paganism

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Post – “H” for “Hellion”

“A mischievous, troublesome, or unruly person”

There are certain instances in life (for me, anyway) where it has been to my benefit to be fall under this definition. In general, I can most certainly be described as a hellion simply for being who I am.

I am ok with this.

My mother and her mother before her were trailblazers in their own way; my Grandma for never letting her dark skin keep her from being a business owner and my Ma, who never let society tell her what was the “right” or “wrong” definition of a family. As their descendant, I try to live up to their example by never allowing others to dictate how I live my life.

This includes how I practice my religion. Of course there are correspondences and certain rules to be followed, but how I practice and my choice to practice at all was a huge departure from what would make most of my family comfortable. My Ma and Grandma nay not have agreed with my choice of spirituality but they certainly wouldn’t begrudge me my choice. After all it would be disrespectful to their memory if I were to simply let sleeping dogs lie.

As one in a long line of hellions, who has given birth to who I am SURE will be another, I honor their memory by not simply accepting, forging my own path. I know it’s what they would have wanted.

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Project – “G” for “Gratefullness”

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I am lucky for what I have. Even though I got rejected for that anthology, I am grateful to have plenty of other places to use it and the chance to edit it the way I want it.

I am grateful for my vacation and to be back with my family. I am grateful for my life and everything in it that makes me smile for even the barest second. Because life’s too short to be all frowny all the time. 🙂

 

 

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Project: “F” for “Forgiveness”

I’ve posted about forgiveness before but a lot has happened since then and I’ve had a recent update.

As things progress on the processing of my Ma’s will, the lawyer who wrote it was finally found. Turns out the way it was worded did NOT mean Ma thought was some sort of an empty headed ninny who could be manipulated by her husband into leaving her child homeless. It was meant to go into a trust to protect me in case of divorce.

To be fair, the will was drafted during a time when me and my husband were having MAJOR problems and divorce was very likely. Since then, we have grown so much as a couple and as individuals that our marriage is much stronger. Part of this had to do with Ma’s sickness and eventual death. We really had to support each other during that time. Mainly, it was about growing the hell up. For the both of us.

Knowing this was such a weight off my shoulders. Ma saw what a good man my husband became and always knew her daughter had a good head on her shoulders. (“Sane,” no. “Good,” yes.) But life happens and she wanted a fail-safe to protect her daughter. So, for that I forgive her. I let go of my anger  and move on towards healing.

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Project – “F” for “Fire”

Seeing as how I recently burned myself, I have a new respect for flames. >_<

The story goes as follows: While boiling pasta for dinner, one hand slipped from the handle on the pot and scalding hot water spills on my thigh. Let me tell you, I have never taken my pants off so fast in my life.

Nearly a week later, now that the blisters have popped and the skin is healing, I have seen the why and the lesson fire had for me; pay attention. Life is here. Life is NOW. And if you aren’t looking, life will be gone. Or you will spill boiling hot water on your leg. :p You have to be present in every moment and celebrate it.

The burn was like a shock to my system. Despite the bandages and ointment and pain, I’m doing the things I enjoy with no excuses and having more fun with my family. In part, it’s guilt from scaring the begeezuz out of them (I screamed. Loud.) but my passion for life is back.

But my message to the universe is simply this: Less painful lessons next time. >D

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Project – “E” for why I’m Eclectic

Like a lot of other Pagans, I didn’t start out that way. I was Christian, then Wiccan, now I consider myself a Solitary Eclectic Pagan.

For many, this is code fore “I mishmash traditions I don’t understand and do whatever I please.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. I personally found through years of research and practice that all in all, the divine feminine and masculine are the two main concepts of diety. The names are facets of jewels; different aspects of the same two forces. Hence I became Pagan instead of Wiccan or Hoodoo or any ONE tradition.

Being Eclectic means I can celebrate all the traditions which make me ME. I am biracial and multicultural so I can draw upon what jives with me and leave behind what doesn’t. Through trial and error, I can also discard rituals, prayers, and tools I do not need. It may be the epitome of D.I.Y. religion but is that really so bad? Is the man who prays while washing dishes better than the man who only prays in church? If the gods are everywhere, They won’t really quibble if I keep my athame on the right or left or if I use one at all.

atthequillsmercy

Pagan Blog Project – “C” for Cartomancy

My mother, who said my being Pagan was cool as long as I didn’t “do anything to the cat,” is the one who bought me my first deck of tarot cards. Such things were a favored gift from others for awhile (till I begged people to stop giving them to me) but this deck was the first (and for awhile ONLY) deck to work for me.

In fact, cards are the only divination method to work for me at all. o_O I’ve tried runes, boards, scrying, but not the I-Ching because I heard it involves math and I have taken great pains in my life to avoid evil number wizardry whenever I can. 😉

The way I do readings for myself (or anyone else if they ask me all pretty like) is by shuffling the cards and asking “What would be the outcome if ______?” And I use most frequently The Navigator’s Tarot of the Mystic Sea (the one my Ma bought me) and I lay them out in a three row spread which looks like an arrow. Each line is the past, present, and future.  I’ve gotten some pretty good insights in things using this method and I like it because it tells me if I continue on the current path, this is what is most likely to happen. It’s changeable. I don’t desire to know the future, per se, I want to be warned if I’m about to step in a pothole.

The only other deck I use is the Dragon Tarot. I bought this deck because it mystically felt… Oh, because dragons are awesome. >D This deck also works for me (I have stopped buying decks now) and I use the same spread. I have a book of tarot spreads but the arrow formation works so I am the most familiar with that one.

As for which deck I use and when, it’s totally random. I think “Hey, it’d be nice to use the dragon one today.” Sometimes I do three card day readings but not all the time. Honestly, I’m lucky I leave the house on time most mornings so stopping to do a tarot reading isn’t… In the cards.

You know I had to make that joke once. 😉

atthequillsmercy

Let’s all share! Or not… Picking my battles.

I got a flyer in my kid’s folder inviting parents to come share their holiday traditions. I didn’t even have to read the whole thing in order to decide there was no way in hell I was doing that even if I was free from work to do so.

Why? This is why. And so is this.

I have no intention of turning my kid’s pre-k into a religious battle ground and making school miserable for her. Granted, in all likelihood, nothing would come of me going there and saying what the Solstice means to me but if I’m gonna throw down for my religion, it’s not gonna be there.

You may think me cowardly for not using this as a teaching opportunity or something like that, but I pick my battles carefully. When someone asks me what my pentacle means, I tell them exactly what it means. If another parent has a problem with me rolling up to the school with all my pentacles on, it’s on them, not me. I remove them for NO ONE. But it’s not MY school, it’s my daughter’s. I teach her my traditions but I feel it’s not the right place to get such a discussion started.

atthequillsmercy

Ookaay…

I normally try to avoid getting political on here but seriously, the 80’s called and they want their outrage back. I don’t care what party you belong to but the days of annonymus ignorance are over. If the laziest Google search can prove you wrong, you have gained the status of Uber Idiot, and should be poked with a stick every 5 minutes to remind you how to breathe.

This woman obviously knows crap about Wicca and should try to educate herself so she stops sounding like an ignorant harpy.

See? I was specific. I didn’t generalize and say she sounds like all harpies. That would be wrong.