Happy New Year - Atonement

Being of Celtic origin, this is the spiritual time of year for me - that time when I take a few moments to reflect and "regroup" my way of doing things or even how I think about things. It's usually an uplifting experience for me.



I hope everyone had a great Hallowe'en - I had a visit from a Benevolent Spirit yesterday, at a time when I was feeling lost and helpless... It was a moment of self-realization for me - and I thank the Spirits that watch out for me.



PEACE & LOVE

Bro-Spo's Hallowe'en Meme # 2...

JUST PLAYING ALONG... ;o)

Are you scared of bats?

I used to call them when I was a kid to scare the girls... I make a kind of high pitched whistle with my lips that they seem to want to investigate.

When you were a kid, did you go out on Mischief Night?

Yes, but we never lit a bag of shit on the porch and rang the doorbell...

We would go "tick-tacking" (throwing corn at people's windows).

What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy?

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Have you ever seen a ghost?

Yes. Mischief ensued...

The most memorable costume you ever wore?

King Tut (1977) ...I won first prize at the disco for that one... I completely handmade the outfit myself... and the make-up was simply fabulous...

Do you carve a happy or a scary face on the pumpkin?

Scary, of course...

Will anyone wear a costume to work on October 31^st?

I'll be bringing mine along to change into at the appropriate time...

Any cooking or baking you do for Hallowe’en?

pumpkin cheesecake and butternut squash soup...

Have you ever been to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or

Disneyworld?

No. Haven't been there since 1985.

Any element of the season you don’t like?

People who want to change the "history" of the holiday...

What is your favorite scary movie?

I have to say there is a tie for that spot:

"Return of the Living Dead" for the kicks and music ...and
"Black Sabbath" (which scared the living daylights out of me when I was a youngster)...

Then of course there are all of those Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi flicks... I still love them.

Do you cook the pumpkin seeds from your carved jack-o-lanterns?

I used to... maybe I will this year (if I get the time to carve one).

Are you intrigued with vampires?

Yes, absolutely. So sexy... Still into the Goth thing after all these years. I've still got a thing for Tim Curry in "Rocky Horror Picture Show".

Festive Litha

LITHA (Summer Solstice, June 20-23, dependent on actual astronomical event)

Held on the longest day of the year, the Solstice is the celebration of lights triumph over darkness and that of the bountiful beauty that light brings into life. Flowers are common in the circle, roses and bright cheerful wildflowers are upon the altar and usually worn by all. It is the changing point of the year, and the celebration of the spiral dance of the year is common among Wiccans. It a celebration with much joy, and much feasting. Many Wiccans will attire themselves in bright colours and equally bright adornments of flowers. Usual food fare may include honeycakes or cornbread. Litha is not celebrated by all sects nor in the same way.

We celebrated Midsummer Day (St John's Eve) yesterday at Columcille.

It was a grand occasion with all the stops pulled out. I wish I had brought my camera along - there were so many colorful people there.

First off, let me tell you how hard it is to convince an ex-Priest that he would have a ton of fun at a Pagan Solstice Festival... LOL.

Finally, he went for it and we got there a bit late - just in time to see NNDT.

My favorite performance of the day would be hard to pick...

• Native Nations Dance Theater was pretty awesome.

Delwin played the flute at the top of the mountain. (pictured above left) Man, it sounded incredible. It brought the whole vibe together.

I wish my Son would have been able to come along so he could have seen some of his heritage in action. The Hoop Dance was very involved and totally inspiring and also Drew's Prairie Chicken Dance (pictured on the right). This performance lit the flame of the Solstice for me.

The Lady who narrated (I think her name was Vaughnda) was very keen to present a concise history of the dances and what they represented. It was marvelous.

• Vicki Doney — Her beautiful voice followed us through the park as we left the circle of stones to explore the wondrous nature of the park at the edge of the Appalachian Trail...

• Next up was Circle of Stones Ritual Theater - also truly awesome.

• Jack McGavin did his two-tone chanting with the shruti box while I meditated - Butch thought I was crazy, but I didn't care. ;o)

The day was magical - especially in the beautiful setting of Columcille. Butch and I wandered off a few times to visit the megalith formations. I thought of Sister Sorrow as I walked the Labyrinth.

I'll make my way back up there again soon and take some pictures...

Happy Jāņi Everyone.

शांति
इंद्रधनु राक्षस


Link: Pocono Record Article - Celebrating Summer
**note: If you read the comments in the newspaper article, it will remind you that some people are just never satisfied unless they can feel superior to others.

STONEHENGE DECODED

I'm looking forward to this one ...
Sun June 1 @ 9pm National Geographic Channel

Legend states that Merlin summoned the stones that make up Stonehenge from the Giant's Circle in Ireland.



Mid-12th Century pseudo-historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, whose book Historia Regum Britanniae (“History of the Kings of Britain”) presented the legend of King Arthur as fact, was perhaps the first to come up with an elaborate, fanciful explanation for Stonehenge’s existence. According to Geoffrey, the monument’s bluestones originated in Africa, where ancient giants scooped them up because of their healing properties and transported them to the mythical Mount Killaraus in Ireland, where they formed the Giants’ Circle. But when Aurelius Ambrosius, King of the Britons, wanted to create a memorial to slain warriors, the magician Merlin suggested to him that the stones (preseli bluestone) would make excellent building material. The king sent an army to defeat the Irish in battle, but they were unable to move the stones, until Merlin used his sorcery to dismantle the structure and transport it across the sea—proving, in the process, that the supernatural was more potent than brute force.

• Legends

• The Legend of Stonehenge

• Aurelius, Merlin & Stonehenge

Joyous Bealtaine

May day! Delightful day!

Bright colours play the vale along.
Now wakes at morning's slender ray
Wild and gay the blackbird's song.

Now comes the bird of dusty hue,
The loud cuckoo, the summer-lover;
Branchy trees are thick with leaves;
The bitter, evil time is over…

Loaded bees with puny power
Goodly flower-harvest win;
Cattle roam with muddy flanks;
Busy ants go out and in.

Through the wild harp of the wood
Making music roars the gale --
Now it settles without motion,
On the ocean sleeps the sail.

Men grow mighty in the May,
Proud and gay the maidens grow;
Fair is every wooded heights;
Fair and bright the plain below…

Loudly carols the lark on high,
Small and shy his tireless lay,
Singing in wildest, merriest mood,
Delicate-hued, delightful May.
Irish 9th century

Back To The Drawing Board...

I've abandoned the idea - for now, of doing a painting of the Dragonsblood sketch. I think that canvas may actually be too small for what I envisioned...

*Around the blogosphere*... I have been working on some designs for a friend who is writing a kind of science fiction novel. His story is quite interesting, but my designs were not what he was looking for... so I guess I can include them here:

Proposed Seal for the Order of the Oak:



I had fun working on them anyway... got quite a few versions going there, but I think these two were the best. Photo & Print Shop are so cool.

Two Trinities [Bioscience - Genetic Division]:

__________________________________

In my personal time, I've been baring my soul to a Friend (that's a capital "F" Friend...I don't have many of those at all) who has proven to be indispensable. He has shared much with me from over the years, and it seems that we are on comparable paths. He is my Spiritual Brother. I feel so very close to him it is kind of unbelievable. And so it is that I am so blessed by knowing him.

He's such a great person - I always get so excited when I think about him. I do so hope he doesn't think I'm a whack-o... (I am a bit of a whack-o - you know - but not in a bad way) [I hope]

द्रगोंस्ब्लूद (sangre de draco)

According to the "Wiki"...

In American Hoodoo, African-American folk magic, and New Orleans voodoo, Dragon's Blood is used in mojo hands for money-drawing or love-drawing, and is used as incense to cleanse a space of negative entities or influences. It is also added to red ink to make "Dragon's Blood Ink", which is used to inscribe magical seals and talismans.


"Dragon's Blood" detail from "1st National Bicentennial" (July 4, 1976).

Dragon's blood (Daemonorops) was used for ceremonies in India. Sometimes Dracaena resin, but more often Daemonorops resin, was used in China as red varnish for wooden furniture. It was also used to colour the surface of writing paper for banners and posters, used especially for weddings and for Chinese New Year.

Dragon's blood of both Dracaena draco and Dracaena cinnabari were used as a source of varnish for 18th century Italian violinmakers. There was also an 18th century recipe for toothpaste that contained dragon's blood. In modern times it is still used as a varnish for violins, in photoengraving, as an incense resin, and as a body oil.

In folk medicine, dragon's blood is used externally as a wash to promote healing of wounds and to stop bleeding. It is used internally for chest pains, post-partum bleeding, internal traumas and menstrual irregularities. In neopagan Witchcraft, it is used to increase the potency of spells for protection, love, banishing and sexuality. In New Age shamanism it is used in ceremonies in a similar way as the neopagans use it.

(original music 1998)
Download in .OGG format
(it should play on your mp3 player)

Space City Rock: "Dragons In The Dungeon"

a) Crystal Forest
b) Avatar Awakens
c) Vizier's March
d) The Conjuring
e) Dragon's Breath
f) Jason's Lament
g) Epilogue

Time - 18:10 | 23.71 MB

Dragon's Blood was used in this original drawing, and I'm boiling some right now in the mini cauldron. It's a fabulous 'clean' scent, and I highly recommend its use.

For Ran... My Bumperstickers..

Click Pic to Enlarge

Bumper Sticker Heaven

Ran has an article on his site: "No religion Now" which is pretty thought provoking about "bumper stickers" and the intelligence of the people who drive the vehicles on which they appear...

I wonder what he would think of my "Bessie - The Green Finned Demon". My "wandering Billboard"..."The Green Dragon" which is my 'chariot'.

She's getting pretty expensive to keep now, since the price of her food has skyrocketed, but I just can't seem to give her up just yet...
Even though last week, while transporting a Player Piano, the wheel-gate wasn't hitched and swung open, hitting a lawyer's SUV and smashing the side view mirror off his vehicle... It would have to have been a lawyer, but he was way cool with it, and thanked me for coming into the office to tell him what happened.

[Thanks to the "Forces" that be that was all that occurred.]

Unseen stickers that are hidden in the photo:
Behind the wheel on the back:

"PRO-LOVE"

"God Bless The Grateful Dead"

"TAKE A HIKE - Long Trail Ale"

"HRC =Equality="

"Peace Through Music"

...and of course my personal favorite:

The Last Time We Mixed Politics With Religion... People Got Burned At The Stake.

And then, there is the front of "Bessie":

If you look closely, above the rearview mirror on the windshield you will see:
"NAMASTE"

... and on the front bumper:

"LOVE YOUR MOTHER [EARTH]"

and "BAN LANDMINES"

I'm just wondering what Ran [and what everyone who sees her] would think if he saw this beast driving towards him on the highway...

All I know is that it keeps people behind me occupied at red lights. LOL

Peace

p.s. "Inteligence Quotient" was not invoked at the time of the 'slapping-on' of Bumper stickers.

RELATED NY Times article

and Raw Story article