A traditional Native American Incense.

I realize this has nothing to do with Italian, but it is still a Pagan sacred incense combination that the traditional Native Americans do burn on a regular basis. While I had a New Age type store in upstate NY I met pagans and New Age people of a very diverse background. One particular person I became very close friends with was a Native American feather healer. He did take me under his wing and taught me quite a bit about the Good Red Road. I eventually brought in Native American drummers, flutists, healers, jewelry designers, and begun attending many Native American Pow Wows.

He eventually took me to his home and introduced me to this  traditional sacred herb blend of incense. He had large containers of these sacred herbs in his basement. I will never forget the aroma as he walked me down into his basement. It was something I had never experienced.

He took equal amounts of each herb and blended them together. The burning of sage was to represent the spirits of the west. It was used to drive away any negative thoughts or spirits. Cedar was used to represent the spirits of the south. It was used as a purifier and to attract good energy. Sweet grass was used to represent the spirits of the north. The triple braid of sweet grass was used to represent mind, body, and spirit. The last herb tobacco represented the spirits of the east and was the most holy of plants and was the most sacred ceremonial herb for hundreds of years.

It is a very different incense blend that most New Age, Wiccan, or Crafters have never experienced. For me it is a very sacred Native American blend that very few non traditional Native Americans will ever know.

May all of you who gather these herbs, enjoy this very powerful Pagan blend.

Blessings,
Dusio

Beach Day

(NY Driver, you should skip this blog post, you might be allergic to it!)

This morning I packed the folks into the car and we drove to the beach. Chairs, umbrella, towels and all. And enough sand castle building toys to put Castel dell'ovo to shame! What's that? Egg castle? Yeah. It's in Naples. It was allegedly built on the ruins of a Roman fort.

It was named egg castle because, as legend has it, Virgil buried an egg somewhere in the foundation of the original building and as long as the egg remained unbroken, Naples would be safe.

When we got there, the tide was... hmmm I couldn't tell if it was going out or coming in. The waves were very rough, coming one after another a few times. We originally decided to go because my mom hurt her leg and wanted to take a dip in the ocean to heal it. That's something I was always told, from when I was young: Anything that hurts or is ailing you, go into the ocean, if at all possible. Ask Her to take away. I did the very spell I mentioned here before, only this time it was an offering, not a request. Tho the tide looked like it was going out when I was making it, the offering was taken instantly. I was removing my finger from the last sigil when a wave came up unexpectedly and took it out to sea. Then I saw a crab walking around under the wave. I'll take that as confirmation of message received!

I like to use ocean water in my rituals. Why bother adding salt to water when it's already there? Silly Wiccans ;) Why do you think the salt water is such a big deal? Why is salt water sacred? Rhetorical questions. It's all about the ocean. Then again, My People were from coastal cities, with strong attachments to the ocean.

I've barely been to the beach this year and I can feel the difference in my energy. Love the smell of the sand and being in between the worlds where water, earth air and fire all meet in the natural world. Who's up for a beach trip? I'll bring the beach toys!

The Source

Know the source!

I don't mean "The Source Of All Things." Just the source of information you cite. Today on facebook, a friend posted something about a festival of Venus being celebrated tonight and tomorrow, August 9th. He didn't cite his source. He usually doesn't, but most often I recognize the information's source, like a Gardnerian calendar or Dunwich's Wiccan Book of Days. For this post? No clue. I asked for the source of the information, haven't gotten a reply. Will update in comments if/when I do. (I think I found it. I only scanned through a few of the listings on the page, but I noticed at least 5 mistakes.)

The only Venus celebrations I know of in August is on the 19th, the Vinalia Rustica, which celebrates the founding of Her oldest known temple in Rome. She was also honored at a festival of Jupiter in late August. The only Roman celebration I know of tomorrow is the Opalia, in honor of Ops, and even that date is questioned. Let's remember that what is now August used to be sextillus, the sixth month. The ancient calendar was screwed six ways till nones and has been rectified over and over and over again through the ages. We still tinker with the calendar- 2012 is leap year!

"A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." --Mark Twain

Posting misinformation about an ancient festival date isn't immediately or terribly damaging to our society, but in the long run, it undermines who we are and ultimately what we do. There was a huge outcry years ago about how Pagans should "own" that Wicca is made up. Sure it is. But it's made up of pieces of indigenous, pre-christian traditions. Some of the methods are new, but the ideas are the same, ie: We drive cars now instead of use wagons to get around. Several authors and teachers felt the need to make up a lineage and grand claims, so much so that I sometimes get eye rolls when I tell people I practice my family tradition. Because people have made up information in the past, I currently get shit for it, and so do many Strega. It's one of the reasons why I started this blog. So I get sensitive about misinformation. Especially on my home turf.

If there is new information to be had, something I didn't know before, I want to learn it! So please give me the source of your information because if it is true, then I have a new source and reference and I am the better for it. This is why I respect Nova Roma: They do their work and their research and eek out new sources in the ancient record and in current archaeology finds. If it's about Venus and the Nova Roma folks don't know about it and your source isn't new, it's probably not true. This isn't to say I object to people posting information on topics when they aren't experts, just cite your sources, even if it's Personal Gnosis (especially when it's personal gnosis!)

If we are to be taken seriously, and by "we" I mean Pagans, then we have to know from whence we came: including what we celebrate and why we celebrate it, or why we choose to not celebrate something anymore. If you, as a teacher, or initiate, or general disseminator of information are to be taken seriously, you should cite your sources, or at least make them available to others. If you, as a student, take yourself seriously, don't believe everything people say without investigating the sources for yourself.

Just because it's in print doesn't mean it's true! This goes for me too! Call me on my bs if you see any, ask me to cite missing sources if you find any lacking. This just makes me a better blogger, a better expert and a better person.

Grand Mercury

 

 

I drove by here while taking a trip to NYC. It's Grand Central Station. And there's Mercury overseeing it all: Commerce! Travel! Communication! All in the heart of New York City! Flanking him are Minerva and Hercules. Behind him is the eagle of Zeus. I love how commanding he is in this portrayal. In many cases you see him standing around, or preparing to take off. Often he is depicted as a youth- so young, in fact, that it's hard to take him seriously as cunning. He looks incredibly innocent, nothing reflecting the experience beneath the surface. Perhaps that's the best deception of all?

In this portrayal, he is commanding. His cape is in motion, He is in motion. Minerva is reading over her scrolls, Hercules is ready to wield his hammer, and the eagle has his back. Don't forget the cornucopias on either side of the clock and the sheaf of wheat! What especially moves me is his face. Apologies for gushing tonight. Total crush lol

There are so many places around the country where we can still find Our Gods, and our ways, that it's a happy surprise, like a gift you didn't expect. I didn't expect that crossroad yesterday and I didn't expect to see Mercury that day, even though I knew He was there. Magic is all around us, we just have to shift our own perspective to appreciate it. 

Road Rage

Don't worry, not a rant! A story came out this weekend that the NY/NJ Port Authority wants to raise tolls by 50% The toll to get across the George Washington Bridge is already $8.00. They propose raising it to $12. WTF!!!! Happily, the Governors of both NY and NJ reject the proposal. Yay for bipartisanship.

Unfortunately, tolls are nothing new. In fact, they're downright ancient. Romans were the best at road building. They created the first paved roads. They were even smart enough to raise it in the middle so water would flow away from the road and even built gutters to carry it away. There are roads which were so well built they still serve as thoroughfares today. In reading about these marvels, I wondered how quickly folks were charged to use these roads. Apparently it was right from the start. Quoth the holy wiki:

Tolls abounded, especially at bridges. Often they were collected at the city gate. Freight costs were made heavier still by import and export taxes. 

Go figure.  There are also mentions of private citizens having to pay for, or supply labor for the maintenance of a road that crossed or bordered their property. Nice. Guess we still do that today through taxes, another ancient tradition.

Today the family went for a walk down a new trail which had just been paved, connecting an already existing trail with a huge dirt hill and footpath. It was cleared out a bit, graded slightly, and paved over. As we walked along, we passed by another path which hadn't been paved. I stopped while they went on, and found myself standing at a new crossroad. Well, it wasn't exactly new, but with the road freshly graded and paved, it felt newer. The energy was different, as if it hadn't really been imprinted yet. I said a quick prayer to Hecate and Mercury and caught up to the others. I want to go back there and explore the space again and make proper offerings, perhaps on the next dark moon.

Tonight, a Mommy deer and baby deer walked up my driveway and onto my property. Hubby came to get me when he saw them and I went outside. I saw the baby and knelt down with my hands in prayer pose, mostly praying that Diana would give me the Deer equivalent of Parseltongue. Mama deer had jumped over a fence that baby couldn't clear. I waited patiently and the baby deer started to walk over to me. It made me think of a puppy. Then kiddo moved and that was it, the baby deer was back to racing around. Ah well, can't blame a kid for being curious! For all I know, hubby could have scared it. We opened another gate and it went out.

I headed to the back where the Mommy deer was and did the same thing as with the baby. She came out from her hiding place and went towards the open gate but hubby was walking around and he scared her. She ran back to her hiding place and eventually jumped over the back fence. I heard her make the Mama call 3 times, then heard rustling. I will happily believe the two dashed back home together via the path we walked today. Can't wait to see them again, nibbling the grass by my labyrinth!

Were they a response to my prayers at the crossroads? I find it odd that they picked this exact night to walk up my paved driveway instead of their usual route across the grassy front lawn and each of them take an interest in me and only back off when one of the others made a move. I've always taken a keen interest in the animals who inhabit this land (including the bunnies, raccoon and hedgehog!) and am glad it feels like they know me too. I wonder if the bear will stop by for a visit too! ;)

Talismans and Amulets.

Most muggle people carry some type of magical charm but most would laugh at the thought of it carrying any magical power. They certainly will not call any coin, ring, something they hang off their car mirror, something they keep on their desk, a talisman. Every age, culture, and religious doctrine has made up talismans and amulets. In most cases the possession of a talisman is all that is needed to receive its benefits. A money talisman draws money and a love talisman draws love. Amulets and talismans bear seals that represent deity, spirit, or other supernatural beings.

Tonight I would like to discuss a very powerful love talisman. It is a double sided amulet made up of the 2nd and 4th pentacles of Venus. The Second Pentacle of Venus is known for obtaining grace and honor, and for all things which belong to Venus including accomplishing all thy desires herein. On the flip side of this amulet is the 4th Pentacle of Venus--It is of great power, since it compels the Spirits of Venus to obey, and to force any person you wish to come to you.

At the four angles of the figure are the four letters of the name IHVA (the unpronounceable name of God). The other ancient hebrew letters form the name of the Spirits of Venus, Schii, Eli, Ayili, etc. The Latin words around the circle are: Hoc est enim os de ossibus meis et caro de carne mea et erunt duo in carne una. This means "This is now bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh...And they shall be one flesh".

As always, any references will gladly be furnished.

BB,
Dusio

Reinventing the Wheel of the Year

I've posted on this concept from the learning side of the Pagan spectrum. Tonight I'm going to talk about our political side. I might just get ranty. I know, shock.

About 5 years ago, I was part of a gathering of Pagan groups. I was there on behalf of NYC Pagan Pride. This event was open to the public, but it wound up mostly being a networking session between the groups in the area (which is completely necessary in my opinion). I approached someone I had met before at PPP events and asked him about his group. He started to rattle off his groups mission statement... which I could finish. How did I know it? It was the exact same mission as NYC PPP, with barely a word changed. I was surprised so my first thought was actually spoken aloud: "Why did you start a new group instead of work with us at Pagan Pride?" I wasn't accusatory, I really wanted to know. We've always been in serious need of volunteers to help plan throughout the year and have never been shy in asking. So why the need to start a whole new group when equal say (input? power?) was being offered by an already existing group with the same mission? He stammered and said it was different, that they did different things, but couldn't name a single difference. Um, uh huh. Not so much. I thanked him for his answer and moved on.

Do people automatically think that an organization which is already established must be a large one? That there is an entrenched hierarchy? That they won't have a proverbial seat at the table? Do people just want to be in charge? I don't know. Maybe all of the above.

But that was more than 5 years ago. Something else is happening now and I blame facebook for it. 5 years ago, when an incident came up which required a response, some folks would put up a web page and/or start a mailing list. Then you had to somehow get traffic to the page or people on your list. Now? Takes 5 seconds to throw up a facebook page for a cause.

It takes a whole lot more than "liking" a page to make something happen. Yes, FB is one of the best publicity vehicles on the net, but there's a huge difference between clicking a button on a screen and actually doing something. The Hail Columbia page is interesting, and I see that they are trying to create an organization with state coordinators. Why create a whole new thing? There are organizations already out there working towards the same goals, so why not approach these groups to get together to work on it instead of reinventing the Wheel of the Year?

Covenant of the Goddess first officer, Peter Dybing, called on all Pagans to donate to Doctors without Borders, not just CoG members, and the community exceeded the goal. Why not put out a call to national groups to do something specific. I did, with my Gods Bless America event, but this was before the praying against us began. Without a noticeable threat present, only a handful of groups took up the charge.

Please don't get me wrong, I think the Hail Columbia idea is a really good one (especially since I thought of it 6 months ago, but focused on The Statue of Liberty instead. ;) What can I say, I'm a New Yorker!) What I don't like is the myriad of facebook pages out there that pop up like zits. They get a bunch of "likes" but then the momentum quickly fades when people are expected to do something. I read an article last night about a man who started a Facebook page to bring marriage equality to NY. He updated the page constantly. He would point people towards candidates to call and write and email. They backed up their clicks with real world action. Now that marriage equality has come to NY, the list is gone. He has created a new page for marriage equality across America. I wonder if the rest of the country is as tenacious.


I see many Pagans out there who are willing to take up a cause and who actually get things done burning out from taking on too much of the burden. What do you do when the cause is great but there is no backup? When will people step up? Has this generation become so comfortable in their civil rights that they need them to be stripped away in order to stand up? Is this a different kind of wheel? Do we have to reinvent the wheel of our civil rights? Do they have to first erode before we're willing to stand up for them? At this rate I'm going to sign on to be a Hail Columbia coordinator. ::headdesk::


One last note on facebook groups: Unless publicity is part of your mission, make the group a CLOSED group. Power shared is power halved. If someone knows what you're doing, they can work against you. This might just be a Strega thing, but it frosts my cupcakes to see planning information and action information accessible to someone who isn't part of the group. Take it behind virtual closed doors! Have someone make the commitment to step through your virtual threshold before they have access to who you are and what you do.