http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/ Reflections on life from a Canadian Wiccan. en-us 2008-01-11T11:56:13-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2008/01/11/reflections-on-pregnancy.php In just a few more days, a new baby will join quanta and I here at the Pond. So far I am feeling fine, but I am also well aware that things are moving along. Mostly though, I'm tired. I'm beginning to suspect that I'm not going to get that mythical burst of energy before I go into labour. Not that I particularly need it, since the house is clean and everything is ready for the baby. Although, there are all those baby announcements that should at least get addressed soon... Seriously though, this is an exciting and scary time. I can't wait to hold my baby, but I'm also concerned about his healthy and happiness, and wonder if we will be able to provide him with a good life. These are things all new parents worry about, I'm sure. Life, I know, will proceed the way it will proceed. The baby will either be colicky or not, he will either happily breastfeed or not. Although he is a helpless being (at least for a little while) he is also his own person. All quanta and I can do is provide love and support. In some respects I am looking... Baby silverlotus 2008-01-11T11:56:13-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2008/01/07/qray-and-the-ancient-chinese-art-of.php Q-Ray bracelets make me laugh. Maybe it is the commercial, where, in one version yoga is said to be an "ancient Chinese art", and a runner attributes her success to the bracelet...and possibly to her new coach. It may be because that the little ice block they use to display the bracelet in the commercial is really a place-card holder turned upside down. Or it could be that it reminds me of the weird Chinese guy and his long-life rings. (Sorry, no link for that one.) Regardless of the unlikeliness of a bracelet being able to mitigate pain, people seem to love them. When I worked at a gift shop, we sold similar looking perfectly normal silver bracelets (known as Taurus bracelets) that people snapped up because they said they worked just the same. Colour me skeptical. Back in November, Canada's excellent show Marketplace did an expose on the Q-Ray bracelet, which you can see here: Buying Belief. It is a long video, but well worth watching if you are tempted to buy one of these things. In short, the bracelets aren't ionized like the commercials claimed, and they don't do a darn thing. The president of the American branch... The Outside World silverlotus 2008-01-07T18:39:59-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2008/01/04/understanding-religious-war.php There are a lot of things I don't understand about the world. I don't understand people who murder or rape or rob; I don't understand why politicians lie. I don't understand why Canada is one of the most taxed nations on Earth. The things I have the greatest difficulty understanding, though, generally have to do with religion in one shape or another. Take, for example, the ongoing conflict in Israel. I just can't wrap my head around why people keep blowing each other up. quanta tells me it is mostly over land, with religion used as an excuse. It just happens that people of one faith want the land the people of another faith are on, and vice versa. Early this week I watched a documentary about the partition of India at the end of the British colonial rule. I just am not able to understand why people of different religions, who had lived in the same village for centuries, would suddenly insist that their neighbours must move to the other side of the sub-continent just because they belong to a different faith. It is my understanding, though a friend, that something similar happened when Bangladesh (once East Pakistan) declared... The Outside World silverlotus 2008-01-04T15:06:59-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/12/31/winding-down-the-year.php While both Wiccans and Christians celebrate the rebirth of their respective gods (more or less) at the same time, the lead up to the event couldn’t be more different. To Wiccans, the days between November Eve/Samhain (October 31st) and Winter Solstice/Yule (approx. December 21s) are meant to be a time to slow down and mourn the death of the god. For most North American Christians, November and December are the busiest time of year, with everyone rushing from mall to office party to family event and back to the mall, and then off to church. As with all generalizations, though, there are plenty of exceptions. There are those Wiccans who are just as caught up in the yearly gift giving and parting frenzy as anyone else (and I admit to being one until a few years ago), and there are those Christians who slow down during this time to honour what the birth of Jesus meant for humankind. (Just because I’m not Christian doesn’t mean I don’t think that Jesus wasn’t a pretty cool guy.) Growing up, it was always the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day that was the downtime for the year for me. Presents had been... Thoughts About My Life silverlotus 2007-12-31T12:42:29-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/12/13/ancestral-spirituality.php Wicca is generally viewed as a Celtic-inspired faith. The names most Wiccans use for the Sabbats come from Celtic culture, as to some of the most common names used for the Lord and Lady. In actuality, Wicca has very little in common with the religious practices of the Celtic people. But this doesn't stop people of Irish/Scottish/British ancestry from saying that they are drawn to Wicca because it reflects the ways of their ancestors. I am of Scotch-Irish stock, and I am a practitioner of Wicca. However, my path isn't that of Traditional Wicca, the path most heavily influenced by pseudo-Celtic elements. Instead, I consider myself an Eclectic Wiccan, which means I follow the general Wiccan framework but incorporate aspects of other paths. In my case, I don't focus on Celtic, or even Greek/Roman divinities (the next most common influence on Wicca), instead I am drawn to the goddesses and gods of Ancient Egypt. I wonder why sometimes, since They are obviously very far removed from my ancestry. (I harbour no illusions about being a priestess of Isis in a past life.) Sometimes I even feel a little guilty, like I should be honouring the divinities my ancestors likely honoured... Wicca silverlotus 2007-12-13T16:57:47-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/12/11/blogging-between-the-worlds.php Generally I don't like to join things like Top 100 lists or banner exchanges due to the often low quality of some or the sites that are included. It seems that the good, great and excellent sites are easily lost in the crush of the merely mediocre. However, I did recently decide to join a new Pagan Blogger's Top 100 Site, Blogging Between the Worlds. So far there are only a few sites, the majority of look like they will provide excellent reading material for a long time to come. I am particularly enjoying The Sacred Space by R.E. If you would like to vote for this site, please click the image below or look for the Blogging Between the Worlds image in the sidebar. Can anyone recommend a good Top 100 or link exchange for Pagan sites? I just haven't been able to find one. One more thing, my newest obsession: Grimoire Companion Insert Pages Pack - beautifully illustrated, lined, loose-leaf pages for grimoires and Books of Shadows. One please! (I can't draw to save my life!)... Site News silverlotus 2007-12-11T10:45:53-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/12/06/used-tarot-decks-yea-or-nay.php There are many myths that surround the use of the Tarot. Some of the most common include: Your first deck must be given to you as a gift--if this were true, I'd never have started reading Tarot Your deck must be wrapped in black silk to keep out any "bad vibes"--I've never done this, although I did wrap one deck in faux-silk, and still do. It seemed to suit the deck's temperament. No one should ever touch you deck--While I do keep a few decks just for my use, when I read for another person, I feel the reading works best if I allow them to shuffle From these three myths proceeds the idea that one should never buy or trade for a used deck. By buying/trading, the deck is not a gift, there is no way to guarantee that it was wprotected from bad vibes, and it clearly has been handled by hands other than one's own. In my opinion, trading for or buying used decks is an excellent way to obtain that illusive deck that you've been dying to get your hands on. (Yay, Hello Tarot!) It is also the perfect way to get rid of decks that... Tarot silverlotus 2007-12-06T20:19:41-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/12/05/chalk-river-closure.php Nuclear energy has received much bad press over the decades--Chernobyl and Three Mile Island come to mind immediately. Nuclear reactors are used to do more then power our computers and Xboxes--they can produce a radioisotope used in medical diagnostic tests for things such as cancer, bone disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Something to remember the next time a debate about nuclear reactors starts among your friends. I bring this up today not because I've suddenly gone pro-nuclear or because I am trying relive those few short days I consider Nuclear Engineering (no laughing!). Rather, I bring it up because the temporary closure the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, ON (where a friend works) has lead to a world-wide shortage of this medical radioisotope. This means that an untold number of people are having much needed diagnostic tests delayed until the reactor reopens and/or the radioisotope can be obtained from one of the two other reactors in the world that produce it. Years ago I underwent a bone scan that made use of this radioisotope. It wasn't a fun experience, but I was very thankful to learn that there was nothing seriously amiss with my bones. I can well understand how distressed... The Outside World silverlotus 2007-12-05T17:07:50-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/11/29/mom-message-boards.php Being my normal hermit-like self, I haven't joined any pregnant mom clubs/message boards or taken any childbirth classes where I will be forced to make friends with other people. I've managed to find plenty of support through my family, doctor and books. And since I feel happy and as prepared as I expect I can be, I don't think I'm missing out on much. Today, out of curiosity, I decided to take a look at a message board for moms due in January 2008. I thought that maybe there was some sort of camaraderie that I'm missing out on. Sadly, I have to say I was very disappointed with what I found. The message board seemed more like it was there to help the women either feed on their fears, pass bad advice, or complain. For example, one women with 7+ weeks to go before her due date is worried that her baby hasn't turned yet, and the other women think her decision to seeking an elective C-section is great. What?! It isn't unheard of for a baby to remain breech until a few days before labour begins. I think an elective C-section is a drastic step to take just... Baby silverlotus 2007-11-29T18:29:47-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/11/23/counting-down.php With the baby due to arrive in just under two months, I've been taking some time to... well, take some time for myself. I'm cross stitching, sleeping (when not being kicked awake constantly), reading, taking long baths, and just enjoying myself. Of course, I am somewhat limited in what I can do since I tire so easily. No long walks on cold (or even semi-cold) days, no time spent at the busy malls, no trips to Chinatown. I find that my tendency to avoid crowds has only got more intense as my pregnancy as progressed. I often find myself wondering how life is going to change come the middle of January. No sleeping through the night, I know, but what else? Will I really be run off my feet? Will I never have a minute to myself? Will quanta and I grow distance because we will be so focused on the baby? I don't expect life with a new baby to be perfect, but I also don't expect the world to cave in around me. I suppose all I can do is enjoy the calm before the storm, and be prepared for anything afterwards. One day, maybe fifteen or sixteen... Baby silverlotus 2007-11-23T16:00:23-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/11/20/a-technophilebibliophiles-dream.php To say that I am a bibliophile is a giant understatement. My personal library is probably getting close to 700 books, if not more. I read voraciously. I devour books. Heck, I've even bought at least five books for the baby, and he isn't even born yet! (I wonder how quickly I can teach him to read?) My love of books does cause me some pain though. I care a large purse partly so that I can always have a paperback book with me. I also use a pda phone (currently a PalmOne Treo 650), again, so that I have have at least two or three electronic books with me. One never knows when one will be stuck in a line, or stuck waiting for the subway, or any one of a myriad of situations where a book will provide relief! To me, the Holy Grail of portable books is a book reader that looks good, is light, and has a screen larger then a few inches (reading books on my Treo is painful). Amazon looks like they may have just released exactly what I am looking for: Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device. I am blown away--books, newspapers, blogs,... The Outside World silverlotus 2007-11-20T09:17:35-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/11/19/biblical-living.php The other weekend I read The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. On the surface, it seems like this would be an odd choice for a Pagan, but I found it very interesting. Maybe that was because I am fascinated by all religious practises, or maybe because A.J. Jacobs is a very funny writer. The book deals with Mr. Jacobs attempt to live by all, as in 700 some odd, rules in the Bible for a year. Some of them he tackles only once, like living in a hut in his living room, and others he tries to follow all year, like attaching tassels to his clothing and not trimming his facial hair or side locks. As part of his project, Mr. Jacob also visits with people who take the Bible literally, to varying degrees. He visits an Amish bed-and-breakfast, an orthodox Jew in Israel (his ex-uncle, Gil), a group of Red-Letter Christians, snake handler Jimmy Morrow, a Falwell mega-church, and the Creation Museum. While the Creation Museum was still under construction when he visited it, Mr. Jacobs managed to give a fairly good impression of what its creators believed--creation happened literally as described in the Bible. Dinosaurs, they... silverlotus 2007-11-19T10:00:36-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/11/07/creativ-in-the-fall.php At the end of October, I went to the bi-annual CreativFestival here in Toronto. There are two shows, one in the spring and one in the fall, that focus on needlework, quilting, knitting, scrapbooking etc. I go to the fall show, partly because it is easier for me to get to (the spring show being held in another part of the city), and partly because I enjoy the classes. This year I only took three class, since growing this wee baby inside me makes me very tired. My favourite class piece is Laura Dickson of Enchanting Lair's Jade Dragon. (You can see my work in progress here.) I love it so much that I have already bought a box in which to mount it, and a companion chart for matching stitching accessories (needle case, scissor keeper and fob.) I also took two classes by Dragon Dream's Jennifer Aikman-Smith: Teeny Tiny Treasure Chest (which really is tiny!) and Sleeping Dragon Ornament. These were great fun to stitch, and I am very happy to have finished them already. Jennifer Aikman-Smith also gave two lectures this year. The first was about creativity, mostly as it applied to crafting. However, I took about a... Cross Stitch silverlotus 2007-11-07T09:53:05-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/10/29/too-many-tarot-decks.php When I first discovered the Tarot it seemed like a mysterious tool just waiting to have its secrets unlocked by me, a slightly nerdy young teenage girl with a passion for video games. Truly, I knew that the secrets of the Ancient Egyptians were locked in those cards just waiting for me. Never mind, of course, that my first deck was the Aquarian Tarot, a psychedelic mix of art deco style and the 1970s, with nary a Pharaoh in sight. Back then, somewhere around 18 years ago(!), Tarot decks and books were still relatively rare. I struggled along with Eden Gray's Complete Guide to the Tarot, Emily Peach's Tarot Workbook (now Understanding and Using the Tarot, and still a hellish fest of memorization), and the Aquarian Tarot's Christian slanted companion book Psychic Tarot by Craig Junjulas for many years. It was also a long time before I expanded by Tarot collection. My next two decks were soon sold to the local used book store, since they didn't meet my expectations of what Tarot should be. My collection didn't permanently expand until I added the Witches Tarot by Ellen Cannon Reed after about 3 years. My collection slowly increased, with the... Tarot silverlotus 2007-10-29T22:03:44-05:00 http://lotuspond.silentblue.net/blog/archives/2007/10/18/religion-and-reality.php A few days ago someone wrote to me about their difficulty blending religion and reality. This person asked questions (rhetorically) that most thinking religious people do: If the gods made the universe, who made them? How did they create the universe? Etc. I responded to this person very honestly, writing that I often wonder the same things myself. I come from a background heavy with math and science, and questions about the reality of my beliefs have often kept me thinking about how a rational person can believe in super beings who know and can do all. It sounds pretty silly to me when I put it that way, and yet, I still belive in them. In all that thinking, though, I was forgetting something very important: feelings. We are all much more than our rational brain, even (especially) when pretend that we are not. Mathematical formulas and physics may rule the physical world, but they do not rule our hearts. Try finding a formula for love! Religion is what is needed to tame our internal world. And just as that internal world is illogical, so is the system (religion) that we use to explain it. I don't think our... Spirituality silverlotus 2007-10-18T12:03:12-05:00