This week's stew is filled with some hot and juicy ingredients! We're tackling Oprah, Voodoo, living in the now, elders and egos, and more on Ouija. Kestril's keeping us dancing with messy love, and Karen has your Pagan Lore for the week.
The news is rife with witchcraft accusations, while the astro-outlook and full moon overviews are hopping. Of course, the weekly Tarot and Totem are here to help you with your week as well. La'Trice has a truly delicious recipe that's so easy to make, too!
Ready to dig in? Grab your cup and spoon and let's get to it!
Happy Birthday this week to Donna Haines, Michelle Wood-Capolino, Lynda Mazurowski, Deborah Burnley, Jon Morgan, Leonardo Leon Cano, Janna Nace, Sandi Zook, Deborah Martin, Jeannie Roe Bobick, and Paula Lancaster Lupi!!!! May this be your best birthday ever, and may this next year of your life bring you joy, peace, happiness, good health, success and the best of these things in abundance!
Love Is Messy
This cute song by the delightfully quirky Regina Spektor always makes me smile (if you haven't heard any of her other music, go search the web a bit for them and enjoy). I can relate to the story in the song - to trying to keep things sensible, logical, and predictable but in the end deciding that taking a chance on opening up to something new is worth the mess and possible heartache. What have you been putting off because you think it's too "messy" to fit into your life? What staid routine do you have that could use a bit of shaking up?
Keep Dancing,
Kestril
Clik here to view.
Paganism Part 5: politics, ethics and cults- and their absence
Field of Dreams with Pagan Roots: before festivals were boutique, they were wild affairs
Woman killed on charge of witchcraft in Parsa
2 women killed on suspicion of witchcraft
A very British Witchcraft
Sons kill dad over witchcraft suspicion
Septuagenarian thrashed for witchcraft
Castle to mark anniversary of witch trials
Grin spells end of witches law
I want to preface this post with one statement. I believe that any type of profiling or racism is wrong. You should not judge a person based on their skin color, religion or any other characteristic.
This week I read an article about Oprah Winfrey and her experience at a store in Switzerland. Oprah, who has her net worth set in the billions, stated that racism was alive and well because she was told in an upscale store that the clerk would not show her a hand bag, because she couldn't afford it. The bag, a Tom Ford “Jennifer” Tote retailed for $38,000.00 and was made from a crocodile.
I can’t say why the store clerk did not give her the bag to look at. Could it have been racism? Yes, it completely could have. But I believe there are a couple larger questions here. First, who needs a 38,000.00 handbag and secondly what’s the difference between crocodile skin and fur?
Let’s address the skin vs. fur. Crocodiles for the “skinning” market are kept 200 hundred at a time in small pens, less than 3 feet long to finish growing. As they mature they are separated into individual pens where the space is so small that they cannot stretch out and even turn around. Their heads and tails bent upward because there is no room for them. Keep in mind it can take three to four crocodiles to make one handbag. The natural lifespan of a crocodile is 50 years; however in the industry they are killed at 3 years of age. So basically, people are making purses out of babies as a status symbol, no different than minks were killed to create fancy coats for rich people.
That leads us to the cost of the bag. One handbag costs 38,000.00. Now we see that it does take 3-4 crocodiles to make one bag and someone might say, “Hey, it takes a lot of money to raise a crocodile.”
Yeah, you’re right, it does take a lot of money to raise one. If you’re raising it to skin it. If you’re cutting it up while it’s still a baby and turning it into a bag. The poverty guidelines for a family of six in the US is 31,000.00. According to NCCP.org 16 million children currently live under the poverty lines. In rural areas of the US three in every four people live on less than a dollar a day. Meanwhile, people who are purchasing 38,000.00 handbags are asking these same citizens to donate $10.00 to help fight malaria in Africa, or to help the Red Cross. When in all actuality it’s these very people that need the assistance.
Our sight in this country and probably in many others around the world has changed. We have the super-rich complaining about 38,000.00 handbags while children go without food. We have real estate moguls complaining about windmills being built to create better energy for our planet, blocking his view from his golf course. You know because we certainly shouldn't be trying to produce green energy because Mr. Trump needs to have a view of the Aberdeen Bay while he putts.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I became a billionaire. I wonder if I would slowly sink into the self-absorbed person that requires the death of countless animals to feel important. Would I be able to sip champagne and go to Thailand for take-out while millions of people starve? I’m thinking my life as a billionaire would probably be very short. I would donate to world hunger, and hunger in our own back yard. I think that most of my money would quickly be giving away to charities or wild life refuges to help save a species. Maybe that species would be the humans.
Namaste and Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(
Live Now!
Most of us grew up being told to save our money, be frugal, wait for rewards and all of the other words of wisdom our parents and grandparents preached. And always with the idea that good things come to those who wait.
A dear friend and her husband worked hard all their lives and saved and went without, but always with the idea that they would take the trips, buy the car and have the fun when they retired. Then, with less than a year before the planned retirement was to take place, they discovered that he had senile dementia. It was not something that was going to kill him quickly but it was severe enough that all of the plans for fun were simply thrown away. The savings went to pay for meds and in-home care. He lived long enough for them to go through all of the savings and all the dreams.
I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that the saddest words in our language were "What if?" You know that those people who died in Hurricane Sandy or lost their children in Moore, OK had not planned for those things.
What if each and every one of us lived in the "Now" and did those things with our spouse that we had put off or took our children on that camping and fishing trip this summer rather than wait for later, those memories would always be there. You can't take dreams out and look at them, but the memories of those trips are like a warm fire later on.
Yesterday is over and done with and beyond our abilities to change and tomorrow is a nebulous possibility but this moment is ours to shape and use. Make it a moment you will want to remember in that possible tomorrow. Make it a moment your children will remind each other of when they are grown. That summer you went to the lake and they caught the fish or the winter you went to the beach and rented the cabin and watched the waves and walked the nearly empty boardwalk and came back to the cabin and played board games and ate popcorn in front of the fireplace.
Live now! It is really all you have.
No Saints in my Vodou, Please!
I’d like to take you back in time a bit. Say, oh, 250-300 years should do the trick nicely. Back into a city called “New Orleans”. Here, we have plantations, rich white people, and slaves. These slaves have their religious beliefs…beliefs that they have had to “blend” in a manner of speaking with the Catholic beliefs of the plantation owner in order to avoid being punished, severely, perhaps even…permanently. It’s no secret that many plantation owners were cruel masters.
Certain Catholic saints had similar abilities to the Lwas and in order to avoid the whip, the saints were “prayed to”. Eventually, the saints became inseparable from the Lwas they were disguising, but the fact remains, they didn’t start out that way.
Why, then, was I informed that in order to work the magic of hoodoo, that I had to pay honor to the saints, the Psalms, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Bible? That they were inseparable? That I had to step “outside of my comfort zone” because the magic wasn’t there, but was wrapped instead somewhere else?
If the magic isn't inside you to begin with, then where the hell is it?
Hoodoo is folk magic with herbs, roots, rocks, sticks, waters, salts, oils, but more importantly, it’s working with the spirits and working with energies! Calling those energies from the Bible when the Bible supposedly condemns all sorcery and those who work said folk magic makes about as much sense to me as asking the NRA to help sign a petition to ban assault weapons. The fact that I was told that I had to or that it wasn’t hoodoo was the tipping point for me, hence this rather lengthy entry that is continued on my personal blog from Kallan Kennedy’s “The Sunday Stew”. Be warned before clicking for more, however. I don’t just stop at hoodoo. No, I continue on with other paths that I have been told must be a certain way. Wicca, Vodou, even Christianity. There is every chance that you may get offended at what I have to say, and I make no apologies. Proceed at your own risk. (read the rest of this post at Uncharted Seas)
Cap'n Dave's Blog: Uncharted Seas
Egos and Elders
As a fallible human being, I certainly have made my share of mistakes that have been driven by pride and my own unchecked ego. When it comes to my spiritual practices, I have worked very hard to make sure this is not so. I have always tried to be a good student; I ask questions, I practice, I read, I defer to those who have more knowledge and experience, and have shown respect to those who claim such by ‘title’. One of the first teachings I received when I began my stroll down the Pagan path was, “No matter who it is, no matter what they do, no matter what they tell you, NEVER check your brain at the door.” I found that to be sound advice, but not all the teachers I would meet in the future would agree. It became harder to discern what teachings and path were right for me, when an ‘Elder’ was actually trying to determine if I was right for them.
What is an ‘Elder’? An elder is a term of love and respect that is generally bestowed upon an individual who has made a contribution to their community by their teaching or other actions. They act through love and loyalty to their community-sharing what they know, what they do, and speaking out as a way to improve the lives not just of the Pagan/Wiccan communities but for all people. It is considered bad form to give yourself the title of Elder. It would be up to others who love, admire and respect that particular individual to determine that this is a title that fits them. An Elder is not necessarily ‘older’, but often are folks who have been working for a significant time in the communities they love. I have met many fine teachers, craftsmen, priests/priestesses, etc. but very few individuals I would say are ‘Elders’. That kind of title has a responsibility built into it and those who have earned it understand that, for it is who they are and have always been. However, there are self-proclaimed ‘elders’ and leaders who twist and abuse power which I have witnessed too often which hurts me to my core. (continue reading this post at Mid-Stride Moxie)
Adelina's Blog: Mid-Stride Moxie
I went to visit a friend on my way home the other evening and she had another visitor. It was a man that I didn't know and I had never met him before. When I first arrived he was sitting in his truck and she and I walked next door to her mom's home to look at the new pool.
We walked back to her driveway to talk for a few minutes, the guy jumps out of his truck to talk to us. She introduced us, we had chitchat, and everything was fine. I got my phone out to show her my son's backflip video on it and the back of the phone with the cover was pointed in the guy's direction. He took one look at it and said "A Ouija board, what have you got that for?" , to which I replied, "Because I like Ouija boards and I collect them" to which he came back with, "Those are of the devil!" EYEROLLLLL (me). Really? Because they aren't stamped "Made by Satan" The box plainly says Hasbro.
I won't put the whole thing on here. It led to him telling me that I'm wrong with my beliefs, I have hell waiting for me, me yelling at him, and him apologizing to me later on. Yes, he did apologize, I accepted and told him it was okay. But, I came home, found him on Facebook and decided to go ahead and block him. Especially when it is someone that says that I am going to burn in hell when they are a grown man posting drunk pictures and belly selfies and they are married. I don't need someone spouting anything on my wall, and I can't stand people like that. One day I am going to have a rant about this kind of stuff.
Anyway, I had a Ouija story to share with you this week, didn't I?
Now that I’m back at work, my crockpots, yes that’s plural, are once again my best friend when it comes cooking up healthy meals. This recipe for eggplant ratatouille is one of my favorites and this is a great time to make it, as most all the ingredients are in season.
CROCKPOT EGGPLANT RATATIOULLE
Ingredients
Directions
Parmesan Toast
Brush baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan. Place under broil and heat until cheese melts and edge of slices are light brown.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
August 18: Moon Void of Course from 3:17pm through the rest of the day.
August 19: Moon Void of Course until 12:06am then moves into Aquarius.
August 20: It's a Blue Moon! Full Moon in Aquarius 9:44pm
Moon goes void just after it turns full for the rest of the night.
August 21: Moon Void of Course until 12:43am then moves into Pisces.
August 22: Sun in Virgo 7:01pm
August 23: Moon Void of Course 1:50am-3:12am then moves into Aries.
Mercury in Virgo 6:36pm
Good evening for business after 6:36pm
August 24: Disseminating Moon: 8:25am
Great day for business- All Day
Weekly Horoscopes from DarkStar Astrology
"A time of tranquility and intellectual repose in the midst of a great struggle. A temporary retreat from stress to regather inner strength, reaffirm convictions, reorganize thoughts, and formulate a new plan. The need for vigilance in a moment of calm. May suggest a withdrawal from the material world to find spiritual guidance." ~facade
The four of swords is about recuperating, especially after a period of challenges or conflict. The challenge now is to find the quiet and peace within and hold it there. This is a time to replenish your strength in both mind and spirit. Stress and constant movement are killers to mind, body and spirit. There is always a respite before another challenge, and it's up to us to take advantage of this time.Take a breather from the hectic life, and just rest.
This card also suggests a need for seclusion. For you hard-working moms (both out and inside the home), that may be easier said than done. But, it's necessary. You can't take care of your family if you aren't taking care of you- that's just a fact. At the very least, find a few minutes each day this week for you, even if it's a nice, hot bath or curling up in a chair with a cup of tea.
If you're working on a particular project, it's time for re-evaluation and assessment. Reflect on your progress to date.Ask yourself, "What's working for me? What's not working", and write down your thoughts.
A pause like this helps refresh your energies on all levels, and prepares you for even more success in the future.
Regardless, Butterfly is one of the most beautiful creatures on earth, and is also a lovely totem.
For all its delicacy, the butterfly is one of the most powerful totems. For Early Christians, it represented the soul itself. In China it symbolized conjugal bliss and joy. Indigenous American Tribes called upon the butterfly for guidance in change.
The butterfly has taste sensors on the front legs, enabling them to experience life through motion. Most adult butterflies live just one or two weeks except for the monarch and angel wing which can live for six months or more. This is very symbolic. It suggests that a person with this medicine will experience tremendous soul growth in their earlier years. A difficult childhood is common. Life lessons are revealed to the consciousness while in the womb of the mother - the cocoon stage - and are completed when the caterpillar emerges into the butterfly and takes flight. Butterflies are symbols of freedom and creativity. They hold the gift of transformation and soul evolution.
Butterflies have a pair of large compound oval eyes made up of thousands of individual lenses. They can see a single image clearly and are able to perceive ultraviolet wavelengths of light. This suggests clairvoyant abilities for those that hold this totem.
The antennae of the butterfly have small knobs on each end which is said to play a role in orientation. When one antenna is missing the butterfly will fly in circles unable to find its way. Those with this medicine need to stay consciously connected to spirit at all times in order to arrive at their desired destination.
Whenever an eco-system is damaged, butterfly is usually the first to leave. They are especially sensitive to the harmony of earth.
Butterfly represents the cycle of life, of projects, of business, of rebirth.
Butterfly goes through four stages, which can be seen as the four stages of life or a project. Butterfly can give you clarity to your mental processes, help you organize the project your undertaking, and assist you in finding the next step for your personal life or career.
Ask yourself:
1. Is this the egg stage: Is it just a thought or idea?
2. Is this the larva stage: Do I need to make a decision?
3. Is this the cocoon/chrysalis stage: Am I developing and doing something to make my idea a reality?
4. Is this the birth/adult stage: Am I sharing my completed idea?
Butterfly can help you understand what you need to do next to continue the cycle of self-transformation. For example: Butterfly is an air symbol, so it is through the use of your mind that you will be moving through these cycles. If you have been feeling exhausted and need to know how to heal your fatigue, take notice of the colors you've been drawn to lately. Does your body feel better in green? Could this mean you need to eat more green vegetables? Maybe you need to connect with the green grass or forests again. This is the type of thinking that Butterfly brings you.
That's it for this week's Stew. Mull. Digest. Enjoy!
The Sunday Stew is a free, e-publication delivered every Sunday as a loving gift to the Pagan community. All submissions are the intellectual property of their authors, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the blog owner.
We welcome your feedback! Please be sure to tell us how we're doing and give us suggestions for improvement. You can leave a comment here (remember, they are moderated so it may take some time for yours to appear), use the contact form at the top of the page, email Kallan, or comment on Kallan's Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!
The news is rife with witchcraft accusations, while the astro-outlook and full moon overviews are hopping. Of course, the weekly Tarot and Totem are here to help you with your week as well. La'Trice has a truly delicious recipe that's so easy to make, too!
Ready to dig in? Grab your cup and spoon and let's get to it!
Happy Birthday this week to Donna Haines, Michelle Wood-Capolino, Lynda Mazurowski, Deborah Burnley, Jon Morgan, Leonardo Leon Cano, Janna Nace, Sandi Zook, Deborah Martin, Jeannie Roe Bobick, and Paula Lancaster Lupi!!!! May this be your best birthday ever, and may this next year of your life bring you joy, peace, happiness, good health, success and the best of these things in abundance!
Kestril's Song of the Week
Love Is Messy
This cute song by the delightfully quirky Regina Spektor always makes me smile (if you haven't heard any of her other music, go search the web a bit for them and enjoy). I can relate to the story in the song - to trying to keep things sensible, logical, and predictable but in the end deciding that taking a chance on opening up to something new is worth the mess and possible heartache. What have you been putting off because you think it's too "messy" to fit into your life? What staid routine do you have that could use a bit of shaking up?
Keep Dancing,
Kestril
In the News
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Paganism Part 5: politics, ethics and cults- and their absenceField of Dreams with Pagan Roots: before festivals were boutique, they were wild affairs
Woman killed on charge of witchcraft in Parsa
2 women killed on suspicion of witchcraft
A very British Witchcraft
Sons kill dad over witchcraft suspicion
Septuagenarian thrashed for witchcraft
Castle to mark anniversary of witch trials
Grin spells end of witches law
Pagan Lore with Karen Szabo
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Good Morning, Sunday Stew readers! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, wherever you are and whatever your weather (which certainly is unique lately)! Here's this week's Pagan Lore........
Clik here to view.
Good Morning, Sunday Stew readers! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, wherever you are and whatever your weather (which certainly is unique lately)! Here's this week's Pagan Lore........Sunday, August 18
On this date, the annual Festival of Hungry Ghosts is celebrated throughout China with burnt offerings to the spirits of the dead. On this date in the year 1634, a parish priest named Father Urbain Grandier was found guilty of bewitching a group of nuns at a convent in Loudun, France, and causing them to be possessed by demons. He was condemned to be tortured and then burned alive in the public square of Saint Croix.
Monday, August 19
In ancient Rome, a wine-harvest celebration known as the Vinalia Rustica was held each year on this date. It was dedicated to the Goddess Venus of the Grape Vine and also to Minerva. On this date in the year 1692, the Reverend George Burroughs and John Willard were put to death on Salem's infamous Gallows Hill as punishment for the crime of Witchcraft.
Tuesday, August 20
On this date in the year 1612, ten women and men known as the Lancashire Witches were executed on the gallows in one of England's most famous Witch trials of the seventeenth century. Ironically, the nine-year-old girl who had supplied the court with incriminating evidence against the Witches was herself found guilty of Witchcraft twenty-two years later and executed in the second great Witch trial of Lancashire.
Wednesday, August 21
The Consualia, a harvest festival celebrating the storing of the new crop, was held annually on this date by the ancient Romans. Also celebrated on this date was the muscular deity Hercules, who was honored with a sacrifice at one of his shrines in the city of Rome. His annual festival was called the Heraclia.
Thursday, August 22
On this date in the year 1623, the Order of the Rosy Cross (a secret sect associated with alchemy and reincarnation) was established in Paris, France. The mysterious Rosicrucian brotherhood was condemned by officials of the Church as worshipers of Satan. This day is sacred to Nu Kwa, an ancient Chinese Goddess identified with the healing Goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin.
Friday, August 23
The Volcanalia festival was celebrated annually on this date in ancient Rome. It was dedicated to Vulcan, the god of volcanic eruptions, and celebrated by frying fish alive to ward off accidental fires. Each year on this date in Athens, the ancient Greeks celebrated a festival dedicated to Nemesis, the Goddess who presided over the fate of all men and women.
Saturday, August 24
On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Virgo. Persons born under the sign of the Virgin are said to be analytical, organized, meticulous, and often prone to being perfectionists. Virgo is an earth sign and is ruled by the planet Mercury.
On this date, the annual Festival of Hungry Ghosts is celebrated throughout China with burnt offerings to the spirits of the dead. On this date in the year 1634, a parish priest named Father Urbain Grandier was found guilty of bewitching a group of nuns at a convent in Loudun, France, and causing them to be possessed by demons. He was condemned to be tortured and then burned alive in the public square of Saint Croix.
Monday, August 19
In ancient Rome, a wine-harvest celebration known as the Vinalia Rustica was held each year on this date. It was dedicated to the Goddess Venus of the Grape Vine and also to Minerva. On this date in the year 1692, the Reverend George Burroughs and John Willard were put to death on Salem's infamous Gallows Hill as punishment for the crime of Witchcraft.
Tuesday, August 20
On this date in the year 1612, ten women and men known as the Lancashire Witches were executed on the gallows in one of England's most famous Witch trials of the seventeenth century. Ironically, the nine-year-old girl who had supplied the court with incriminating evidence against the Witches was herself found guilty of Witchcraft twenty-two years later and executed in the second great Witch trial of Lancashire.
Wednesday, August 21
The Consualia, a harvest festival celebrating the storing of the new crop, was held annually on this date by the ancient Romans. Also celebrated on this date was the muscular deity Hercules, who was honored with a sacrifice at one of his shrines in the city of Rome. His annual festival was called the Heraclia.
Thursday, August 22
On this date in the year 1623, the Order of the Rosy Cross (a secret sect associated with alchemy and reincarnation) was established in Paris, France. The mysterious Rosicrucian brotherhood was condemned by officials of the Church as worshipers of Satan. This day is sacred to Nu Kwa, an ancient Chinese Goddess identified with the healing Goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin.
Friday, August 23
The Volcanalia festival was celebrated annually on this date in ancient Rome. It was dedicated to Vulcan, the god of volcanic eruptions, and celebrated by frying fish alive to ward off accidental fires. Each year on this date in Athens, the ancient Greeks celebrated a festival dedicated to Nemesis, the Goddess who presided over the fate of all men and women.
Saturday, August 24
On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Virgo. Persons born under the sign of the Virgin are said to be analytical, organized, meticulous, and often prone to being perfectionists. Virgo is an earth sign and is ruled by the planet Mercury.
See you next week with more Pagan Lore,
Karen
Visit my Avon estore at http://youravon.com/karenszabo
Sparkle and Shine with Sosanna
Putting Oprah's Incident in PerspectiveI want to preface this post with one statement. I believe that any type of profiling or racism is wrong. You should not judge a person based on their skin color, religion or any other characteristic.
This week I read an article about Oprah Winfrey and her experience at a store in Switzerland. Oprah, who has her net worth set in the billions, stated that racism was alive and well because she was told in an upscale store that the clerk would not show her a hand bag, because she couldn't afford it. The bag, a Tom Ford “Jennifer” Tote retailed for $38,000.00 and was made from a crocodile.
I can’t say why the store clerk did not give her the bag to look at. Could it have been racism? Yes, it completely could have. But I believe there are a couple larger questions here. First, who needs a 38,000.00 handbag and secondly what’s the difference between crocodile skin and fur?
Let’s address the skin vs. fur. Crocodiles for the “skinning” market are kept 200 hundred at a time in small pens, less than 3 feet long to finish growing. As they mature they are separated into individual pens where the space is so small that they cannot stretch out and even turn around. Their heads and tails bent upward because there is no room for them. Keep in mind it can take three to four crocodiles to make one handbag. The natural lifespan of a crocodile is 50 years; however in the industry they are killed at 3 years of age. So basically, people are making purses out of babies as a status symbol, no different than minks were killed to create fancy coats for rich people.
That leads us to the cost of the bag. One handbag costs 38,000.00. Now we see that it does take 3-4 crocodiles to make one bag and someone might say, “Hey, it takes a lot of money to raise a crocodile.”
Yeah, you’re right, it does take a lot of money to raise one. If you’re raising it to skin it. If you’re cutting it up while it’s still a baby and turning it into a bag. The poverty guidelines for a family of six in the US is 31,000.00. According to NCCP.org 16 million children currently live under the poverty lines. In rural areas of the US three in every four people live on less than a dollar a day. Meanwhile, people who are purchasing 38,000.00 handbags are asking these same citizens to donate $10.00 to help fight malaria in Africa, or to help the Red Cross. When in all actuality it’s these very people that need the assistance.
Our sight in this country and probably in many others around the world has changed. We have the super-rich complaining about 38,000.00 handbags while children go without food. We have real estate moguls complaining about windmills being built to create better energy for our planet, blocking his view from his golf course. You know because we certainly shouldn't be trying to produce green energy because Mr. Trump needs to have a view of the Aberdeen Bay while he putts.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I became a billionaire. I wonder if I would slowly sink into the self-absorbed person that requires the death of countless animals to feel important. Would I be able to sip champagne and go to Thailand for take-out while millions of people starve? I’m thinking my life as a billionaire would probably be very short. I would donate to world hunger, and hunger in our own back yard. I think that most of my money would quickly be giving away to charities or wild life refuges to help save a species. Maybe that species would be the humans.
Namaste and Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(
Sunshine's Meanderings with Kathleen Lane
Live Now!
Most of us grew up being told to save our money, be frugal, wait for rewards and all of the other words of wisdom our parents and grandparents preached. And always with the idea that good things come to those who wait.
A dear friend and her husband worked hard all their lives and saved and went without, but always with the idea that they would take the trips, buy the car and have the fun when they retired. Then, with less than a year before the planned retirement was to take place, they discovered that he had senile dementia. It was not something that was going to kill him quickly but it was severe enough that all of the plans for fun were simply thrown away. The savings went to pay for meds and in-home care. He lived long enough for them to go through all of the savings and all the dreams.
I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that the saddest words in our language were "What if?" You know that those people who died in Hurricane Sandy or lost their children in Moore, OK had not planned for those things.
What if each and every one of us lived in the "Now" and did those things with our spouse that we had put off or took our children on that camping and fishing trip this summer rather than wait for later, those memories would always be there. You can't take dreams out and look at them, but the memories of those trips are like a warm fire later on.
Yesterday is over and done with and beyond our abilities to change and tomorrow is a nebulous possibility but this moment is ours to shape and use. Make it a moment you will want to remember in that possible tomorrow. Make it a moment your children will remind each other of when they are grown. That summer you went to the lake and they caught the fish or the winter you went to the beach and rented the cabin and watched the waves and walked the nearly empty boardwalk and came back to the cabin and played board games and ate popcorn in front of the fireplace.
Live now! It is really all you have.
Uncharted Seas with Cap'n Dave
No Saints in my Vodou, Please!
I’d like to take you back in time a bit. Say, oh, 250-300 years should do the trick nicely. Back into a city called “New Orleans”. Here, we have plantations, rich white people, and slaves. These slaves have their religious beliefs…beliefs that they have had to “blend” in a manner of speaking with the Catholic beliefs of the plantation owner in order to avoid being punished, severely, perhaps even…permanently. It’s no secret that many plantation owners were cruel masters.
Certain Catholic saints had similar abilities to the Lwas and in order to avoid the whip, the saints were “prayed to”. Eventually, the saints became inseparable from the Lwas they were disguising, but the fact remains, they didn’t start out that way.
Why, then, was I informed that in order to work the magic of hoodoo, that I had to pay honor to the saints, the Psalms, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Bible? That they were inseparable? That I had to step “outside of my comfort zone” because the magic wasn’t there, but was wrapped instead somewhere else?
If the magic isn't inside you to begin with, then where the hell is it?
Hoodoo is folk magic with herbs, roots, rocks, sticks, waters, salts, oils, but more importantly, it’s working with the spirits and working with energies! Calling those energies from the Bible when the Bible supposedly condemns all sorcery and those who work said folk magic makes about as much sense to me as asking the NRA to help sign a petition to ban assault weapons. The fact that I was told that I had to or that it wasn’t hoodoo was the tipping point for me, hence this rather lengthy entry that is continued on my personal blog from Kallan Kennedy’s “The Sunday Stew”. Be warned before clicking for more, however. I don’t just stop at hoodoo. No, I continue on with other paths that I have been told must be a certain way. Wicca, Vodou, even Christianity. There is every chance that you may get offended at what I have to say, and I make no apologies. Proceed at your own risk. (read the rest of this post at Uncharted Seas)
Cap'n Dave's Blog: Uncharted Seas
Mid-Air Moxie with Adelina Soto Thomas
Egos and Elders
As a fallible human being, I certainly have made my share of mistakes that have been driven by pride and my own unchecked ego. When it comes to my spiritual practices, I have worked very hard to make sure this is not so. I have always tried to be a good student; I ask questions, I practice, I read, I defer to those who have more knowledge and experience, and have shown respect to those who claim such by ‘title’. One of the first teachings I received when I began my stroll down the Pagan path was, “No matter who it is, no matter what they do, no matter what they tell you, NEVER check your brain at the door.” I found that to be sound advice, but not all the teachers I would meet in the future would agree. It became harder to discern what teachings and path were right for me, when an ‘Elder’ was actually trying to determine if I was right for them.
What is an ‘Elder’? An elder is a term of love and respect that is generally bestowed upon an individual who has made a contribution to their community by their teaching or other actions. They act through love and loyalty to their community-sharing what they know, what they do, and speaking out as a way to improve the lives not just of the Pagan/Wiccan communities but for all people. It is considered bad form to give yourself the title of Elder. It would be up to others who love, admire and respect that particular individual to determine that this is a title that fits them. An Elder is not necessarily ‘older’, but often are folks who have been working for a significant time in the communities they love. I have met many fine teachers, craftsmen, priests/priestesses, etc. but very few individuals I would say are ‘Elders’. That kind of title has a responsibility built into it and those who have earned it understand that, for it is who they are and have always been. However, there are self-proclaimed ‘elders’ and leaders who twist and abuse power which I have witnessed too often which hurts me to my core. (continue reading this post at Mid-Stride Moxie)
Adelina's Blog: Mid-Stride Moxie
Oh the Humanity! with Loren Morris
The Horror of Ouija Boards, Part 2
Since my last post , I had an incident involving a Ouija.....well, not the board itself, but my phone cover, which looks like a Ouija board.
I went to visit a friend on my way home the other evening and she had another visitor. It was a man that I didn't know and I had never met him before. When I first arrived he was sitting in his truck and she and I walked next door to her mom's home to look at the new pool.
We walked back to her driveway to talk for a few minutes, the guy jumps out of his truck to talk to us. She introduced us, we had chitchat, and everything was fine. I got my phone out to show her my son's backflip video on it and the back of the phone with the cover was pointed in the guy's direction. He took one look at it and said "A Ouija board, what have you got that for?" , to which I replied, "Because I like Ouija boards and I collect them" to which he came back with, "Those are of the devil!" EYEROLLLLL (me). Really? Because they aren't stamped "Made by Satan" The box plainly says Hasbro.
I won't put the whole thing on here. It led to him telling me that I'm wrong with my beliefs, I have hell waiting for me, me yelling at him, and him apologizing to me later on. Yes, he did apologize, I accepted and told him it was okay. But, I came home, found him on Facebook and decided to go ahead and block him. Especially when it is someone that says that I am going to burn in hell when they are a grown man posting drunk pictures and belly selfies and they are married. I don't need someone spouting anything on my wall, and I can't stand people like that. One day I am going to have a rant about this kind of stuff.
Anyway, I had a Ouija story to share with you this week, didn't I?
So, this week will be about Ouijas, Spirit boards, and Talking boards on TV. Read the rest of this post at Saga's Cottage.
Loren's blog: http://sagascottage.blogspot.com/
Loren's shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SagasCottage
Loren's facebook art page: https://www.facebook.com/SagasCottage
The Spice with La'Trice Lott
Now that I’m back at work, my crockpots, yes that’s plural, are once again my best friend when it comes cooking up healthy meals. This recipe for eggplant ratatouille is one of my favorites and this is a great time to make it, as most all the ingredients are in season.
CROCKPOT EGGPLANT RATATIOULLE
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed, peeled (if desired) eggplant
- 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow summer squash or zucchini
- 1 cup coarsely chopped tomato
- 1 8 ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped red or green sweet pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped, fresh basil
- ¼ parmesan cheese
Directions
- Place all ingredients in crockpot, cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 ½ to 5 hours, or on high-heat seating for 2 – 2 ½ hours.
- Spoon into shallow bowls and top with basil and Parmesan
- Serve with a nice Caesar salad, and Parmesan toast.
Parmesan Toast
- French baguette, sliced ½ thick
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Brush baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan. Place under broil and heat until cheese melts and edge of slices are light brown.
This Week in Astrology
All times Eastern.Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
August 18: Moon Void of Course from 3:17pm through the rest of the day.August 19: Moon Void of Course until 12:06am then moves into Aquarius.
August 20: It's a Blue Moon! Full Moon in Aquarius 9:44pm
Moon goes void just after it turns full for the rest of the night.
August 21: Moon Void of Course until 12:43am then moves into Pisces.
August 22: Sun in Virgo 7:01pm
August 23: Moon Void of Course 1:50am-3:12am then moves into Aries.
Mercury in Virgo 6:36pm
Good evening for business after 6:36pm
August 24: Disseminating Moon: 8:25am
Great day for business- All Day
Weekly Horoscopes from DarkStar Astrology
Weekly Tarot: Four of Swords
Key words and Phrases: Rest, Respite, Introspection
"A time of tranquility and intellectual repose in the midst of a great struggle. A temporary retreat from stress to regather inner strength, reaffirm convictions, reorganize thoughts, and formulate a new plan. The need for vigilance in a moment of calm. May suggest a withdrawal from the material world to find spiritual guidance." ~facade
The four of swords is about recuperating, especially after a period of challenges or conflict. The challenge now is to find the quiet and peace within and hold it there. This is a time to replenish your strength in both mind and spirit. Stress and constant movement are killers to mind, body and spirit. There is always a respite before another challenge, and it's up to us to take advantage of this time.Take a breather from the hectic life, and just rest.
This card also suggests a need for seclusion. For you hard-working moms (both out and inside the home), that may be easier said than done. But, it's necessary. You can't take care of your family if you aren't taking care of you- that's just a fact. At the very least, find a few minutes each day this week for you, even if it's a nice, hot bath or curling up in a chair with a cup of tea.
If you're working on a particular project, it's time for re-evaluation and assessment. Reflect on your progress to date.Ask yourself, "What's working for me? What's not working", and write down your thoughts.
A pause like this helps refresh your energies on all levels, and prepares you for even more success in the future.
Weekly Totem: Butterfly
Many of us in the Northern hemisphere have witnessed a greater-than-usual number of butterflies this summer. It could be that Nature is finding a way to compensate for the loss of bees with other pollinators, like butterflies. It could also be the portend of a harsh winter (according to the Farmer's Almanac) to come.Regardless, Butterfly is one of the most beautiful creatures on earth, and is also a lovely totem.
For all its delicacy, the butterfly is one of the most powerful totems. For Early Christians, it represented the soul itself. In China it symbolized conjugal bliss and joy. Indigenous American Tribes called upon the butterfly for guidance in change.
The butterfly has taste sensors on the front legs, enabling them to experience life through motion. Most adult butterflies live just one or two weeks except for the monarch and angel wing which can live for six months or more. This is very symbolic. It suggests that a person with this medicine will experience tremendous soul growth in their earlier years. A difficult childhood is common. Life lessons are revealed to the consciousness while in the womb of the mother - the cocoon stage - and are completed when the caterpillar emerges into the butterfly and takes flight. Butterflies are symbols of freedom and creativity. They hold the gift of transformation and soul evolution.
Butterflies have a pair of large compound oval eyes made up of thousands of individual lenses. They can see a single image clearly and are able to perceive ultraviolet wavelengths of light. This suggests clairvoyant abilities for those that hold this totem.
The antennae of the butterfly have small knobs on each end which is said to play a role in orientation. When one antenna is missing the butterfly will fly in circles unable to find its way. Those with this medicine need to stay consciously connected to spirit at all times in order to arrive at their desired destination.
Whenever an eco-system is damaged, butterfly is usually the first to leave. They are especially sensitive to the harmony of earth.
Butterfly goes through four stages, which can be seen as the four stages of life or a project. Butterfly can give you clarity to your mental processes, help you organize the project your undertaking, and assist you in finding the next step for your personal life or career.
Ask yourself:
1. Is this the egg stage: Is it just a thought or idea?
2. Is this the larva stage: Do I need to make a decision?
3. Is this the cocoon/chrysalis stage: Am I developing and doing something to make my idea a reality?
4. Is this the birth/adult stage: Am I sharing my completed idea?
Butterfly can help you understand what you need to do next to continue the cycle of self-transformation. For example: Butterfly is an air symbol, so it is through the use of your mind that you will be moving through these cycles. If you have been feeling exhausted and need to know how to heal your fatigue, take notice of the colors you've been drawn to lately. Does your body feel better in green? Could this mean you need to eat more green vegetables? Maybe you need to connect with the green grass or forests again. This is the type of thinking that Butterfly brings you.
That's it for this week's Stew. Mull. Digest. Enjoy!
The Sunday Stew is a free, e-publication delivered every Sunday as a loving gift to the Pagan community. All submissions are the intellectual property of their authors, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the blog owner.
We welcome your feedback! Please be sure to tell us how we're doing and give us suggestions for improvement. You can leave a comment here (remember, they are moderated so it may take some time for yours to appear), use the contact form at the top of the page, email Kallan, or comment on Kallan's Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!