Wine festivals, dancing and the Sea

I have blog ADD tonight! Too many topics that I'm interested in and none of them are really popping out for me to concentrate on. Here is a bit of what's on my mind:

Last night I wondered what was going on in the rest of Italy while Rome was indulging itself in the Ludi Romani. In Tuscany, specifically the Chianti region, they were harvesting the grapes and pressing them, beginning the vintage for the following year. My search for information on the festivals and impending-autumn traditions of the region led me to Wine Therapy! Not just drinking it, but apparently bathing in it and using it as a cosmetic goes waaaaaaaaay back in recorded history. It's named amongst Cleopatra's beauty treatments too.



Another festival which just passed is the festival of Madonna a Mare, Madonna of the Sea, which takes place in the Messina region of Sicily. A golden statue of The Holy Mother is processed to the beach and set on an illuminated boat where it leads a boat procession. Hundreds of  fishing boats follow and the Madonna gives a Benediction of the Sea in the bay.

Not surprisingly, there are other, similar festivals which happen in Sicily at the same time:

The northern coastal city Altavilla Milicia, population 5000, gives thanks to the Madonna of Milicia. According to tradition, endangered fishermen threw her image into the tempestuous sea, which very suddenly became tranquil. The city renders homage to her with a great party.

In the northern coastal village of Baucina, population 2000, twelve groups of girls represent episodes in the life and the martyrdom of the patron saint, Santa Fortunata. Fifty believers carry a very heavy urn on their shoulders. Legend says that the Saint assists or hampers them depending on men’s level of loyalty.


As you may have gathered in previous posts, I am a fan of Italian traditional, magical dancing, particularly the tarantella and the pizzica. I was researching Puglia and it's history of Pizzica and came across this really cool article about a summer solstice pizzica festival. A pizzica rave! A few highlights:

Tinged with voodoo, pizzica folk music has added rhythm to one of Italy's cultural hotspots

A record 200,000 revellers –mainly young – attended this year's two-week series of concerts

Fast, hypnotic and tambourine-driven, the pizzica derives from a centuries-old concoction of faith healing and peasant culture, mixed with a whiff of Italian voodoo.

"The music is so closely tied to the local culture and identity, to joy, life and death, that it would be tough to turn it into a plastic, tourist experience."

Yeah, well, don't doubt they'll try.  Add another thing to my Italy to-do list!

That's all for tonight. Tomorrow I hope to have a special field report!

Take two of these and call me in the morning...

Gods are not pills you take for different ailments. Jupiter is not Excedrin and Flora is not Allegra.

This has been my facebook status for most of the day. Why? Someone posted to an email group asking which deity they should petition for help on a test. The above was my response. Stomach ache? Take ginger. Need to look good for your date? Take Venus. Bad breath? Peppermint. Traveling? Mercury.

Seriously, how did this perception arise where you go to a specific deity for a specific thing, even if you have no prior relationship? I think Jason Miller said it best when he used the following analogy which I will paraphrase badly:

If you need to borrow $50 and ask a virtual stranger, they'll probably tell you to go take a hike. If you ask someone you know, you're more likely to get it, there's a chance. If you ask your best friend, they'll give it to you no questions asked. The difference in each case here is the relationship you've built. Your best friend knows you're good for it or doesn't care because you have a history and affection for each other. The stranger? Not so much. They'll probably want some proof they'll get it back...

Anyway, the point is that when you build relationships, you have a better chance of getting something you ask for. To add to the original analogy... Your friends have contacts they can leverage on your behalf. If your patron is Athena and you need some help with travel, would it not be easier to ask her to petition Mercury for you? Even the Catholics do this: It's called Intercession. It's how they can get away with praying to a full pantheon of major and minor and local deities: It's because they're asking, for example, Saint Michael to intercede on their behalf with God.


Take the time to develop a relationship with deities and ancestors and the Lare and the Lasa. Develop these relationships as you would any other: Time, attention, dedication, following through, keeping your word, etc.  Offerings of energy and prayer and material things like lighting a candle or incense. All of this goes a long way towards reaching out. You can't be entirely goal oriented here, it's not necessarily a tit-for-tat situation, and no one likes to be used. Show your appreciation and gratitude and they will do the same in tangible ways.

Wow. I was just going to post about the solstice today! Looks like there was something else in store. I hope everyone had a wonderful solstice!

Come to the dark side; We have cookies.

I'm in the mood to muse about Summer. Is it me, or is there something about the impending Summer Solstice that seems a bit urgent? I haven't looked at the astrology surrounding this turn of the wheel, but it just feels "thick." I know there are a few eclipses coming up, but those don't directly touch the USA. The difference is slight, but significant. I'm wondering if this feeling is because I have several submissions and a major project coming due at that time? Is it because it's already been August hot? lol

There is a lot on the summer horizon and I'm looking forward to what I'm planning. In addition to having workshops and classes and attending a few as well, I've decided to take this time to do some serious personal work. Some people call it confronting your shadow self and tend to leave that for the winter months. I say shine on! Let's bring it out into the light! In  a way, Summer and winter have been reversed: When you had to work the land, your busy time was now, in the warm months, growing and harvesting food. The autumn was spent preparing it for the cold season. Once it was cold and dark out, people stayed in, had a chance to sit and think. Well, more of a chance anyway. I know I'm oversimplifying, but that's just to make my point: We've gotten used to summer being vacation time and winter is something you slog through every day doing your usual work. I'm having a staycation and using it to work on improving my skill set and ridding myself of that which does not serve, on all levels. An emotional garage sale LOL! One pile of anxiety: 50¢/oz! 2 old notions (not the sewing variety)/$1!

I've just taken a quick peek at what Astrogrrl has to say about the upcoming aspects and between 2 more eclipses and Saturn stationing direct, I think I nailed this one. Take a look for yourself! Not only am I on in regard to the this planetary energy, I've just outlined in the above paragraph what it means to have the full moon transit your 12th house:

Full Moon in the Twelfth House emphasizes our need for solitude to recharge, decompress, and rest. The full moon cycle may be a time... to reconnect with our subconscious drives, psychological self, and shed light on the deepest parts of us. Escape into our selves, uncover what has been hidden, and unravel the mystery that is the self.

Yeah. That too. So what do I say? I told myself so! Ha! Do go check for yourself where the full moon is about to land in your chart, and where Saturn is stationing direct and where Mercury is changing signs! Apologies for the quickie tonight, I'm still recovering from The Fun with the Nun!

"Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer"