May your Samhain be bright and your days without strife.
Enjoy the candy!
~~~
(PS: Merry Beltaine to the Southerners)
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The Meaning Of Life
Before I get into this, I’d like to thank Heather M for her kind donation. This article was requested by her. Would you like me to write an article about a certain topic? Check out the Donations page!
For years upon years upon decades upon centuries, upon… for as long as mankind has been around, man has wondered “What is the meaning of life?” If you have never asked yourself this before, surely you are now, seeing as you are reading this blog post.
The meaning of life is to live life. It’s really as simple as it sounds. The purpose of your life is to go through your life. It isn’t experiencing as much as possible. It isn’t surviving. It’s about letting things happen naturally.
We are here, living, because there is some lesson we were meant to have learned from living. The only way to learn that lesson is to live through life. For example, a life lesson could be, “Helping others reaps joys and sorrows”. Unless you live your life normally, you may never discover that.
An example of not living your life normally would be setting your life goal to be drinking every type of beer that was ever in existance, or trying to experience as much as possible before you turn 30. These goals — while moderately practical (in other words don’t send me e-mails asking me how come I don’t like alcohol or experiences) — are not “natural” or the “natural” course of action for an individual to have. A more “natural” or “normal” life goal would be wanting to live a healthy and happy life, wanting to start a family, wanting to run your own business, so on and so forth.
Though, admittedly, this is the Many Moons Conclave POV (that’s Point Of View, for those of you not abbr [abbreviation] savvy). As always with these opinionated pieces, take what I say with a grain of salt. It’s just my opinion, after all.
Lacking Cash
It has recently come to my attention that I lack cash. And so, I’m going to be holding blog posts as ransom. Okay, not literally! But I am officially accepting donations.
As of current, for every $5 you donate, you get a complementary article. Yes, that’s right. You give me $5, and I’ll spew out an article about anything you want related to Paganism.
Why yes, I am desparate.
While I can’t promise that you’ll agree with the article (can’t we all just get along?) I can promise it will be thought provoking and interesting, regardless of your stance.
Also, in other news, I’m working on an ebook. If I ever get it finished, you guys will be the first to know!
Check out the Donations page, meanwhile, and donate money! … please. The Donations page also goes more in depth. The donations are all through Paypal, so they’re safe and secure.
Understanding Kemetic Magick
I received this e-book today as a gift from Queen Momma Imakhu, creatrix of Nubia Goddess Rising. You can buy the book, Understanding Kemetic Magick, here for a cheap $15.
The 72-page e-book covers a myriad of topics all related to Kemetism. I’ll openly admit that I do not know much about the Kemetic traditions, despite my fiance being a Kemetic and an Egyptophile (I mean that in the sweetest way, sweetie. I love you!). However, reading this book, my understanding of Kemetic beliefs has grown and expanded, I’m glad to say.
By using authentic Kemetic terminology and words, Imakhu sets the mood for a great experience. She also heavily utilizes examples and situations from her own life, phrasing them in a matter that are at times humorous, and others quite serious, and others yet serious and humorous! This flexibility is valuable in an author, and creates a varied, interesting experience.
While explaining what the Kemetic beliefs are, Imakhu also takes the time to explain what Kemetic spirituality is NOT. She creates a specific enough outline for what Kemetism is that one may be able to identify whether or not it falls within their beliefs, yet generalized enough that one could be Kemetic and still have some other beliefs as well.
Imakhu explores the spirituality that is within each of us, and teaches us of the 42 Laws of Maat. She combines the concept of Chakras traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine and gives them a Kemetic twist, teaching about them in order to help us learn about ourselves.
She also lists the various Gods and Goddesses (as is my habit to call them, though I know there’s some proper Kemetic name for them!) of the Kemetic tradition along with their roles. Imakhu gives a second list as well, this time of the various symbols used in Kemetism.
The African origin of the word “witch” is discussed in this book, and how she feels about what is going on in Africa to people and children who claim to be witches.
A story Imakhu gives explains the importance of ethical magick usage, and that just because you CAN use magick to get what you want doesn’t mean that you SHOULD use magick to get what you want.
Overall, Understanding Kemetic Magick is a valuable read that’s well worth the $15. It’s jam-packed with information for those of us who are less informed about Kemetism, and surely holds a new perspective for those of us already initiated or interested in Kemetic spirituality.
Great job, Imakhu. I would buy this in Barnes and Noble if it was sold there.
Pagan Pride Day 2009
So today I went to Pagan Pride Day in NYC, which happens every year. This year it was on September 26th, in Battery Park as usual.
And as I did last year, I raided Cucina Aurora’s dip and mix (it’s extremely delicious, I suggest you buy some at her site.) Hopefully she can forgive me for single handedly devouring half of her supply.
I also got a tarot reading done by a young man, much appreciation for what he’s said.
And then I went to Lilith Dorsey’s workshop on Voodoo. It was highly informative, but it posed one problem for me. A statement she made.
Unless you’re related to somebody black or very close to somebody black, you shouldn’t be practicing an Afro-Caribbean religion.
Perhaps I am alone, but this statement upset me to a large degree. My matron is Yemaya, you see, so a statement like this was easy for me to take to heart.
While I agree with her that it’s important to know and understand the Afro-Caribbean traditions, to limit belief based on race seems… close-minded.
We are all beautiful, we are all human, we share this wonderful earth with each other. Faith transcends color. Life transcends color. Why should we allow the tone of our flesh to determine what we can and cannot do?
This fear all comes down to the fear of cultural appropriation. You’d think people would see the acceptance of other cultures into their own as a positive thing. But many people feel this is “theft”. Well, if you’re reading English and you’re not from England, you’re technically stealing, too. You know that anime you watch or manga you read? Cultural appropriation as well. That Italian food you eat? That also.
Instead of seeing things as cultural theft, why not see it as cultural acceptance? I wouldn’t eat your food if I didn’t think it tasty, I wouldn’t learn your language if I didn’t think it interesting, I wouldn’t play your sports if I didn’t think it fun, I wouldn’t read your stories if I didn’t think them wonderful, I wouldn’t collect your artwork if I didn’t think it beautiful.
Would she demand those who collect Afro-Caribbean artwork to return it all simply because they are not of African descent? It makes no sense to me.
What’s the harm in learning and loving and trying to become one with another culture? Yes, you will never truly be a part of that culture. But you will have the closeness to it, and benefit from it, as much as the people indigenous to it.
So what if a White or Asian person wants to practice Voodoo or Santeria or any other Afro-Caribbean religion? They shouldn’t get any flak for it. They share this great planet with the everyone else, we all share this great planet together, we should all love each other and share our wisdom, our art with one another. Yes…
… we should even share our religion with one another.
Instead of condemning the interested, they should be greeted with wide-open arms and have everything explained to them. If everything is explained to them, if they are allowed to ask questions, they won’t have any misconceptions about anything.
This is just my opinion though. Take it for what you will.
My fiance and I didn’t stay for the circle unfortunately, because we had strict time restrictions, but we got to enjoy everything else to the fullest.
Happy Mabon!
As the autumn equinox rolls around this year, it’s important to take a moment and give thanks for all we have been given. After all, this is our Thanksgiving.
I am thankful for:
- My fiance.
- My friends.
- My stepfather.
- My nieces and nephew.
- Dakota
- My life
- The roof over my head
- The clothes on my back
- The food in my stomach
- Good stories
- Life in general
What are you thankful for?
Mellaya and the Children
As time continued on, early on during the Separation, the island of Juga began to become a crowded place. Mellaya and Helzen looked to each other, then to the island They had come to love so much.
“What shall we do?” asked Mellaya. “Al-Durago dem Juga have grown so much in number. We can’t possibly feed them all.”
Rubbing His chin thoughtfully, Helzen said, “I will create more herbs and fruits for them to eat. I will need your help to water the plants and keep them alive.”
“As you wish it, I will so do it, for the sake of our children, the al-durago dem Juga.”
And so the Lord of the Sun, Helzen, made a grandiose gesture with his arm over Juga. Small budding plants sprouted out of the ground, reaching up towards Helzen, greedily taking in His light. With a silent, knowing nod, the Lady of the Sea, Mellaya reached in and lightly flooded the island, watering all of the plants. Durago dem Juga were satisfied, and so were the two divine.
Years went on, but soon They discovered the island again was running out of room. The plants that had been created for feeding the new generations were gone; there was little space for one to have and claim as their own. Again, Mellaya and Helzen looked to each other and frowned.
“There is nothing more I can do to help Al-Durago,” said a slightly solemn Helzen. “I think we are done dealing with them. All we can do now is watch them kill each other off and weep for their lost souls.”
“No,” the Lady of the Sea said in a firm tone. “I will not give up on my children, my Al-Durago.”
“Then you shall help them alone, for I am done dealing with them for now.” And with that, the God turned away from the island and darkness came over the land as night fell and He went to rest. Nezleh turned his bright white face to the island and watched carefully as Mellaya approached durago dem Juga. She went to them, and sang a single note, awaking them all from their sleep. They went to the center city of Juga, Karlud, and gathered around the Goddess.
“My beloved children, my Al-Durago, I have come to you to solve one of your greatest problems.” She looked at each of them, and the faces of their young. “I will take your young from you, the young you cannot afford to feed, and the young that you love. I will raise them as my own, and take them with me to the bottom of the ocean.”
“You will build a boat, and you will put your children that you cannot raise in the boat. At night, under the light of Al-Nezleh, you will send the boat out to sea. I will take the boat and give your children scales and fins and a flipper and gills, for which to swim and breathe. They will live with me, and I will love them as you surely would love them yourselves.”
It came to be, from that day forward, that all families who produced more than two children would send their extra child out to sea in a boat at nightfall. And dutifully, Mellaya, the All-Loving, bless’d be Her name, would take the boats and the children. It is said that sometimes you can see the children, fish from the waist down, in the ocean, watching Juga with Mellaya.
