So…how’s that hiding in the broom closet going?

Sorry this was not posted this morning I was in the middle of one blog, then, something happened that I really couldn’t pass up, so I scrapped it for this one.
I want to thank those of you who responded to my blog last week, the help you gave has changed things for Volante Carlson and her brother. It seems that the police have suddenly taken an interest in her brothers’ case and are investigating it now. Again, thank all of you for your mundane, and whatever magical help you all supplied this is what a community is all about.
Kallan Kennedy found a very interesting article yesterday, so interesting that it caused her to Rant. And we know how often she likes to do that. This is the little gem that caused the rant, take a minute to read it then come on back!
http://pncminnesota.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/dc40-to-pagans-we-release-the-power-of-blood-covered-light-over-you/
And this was Kallan’s response; again take a minute to read it, it is SO worth it! http://mypaganworld.blogspot.com/2011/09/rant-alert-pagans-response-to-dc-40.html?spref=fb
I think that Kallan handled it pretty classy, quoting scripture, and putting it in as polite a format as possible though I must admit calling the holy spirit out for raping Mary was pretty good, as I quote, “Will be born of human parents, not the culmination of rape (Your Holy Spirit did not ask Mary’s permission to inseminate her.) She will also not be a ‘virgin’. The Hebrew word “alma” means “young woman”, not “virgin”. If his patriarchal lineage was cut off from David (which it was), then he could not be the messiah. There is no room for the ‘adoption’ argument here.” She even went as far as explaining what the Hebrew word that they got wrong means. See what happens when you study?
Me on the other hand, I turned away from their bible at the end of the 8th grade, after serving my time in Catholic school I didn’t want anything to do with it.  I have picked it up from time to time just to read some of the stories, why you might ask, because I like a good book on mythology just like everyone else. Yes I have been disassociated by a few because I call the bible a book of fables and fairy tales.  But I ‘m venturing from the point.  After reading the article from the Pagan Newswire Collective I have one question to ask all of you, “So how’s that head in the cauldron and hiding in the broom closet working for ya?”

Does anyone else have a real problem with a group of people not just threatening us, but actually telling us they are shooting arrows of blood at us?  These fruitloops have (to quote what a lot of us were saying last night,) “thrown down the gauntlet”, I wonder if they really know what that means?   They have drawn a line in the sand and are telling us “don’t worry about stepping over it you have already lost”.   Already lost, really?!   Sorry Adolph, we are just beginning.   If your letter was meant to worry us, frighten us, break our confidence, you obviously don’t have a clue about the people you are dealing with.  Our people were hunted and, innocents murdered by people just like you blinded by hatred and fear, their blood is still on your hands. “Come out of the dark and into the light?”   Fools we came out of the dark you drove us in a long time ago, and that is where the real problem lies. WE stand proud! We are uniting! WE are stronger then you have ever imagined.  Remember you were the one’s CALLING US OUT… Have you ever wondered why after all this time you people cannot become a dominant religion?   Because you deal in greed and lies, Hitler had the same kinds of vision one race, one nation, one “kind”. As you see that worked out really well for him, and in the process, he caused the Holocaust.   That is a chilling reminder my friends of what can happen with people blinded by hatred and fear.   Oh and praying for us, I really wouldn’t bother.   For those of you still convinced he exists it wasn’t our religion who nailed Your gods only son to a cross, it wasn’t our religion that murdered him, nope that was you, maybe you should be asking him for forgiveness instead.   Maybe instead of pulling the guilt card on the rest of the world, you should own it, face it and move on.  The rest of us aren’t breathing down your necks threatening you with “arrows of blood” but what some of us are about to start using may just make you want to hide yourselves deeply in the dark you claim we are in.  Yeah, I know someone in your little group has bought our books, and read them, totally misunderstood and misconstrued what we are about.   Aside from this you have the misconception that the Wiccan Rede is like your commandments.  Wrong they are more like guidelines, “an harm ye none do what you will” doesn’t mean bend over and take it up the arse, nothing in the Rede tells us not to respond when attacked.  Am I worried, NO what I have done has been to protect my family and those I consider to be part of my family, and I will gladly CONTINUE!
My question again for those of us who have been ignoring this situation, how do you feel about leaving it alone now?  I posted the link to the PNC article in a few groups and was amazed that no one in these two groups knew.  We have been doing what we do, combining our magics to defend and protect our country, Lady Liberty, and Columbia. The first wave has been doing all the “fighting”, it’s now time for the reinforcements to step up. Strengthen the power being generated, gather more WITCHES to the cause. It’s 2011, and we should not be thinking that if one of these “righteous people” get into office that we are going to have to pack our families up and leave our country.  Is that what we really want?  NO, we have struggled, fought, and survived we have hidden in our broom closets and let the world pass us by.  It’s time to blind these people with their own arrows of bloody light.   Halloween is coming; this group is talking about harvesting souls, and that day is the best to do it, again I’m asking WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?   Halloween is a holy day for us, will we allow these hacks to harm our glorious dead?!

Me, for one I am going to have to change some of the wording in a few things I’ve been doing, time to fight fire with FAITH!!!   My partner will keep working with her light and together we will send our energy that way.  We are not only trying to protect ourselves, we have to protect our ancestors, the souls of all those who shouldn’t be disturbed by these dangerous fools. Again, I ask what are you going to do?
Close that door to your broom closet, walk away from it, step up and add your energy to the rest of ours! BE proud to be who and what you are! “But I don’t want to use angry magic, I want to use only love and light.” You do that, wrap it around the rest of us, if all the light, and all the harsher magic are wrapped together, then while the harsh magic is knocking holes in their walls, and parting those bloody arrows, the light from the rest will be shining on our people, showing them that we are all the same. The blending of dark and light has always been the strength of our people. Hand to hand, shoulder to shoulder, we are standing between them and our secular country. If we do NOTHING, if we continue to HIDE ourselves away they will think they have won. WE are AMERICAN witches, the call to arms is clear my friends.

Thank You Kallan for allowing me to quote you from your blog The Secret Life of the American Working Witch….

It’s that time of year again

It’s that time of year again, if you’re thinking the leaves are turning red, orange, yellow, and brown the air is getting that crisp little chill to it, Mabon has come and we have celebrated our second harvest.   Well kind of, if you’re thinking our favorite time of year, Halloween.  Kind of.  Now if you are thinking the time of year where they start emerging from their wackadoo closets then you have hit the nail on the head.   It’s only September 30, 2013, for Goddess sake and already they are starting on the EVILLLL of Halloween.   Now this new special friend is one to laugh at.  That’s right though some of her words may make some of us cringe, she is NOT A THREAT.   As I explained in another post I will not be mentioning the wackadoo’s by name or the title of the story/ blog whatever by name.  I will give you the link to read the article though.   http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/prophetic-insight/7134-the-danger-of-celebrating-halloween

For those of you who don’t know why because when these people do a search to see how popular they are I don’t want them seeing that I have helped made them famous.    It’s a whole ego thing, you know like some of the people in our community who search and hunt you up to see if you’ve mentioned them.  All EGO.

 I shall continue, it has come to my attention that this little wackadoo has an issue with Halloween and the fact that people especially Christians tend to participate in our “dark ways”.  Queue the scary sounds and music.   This lady has a belief that we are casting spells over the Halloween candy and our demons are following the trail.  Okay can you say only watched part of Hansel and Gretel?  I personally would like to be on the payroll for some of these candy companies they would have to pay big right, where would we go to find that job, Monster, and the job qualifications???  I’m sorry Judas but it says here that your last couple of spells were for protection only, that’s not what we are looking for.   What questions would the interviewer ask?   How much does Hershey pay for something like that?

It seems this woman’s claim to fame is her many years of ministering to people involved in the occult.  Really??? Um…why?

 The writer of this article begins by telling us that holiday mean holy day” she then states there is nothing holy about Halloween.   She then goes onto state that the root word of Halloween is “hallow,” which means “holy, consecrated and set apart for service.”  It seems this offends her because she proceeds to claim that some guy name Lucifer (probably an ex of hers) is the reason for us honoring this day.   I also am impressed with the fact that Halloween seems to be the only day that we designate for time released curses.  Oh her ministering is showing.

She states that first we have to celebrate Mabon, which celebrates the changing of the season, okay she’s good there.  It’s nice to know that the orange, brown and dark red’s of the season have nothing to do with those changing seasons but more to do with our praise to the gods for our demonic harvest.   Have any of you ever tried to plant a demon???  Those little bastards are harder to grow then pumpkins, and harvesting them please.   We have also offended this lady by praying to the elements.  She prays to a false idol and angels but we are the bad guys?

 So we celebrate mother earth during our fall demonic harvest.  This really seems to bug her, see because we let the demons loose during our acts of worship.  We offer the goddess fruits, nuts and herbs during our rituals thus calling demons.  They eat the flesh and drink the blood of their savior that they murdered, then pass a plate around to collect money and yet we are evil.

These demons it seems like to attach themselves to the pumpkins of those good church going people who are foolish enough to place them on their lawns.  She also seems to be opposed to bonfires, this lady really needs to get out and live a little more.

 She further goes on to complain about us drinking blood, howling at the moon and watching horror movies.  Because the good Christians are ignorant of the fact that all these cartoon monsters do exist, the article goes on to complain about decorations, people dressing up for parties and kids going door-to-door are all demonic in nature. 

Now here is where it gets fun all these activities are just a ruse they hide what “actually goes on behind the scenes”.

Such as:

• Sex with demons – Now I’ve never had this but I must admit I have had a few WITCHY WOMEN
• Orgies between animals and humans- again NOT my thing though I had sex in a barn (yes animals were watching)  and I have also desecrated a couple wooded area’s (again nature was watching)
• Animal and human sacrifices- Nope to either of these, although….there is a squirrel that I have my sights on especially if he keeps playing in my garden.
• Sacrificing babies to shed innocent blood——————-}BULLSHIT
• Rape and molestation of adults, children and babies ——} Lets just call this one and the one above what  they exactly are BULLSHIT
• Revel nights – guilty of enjoying myself and celebrating LIFE
• Conjuring of demons and casting of spells – spells you got me on —demons not so much,
• Release of  “time-released” curses against the innocent and the ignorant.-I’m not a very patient person so time release is out and I’ve never used a spell against the innocent, ignorant well…that depends on your definition of course.

She finishes by stating that her god doesn’t want them to replace our festivals, it seems that her quest is to utterly destroy them.   The second article is not as much fun, it’s more about how the good Christians should continue celebrating Halloween because it allows you to get together with your neighbors and have fun.  The writer of this article seems to feel that you can take away Halloweens power by celebrating it. 

What neither of these people seem to get is that we aren’t bothering anybody!!  We don’t go door to door trying to peddle our religion like some kind of vacuum salesmen, you won’t find us hanging around outside their churches trying to convert their parishioners as they leave church.  Hells, we don’t even leave pamphlets on their cars.   We don’t curse their pumpkins, nor their candy and we really DON’T CARE if they celebrate Halloween or not.    What we do care about is being treated like the humans we are.  We fight in the same wars they do, we hold the same jobs.  Pay the same taxes and deserve the same respect.    I’m not going to refute point for point the stupid on her blog, why because if you’re reading this, you’re like me and you KNOW we don’t do anything that she claims we do.  Maybe instead of trying to destroy us they should take the time to get to know us.  Naw that would be too much like using a brain cell…what was I thinking? 

 

Until next time….See you around the cauldron 

~Judas

Wackadoo’s out in force

Wackadoo’s on the loose

 

 

Well here’s another one, yep look it’s not even October and the Wackadoo’s are already escaping their cages.  This one is a minster from a church, I have decided not to name him or his church so they can’t do a little search and see how popular they have become.  I can however post the link to the article,  

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/epidemic-of-babies-thrown-into-trash-cans-a-revival-of-pagan-custom-catholi/

Now if you haven’t read this I’ll wait… * tapping foot* *pacing* *stirring the cauldron and humming to myself* Ah I can tell by the look on your face you just had a WTF moment.      Yup that was my reaction as well.    It seems we once again are being accused of causing children to be dumped, abandoned, murdered by their parents, yes us evil and terrible pagans and our “death culture”. 

 As you see he believes the sudden epidemic of women abandoning their babies is because of an old Pagan custom called “exposure”.  Googled it couldn’t find it!  Yes I did so stop saying I didn’t try.    I looked for the meaning of exposure, found that, looked up pagan customs didn’t find exposure, interesting that when I search “old Pagan custom exposure” the thing that comes up the most is his article.    On the other hand (thanks to my misses) during the Roman Empire days they used to practice this little idea.  And guess what it was usually up to the Fathers, that’s right the MALES no females of the family when it came down to it.           http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/family.html

This is from that article:

“The influence of women only went so far. The paterfamilias had the right to decide whether to keep newborn babies. After birth, the midwife placed babies on the ground: only if the paterfamilias picked it up was the baby formally accepted into the family.

If the decision went the other way, the baby was exposed – deliberately abandoned outside. This usually happened to deformed babies, or when the father did not think that the family could support another child. Babies were exposed in specific places and it was assumed that an abandoned baby would be picked up and taken a slave.”

Sorry Rev. that just aint  gonna stir well.   First how in this day and age did you come to the conclusion this was a pagan specific custom?  I take it you looked in your own backyard for an answer first right?  I mean you all are teaching your children about safe sex right?   Oh wait NO you’re not.  You’re telling them abstinence works.  No it don’t just look at Mary.  Not that it was divine blah, blah blah… again.   I take it every person arrested for dumping their child all stated they were Pagan right?  That’s what I thought.    You want to know what the problem is?  It’s the church telling their people don’t have an abortion, don’t use birth control, don’t practice safe sex.   You also say that the church will take care of all these unwanted babies.     I have seen some of the faces of these children the church ought to start stepping up because it’s MY Pagan tax dollars that support them.

Why do most women abandon their child/children?  Some because they cannot economically support them,  others because they are too young, too scared and DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO,  it was an accident and not supposed to happen (come visit the Pagans we’ll talk with you about safe sex, or visit your minister who will just condemn you) then there are those who are just too mentally unstable.   It’s not my religion that has these women doing this, it’s society telling them “it’s wrong to be unwed and pregnant in the first place.”   You sir are more responsible than we, your kind fought to take away the right to choose, your kind refuse to pay for any form of contraception for your employee’s,  your kind balk at SEX EDUCATION being taught anywhere.   So instead of blaming us, maybe you should be educating your followers in the ways to keep it from happening IN THE FIRST PLACE.  Or here’s a radical idea EDUCATE instead of SHAMING young parents in how to PROVIDE and PROTECT their children!  It really comes down to education again and again.  If we teach our children, and make sure they understand and are secure in themselves we can help them make better lives for themselves and the children they bring into this world.  You can’t have it both ways, you can’t have people procreate and procreate with no chance or choice of help or support.  Teach them, help them, support them.  The days of shame, and humiliation “Father” are OVER.

 

Now moving on to another group!  It seems the Wackadoo’s came out in double force, these three are priceless  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415387/Teenage-exorcists-say-Harry-Potter-corrupted-world-head-Britain-armed-Bibles-Holy-Water-tackle-hotbed-occult-activity.html

Look they go from blaming the Pagans to blaming Rowling’s and Harry Potter.  That’s right all that wicked writing OH but wait what about the bible?  I’m not going to start beating the bible here just pointing out that little book is full of so much hate that they really need to fix that first.    Instead they are going to travel to Britain, “a hot bed of occult activity,” to do what?    Cast out all those nasty demons.    You want to cast the evil out go to Rome, and start with exorcising the demons that run the church.    As you read the article you find that this is more a money making scheme than anything else.   They don’t charge for a group to watch the show but if you need a consultation then they charge you big bucks.   Girls if you have ever actually studied, or even read anything about demon possession the more bodies you have or bigger the show the more chance you have of your so called demon body jumping.  But you knew that right? 

Look I’m sorry that we are proving that The Big Bad Wolf was framed, vampires don’t sparkle and not all of them look at you like food, witches don’t just ride besoms some of them drive really nice cars, wear three piece suits and have good jobs.    Movies like Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters, just by the title alone makes us in the Pagan community cringe, I actually ended up watching it all the way through (it wasn’t easy almost turned it off in the beginning), go figure there’s a good witch in the movie more than one actually.   Therein lies the problem, the world is seeing witches as good, real people, a lot of people have discovered that we are human, we have children that attend your schools, we swim in your pools and so on.    Hollywood has gone from constantly slamming us to backhandedly helping us, and some people can’t stand that.  Theirs is no longer a predominant religion, because of their own doing they have fleeced their flocks right out of the church.   Don’t be jealous, your people come to us because ours is the religion that you stole, our holy days, some of our rituals, the church even built their buildings on top of our places of worship and why?  Because you couldn’t STOMP US OUT that’s why. 

I like the “in reality all magic is bad because it comes from Satan,” quote from one of the Witches must die by fire pages recently removed from Facebook.  Umm…so turning water into wine, walking on water, helping the blind to see, parting the Red Sea…. the list goes on those miracles what are they except magic? 

These accusations of Pagans are the cause of the abandoned babies, demon possessions, gays getting equal rights accusations, are a bunch of BS.  Okay, well maybe we had a little to do with the whole gay equal rights thing, but the rest honestly, why not try going to Britain and showing them that all us colonists on the other side of the pond really aren’t a bad bunch.  

To be honest I hope these girls don’t run across a true heavy duty possession,  I’m sure there are witches getting tired of cleaning up all the collateral damage from people playing where they shouldn’t be playing.  Stop pointing fingers, stop playing with things you do not understand and are more powerful than you.  It’s very simple people Pagans whatever flavor, whatever we call ourselves, whatever we believe WE ARE NOT EVIL.  WE ARE NOT THE ENEMY.  We want what everyone wants, to live and believe, and worship our own way in PEACE.    

Until next time…see you around the cauldron

~Judas

More to magic

 

 

 

Premonition/ pre-mo-ni-tion:   

1. A presentiment of the future; a foreboding
2. A warning in advance; a forewarning

Intuition/ in-tu-i-tion

1. The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational process; immediate cognition.
2. Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight
3. A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression

According to the free dictionary this is what premonition and intuition means.  (www.thefreedictionary.com/premonition , www.the freedictionary.com/intuition)

 

 

Let’s see a show of hands of people who have actually had one of these.    Come on I know some of you have.   There you go raise your hand and be proud.   What I have discovered in our little community is that we have a lot of none believers.  *Gasp* That’s right witches who are non- believers, how can that be?   Well , we have learned in a society that teaches you magic is candles, and incense.   I know a lot of you are going to say well if you’ve read this book by so and so or taken the time to read that one.

Look let’s be honest, most of these books teach us how to raise energy and direct it, others lean more on the brews and potions, how to write a spell,  we even get a lesson or two on meditation and astral projection.  The last two don’t make it into all the books.  What about good ole intuition or premonition?    I have two questions for you why as witches do some of us NOT use either of these and even more important WHY do we not believe others when they say they have had them.    Part of the answer is easy none of the books I’ve read mention it.   It’s the second part that is more disturbing, that a lot of witches are just incense and candle witches.   These are witches who light the candle and incense, maybe say a few words then just go about their day.   Ok, let me say there is NOTHING WRONG with that either, but there is more out there.  They may keep an altar in their house with all the trappings on it, have a book case full of books and even shelves of herbs, but honestly they use very little of what they have you don’t have to meditate to be a good witch.  I know some of you will argue that point, but I know witches who are very capable of directing thought and power without the aid of meditation.      

Well these people have problems believing anything other witches tell them because it has NEVER happened to them.   I can astral, I suck at it most times but I can do it.  I have met others who have traveled to different realms.  Now when they told me their stories did I balk at them?  No sure there was that little part of me that was skeptical, why, because of some of my church up brining, did I ridicule them NO I pointed them in the direction of someone I knew could help them go further than I ever could.  One thing is certain, if you do astral projection what you see there may or may not be the same as someone viewing the exact same space will see.  I believe it comes down to our personal interpretations and personal feelings, where one person may see a glob of energy in a particular color, someone else may see a large predator, why? Personal  interpretations.

I have had people do an astral travel over me and say things like your about to get really sick, and they were right.  Now I have never even met this person face to face or talk to them on the phone all we ever did was email and chat yet they claimed they could do this and this is what they saw, so yeah I believed them.  Now you may say “self fulfilling prophesy” ok and I can understand that, but this person believes in themselves and what they see, and I’ve had more than one experience with them that taught me to trust what they see as well prior to myself being sick so that doesn’t work. 

We have constrained ourselves with all these rules that some of us have have forgotten how to practice and enjoy the wonders of it.  Don’t lay your altar out this way, do it that way.  Don’t write a spell like that, don’t talk about it, and so on.  Guys if we get a premonition, or our intuition tells us something it’s for a REASON.  Sometimes we are supposed to communicate it with others.   We are the decipherer’s of dreams, we are supposed to go on our feelings, most writers of our learning books tell you what they have practiced, how they have learned they don’t tell us this is the only way, so why do some of us feel that we should act like it is?   Because they are scared to admit that they cannot be part of every aspect of the craft.    To me that’s what makes a good coven, or even a good group of witches who may practice separately most of the time and get together once in a while it is a group made up of members who not only can do things like write spells, and chant, but astral travel, and projection, dream interpretation, empathy and so on, the most important thing is BELIEVING when one of your members or friends say they can do something.

Your friend saw the Goddess in the seat beside them and you didn’t does that make them a liar?  NO it means the Goddess has something to say to them and , She needed them to pay attention, what should you do?  Believe.

They heard someone whisper something in their ear and you didn’t, believe.

And the next time someone says to you, they have heard, seen, felt, noticed whatever and they are trying warn you or want to share the experience with you.  Don’t ridicule them, BELIEVE them, maybe just maybe they are right.

Remember there is more to magic then candles and incense there are always shades of Grey.

Hope to see ya around the Cauldron

Judas

 

For those of you who have had someone ridicule you and your gift this song is for you.

http://youtu.be/CevxZvSJLk8

 

Happy Ostera…step outside the Circle

 

STEP OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE

 

 

That’s right I am back again, let’s see for how long now.    I’ve had some real crappy luck, my desktop got knocked over and stopped working,  the backup I was using  had such an outdated word program that  anytime I tried to write something and post it the blog site laughed at me.  No really it did. So we bought 2 new laptops with Windows 8, not impressed with Windows 8.  My internet provider was still using dialup, and when I wanted to upgrade they didn’t want to give me the same price they were giving new customers they wanted to charge me more alas I left them and am with a new provider we will see how that goes.   My Aunt spent all of last year battling ovarian cancer, she lost the battle the beginning of this year.   Last year wasn’t a total bust I made a few new friends and said good bye to a few old ones.

It seems that the Catholics have had a pretty hard beginning to their year as well, their pope retired because “of health reasons”, and it seems that the new pope has a closet of secrets, can’t wait to see how he does.  A high point of last year, the gay marriage bill passed and my wife and I are getting married.    We have a lovely venue picked out and I can’t wait.

I ran into a small issue at my sons’ school the other week, we received a letter with all his absences those excused and the unexcused ones.   It seems that eve with a note the school tried to mark Samhain as an unexcused absences.  I took the school calendar with all the Pagan holidays on it to the office, the vice principal was a little taken aback when I approached to desk and explained to her that Samhain is one of our major holidays, I also explained the sunset to sunset aspects of our ritual, it took a few minutes but they changed it to an excused absence.   Which brings me to where we are now, Ostara.  Now I could go into the history of the feast/holiday/celebration, but like I told my son “sometimes we have to think outside of the circle.”  I will not be dwelling on the history of this day for us, if you want to know pick up any pagan/wiccan book out there and I am sure you will find all the information you need.  What I am going to discuss is how we can spend it.   Now a lot of our sacred days go from sunset to sunset, but some of them I think should start from sunrise to sunrise and Ostara is one of them.  Why because Ostara is a celebration of life, new life and new beginnings.   Sure we have the chocolate rabbits, and the eggs decorated, like other religions but our day is not the same as theirs, we can make it all our own.  Our children want to hunt the eggs like other religions, we are more than that.  Take your child /children out to a state park in the morning and do a nature walk, after all this day is about new life, show them the plants beginning to bud, the flowers peeking their little heads above ground to see if winter is really over.   Explain to them that not only is this about the goddess but it’s about the new life all around us.  The baby animals leaving their nests and burrows for the first time, their wide eyes taking in the world around them.  Take the time to make bird feeders with your child, plant flowers, while you are doing all of this drop in explanations on the history of this day.   Like I said “step outside the circle,” we don’t need to all do the exact same thing because someone said in a book this is how they do it, or believe this is how it was celebrated way back when. 

We have rediscovered our religion or path let’s make it ours, I say it’s time we bring our own twist to what we have discovered and make it our own, STEP OUT SIDE THE CIRCLE.

 

See ya round the cauldron

JUDAS

Witch Wars…again?! The other Witch’s voice a guest blog by my wife.

 

Can we talk?  Good pull up a log over here by my fire.  I want to talk to you about the term Witch Wars.  I watch and I listen to our community, and it disturbs me so much that this is becoming a more and more frequent thing in our community.  We follow the steps of the Wise so why would we engage in such behavior?  Because we are people.  This isn’t something that only affects our path of course, I’ve seen the same in churches when I followed that path, and no religion is immune from people acting poorly.  A few years ago I watched in dismay as Christian Day was attacked because he identifies himself as a Warlock.  Really?  There isn’t anything better for us to do than attack each other over how we identify ourselves.  I don’t care if you call yourself High Mucky Molasses, it’s how you see yourself, and I have no reason to argue with what you see when you look in the mirror.  One of my dear friends has reminded me a Witch that cannot hex cannot heal.  I can hex, but mostly choose not to, I just do not hold on to the mad that it requires to be properly fueled, but if you harm my family, my friends, or someone I love….guess what I can hold that mad to do what must be done.  I am what some people would call a fluffy bunny that has developed into an insult in our community, when it to me originally meant someone who would prefer to heal rather than hex.  Others see that as a smack to the face, to me, it still is just who I am.  I don’t take offense to it, if I was easily offended I wouldn’t be able to walk this path.  People are people, good, bad or ugly, they are people which means they are weak, they are strong, they are stressed, they feel alone or lost.  Stop calling names, look at the person who you “dislike” and dig a bit into yourself to find a why, don’t take what other people say to heart, find out for yourself.  Don’t like how a relationship went with someone you called friend?  What part of that relationship was your responsibility?  What can you do to see that another friendship doesn’t end the same way.  We can only work on ourselves, why alienate others?  As a community we are mistrusted, and people avoid us when they don’t’ realize we can be a blessing to them.  Why would you want to spend your time negatively, tearing down someone else?  The more negative you spread the more stays in your personal environment.

We have so many paths in our religion that if you laid them out together a beautiful tapestry would be before you.  There are so many things our energies should be turned to, helping our brothers and sisters through this difficult economy, reaching out to them if they are hurting or suffering a loss.  Does it matter if someone says they are something different than you would personally choose when it comes down to it…not really.

I was honored to be asked to join the Samhain Sirens who are offering these wonderful blogs, giveaways, crafts, and treats.  I’m not a regular blogger; actually I do it only when I am so moved.  At this time I am because I would like to see us come together as a people.  We need to be a united force even if loosely.  I can agree that your path my not appeal to me, but it’s not so different than my own; I can reach out my arms to embrace any and all.  We need to remember we represent so many others than just ourselves.  Grade school behavior “I don’t like you because he/she doesn’t”, “you are different from what I think you should be so I don’t like you”, really people?  We are adults, and most of us have progressed beyond such thoughts and actions.  If you haven’t, before the end of this harvest season, I implore you to look at your thoughts and release those that draw negativity into your life by such actions.

The people who have come together to share this season with you are all driven, busy, dedicated people.  Each one has a strong “alpha” personality, and yet as we blend our personalities and talents we are seeing a huge blessing among ourselves.  No one is trying to be “top dog”, no one is sniping behind anyone’s back, no one is undermining this beautiful effort.  So if some of the strongest personalities can gather together to offer this wonderful space at this blessed time of year, why can’t the rest of us do this on a regular basis?

As people we should be able to come together and celebrate this holy time, we should enjoy all the offerings from all the men and women who blog and do giveaways, post blogs.  If you have an issue with someone else take the time this month and try to heal that.

WE as a PEOPLE deserve to celebrate and enjoy the many different spices that are the offerings this month.  Please, spend your time and energy to make the face of your path one that engages, and honors those of our ancestors and others who died so that we could live free in our practices.

We are strong people, each one of you reading has a strength that will be magnified and grow brighter when joined to our brothers and sisters.   Remember those who weren’t Witches but were burned, pressed, and tortured because it was THOUGHT they might be.  Witch Wars, Holy Wars, call it what you will but there is no place in our lives that need or deserve the kind of negativity that comes from acting in such a way.

 

Lady K

 

The Restoration of Sanity to America…our newest political party!

 

So I’ve been reading a lot of political feelings posted on people’s pages, and in their blogs some have gone over the deep end others are just putting out what they feel.    Now as diverse as this country is we are all allowed our opinion especially on OUR OWN Facebook pages, if you don’t like them there is this little place you can click on the post and HIDE it.   Or if they go out of their way to be purposely rude you can just delete them.   Now all of this got me to thinking, I know it’s a bad thing but I must do it once in a while.   So first I noticed that the closer to the Republican Convention the higher the gas prices have seemed to rise. Coincidence or planning on the part of the Republican Party? You decide.

Then I began remembering about 13 or 14 years ago when I was working in the malls and listening to all these people complaining about how everything was going up in price except their pay checks.  I mentioned that maybe we should all have a Tea Party, you know like in Boston.  Instead of throwing tea in the harbor to let the king know what we thought, we should just stop using some of these things that they were taxiing ridiculously.    Never did I dream that a WACKADOO from Alaska would want to use the term Tea Party for something totally different.   While chatting recently I recently came up with another idea for a political party to thwart the ones out there trying to destroy our country, upon thinking a little farther I came up with those who should run and the members of their cabinet.  Read along and let me know how you would vote.  And yes I stopped the meds before I did this.

Our newest political party is The Restoration of Sanity to America.

Here are my nomination and their cabinet members:

President:  Kallan Kennedy (hey her last name alone should bring in the votes) it also helps that she’s smart and savvy, raised five children by herself while while holding down a full-time job .   It’s obvious she can balance a budget she’s had to for a while, she knows all about women’s reproductive systems and who has a right to tell them what to do with them and who does not.  Kallan believes in lending a helping hand when one is needed and giving you a boot in the arse when you are taking advantage. She is pro LGBT and she pro straight, the country would be fine.  Let’s face it, the fact that she is an Aquarian should really be good enough for most of us.

Vice President:   Vickie Lesperence, she is a good balance to Kallan.  Vickie shares some of the same views, she also takes time to think things through before she reacting.   She cares about her children and grandchildren and knows what it takes to raise them right.    This alone makes her a strong second in command she will listen to working parents.

Once our president and vice president have won the following should be placed as cabinet members’ in my humble opinion:

Secretary of the State: Renee Olson , I have watched as this woman has gone through a very rough year, she has handled many personal problems very diplomatically and arisen from them stronger.  I feel if she can do this on a personal level then just imagine what she can do on a professional level working with people of different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs.

Head of Homeland Security:  Snowy Morrighan( Bardin) I have known this woman for a while and if anyone can do what needs to be done to defend our homeland it’s her.    She is quick to circle the wagons when things start to look suspicious, and her wand is always at the ready.

Secretary of Defense: Lorelie  Gumbiner though I have only known her for a short time I have noticed that this lady is quick to come to your defense when she knows you are in the right, she will not tolerate sending any one into battle unless she totally understands the reason.  She would question the president while following her orders.

(Honestly I wouldn’t advise pissing any of these women off or you might just wake up a toad.)

Secretary of the Treasury:  Alan J Sheridan, this year has been about change for all of us, and Alan has done his share.  While dealing with being downsized, he has kept his balance and focus, both are enough to get our banks and Wall Street back in line.

Attorney General:  Sam Curtin, she not only wrote a wonderful book called Dark Cell about corruption in a society not too different from our own. Corruption will be a thing of the past with this woman on watch.

Secretary of the Agriculture:  Elijah Olsen, if anyone can help our farmers find better, natural ways to produce food, and healthy food at that it’s gonna be Elijah.  Also, I am positive he would help strengthen an industry that is not getting taken care of at the moment.

Secretary of Interior and Energy:  Good Green Witch, I combined both of these jobs not only to save money but the woman we will put in charge is good for our natural resources and native heritage,  as well as energy.   If anyone can think GREEN while protecting the natural blessings we still have it’s our Good Green Witch.

Secretary of Commerce: Miz Z Britches, for those of you who don’t know this woman she started a small resale business from home in this economy and not too long ago opened her own shop  Ash Finders Keepers resale in Prunedale , CA.   The best part all the stuff she resells is from American Citizens.

Secretary Of Labor:   Laura Stamps, also known as our own Sex Witch.   She is the writer and publisher of many erotica novels , and would work diligently to help keep all industries moving forward including those that Mitt Romney has stated he would ban. (Porn, which would lead to the erotica market quickly) and as we all know frequent unprotected sex leads to labor.

Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs and Health and Human Services: Kate Dennis, not only is she a retired paramedic, she goes to nursing and hospitals and visits the sick, add to that  the fact that she is an avid Rick Springfield fan, who as we all know used to play, Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital.    So she not only knows medicine, but has a “doctor” in her pocket!

Housing and Urban development:   SisterLisa Bertolini, with her open and questioning mind, along with her sense of fair play, she would do well for us in this area.  Having an unshakable personality, and personal base, she would us find a way to house our homeless and grow our urban areas, while cracking down on crime, and intolerance.

Secretary of Transportation:  Jim Lesperance, seriously who better than a working truck driver, he knows our highways and byways like the back of his hand.    If anyone can help with getting them back in shape it’s him.

Secretary of Education: Nichole  Barnhart,  if any of you have spent time with this woman you will realize that she is a lot like her mother, and a prudent Grammar Nazi.   She has two beautiful children and is studying to be a teacher.   With her dedication, and drive, our educational system would no longer be a joke, but would be the pride of our country.

Our press secretary:  Kelly Anton this woman can put a good spin on your words and do it slooooow motion when required.  She won’t have to convince you she’s telling you the truth, because she just does.  Although, if you don’t want to know…DON’T ASK!!

Head of White House Staff:   Stephanie Sills Smith, I have seen how this woman keeps her household in shape, I think if she can keep two children and one husband fed and taken care of while studying to become a teacher then she can keep the White House staff moving in all directions at the same time.  Besides she always has coffee at the ready.

As for myself…of course head of the CIA:  yes, if you have a secret or think you do you can BELIEVE I will find it out.

Granted this is all in fun, but if you think about it each of these people has what it takes to shake up this country and bring back some pride for ALL of us.  So let’s get shaking people!

See you around the cauldron  Judas

 

Another school shooting.

 

I have a question, when did it become COOL to kill your classmates or anybody for that matter?   As we look in the news from last school year we notice  headlines filled with children killing children especially in our schools.   And let’s not forget it is no longer safe for us to go take our families to a movie theater.    At the rate its going we will soon find ourselves hiding in our houses trying to stay away from the outside world.   So what is going on?  Global warming?  Pesticides in the water? Poor religious morals?  Video games? Allowing children to read anything they want?    Hey I know let’s blame it on the 44 presidents this country has had.   I wish it was that simple, there are hundreds of children a day that get up go to school come home play video games, read the history of serial killers and still they go on to live normal productive lives.  We have kids who find themselves bullied, some sadly take their own lives,  other’s find  hidden strength  and fight through it and strive to never allow what happened to them to affect who they are, but others chose to step into a class room or lunch room and just open fire.   Not all kids killing other kids are victims of bullies,  the police are not sure that Robert Gladden was actually a victim of bullying.   If you would have looked at his Facebook page before it vanished you would have found a page that had Charles Manson picture for his own, but is that a sign of something sinister?   Personally I have been known to use pictures of Ghost Face from Scream, The Wolf Man, and my HERO Michel  Myers as my profile picture before does that mean I have hidden serial killer qualities?   Or does it mean I have faced my fears and conquered them?

What you won’t find is me stating that my occupation is murder/suicide.   Where were his parents?  Whose responsibility is it to point out to other ‘s that there might be a problem?   What have we taught our children?    Look I understand that now parents have to work in order to survive,  that you work hard, so you can have everything you want, but is it what you really need?   That the last thing you want to do after a 12 to 15 hr. day is to come home and chill with your kid and their friends.    Okay so come home eat, drop yourself in front of the TV or computer (spending you evening with strangers is always better than spending it with family) then go to bed never once giving your child the time they need with you.    When will we realize that all the fancy cars and nice clothes don’t mean a thing if we are not paying attention to the ones that mean the most.    I know a mother who raised 5 children BY HERSELF, she worked her arse off, taught her kids at home and gave up things most parents would never think of.  Today, Kallan has 5 beautiful well-rounded children, and her oldest daughter is busting her bum to give her two kids the same kind of home filled with love and respect.   Recently I met another mother who has two beautiful girls, she takes care of her house, husband, daughters, runs a house and goes to school online, another has children scattered around the country and she has moved close to each one of them when they needed her the most, now she takes care of her granddaughter when her daughter is at work, recently she came all the way to Maryland to pick up her granddaughter and take her back home to South Carolina with her because the kid was going through a rough time.   How many people do you know are like that with their children?   Can you honestly say you are?

Do you know your children? Their friends? Their friends parents?   I mean really know them?

My wife and I have one child, we are pretty sure it will be that way unless something unforeseen happens and another child needs us, we both work hard, she 5 days a week, me the weekends our schedule take time from family things that most do on their days off, but we make it work, we live two steps above poverty level, but our son does not go without, does that mean I spoil him? Hell yes every chance I get we also teach him about responsibility.   He does not like when kids pick on him so he tries not to be mean to others, he offers to help as much as any kid his age does. He thanks me for doing things like picking up after him.  On his summer vacation he helped me baby sit a friend’s 18 month old son, he also gathered a few of his friends and had two lemonade stands this summer.  Why?  So he could have ice cream money.   The money he made from babysitting half went into his bank account, he had to fill out the deposit slips himself, the rest went towards whatever he wanted to buy himself.   The money from the lemonade stand he and his friends split they managed to make $10.00 each this summer enough for them to buy ice-cream themselves.  These kids learned not only sales and money county skills but how to take rejection.   Many of the people who passed said no, or just totally ignored them like they didn’t even exist.    Both of these stands were worked by the children on Mondays, I hear you “so what it was Monday”.   True but I work 38.5 hours in three nights Friday thru Sunday, that means  after working three 12.5 hour nights back to back, I came home put together a stand and spent the whole day awake keeping an eye on 6 kids talking to strangers and trying to hawk their goods.   Can I do this every day? No but I make exceptions, the women I mentioned above make exceptions, my wife makes exceptions.    When we choose the responsibility of raising a child it becomes that a responsibility.   Our shift doesn’t end when the child can dress themselves.   We need to actually take an interest in our children,  really take an interest.    A father we know just started cutting his hours at work back a little, he is trying not to put in so many 15 hour days.   Why? Because he realized that he is missing out on his children’s lives.  What will his sacrifice get him?  Probably not a new car, or a trip to Hawaii, instead the rewards are better if the smiles on his children’s faces were any indication when they stepped off the bus and saw him waiting for them.

Are we going to be able to stop all these other kids? NO but by taking an interest in our children’s lives and talking to them we might just help them spot the next one who tries to take a gun to school.  Our kids will know the consequences of their actions , and hopefully how to spot warning signs in others.   We can’t always keep them safe but we can try and we can teach them.  Our children need to learn how to take rejection, how to communicate effectively, and how to deal with their emotions.  When the hormones start raging, and things start becoming life or death with them they should have the tools to deal with what comes instead of resorting to weapons and violence.

Until next time, see you around the Cauldron

Judas

 

One lovely blog award

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A couple of weeks ago I was given a lovely blog award by my sweet friend Vickie who writes the Aoibheals Lair blog (http://www.aoibhealslair.com/2012/08/one-lovely-blog-award.html). As you all know, I haven’t been online much recently and didn’t realize until she told me, because my wife and I had missed checking the comments on my most recent blog. I am touched and amazed that anyone would consider my personal soap box worthy of any kind of an award, but there you have it. 
So the rules go something like this:

1) Thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post
2) Share 7 things about yourself
3) Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire
4) Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

About me: (just so you know…I hate talking about me there are so many more interesting subjects, lol)
1. I am the mother of a wonderful Witchling. My life was blessed with him in the spring of 2002, each year I become more and more amazed at the gift I’ve been given in him. I see my father in his mind and sense of humor, and know my parents are watching him from the Summerland and enjoying him as much as we do.

2. I am the product of the Baltimore City educational system (hence some spelling and grammar issues). My friends and family love to pick on me about it from time to time, which is why I have my wife edit my blog, while she isn’t perfect either…you’ve all seen what happens when I don’t have her check. LOL

3. I’ve been married for 11 years to my wife, and we are planning our “official” handfasting for July 2013 as long as the law passes the vote in November. We met online on my birthday in 2001, we talked online for awhile, then moved to phone, then she came to visit. Watching her get on the plane to go back to Michigan was the hardest thing I had ever done to that point. Getting the call a couple hours later, when she said she wanted to come back to stay was just about the easiest. Our life together hasn’t been easy, as a matter of fact if it ever does get easy we will both be worried.
4. I suffer from fibromyalgia and nerve damage caused by a work related accident. While I push to live a normal life for myself, and my family, some day’s it is difficult to just get out of bed and get moving. Another reason I don’t blog frequently, is because spending time sitting at the computer hurts, everything hurts generally, but if I spend a long time sitting in any one position it becomes difficult to move without a walking stick.

5. I am a devote of the Celtic God and Goddess of the Underworld, my personal gifts enable me to help people to move on when it is their time to pass to the Summerland. I do not fear the Reaper, but realize he is standing behind each of us, waiting to tap us on the shoulder. I don’t follow the Wiccan Rede, but don’t slam those who do. I will do what needs to be done to protect me and mine (friends and family). My wife is my opposite there, where I will walk the line, she is fully on one side, and keeps me sane when it’s needed most.

6. I am an amateur photographer, and enjoy taking pictures of just about EVERYTHING. There isn’t anything that I won’t photograph. I have even made a movie with my Witchling starring the sock monster.

7. I am a Lego’s addict! It’s true I am happy to admit it, they distract me while I’m picking up the house, I will sit down to put them away then see something I can make with the pieces in my hands. In about an hour I have built vehicles, a base, and tanks. Go figure…they are for kids of all ages.

Now to Nominate the bloggers that I admire, here they are, although I don’t follow a lot of blogs here are my favorites (excluding Aoibheals Lair who nominated me).

1. Kallan Kennedy @ The Secret Life of the American Working Witch http://www.mypaganworld.blogspot.com

2. Good Green witch @ Good Green Witch http://www.goodgreenwitch.blogspot.com

3. The Wild Hunt @ http://www. patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt.com

4. Jennifer @ Confessions of a Kitchen Witch http://www.confessionsofakitchenwitch.com

5. Ameth Jera’s Broom With a View @ http://amethjera.blogspot.com

6. Renee @ Confessions of a Modern Witch http://confessionsofamodernwitch.blogspot.com/

7. Alan @ Heartsong’s Circle http://heartsongscircle.blogspot.com/

Alright my friends that’s what I’ve got for you right now…and looks like I will have a couple more blogs this week alone. 

See you around the cauldron Judas

How’s your summer going?

Sooo how has your summer been going? Mine has been going great actually. It started with my wife losing her job, (no big loss I was trying to convince her to quit anyway) this happened on the last day of school. She seemed to think this a major catastrophe, I saw it as a chance to have a family summer vacation together for the first time in years, if the look on our sons face as he left school with both of us that day was any indication he was happy about it too.
The owner of the company she worked for lied to his employees, he will get his, Karma has a list and his name is on it. There was another this year that I had to work magic against who had been making my wife’s business life a living hell. My wife fights through Social Anxiety Disorder, and was doing quite well…until this “friend” began purposely triggering her at work. This person evidently was also banging the boss…a tidbit we just learned recently thanks to my wife’s new job! You may ask why I worked magic to remove this woman…because my Wife and her happiness are more important than this other person, anyway her boss we will call him JackAss from here on. JackAss told his staff that he was thinking about selling then decided against it because the company would not take all the employee’s. I told my wife he was a liar.

The reading we did in October for everyone at her job stated that money would become an issue, things would be changing etc. TOLD YA SOOOOO…
Things went on as normal for next few months, then in June those who he hadn’t fired for one F’d up reason or another walked into the job and found that something wasn’t right. Glad my wife had thought enough in advance to begin cleaning out her desk like February advance. JackAss ushered them all into a meeting stated that if their names were not read they were to leave in an orderly fashion, and he would be kind enough to pay them for that whole day. WOW what a guy, more than 10 years at a company and her “severance” was ONE DAY?!?!! He later told people that he kept those “most loyal to him” funny but a few of those who remained said he let the most loyal ones leave when my wife walked out the door.

Now she was really upset and worried, and to be honest so was I, we have bills like the rest of you out there. Our family motto is “we will make it work,” I believe that the gods do with us what they will for a reason. She filed her unemployment, this woman had never had to file it before, must be a Maryland thing but I have filed it numerous times, or maybe it’s just a Judas thing. Anyway she spent the better part of her mornings looking for a job. I was proud of her for that. We would get up have breakfast outside, all three of us, then she would go back in and finish what she was doing. A friend from where she worked told her and a couple of others about a job opening. My wife called, made an appointment with this guy, (she later found out her was the president of the company) two weeks later she was offered the job, more than what she was making, the hours are better and the travel is 20 min shorter so she took it. I know how hard she has worked, and how hard she does work at her jobs one way or the other we will always make it!

So congratulations Hun we are proud of you! Plus now I can play on the computer again!

Prejudice is prejudice…hate is hate

Hey all how’s it going? I know you are all saying “come on Judas it’s Sunday and you know we read the Stew on Sunday”. I know I know, so here you go http://networkedblogs.com/yAeKt . I will wait a bit for ya!

Waiting…waiting…waiting…there you are, the Stew good for you?

No I know I said I would give Z Budapest anymore time or words…sorry I was wrong. She has been spouting so much prejudice and hate for a moment I wondered if she had joined the Seven Mountain group or been possessed by Michelle Bachman. Honestly, she has gone beyond crazed to Wackadoo!

Yes she was instrumental in the Dianaic tradition, she’s written books and given seminars that have inspired and moved many people. The mask has slipped now however, now we are getting a pretty good look at the person behind it.

Broom with a view also did a wonderful blog about this http://amethjera.blogspot.com/2012/06/stark-raving-mad.html . Z Budapest is against treating transgender people in the way they should be. If you are physically born as a man, but inside you are a woman, who is anyone to tell you that you are wrong, the same goes the other way!
As Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganisim, (choose your title) has grown, and evolved so have the practitioners. Do you realize however that we have managed to cut the God out of many of our practices? Our focus has become almost as singular as the Abrahamic religions! Have we been treating our brothers as less? Have they gotten less validation than our sisters coming to this path? If so why have we allowed it? We haven’t driven the wedge too deep I hope. It wasn’t until our son was old enough to question, and participate in our rituals that I even realized how one sided our practice had become.

Yet Z Budapest has taken it a step further, Transgender people are people too. The Gods love them as much as they love the rest of us. To hear her talk makes one wonder about rituals performed where a woman has to stand in for the Priest or a man for the Priestess the Gods don’t pay attention….I don’t believe that do you? You think the Gods won’t listen because the one doing the ritual has knockers instead of a dangly or vise versa? Is it me or does that seem just a little crazed to you? Up to this point the Gods have listened to me, my wife and son.

If you look at what Z is doing, you will realize she’s creating a wedge and trying to drive it into our community. Last year we worked hard to bring people together under one umbrella, we thwarted an attack leveled against us by a hate group…where was she?
Was she afraid that as people began to stand together, side by side working for one goal that your teaching may be outdated? NO? Then why work so hard to drive a wedge between us. Why do Transgender people scare you so? It is because some of them make better women? Why do men strike fear into your heart? They worship our Lady and Lord, they are as blessed by the Lord and Lady.
I am the mother of a boy, he is being raised on the path of the Old Ones. We will work hard to remind him to respect and accept others regardless of their differences, now we can use you as an example of a predudiced person in our community…you have gone from being instrumental and inspirational to a caution tale…proud of yourself now?

In parting, I want to say as a Witch I believe in duality which means my gods have both male and female aspects…just as Quan Yin, Goddess of Compassion is transgendered couldn’t the same be said of others?

See you around the cauldron
~Judas