Bye Week therefore Housekeeping

It's a bye-week for Wheel of the Year, so updates on continuing projects/ assignments/ whatever.

Indo-European Book Review:

So I read the Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory.  I have feels, bad ones.  Not because I disagree with Eller, but because the Matriarchal prehistory folks fail basic feminist thought and logic.  I have never wished so badly that an argument was a strawman. And it's not like I'm well known for my grasp on feminist theory.

My initial review is going to be far too long.  Once I've gotten it written, edited, and privilege checked, i'll post it.  Then I'll edit it down  for DP stuff.  Or, more likely, I'll write an abstract and use that.  

At any rate, it'll be up in a couple weeks probably.  Right now, I'm still in search of sources that back me up on how racist the theory is (I've already got sources on how sexist/ anti-feminist it is).  I love JSTOR and having friends who are in academia who will allow me to abuse them for access to articles.  I've already started the blog post for it twice and it's just not there yet.  So it'll be there when it's ready.  Also, I apparently need to re-memorize MLA since I'm out of practice.  There's been at least one update come out since I stopped using MLA for everything.

Shrine Update:

Luna has been very good about staying off my altar so far.  She nearly burnt herself while I was meditating with a candle lit on it Saturday morning, but figured out that it was hot before she got too close.

I think I'm going to pick up an air plant terrarium to use as my tree.  It's not appropriate for my hearth culture at all, but sometimes hearth culture needs to take a back seat to "something I can keep alive and wont' poison my cat." I might pick up another cedar branch to use if I feel the need (the cedars in my back yard had a couple of branches die over the fall/ winter, so I can harvest those).  And, the more cedar in my wool filled house the better.

Apparently, I decided this week was going to be the week I started my rune set.  Not sure that's actually going to happen, but I'll contemplate it.

Nature Awareness:

My awareness of nature right now comes down to "it's freaking cold.  Frozen got it's EGOT, Elsa, can you please end the endless winter now?"  And making chili and potato soup.  I'm essentially just hiding in my den, and, for the most part, feel no shame in that.

Per the Weather Channel, we're supposed to warm up to the mid-fifties by next weekend.  If that's true, I'll go tramp around in the woods Thursday afternoon.  I really want to go camping, but that's just not going to happen right now.

At any rate, I really need to get the initial write up from week 5 written.  

Holy Days:

I think I need to go re-work the initial Imbolc paragraph back in week 3.  I'm not sure it hits the word count and it's certainly incomplete.

Our spring equinox ritual is going to be Slavic.  I know nothing about slavic cultures other than what I learned in a history course 8 years ago and that didn't focus much on folklore, mythology, or even the pre-christian religion.  I do have a book of Russian folk tales. I should probably pull that out and skim through it just so I have something resembling a base.

May 1/ Beltane is the Norse ritual that I'm creating.  Assuming we're focusing on the fertility aspects and not the German ancestor aspects, GateKeeper will be Heimdall on the Bifrost, DoO will probably be Frey.  I'll have to poke around some more to find the appropriate Earth Mother, nothing is sticking out at me as I thumb through my books. I'm also probably overthinking the ritual itself and need to NOT reinvent the wheel.

Library:

Not really strictly part of my DP stuff, but is happening in conjunction with, and has mental health implications.  I've started the great book purge. I know Goodreads has a scan function to add books to your library.  I need to experiment with it to see if I can get it to tag every book I scan in at a session with "Book Purge" or something similar.  It's that or type everything into a spreadsheet on Google so folks can lay claim to anything they find interesting. None of this can go live until after the divorce is finalized of course.  And I'll probably run most of them through a book buyback to see if i can get any money for them before putting them up for grabs. But expect that to be coming shortly.  There's likely to be lots of art history and books on Martin Luther.

My goal is to clear enough space off my bookshelves that I can have one bookcase (one of the short ones) dedicated to Pagan Library stuff in my bedroom.  This will also give me some more space to spread my altar out if I feel the need.  Which I don't right now but *shrug*.  It'd be nice to have the option.

Meditation:

This is... not going as well as I would like.  I'm trying to average 5 times a week (gives me a couple days to be tired or busy without fretting about it), but I'm at best, averaging 2-3 times a week.  I'm contemplating just not moving my body clock with daylight saving's time next weekend, but I'm not sure how that will work. But I do need to come up with something.  

Unless I decide to bypass meditation and just do a daily devotion.  Which is a possibility.  I don't know.  It's something to think about at least.  The devotionals will also serve to get me more familiar with CoOR. Or maybe daily devotionals and meditation.  That might bridge the gap I'm feeling.  

I think I'll try doing either a devotional or meditation every day this week and next and see which one fits in with my life better.  I'll either pick one or continue doing both throughout the year.  This also means that it's less awkward to excuse myself for 30 minutes when I have company.  I can wait until they leave and even if I'm too tired to meditate, I can at least do a devotional.  Perhaps this is where I should start contemplating prayer beads.

Week 4: Holy Day Recap (Imbolc part 2)

Write up for the Imbolc ritual held 2/2/2014.  I'll turn this into a proper essay next week, when I'm less stressed about it.

From Ci:

Our omens for the rite were: 
Ancestors: Sail, or the Willow. The Ancient Ones are speaking, through the stream of time, and bless us with their wisdom if we are willing to listen.
Spirits: Onn, or Foundation and the Wheel. The Noble Ones bless us with stability and forward motion, and remind us that we are supported by the Earth even when the Earth itself trembles.
Deities: Coll and Iphin, or the Hazel and Honey. The Shining Ones bless us with the sweetness of life, and remind us that wisdom is not only found in adversity. Trust them and embrace the joy they offer.

From Magical Alphabets, by Nigel Pennick:

[Sail] is an ogham of linking, a watery symbolism which brings itself into harmony with the flow of events, most notably the phases of the moon... In divination, its power is greater at night than in the daytime, except when the moon is visible during the day.  Its power fluctuates with the cycle of the moon's phases... Esoterically, this eminent flexibility demonstrates [Sail]'s harmonious amenability to the conditions to which it is subjected. (page 134)

[Onn] is a plant which can be found in flower in almost every month of the year.  Thus it is an ogham of continuous fertility... Magically, [Onn] represents the collecting together and retaining of one's strength through adversity. (page 143) 

Coll... signifies the hazel tree...  In Viking times, hazel poles were used to delimit the sacred enclosures known as the hoslur, or hazeled field, in which formal combat took place.  Both in single combat, holmganga, and in full-scale formal battles between armies, the area for battle was distinguished from the normal world of everyday by hazel posts which formed a magical boundary around it. (page 137)

Book does not include Iphin (or at least, nothing that translates to Honey and nothing spelled anything approaching that). 

Write-up time!  I'll go through and turn this into a proper essay at some point, but now is not the time for that.

"How did the rite go in terms of structure? Who were the patrons of the rite, and who was the gatekeeper?"

We followed the Core Order of Ritual, substituting in the appropriate deities.  Earth Mother was Danu`, Gatekeeper: Manannan; Deity of the Occasion: Brigid. 

What things went wrong during the ritual? What things went right? 

No big foul ups.  being indoors always causes a problem with the offering to the outdwellers, but we managed.  We also couldn't have real fire (libraries are unfortunate that way).  But other than that, we pretty much did ok.  Had the right offerings to the right beings and nothing got screwed up too horribly.

Did you have problems with saying the words without stumbling, or did everything come out smoothly? 

I was only in charge of the offering to the Shining Ones.  For once, I didn't really stumble over the words.  Which probably has more to do with the lack of Deity names than any particular talent on my part.  There is just something about celtic names that cause me all sorts of trouble (probably because the monks who wrote down the assorted forms of Gaelic were drunk and/or high, but whatever).  I do probably need to to pick up one of my Celtic mythology books and re-figure out how to pronounce names.

Did you forget to bring a sacrifice? 

We had all the sacrifices we needed.  As soon as i figure out if there is a particular deity calling me, I'll start bringing a sacrifice for hir.  I do think I should probably put together a ritual back up kit that just lives in my car that contains things like a bowl to act as the well,  a gallon of apple cider or some other juice for offerings, incense, a lighter, that sort of thing.

Were you alone, or with a group? If you were with a group, did you say anything or do anything?

Group ritual with the Grove.  I did the offering to the Shining Ones. I need to get more comfortable with the idea/ presence/ whatever of the out dwellers.  but i'll get there.  Particularly since the Norse do have out dwellers that do need to be placated?

Now, for the not so easy part: how did the rite go in terms of function and feeling? Did you feel anything during the ritual? Did you experience doubt or confidence? Can you describe what happened? If you were with a group, what did the other people say about what happened? What omens were drawn (if any), and what did they tell you? Could you feel the presence of any deities, spirits, or powers? What else about the rite struck you, or do you want to share?

One of my... issues?  although that might be too strong of a word... with the Core Order of Ritual is that it doesn't feel like it's honoring the deity of the occasion enough.  I don't know if that's a grove thing, a me thing, or what.  It's more than possible that I'm expecting the wrong thing.  And I definitely need to work through it, even if working through it means that my personal devotions take that spot.

Once more, my discomfort with the outdwellers needs to be worked on.  I think it stems from my discomfort at inviting the attention of /any/ deity.  It's not a prevalent in celtic and norse mythology, but certainly in the mythologies of my youth, attracting the attention of God/Gods/Goddesses was death sentence.  Nothing pleasant ever happens to those who attract personal attention.

Omens, as interpreted by my current experience, are:
Ancestors: Gma Treva telling me I'll get through this.  Dad's right, I am feeling much the same way she did when Bill left.  But she did pretty good after Bill left and I'll do pretty good after Jon is out of my life.  I just need to trust zen.

Spirits: the foundation is solid, even if it doesn't feel like it.  I need to trust it and fly.  

Shining Ones: Joy is a type of wisdom as well.  Life carries on, and with it, the joy of creation.  Not only the despair of destruction.

Week 3: the First High Holy Day (Imbolc)

Week 3: The first High Holy Day: an explanation

Related to Requirement: #2 – Meaning and Discussion of High Days
Required Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 62 - 74 61-75 (Hearth Cultures & High Days)

• ADF Constitution, Article 4

• The ADF Core Order of Ritual for High Days, 

Optional Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 51 - 75 48-76 (The Very Basics of Ritual)

• A Crane Breviary and Guide Book by Rev. Michael J Dangler: <http://www.lulu.com/chronarchy>

• Appendix 1: Resources and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year

• Step by Step through a Druid Worship Ceremony

• The "Liturgy and Rituals" section of the ADF page

• The Three Cranes Grove, ADF, outline of ritual (with example prayers)

Not a whole lot to type up or think about before the ritual actually happens.  Ritual is Sunday afternoon with a celtic focus.  I'm trying to find sources for info on Norse equivalent.  What I've been able to find so far pretty much matches the Celtic/Germanic festival.  Ewe's milk, when winter begins to soften.  Lambing will begin soon (I guess? City girl here!).  At any rate, it's much the same it sounds like, so if I can't find anything at the library, I'll use the existing books I have at home.

The past week the cold has felt different.  It's still cold (the high on Monday was 14 Fahrenheit!), but it's not the bitter cold without remorse of deep winter.  It's the ever-so-slightly more humid cold of very early spring. The grocery store next to work hasn't put up their green house yet (my personal "yay spring!" signal), but they're clearing that area of their parking lot, so it'll be going up in the next month or so.

I think I'm going to end up doing two rituals for each holiday.  The grove ritual, which tends to be I-E, Celtic, or Grecian focused, and then a solitary ritual that's Norse focused.  I'm the only one in the grove with a impulse towards Norse, so I don't' think we'll ever being doing Norse as the main ritual.  And I'm ok with that.   The online Solitary grove posted their February ritual over the weekend.  I have it pulled up at home.  I'll take it and the Disting/Ewemeoluc ritual on the adf website and make them play nice.  It shouldn't be too hard.  Although I should totally do that tonight since K and nephew are coming down this weekend to play (and possibly go to ritual with me?)

I have some notes and thoughts about how meditation is going, but I think they'll get their own post when I'm not piece-mealing a post together from open tabs in stolen moments at work.

useful links:

https://www.adf.org/rituals/norse/general/index.html