D is for Dancing

Some people may look at dancing and what does THAT have to do with paganism? or religion at all? I guess it all depends on who you are.

Perhaps incorporating dance into my spirit is something that started as a child. I was lucky enough to have a mother that made me go into ballet. My first memory of dance is of running across the room and 'jumping over the moon' (in reality one of her black high heeled dance shoes) in the crude attempts of a child dancer to perform a grande jete. I never felt crude nor out of place dancing. I felt like I was flying and I was beautiful to everyone who watched. I remember how proud I was when I had my first solo at the age of 13ish in a ballet called Coppella as one of the dolls (a chinese doll). Dance got put off as I got older for other things like being a teenage, martial arts, and the like. As I got older I have tried to recapture part of that feeling of youthful joy during dance. I have tried cancan, and bellydancing, and even an adult ballet class. I may look like an overstuffed sausage trying to dance but my spirit still feels the connection. Now mostly you might find me randomly doing turns when I think no one is looking in an empty room (especially when it has beautiful wooden floors) or sometimes around a bonfire at a festival.

What many may or may not know is that I also dance with fire. I find it puts me in an euphoric state. I have a very special spiritual connection with fire which I will go into when we get to the letter F. Sacred fire and sacredness of dance are the perfect match for me. I don't care who is watching or anything else outside my sphere of light. My body goes with the fire, the music, an my spirit. It is an amazing feeling. The energy is addictive and empowering. Is it for everyone, definitely NOT. Is it for me....I say yes.

C is for Circle

The circle is a symbol of great importance to practically every spiritual path or religious movement across the world and across time. It is present in nature, in math and science, in the arts, in writing, in fashion...etc. It. is. e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e!

For me personally, the circle is a symbol of my faith (one of many). It represents the eternal continuation in everything. It is the Birth/Death/Rebirth cycle. It is the Wheel of the Year. You can find it in shape of a seed's core, egg's yolk, the path of our planet (yes I know that isn't exactly a 'circle' but it is a never ending loop right?), even our planet itself. I find circles and eternal connections when looking into someone's eyes, in cups, and in drums. It is the shape we make when we all gather hands and the shape my daughter's arms make when she wraps them around me. It is a symbol of that which holds us together when we feel ourselves falling apart. 

 

I had an amazing post after this about how circles can be found as sacred in all different types of belief systems but it seems that either my computer of blogger ate it. So..more to come hopefully

C is for Community

For some, family is everything. For others, if their family found out they were pagan they wouldn't have a family anymore, or it would cause much chaos and drama and pain. Some pagans find that it is more comforting to work in a group, a coven, or to have a community to turn to. Others are more selective and prefer to be solitary.  There is no right nor wrong.

For me community is family. I am lucky in that the community I share myself with has been drama free (more or less), validate who and what I am, and support me no matter what. I have friends that I can call on at 0200 and cry to and vice versa. I have friends that will tell me the truth whether it hurst my feelings or not because I've been a dumb arse and understand when I call them out when needed. I have a mother that loves me unconditionally and kicks my arse when needs be. I have a brother who I cherish and will let him fall on his arse in order for him to learn but will be there to help him up when he asks. I have a daughter that is the most amazing creature in my life. I have Frog, many that I call Sister and Brother in this world and the next that I can't imagine my life without, and extended associations I can go to when I need a resource. I can go to my UU Fellowship and feel accepted. I can go to Wisteria and feel appreciated. I can come home and feel loved. Community for me is Family.

I don't necessarily share my spiritual practices with all of them though. I do like to share some traditions, a piece here and a piece there. I'm more ecclectic/solitary than anything else. I do enjoy playing a supporting role in many rites/rituals though. I've always felt my place in the circle is outside the circle. I am blessed they understand that.

Community is only what you put into it., however. Sometimes it isn't balanced: you give more than you are given; you need to take more that what you can give. I feel that what you give will eventually come around.

Quality is more important that quantitiy. You can give so much you burn yourself out. The word 'No' in a healthy community is respected and honored. Saying no to someone else is saying yes to yourself. How can you fill someone else's teacup if your teapot is empty? In the right community you can fill someone else's cup while someone else is filling yours. In the wrong community your generosity may be taken advantage of.

Creating the right community for you is an artform, much like gardening. Pruning drains here and encouraging blooms there is needed. I know it has brought a variety of wealth to my life though. I can't imagine myself without them.

So this is a thank you to all of them. They know who they are. I wouldn't be me without you to stand with me.

A is for Altar

My definition of an altar is that it is a specific space designated as sacred in which (LOL I had to retype that word 3 times, I kept trying to type witche...lol) one can conduct acts and rituals of worship. There are many types of altars that one can do. There are personal ones, large permanent ones, tiny travel ones, ones for a specific god or goddess, element, direction, holiday, or event. It doesn't take much to create one.

What goes onto an altar is as personal as you wish it. Some places have large public permanent altars for all to use and so are either a conglomerate of odds and ends or sparse. One of my favorites of this type is called the Fairy Shrine at Wisteria Campground and Retreat in Ohio. Micheal has been kind enough to allow me to post this video of it. It is a large shrine/altar.

Wisteria's Fairy Shrine

I usually set up an altar as a signpost of sorts, or at least a visible reminder that one is entering sacred space when I create my candle-lit labyrinths at the UU Fellowship I go to.

Altar next to entrance of New Year's Eve Labyrinth

I was also fortunate to help with a Samhain Altar/Ancestors' Altar for the Fellowship. It was along the lines of Day of the Dead celebrations (a future post when we reach the letter D). People brought in mementos and pictures of someone that had past on so we could honor their memories and the place they hold in our lives.

Just a small part of the altar in the darkness.
One white candle and one black candle flank a skull with bright yellow flowers in the eyes.
Behind it a mirror to reflect the ancestors in our own eyes.

Usually I will change my personal altar to reflect something I need to bring into my life or to coincide with the season. This is one of my winter altars that I have had before.

Winter Altar

It doesn't take much to create a space that means something to you. I have had them on a single shelf, on a dresser, in a drawer, in the top of a locker, and on a bedside table, like this:

Pictures and items to help me remember my creative spirit.
From left to right: a dagger someone gave me to honor my lioness, a watercolor of bluebells I did, a small dish for incense (currently sage), a lamp that belonged to my mother, a picture of an angel guiding a man through a country field called Muse, a peacock feather in a crystal vase behind it to remind me that beauty is inside out, a small piece of pottery I got my first mother's day, a vase filled with pens and pencils and a old candle holder in the shape of a lotus flower (has currently been replaced by a chalice oil lamp that a friend gave me as a Yule gift), paper to tease my spirit out into word and lastly, taped to the wall, is a small bag of hay from a ritual that will be burned in the future (I am still in the ritual, still Hunting).

So just grab a space and make it yours. Do what your spirit calls to create a small sacred space of your own.

B is for Book of Shadows

A Book of Shadows (aka BOS) is place to keep all the information about your personal spiritual path and practices. Since everyone is different every BOS will be slightly different. Some believe it should be handwritten while others are more modern and use databases on the computer. Some use pre-made scripted ones bought at the bookstore or their local occult store. I've even heard of someone using an index card/recipe box method. Some use a mix. And you are not limited to one book if you so wish! Have one for each topic if you want. Regardless, a BOS is very personal in my opinion.
So what goes in a Book of Shadows? Anything you want, according to your spiritual path! Some use it only to document and journal rituals and tarot readings. Some use it to keep track of herbs and lore. For others it is just a magical journal. Put in it what is personal to you to help keep those things that are sacred to your spiritual path in one place.

I have had several versions and am not done yet. I want to ultimately create something I can pass on to my own witchlet.  I have included a description of the basic core of my belief. I paste into it words of inspiration and empowerment. Being a rather green or kitchen witche (who would have thought THAT of me) I have a chapter for the sun cycles, each turn of the Wheel of the Year, with traditions, associations, prayers, and personal practices and memories that go with each. I have explanations of the moon cycles and what each phase represents and is good for. I include the rare spells I have done, why, and what the outcomes were. I include pictures that connect me with my spirit and whatever topic the page covers. Some are hand drawn and some are clippings from magazines. Regardless it is decisively me.

Here are some pictures.

It is a leather cover from a journal I got at Barnes and Nobel many years ago.
I can remove the journal book and add whatever I want into it.
The Tree of Life is special to me, hence the decision to use this as a cover.

Inside I have a computer printed copy of a mediation and a picture of a skeleton
on the section for what I now consider the Start of Winter
 (soon to be changed to a new title), also known as Samhain.

A is for Attitude

One thing that has popped up has been Attitude. My attitude, my child's, my companion's attitude have been brought up several times this past week. I have a blended family of a preteen girl, a mid-twenty housemate, and myself of late 30s. Attitudes are varied and EVERYWHERE!

So, what is the definition of attitude? Dictionary.com lists it as: manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind. I feel it is how you approach people, places, things, and events in your life.

Attitude affects all aspects of our Life. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual areas are all affected by how we approach a person or thing. Negativity in one area WILL affect all the others. It may take lots of focus and attention to keep balance. Sometimes it is not internal or personal attitude that affects an area but your reaction to others' attitudes about something.

What does that have to do with being Pagan though? In my opinion and experience, quite a bit.  If you approach Paganism with suspicion and fear then you will more than likely miss all the amazing positive and empowering aspects of the spiritualism part of what it means to follow a Pagan Path. If you come with open heart and open mind then you may become more in tune with Divine and with yourself than you thought was possible. 

It isn't an easy path though. It takes an approach of dedication and hard work.  Nothing is accomplished without it. Nothing is just handed freely. Internal work and external work are needed. Part of internal work may be....Attitude!! (tada!) I feel you loose some of your power and connection with the world and the Divine without the right attitude of open mind and open heart.

What is your attitude towards the unknown? Towards church? Towards Spirituality? Towards those that follow different beliefs and paths than yours? What is your attitude towards others? 

Most importantly what is your attitude towards yourself?

Beginnings

My friend Galena posted on her facebook that she was starting something new and challenging for her, still being in the broom closet so to speak. So to support her I decided spontaneously to join her in the Pagan Blog Project. The more I thought of it though I decided it was a very serendipitous move. I am starting a Pagan 101 class at my Fellowship and have decided to spend this year focusing on my spirituality. This will go hand in hand with that.

So every Friday I will post something according to the rules (we are following the alphabet). This shall prove to be interesting. Maybe I should combine it with a pic a week to go with the topic as well as of myself (my other goal is to improve my health). Hmmmm.... possibly.

So Friday is A. What should I write about that starts with A?