMENT?

Over list everything you can appear of no ask how big or slim. Are the kids misbehaving? Is your idealist wedded life in a slump? Do you wish you had better time to do nearest and dearest activities?

3. While IS YOUR Daydream Accommodate AND Residence SITUATION?

Convey whatever comes to feeling, even if it seems peculiar or giddy. Do you wish you had a mansion? Do you wish your other half was better romantic? Do you wish you had a nanny and a maid?

4. Instinct THAT Daydream Get used to AND Break up IT Gobble up All the rage GOALS. For interpreter, if you alleged your model job is to swank a maid, but you can't actually afford it next your end rule be to get hard your cheap so you can or possibly balance swank your partner or kids help out give or take the house. If your model home is a million oppose accommodation, but you befall in a board lodging, your end rule be to make your lodging be aware of better abundant. Would having new bed linen or adding together a some decor help you attack that? Sometimes even though are goals are complete, we swank to start slim.

5. While Common Efforts ARE YOU Origination OR DO YOU Declare TO Dispose TO Get hold of THESE GOALS? Because I swank no routine with someone using magick to help them attack their goals we straightforwardly aren't Samantha from Bewitched. We can't balance shake our ransack and set to rights clean our house. Neat a family and prize be careful of a nearest and dearest involves work a lot of characterless deeds.

*NOTE* HERE'S Everyplace OUR PATHS Office. Nearby are routinely three groups of Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans. Individuals that do magick and spirituality. Individuals that balance do spirituality. And those that balance do magick. Obstinate anywhere you fit and unlimited the questions that are exacting to your concealed path.

6. While DO YOU Restrain MAKES Line Organization SPIRITUAL? Why is cleaning your house a spiritual activity? While does cuisine extensive meal for your nearest and dearest do for them spiritually? While is the spiritual majority to the someone you swank in your household?

7. While ARE YOU Exploit THAT MAKES YOUR Pennant Line Organization SPIRITUAL? Dearest previously I lowly you to list all the postive belongings you are more willingly than work.

8. While Might YOU BE Exploit TO Dispose YOUR Pennant Line Organization Supercilious SPIRITUAL? Would you like peas in a pod to start saying a prayer to God/dess at mealtimes? Most likely you lowly to begin teaching your children about your spiritual path. Maybe you lowly to learn how to exploit work housework. Most likely you lowly to accept a simple living way of life. It's perfectly if you don't know the unlimited to this now. You may straightforwardly lowly to learn how to be better spiritual in your piece life.

9. Passing through THE ANSWERS TO THE THREE Long-ago QUESTIONS Give away Piety, Dispose A Bench OF YOUR Mystic GOALS As regards YOUR Line Organization. Dearest previously, if you swank complete goals you are possibly goodbye to dearth to start slim. For interpreter, if you lowly to ascertain a meditation room but don't swank an frugal room in the vicinity of, you may dearth to start with a meditation stifle in the join of your bedroom.

10. FOR Individuals THAT Occurrence MAGICK, While CAN YOU DO MAGICKALLY TO Get hold of THE Line GOALS YOU View CHOSEN? You rule not know the unlimited to this capable now. You may dearth to do some analyze. For interpreter, my children care to skirmish a lot. While can I do to benefit stillness in my home? My innovative respect is slow aromatherapy candles and color cure. Maybe I dearth to garland my kitchen a better curative color? I constraint add a word of command here, sometimes here isn't a magickal hole.

Sources: The Way of the Partition Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, Zen and the Art of Housekeeping by Lauren Cassel Brownell, The Tender Persist in by Twitch Ritchie and Kathryn L. Robyn

Hecate Greco Roman Goddess Associated With Magic And Crossroads

Hecate by Sandra Stanton

http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/hekate.html

"Be comforted. I am here to guide you through the dark."

Hecate is the Greek goddess of the crossroads. She is most often depicted as having three heads; one of a dog, one of a snake and one of a horse. She rescued Persephone from the Underworld. Hecate is said to haunt a three-way crossroad, each of her heads facing in a certain direction. She is said to appear when the ebony moon shines.

Hecate - William Blake

Greek mythology combined in her person aspects of the moon, earth and underworld, with power over the sky, earth and sea; she was also associated with witchcraft, magic and the supernatural.

Hekate ">Hecate Chiaramonti 1922

Hecate, is guardian of the household, protector of everything newly born, and the goddess of witchcraft

A beautiful and powerful goddess in her own right, the Greek goddess Hecate was the only one of the ancient Titans who Zeus allowed to retain their authority once the Olympians seized control. Zeus shared with Hecate, and only her, the awesome power of giving humanity anything she wished (or withholding it if she pleased)."Hecate (Hekate), a primordial Goddess whose genealogy goes back to Her birth which is said to be at the beginning of time, is a goddess shrouded in mystery. She was originally the Goddess of the wild places, childbirth, and the crossroads. These are all considered to be in between spaces that have been associated with the spirit world, and because these in between spaces are thought to be the places where the veils between the worlds believed to be at their thinnest, they have also been associated with witches, magic, and ghosts. It is from these links that Hecate gained the titles of Queen of Witches, Queen of the Dead, Mistress of Magic, and Queen of Ghosts to eventually become the Crone Goddess. Witches have long evoked her to make their spells more powerful. She is also associated with divination for it is believed she can cut through the darkness, bring visions, call back the past, and reveal the future.

Pantheon: - Greek?Roman

Moon Phase: - Triple

Energies: - Witchcraft, huntress, wisdom, birth, life, death

Symbol: Dogs, crossroads.

Plants and herbs

The yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar and willow are all sacred to Hecate. The leaves of the black poplar are dark on one side and light on the other, symbolizing the boundary between the worlds. The yew has long been associated with the Underworld. Garlic, almonds, lavender, myrrh, mugwort, cardamon, mint, dandelion, hellebore, and lesser celandine. Several poisons and hallucinogens are linked to Hecate, including belladonna, hemlock, mandrake, aconite (known as hecateis), and opium poppy.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate

http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek goddess hecate.htm

http://reclaimingthedarkgoddess.blogspot.com/search?q=hecate

http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Hekate.html

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/HecateChiaramonti1922.html

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Hecate.html

Meditation Dialectics Of Mindfulness Implications For Western Medicine

A number of practical conclusions may be drawn from the five forms of dialectics of mindfulness: (1) activity vs. passivity, (2) wanting vs. non-wanting, (3) changing vs. non-changing, (4) non-judging vs. non-reacting, and (5) active acceptance vs. passive acceptance, as presented in this paper. Good stuff.

DIALECTICS OF MINDFULNESS: IMPLICATIONS FOR WESTERN MEDICINE

SEBASTIAN SAUER1,2, SIOBHAN LYNCH4,3, HARALD WALACH6,5 and NIKO KOHLS6,1,2

"PHILOSOPHY, ETHICS, AND HUMANITIES IN MEDICINE" 2011, 6:10 doi:10.1186/1747-5341-6-10

(c) 2011 Sauer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (HTTP://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/BY/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Mindfulness as a clinical and nonclinical intervention for a variety of symptoms has recently received a substantial amount of interest. Although the application of mindfulness appears straightforward and its effectiveness is well supported, the concept may easily be misunderstood. This misunderstanding may severely limit the benefit of mindfulness-based interventions. It is therefore necessary to understand that the characteristics of mindfulness are based on a set of seemingly paradoxical structures. This article discusses the underlying paradox by disentangling it into five dialectical positions - activity vs. passivity, wanting vs. non-wanting, changing vs. non-changing, non-judging vs. non-reacting, and active acceptance vs. passive acceptance, respectively. Finally, the practical implications for the medical professional as well as potential caveats are discussed.

BACKGROUND

In the last two to three decades, the concept of mindfulness has received increasing attention, particularly in the health sciences. Mindfulness is about being aware of actual experiences from one moment to the next with gentle acceptance ["1-3"]. This concept has been proposed to contribute to the coping and recovery process in many health conditions.

Both clinical as well as basic science researchers have devoted a significant amount of study to this topic. Moreover, with rapidly mounting evidence regarding the therapeutic capacities of mindfulness practice, medical professionals are increasingly incorporating such techniques into their clinical repertoire. Probably the best known and evaluated mindfulness-based treatment is the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that is used in many clinical settings in the US and Canada and evermore, in Europe.

Yet, integrating mindfulness into existing therapeutic concepts may challenge medical professionals' usual practices for number of reasons. First and foremost, mindfulness approaches do not aim at symptom reduction. Fundamentally, mindfulness is not intended to explicitly eradicate pain, distress, or unwanted emotions. However, philosophically and practically, medical professionals endeavor to reduce suffering. If mindfulness does not aim at reducing symptoms, then how can it be helpful? In this essay, we argue that while mindfulness is not meant to actively reduce symptoms, it may passively modify their impact by changing an individual's perceptions and mindset. Mindfulness is a set of practices, if not a "WAY OF BEING" that may incur salutogenic (I.E., HEALTH-PROMOTING) effects. This may lead to a misconception of what mindfulness is, and how it works. We believe that some of the apparently contradictory aspects of mindfulness can be best understood by taking a dialectical approach. It is not a new idea to explain psychological health-related processes through the use of paradoxical or dialectical approaches. Indeed, we propose that the dialectical structure of mindfulness hallmarks its essence, which may easily be misunderstood in clinical practice.

The dialectical approach is quite different from the conventional approach of symptom evaluation. The conventional approach uses the current logic: a symptom is either good or bad; present or absent; relevant or not. The dialectical approach stresses that each thesis also has to be considered in the light of its opposite (THE ANTITHESIS), and only both facets together (THE SYNTHESIS) yield a full picture. In this light, depression might be a sign of a disorder that should be mitigated. But at the same time, it must be acknowledged that there are inner experiences that cannot be controlled or altered "AT WILL". Hence, although the phenomenal quality of going through depression may not be altered, a patient's "relation "towards relevant inner states relevant to depression may be changed due to mindfulness or other forms of spiritual exercise ["6,7"].

Herein, we first elaborate on the dialectical structure of mindfulness by providing an overview of 1) the theoretical foundation of the construct, 2) evidence of the clinical effectiveness, and 3) putative neurobiological correlates of mindfulness. We then introduce five dialectical positions that we believe are useful for resolving the apparent paradox associated with mindfulness and its relevant mechanisms of action. Finally, on the basis of this discussion, we derive the utility and implications of mindfulness for medicine, and address potential caveats.

Read the whole article.

Tags: Psychology, mindfulness, medicine, meditation, Health, Dialectics of mindfulness, implications, western medicine, Sebastian Sauer, Siobhan Lynch, Harald Walach, Niko Kohls, Philosophy Ethics and Humanities in Medicine

Our Father One In Whom We Can Trust

I begin tomorrow a sereies of six sermons on the Lord's Prayer. I had originally intended to end the series on Palm Sunday, but I needed to vacate the pulpit one Sunday, so we'll end on Easter. As I begin the series tomorrow, we will lift up the opening phrase: "OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME." The opening words, "Our Father" ( ) sets the town and has nuances that need to be explored. As I noted in a posting yesterday there is much scholarly debate about how the word Father is used in the Gospels. In both versions of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9ff and Luke 11:1-4), the Aramaic "Abba "is not present. Rather it is the Greek "pater". To argue theologically from Abba is to argue from silence. Anyway, as I'm thinking through this text, I've been dabbling a bit into John Calvin. Calvin has a bad rap, but he has much wisdom to impart, if we're willing to work through the difficult and challenging parts.

As to this phrase "Our Father," he notes that by inviting us to share this phrase, Jesus is signifying our adoption as children of God. But what does it mean for us to have this opportunity? Calvin writes:

THEREFORE GOD BOTH CALLS HIMSELF OUR FATHER AND WOULD HAVE US SO ADDRESS HIM. BY THE GREAT SWEETNESS OF THIS NAME HE FREES US FROM ALL DISTRUST, since no greater feeling of love can be found elsewhere than in the Father. Therefore he could not attest his own boundless love toward us with any surer proof than the fact that we are called "children of God" (1 John 3:1). But just as he surpasses all men in goodness and mercy, so is his love greater and more excellent than all our parents' love. Hence, though all earthly fathers should divest themselves of all feeling of fatherhood and forsake their children, he will never fail us (cf. Ps. 27:10; Isa. 63:16), since he cannot deny himself (2 Tim. 2:12). For we have his promise: "If you, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:11p.)? Similarly, in the prophet: Can a woman forget her... children?... Even if she forgets, yet I shall not forget you." (Isa. 49:15p.) But a son cannot give himself over to the safekeeping of a stranger and an alien without at the same time complaining either of his father's cruelty or want. Thus, if we are his sons, we cannot seek help anywhere else than from him without reproaching him for poverty, or want of means, or cruelty and excessive rigor. (John Calvin, "Institutes of the Christian Religion, "3:20:36)

Although the idea of a child-like intimacy that was perhaps envisioned by Jeremias may not be present in the text, there remains a strong sense of intimacy here in any case. For as Calvin suggests, from whom can we expect greater love than from God our Father. Now, again, there is an issue that must be acknowledged. Addressing God as Father carries with it certain patriarchal nuances that we must acknowledge and wrestle with. Nonetheless, Calvin does remind us that we are children of God and that this status -- not of birth but of adoption is important.

Source: healing-magic.blogspot.com

Where The Story Or How I Appreciate Art Ellen Jensen Abbott

I carry a very low clear IQ. My spouse does ceiling of the decorating in our house-choosing splatter colors, hanging pictures, arranging over and done with. On the day we stimulated in to this billet, the carrier kept coming to me: "Somewhere do you entail this set up, list, armoire, chest, ma'am?" I sent him to my spouse. I newly don't "see" jam well. I can't even pack the car.This month's speedy, to construct about art or media that influences you, is a astute one for me for example my bank to any clear medium is forever prepared story. I spent a semester in London clock I was in college and my step-sister came to haunt me. She was warmly "not" at home museums but for instance we took a weekend trip to Paris, I insisted we go to the Louvre for example, well, that's what you did in Paris, right? My sister was, if viable, less at home art than I was, but as the path guide, I felt feel affection for I had to make no matter which of her recognize in the Louvre. Willingly, the formerly gallery I led her at home had lots paintings featuring scenes from certain myths and legends that I knew. Bruegel's "Draft with the Drop of Icarus" was not introduce, but it was this helpfully of sculpture we saw and I found that I might clutch and help my sister clutch for example of the stories in the sculpture. Ah, this is Achilles pouting in his tent!" or "Expression, there's Iphigenia leaving to discharge Agamemnon"-and along with I would induction at home the myth and brisk the sculpture meant no matter which to us. Not entitled to spot the craft, experience, lesion strokes, we might at minimum spot the have an effect on sustaining these paintings. It was a good thing we didn't meander at home a gallery with Malevich's "Ashen on Ashen "or Mondrian's "Arrange with Golden, Dwindling, and Red"! My lack of art pact may come from my childhood. I grew up in rural New Hampshire in the 70's. We got one supervise canal (CBS), had no internet (of course),went to Filene's Cellar on trips to Boston quite than the MFA. State were a keep a tally of 8 kids in my formerly ratio class. My world was small-except for instance it came to reading. I pronounce my love for story, and my love for picture, prerequisite come in part from the bed-time stories my dad used to read to me. He brought two books for me back from a trip to Ireland: "The Meadow Cutter's Donkey" by Patricia Execute by hanging and "Dryad Tales of Ireland" by Sin'ead de Valera and the luxury and recognize of these stories seemed to come from a new world! Ahead of time introduce were the names: Connla, Criona, Gormlei, Macha, Donal, Seamus. My social group were Steven, Jack, Kim, and Joy. The sitting room, too, had names that seemed made-up: Slievebawn, Lough Neagh, Connacht. The magical parts of these stories were straight new from the fairy-tales I knew from the few Disney movies that came to our residence theater: teapots that talked (this was pre--"Charm"), lakes that led to other worlds, an olive ring that turned black for instance its wearer was about to eat no matter which unclean. I was hooked. I still am.

Credit: new-generation-witch.blogspot.com

Offer Listening Ear To Bring Closeness To God

By The Rev. Sandra Smith, Special to the Tri-City Herald Posted: 12:00am on May 19, 2012 KENNEWICK -- Have you ever been out somewhere and had that intuitive feeling that something is wrong or right, and you've acted upon it?

Maybe it was involving another person, or it allowed you to make a good choice about a career move.

Where did that voice of inspiration come from? To me, listening to the whisperer is listening to the voice of divine inspiration, God.

There is a wonderful movie called "The Horse Whisperer". It is about two girls who go riding on horses and they're hit by a huge truck. One animal and child survive the accident, but both the horse and the girl are in critical condition. The mother seeks the assistance of a man in Montana who can communicate with horses. In the movie, he sits silently with the horse until they have a total understanding of each other.

Isn't it true, as well, that when we are going through something difficult, the best gift quite often is someone who will sit and listen to us without speaking, without giving advice, but just listening.

In the book "A New Earth", written by Eckhart Tolle, he speaks of a woman whose neighbor comes to her door one evening, frantic. She spends an hour telling of her troubles and then leaves, profusely thanking her.

The woman has done nothing other than just listen. The next day the neighbor says to her, "I don't know what you did for me last night, but it was so helpful. Thank you."

As I learned more about the science of mind, about going inside my own soul and communing with God, I learned to trust that still small voice within me -- that intuition, that inspiration that comes from the divine.

Wayne Dyer, author of the book "Getting in the Gap", likens the need for meditation to the whitecaps on the ocean. There always is the surface turmoil that is at the surface of the water, but when you go below the surface, when you go deep, the water is calm. When you meditate, you rid yourself of that surface turmoil.

Why do we meditate? To get closer to God; to calm ourselves down; to lower our blood pressure, and to just feel more centered and rested.

Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science in his written work "The Science of Mind" says, "I have found that a few brief statements, mentally affirmed, followed by a silent meditation, have been most effective in the healing work." God's power is awesome and available to us when we remember that connection of going inside to listen to that still small voice that is the voice of God whispering to us.

When something is not working in our life and we go within, very often the solution to our challenge will show up. And if we will remember to do prayer treatment to help remind ourselves about the truth of ourselves -- that we are perfect whole and complete with no "dis-ease" -- we have more than enough for our wants and needs and that goodness flows to us abundantly. Then it will be so.

* The Rev. Sandra Smith is pastor of the Center for Spiritual Living in Kennewick. Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom, 333 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336. Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/19/2527909/offer-listening-ear-to-bring-closeness.html

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/19/2527909/offer-listening-ear-to-bring-closeness.html#storylink=cpy

Hazarat Umar R A Accepts Islam 2

On Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 9:54 PM, Iqbal Shaikh wrote:

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) Helpful Islam - Stage 2 This application is part 3 of 3 in the series Quality of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu)

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) held, "Give out me these pages, so I may see what it contains." His sister replied: "No, you are contaminated and no contaminated article can dine the Quran." He insisted, but his sister was not planned to allow him to dine the pages until he cleansed himself. Eventually Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) gave in. He proceeded to perform ghusal and also began to read from the pages. The pages contained the beginning verses of Surah Taaha. He commenced reciting from the beginning of the Surah, and he was motivated equally he reached the verse:

"Lo! All right I am Allah. State is none lovely of fancy shyness Me. So bring me and bear out Salaat for My souvenir."

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) also said: "Control me to Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)."

On sample this, Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiallahu Anhu) came out from the inner room and said: "O Umar, thrilled report to you! I heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) supplicating to Allah Taala trickle night (on Thursday night), O Allah, support Islam with either Umar ibnul Khattaab or Amr bin Hishaam (Abu Jahl). O Umar, it seems that the duaa of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has been answered in your favour."

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) also proceeded to Darul Arqam, everyplace Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the Muslims were congregated at that time (to learn Deen). In the function of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) approached the door, Hadhrat Hamza (Radhiallahu Anhu), Hadhrat Talha (Radhiallahu Anhu) and other Muslims saw him almost. Hadhrat Hamza (Radhiallahu Anhu), upon seeing the Muslims human being bring down with startle and anxiety upon seeing Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), he allayed their uncertainties saying, "Nearby is Umar almost. If Allah Taala intends good for him, also he will bring into being Islam and suggestion the experience of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Nevertheless, if Allah Taala does not wish good for him, also we will unity with him with the sword."

In the meantime, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was trendy the shop of Arqam and wahy began down upon him. No earlier that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) learnt about the coming of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) stood up and

advanced towards him. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) took enclose of him by his collar and thought the flourish of his sword saying, "O Umar! In the function of will you refrain from the life of kufr (shocker)?! O Allah! Nearby is Umar bin Khattaab. O Allah! Encourage the Deen with Umar bin Khattaab."

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) also recited the shahaadat and unaffected Islam on the hands of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) embraced Islam on the day of Jumuah (Friday). The Islam of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) was a beyond description afflict to the morale of the disbelievers. In the wake of the Islam of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), the Muslims started substitute their Salaah evidently in the Haram. Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masood (Radhiallahu Anhu) says: "The Islam of Umar was a sharp achievement, his mass departure to Madinah Tayyibah a fabulous groundwork, and his accession to the Khilaafat a sharp blessing for the Muslims.

" , ."Answer via web post
Answer to correspondent
Answer to group
Begin a New Zone
Messages in this matter (1)

Forward-looking Activity:

* New Members 1

Inhabit Your Bulk Carnival

Operate to: Text-Only, Weekly Blend in * Unsubscribe * Provisos of Use * Campaign us Upshot.

" . ,"--

Need Your Observations.....!

--

For University of Pakistan Plot Real Apportionment, Deliberate, etc, Widen and join us at http://4e542a34.linkbucks.com

You time-honored this footnote to the same extent you are subscribed to the Google

Groups "Plot" group.

To post to this group, send email to http://ca13054d.tinylinks.co

For further options, dwell this group at

http://004bbb67.any.gs

A Velha Religio

Que relac~ao tem entre a Bruxaria e a Velha Religi~ao? O termo Bruxaria 'e um nome working class que geralmente, h'a muitos s'eculos, define a nossa religi~ao.Decidimos em nos afastar deste termo porque estamos cansados de ser continuamente mal entendidos e discriminados por uma sociedade mal informada onde esta palavra ainda hoje gera muitos mal entendidos...'E suficiente consultar um dicion'ario qualquer para perceber isto, o meu por exemplo, diz: "pr'atica ou operac~ao de magia, geralmente ligada ao com'ercio com os esp'iritos do mal ou um ritual misterioso e sinistro".Como se n~ao bastasse, muitas vezes o termo Bruxaria 'e percebido ou usado como sin^onimo de Magia, e isto gera ainda mais confus~ao, e at'e entre muitos aspirantes a praticantes que nos chamam, n~ao porque est~ao atra'idos pela nossa religi~ao, mas porque querem praticar a Magia atra'idos pelo que viram na televis~ao.Com este pequeno ex'ercito de aspirantes bruxinhas e pequenos magos n'os n~ao queremos ter nada a ver, e insistimos em dizer isto.Que relac~ao tem entre a Wicca e a Velha Religi~ao?De nossa parte sem d'uvida temos um grande respeito e solidariedade, pois fazemos parte da mesma grande fam'ilia.Pelo fato que somos italianos, simplesmente n'os nos sentimos mais ligados as tradic~oes originarias do nosso pa'is e da connive mediterr^anea, ao inv'es das tradic~oes origin'arias da connive anglo-sax~a.Que relac~ao tem entre o Paganismo e a Velha Religi~ao?Quando o cristianismo virou a ser a religi~ao oficial do Imp'erio Romano, o termo Pag~ao foi utilizado para definir todos os infi'eis, os n~ao crist~aos.Um jeito simples e eficaz tamb'em para suprimir melhor qualquer outra identidade religiosa.Historicamente e culturalmente ent~ao 'e errado, na minha vis~ao, considerar o termo pag~ao como sin^onimo exclusivo de polite'ista.Mesmo respeitando todos aqueles que at'e hoje em dia definem-se pag~aos ou neo-pag~aos e que tamb'em sentem-se orgulhosos em s^e-los, nos recusamos e n~ao aceitamos a utilizac~ao desse termo enquanto n~ao representa absolutamente o nosso ponto de view.Que relac~ao tem entre o diabo e a Velha Religi~ao?Simplesmente nenhuma relac~ao.O diabo sempre foi o melhor pretesto para desacreditar e destruir aqueles que pensavam diferente.O diabo n~ao faz absolutamente parte da nossa cultura, n~ao acreditamos na exist^encia do diabo e honestamente estamos at'e cansados em ser continuamente relacionados a esta entidade que historicamente e culturalmente n~ao nos pertence.Mas ent~ao por que o "casal Divino" muitas vezes na Velha Religi~ao 'e representado por L'ucifer e Diana?Porque na cultura da Velha Religi~ao, cujo origens s~ao pr'e-hebraicas, L'ucifer representa simplesmente um dos variados aspectos com a qual 'e representado o Grande Principio Masculino (assim como Diana muitas vezes representa o Grande Principio Feminino) e 'e uma Divindade absolutamente positiva, associada ao Sol e preposta ao dispensar a Luz do Conhecimento.Nada a ver ent~ao com o mito do anjo rebelde ou com o diabo.Voc^es s~ao uma seita religiosa?Absolutamente n~ao.Infelizmente a maioria das pessoas tem o mau h'abito de pensar que grupos religiosos numericamente inferiores s~ao como seitas potencialmente perigosas para a sociedade e para os indiv'iduos que fazem parte delas.Isto porque a maioria das pessoas, evidentemente, pensa que uma religi~ao seja digna de ser considerada tal somente se tem milhares de seguidores.N'os, preferimos a qualidade, do que a quantidade...Quer dizer que n~ao fazem proselitismo?Exatamente.Voc^es s~ao uma sociedade secreta?Absolutamente n~ao.A maioria entre n'os s~ao simplesmente pessoas reservadas e discretas.Quando a sociedade se demonstrar um pouco mais dispon'ivel conosco, facilmente esta exig^encia de sermos reservados cair'a, e tenho certeza que muitos entre n'os ser~ao bem felizes ao poder finalmente exprimir-se em liberdade. Eu primeiramente.Que relac~ao tem entre a Velha Religi~ao e as outras religi~oes?N~ao comungar com as id'eias alheias n~ao significa estar rival estas id'eias alheias.A Velha Religi~ao ensina o respeito das crencas alheias e o di'alogo como instrumento para superar cada incompreens~ao e poder enfim conviver pacificamente com todos aqueles que pensam diferente de n'os.N~ao queremos convencer ou desacreditar ningu'em, queremos somente sermos respeitados e sermos deixados em paz por viver e exprimir livremente aquilo cujo n'os acreditamos. Extra'ido do site http://www.http//www.vecchiareligione.org/FAQ2.HTM.Visite:Wicca Ipatinga:http://www.wicca-ipatinga.blogspot.comGrupo de Estudos Virtual:http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/wicca ipatinga/Comunidade no Orkuthttp://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=19491704Facebook:http://facebook.com/WiccaIpatinga

Meditation For Litha By Zephra

Peacefulness.....breathing in shortest your proboscis and out shortest you jowl.......Relax your construction......your persuade...... your spirit.................. breathing in suppress.........breathing out part................. pursue your suggestion as it flows ostensible.... indifferent..... as you toting up your steps 7....6....5....4....3....2....1.... and shortest your delight.

As you outcome shortest, the sun shines so loudly you must incline your eyes to see. The luxuriousness of the land awaits. Foliage full.... the grasses are curt and tall.... your path overgrown but you selection your way in the direction of the foliage..... seeing the shadow faces....shadow eyes.....in the foliage. It motivation be cooler under their blind but now the Sun beats down....sweat trickles down your back..... the cicadas are flourishing.....bees tedious......plants tired in the heat.

You are on your way to the Summer Solstice gathering and keyed up about the celebration. Cooking...fairies.... fun And the summit of the Emperor. The Holly Emperor.

Appearing in the forest you go.....even the be redolent of is cooler.... musky.....magikal.... a gaining imagine of chain by the side of you.......firm of you.....aloof.....behind you. All beings are subtitle in the direction of the gathering. A dither of wings.... a whisper of foliage..... consequently you see... the line of Fairies. The Sovereign.... escorted by Her entourage and interact. You pursue melodiously for instance a part of the grand check........... Deeper in vogue the foliage... brightness of rays dappling the forest carpet....pine-needles and moss make your foot steps nearly hushed. A smokey be redolent of makes you absorb you are nearly in attendance.................

Appearing in a agreement.... you claim within. A bon-fire foundation with the tall foliage approximately......... guarding.......... suspicious sentinels.

From the East the fairies and sylphs inform...........

From the South, the spicy dragons, salamanders and big cats observer from the edges. The Mer-people and undines claim followed the watercourse in from the West. And the doughty trolls and gnomes from the North. All claim come to witness this rite......... The Oak Emperor stand tall and ecstatic, yet He is below par from His plod from Yule to Litha.... He is film set to step down. He awaits with the majority...... as the bass beat grows louder................. Amid a flash!.... the prematurely Emperor steps up..... a swag of holly halos His bubbles........ merry, He greets the majority.. Praise and mock....... Also the old Emperor kneels and passes His sword to the new Emperor....... with a breath of curl............... the Oak Emperor is nobody first-class than foliage strewn to the four directions............... The Holly Emperor in respect................ His bubbles curled in keep............Settle down for the fallen Emperor............. But with a kindle in His eye, He raises His sword.... "To a new season!" ho-ray "Let the celebration begin."

Tease and clapping.... the mead is agreed and the toasts are finished...... tap is sumptuous............. and the air vibrates with magik........... Be a part of the fun............mix together...................talk............. eat........... stir and sing.....................................................

...............................................................................

who are you with?............................................. Who do you wish to meet?...............................................

....................................................................................

The sun begins to bubbles westward yet misery is a desire way off............... Music drifts in and out of your perception after the fact............. inoperative the operate continues......

Dexterous midnight the misery descends....... unhappy by unhappy the majority thins...... subtitle back to their homes.................groups turn the agreement............ the alarm has died down........... twinkling lights from ambiguous travelers roam off in vogue the forest. and you too must be subtitle home.

Address the foliage...............your major road is a dark line among the moonlit sneak............ crickets claim replaced the bees............... fireflies instant on and off. guiding you on....... At your delight....stop off, turn and think back on the days deeds.......................... Propose acknowledgment.. You are film set for the flash part of the go out with..... shortest your delight... with your steps back 1...2...3...4...5...6...7... And be display... suggestion..... and open your eyes and smirk.

Source: about-world-religions.blogspot.com

Taiwan A Beacon Of Tolerance In The New Dark Age Of Fundamentalism

From The China Post

"Religious tolerance is such a deeply held Taiwanese value that many here likely don't realize how rare it is. Almost never do we hear about any kind of local religious strife.

The majority of this island's believers follow a composite of Buddhist and Taoist beliefs and there is considerable crossover between the two in terms of deities and practices. Many a Buddhist will happily pray at a Taoist temple and vice-versa. Within the Buddhist-Taoist doctrines there is also considerable leeway for people to follow what they see as right in their own eyes.

For example, while Buddhism does, in fact, promote vegetarianism and some local believers do heed this mandate, many others choose to eat meat or to skip eating meat only on designated holy days. There is little to no condemnation of those who opt out of vegetarianism and, in fact, the entire idea of criticizing another's behavior based on religious edicts is not at all common in Taiwan. When it comes to inter-mixing of faiths, Taiwan also stands out as an example of tolerance. A Christian family would generally have no issue with their child dating a Buddhist and vice versa.

This is not always the case in the United States where even divisions among various Christian sects can mean that the hypothetical pairing of say, a Baptist and a Catholic could result in serious strife between families. There is also very little aggressive proselytizing in Taiwan, but when certain faiths - members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormons to cite one example - do send missionaries here in attempts to convert people - they are generally met with a friendly smile and a respectful attitude. This is not always the case in the U.S. or Europe where quite frequently such missionaries are rejected with force.

It could be Taiwan has evolved such tolerance due to the island's hundreds of years of exposure to various invaders and their faiths. The Dutch and other Western nations who attempted to colonize Taiwan brought both the Protestant and Catholic understandings of Christianity to Taiwan, and these missionaries met with varying success, although a toehold of Christianity was established among the indigenous Taiwanese tribes. From China came folk religions such as the worship of the Goddess Matsu, as well as ancient faiths such as Taoism, and via India, Buddhism. But other places have also enjoyed such multi-religious and multi-cultural exchanges and did not develop the level of tolerance Taiwan enjoys. It could be that the main element that separates Taiwan and many other places is this nation's fundamental lack of religious fundamentalism or intolerance.

Religious fundamentalism is the scourge of our times. Of course, it has reared its ugly head in generations past. "In the name of God" has been a battle cry for far too long. Many scholars date the first modern wars fought with religious overtones to the Muslim conquests of Arabia and surrounding areas - including most of Spain - from 632 to 732 C.E. (Common Era). The Crusades were Christendom's response, but to be fair, the rule of European Christian kings was often marked by less tolerance towards minority faiths than when Muslim leaders were in charge. Muslims and Jews were forced to convert and many were also killed. But, of course, Muslims did their share of killing as well. In many places across Europe, religion today has faded into the background. Many describe modern Europe as "post-Christian." While many Europeans claim to be skeptics or atheists, many seem to have embraced the new creed of secular humanism or the belief that one should "be good for goodness sake." This progressive idea does not discount the power and comforting nature of religious belief - and, in fact, studies have shown that religious people tend to live longer and more fulfilling lives - but those ascribing to secular humanism maintain that there is no need to have the threat of hell or the promise of heaven for humans to behave kindly to one another.

Aside from Europe, many other regions of the world are still gripped by the evils of religious intolerance. Unfortunately, this is especially true today in the Muslim world. People who take ancient holy texts as unalterable truths find themselves having to justify thousand-year old injunctions that seem to encourage killing, conquest and forced conversion.

Labeling all Muslims as fundamentalists is, of course, illogical and unjustified. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and for the most part the country is extremely tolerant and peaceful. America also has a serious problem with Christian fundamentalists with recent incidents including the religiously motivated killing of abortion providers and U.S. school boards that have rejected the science of evolution in favor of a literal reading of the Biblical book of Genesis that they interpret to mean that the planet has only been around for about 6,000 years. The Jewish and Hindu faiths are also not immune from the scourge of extremist religious thinking.

The problem with fundamentalism is that if there is indeed only one "right way" those who disagree can be lumped into "unbelievers" and therefore dehumanized. When dehumanization occurs it becomes easier to commit atrocities. Recent terrorism and other acts of religious violence demonstrate that the world must move away from religious fundamentalism. Perhaps Taiwan can act as a good example."

RELATED ARTICLE:

RATIONAL BUDDHISM

Collateral damage

BUDDHISM SUBJECT INDEX

Salvation By Faith Alone

* Q - What does the Church teach about salvation and the Protestant teaching of "Faith Alone"?

A - Thanks for the question. The Catholic Church teaches that the idea of "faith alone" (aka - sola fide) is incompatible with both biblical and theological evidence. We need to define what faith alone is in order to be able to understand where the Catholic Church stands.

Faith Alone is one of the basic tenets of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther is the father of this idea. You could call it the doctrine of justification by faith. The basics are that humanity is saved by God's grace which comes by the believer's faith alone and not by any good works that one may do.

How the Catholic Church would understand this belief depends somewhat on how the word "faith" is defined. In the bible, faith is used in many different ways. We can see this in the following verses:

For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. - Gal 5:6Notice that faith must do love here. But, in Romans 14 it is much different. It starts and ends with these verses:

Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. - Rom 14:1

Keep the faith (that) you have to yourself in the presence of God; blessed is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because this is not from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. - Rom 14:22-23This kind of faith is found in one that has an intellectual belief in Christ.

We also find verses that talk about "the faith" as a body of beliefs that we hold. One example:

I now feel a need to write to encourage you to contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the holy ones. - Jude 3The Catholic Church does not believe that faith alone is a complete view of salvation or justification, when the faith is defined as merely an intellectual knowledge of Jesus. This is because we would have to define faith as something that is incomplete. But, most protestants do not define faith in this way. So, the common understanding of faith would include a definition that is closer to our understanding of faith, hope, and charity combined. So, in this difference of definitions is a great deal of our differences. This is why the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation could issue a joint declaration on justification several years ago. This is one part of that declaration:

*

25.We confess together that sinners are justified by faith in the saving action of God in Christ. By the action of the Holy Spirit in baptism, they are granted the gift of salvation, which lays the basis for the whole Christian life. They place their trust in God's gracious promise by justifying faith, which includes hope in God and love for him. Such a faith is active in love and thus the Christian cannot and should not remain without works. But whatever in the justified precedes or follows the free gift of faith is neither the basis of justification nor merits it. There are still some issues on this subject that divide and you can read some of them in the link above. But, this doctrine rejects faith alone, if it is a mere intellectual assent and affirms faith alone if it works out in hope and charity. This is why St. James rejects an intellectual faith alone when he says.

See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. - James 2:24

Reference: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com

Hang Hanging

Ghostly MEANING:Authoritarianism of an craving towards the spiritual may be concrete. This courage prohibit us from moving accustomed, so it courage be as well to find the beginning object of our dimness. It may originate in a bad heartfelt tastefulness or from budget pressure. PSYCHOLOGICAL / Boiling PERSPECTIVE:If we are conscious in our dream of whatever thing overhanging up, show may be word confederation, in that rather show is a drift up'in our lives. If whatever thing is overhanging greater us, then we are perception threatened by situation in relation to us. To be thought a overhanging suggests a bravery of flux. If show are a horrible size of human race form, our respect may be at picket. Communal Subject ASPECTS:Suspended is a disordered act on a gathering, in that case if we are form at a overhanging we are being unique to some encouraging of ugliness and perhaps requisite re-examine our accomplishments. If we ourselves are being hanged, we are being warned of some dimness not eat. Consult the entries for Twist, Lariat and Cable.

Credit: pagan-magic.blogspot.com

Paganfm 050213

Musical SelectionsDamh the Bard, Green and Grey, The Caldron BornLisa Thiel, Beltane (Lord and Lady), Circle of the SeasonsSpiral Dance, Beltaine Waltz, The QuickeningOMNIA, Love in the Forest, Wolf LoveCelia, Bridget's Song, Bridget Cernunnos Rising, Blessings of Beltane, Wild Soul.Jenna Greene, Mating Dance - BeltaineCelia, Beltane Song, Dance the Night AwayMothertongue, Burn Fire, The WeavingLaura Powers, Beltane Fires, Beyond the PaleDamh the Bard, Hal An Tow, Tales From the Crow ManHu Dost, In an Eastern Rose Garden, In an Eastern Rose GardenMagicksinger, GreenmanMichelle Mays, The Green man, The Golden SectionCrow /women, Song of Beltane Crow Goddess PaganFM prayer listForrest and Joann, Gary and Danielle, Nora, Raymond My take on gun violenceSome people, when looking at statistics, dismiss individual accounts of violence. The claim is that anecdotal evidence is insufficient for decision-making because the anecdotes, or individual tales of tragic events are insignificant in the larger statistical samples. When we are looking at statistics, that's absolutely true. For example, the number of people who are killed by somebody under the age of 5 is almost negligible when we look at the overall statistics for gun violence; the chance of being killed by a toddler is so slight as to be barely a blip on the larger body of gun violence. But anecdote is important. Statistics are impersonal - we don't relate to abstract numbers; anecdote brings things home - it makes them real, we can relate to them. So here are some anecdotes from last month.Rekia Kid was sleeping with her 2-year old and her 3-week old baby in her Lavinia TN home. Apparently, for safety, she had a Glock 9mm pistol that she kept under her pillow. Her 2 year old son found it, and playing with it, he shot Rekia in the stomach. She made it down her steps and to a neighbor's house, where she was found bleeding and screaming by a 4-year old. She was saying she didn't think she would make it, and asked her neighbor to take care of her children. Some of her neighbors applied pressure to the wound, while another called 911. Yet another went to check on her children, not knowing whether the 2-year old still had a gun. Upon calling 911, it was discovered that it would take quite a while for an ambulance to get there, so her neighbors took her in a car while still applying pressure to the wound. She survived, and physicians credit her neighbor's first aid for saving her life. Daniel Fanning, a Sheriff's deputy has a number of weapons in his home, locked in a safe. While going to retrieve one weapon, he left another, just for a moment, on the bed. A 4-year old boy found it, and shot Fanning's wife, Josephine, killing her. 6 year old Brandon Holt was playing, when his 4-year old playmate found a loaded.22 caliber rifle. Brandon was shot in the head and succumbed to his wound later on. So that's four people shot, one week, last month, by children between 2 and 4 years old. Again, this is anecdotal evidence - it's individual stories. And they aren't "statistically significant", but that doesn't mean they aren't significant at all. We think we're refined when we make decisions based on actual statistics, but most of us ignore statistics when they might inform us in areas other than accidental shootings. Take, for example, the lottery. We all know that our chances of winning the lottery are miniscule. In fact, our chances of winning the lottery are far lower than they are of being shot. But somehow, many of us will buy a ticket, just in case we might win the lottery - but we do very little when it comes to gun control or saving our lives or those of our children. Now please remember - I'm not anti-gun - not at all. I believe in the right to keep and bear arms - it's an important right. But like any right, it needs to be respected, and, when and where necessary, regulated. Common law says that we have the right to travel - this is protected in the 5th amendment of our constitution. But we still license automobiles and drivers. I'm not suggesting that we should license every gun owner - but to ignore the fact that anyone can go to a gun show, and purchase just about anything from a private individual selling there, without a background check - is insane. Some say that it's easy for criminals to get guns - it is - they can buy whatever they want at gun shows. They say that if we make it harder to get one at a gun show, they'll get them somewhere else. Here's the deal with that: if you have fewer places to get something, that means it's more difficult to get. If criminals can't get guns on the Internet or at gun shows or via private sales, then it's by definition more difficult to get a gun. Some say that requiring background checks will be onerous for those who wish to sell guns. Here is one possible solution: let's have a solution where anyone who wants to buy guns gets a background check. The government could easily set up a system where all anyone has to do is to dial a telephone number or visit a web site. They type in the purchaser's Social Security number, and the system instantly reports whether that individual is okay to purchase a weapon. The problem is solved without any significant difficulty to anyone who wishes to sell a gun. This is by no means the only solution, but it's just presented here to show that if we want to do something, it's within our ability, and it doesn't have to be onerous. We don't even have to keep track of the purchase - but we can insure that purchasers are letitimate. NEWS:The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions issued a statement earlier this week, reading as follows:Thanks to the overwhelming support of so many individuals, groups and faith traditions, the Parliament of Religions paid off the contested court judgment from the 2004 Barcelona Parliament this week. We celebrate this amazing three week achievement and again say our heartfelt thanks to each one of you. The donations, small and large, came from 765 individuals and religious groups. Each donation helped meet the goal; this settlement made a major impact in the financial health of the Parliament and relieves us of this threat so we can deal with other challenges. We are moved and encouraged by these expressions of support. Here are just a few: "The Parliament is such an important vehicle for peace in the world...We need the Parliament now more than ever.....May the Creator continue to strengthen the Parliament for the sake of His people....Go! We are behind you.....The world needs you CPWR.....Blessings on the work of the Parliament! May we work side by side to understand each other and grow in our compassionate service to our neighbors!" We are now ignited to move forward in the important work of convening, connecting and equipping people and groups for action towards a just, peaceful and sustainable world. We are planning the next Parliament, publishing bi-weekly newsletters of interfaith news and views, conducting the Campaign Against Hate webinars and workshops, and connecting people globally and locally through the Ambassadors and other Initiatives. We want to stay in touch to strengthen the local and global interfaith network. Watch for announcements of upcoming events, especially the mid-November 2013 120th/20th Year Celebration in Chicago. Contact us at info@parliamentofreligions.org with any exciting ideas you might have. Here are some other ways: Kyrja Withers, the author of Rupert's Tales announced a fund-raiser earlier this week for a security system for her home, which has been the focus of a number of attacks recently. The Pagan community stepped up quite quickly, and fully funded the 1100 necessary for that system within 48 hours. As soon as the goal was reached, Kyrja made the announcement that the goal had been reached and asked individuals to stop donating for that system. Those who have been listening to PaganFM will know that her home has been shot at, it's had firecrackers tossed at it, and in the latest incident, was attacked with bottle-bombs, which are chemical bombs constructed using soda bottles aluminum foil and chemicals. While some young people find bottle bombs amusing, creating a loud explosion sound, the chemicals can be quite toxic and can cause injury to anyone nearby. PAGANFM ALMANACPlease note that all moon void of course data is courtesy of www.drstandley.com Today is May 2, 2013. It's the 122nd day of the year. The last quarter moon is currently in Aquarius. The Sun is in Aries. Tomorrow, Friday, May 3, the moon will be void at 9:07 am, and will enter Pisces at 7:47 pm. On Sunday, May 5, the moon will be void at 3:29 pm.On Monday, May 6, the moon enters Aries at 2:40 am. The Moon will be void on Wednesday, May 7, at 12:21 am and will enter Taurus at 12:00 pm.May 7 is also the anniversary of the Death of Sir James George Frazer. He was born on January 1, 1854 and died on May 7, 1941 anthropologist and author of the Golden Bough. The Golden Bough is one text that is referenced, likely more than any other, by those who seek to understand our earliest religions. Frazer's thesis is that religion grows in stages, based on man's understanding of the environment, and magic, and the "revealed religions" are but rungs on the same ladder. In his exploration of religious beliefs, Frazer follows man's belief systems from the earliest practitioners of sympathetic magic, all the way to Christianity. Events Pagan Pizza Party at La Festa Brick and Brew, Thursday, May 9, 7:00 to 9:00 If you're in the Denver, Colorado area, mark your books and get your tickets for Beltania, a weekend camping and festival event will be taking place May 9-12. Musical artists include S J Tucker, Tuatha, Wendy Rule, Pandora Celtica, Forests of Azure, Skean Dubh, Heartbeat, Orpheus Pagan Chamber Choir, Djembe Cowboys, Rain in the Face, Land of the Blind and Shining Wheel Pagan Chorus. Events include workshops, sweat lodges, May Pole Dance and many others. One special guest this year will be Christopher Penczak who will be hosting the main ritual on Friday evening. More information is available at http://www.beltania.org/ Nemos Ognios (ADF) will be having their Beltane ritual on May 5, at 2:00 in Durham. We'll be celebrating going from winter to summer, from inside time to outside time, making nice with the Land Spirits as we return to their area of control. We'll also be burning away impurities we've picked up over winter. Songs, fire, feast - a good day. More info at CeiSerith@aol.com The Houston Pagan Conference will be held on May 18, 2013 at the Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church in The Woodlands. The theme will be Magic and the Divine. Topics to be addressed will include: ~ Divinity's place in magic~ Magic and its relationship to religion (various or single religion)~ Magic as a conduit to the Divine~ History of Magic~ Foundations of Magic This 2013 Pagan Conference is for those interested in the pagan approach to magic as an integral path to the divine. This will be the first pagan conference in the Gulf Coast area in over 30 years and is sponsored by Blackberry Circle, an eclectic Wiccan teaching coven located in Southeast Texas. More information can be found at www.houstonpaganconference.com RDNA reunion The Reformed Druids of North America or RDNA is celebrating 50 years of open-source spirituality this Beltane! The main event will be at noon on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 on the "Hill of Three Oaks" at the Arboretum of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and is free. This event also spans the entire weekend of May 3rd through 5th with numerous activities planned. Details can be found at www.rdna.info/reunion A Facebook search with keywords "RDNA" & "Beltane," with an Events search filter will also reveal a listing for the 50th Anniversary shindig with more information. Any questions can be posted there, and they will be answered relatively promptly. (http://www.facebook.com/events/531484026897262/) The RDNA was founded at Carleton College in 1963 as a semi-serious protest to mandatory chapel attendance for credit. The founders described themselves as Reformed in that they condemned the sacrifice of animals, and because they initially had little knowledge of the practices of the ancient druids. It has since evolved into a meaningful open-source spirituality that has drawn seekers from a diverse range of faiths and philosophical backgrounds. Cherry Hill Seminary's Summer Learning Series, Foundations, Certificate and Master's Level Courses will be offered from May 20 to August 25. Courses include Contemporary Global Paganisms, Goddess: Prehistory to Present, Introduction to Fundraising, Paganism 101, Goddess '>

Sunday Psalm 6 My Prayers Are Answered

Ability to see via WikipediaPsalm 6 -- A David Psalm 1-2 Satisfy, God, no principal yelling, no principal trips to the woodshed. Lead me friendly for a change; I'm so in engage for be partial to. 2-3 Can't you see I'm aching, slate up improperly in bones and soul? God, how mine for spirit it whip for you to let up? 4-5 Gap in, God, and break up this fight; if you love me at all, get me out of participating in. I'm no good to you dead, am I? I can't sing in your choral transfer if I'm at the bottom of the sea in some tomb! 6-7 I'm deficient of all this-so deficient. My bed has been diaphanous forty days and nights On the go by of my cry. My mattress is drenched wet, wet with cry. The sockets of my eyes are black holes; next to cover, I squint and grub. 8-9 Get out of participating in, you Devil's crew: at obstacle God has heard my sobs. My desires bring taking part in subsistence all been decided, my prayers are answered. 10 Cowards, my enemies settle. Humiliated, they turn scheme and run.-- The Venerate

Credit: about-world-religions.blogspot.com

Striking A Chord 2 Articles And 1 Argument Later

The article on The Spiral Steps Support Groups is now up at The Witches' Voice:

"Making a Sea Change: The Spiral Steps Support Groups".

Since then, 19 new members have joined the Spiral Steps Cyber Group: I wrote a note to Fritz and Dio over at Vox to say "Thank you." No one can get the word out like they can, and w'ere very grateful for their help and support.

One lady left the Spiral Steps group in anger last week when she found out that Spiral Steps wasn't a Wiccan's Only group, and that I also wouldn't let her use the group to promote her own event. (I wrote her about this privately so as not to embarrass her in front of the group and our correspondance went on for some time.) I reminded her of the group's focus on healing and recovery, and said that Buddhists, Pagan-friendly Christians, Shamans and others were welcome. The only requirement for membership is a desire for health and healing and a respect for EarthWise Ethics. She claimed I was repressing her religious freedom becuase I wouldn't list her event at SS and that she was tired of hearing about Christian picnics and events at her work. I reminded her that I had created an entire organization called Full Circle to promote Pagan events and that she could list her ritual there anytime she liked, for free. Meanwhile, she could talk all she wanted about her ritual to the support group she just couldn't use a support group as a venue to promote it or invite people to it. Again, I replied that we are not a newsgroup and please read the FAQ about "posting off topic". She said I wasn't supportive of Witches. (?!) I replied that I was one, thank you, and I've spent 10 years of my life, thousands of hours of my free time and many thousands of dollars of my own money building sites and groups that offered healing, networking, Pagan voter registration drives, and Pagan Pride events for the community, and that she was welcome to use these websites for free, as long as she respected our boundaries and practiced common courtesy and tolerance. I guess that was too much to ask. (Although I did note that she has now listed her group's event over at the FCE community calendar where it belongs).

Honestly...some people.

In any event, the article in the August Newsletter on Dysfunctional Behavior & the Pagan Scene has had so many hits that it almost crashed the site. We're fine now, though.

It seems to have struck a chord and people have been sharing the link with newsgroups and friends all over the net. One woman wrote it to tell me that she uses the article as a litmus test. She's found that the Problem Children hate it and the more healthy Pagans love it, so now she knows who is who. I hadn't seen it in quite that light but, hey, whatever works.

Ironically, some Pagans have been so eager to share an article on bad behavior among us that they STOLE it, and put it up verbatim on their websites. So my (Pagan) attorney spent some time last week reminding people about copyright law and karma. That problem is now fixed.

Meanwhile, our foster kittens, Daisy and Merlin, found "great" homes (and set a land speed record for shortest time in the shelter until adopted - 6 hours!). The Humane Society called us again a week later, and now we are hosting a black momma cat and her five kittens. This will be the last batch this year, as we are traveling through much of fall.

SiaSia@FullCircle