Dear Reader,
I hope that this post finds you feeling well. It's been a challenging week over here at my house because everybody just had the flu and now the youngest has an ear infection. And I appear to be coming down with a vicious cold wherein I have already lost my voice two days in. If he and I are not doing much better after tomorrow, it will likely be a trip to the family doctor for both of us.
Sai Herthe's day is a day of purification. For me, it has been a day of cold medication and cleaning between bouts of napping. When I'm not doing either of the above, I have been trying to get my life organized for 2019. The way I see it, if I organize for things like for the storming of Normandy, I should be able to get stuff done despite pesky irritations like having a cold.
I have also resumed my habit of praying the rosary on Mondays. Life got complicated and I fell out of that habit over the last few months. So, it felt good to be doing so again this morning. My focus as I prayed today was for the healing of all in the world who are ill or unwell in any fashion.
It is my plan this evening before I go to bed to walk through the apartment with a candle bearing light into all the rooms with a prayer that with it comes Dea's blessings. I would burn incense also but even my lovely scented candle has been making me cough today. Still, I am going to ritually ask Dea's blessing over my home and for her to make us secure against all harm tonight.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Friday, December 21, 2018
Life update & Blessed Mother's Night.
Dear Reader,
As Yule is literally right around the corner, I have been busy. We've been cleaning house, cooking, and decorating. This is on top of the usual daily rounds of parenting and keeping house. Honestly, I'm looking forward to the break that I'm going to take after Nativity starts. I am taking the 12 days of Nativity (which is when my family also celebrates Yule) off from things like making projects for other people and doing hard housework. Just light housework and the minimum necessities to keep the house running.
Today was exhausting. I had this goal of getting all of the hard cleaning and housework done by sunset. Sundown was at 4:30 in the afternoon. Thus, I was hustling and going at it in serious effort all day from when I got up at 5:30 this morning. I am unofficially celebrating Yule over the weekend too, because why not get a few more ounces of joy out of the days. Big family doings are happening on the 25th with the extended family celebrating Christmas. It's going to be a busy day.
In the last few days leading up to Nativity, I am going to be working on getting my planner set up for next month and writing more devotional poetry. Tonight, I am tired and my feet hurt from being on them all day. Hefting furniture around to clean around it is not as easy as it used to be when I was 20. I blame the fact that I turned 40 this year.
Tonight is Mother's Night. I honor the disir and my foremothers tonight. If I weren't so worn out, I'd keep vigil until sunrise. In my stead, I will have a little electric candle going on the altar and in my ancestor's shrine. I also put out an offering of rose water for Dea, the great Mother, during her time of labor. I remember labor, it was thirsty work and tiring. I can only imagine how great the work of labor is for Dea in this world, such as it is.
I wish you all a peaceful and blessed Mother's Night. My posting will be sporadic because the kids are on vacation right now. I am also making a point of resting over the time of Nativity, which means I may be doing other leisure activities instead of posting in the coming time. I view Nativity as a time of celebration and joy. I view Yule the same way. I also believe they are a time where the hard work of life should be suspended enough so that we can enjoy ourselves during this period.
As Yule is literally right around the corner, I have been busy. We've been cleaning house, cooking, and decorating. This is on top of the usual daily rounds of parenting and keeping house. Honestly, I'm looking forward to the break that I'm going to take after Nativity starts. I am taking the 12 days of Nativity (which is when my family also celebrates Yule) off from things like making projects for other people and doing hard housework. Just light housework and the minimum necessities to keep the house running.
Today was exhausting. I had this goal of getting all of the hard cleaning and housework done by sunset. Sundown was at 4:30 in the afternoon. Thus, I was hustling and going at it in serious effort all day from when I got up at 5:30 this morning. I am unofficially celebrating Yule over the weekend too, because why not get a few more ounces of joy out of the days. Big family doings are happening on the 25th with the extended family celebrating Christmas. It's going to be a busy day.
In the last few days leading up to Nativity, I am going to be working on getting my planner set up for next month and writing more devotional poetry. Tonight, I am tired and my feet hurt from being on them all day. Hefting furniture around to clean around it is not as easy as it used to be when I was 20. I blame the fact that I turned 40 this year.
Tonight is Mother's Night. I honor the disir and my foremothers tonight. If I weren't so worn out, I'd keep vigil until sunrise. In my stead, I will have a little electric candle going on the altar and in my ancestor's shrine. I also put out an offering of rose water for Dea, the great Mother, during her time of labor. I remember labor, it was thirsty work and tiring. I can only imagine how great the work of labor is for Dea in this world, such as it is.
I wish you all a peaceful and blessed Mother's Night. My posting will be sporadic because the kids are on vacation right now. I am also making a point of resting over the time of Nativity, which means I may be doing other leisure activities instead of posting in the coming time. I view Nativity as a time of celebration and joy. I view Yule the same way. I also believe they are a time where the hard work of life should be suspended enough so that we can enjoy ourselves during this period.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
No video this week.
Due to my recovering from the flu, I am not making a video post this week. My home's a disaster, my voice sounds like a frog at the bottom of the well, and I'm still pretty burned out from the flu.
I did, however, want to point out something special that is coming up.
There is going to be a full moon on the winter solstice. If you are sensitive to that sort of thing, your life may be kinda interesting at the moment. The last winter solstice full moon was in 2010 and had a lunar eclipse. The next winter solstice full moon is in 2029 and an eclipse is anticipated for that one.
This is also the peak of the Geminid meteor shower today and tomorrow. The best time to look for meteors is in the dark hours before dawn when Gemini is in the sky. At peak, there is expected to be upwards of 100 meteors per hour. If you are viewing around midnight, you have the chance to see a comet as well.
There's a lot of interesting stuff going on in the sky over the next few weeks. I'm sure my astrologer and astronomer friends can agree that this stuff is pretty cool.
I did, however, want to point out something special that is coming up.
There is going to be a full moon on the winter solstice. If you are sensitive to that sort of thing, your life may be kinda interesting at the moment. The last winter solstice full moon was in 2010 and had a lunar eclipse. The next winter solstice full moon is in 2029 and an eclipse is anticipated for that one.
This is also the peak of the Geminid meteor shower today and tomorrow. The best time to look for meteors is in the dark hours before dawn when Gemini is in the sky. At peak, there is expected to be upwards of 100 meteors per hour. If you are viewing around midnight, you have the chance to see a comet as well.
There's a lot of interesting stuff going on in the sky over the next few weeks. I'm sure my astrologer and astronomer friends can agree that this stuff is pretty cool.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Feast day of Virgin of Guadalupe
Today is the feast day of the Our Lady of Guadalupe. Given how many in the Filianic and Déanic community have adopted imaged of her as icons of Dea, I think that it would be nice if we all took a moment to honor her. It may be as simple as lighting a candle or saying a small prayer of thanksgiving to Dea for this apparition. It may be saying the rosary in her honor. Or going out and doing some act of random kindness as a devotional deed.
For my part, I have lit a candle and I will be saying the rosary after I finish up some more of my chores for the day. I am finally making progress recovering from the flu. I am inclined to give credit to Dea for this given the timing and the fact that the one medication that I can actually take was one that was over the counter and not super expensive. (My life has gotten so complicated since the diabetes diagnosis. It's frustrating and confusing. I'm still learning how to cook proper meals for myself that don't have too many carbs. It's got a steep learning curve, to be honest.)
I hope that all of you find today to be filled with Dea's blessing and joy.
For my part, I have lit a candle and I will be saying the rosary after I finish up some more of my chores for the day. I am finally making progress recovering from the flu. I am inclined to give credit to Dea for this given the timing and the fact that the one medication that I can actually take was one that was over the counter and not super expensive. (My life has gotten so complicated since the diabetes diagnosis. It's frustrating and confusing. I'm still learning how to cook proper meals for myself that don't have too many carbs. It's got a steep learning curve, to be honest.)
I hope that all of you find today to be filled with Dea's blessing and joy.
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Godspousery notes.
I'm sick with the flu. It makes things awkward on so many levels. I'm walking around half tranced out because of a low grade fever. I'm tired and just feeling rotten. I really found myself wanting somebody else to take the wheel for a few minutes there around lunch time. I just was exhausted and exasperated with being sick.
That's when Beloved (my husband on this plane) charged off to brave the wilds of the grocery store to do this week's shopping. That's when Freyr calmly told me that it was perfectly fine if I just made myself a pot of soup and gave the kids peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I didn't need to clean the whole kitchen and get started on the other chores I usually do on Sunday. I didn't even think about grumbling, which is what I usually do when I'm sick and anyone suggests that I slow down and take time to rest.
I spent my morning bleary eyed and knitting. I spent my day weary and sipping tea. The entire time, Freyr was supportive and encouraging me in this self care business that I'm not so great at. At the same time, so was Beloved. The kids got on my nerves a bit but then calmed down when I explained that I was sick and couldn't keep up with them that well today.
Last night as I was falling asleep, Freyr told me that messy hair and a messy kitchen was less important than taking time to rest when I'm sick. He strongly encourages me to do what I can when I am feeling better, but he discourages my bad habit of pushing myself too hard when I am not well. Because foolish me thinks I can still power through the flu on just sheer stubbornness.
He gets a little exasperated with me at times, but not today. He actually said he's proud of me for stopping and taking the time to rest over the last two days as I needed it.
That's when Beloved (my husband on this plane) charged off to brave the wilds of the grocery store to do this week's shopping. That's when Freyr calmly told me that it was perfectly fine if I just made myself a pot of soup and gave the kids peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I didn't need to clean the whole kitchen and get started on the other chores I usually do on Sunday. I didn't even think about grumbling, which is what I usually do when I'm sick and anyone suggests that I slow down and take time to rest.
I spent my morning bleary eyed and knitting. I spent my day weary and sipping tea. The entire time, Freyr was supportive and encouraging me in this self care business that I'm not so great at. At the same time, so was Beloved. The kids got on my nerves a bit but then calmed down when I explained that I was sick and couldn't keep up with them that well today.
Last night as I was falling asleep, Freyr told me that messy hair and a messy kitchen was less important than taking time to rest when I'm sick. He strongly encourages me to do what I can when I am feeling better, but he discourages my bad habit of pushing myself too hard when I am not well. Because foolish me thinks I can still power through the flu on just sheer stubbornness.
He gets a little exasperated with me at times, but not today. He actually said he's proud of me for stopping and taking the time to rest over the last two days as I needed it.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Incoming rant.
Dear Reader,
I'm honestly not sure where to begin. I've been busy with family stuff, book stuff, and I'm sick with the flu. I haven't had much time over the last several days to do much online. So you can imagine my surprise, irritation, and anger to discover that Facebook and Tumblr are implementing policy changes that are going to make the lives of many people more difficult. I could go through an entire list of why these 'family friendly' policy changes are bad, but I'm too sick to fully cogitate that list beyond the fact that I know they are going to be implemented against marginalized people such as my transgender, LGBTQ+, and kinky brethren. I'm too angry to really put into words how disgusted I am with the fact that these platforms have decided that courting the favor of the ultra-conservative community is acceptable.
My ire is not limited to this situation. There is also someone attempting to incite a version of the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s in the direction of the Lokean community. I would have just let that go except for the fact that this seems to be a thing that is slowly gaining traction. As the Lokean community just exists, we have had detractors from just about day one. Now we have to deal with these people saying that we're some how responsible for that reprobate who happens to be president of the United States and attempting to bring about ragnarok. Listen, if we had the capacity to bring about the end of days, do you think we'd do it? All our stuff is here.
More seriously, the continued and ongoing slander of Lokeans is really making me angry. It's like a sucker punch from the back when it comes out of the heathen oriented community who theoretically worship the same gods that we do. Last I checked, Loki was part of the same pantheon. Last I checked, Loki was ODIN'S BLOOD BROTHER. Almost all of the treasures of the Aseir are a result of Loki's doings.
I used to laugh at the norse crisis flow chart. Then I got annoyed with it. Now I'm ready to light the thing on fire and use it to light some other shit on fire. Why? Because Donald-fucking-Trump is not Loki's fault. If you want to sit there and point fingers at some religious group for political fuckery, take those fingers and point at the 'moral majority' known as the 'religious right' aka the dominionist christians. They've been working on this and planning this, just waiting for the right pasty to put into place if they couldn't get their own guy in first for the last sixty years. Ronald Regan was their test run.
You want to know who your 'enemy' is? It's them. And people like me have been saying so for at least thirty years now as everyone else said 'but they're so NICE'. You know what, there's plenty of people who are nice to your face and stick a knife in your back. They're usually pretty good about hiding the fact that they're utter bastards from everyone except for their target. That's how it works. Trust me, I know a thing or two about those kinds of relationships on multiple scales.
While I'm up on my soapbox and ranting, I'm going to draw a line here. I honestly don't care if I lose readership, sales, or standing in the community. Transgender exclusion has no place in Filianism or Déanism. Full stop. TERFs shouldn't be tolerated, welcomed, or given the time of day. They ARE tyrants. The official scripture of Déanism and Filianism says we should not tolerate tyrants, nor partake of the fruit of their labors except in necessity (and at that time offer them up to Dea so that we might not be contaminated with the miasma of their tyranny). Of all people, the Filianic and Déanic communities should embrace the transgender persons with the deepest of empathy, especially the orthodox communities. For the idea that a femme soul could incarnate into a masculine body is a doctrine that is held in many of the orthodox communities. This should be celebrated as evidence of your theology being accurate.
As someone who has struggled with their gender identification due to varying factors in their life, I have absolutely zero tolerance for someone who is going to tell anyone that they're gender is invalid. I'm sorry, but you have no idea what that person's life is like or who they are beyond what they tell you. And you have no business asking about what is in their pants. As a woman with a vocal range that drops down into low tenor, I've had people threaten my safety because I answered their girlfriend's phone. And I am very clearly female in appearance and genome. Transgender women are women, full stop. As soon as you start saying that you have to have certain traits to be a woman (ie breasts and a vagina plus functional reproductive organs) you prove that you are an asshole. Transgender women are women. They're as much women as the woman who is unable to bear children due to medical complications. They're as much women as the woman who lost her breasts to cancer.
They're as much women as the countless women who are murdered and assaulted every day just for being women. As a matter of fact, they're more likely to be murdered and have their murderer get away with it because they 'panicked'. I'm sorry, but I have a panic disorder and I don't murder people. Countless people have panic disorders and they don't murder people. Transgender women are women. You don't get to murder them, discriminate against them, or otherwise be a general bastard to them because you get squicked by the possibility that they may not fit your idea of what women are supposed to look like.
And while I'm on the topic of transgender people and religion, I've got something else to add. Transgender men are men. Full stop. You don't get to harass, murder, discriminate, or otherwise be a general bastard to them either. Why? Not because transgendered people are a special class. Nope, it's because in civil society, you don't get to harass, murder, discriminate, or otherwise be a general bastard to people. I've gotten an earful on this topic from various fronts.
I'm probably going to get some hate mail. That's why I moderate comments. I'm probably going to lose some readers. To Hel with 'em. If you think that this approach is vulgar, you haven't seen me when I'm really angry. I am not going to debate these points. These things are facts. These things are part of the hill I will die on. They're called principles. One of the things they boil down to is don't be a dick to everybody. The other thing that they boil down to is have some empathy and respect for the fact that everybody is fighting some kind of fight right now in their lives.
Postscript: I'm not "nice" to everybody. I am kind up until you give me a reason not to be. Then I return what's given to me in full force. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness either. There's a reason why I know so much about 'dark' magic. It is not a strictly academic knowledge base. And I don't forgive or forget.
I'm honestly not sure where to begin. I've been busy with family stuff, book stuff, and I'm sick with the flu. I haven't had much time over the last several days to do much online. So you can imagine my surprise, irritation, and anger to discover that Facebook and Tumblr are implementing policy changes that are going to make the lives of many people more difficult. I could go through an entire list of why these 'family friendly' policy changes are bad, but I'm too sick to fully cogitate that list beyond the fact that I know they are going to be implemented against marginalized people such as my transgender, LGBTQ+, and kinky brethren. I'm too angry to really put into words how disgusted I am with the fact that these platforms have decided that courting the favor of the ultra-conservative community is acceptable.
My ire is not limited to this situation. There is also someone attempting to incite a version of the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s in the direction of the Lokean community. I would have just let that go except for the fact that this seems to be a thing that is slowly gaining traction. As the Lokean community just exists, we have had detractors from just about day one. Now we have to deal with these people saying that we're some how responsible for that reprobate who happens to be president of the United States and attempting to bring about ragnarok. Listen, if we had the capacity to bring about the end of days, do you think we'd do it? All our stuff is here.
More seriously, the continued and ongoing slander of Lokeans is really making me angry. It's like a sucker punch from the back when it comes out of the heathen oriented community who theoretically worship the same gods that we do. Last I checked, Loki was part of the same pantheon. Last I checked, Loki was ODIN'S BLOOD BROTHER. Almost all of the treasures of the Aseir are a result of Loki's doings.
I used to laugh at the norse crisis flow chart. Then I got annoyed with it. Now I'm ready to light the thing on fire and use it to light some other shit on fire. Why? Because Donald-fucking-Trump is not Loki's fault. If you want to sit there and point fingers at some religious group for political fuckery, take those fingers and point at the 'moral majority' known as the 'religious right' aka the dominionist christians. They've been working on this and planning this, just waiting for the right pasty to put into place if they couldn't get their own guy in first for the last sixty years. Ronald Regan was their test run.
You want to know who your 'enemy' is? It's them. And people like me have been saying so for at least thirty years now as everyone else said 'but they're so NICE'. You know what, there's plenty of people who are nice to your face and stick a knife in your back. They're usually pretty good about hiding the fact that they're utter bastards from everyone except for their target. That's how it works. Trust me, I know a thing or two about those kinds of relationships on multiple scales.
While I'm up on my soapbox and ranting, I'm going to draw a line here. I honestly don't care if I lose readership, sales, or standing in the community. Transgender exclusion has no place in Filianism or Déanism. Full stop. TERFs shouldn't be tolerated, welcomed, or given the time of day. They ARE tyrants. The official scripture of Déanism and Filianism says we should not tolerate tyrants, nor partake of the fruit of their labors except in necessity (and at that time offer them up to Dea so that we might not be contaminated with the miasma of their tyranny). Of all people, the Filianic and Déanic communities should embrace the transgender persons with the deepest of empathy, especially the orthodox communities. For the idea that a femme soul could incarnate into a masculine body is a doctrine that is held in many of the orthodox communities. This should be celebrated as evidence of your theology being accurate.
As someone who has struggled with their gender identification due to varying factors in their life, I have absolutely zero tolerance for someone who is going to tell anyone that they're gender is invalid. I'm sorry, but you have no idea what that person's life is like or who they are beyond what they tell you. And you have no business asking about what is in their pants. As a woman with a vocal range that drops down into low tenor, I've had people threaten my safety because I answered their girlfriend's phone. And I am very clearly female in appearance and genome. Transgender women are women, full stop. As soon as you start saying that you have to have certain traits to be a woman (ie breasts and a vagina plus functional reproductive organs) you prove that you are an asshole. Transgender women are women. They're as much women as the woman who is unable to bear children due to medical complications. They're as much women as the woman who lost her breasts to cancer.
They're as much women as the countless women who are murdered and assaulted every day just for being women. As a matter of fact, they're more likely to be murdered and have their murderer get away with it because they 'panicked'. I'm sorry, but I have a panic disorder and I don't murder people. Countless people have panic disorders and they don't murder people. Transgender women are women. You don't get to murder them, discriminate against them, or otherwise be a general bastard to them because you get squicked by the possibility that they may not fit your idea of what women are supposed to look like.
And while I'm on the topic of transgender people and religion, I've got something else to add. Transgender men are men. Full stop. You don't get to harass, murder, discriminate, or otherwise be a general bastard to them either. Why? Not because transgendered people are a special class. Nope, it's because in civil society, you don't get to harass, murder, discriminate, or otherwise be a general bastard to people. I've gotten an earful on this topic from various fronts.
I'm probably going to get some hate mail. That's why I moderate comments. I'm probably going to lose some readers. To Hel with 'em. If you think that this approach is vulgar, you haven't seen me when I'm really angry. I am not going to debate these points. These things are facts. These things are part of the hill I will die on. They're called principles. One of the things they boil down to is don't be a dick to everybody. The other thing that they boil down to is have some empathy and respect for the fact that everybody is fighting some kind of fight right now in their lives.
Postscript: I'm not "nice" to everybody. I am kind up until you give me a reason not to be. Then I return what's given to me in full force. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness either. There's a reason why I know so much about 'dark' magic. It is not a strictly academic knowledge base. And I don't forgive or forget.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
New Book is Available for Purchase!
Dear Reader,
You may have recalled I was working on a book last month. After the editing and reviewing of the proof, I am happy to announce that Garlands of Grace: Filianic Rosary Meditations is available for purchase. The digital edition will be up in the near future on Lulu.com. If you want your book by Nativity, now is the time to order.
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement in the adventure of writing this book.
♥
You may have recalled I was working on a book last month. After the editing and reviewing of the proof, I am happy to announce that Garlands of Grace: Filianic Rosary Meditations is available for purchase. The digital edition will be up in the near future on Lulu.com. If you want your book by Nativity, now is the time to order.
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement in the adventure of writing this book.
♥
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Is it a little hectic for you too?
Dear Reader,
I have been really busy over the last two weeks. I am expecting the proof of the book to arrive any day now. I'm working on getting the apartment cleaned up and ready for holiday decorating. The youngest child has a report due in two weeks that we're going to need to take a trip to the library or something to work on. And then there is the holiday crafting that I am so close to finished on.
Somewhere between orthodontist appointments for the children and getting car maintenance done, I caught a head cold. It's made things awkward because I can't take any of the cold medications with the other medications I'm on and my diabetes. Social engagements are starting to pop up in the family schedule and it's mildly vexing because I'm trying to find time to finish up the books I was working on last month. (I have two other books I was working on as part of the NaNoWriMo finish ALL THE THINGS challenge I set for myself. One is fiction, the other is not.)
I'm also attempting to get my spinning to a point where I have nothing sitting idle by Mother's Night. I want Dame Hulda to find my spinning is all caught up. I'm pretty close to that point as well. I just have been having a hard time juggling all of these things and remembering that I have a blog to post on.
Such is the holiday season. I have whittled the list of people to shop for down to my immediate household. I've been very busy with hook, needle, and spindle this year. I will do my best to post more frequently over the coming weeks as things calm down.
I have been really busy over the last two weeks. I am expecting the proof of the book to arrive any day now. I'm working on getting the apartment cleaned up and ready for holiday decorating. The youngest child has a report due in two weeks that we're going to need to take a trip to the library or something to work on. And then there is the holiday crafting that I am so close to finished on.
Somewhere between orthodontist appointments for the children and getting car maintenance done, I caught a head cold. It's made things awkward because I can't take any of the cold medications with the other medications I'm on and my diabetes. Social engagements are starting to pop up in the family schedule and it's mildly vexing because I'm trying to find time to finish up the books I was working on last month. (I have two other books I was working on as part of the NaNoWriMo finish ALL THE THINGS challenge I set for myself. One is fiction, the other is not.)
I'm also attempting to get my spinning to a point where I have nothing sitting idle by Mother's Night. I want Dame Hulda to find my spinning is all caught up. I'm pretty close to that point as well. I just have been having a hard time juggling all of these things and remembering that I have a blog to post on.
Such is the holiday season. I have whittled the list of people to shop for down to my immediate household. I've been very busy with hook, needle, and spindle this year. I will do my best to post more frequently over the coming weeks as things calm down.
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