Showing posts with label Denver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denver. Show all posts
Friday, May 5, 2017
Remembering Alia (Denver OFM 5 May 2017)
Tonight's (May 5) Hearthstone Community Church Open Full Moon ritual will be remembering Alia, who ran Hearthstone for over two decades, who died last week (28 May 2017). Doors open at 7 pm. Community announcements at 7:30 pm. Upstairs at First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, CO.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
House of Bast Art Studio Open House Event (July 2 & 3, 2016)
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| Come join us at the Open House event. |
July 2nd & 3rd
House of Bast—2727 Cook St., Denver, Colorado USA
Studio is located on the south side next to the alley.
At the Open House & Studio Tour, we will have pottery for sale, pottery throwing demos, pottery lessons, Kid's Clay Korner, and refreshments.
The hours will be 11 am to 6 pm on Saturday, July 2nd, and 12 pm to 6pm on Sunday.
Pottery lessons will be from 1 to 5 pm each day. Come see our studio!
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| Some of the pottery available for purchase. |
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| Some more pottery available for purchase. |
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| Call 303-815-8211 for information if you get lost. |
[In the afternoons, after 2 pm, Mad Uncle Morgan will be around if anyone needs to talk Denver Witch Quarterly business. He will also have some fresh garden herbs (not that type of herb!) and some random fairy fortunes for sale.]
Monday, June 13, 2016
A fairy ritual in poetic form (June 2016 Hearthstone Open Full Moon ritual)
The June OFM ritual will be presented by Morgan Drake Eckstein. The
ritual will utilize High Ceremonial Wicca techniques, along with the
symbolism of four types of fairies (sylphs, salamanders, undines, and
gnomes), to provide an omen (fairy fortune) to each of the attendees.
When: June 17, 2016---7 pm to 9 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm, community announcements 7:30pm, ritual starts after community announcements).
Where: First Unitarian--1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado
Cost: Free (suggested donation $5)
When: June 17, 2016---7 pm to 9 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm, community announcements 7:30pm, ritual starts after community announcements).
Where: First Unitarian--1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado
Cost: Free (suggested donation $5)
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| You are to be called Azulina (From The Black Princess and other Tales from Brazil), 1916 by Florence Mary Anderson |
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Field notes Denver Tarot Con 2015
Welcome to the highlights of the notes that I wrote down during the 2015 Denver Tarot Convention (put together by the Tarosophy Tarot Association, the Denver Tarot Meetup, Isis Books & Gifts, and the Althea Center for Engaged Spirituality).
When I first heard about the Tarot Con from Joy Vernon, a lady member of the Tarot Blog Hop circle, I debated whether or not I should go. On one hand, my business is bleeding red ink all over the floor at the moment (it is what happens when you put your business on hold for a couple of years to deal with your own personal problems); on the other hand, part of my business had drifted into Tarot when I started to create a Tarot deck all of my own. In the end, the decision boiled down to Lon Milo DuQuette and how much room I had on my credit cards.
(If my field notes make no sense, remember that none of my notes ever make any sense...because they were done by me. I am more of a clown than a reliable source of information.)
The keynote speech (Tarot comes out of the closet!) was by James Wanless, who describes himself as a Tarot missionary. My notes include "Hero's journey as a business plan" and "Four aces equal [the] tools of success." One of the points of the keynote address was that Tarot is due for a breaking out, probably as some business person decides to use Tarot as one of their major business tools for increasing creativity and team building.
(One of the points that he made was that the current generation is not really into the Tarot--this point was disagreed with by some of the people I talked to afterwards. And in fact, I disagree with it because my experience is that younger people are very much into the Tarot; it is just that the older generation tends not to be on the same social media platforms as the younger students.)
Renna Shesso, in her lecture Review, Refresh, and Re-Inspire, noted that learning symbolism of the Rider/Waite/Smith Tarot deck is like learning "Latin of the Tarot," thanks to the number of Tarot decks that are based on the artwork of the RWS deck. Her lecture was full of hints for what to look for when examining a Tarot deck, and key themes for the various Major Arcana. (I am too lazy to share the majority of my notes--I have several pages worth.)
I skipped Games Night with Sherry Shone...because it was the same night that I performed my Open Full Moon ritual for Hearthstone Community Church. The OFM ritual is part of my ongoing Golden Dawn inspired Wiccan rituals project.
Mary K. Greer talked about the art history of the Fool card in her lecture, The Fool's Progress. My notes from this lecture are simply a shambles. But my readers might be interested to know that A. E. Waite had an eidetic (photographic) memory, and wrote over fifty books about the Secret Tradition.
And oh yes, I attended Lon Milo DuQuette's lecture, The Lesser Arcana--Keys to Specific Dates...just so I could say that I shook the hand of the man. I do not need to share most of my notes--the majority of the technique can be put together using his published books--most people are not like me (I sometimes need someone to point out the perfectly obvious). But there are three statements that I would like to share: "A Kabbalistically ordered Tarot deck [trumps 0 to 21, suits in order, etc.] reflects the divine consciousness and a perfectly ordered universe." and "A shuffled Tarot deck represents the imperfect perception of the perfect universe." and "A good Tarot reading is a snapshot of an issue, complete with time and place."
On Saturday, I did the Gypsy Tea Party with Shaheen Miro...because I am the lad that can't get any divination system to work if I don't have a real living human being talk me though the first steps of the system. The teacup reading I got (the symbols leaping out at me) might be a message that the work project that I was giving the least priority to might actually be the one that I need to slip into the first slot (the novel with Harmic Burrows, my ogre taxi driver).
I also attended Beth Seilonen's workshop, Make Your Own Lenormand....again, this is because I, for some reason that I have never figured out, need to have the presence of a live teacher to buy my way into a new divination system. I will share some of my artwork from that workshop in a later post after I scan a couple of the cards I made...because I like to brag about my artwork (I am a petty little man--what of it?).
My notes from Austin Coppack's lecture, A Deck of Faces: The Hidden History of the Pip Cards, ironically are a shambles despite the fact that I was thinking about doing an article for the Winter issue of the Hermetic Tablet on the decans and the 36 small cards. One thing of note that I did not know was that at various times, it was illegal to have a copy of the Pictatrix. Coppack also mentioned that the Tarot plus the decans equals the RWS Tarot deck, providing several examples to prove his point. He also mentioned that the decans are the situations that we struggle with. (He also mentioned a project that he considered doing that I am attempted to do myself--hey! I know that I am a stealing artist; it is one of my strong suits.)
Had a good time at the Saturday night banquet.
Sunday started off with the Tarot mini-field trip. Each one of us had pulled a Tarot card, and we were sent forth to try to take the perfect photograph to represent the card we pulled.
In my case, I had pulled the Tower card. I went with the group that went downtown to the Sixteenth Street Mall. I actually knew exactly what building I was taking a picture of, thanks to the fact that I used to work downtown on the Mall. There is this one little church which is surrounded (literally) by a modern skyscraper.
After lunch on Sunday, I attended the Deck Creators Panel. (I am claiming this convention as a business expense for a good reason.) Besides learning some very useful information about the business side of Tarot deck creation, I also learned a delightful drinking game called Miraculous Sentence (a Tarot based Mad-Lib)...which I have used to create some odd-ball statuses for Facebook.
Marcus Katz mentioned at some point around this time that A. E. Waite didn't believe in fortune telling, and called his five months of work with Pamela Colman Smith "a delightful experiment"; furthermore, there is no evidence that PCS ever did a single Tarot reading, yet their Tarot deck became our baseline.
(At various times during the convention, there were shown pictures of places that PCS based her cards on---interesting stuff...must buy book, Secrets of the RWS Deck, someday.)
The final lecture that I attended was Brand New! Practical and Profound Tarot Reading, given by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin. They talked about how to use the Tarot to study the Kabbalah, and introduced us to a Tarot spread that I can't wait to find an opportunity to use.
The closing address included a wonderful poem, The Pocket, written by the founder of the Denver Tarot Meetup, Scott Womack.
Overall, I had a great time, and the convention was well worth the time and money. Picked up some valuable techniques and made a few new friends.
When I first heard about the Tarot Con from Joy Vernon, a lady member of the Tarot Blog Hop circle, I debated whether or not I should go. On one hand, my business is bleeding red ink all over the floor at the moment (it is what happens when you put your business on hold for a couple of years to deal with your own personal problems); on the other hand, part of my business had drifted into Tarot when I started to create a Tarot deck all of my own. In the end, the decision boiled down to Lon Milo DuQuette and how much room I had on my credit cards.
(If my field notes make no sense, remember that none of my notes ever make any sense...because they were done by me. I am more of a clown than a reliable source of information.)
The keynote speech (Tarot comes out of the closet!) was by James Wanless, who describes himself as a Tarot missionary. My notes include "Hero's journey as a business plan" and "Four aces equal [the] tools of success." One of the points of the keynote address was that Tarot is due for a breaking out, probably as some business person decides to use Tarot as one of their major business tools for increasing creativity and team building.
(One of the points that he made was that the current generation is not really into the Tarot--this point was disagreed with by some of the people I talked to afterwards. And in fact, I disagree with it because my experience is that younger people are very much into the Tarot; it is just that the older generation tends not to be on the same social media platforms as the younger students.)
Renna Shesso, in her lecture Review, Refresh, and Re-Inspire, noted that learning symbolism of the Rider/Waite/Smith Tarot deck is like learning "Latin of the Tarot," thanks to the number of Tarot decks that are based on the artwork of the RWS deck. Her lecture was full of hints for what to look for when examining a Tarot deck, and key themes for the various Major Arcana. (I am too lazy to share the majority of my notes--I have several pages worth.)
I skipped Games Night with Sherry Shone...because it was the same night that I performed my Open Full Moon ritual for Hearthstone Community Church. The OFM ritual is part of my ongoing Golden Dawn inspired Wiccan rituals project.
Mary K. Greer talked about the art history of the Fool card in her lecture, The Fool's Progress. My notes from this lecture are simply a shambles. But my readers might be interested to know that A. E. Waite had an eidetic (photographic) memory, and wrote over fifty books about the Secret Tradition.
And oh yes, I attended Lon Milo DuQuette's lecture, The Lesser Arcana--Keys to Specific Dates...just so I could say that I shook the hand of the man. I do not need to share most of my notes--the majority of the technique can be put together using his published books--most people are not like me (I sometimes need someone to point out the perfectly obvious). But there are three statements that I would like to share: "A Kabbalistically ordered Tarot deck [trumps 0 to 21, suits in order, etc.] reflects the divine consciousness and a perfectly ordered universe." and "A shuffled Tarot deck represents the imperfect perception of the perfect universe." and "A good Tarot reading is a snapshot of an issue, complete with time and place."
On Saturday, I did the Gypsy Tea Party with Shaheen Miro...because I am the lad that can't get any divination system to work if I don't have a real living human being talk me though the first steps of the system. The teacup reading I got (the symbols leaping out at me) might be a message that the work project that I was giving the least priority to might actually be the one that I need to slip into the first slot (the novel with Harmic Burrows, my ogre taxi driver).
I also attended Beth Seilonen's workshop, Make Your Own Lenormand....again, this is because I, for some reason that I have never figured out, need to have the presence of a live teacher to buy my way into a new divination system. I will share some of my artwork from that workshop in a later post after I scan a couple of the cards I made...because I like to brag about my artwork (I am a petty little man--what of it?).
My notes from Austin Coppack's lecture, A Deck of Faces: The Hidden History of the Pip Cards, ironically are a shambles despite the fact that I was thinking about doing an article for the Winter issue of the Hermetic Tablet on the decans and the 36 small cards. One thing of note that I did not know was that at various times, it was illegal to have a copy of the Pictatrix. Coppack also mentioned that the Tarot plus the decans equals the RWS Tarot deck, providing several examples to prove his point. He also mentioned that the decans are the situations that we struggle with. (He also mentioned a project that he considered doing that I am attempted to do myself--hey! I know that I am a stealing artist; it is one of my strong suits.)
Had a good time at the Saturday night banquet.
Sunday started off with the Tarot mini-field trip. Each one of us had pulled a Tarot card, and we were sent forth to try to take the perfect photograph to represent the card we pulled.
 |
| This is what a Tarot hunting party looks like. |
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| This is the picture that I took for the Tower card. |
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| The backside of the church...being eaten by modern progress. |
In my case, I had pulled the Tower card. I went with the group that went downtown to the Sixteenth Street Mall. I actually knew exactly what building I was taking a picture of, thanks to the fact that I used to work downtown on the Mall. There is this one little church which is surrounded (literally) by a modern skyscraper.
After lunch on Sunday, I attended the Deck Creators Panel. (I am claiming this convention as a business expense for a good reason.) Besides learning some very useful information about the business side of Tarot deck creation, I also learned a delightful drinking game called Miraculous Sentence (a Tarot based Mad-Lib)...which I have used to create some odd-ball statuses for Facebook.
Marcus Katz mentioned at some point around this time that A. E. Waite didn't believe in fortune telling, and called his five months of work with Pamela Colman Smith "a delightful experiment"; furthermore, there is no evidence that PCS ever did a single Tarot reading, yet their Tarot deck became our baseline.
(At various times during the convention, there were shown pictures of places that PCS based her cards on---interesting stuff...must buy book, Secrets of the RWS Deck, someday.)
The final lecture that I attended was Brand New! Practical and Profound Tarot Reading, given by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin. They talked about how to use the Tarot to study the Kabbalah, and introduced us to a Tarot spread that I can't wait to find an opportunity to use.
The closing address included a wonderful poem, The Pocket, written by the founder of the Denver Tarot Meetup, Scott Womack.
Overall, I had a great time, and the convention was well worth the time and money. Picked up some valuable techniques and made a few new friends.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Denver Colorado free cat spay and neuter day February 2014
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| If kittens can fix a computer... |
Where: Meow and Lulu Mobile Clinics will be at the Denver Animal Shelter (1241 W. Bayaud Ave.)
Check-in is at 7:30 am.
All surgeries are performed by licensed veterinarians.
For more information on the mobile clinic, call 720-241-7098.
And if you are unable to make this free spay and neuter day (in honor of World Spay Day), remember that the regular fee is ten dollars, which is still a good price.
Remember getting your kitten or cat spayed or neutered is an act of love. Both you and your pet will be happier...well, once they forgive you for taking them to the vet.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Kitty says it is cold outside
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| Let me in--it is cold outside. |
And where is all this snow and cold coming from? Did some weather witch decide that they were tired of the drought? If so, I wish that they would have done their spellwork before the Denver Water Board declared this year's watering restrictions.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Winter drought in Colorado
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| What the neighbor's plum tree looks like before the blizzard. |
Yes, that is right. Denver Colorado is already suffering drought conditions. And Denver Water wants everyone to cut their water use by twenty percent. So much for trying to increase the size of my garden to try to cut down on the grocery bill.
I am thinking that I might create a three by three feet raised bed, and restrict my vegetable gardening to that. I find it annoying that the first garden season that I actually have time to work on the garden that I will not be able to because of drought conditions. Ahh, the joys of living in Colorado.
Of course, this particular snow storm came at a time, just designed to annoy me. The flowers were coming up. The mugwort was getting green. And the neighbor's plum tree was blooming (yes, I pick all the plums from the branches that overhang in my yard)...I guess no plums for me this fall.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Snow Day 2013 the second time around
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| Not a lot of snow here in the great fishbowl of Denver Colorado. |
Of course, looking out the window right now, I am not even sure that I have to go out there and shovel. Well, at least, not the front. I still have to get the snow out of the passageway of death, that shaded section of the sidewalk that runs between the pottery studio and the house--the snow melts there, and then freezes making a passageway that only a Martian Ice Warrior can safely navigate.
So why so little snow here? Especially when up north of us, they got blizzard conditions yesterday. Well, I live in what I call the Denver Fishbowl--a small area that seems to not be completely connected to the rest of the weather in Colorado. Draw a circle on the map of Denver that includes the Denver Zoo and downtown Denver--and you have a zone that for some reason is a mini-microenvironment...it probably has something to do with the shape of the mountains to the west of us.
I have seen blizzards that nail everyone around us drop a mere inch here. Likewise I have seen severe rainstorms in the summer that only drown this area. It is like living in the fishbowl of a mad scientist...or maybe a mad weather witch.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Snow Day 2013
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| Mortimer is not sure what to say about the snow. |
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| There is a sidwalk someplace under this snow. |
Hello everyone!! If you haven't heard, Denver actually got some snow this winter. Pretty much, all on the same day. It is going to be so much fun getting the car out of the alley tomorrow. And as normal, the street up front has not been plowed. Mortimer, my cat, says that he is not helping push the car...because he is a cat, and must keep a lookout for Bigfoot, or whatever it is that hunts in snow like this.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
And the website troubles continue
So I tempted today to fix some of the problems with the new website for Bast Temple. (My regular readers will remember that we were forced to switch website hosts.) And it was one of those days that I feel that the service that the old host is trying to make us switch to is just too much trouble. (Actually, they are owned by the same company...so one could argue that it is just the same host with the just a higher price.) The current problem is that one has to log in through several forms to get to the actual dashboard for the website...and if you forget a password (and they all have to be different), then you have to wait hours for the reset to occur.
Makes me glad that I set up an official blog for Bast Temple because it looks like it is what we are going to be using for awhile...because I am thinking that we need to use a better web hosting service...or at least one that does not make me want to beat it with a stick.
[If you are in Denver Colorado, or thereabouts, and want to apply for membership in Bast Temple, remember that you can apply through the official blog or by sending an email to basttemple at msn dot com. Just because the web hosting service is causing me grief does not mean that the lodge has disappeared--we are still doing initiations and rituals, as well as holding meetings and lectures.]
Makes me glad that I set up an official blog for Bast Temple because it looks like it is what we are going to be using for awhile...because I am thinking that we need to use a better web hosting service...or at least one that does not make me want to beat it with a stick.
[If you are in Denver Colorado, or thereabouts, and want to apply for membership in Bast Temple, remember that you can apply through the official blog or by sending an email to basttemple at msn dot com. Just because the web hosting service is causing me grief does not mean that the lodge has disappeared--we are still doing initiations and rituals, as well as holding meetings and lectures.]
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Ongoing Bast Temple website problems
As some of you know, Bast Temple has been experiencing some major website issues.
The issues started during the worst part of semester...and considering that this turned out to be the worst semester ever for me, well, I could have just plotzed. Now that the semester is over, and I have two seconds to try to fix the problems, I realize that the problems are going to take some time to fix.
Therefore, for awhile, Bast Temple is not going to have a regular website. Well, we have one, it is just that the problems prevent anyone from actually getting to it...even if they know the exact address of it.
So my temporary solution is to put up a blog for Bast Temple. I figure that way people (eventually after the search engines find it) will still be able to find information about the lodge and be able to contact us if they are interested in Denver membership.
It is time like these that I wish that I belonged to one of the Big Name Orders who could throw money at problems like these.
So if anyone is interested, the new Bast Temple blog is located here (click).
The issues started during the worst part of semester...and considering that this turned out to be the worst semester ever for me, well, I could have just plotzed. Now that the semester is over, and I have two seconds to try to fix the problems, I realize that the problems are going to take some time to fix.
Therefore, for awhile, Bast Temple is not going to have a regular website. Well, we have one, it is just that the problems prevent anyone from actually getting to it...even if they know the exact address of it.
So my temporary solution is to put up a blog for Bast Temple. I figure that way people (eventually after the search engines find it) will still be able to find information about the lodge and be able to contact us if they are interested in Denver membership.
It is time like these that I wish that I belonged to one of the Big Name Orders who could throw money at problems like these.
So if anyone is interested, the new Bast Temple blog is located here (click).
Friday, February 3, 2012
News for the Denver Wiccan Feb 3 2012
Two pieces of news for the Denver Wiccan today, February 3rd 2012.
The first is that Lady Judith Brownlee passed away last night at ten pm. Judith was a well-known teacher of Wiccan classes here in Denver. Over the last few years, she has suffered from health issues (mostly age related). Our thoughts go out to her family, friends and students---Judith will be missed.
And it is interesting that she chose to step into the Summerlands on Imbolc---during a blizzard----her sense of humor was alive to the very end.
Speaking of the blizzard, many events here in Denver scheduled for tonight have been cancelled, including the Hearthstone Community Church's Open Full Moon ritual, due to safety reasons.
Try to stay warm tonight---it is goin to be a cold one.
The first is that Lady Judith Brownlee passed away last night at ten pm. Judith was a well-known teacher of Wiccan classes here in Denver. Over the last few years, she has suffered from health issues (mostly age related). Our thoughts go out to her family, friends and students---Judith will be missed.
And it is interesting that she chose to step into the Summerlands on Imbolc---during a blizzard----her sense of humor was alive to the very end.
Speaking of the blizzard, many events here in Denver scheduled for tonight have been cancelled, including the Hearthstone Community Church's Open Full Moon ritual, due to safety reasons.
Try to stay warm tonight---it is goin to be a cold one.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Raccoon Apocalypse
Some people worry about the upcoming zombie apocalypse. I don't. That is because I am too busy fighting off the raccoon apocalypse.
When I moved to my current neighborhood eight years ago, I realized immediately that I had squirrels (the black walnut trees inplied that there were squirrels). For many years, I have feared the upcoming squirrel apocalypse, the demonic squirrels (my neighbor pointed out that they are demonic) keep chewing through the phone lines. Once a year, the phone company has to come out and repair the lines.
There was also the small feral cat colony that came with the house. That one surprised me---Sherlock Holmes, I am not. It probably shouldn't have, considering that two of the feral cats checked my wife and I out when we were originally looking at the house.
But honestly, I have never feared the kitty apocalypse that much. After all, I am on good speaking terms with Bast and Sekhmet. Years of loyal service should count for something.
(Yeah, I know---the cats have obviously eaten my brains already.)
Last night, I discovered a new fear---the raccoon apocalypse.
I have known about the raccoons in the neighborhood for some time. Yes, I am living just a few miles from downtown Denver (just north of the Denver Zoo and Golf Course). And I have raccoons visiting my porch late at night.
Last night, the raccoons were busy trying to enter the cat house that Mortimer sleeps in on the porch. (Mortimer refuses to be an indoor cat.) I am not sure if they were upset that there was no cat food in the bowl, or if they were looking for shelter. Either way, Mortimer did not like it. I ended up going outside twice to drive them off the porch.
I am sure that the raccoons thought about eating me. And my neighbor calls the squirrels demonic. I vote that the raccoons are the demonic hoarde of the upcoming apocalypse.
When I moved to my current neighborhood eight years ago, I realized immediately that I had squirrels (the black walnut trees inplied that there were squirrels). For many years, I have feared the upcoming squirrel apocalypse, the demonic squirrels (my neighbor pointed out that they are demonic) keep chewing through the phone lines. Once a year, the phone company has to come out and repair the lines.
There was also the small feral cat colony that came with the house. That one surprised me---Sherlock Holmes, I am not. It probably shouldn't have, considering that two of the feral cats checked my wife and I out when we were originally looking at the house.
But honestly, I have never feared the kitty apocalypse that much. After all, I am on good speaking terms with Bast and Sekhmet. Years of loyal service should count for something.
(Yeah, I know---the cats have obviously eaten my brains already.)
Last night, I discovered a new fear---the raccoon apocalypse.
I have known about the raccoons in the neighborhood for some time. Yes, I am living just a few miles from downtown Denver (just north of the Denver Zoo and Golf Course). And I have raccoons visiting my porch late at night.
Last night, the raccoons were busy trying to enter the cat house that Mortimer sleeps in on the porch. (Mortimer refuses to be an indoor cat.) I am not sure if they were upset that there was no cat food in the bowl, or if they were looking for shelter. Either way, Mortimer did not like it. I ended up going outside twice to drive them off the porch.
I am sure that the raccoons thought about eating me. And my neighbor calls the squirrels demonic. I vote that the raccoons are the demonic hoarde of the upcoming apocalypse.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
20th Annual Denver Witches Ball
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| Are you ready for the Witches Ball? |
For those who do not know this is the twentieth anniversary of the Denver Witches Ball. It is held at the Highlands Masonic Center, 3550 Federal Boulevard, Denver Colorado. Doors open at 6 pm. Admission is $20 for adults, and $5 for children 12 and under. The midnight samhain ritual is free (show up after eleven if you are just attending the ritual). There will be music and a costume contest, as well as a cafe serving food.
And remember if you see me tie my god-daughter to a chair, I am doing it for the safety of the entire community. That is my story, and I am going to stick to it.
Toni is going to be selling pottery (not jewelry) at this event; and one of our friends, Jo, will be sharing the booth space and selling bath salts and healing oils.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Monsoon Aftermath 7 July 2011
Well, the backroom ended up with some flooding (we have some foundation damage back there that is letting the water in), the porch is trashed, the basement (ritual room) has some water in it, the alley is a mess, and Mortimer (the outdoor kitty) is very upset. And the rain continues.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Is there another Bast Temple in Denver Colorado?
Ok, reading something in the general sewer back alley wonderfulness that is Golden Dawn news on the blogosphere, I found a reference to an "old Bast Temple", a "Lawrence Robinson" and an "Alex Walker"---all of which I was unaware of.
This is the first time that I have ever heard of the existence of another Bast Temple here in Denver, Colorado. Obviously, they are bigger and more important than the Bast Temple (BIORC) that I belong to---considering that I have never heard of them before.
As of this point in time, I am aware of two other Golden Dawn lodges operating here in Denver: Thoth-Amen-Ra (independent) and Thoth Hermes (Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn).
And to the best of my knowledge, none of the four lodges that were operating in the late 80s/early 90s were named Bast. Heavens knows that the lodge I belong to would have chosen another name and patron deity if we were aware of a previous or current lodge operating under this name.
I am not sure if the person has better information (aka more contacts than I do) or made a simple mistake. Nevertheless, I want it on the record that the Bast Temple I belong to is not the same lodge as the one that Alex Walker and Lawrence Robinson are involved in.
This is the first time that I have ever heard of the existence of another Bast Temple here in Denver, Colorado. Obviously, they are bigger and more important than the Bast Temple (BIORC) that I belong to---considering that I have never heard of them before.
As of this point in time, I am aware of two other Golden Dawn lodges operating here in Denver: Thoth-Amen-Ra (independent) and Thoth Hermes (Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn).
And to the best of my knowledge, none of the four lodges that were operating in the late 80s/early 90s were named Bast. Heavens knows that the lodge I belong to would have chosen another name and patron deity if we were aware of a previous or current lodge operating under this name.
I am not sure if the person has better information (aka more contacts than I do) or made a simple mistake. Nevertheless, I want it on the record that the Bast Temple I belong to is not the same lodge as the one that Alex Walker and Lawrence Robinson are involved in.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Denver Zoo 2011 Free Days
Ok, this is not occult or lodge related, but I am posting it anyways because I like animals.
Denver Zoo 2011 Free Zoo Days
January 8 (Saturday)
January 24 (Monday)
February 6 (Sunday)
February 19 (Saturday)
October 12 (Wednesday)
October 20 (Thursday)
November 6 (Sunday)
November 12 (Saturday)
Denver Zoo 2011 Free Zoo Days
January 8 (Saturday)
January 24 (Monday)
February 6 (Sunday)
February 19 (Saturday)
October 12 (Wednesday)
October 20 (Thursday)
November 6 (Sunday)
November 12 (Saturday)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Are you accepting applications
The other day, I posted on Facebook the fact that I had finished cobbling together a pamphlet for advertising purposes together for the lodge. And I was promptly asked by someone if Bast Temple was accepting applications.
The question surprised me.
Outside of a few Rosicrucian organizations that have strict membership limits, I do not know an Order that is not always open to applications. Even Orders that have "officially" closed their membership tend to still keep their eyes open for new members; the same goes for covens.
The general rule of thumb is that all lodges and Orders are always open to new appliciants.
Having said that, I must point out that just because a group is accepting applications, it does not mean that you will be found to be a suitable candidate for membership. For example, I cannot imagine for an instant that I would be allowed into any of the three other Golden Dawn groups that are here in Denver. Even if Bast Temple closed shop, it is unlikely that any of them would consider me a suitable member. For one thing, I am too opinionated for all of their tastes (and that is just the first problem that they would have with me).
In order to be allowed into a lodge and/or Order, you have to meet the qualifications for entry. These vary from group to group. You also have to be able to get the people who decide on who to let in to actually do so. With some groups, this is easier to do than with others.
In Bast Temple, it boils down to whether or not you get along with the current active members; whether we think that you can hack the workload; and whether or not you alarm us by being morally and/or sanity impaired. Bast Temple does not let everyone in, and we are definitely not suitable for everyone. But it is not a real problem; after all, there is an EOGD, a TGD, and one other Golden Dawn group here in Denver---there are plenty of options for someone who is interested working Golden Dawn in a group setting.
The question surprised me.
Outside of a few Rosicrucian organizations that have strict membership limits, I do not know an Order that is not always open to applications. Even Orders that have "officially" closed their membership tend to still keep their eyes open for new members; the same goes for covens.
The general rule of thumb is that all lodges and Orders are always open to new appliciants.
Having said that, I must point out that just because a group is accepting applications, it does not mean that you will be found to be a suitable candidate for membership. For example, I cannot imagine for an instant that I would be allowed into any of the three other Golden Dawn groups that are here in Denver. Even if Bast Temple closed shop, it is unlikely that any of them would consider me a suitable member. For one thing, I am too opinionated for all of their tastes (and that is just the first problem that they would have with me).
In order to be allowed into a lodge and/or Order, you have to meet the qualifications for entry. These vary from group to group. You also have to be able to get the people who decide on who to let in to actually do so. With some groups, this is easier to do than with others.
In Bast Temple, it boils down to whether or not you get along with the current active members; whether we think that you can hack the workload; and whether or not you alarm us by being morally and/or sanity impaired. Bast Temple does not let everyone in, and we are definitely not suitable for everyone. But it is not a real problem; after all, there is an EOGD, a TGD, and one other Golden Dawn group here in Denver---there are plenty of options for someone who is interested working Golden Dawn in a group setting.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
My own personal Golden Dawn background
Given some of the recent discussions I have had lately, ones where I found myself looking at things completely differently than everyone else, it might be useful to remind people that my personal background in Golden Dawn is perhaps not what they expect it to be.
Like many people, I got drawn into the occult when I was young. My parents raised me without any religion; there was a conflict over what religion I should be raised in, and the compromise was none.
But I was exposed to some religion, one that my mom (in hindsight regrets that I was exposed to, especially after she became born again). My aunt was a Gardnerian; like a fool, I followed suit becoming an initiate of one of the offshoots of the Craft in my late teens/early twenties.
(My mom blames wicca, along with a couple of other things, for her sister's death. In her book, me and my aunt are not wiccans, but outright satanists. It is hard to be a satanist when you do not believe in that entity or his enemy; or at least, I do believe in the same sense as a Christian does. I believe that there are unbalanced spiritual entities out there; I just chose not to worship them.)
I have belonged to a few covens in my time, along with study circles, healing circles, and the odd Golden Dawn lodge. I have also belonged to a few groups that score high on the cult evaluation form. I was actually expelled from a couple of these, including one where I was stripped of my degree by someone of a lesser degree than myself (basically, I refused to do something illegal after they seized control of the group; they thought I should follow their every order; hence, my ongoing battle with willfulness made me unfit for all fair society).
Being told that you are unfit for fair society allows one to look at things differently. For instance, I know that there is potential for cult-like behavior in Golden Dawn. And I will not keep this a secret, even when high superiors tell me that this must never be admitted.
I am also a journalist (sort of). I believe in the freedom of the press. One of the first things that a bad leader does is try to control what is being said about them (and others). I have a soapbox; I am going to use it (even if it is only to write bad book reviews).
But the thing that one needs to know the most about me is that I did not start off as a book learned member of Golden Dawn. Before I walked into Golden Dawn, I knew as much about the system as is contained in Kraig's Modern Magick. In fact, it was my carrying that book in public that caused me to come to the attention of a member of Hathoor Temple.
I was harassed for six months (or tested if you prefer that term), brought in and promptly made an officer. At the time, the lodge was in distress. They were trying to find a replacement for one of their long standing officers; hence, my experience of being ran though the mill.
For those who have not experienced this, imagine undergoing the rituals and teachings of an esoteric system, both as a student and an officer at the same time. As quickly as you move up the Grade ladder, you are also moved up the Officer ladder. People wonder why I dropped out after Hathoor Temple closed: I was simply burnt to a crisp.
It is due to this experience that I look at the Golden Dawn system differently. So differently that often I will back out of a conversation rather than try to convince people that I might know what I am talking about. I did not learn the system though papers and books: I learned it from a script while trying to figure out where I was supposed to be standing.
My experience was hands-on. Studying the papers came later. And Hathoor Temple (along with the Inner Order mentors that I came into contact with later) often disagreed with the published material. For me, the published material is always going to be a touch wrong.
I am also a touch suspicious of anyone shouting "Lineage!" or "Secret Chief!" Here in Denver Colorado, a place that had four GD lodges active in the late eighties/early nineties, we have never had any help from the outside. We have been on our own for quite some time doing the best that we can. In my opinion, it is a little late to suggest that we need help.
So to sum it up: I have been involved in too many groups that were on their own; I come from a non-Christian religion (hence I do not think that GD is a Christian Order [Hathoor sure wasn't; Bast Temple sure isn't]); I have suffered at the hands of bad leadership; I learned hands-on using scripts that disagree with the published material; and I believe in the freedom of the press.
If I wasn't already declared unfit for all fair society, the combination would get me be expelled.
Like many people, I got drawn into the occult when I was young. My parents raised me without any religion; there was a conflict over what religion I should be raised in, and the compromise was none.
But I was exposed to some religion, one that my mom (in hindsight regrets that I was exposed to, especially after she became born again). My aunt was a Gardnerian; like a fool, I followed suit becoming an initiate of one of the offshoots of the Craft in my late teens/early twenties.
(My mom blames wicca, along with a couple of other things, for her sister's death. In her book, me and my aunt are not wiccans, but outright satanists. It is hard to be a satanist when you do not believe in that entity or his enemy; or at least, I do believe in the same sense as a Christian does. I believe that there are unbalanced spiritual entities out there; I just chose not to worship them.)
I have belonged to a few covens in my time, along with study circles, healing circles, and the odd Golden Dawn lodge. I have also belonged to a few groups that score high on the cult evaluation form. I was actually expelled from a couple of these, including one where I was stripped of my degree by someone of a lesser degree than myself (basically, I refused to do something illegal after they seized control of the group; they thought I should follow their every order; hence, my ongoing battle with willfulness made me unfit for all fair society).
Being told that you are unfit for fair society allows one to look at things differently. For instance, I know that there is potential for cult-like behavior in Golden Dawn. And I will not keep this a secret, even when high superiors tell me that this must never be admitted.
I am also a journalist (sort of). I believe in the freedom of the press. One of the first things that a bad leader does is try to control what is being said about them (and others). I have a soapbox; I am going to use it (even if it is only to write bad book reviews).
But the thing that one needs to know the most about me is that I did not start off as a book learned member of Golden Dawn. Before I walked into Golden Dawn, I knew as much about the system as is contained in Kraig's Modern Magick. In fact, it was my carrying that book in public that caused me to come to the attention of a member of Hathoor Temple.
I was harassed for six months (or tested if you prefer that term), brought in and promptly made an officer. At the time, the lodge was in distress. They were trying to find a replacement for one of their long standing officers; hence, my experience of being ran though the mill.
For those who have not experienced this, imagine undergoing the rituals and teachings of an esoteric system, both as a student and an officer at the same time. As quickly as you move up the Grade ladder, you are also moved up the Officer ladder. People wonder why I dropped out after Hathoor Temple closed: I was simply burnt to a crisp.
It is due to this experience that I look at the Golden Dawn system differently. So differently that often I will back out of a conversation rather than try to convince people that I might know what I am talking about. I did not learn the system though papers and books: I learned it from a script while trying to figure out where I was supposed to be standing.
My experience was hands-on. Studying the papers came later. And Hathoor Temple (along with the Inner Order mentors that I came into contact with later) often disagreed with the published material. For me, the published material is always going to be a touch wrong.
I am also a touch suspicious of anyone shouting "Lineage!" or "Secret Chief!" Here in Denver Colorado, a place that had four GD lodges active in the late eighties/early nineties, we have never had any help from the outside. We have been on our own for quite some time doing the best that we can. In my opinion, it is a little late to suggest that we need help.
So to sum it up: I have been involved in too many groups that were on their own; I come from a non-Christian religion (hence I do not think that GD is a Christian Order [Hathoor sure wasn't; Bast Temple sure isn't]); I have suffered at the hands of bad leadership; I learned hands-on using scripts that disagree with the published material; and I believe in the freedom of the press.
If I wasn't already declared unfit for all fair society, the combination would get me be expelled.
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