Friday, November 25, 2011

I'm on a Pagan Podcast!!

which is exciting as it is one of my favourite podcasts!!  whee.. so if you wanna listen to what i said, and Mysti, cause that is pretty interesting as well.. you can go download it from here http://www.stonegatepodshow.net/  also i do recommend standing stone and garden gate, as it is an excellent podcast full of very thought provoking stuff and wonderful Canadian accents.. *grins*  you can read my review of Standing Stone Garden Gate here

but gosh it has made me weirdly wistful for Canada, and the Awesome Canadian Pagans  who i meet while i was over there..  *is wistful*

so please go listen and tell me what you think.. cause i would like to know.. *smiles*

Me at Kaleidoscope Gathering in Canadia whee!!


do be do

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Witches Work


What is this elusive work that magical workers talk about? I ponder one Tuesday morning at work.  You see here where I live the pagan community is still very young and getting groups together, whether organically or with purpose, is like grasping at rainbow caused by prisms hung in a window to catch the sun. 
This weekend a fellow witch came around and we talked about this.  “are people afraid to work with each other?” he asked.  I know that often magical work can be quite personal.  Delving into the shadow can cause tears and tantrums which, for the average kiwi whose nature is generally rather reserved to start with, can be quite difficult to think of doing this with other people.  Hell we Kiwipagans have issues raising our voices above a whisper let alone actually do any sort of chanting in a ritual. O.o

But again what is this work and what does it look like? 
Well my ‘work’ looks different from that of my Fellow Witch who came to visit on Sunday.  That much is pretty obvious even to the causal observer, but let me expand on this for a moment.  Take for instance the winter Solstice.  For me and given what has/had been happening I felt drawn to an all night vigil, instead of trooping out to concrete henge Stonehenge Aotearoa, over the hill to celebrate the longest night with those from the wider pagan community.  My Fellow Witch however did attend the public ritual  which, he says  went very well.  I do not know if he did any ‘work’ because I didn’t ask.  But during a numerous cups of tea on Sunday afternoon he did say that he generally did a lot of work during more formal ceremonial and ritual setting.
Which got me to thinking so if my work, in this instance, some shadow work was done during an all night vigil at my house while several teens were partying on in the other room and my fellow witches work is done during a ritual setting how does the average pagan know when there is work to be done, or what from this work will take?  It is one of those instances where the books say “deep personal work will always be done on the Sabbat with your coven mates in the form of highly ceremonial rituals, with powerful magic’s and people to catch you should you fall”.. When in all reality a lot of us are pretty much solitary (especially here in NZ,) and we have not yet found a coven, group or circle that we would be happy sharing such things with or we are not really drawn to coven work. 
Again what is this work, and baring belonging to a good working coven group or circle, what does it look like? 

On the one hand a witches work can come in many different forms, from talking to a lady at the bus stop who looks warn and is carrying and empty cat cage, because you can feel her grief and you know that she needs someone to share the grief with, to deeply personal internal work which is so that you can talk to that lady at the buss stop who is carrying an empty cat cage with sympathy and understanding.  However for the purpose of this blogg post I am mostly talking about personal work. 

Personal work is not always ‘shadow’ work, in my opinion, although you have to admit a lot of personal work gets done when the shadow self flairs up and acts like a dementor.  That being said personal work can also be done when the light is strong and you are feeling like you are on top of the world.  It is all a matter of perspective and given that it is personal work, a deeper understanding of, not just yourself but of others who you can recognise as similar.
This is all very well and good, but just how does a person do personal work?  If you are like me and not ceremonially based as such then sometimes to the outside observer my personal work can look like not much at all, for example my solstice vigil.  Because of the theme of ‘circumstances beyond my control’ funnily enough my choice of days of when I would be doing my vigil where also out of my control, but then that was also a large part of my personal work for that evening.  Ideally I would have liked to stay up all night with a trusted fellow pagan, or failing that have a quiet filled evening with a long ritual baths, tea and food, but alas I had a house full of young strangers who were attending a b’day party of the TAB, (teenage boy or as his mum calls him the Youth of Today.)  This was not a loud party by any stretch of the imagination but 7 teenagers on the preface of adulthood can make quite a bit of noise.  So while the teens hung out in our lounge playing play station and a variety of games, some even going to so far as to get teenage cooties on my chair. O.o  I was doing my vigil in my room. 

For my solstice vigil I hung out in my room, I spent most of the evening  tidying up my clothes and cleaning several altar spaces, with occasional breaks for cups of tea and then hiding back into my room from the teenagers err I mean surfing the internet.  During all that time I was also contemplating the particularly shadow that I was dealing with, with questions such as why? how? and where did that come from.  Occasionally there was thoughts of  eww teenage cooties on my chair!!  but for the most part I was working on the shadow at hand.  Early in the evening this was interspersed with bouts of laughter with my flatmate who was just as bemused at the antics of the teens as I was.  Later in the wee hours of the morning after my flatmate had gone to bed there were further venture out to the kitchen for cups of tea and a lot more contemplation. 
To the outside observer it looked like not much, apart from hanging out in my room drinking cups of tea.  Sure there were candles going in my room and incense burning in the burner but as far as ritual gear, clothing or otherwise it was pretty noon existent. 

So how was this different from any other night that I had spent in my room drinking tea and avoiding teenagers, I would have to say intent, my intent that evening was to see in the longest night, (well near enough) fare-welling our very odd winter, heralding in the lengthening of days, and doing some pondering on a shadow aspect of myself.  So my the end of the night while very tired I was calm, things were more settled in my mind and soul and I could feel the light filling the shadows, where imbalance was before.   In some ways it was a dark night of the soul, a little death of sorts, and I am working on balance but then that is the way of this path. 

So I guess the purpose of sharing this is to say that work, magical work can take many forms, for some it is all about high ritual, timing, ritual tools and robes or not.  For others this type of internal work can take the form of a long bath with some self contemplation followed by journaling in a quite space that has been set up before hand or it can be an unplanned vigil, with cups of tea teenage cooties and quite contemplation in the wee hours of the morning.  But it is all magical work, or one aspect of magical work.  I am leaning as I travel down this path that once you get past the big showy stuff it is often the small stuff that has the biggest power. 





Tuesday, July 5, 2011

In lue of actually writing something

and to remind you, all two of you who read this that i am still here, and still wanting to write stuff, but alas, have not found a topic with which to write about here are some links to excellent blog posts written by some of my favourite bloggers ok two.. *cough*.. anyways.. the reason behind posting these links is that not only are the blog posts interesting and thought provoking but so to are the replies. so often today when reading articles blogs and news articles on line, it pays to stay away from the comments, they are so often littered with mindless knowitalls, who are happy to tell you that you are wrong and they are right and here is why, as apposed to discussing the content of the post.. but this time, i believe i got as much out of the initial post as i did the comments.. which is yay!!



so first up entheogens and Self control By Sarah Lawless ( wish she lived closer so to make stalking easer. *cough*)

Entheogens And Self Control/



Second is another of Ms Sarahs Lawless's posts, about oversharing in your bloggposts.. now this is quite interesting as i figure that we are all prone to such things when we first start out. It is I figure a personal decision and thought process to decided where you line is, how much is good sharing and how much is not? And how does that change when you write on a sometime anonymous blogg verses a conversation with your neighbour. “why yes today my undies are yellow and brown and are actually thundrpants the best underpants in the whole wide world” is much better on a blogg than telling your neighbour, even when they are staring at afore mentioned undies on your washing line.


I guess as we get older telling everyone that you know when the spirit of your grandmother is in your house cause it leaves a smell of lavender and oil of olay is perhaps over-share, in some places but not so in others. i can remember when i was interviewed for Raido New Zealand, I pretty much kept the answers to pretty mundane stuff, national radio listeners didn't really need to know about my grandmother or the voices. Red pills blue pills choices choices. However when we had a memorial at home for my flatmates mother, telling a couple of her friends, who were awesome little old lady’s was appropriate , cause it cause an interesting conversation about ancestors and how their presents is sometimes noted. Anyway… here is Sarahs Blogg Post there is some interesting discussion going on in the comments.. it certainly gave me some interesting food for thought..

Oversharing Witches



third on the list is a post by Juniper the Hedgewitch on the funeral of a crow that was found dead.. its one of those read between the lines things, there is a wealth of information if you are willing to work for it.. <--- is suspect that this is a hedgwitch thing.. at first a hedge just lookes like bushes all lined up, until you take your time and look further..anyhoo



An Unexpected Funeral



and the last post is also from Juni, how to rehome a spirit in a suite of armour.. I liked this one cause well how do you rehome a spirit that lives in a suite of armour or anywhere actually.. why are they there? What is the purpose? What sort of spirit is Sir Knight?? Is he a buildup of the energy in the house from the inhabitants that is now manifested?? *ponders spirits*. Or is he something else did he come with the suit of armour?? So much to ponder..



Meet Sir Knight



right then have at it.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

well gosh

looks like i can get into my blogg but not my LJ.. so i guess that means there will be a few more posts happening here.. might have to contemplate paganish topics.. and post some pics of the stuff i have been making.. most excellent..

*smiles*

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Podcasts its the new Black, .. .. . Again!

i have been meaning to post this for some time.. so i figure in lew of content, or untill i manage to get the photos of my camera <-- long story, and uploaded from Druid Lughnasah Camp from last weekend, with accompanying post.. you can have this instead.. enjoy!


Now for those who are about now going Podcasts, what is this Podcasts that this person is talking about i will explain.  Podcasts, are kinda like radio shows, that are hosted by, in this case Pagans, who talk in various topics, and play music.  Each Podcast has a somewhat different theme, and they are free to down load.  Although having said that i have made a habit of paying $1 each for the podcasts that i really enjoy, generally paying around $20 per year (when i have the funds.)


these podcasts are all available on Itunes, so they are easy to down load and upload on to your ipod or itouch or iphone.  They are also available to down load from the sites that i have linked, so if you don’t have a iappletoy, then you can pay them on different media player.


As a general rule most pagan podcasts have a blog or site that goes with the podcasts, where they put something called shownotes, where you can go and find the various links that they have been talking about, some music, some links to the people that they have interviewed, etc etc.


Clear as mud?  Right then on with the annotated list of Podcasts that i listen to and really like!


Druidcast
hosted by Damh the Bard

Website: http://www.druidcast.libsyn.com/

blog: http://damh.wordpress.com/

Frequency: Monthy


Damh is a OBOD druid, and holds the title of Pendragon of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. this has to be the podcast that pretty much got me hooked.  Damh dose a combination of good Pagan music and interviews.  He interviews people such as Ronald Hutton,(he is just lovely to listen to, such a nice speaking voice) and Pamela from the Woolshed (one of the earlier podcasts).  There are also recording from various Moots, Assemblies, Camps that are run by the OBODs.  These recording are from their music and entertainment evenings called Eisteddfod, i believe, which are awesome to listen to the Liv Torc the poet is just fabulous.

over all this podcast has some wonderful music, and the interviews provide some fabulous food for thought, about paganism in its various forms, as well as the strong spiritual aspects of it.



Standing Stone and Garden Gate:
the podcast for thinking pagans and working witches

Hosted by: Juniper and Brendan

Website: http://stonegatepodshow.net/

Frequency: Monthly

This one i wrote a review for on my blog if any of you are interested.  http://pombagiraspolly.blogspot.com/2010/03/podcasts-new-black.html but for those who are not, then here is a little bit about this podcast.  Juniper and Bren are Canadian, so wonderful accents, and this podcast is also a combination of interviews, music, and various themed and thoughtful slots about various aspects of the pagan community and pagan spirituality.  This is defiantly a podcast with great food for thought.  Brendan is a philosopher, who has written some excellent books, the more well known being called “the other side of virtue”  you can find out about them on their website.  Juni is a HedgeWitch, who runs a website, has a blog full of wonderful articles and is very much a practising Witch.

These podcasts are quite long usually about 1.5 hours or so, but well worth the listen.  And the good thing about podcasts is that you can pause them when needed.

This podcast is full of excellent food for thought, and intelligent discussion, as well as fun and friendly chatter that make you feel like you are sitting in their lounge frowning at the squeaky chair right along with them.  One of my favourite podcasts ever..


Borealis Meditation


Hosted by: Kathleen

Website: http://borealismeditation.podbean.com/

Blogg: http://borealismeditation.blogspot.com/

Frequency: montlyish

Now this is a podcast for pagans teaching them about geology, do i really need to say any more.. yay geology *is enthusiastic*.. Kathleen lives in Alaska, and is doing her PhD in geology, and really loves her topic, this shines through on this pocast, as well as her passion for geology and all things rocky.  If you are looking for information on what pretty shiny crystal does magickally then you are in teh wrong place, this podcast is dedicated to teaching pagans about the earth they live on, and goes deeper than just this rock is good for love, but more this rock comes from this family of rocks, quarts, and its colour comes from the impurities in it when it was formed, which make it this colour.. etc etc.  For some of the podcasts there are links on her site to download slide-shows, that you can watch as you listen.  My suggestion is to have a pen and notebook handy as you will want to take notes.  This is studying rocks, and geology, put into a language that is understandable and accessible.. wheee.. i just love it.



Media Astra Ac Terra

Host: Oraia the Sphinx

Webstie: http://sphinx.libsyn.com/

Blog: http://sphinxwords.wordpress.com/

This awesome pocast has several different segments, one on Astra which is about astrology and astronomy so not only are you learning about the zodiac, but also deep-star objects, and various types of stars and planets that inhabit out solar system.  Another segments is the Terra one, which is as you may of guessed about the earth, and minerals contained within, gemstones and their magical usages.. as well as their structure etc etc.  Then there is general a main topic of the show.  I like this format and there is always some excellent food for thought, which is one of my favourite things about these podcasts.  Food for thought.  Yay.



Pennines in the Well

Host:Saturn

Website: http://penniesinthewell.podbean.com/

Blogg: http://abysmalwitch.wordpress.com/

This is another of my favourite pocasts, as it has fantastic food for thought, and is a rambley discussion on the topic at hand with good magical leanings to it.  Satrun is a Canadian Witch, and has been practising for 20 years, thus she knows her stuff and i really enjoy the different perspectives, and twists and turns that is pennies in the well.  Also being Canadian and all love the accent.. mmm.. so the style might not appeal to everyone but i believe that it is well worth downloading and listening to. 



New World Witchery: the search for American Traditional Witchcraft

Hosts: Cory & Lane

Website: http://newworldwitchery.wordpress.com/

Frequency: Monthly sometimes more

These two hosts are looking for American Traditional Witchcraft, Cory is a  rootworker, and Lane wiccan, both lay no claim to expertise, but they are both lovely people, with southern American accents,  and boy do they research.  The blog that i have linked also has various articles about hoodoo, rootwork and of course American folklore.  This is a pretty good podcast for those that are interested in American Witchcraft, folklore, rootwork, hoodoo and other similar things.  There beliefs and practices are quite different from that of mine, which is for me what makes for good food for thought.



Elemental Castings

Host: T Thorn Coyle

Website: http://www.thorncoyle.com/podcasts.html

Blog: http://www.thorncoyle.com/musings/

Thorn is the author of Evolutionary Witchcraft and Kissing The Limitless, and is from the Feri Tradition, an American tradition that was started by Victor and Cora Anderson.  This podcast takes a tour through the five sacred elements, earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, with each podcast using one of the elements as a theme.  These pocasts usually consist of interviews with various magical people and pagans and Thorn.  These are lovely conversations, with much food for thought and a range of traditions, topics and styles.


Right, that should give you a bunch to start from, often the various podcast sites have links to other podcasts, that you can also down load.  Of course you mileage may vary as to whether or not you like the ones i have listed, as i have listed my favourite ones.

*beams*

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

lets start the new year with a Meme, that i might of changed somewhat...

so there is a pagan meme going around, and to be honest it looks like it was written by a teenager with much glitter and whitelight, from americas (it was very northern hemisphere centric and given that i live int he southern part of the world i might of been somewhat miffed)  which i have to admit when i was a young pagan i would of eaten it up, and then gone in for seconds.. however i am not that person anymore.. so being the responsible growen up, i made a few changes.. teheh.  if you want to steel it, go for it say.. whee!!
i will put in actually content at some stage here.. in a few weeks or so, after lughnasadh camp mmk
 
Pagan Meme Mark II 
Do you have a magical Name?  Nope,
How long have you been a Pagan? Around 17 years give or take
Where you pushed or did you leap? Oh there was pushing involved and maybe some yelling on my part. 
Solitary of Group? Mostly solitary although there have been groups, open circle type stuff
What flavour of pagan are you? I’m an Eclectic Urban Witch if you want to give it a lable...
What is your Path? Witch, Teacher, Priestess,
Are you giving it your all? Damn yes! And some
Are you out of the Broom closet? Hell i can’t even hang my cloths in a closet, you expect me to get in one? Also in New Zealand because of the influence of Britsh English closets are where you keep your broom and other cleaning insundries, and toilets.. aka Water Closet.. Wardrobes are where we keep our clothes.. but that could be going into, too much random detail right?
Deity
How do you believe in deity? I come from the belief that people created deity, not the other way around, however i have also been known to work with individual deities...
Do you have a parton God and or Goddess and if so who are they?  No, not that i would call patron or matron, more like a balance of familiar energie that is male and female.  Ok if you want names, they would be Gaia, aka the earth, and a god with horns, which represents the universe. And a old spider that spins it all together.   I like balance.. well my style of balance. 
How did you find them or did they find you? Well give that i believe people created deity, i certainly didn’t go looking.. i guess you could say they found me after a fashon. Although i do wish that the old spider would not send her minions quite so close, cause i tell you trying to dry yourself after a shower with a HUGE spider on your towel, but then it certainly got my attention.. !!
How do you feel about other Deities from other Traditions and Religions? Given that we are all different and perceive much of the world in different ways, i do not have a problem with other religions and or traditions.. nor do i believe that any one is better than another.  For me it is about where it speaks to you.
Are you scared yet? Only sometimes, and of spiders
Nature
How do you perceive Nature? Nature is in everything, not just out in the wilds, it is also the city to, are we not animals, and is not the concrete that some pagans abore so much, a product of this earth, made from components that are of this earth?
Do you prefer the city, country, woods, mountains, ocean or Forest? some of each please.. oh wait i live in Wellington city, and am lucky to have some of each with in easy distance and in some cases in the middle of the city (a large hill called mt Victoria, that has a forest.. a small one but it is there)
In your practice do you work with animal or plant spirits? Yes and in a variety of ways.
Have you worked with the land? Now here in new Zealand this is somewhat important, especially as the land is inhabited with what i class as land spirits.  Also i have worked with the land in a physical sense and did gardening as a job for a year while i was a student.  Nothing quite like laying down on freshly turned earth.. oh apart from the spiders.. *sigh*
What about spirits of the land? Like working with the land in NZ asking permission of the spirits of the land to do rituals, and or magic is also important.  Obviously some places it is more important than others, so to speak.  And often you will get told/informed NO, however this is not the time to give up as you can also politely ask if there is a better place..   also i have found that NZ land spirits and spirit of the land to be inseparable, and subtle...
Do you hug trees? Even when people are watching...
Do you hug buildings? now that you mention it, i might have to give it ago and then compair and contrast with hugging trees
Do you hug strangers? sometimes
What is your favourite tree and or plant?  Pohutukawa and Kowhai ß these are New Zealand Natives.. pluss i have Kowhai blossoms tattooed on my back..
Does it all fill you would a sense of wonder and chills? Yup, almost every day!
Wheel of the year
What seasonal festival/celebrations do you most often celebrate? Samhain, is special as it is celebrated with Tribe, and Yule, because for us it is in the middle of the year...
What seasonal festival/celebrations do you find difficult to celebrate? Summer solctice, because it is so close to Xmax with all its weird winter iconography, and i have the hardest time making sense of it all. 
Do you realise that the earth is made up of two hemispheres and while it is Yule in the northern hemisphere it is litha summer solstice in the southern? Given that i live in the southern part of the planet.. then yes..
How would you celebrate seasonal Sabbats in a tropical climate? I do believe it would take me at least a year to figure out  and observed how their seasons worked.. beause i am given to understanding that their growing season is oft in what those who live in more temperate places would consider ‘winter’.. of course that would depend on where in the tropics a person is... it would also take a bunch of researching of plants, climate and the like. 
Have you ever worked with or felt the veil? Yes, i have helped a person cross over, so to speak.  Also this taught me that that type of work was not my path and i while i could do it, it would only be something i would do for tribe and family...thank you very much. 
Ever danced the Maypole? Actually not in the sense of ribbons and trees...
What does the Maypole symbolise? Dancing right?  *sniggers*
 
Divination
What is your favourite form or forms of divination? Currently i favour cards, i have the druid craft tarot, and the animal medicine decks. 
Do you work with astrology? I don’t really understand enought about astorolgy to really work with it.. its on my list of things to learn tho. 
Do you work with omens, if so how? Yes, and i work with them carefully and intuitively...
Spells
How do you see Spells working? by providing a focuse for the energy, as well as using the energy of plants, stones and bones that you are using.
How about one to banish a demon? That why i crochet in circles. 
Turned anyone into a frog? They were already a toad, so there was no point
Healing Spells? several
House spells? With the vacume cleaner.. thats ok right?
Do you prefer spells or rituals? Depend on the situation and what the reason is behind why i am doing directed magic in the first place..
Can you make me a love spell please? Sure, please hold this posey while running around that tree yelling very loudly how you love yourself and the universe.  Please put this sparkly hat on to... oh and these chaps....
Cryptozoology
Do you believe in Vampires? Not even the sparkley kind.. especially no the sparkley kind.  Although sometimes there are those people who i do find quite draining at times..
Do they sparkle? Bwahahahah.. only when you burn them
Werewolves? No
Shapeshifters? In what sense.. someone who travels the inner planes and can change shapes while there.. then yes.. otherwise.. not so much.
Elves? No
Faries? Nope  (no i will not clap my hands.. *frowns*)
Hobo’s? Yes and sometimes i get messages from said Hoboes..
Witches? Yes i believe in myself.. all good..
Dragons? There is that komodo dragon.. thats real..
Nymphs? No
Landspirits? After a fashon, i have often wondered if becaue of where i live and the belief in landspirits, i see what others would call faires, nymphs etc etc but call them land spirits... and spirit of the land.. *ponders this*
Flying ponies? Oh how i would love a flying pony...
Sprites? No
Mermaids? No
Satyrs? No
Fluffy bunnies? Now there used to be some on the roundabout by the airport.. these huge lop eared fluffly bunnies... oh those are not what we are talking about.. *grins*
Ever seen, talked or done magic with any of the above?  Yes and no
If so wanna share? Yes i have talked with land spirits when contemplating doing a ritual or magic in an area that i am not familiar with, or if i believe that i must ask ...if it is an area that i am family with i just check in, so to speak.  
Random
Do you believe in guides? yes and know, do i believe they are all knowing and all seeing then nope, do i believe that they are separate entites, not so much, do i believe that they are there to help by providing perspective on what you are asking, doing etc etc.. then yes...
Do you have guides? the voices say yes and then duh//
When you meditate what does your inner-scape/world look like? Like a house with a large, nay HUGE library, and a HUGE but comfortable kitchen.  I’v had this place a long time and it has grown with me.  Reciently it gained a dedicated temple room..  oh and the whole place is round!
Do you believe in past lives? Its complicated.. lets just leave it at no and yes...
Were you Cleopatra in a past life? *bwahahahahaha* 
Do you believe in Soul Mates? in that can’t live without them, oh you complete me kinda way, then no
Any final words about anything really?  so i looked at the other pagan memeage that is going around and just couldn't leave fill in the answers, but wanted to do one.. thus i made this one, and stoll some of the previous memages questions.. and layout.. but then made up a bunch of ones i liked.. its like when i’m, cooking, just can’t leave a recipe alone..
*beams*
Polly