Someone asked me if I was going to the Peace and Harmony Pow Wow being hosted by the HOGD/AO--and I thought that I would post my answer here...just in case, anyone else was curious.
Odds are that I will not be going for simple budget reasons. As most of my regular readers know, I recently finished up two Bachelor degrees; I am currently taking some time off to work on my business before applying to the Masters program. I simply do not have the money to go to such an event.
In order to even think about going to the gathering, my business would have to do better than my wildest dreams in this last quarter of 2012. I am not saying that it is impossible, but it is highly unlikely.
In other words, I have to sell a lot of ebooks to be able to go (aka I need to get a lot of fresh ebooks written and up on the internet before the Xmas season begins, and they have to be hot sellers).
And honestly, even if the money did come together--there is so much bad blood between me and their membership, especially a couple of them, that it is probably best that I do not go; it is the type of bad blood that restraining orders were invented for--in fact, it reminds of exactly the type of bad blood that plagues my family. Furthermore, given the fact that it is only a matter of time before I make them openly upset again--not "if"; it is "when"--I imagine that they will be wanting my head on a platter long before the Pow Wow. I could be wrong about this last part--but given the track record of how many times I have annoyed them since 2000, it is a safe bet that I will be unwelcome by the time that the Pow Wow rolls around. It is not that I try to annoy them; it is just that I continue to be me, which seems to be offensive enough for all practical purposes.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
QoD The difference between Golden Dawn and Thelema
This quote is from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn yahoo news/e-zine forum (the more evil non-Griffin one).
"The Golden Dawn's approach to ritual is like that old saw everyone's dad told them growing up: The right tool for the right job.
The A.'. A.'. 's approach to ritual is less subtle. I would say it was, "OMG! BREAK STUFF!" but that would be over-simplifying it a bit."---Frater Amre
"The Golden Dawn's approach to ritual is like that old saw everyone's dad told them growing up: The right tool for the right job.
The A.'. A.'. 's approach to ritual is less subtle. I would say it was, "OMG! BREAK STUFF!" but that would be over-simplifying it a bit."---Frater Amre
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
What are the responsibilities of a leader?
[The following was written for the Hearthstone Community Church's September 2012 newsletter.]
One of the questions that I occasionally kick around is: What are the responsibilities of a leader? In particular, what are the responsibilities of a leader in the rarified atmosphere of modern paganism and the occult? In addition, if a person does not fulfill these responsibilities, are they still a leader?
The reason I typically kick around this set of questions is someone accusing me of being a leader. Normally, the label leader being attached to me is accompanied by the person accusing me of doing behavior that is unbecoming of being a leader. In another words, I am never called a good leader—just the type of leader that someone does not want the rest of the world exposed to.
Now, I will admit that this particular type of behavior both amuses me and annoys me—for the exact same reason. I am not a leader; I am a lunatic with a soapbox; there is a difference. In other words, I do not consider myself a leader. I am merely someone with very loud opinions.
Sure, I am a public representative of a group. In all fairness, to myself that is, I would like to point out that no one else in the group wants to be the public representative. The group also believes that if someone doesn’t like me, then they will not be a good fit for the group. In other words, I am not a leader because I am the public voice of a group—I am a speed bump because of my visibility.
And being an officer of a group does not make me a leader. In the case of said group, I am an elected officer. This means simply that there are jobs to do that no one else wants to do, and that I am not clever enough to recruit someone who wants to do them. I suspect that a trained monkey could do my job as an officer—hmmm, I wonder if I could find a trained monkey who is willing to work for free.
The biggest expectation that I encounter of leaders is that they are supposed to work for free. Only in paganism and occultism are leaders expected to work for free. In other areas, leaders are expected to be paid—not necessarily well, but still paid. In Wiccan circles, I have seen people believe that the leader of a coven should not only give their time freely, but should also foot the entire operating cost of the group. As a lunatic with a soapbox, I disagree. While I am open to the possibility that the leader of a coven or lodge should not charge for their time, I believe that all members of an esoteric community should chip in on the operating costs. Furthermore, I believe that authors and teachers of occultism and paganism should get a token wage for their efforts.
One, they have chosen to put the interests of a group ahead of their own personal interests. A leader serves the needs of a group. It is an unpleasant job. Occasionally, this involves “herding cats” and moving the group in a direction that the individual members do not want to go. A true leader knows that one sometimes has to make unpopular decisions. One cannot please everyone when they are a leader. A leader also has to place the interests of their group ahead of other groups—if all opinions and interests were the same, we would not need leaders in the first place.
A leader leads by example and/or suggestion. They do not need to be officially in a position of power. Their ability to lead does not spring from the position that they hold in a group, rather it springs from their innermost being. Sometimes, a true leader seems more like a force of nature than a human being.
And most importantly, a leader needs to know the following two sentences: “I do not know,” and “I made a mistake.” A leader has to be able to admit when they do not know something, and they have to be willing to admit to occasionally (or often) making mistakes. A leader does not need to be right all the time, but they do have to be willing to admit mistakes and ignorance, and be willing to change directions when necessary.
Leaders are not leaders because they are popular or agree with everyone. They are leaders because they are willing to make unpleasant decisions, and are willing to put the best interests of others ahead of their own personal interests. A true leader will not change their behavior just because someone says that they are wrong. Being a leader is unpleasant on most days—which is why I am glad that I am just a lunatic with a soapbox.
[The 2012 Hearthstone Community Church's newsletter articles written by Morgan Drake Eckstein will be collected in an ebook sometime in 2013. The 2010 articles can be found in the collection Pizza Boxes on the Floor. The 2011 articles are currently being formatted into an ebook. Three of the best articles can be found in the free ebook--Four Cornerstones.]
One of the questions that I occasionally kick around is: What are the responsibilities of a leader? In particular, what are the responsibilities of a leader in the rarified atmosphere of modern paganism and the occult? In addition, if a person does not fulfill these responsibilities, are they still a leader?
The reason I typically kick around this set of questions is someone accusing me of being a leader. Normally, the label leader being attached to me is accompanied by the person accusing me of doing behavior that is unbecoming of being a leader. In another words, I am never called a good leader—just the type of leader that someone does not want the rest of the world exposed to.
Now, I will admit that this particular type of behavior both amuses me and annoys me—for the exact same reason. I am not a leader; I am a lunatic with a soapbox; there is a difference. In other words, I do not consider myself a leader. I am merely someone with very loud opinions.
Sure, I am a public representative of a group. In all fairness, to myself that is, I would like to point out that no one else in the group wants to be the public representative. The group also believes that if someone doesn’t like me, then they will not be a good fit for the group. In other words, I am not a leader because I am the public voice of a group—I am a speed bump because of my visibility.
And being an officer of a group does not make me a leader. In the case of said group, I am an elected officer. This means simply that there are jobs to do that no one else wants to do, and that I am not clever enough to recruit someone who wants to do them. I suspect that a trained monkey could do my job as an officer—hmmm, I wonder if I could find a trained monkey who is willing to work for free.
The biggest expectation that I encounter of leaders is that they are supposed to work for free. Only in paganism and occultism are leaders expected to work for free. In other areas, leaders are expected to be paid—not necessarily well, but still paid. In Wiccan circles, I have seen people believe that the leader of a coven should not only give their time freely, but should also foot the entire operating cost of the group. As a lunatic with a soapbox, I disagree. While I am open to the possibility that the leader of a coven or lodge should not charge for their time, I believe that all members of an esoteric community should chip in on the operating costs. Furthermore, I believe that authors and teachers of occultism and paganism should get a token wage for their efforts.
The second expectation that I encounter is the idea that a
leader in the esoteric community should be open to all ideas—as in they should
never tell anyone that they are wrong. I am not sure where this idea comes from,
but it completely does not fit into the universe I live in. This idea is often
combined with the idea that a leader needs to be a more evolved spiritual
being. I am sorry; the two ideas do not support one another. If everyone was
right, then we would all be equally evolved. Therefore, in my little universe,
a leader occasionally has to tell someone that they are wrong.
So what are the responsibilities of a leader in my universe?One, they have chosen to put the interests of a group ahead of their own personal interests. A leader serves the needs of a group. It is an unpleasant job. Occasionally, this involves “herding cats” and moving the group in a direction that the individual members do not want to go. A true leader knows that one sometimes has to make unpopular decisions. One cannot please everyone when they are a leader. A leader also has to place the interests of their group ahead of other groups—if all opinions and interests were the same, we would not need leaders in the first place.
A leader leads by example and/or suggestion. They do not need to be officially in a position of power. Their ability to lead does not spring from the position that they hold in a group, rather it springs from their innermost being. Sometimes, a true leader seems more like a force of nature than a human being.
And most importantly, a leader needs to know the following two sentences: “I do not know,” and “I made a mistake.” A leader has to be able to admit when they do not know something, and they have to be willing to admit to occasionally (or often) making mistakes. A leader does not need to be right all the time, but they do have to be willing to admit mistakes and ignorance, and be willing to change directions when necessary.
Leaders are not leaders because they are popular or agree with everyone. They are leaders because they are willing to make unpleasant decisions, and are willing to put the best interests of others ahead of their own personal interests. A true leader will not change their behavior just because someone says that they are wrong. Being a leader is unpleasant on most days—which is why I am glad that I am just a lunatic with a soapbox.
[The 2012 Hearthstone Community Church's newsletter articles written by Morgan Drake Eckstein will be collected in an ebook sometime in 2013. The 2010 articles can be found in the collection Pizza Boxes on the Floor. The 2011 articles are currently being formatted into an ebook. Three of the best articles can be found in the free ebook--Four Cornerstones.]
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Oh goody Purification
Hi and welcome to this stop on the Autumnal Equinox Tarot Bloghop. If you are a hopper, you probably came from Christiane's post. If you are one of my regular readers, you are probably coming here from the Big Bang Burger Bar where you nourished yourself on the veal burger...hey, it could be true.
Today's topic is purification...and to a lesser extent, the Tarot and alchemy.
On my property, there are currently three compost piles. And at least one of them is about to grow larger as I rake more leaves into it. This year was not a good year for my compost piles--it was just too darn hot and dry for them.
One of the things that non-gardeners may not realize is that a compost pile requires a delicate mixture of ingredients. It has to be the right temperature, the right moisture level, the right mixture of organic material, the right amount of circulation; otherwise it either burns or stinks to high heaven.
Even when it looks like it is going ok, things can still be wrong. For instance, I have a black walnut tree on my property; a black walnut tree produces a chemical that many other plants find toxic (for instance, rose bushes do not like black walnut trees), so I have to be careful where I use the results of the decomposing black walnut leaves.
Having a compost pile really puts you into direct contact with the process of purification. If you do it right, you end up with something that your garden will thrive on. Do it wrong, and all you made is a big old mess.
Now, in my profession--I am a writer by trade (woe be me)--there is a stage in the process (or at least, my personal process) where everything that one has written reads like pure sewage. One needs to leave the writing sit for awhile when it gets to that point to create some form of distance between oneself and the writing, especially if one is hoping to wrestle the good bits out of the rubbish of your latest draft.
While dealing with compost piles and my horrible drafts, I tend to think about the process of purification. Especially now that I am doing make-up work on the subject. It is the closest that I get to lab alchemy--I have cats and a god-daughter; I am not about to use dangerous chemicals around them.
Now, one of the modern things that occultists have done is attempt to associate alchemy with the Tarot. There are many ways to do this. But I am a Golden Dawn member, so I have to work with the Golden Dawn version of this arrangement. Now, the best known version of Tarot to alchemy is Pat Zalewski's version--perhaps merely because he actually published his version.
Now in his version of alchemy to Tarot correspondences, he uses a 3-7-12 system. Therefore, the process of alchemy is not assigned to a single card.
On the three scale, purification is assigned to Last Judgment. On the seven scale, it is assigned to the High Priestess.
The twelve scale is touch more complex--for purification is divided into three parts: Separation (Filtration and Distribution) assigned to the Lovers; Circulation and Digestion assigned to the Chariot; Fermentation and Corruption to Death.
So we end up with five Major Arcana that could indicate purification if they came up in a reading...more if we open the door to other assignment systems. Of course, given the fact that Tarot reading is such a personal art, I lean towards two cards over the rest--Judgment and Death. I might remember that the High Priestess is also involved, but I better have a muse whispering in my ear to remind me of that fact.
Then again, I need a muse to remind not to dump fresh cut grass into my compost pile, and not to shred my rubbish drafts.
(For the one person who will be curious--no, I do not have one of these composting barrels; I want one--I just can't afford one at the moment.)
For those of you who are continuing with the Mabon Tarot Bloghop, the next step is Joanne Sprott's blog.
Today's topic is purification...and to a lesser extent, the Tarot and alchemy.
On my property, there are currently three compost piles. And at least one of them is about to grow larger as I rake more leaves into it. This year was not a good year for my compost piles--it was just too darn hot and dry for them.
One of the things that non-gardeners may not realize is that a compost pile requires a delicate mixture of ingredients. It has to be the right temperature, the right moisture level, the right mixture of organic material, the right amount of circulation; otherwise it either burns or stinks to high heaven.
Even when it looks like it is going ok, things can still be wrong. For instance, I have a black walnut tree on my property; a black walnut tree produces a chemical that many other plants find toxic (for instance, rose bushes do not like black walnut trees), so I have to be careful where I use the results of the decomposing black walnut leaves.
Having a compost pile really puts you into direct contact with the process of purification. If you do it right, you end up with something that your garden will thrive on. Do it wrong, and all you made is a big old mess.
Now, in my profession--I am a writer by trade (woe be me)--there is a stage in the process (or at least, my personal process) where everything that one has written reads like pure sewage. One needs to leave the writing sit for awhile when it gets to that point to create some form of distance between oneself and the writing, especially if one is hoping to wrestle the good bits out of the rubbish of your latest draft.
While dealing with compost piles and my horrible drafts, I tend to think about the process of purification. Especially now that I am doing make-up work on the subject. It is the closest that I get to lab alchemy--I have cats and a god-daughter; I am not about to use dangerous chemicals around them.
Now, one of the modern things that occultists have done is attempt to associate alchemy with the Tarot. There are many ways to do this. But I am a Golden Dawn member, so I have to work with the Golden Dawn version of this arrangement. Now, the best known version of Tarot to alchemy is Pat Zalewski's version--perhaps merely because he actually published his version.
Now in his version of alchemy to Tarot correspondences, he uses a 3-7-12 system. Therefore, the process of alchemy is not assigned to a single card.
On the three scale, purification is assigned to Last Judgment. On the seven scale, it is assigned to the High Priestess.
The twelve scale is touch more complex--for purification is divided into three parts: Separation (Filtration and Distribution) assigned to the Lovers; Circulation and Digestion assigned to the Chariot; Fermentation and Corruption to Death.
So we end up with five Major Arcana that could indicate purification if they came up in a reading...more if we open the door to other assignment systems. Of course, given the fact that Tarot reading is such a personal art, I lean towards two cards over the rest--Judgment and Death. I might remember that the High Priestess is also involved, but I better have a muse whispering in my ear to remind me of that fact.
Then again, I need a muse to remind not to dump fresh cut grass into my compost pile, and not to shred my rubbish drafts.
(For the one person who will be curious--no, I do not have one of these composting barrels; I want one--I just can't afford one at the moment.)
For those of you who are continuing with the Mabon Tarot Bloghop, the next step is Joanne Sprott's blog.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Hearthstone 2013 Open Full Moon Rituals dates
Here are the dates for Community Church's Open Full Moon rituals. Hearthstone Community Church is a non-profit organization that helps provide support and space for Wiccans who want to do public full moon rituals. Hearthstone is still looking for voluteers to lead most of next year's rituals--March and June are already reserved. (Yes, June 21st OFM will be done by Bast Temple--BIORC.)
2013 Open Full Moons
January 25
February 22
March 22
April 19
May 24
June 21
July 19
August 16
September 13
October 18
November 15
December 13
Hearthstone OFMs are held at the First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado. Doors open at 7 pm, and ritual starts at 7:30 pm. The rituals are held upstairs, and the Church is handicapped accessible (there is an elevator that goes up to the second floor).
This coming year, I will continue writing a monthly column for the newsletter (fourth year in a row).
2013 Open Full Moons
January 25
February 22
March 22
April 19
May 24
June 21
July 19
August 16
September 13
October 18
November 15
December 13
Hearthstone OFMs are held at the First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado. Doors open at 7 pm, and ritual starts at 7:30 pm. The rituals are held upstairs, and the Church is handicapped accessible (there is an elevator that goes up to the second floor).
This coming year, I will continue writing a monthly column for the newsletter (fourth year in a row).
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
How many mortar and pestles do you need?
 |
| I think a bigger problem is that you actually own a mortar and pestle. |
But this does bring up the question--How many mortar and pestles does a person really need?
My answer is Four.
One for herbs that you can eat--basil, thyme, sage, etc. Basically, this mortar and pestle can do double duty both in your circle and your kitchen, If it is safe to eat, you grind it in your "food safe" mortar and pestle.
The second one is for plants that you should not be eating--nightshade, wormwood, belladonna, etc. Basically, you want to keep your poisons away from anything that you might be ingesting.
The third mortar and pestle is for resins--frankincense, myrhh, etc. I prefer this one to be smooth bottomed because resins tend to get into the grooves and never come out.
And for those who are doing alchemy (other than the plant variety--which a lot of people insist is "not really alchemy"), you need a fourth mortar and pestle for metals and other stuff. This mortar and pestle often needs to be made of stone or metal (depending upon the school of alchemy you are working in).
So there you have it, you need four mortar and pestles.
(If you really need a mortar and pestle for the first two types and live in the United States, consider buying one from my wife--Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery.)
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Informed the lodge about the impeding peace and harmony
Sometimes, I am amazed at the things that I do as an officer of the Order (BIORC) that I find personally distasteful. Yesterday, I duly informed the members of the lodge of the upcoming Peace and Harmony Pow Wow being hosted by the HOGD/AO. And noted that they were free to go to it if they wanted to; the choice is theirs--just like the choice is theirs to decide whether or not to trust the leadership of the HOGD/AO.
Honestly, it was as painful as going to the dentist. My distrust of the HOGD/AO, and its leadership, goes back to at least 2009 (when they decided that my honest book reviews were not honest and part of a conspiracy), and have merely been compounded over the course of this year (having my reputation destroyed once makes me extremely hostile to anyone who takes it upon themselves to repeat that deed). Plus, their recent disapproval of my actions reminded me of the "we are not trying to control your entire life, but we really know best" behavior of my bad parent.
I also informed the members of Bast Temple that I would not be acting as the Order's official representative if I decide to go the peace gathering. I will merely be acting as an individual--if they want a peace treaty with the HOGD/AO, they have to send someone else.
So I have done my part as an elected officer of the system for peace and harmony. It is now up to them to decide what to do.
As for my attendance of the peace gathering, I am still undecided...for now, it is better that I just focus on my business, and wait to see how things work out.
Honestly, it was as painful as going to the dentist. My distrust of the HOGD/AO, and its leadership, goes back to at least 2009 (when they decided that my honest book reviews were not honest and part of a conspiracy), and have merely been compounded over the course of this year (having my reputation destroyed once makes me extremely hostile to anyone who takes it upon themselves to repeat that deed). Plus, their recent disapproval of my actions reminded me of the "we are not trying to control your entire life, but we really know best" behavior of my bad parent.
I also informed the members of Bast Temple that I would not be acting as the Order's official representative if I decide to go the peace gathering. I will merely be acting as an individual--if they want a peace treaty with the HOGD/AO, they have to send someone else.
So I have done my part as an elected officer of the system for peace and harmony. It is now up to them to decide what to do.
As for my attendance of the peace gathering, I am still undecided...for now, it is better that I just focus on my business, and wait to see how things work out.
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