Sometimes there are things that make one just want to shake your head. It’s either mind blowing in its whatthefucktiveness, or in its stupidity. Sometimes its a little of both.
The other day I was reading on a group of christian wiccans. Yeah, oxymoronic is my thought as well, but they seem to think they can make it work. I don’t see how because christianity is monotheistic, and wiccans allow for god and goddess , so would violate the doctrine and dogma of the christian faith as it is practiced now. So how people can justify walking both sides of the street I have no clue. It doesn’t make sense to me and seems fluffilicious at best.
So today’s absurdity is some man-child in a pagan group with real issues. He first was upset because a friend thinks he is bi-sexual and had given him a hard time for it. Seriously? What does it matter if she decides to comment on your sexuality? Would being Bi be the worst thing that could happen to you? Are you a closet homosexual and afraid to come out? No shame in that..happens to a lot of people. But unfortunately said man-child whined about his friend’s observation. He also apparently got pretty angry about it because his next post was about wanting a “death spell”. Now after group owner had asked for a “kindler, gentler” type of pagan(good luck with that one among those who know their shit and are tired of fluff), said man-child posts this nonsense in a group that for the most part speaks with knowledge and in a no holds barred kind of tone. Yeah, this post went on a downward spiral almost from the get, with many of us upbraiding his stupidity. His response? He told someone to “go to Hades”! Really. I don’t know exactly what path this man-child walks, although he has mentioned a war-god, although I think that has to be based on his RP game playing, and not in the mundane. So since he obviously did not mean it to reference the lord of the dead and netherworld of Greek reference, I took it mean the locale. Makes me want to roll my eyes, since it is a christian construct, not one that pagans believe in (unless one counts those aforementioned christian wiccans I guess). It all boils down to that this is a kid, who thinks its cool to be a playgan and incorporate RP games into ones path as if they are real. Workings to harm others are not for the faint of heart, nor are they to be entered into on a whim or just because you are mad at someone that will blow over by the end of the day. My suggestion? Grow the hell up and act like the adult you are pretending to be. I know you are young, but seriously, to walk among adults, speak on adult topics and be taken seriously on your path, then stop acting like an ass cricket and start learning some real knowledge (other than the WB that came with your video game).
It’s crazy really that no matter how many times you see things like this it makes you feel like doing a double take. How some people are able to operate in the mundane is beyond my realm of thought. They seem to go from pillar to post and find every piece of flufftastic garbage they can stuff in their little knapsack. Seriously people…grow the hell up! You make the toddlers look extremely intelligent compared to the shit that comes out of your mouths. It really won’t cause you irreparable damage to open a book, study some history or speak with knowledgeable people. It might even do you some good. At least you won’t look so absurd to others when you do speak. And that is always a bonus.
It’s not my job
Wow, nothing like a health scare to get one to thinking about priorities huh? My apologies to the kith and kin who were alarmed at my mini vacation this week into realms of doctors, hospital rooms and tests. Yeah I’ll live..sorry to the prey who were expecting a reprieve of sorts. Anyway, I’ve done some thinking while on that enforced hostage situation and have come to a conclusion. Basically, it’s not my job. It’s not my job to teach those who wander around lost as a goose, moving from group to group seeking spellwork, gathering, collecting people as if they were shells on the beach. It’s not my job to correct their chicken little attitude of the end of the world befalling them when they believe in some made up meme on Facebook. It’s not my job to show them the error of their ways just because I might know the answer. We all have other things going on in our lives and if we play the serious card all the time and try and dissect information meant as as humor, then we add to the cacophony and truthfully, I am just tired of trying to do that any more. It is not my job and try and “save” everyone from the error of their ways. You know the universe is interested in balance. Sometimes you get a meal, other times you are one. By stepping in to rearrange things for others, I might be shifting the balance and that of course is just not my job. So I’m going to do my best and take better care of myself, and while I will share with others…don’t expect the full plate you’ve always been served..you will need to go elsewhere for that, because after all……It’s not my job.
DEUCES
UNCOMMON ETHICS
You know this past weekend has been a major blur of accusations, plagiarism, and impersonations as well as lies and theft. Wow..what a lot of bullshit huh? We have people lying by omission by not crediting authors’s works and posting them as their own, lifting whole posts from psychology reports for a class, trying to impersonate people to gain access to their personal space through others. Where in the hell are the ethics of these people? Did their mothers not teach them that one simply does not take what is not theirs? Seriously how hard is it to give credit for something they share? Instead they continue to go along as if they simply did nothing wrong, in their desire to “share” with others. The others of that same group seem to feel that they too having kicked the person out and removed or given proper credit, and it should just die down. Really. Calling others who pointed out the problem liars, trouble makers, swearing at them and claiming “it’s on the net so no harm no foul” then banning the ones who came to speak out is ethical as well I suppose? and the rhetoric continues with the thumping of chests, and a “let’s see who is the better witch” kind of thing…WANDS AT 10 PACES!!! Umm..people, this isn’t Harry fucking Potter…and while there can be things done to kick others asses, might want to check that ego and see who you are fucking with before opening the mouth. Sometimes it’s just better to accede defeat and do the right thing without spewing all the rhetorical bullshit.
I’m a control freak(ya’ll already know that), and rarely post workings or spellwork anymore due to having been involved with a group previously that fell apart and absconded with my writings. But this blog is my baby, to write out emotional storms, dreams , rants and other various musings, so it kind of made me do a double take when someone tried to gain access to it. The person knew just enough to contact someone to try for a password, but it failed of course because when one has layers of protection…they work. Amazingly the timing was in the middle of myself and others speaking up for another author, and I don’t believe in coincidences. So for that person reading this(and I know you will)…pay attention because I will only say this once. I am not one of those love and light people who believe in the glittery fluff and rainbows. I love walking in the shadows and speaking with whom I find there. The blog has lojack. Yeah, that’s a techy term for the little something that will cause your day to come unwound. See? Yhat is my personal set of ethics. Fuck with what belongs to me and things get a little stormy and your wheels will fall off that wagon of asscricketry you reside in. So I hope this attempt was worth it, because what you have coming is probably not what you were hoping to gain.
I don’t understand why people feel the need to judge others based upon what they think they know or want to make themselves appear to be something they are not. Labels and semantics aside, how people work, what they believe is mostly UPG. We can all claim well, I follow such and such trad, but in the end, it comes down to your personal belief. Even in strict traditions taught by people who have set beliefs, there will still be those on the fringe who offer things for a price even knowing that its all a fake. It boggles my mind how wide spread this is actually. I hadn’t really paid much attention until lately, but have called others out for copy/paste in certain groups asking for source, or posting the link to source in the comment section in the past. having had blogs lifted myself-for whatever reason I have no clue since I write nothing of importance really-I pay more attention now. It would be a nicer world if people all had a set code of morals and ethics I guess, but life isn’t like that is it? Kind of makes me yearn for a simpler time when people were true to their word and those who offered words, art etc to the universe were applauded and acknowledged. Instead as time has moved on, it’s become more expedient to just pass off others belongings as your own and gain the rewards for yourself. I don’t have an easy solution other than for those who write, to keep on speaking out, show your face to the world and add a lojack to the works just as an added protection…couldn’t hurt(well not us anyways), and for those who want to take the easy way out and take what doesnt belong to you or to excuse those who do, well…guess you will in the end get what you asked for in a manner of speaking…Hope you can live with that cause I won’t lose any sleep myself 🙂
DEUCES
Gift or curse of empathy
Empathy can be a two-edged sword sometimes. We feel the vibrations of energies around us and most of the time are capable of dealing with things. Sometimes though, we let the guard slip for those closest to us and it is their pain that fills us, covers us. Such was this case this morning as a sister friend was doing some soul searching. The pain in my heart woke me, and I cried as the emotions washed over me. I cannot help her direction, give all the answers she seeks(she wouldn’t thank me for being spoonfed anyway), but I can allow her to use the energy she needs to find stable footing.
Sometimes I am asked about the ability to read/feel/taste energies and how I can deal with that. short answer is:sometimes I can’t. Even with shields in place, they will sometimes resonate so strongly that they will still find a way to connect. The best way for me to deal with them is to find a place to allow that to pass through and ground and shield myself once more. I’ve always been able to do this sort of thing. Until I actively began research into it, I didn’t know what to call it. It was always just a “knowing”. I would be able to read people maybe because I watch more than I step out into the circle of conversation. It’s a protection skill set. The feeling, tasting of energies..that came later. Believe me when I say that I could have done without the last one. Some people have such a rancid taste that I literally gag, so I try and not connect to deeply with others. It’s difficult to do with those close to us though. We tend to let down the walls of those we love and care about, so they are able to hit us hard(it’s why family can push those buttons).
So how does one protect ones’s self from the excess energy flow? Shield and more shields. When I work I like to layer correspondences, from color, timing, herbs, incense, deity, it’s much the same as I shield. I layer that protection. Different types from everything from webs to chants. They all have a purpose and are there to back the other parts up. I never go unshielded, even online. I know people who scoff that energy flow cannot be felt..I beg to differ. I learned to increase that level with practice, and with that experience came expanded gifts, so I shield. I’m a control freak anyway, from privacy to work, everything has to be a certain way. I prefer it and can get a little OCD when things are changed. So shielding is necessary for me. does it work? again short answer is :Most of the time. Sometimes I cannot escape the connection from those I care about, but then again, it’s why there is love and respect there between us..no barriers.
For those with this particular gift/curse(depending upon how you see it). Take care of yourself, protect yourself at all times and keep working on the expansion of self. It’s worth it.
STOP THIEF!!!
I’ve been looking today online(FB where else would I be?), and of course as is usual, there comes to everyone’s attention of someone lifting whole blogs by someone else with no accreditation back to the author, but instead is posted without link back and as an original work.
Stop…THIEF!!! Yes you are. A Thief!
Anytime you post something and do not give proper credit, it is plagiarism…To claim it as your own, or even if you received it from everyone else, is wrong. You have deprived others of knowing the original author and gaining insight from their perspectives and knowledge. You have robbed them of all the energy and work they put into their work. Shame on you! There is nothing lower than a thief and a liar. Yes..you are that as well.You do not give proper credit telling everyone about who you lifted the work in question from(in this case someone’s blog I enjoy reading very much), instead either slapping your own name to it or not naming an author at all.
Looking at your site, I see many inaccuracies about paganism as a whole, pictures belonging to others, even works from Silver Ravenwolf(seriously?), so I’m guessing you have either not heard of the copyright infringement laws or care less. A friend suggested that maybe you weren’t aware of them. Ignorance of the law is not a defense(try it sometime in the mundane and see how far you get).
Maybe you think “well it’s a big pagan world so who is going to know where it came from”? Wrong on all counts. The pagan world is shrinking friend. Check the friend lists on any given person you run into contact with. See the mutual friends? Well those friends have friends who have friends and so on, so eventually you begin to hear “It’s a small world after all” run through your head(my apologies to those who will have that looping through your head for a bit). They in turn will notify everyone they see about your rip off and soon you will be right in the middle of one of the biggest pagan witchfuckings you would ever hope to experience, albeit from the opposite point of view you might have hoped for.
My suggestion, go back and offer apologies to those you stole from, post one on your page as well as your site, then go into each and everything you posted and credit where it came from. If it was given to you, say so and tell whom….and then ask if someone knows where it originated. Cultivate some ethics, and see how far you get in opening some of the doors you hang outside of, with your tongue hanging out hoping for some crumb from those you admire. It’s worth a shot at gaining some respect, and might save you from the ass kicking you surely have coming your way.
DEUCES
SPOONFED NEED NOT APPLY
So I’ve been frequenting some of the pagan groups on FB. Sometimes its informative, humorous, and interesting. Other times it makes one want to stop and with mouth agape yell WTF!!!!!! such has been past couple days. One member comes in with the intent to jump things off with her sanctimonious shit and make a statement that does provoke conversation and yet has a tendency to piss people off. So the conversation centered around people joining groups and not posting when this individual makes the statement that people wont post if they are called names and put down, because their feelings are sensitive. Oh whah!!! Are you not adult enough to man up and state your case? If not, then how can you possibly claim to follow a spiritual path that is outside the societal “norms” ? I agree that calling someone a name for making a statement can be a bullying tactic from those who will not listen to other’s point of view, but demanding that one give a source for the statement given (even UPG is a source ) is not a bad thing. For one, it pushes people to look things up , expand their views and perhaps learn something new? Too often I find that people walk around and will slap any label that strikes their fancy on themselves without any idea what that entails. I find that irresponsible. This is about your spiritual self. why would you not take the time to learn something about it historically? Any path can stand to have that happen…from the secular ones to those we scrabble together on our own. If we claim to add some celtic into our path, don’t you think we should learn more about who they were? Not just give lip service to their deities. As for the one who is all about the “harm none” aspect. Just how much harm does she feel people do to themselves without adding some honesty to that path? They delude themselves into thinking they are being “mystical” when in reality they are lying to themselves. If you cannot be honest with yourself, then who can? The asscrickets who wander around without a clue have plenty of fluff to read and buy from. There are many unethical who walk around and will lead many sheeple into the abyss of which sometimes they may never get out of. They will stay mired down in all the shit that has been tossed their way by others who should know better but care less..Now if that isn’t going against their own “harm none” I don’t know what is! If you are going to lean a bit and share some insight with someone else. my personal opinion is that one should at least be factual about it. If its UPG, say so..tell them, “well this is what I did and what I used, and what happened…now you may get different results, but you can try it and see what happens.” How hard is that? If you insist on going first this way then that, and you’re fine with it, then by all means do so. Just don’t expect those who work at their spiritual self on a daily basis to hold your hand and feed you, because we don’t have the time, the patience nor the inclination to do it all for you. Grow a pair baby and be prepared to walk that path like a boss!
DEUCES
Slinging a few arrows back over the fence
I’ve been just watching the “world” the past couple of days. And it never ceases to amaze me that a particular group would behave in such ignorant manner. One such group has an online site, FB page, several enterprises to make money. But they have SERIOUS issues concerning other people’s beliefs as well as not voicing exactly what THEY believe or how they practice. Theirs is a mishmash of Haitian vodou, Freemasonry,satanism, christianity…I know..you’re brain is fixing to asplode with all the confusion as well it should. I used to frequent their FB page, but their incessant rants about how pagans worship(we are wrong btw), kept me with a headache, so I left and deleted them all off the “friend” list because in truth, I felt they had nothing valid to offer me. First, “pagans” are not all alike, so how can everyone who falls under that label(including them) be wrong? Secondly, some of those who come expecting answers are falling through the cracks American vodou is totally different than if one goes to Africa, Dominican Republic, or even Haiti , mainly because hell….its done by Americans who even if they have ties to said countries, still add their own flavor , so it in a sense is diluted, no longer in its pure form and has lost a little something in the translation. Even the New Orleans version is different so according to those that “know true vodou” it’s wrong. Root work has been a mainstay in this country even before the first slaves were brought here from other countries There have always been those who have been familiar with herb knowledge and were local healers long before physicians became the norm and we moved away from such ones in the name of “progress”. The spellwork, bokors etc came along with the slave trade, but it was hushed and kept secret, as many things are still hidden in the shadows. The inner workings after being strained through a version of christian evangelical rhetoric no longer are as they were practiced centuries before. So how can one justify telling others that how they practice such a path that they are “wrong”? this thing of absolutes can only be applied (imho) to a path or tradition that has specific rules, doctrine, historical references as to how to do things “properly”. Paths like the vodou have no such dogma. It just exists, as part of life, culture, superstitions. So with no true reference other than historical retelling, the audacity of telling others that they are wrong in how they work is ludicrous. Especially coming form those who mix a variety of paths that contradict one another. Just a little FYI..adding saints to represent Lwa doesn’t make them work with you any better nor does it it give veracity to the ideology. It’s done for a variety of reason in Haiti as well as here in the states due to christian settlers usurping the faith of the slaves, and replacing it with their own. Back then, if one could have a picture of said saint on an altar, nobody would be the wiser who it represents. I have no such need of that. My altar contains representations of those I work with, I have no connection with others version of god. What I believe is none of your business -thanks for asking. I have no need to be included with those who can’t even decide what flavor of the week they are today. To make money off gullible people who have more money than common sense also violates my ethics. To post crap about herbs mainly used in the making of incense instead of on its own(verified by a quick glance at herb encyclopedia by Scott Cunningham)is ludicrous. It tells me you don’t have a freaking clue as to why you believe what you believe, that you do not walk your faith on a daily basis(and this type of path IS spiritual and life connected). For you(and again, this is my observation and opinion) it’s about money and prestige within a community that fights as much among yourselves over who is right as those in a secular path. To toss out people who disagree with you and then proclaim you are going to harm them…yeah well, that kind of makes me laugh because see, I have a working agreement with those that scare the fuck out of you and I always protect what is mine. You look extremely childish jumping up and down throwing the tantrum because someone had the audacity to call you on your bullshit. And to pull others in who are even more confused than yourself and have been listening to you give your “advice” is way past sad in its futility. So might I suggest that you seek a little more and try to find out which side of the wire you want to walk(seriously one CANNOT add tenets of satanism in with christianity…THAT is an exercise in madness itself), and do some real research for a change. And stop with the sniffing, huffing and puffing as if you will do real damage. that pit is extremely deep, the dragon on guard is hungry and things aren’t always as they appear here in wonderland ;).
DEUCES
9 days
The world lost a beautiful soul Monday. He was smart, funny, irreverent and a joy to be around. Many people loved him and were/are heartbroken at not being able to interact with him on this plane. While there are those who claim “dominance” of how well they knew him or knew his wishes, sort of like a one-upmanship sort of thing,I leave all that aside and choose to do what I’ve always done to honor those I’ve lost on this plane. 9 days of prayers. The lighting of candles and incense to help guide his way to those on the other side. As one who has a foot on both planes, I recognize that it can be a little disconcerting to find ones self in another realm with no guide book. Even the gatekeeper isn’t often much help, speaking in riddles. So the prayers are meant to remind them they are still loved, and grant peace so that they are not as restless in wanting to know all the answers to their questions(and I’m sure there are many). There are a myriad of ways that people honor their dead, from 40 days of rituals, to a quick burial before sundown of the same day, to the 9 days of prayers. Prayers…no workings, no interaction with Lwa, but the giving of self to the departed in their honor. The altar is set with white..a light in the beacon of shadows, candles are lit, and the incense wafts through the air. One of the prayers already said for my friend is as follows:
May the light be there for you my brother, as you leave this plane for another. May the Ghede come to you and guide you and assist you in removing your earthly chains. May the Gatekeeper answer any questions you may have and may you find peace in knowing that even though you are not with us physically, your memory is a cherished one, for you gifted us with love, humor, trust, strength and the unselfish gift of self. You will be missed.
I allow those candles to burn out completely and while they do so, I will lift my glass in a toast to one of the finest human beings I was privileged to get to know.
à votre santé, avec amour et gratitude
crossing the line of respect
Well, since I’ve been doing a little soul searching, let me just go all out…I think someone somewhere just doesn’t get the word “respect”. Living in the south, one has definite views as far as respect for others living and nonliving. some things are just not done. For instance, taking pictures at a funeral is just tacky and violates the spirit of those passed over. If you wanted something to remember them by, you should have taken them while still living. Also don’t speak ill of them. they aren’t here to defend themselves. yes, they did some pretty rotten shit while here on this plane, but it’s over and done with and they are no longer here to do them..move on. So last night on FB, it startled quite a few of us to see the avatar of a recently passed friend adding friends, popping into private groups, sort of Ghost In the Machine kind of thing. Freaked us out until the one doing so spoke that they were adding an obit to his page. Truth is, they could have done so without hacking into his page(it’s still hacking even if you have the password because it is not your page). And they added friends that belonged to their group as well as others (for what reason I am not sure). Truth is, in my opinion, since they felt the need to go through his page, they should have put a status, “hey peeps, this is (redacted)..I’m tweaking the obit on his page, and adding people so they can see it:. Perfectly acceptable because then others would not freak out so when they saw the interaction of his profile. But they didn’t. For me, this was a sign of disrespect to those who knew him well, and who’s grief is still raw and are still reeling emotionally since after the massive energy surge and work done this past month has certainly taken a toll on many of us. It’s as if they gave no thought as to how it would affect anyone but themselves and their little clique. It’s as if nobody else mattered. So to that person, let me break it down for you. We ALL matter. He cared for a lot of people who returned that love and respect, and for you to callously toss it aside without thought makes you disrespectful of us, our feelings and emotions. An apology now would be after the fact and too little, too late. But might I suggest that you rethink some of YOUR actions concerning others and their feelings. The rest of us will mourn and remember him in our own way, moving through the process of grief as is natural, but it would be helpful if you didn’t try and shock us all into submission.
DEUCES
I’m not who I thought I am?
I have had an unplugged day today…no phone to tweet with, didn’t hit FB til late this evening…it was good for me since I have been doing some introspection while I worked. It kept me zoned out, thinking and reflecting on some recent comments directed at me and why they hurt my feelings, and why I allowed them that power. It’s about a couple of conversations lately..one online, one off, and yet they were similar. I have a lot of people on my friend list..many for the apps I play, but it’s now culled to a manageable state filled with those from various paths. I added a new one, and was speaking in a conversation about them to another friend online. The response from said friend? “I think I will follow suit because you added them and you don’t like people”. WTF? Really? WHAT do I say or do that says I don’t like people? I am sarcastic, true…snark quite a bit, but in truth, I’m not anti-social , in my opinion. So what do I do? Say nothing as is my wont, and decide to have an early night. In truth, my feelings were hurt because I thought she knew me better..guess not. So I get to work and mention this in a conversation with someone who has known me for several years…we’re friends…I think so anyways. What does she say? “You like people, you just wait for them to piss you off so you can kick them”…yeah fuck you too was my response. Put on the headset and say nothing further , but the mind has been reeling, thinking, sorting and turning things over all day. What the hell kind of person am I really? Why do two separate friends have similar opinions, even if they tried to pass it off as a joke? I look in the mirror. It’s the face I’ve always seen..nothing out of the ordinary. WHAT is going on that is giving this perception? Too much snark? Sarcasm and self-deprecation have been my safety valves for so long, that I feel naked without them. The way I viewed the conversations was that I am totally anti-social and basically not a real friendly person. Wow…that smarts..maybe it wasn’t their intent. maybe it’s because this week has me in an emotional spin, am not thinking clearly enough to understand my reaction to things//IDK/ I may be reacting badly to just some casual observances. A dear friend once told me that sometimes people disappoint us in that they are not always who we believe them to be, but even in that failing, they are true to themselves as we should be. He’s right of course(he usually was). I’ll keep tweaking things on my end..maybe they are right..maybe they aren’t. I just have to walk true according to what feels right to me. And maybe make more unplugged days with no distractions from others a regular thing.