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( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Showing posts with label environmentalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environmentalism. Show all posts
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Future?
Reading predictions about the future scares me. Anything about peak oil, the collapse of society as we know it, and/or the dystopian reality we're supposedly headed to depresses me. It also fascinates me and inspires me to continue to develop my gardening and other DIY skills. Signs point to their necessity in the future.
But even if the proverbial shit hits the fan, I still won't feel ready. Perhaps that's why a lot of people tune out environmentalism. There's so much doom and gloom. People don't want to think about changing their routines, perspectives, and diets because it's hard. People don't like hard.
Not all of us let the difficulty stop us from attempting to change. We care about the health of our Earth Mother and brother and sister Nature Spirits. We accept the responsibility. We stop eating so much garbage and start eating more local/organic/veggie. We start to make our own cosmetics and cleaning products out of more natural and less harmful materials. We slowly phase out our use of plastic bags and paper towels in favor of cloth bags and rags. We refuse to buy new furniture from Walmart and Target in favor of antiques. We try to drive less/walk more/bike more/purchase more fuel efficient vehicles.
And yet despite all of those very important baby steps, many of us sometimes feel like we're floundering.
I once got into an argument with a complete stranger. She argued that the government isn't responsible for changing the way people behave. Individuals need to make better and more informed choices and the smallest changes are the most important. I agreed with her that making small changes is, indeed, a very important part of moving our society towards sustainability, but I disagreed vehemently about the place of government. The government's arguably miniscule changes in environmental policy this past decade are what gets me so depressed. I can make all the little changes I can stand but, in the end, the government needs to make big changes.
My biggest pet peeve in Northern NY is the lack of mass transit. There are buses but they are the least convenient things in the world. Our ability to utilize them is severely limited, rendering them practically useless. As I wrote yesterday, I want to walk to work more. We finally have a local farmers' market but they are still very small. We were able to go once and walked there, which was wonderful. We can walk or bike to the post office or the library. Otherwise, we cannot walk to our local organic/local markets, to the hospital, to the vet, the pharmacy, art supply shops... We are left dependent on cars. While I'm very excited about my new car, I lament my continued financial support of the status quo. I sometimes feel stuck, even while taking control of so many other changes in my life. My desire for a higher education meant I needed loans which now need paying off. The economic environment meant I had to move away from a more pedestrian-friendly environment to a rural area because that's the best I could do. Stuck stuck stuck.
At least I live in an agricultural wonderland full of many local, organic farmers. At least I get to breath in fresh country air. At least my house is powered by the local river. There. I'm being optimistic. :)
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
But even if the proverbial shit hits the fan, I still won't feel ready. Perhaps that's why a lot of people tune out environmentalism. There's so much doom and gloom. People don't want to think about changing their routines, perspectives, and diets because it's hard. People don't like hard.
Not all of us let the difficulty stop us from attempting to change. We care about the health of our Earth Mother and brother and sister Nature Spirits. We accept the responsibility. We stop eating so much garbage and start eating more local/organic/veggie. We start to make our own cosmetics and cleaning products out of more natural and less harmful materials. We slowly phase out our use of plastic bags and paper towels in favor of cloth bags and rags. We refuse to buy new furniture from Walmart and Target in favor of antiques. We try to drive less/walk more/bike more/purchase more fuel efficient vehicles.
And yet despite all of those very important baby steps, many of us sometimes feel like we're floundering.
I once got into an argument with a complete stranger. She argued that the government isn't responsible for changing the way people behave. Individuals need to make better and more informed choices and the smallest changes are the most important. I agreed with her that making small changes is, indeed, a very important part of moving our society towards sustainability, but I disagreed vehemently about the place of government. The government's arguably miniscule changes in environmental policy this past decade are what gets me so depressed. I can make all the little changes I can stand but, in the end, the government needs to make big changes.
My biggest pet peeve in Northern NY is the lack of mass transit. There are buses but they are the least convenient things in the world. Our ability to utilize them is severely limited, rendering them practically useless. As I wrote yesterday, I want to walk to work more. We finally have a local farmers' market but they are still very small. We were able to go once and walked there, which was wonderful. We can walk or bike to the post office or the library. Otherwise, we cannot walk to our local organic/local markets, to the hospital, to the vet, the pharmacy, art supply shops... We are left dependent on cars. While I'm very excited about my new car, I lament my continued financial support of the status quo. I sometimes feel stuck, even while taking control of so many other changes in my life. My desire for a higher education meant I needed loans which now need paying off. The economic environment meant I had to move away from a more pedestrian-friendly environment to a rural area because that's the best I could do. Stuck stuck stuck.
At least I live in an agricultural wonderland full of many local, organic farmers. At least I get to breath in fresh country air. At least my house is powered by the local river. There. I'm being optimistic. :)
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Saturday, September 11, 2010
More on Ahimsa and The Spirit of the Deer
A hierarchy naturally implies that I feel I am better and more privileged than other creatures. As I've expressed to others before, I really don't think that. I don't believe that humans are any better or worse than the other Nature Spirits. I believe we all have natural talents and that some of us are better at certain things. Framed by human-centric values and aspirations, I can say that we are more creative and innovative than other creatures (sometimes for better or worse), but there is a bit of hubris to that. I am proud to call myself creative and artistic, but I am not close-minded to the possibility that some other creatures have a different definition of art and think of themselves as more capable in that area than us. Who really knows?
In the end, I have made a spiritual decision about what I will and will not eat. It almost seems like a hierarchy in that I am choosing to eat some things and not others, but I feel no true superiority over the plants I eat. I have a great respect for plants. I talk to them, ask permission before I harvest, leave offerings, sing to them, and thank them frequently. I hug trees and am not ashamed to admit that. I do not feel as closely related to plants as I do those in the animal kingdom, but I fill a kinship nonetheless.
In talking more about it to prophet_maid, I compared myself to herbivores like rabbits and deer. I explained that I didn't feel removed from the natural cycles of life or somehow less human because I was denying myself participation in a common human act. I said that I was just as connected to the cycles of life as a deer. I don't see it as the denial of basic human needs; I see it as another way of experiencing humanity - a way just as valid as eating sustainable meat. Thinking of it this way in combination with the end of my previous post, in which I discuss spiritual prohibition and life lessons, it makes so much more sense to me. I am feeling more comfortable simply saying that it is a spiritual choice I have made connected to the lessons I must learn at this time in this life. Perhaps there will come a time when I am meant to learn the lessons of eating meat again. Who really knows?
Comparing myself to a deer, though, opened up a new door - one that has been slowly opening for years. I've had different spiritual experiences with deer. I could say it started as a child as I delighted at seeing the deer outside my home, but what child wouldn't feel that way? Truly, the first time I felt spiritually tuned in to this creature was when I started college. I was in a rough place emotionally. Although I was experimenting with Wicca before a breakup, it was after that I really became a practicing Pagan. It was then that I started to work harder and develop my skills. I went into the woods to meditate. One day, after meditating, I opened my eyes and was surrounding by a herd of deer. It seemed like a buck and a harem of does. I looked at the buck and I remember that I wasn't afraid. I was in awe as he stared me down. I remember saying to him in my mind, "I'm not here to hurt anyone." He made a noise - the first time I ever heard a deer speak in anyway - and stamped a hoof. The herd moved away, dissolving into the woods. I felt such a rush and instinctively felt like, after so many years of playing in the woods as a child, I was finally formally allowed there. Was the spirit of the Horned God in that deer? I've never been sure, exactly, but it was one of the most spiritually important events in my life.
The second time I brushed with the spirit of deer came during meditation. I met with a spirit of the forest - a fair woman who called herself a lady of the deer. I was then obsessed, for a short time, with Flidais. I tried to research her and seek advice from others. There is little on her, and some people seemed dismissive of it. Yet I felt so drawn. I still do... I let that fall by the wayside because I didn't want to seem too "New Agey" to Celtic Reconstructionists and scholarly folk who seemed to think she was just a literary character in the tales and little more. I wasn't as driven or emotionally strong then.
Most recently, I was in the woods making offerings. I called to the spirits of the forest and asked for their teachings. In that moment, a deer ran through in the distance, vanishing into the darkness. I wanted to follow it, but was also frightened for some reason...
I don't think of myself as the sort to attach oracular significance to every natural event I witness. Most of the time, if I see a raven, fox, or such, I just hail it as a passing nature spirit. There might be a lesson, but most of the time it is simply a blessing to see them. I feel lucky for that alone. The deer though... I cannot shake the significance of those times. I feel that this is something I should really work through and explore more. Perhaps I have another spirit guide I should be working with in addition to Breeze the Lynx? Perhaps I should start walking into that darkness and facing the fears.
The doll above, "Flidais," was made by the extremely talented Forest Rogers.
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Ahimsa and Druidism?
The fact that I'm a Druidic vegetarian quietly amuses me. My ancestors were Irish, Scottish, and Germanic! They ate mutton, haggis, and sausage! My ancient Irish ancestors looked to Druids for spiritual guidance - which often involved blood. On Samhain, the herds were culled before the hard, cold months. My ancestors were from Northern Europe. They were herders, raiders, hunters, and fishermen.
They would probably have a hearty laugh at me! Yet I understand that their world was different from my own. They had to eat meat and other animal products to survive. Animals were often raised more sustainably than they are today on their giant factory farms. My ancestors in the northern climes just didn't have the choices that the Mediterranean Pythagoreans, the Hindus, or the Jains had. Not to mention, my ancestors did many things that probably should not be done today anyway...
I've been a meat-free vegetarian for about as long as I've been a Pagan*. For me, the two are hand in hand but I've never been able to exactly express why. I've always known that a part of it has to do with a deep respect for nature. But that is only part of it. Carnivores and omnivores are also part of nature and I do not deny their place or rights. My spirit guide is a carnivore. My animal companions are carnivores. They have never expressed a desire to give up meat and I don't think it would be healthy to force it on them anyway**. But I feel like I have a choice, and I don't feel like it furthers me from the food chain. I am basically an herbivore. If my spirit animal doesn't eat me first, then I will die and be eaten by smaller things and go back to the plants I ate. As long as I am not in a survival situation, I feel quite content eating as I do.
An lj friend and fellow ADFer*** recently posted this article entitled "I Was Wrong About Veganism" by George Monbiot. Basically the author, who once insisted that Veganism was the only ethical response to the environmental, health, and food dilemmas of this world, takes back the statement and gives his reasons based on new statistics. He argues that going local and returning to traditional feeding methods is the best for the environment and the animals. I totally agree, and the article made me feel better about my recent decision to consume dairy products again, albeit with a nearly strict preference for organic and/or local. The rare bit of cheese I eat must be rennet free. (On a side note, I feel like Brighid, my patroness who has very close ties with dairy, kept bugging me when I gave it up. So yes, in a way I do feel spiritually obligated to eat some of her essence.)
My friend is one of many Pagans I know who argue that eating meat and eating local is a moral act, to use her choice of words. By eating meat she is imitating the Gods. I get that, and I'm not about to say they are wrong, horrible people - especially if they are eating sustainably harvested meat. And yet... I still don't feel compelled to eat it myself. I've never felt spiritually motivated or pushed to. Quite the opposite.
I recently started to read more about Hinduism and Jainism in my quest to better articulate what, exactly, drives me to live the way I do. I could call myself an ethical vegetarian (someone who is a vegetarian for ethical reasons), but that implies that people who do eat sustainable meat are unethical...which isn't right or healthy to assume, in my opinion. I do what I feel is ethical for myself. In my studies, I came to the concept of ahimsa which is Sanskrit for the concept of doing no harm. It is an interesting and complicated subject but I rather enjoy learning about it because a lot of it is what I believe for myself. My friend Parallax first helped me begin this process of articulation when she mentioned a thought she had had when she was a vegetarian - there is a difficult to express hierarchy, which is why many of us are somehow okay eating plants. But even so, I try to be as respectful to plants as possible, thanking them for their nourishment, asking for permission before I harvest them, and leaving gifts of nuts or drink when I do. Even then, I try not to take everything - just enough for myself and for the plant to further flourish. Turns out, Jains believe in this hierarchy and have organized it. It is quite interesting, especially in light of recent arguments that "intelligent" animals like dolphins, whales, apes, octopuses, and squid should not be eaten at all.
So what does all of this mean to someone following a Druidic path? In Irish lore, some people are under geasa - magical bound to do or avoid something. Fate. One famous geis belonged to Cuchulainn. Because of his practically totemic connection to dogs, he was spiritually forbidden to eat of their flesh. As fate would have it, he ended up eating dog (due to other geasa in place) and this was part of his undoing. Perhaps not eating flesh period is my own personal geis - my spiritual fate? Perhaps it is merely this life's lesson. I have already learned much from my journey of fruit salads and lentil burgers - integrity, compassion, empathy, acceptance, patience, creativity... So much. Perhaps in this life, I am not meant to eat the salmon of knowledge - instead I am to share the hazelnuts of wisdom with the salmon themselves.
*I gave up red meat when I was 8 so I've been a flexitarian or vegetarian of some sort for a very long time.
** It would totally fail anyway. My cats like catching flies waaaay too much.
*** I don't know if she wants her username floating out in the virtual ether so unless she wants official credit, I will respect her privacy.
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
They would probably have a hearty laugh at me! Yet I understand that their world was different from my own. They had to eat meat and other animal products to survive. Animals were often raised more sustainably than they are today on their giant factory farms. My ancestors in the northern climes just didn't have the choices that the Mediterranean Pythagoreans, the Hindus, or the Jains had. Not to mention, my ancestors did many things that probably should not be done today anyway...
I've been a meat-free vegetarian for about as long as I've been a Pagan*. For me, the two are hand in hand but I've never been able to exactly express why. I've always known that a part of it has to do with a deep respect for nature. But that is only part of it. Carnivores and omnivores are also part of nature and I do not deny their place or rights. My spirit guide is a carnivore. My animal companions are carnivores. They have never expressed a desire to give up meat and I don't think it would be healthy to force it on them anyway**. But I feel like I have a choice, and I don't feel like it furthers me from the food chain. I am basically an herbivore. If my spirit animal doesn't eat me first, then I will die and be eaten by smaller things and go back to the plants I ate. As long as I am not in a survival situation, I feel quite content eating as I do.
An lj friend and fellow ADFer*** recently posted this article entitled "I Was Wrong About Veganism" by George Monbiot. Basically the author, who once insisted that Veganism was the only ethical response to the environmental, health, and food dilemmas of this world, takes back the statement and gives his reasons based on new statistics. He argues that going local and returning to traditional feeding methods is the best for the environment and the animals. I totally agree, and the article made me feel better about my recent decision to consume dairy products again, albeit with a nearly strict preference for organic and/or local. The rare bit of cheese I eat must be rennet free. (On a side note, I feel like Brighid, my patroness who has very close ties with dairy, kept bugging me when I gave it up. So yes, in a way I do feel spiritually obligated to eat some of her essence.)
My friend is one of many Pagans I know who argue that eating meat and eating local is a moral act, to use her choice of words. By eating meat she is imitating the Gods. I get that, and I'm not about to say they are wrong, horrible people - especially if they are eating sustainably harvested meat. And yet... I still don't feel compelled to eat it myself. I've never felt spiritually motivated or pushed to. Quite the opposite.
I recently started to read more about Hinduism and Jainism in my quest to better articulate what, exactly, drives me to live the way I do. I could call myself an ethical vegetarian (someone who is a vegetarian for ethical reasons), but that implies that people who do eat sustainable meat are unethical...which isn't right or healthy to assume, in my opinion. I do what I feel is ethical for myself. In my studies, I came to the concept of ahimsa which is Sanskrit for the concept of doing no harm. It is an interesting and complicated subject but I rather enjoy learning about it because a lot of it is what I believe for myself. My friend Parallax first helped me begin this process of articulation when she mentioned a thought she had had when she was a vegetarian - there is a difficult to express hierarchy, which is why many of us are somehow okay eating plants. But even so, I try to be as respectful to plants as possible, thanking them for their nourishment, asking for permission before I harvest them, and leaving gifts of nuts or drink when I do. Even then, I try not to take everything - just enough for myself and for the plant to further flourish. Turns out, Jains believe in this hierarchy and have organized it. It is quite interesting, especially in light of recent arguments that "intelligent" animals like dolphins, whales, apes, octopuses, and squid should not be eaten at all.
So what does all of this mean to someone following a Druidic path? In Irish lore, some people are under geasa - magical bound to do or avoid something. Fate. One famous geis belonged to Cuchulainn. Because of his practically totemic connection to dogs, he was spiritually forbidden to eat of their flesh. As fate would have it, he ended up eating dog (due to other geasa in place) and this was part of his undoing. Perhaps not eating flesh period is my own personal geis - my spiritual fate? Perhaps it is merely this life's lesson. I have already learned much from my journey of fruit salads and lentil burgers - integrity, compassion, empathy, acceptance, patience, creativity... So much. Perhaps in this life, I am not meant to eat the salmon of knowledge - instead I am to share the hazelnuts of wisdom with the salmon themselves.
*I gave up red meat when I was 8 so I've been a flexitarian or vegetarian of some sort for a very long time.
** It would totally fail anyway. My cats like catching flies waaaay too much.
*** I don't know if she wants her username floating out in the virtual ether so unless she wants official credit, I will respect her privacy.
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Dilemma
Next weekend, Pagan pride descends on North-Western NY in the form of the Central NY Pagan Pride Festival in Liverpool, NY (near Syracuse). I'm really excited about the keynote speaker, Patti Lafayllve. She's a practicing heathen devoted to Freyja and seidh work. Even though I follow an Irish-inspired path, I do have Norse blood in me and know that the Celtic nations often interacted with them (hence my mixed ancestry!). I feel that I could learn a lot from seidh. Really, I think any trance-related workshops would be greatly beneficial to my spiritual growth*.
I was delighted to hear that Lafayllve is performing a rite using oracular seidh. Unfortunately it's the night before Pagan Pride Day... And I live an hour and a half away. Now it wouldn't have been an issue if things had gone according to plan. My husband now has to go into work Saturday morning for a meeting that he cannot get out of. We didn't anticipate this and had been talking about going to Syracuse Friday for the rite, getting a hotel, and staying for Pagan Pride. Bugger! A part of me really wants to go to the rite anyway. It's something I've never seen before and I want to learn more about it! Yet the driving... An hour and a half down, an hour and a half back. Then the next day we would do the same thing!
"But Grey," you chime in, "don't you deserve to go? Don't you have every right to further your knowledge? It's not that bad of a drive."
Yes, I know... But there's a part of me that would feel like a huge hypocrite. Druidism, to me, is very Earth-centric. I work so hard to make sustainable choices. If I do so much driving for selfish reasons, it seems spiritually counter-productive. It practically negates everything else I do... We recently figured out how many miles my husband drives to work every week and it's depressing. We really need to move between our two places of employment.
It's not that bad if I miss the rite... I'm hopeful that I'll get the opportunity to see something like it in the future and learn more then. And as long as Weretoad's meeting gets done in time, I should be able to make the two workshops Lafayllve is giving then - one on Ásatrú and the other on deepening relationships with Goddesses - in her case, Freyja. It just stinks. I'm so often faced with these transportation dilemmas. I'm hoping to get a second car soon so that I have more freedom - freedom to pursue grad school and other areas of interest. Even so... it's so much pollution and so much driving...
I'm so ready for mass public transportation in the US now.
*Well...almost any...
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
I was delighted to hear that Lafayllve is performing a rite using oracular seidh. Unfortunately it's the night before Pagan Pride Day... And I live an hour and a half away. Now it wouldn't have been an issue if things had gone according to plan. My husband now has to go into work Saturday morning for a meeting that he cannot get out of. We didn't anticipate this and had been talking about going to Syracuse Friday for the rite, getting a hotel, and staying for Pagan Pride. Bugger! A part of me really wants to go to the rite anyway. It's something I've never seen before and I want to learn more about it! Yet the driving... An hour and a half down, an hour and a half back. Then the next day we would do the same thing!
"But Grey," you chime in, "don't you deserve to go? Don't you have every right to further your knowledge? It's not that bad of a drive."
Yes, I know... But there's a part of me that would feel like a huge hypocrite. Druidism, to me, is very Earth-centric. I work so hard to make sustainable choices. If I do so much driving for selfish reasons, it seems spiritually counter-productive. It practically negates everything else I do... We recently figured out how many miles my husband drives to work every week and it's depressing. We really need to move between our two places of employment.
It's not that bad if I miss the rite... I'm hopeful that I'll get the opportunity to see something like it in the future and learn more then. And as long as Weretoad's meeting gets done in time, I should be able to make the two workshops Lafayllve is giving then - one on Ásatrú and the other on deepening relationships with Goddesses - in her case, Freyja. It just stinks. I'm so often faced with these transportation dilemmas. I'm hoping to get a second car soon so that I have more freedom - freedom to pursue grad school and other areas of interest. Even so... it's so much pollution and so much driving...
I'm so ready for mass public transportation in the US now.
*Well...almost any...
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Living in Northern NY
As of August 6th, Weretoad and I have been residents of Northern NY for a year. We moved up here from the Mohawk Valley last year. It's been a bit of a transition. I've been meaning to write about it.
In many ways, the North Country is similar to the Mohawk Valley. It's still NY and therefore we witness similar plants and animals. Each area enjoys productive agricultural areas and lovely rivers and/or canals. We're a couple hours away from the Utica/Rome area, so I'm not seriously removed from my family and friends.
That said there are differences. Few people see wild bears in the Mohawk Valley, but they're quite common up here, as are bobcats*. There have even been lynx and cougar sightings. This is probably because life up here is more agriculture than in the Mohawk Valley which is heavily urban and suburban except for a few happy exceptions. The bigger animals haven't been driven out yet.
The rivers in the North Country seem more appreciated. They are a central part of life here and not just something discussed in 4th grade social studies. People celebrate our rivers. Schools incorporate them into their songs. The St. Lawrence is huge to our tourist industry, and many people who reside in this area enjoy it for sport, beauty, and sustenance.
The urban and suburban centers, while spread apart, have grown on me. Alexandria Bay is kitschy but the views are beautiful and the swimming area is great on a hot day. Clayton is one of my favorite places to go. It seems to be the artistic center of Northern NY with its textile museum, antique boat museum, studios, galleries, opera house, and art classes. The view of the St. Lawrence is just as spectacular there. The dining is also wonderful and vegetarian friendly.
Potsdam, an hour away from us, is a lovely college town full of cafes, international cuisine, boutiques, and access to the Raquette River. There is art and academia, and it seems very pedestrian friendly. I wish it were closer so I could live there!
Our city is Watertown. While smaller than Utica, it seems cleaner and more alive. There are many shops, restaurants, a huge and ornate library, and a thriving farmers market that is right in the middle of everything on Wednesdays (although parking is hard to find...) and a second, smaller one closer to the community college on Saturdays.
I am finding things to keep me busy outside of work and home. There are a lot of classes that I would like to take advantage of when I have a little more money - yoga, sustainable/organic gardening, tai chi, weaving, drumming.... I've even found belly dancing classes a few towns away. The CUUPs chapter is now providing me a place to practice Paganism more regularly with others. A second New Age shop just opened up here. The Mustard Seed in Watertown is my vegetarian cafe. We have an amazing Thai restaurant, a decent Indian restaurant, and now have hibachi! We are super close to the Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Ottawa, and Montreal. The military presence originally gave Northern NY a conservative feel, and I'm sure a majority of people here are very conservative, but the area is more diverse than that. I'm feeling happier here and more at home, and that's even without me waxing poetic about how I have an amazing job with wonderful people!
There are things I miss. The proximity to my family and friends is one of them. My parents, especially my father, keep talking about moving up here. They really like it. I wish they would. I miss seeing them as much as I used to. There are things about Utica I miss as well: the amazing Stanley theater and the art museum mostly. The Stanley gets Broadway shows and MWPAI has a spectacular collection as well as their affordable film series. Weretoad and I used to take advantage of that all the time. We also miss Minar, the Indian Restaurant in Utica. The place in Watertown isn't bad - it's quite good really - but the environment at Minar was special. The staff knew us and the decor was warmer feeling. Utica also had more independent cafes. I've found some in Clayton, Canton, and Potsdam, but Watertown only seems to have Paneera and the closest thin in my hometown is a Jrek's Sub Shop.
I also miss how close everything was in the Mohawk Valley. Unless living in the extreme outskirts, it only took 15-20 minutes to get anywhere. Up here, we have to drive 30 minutes to Watertown, 30 minutes to A Bay, 40 minutes to Clayton, 40 minutes to Canton, 1 hour to Potsdam... It's annoying and stressful to someone who wants to be more environmentally friendly. But even if I were to move to Watertown so I could be closer to everything there, I would then be 30 minutes from my job. I can't win, aside from moving in between - which is what we'd like to do. But, as the author of F that S says in her latest blog entry, living in the North Country comes with a lot of driving. Her entry assuaged my inner guilt, reminding me that the little things one does to help the environment do add up. Thanks for that!
While I'm certainly not close-minded to moving elsewhere down the road, I am finding myself happy here. I have days or moments when I am annoyed by the driving, but that's really the worst part, and I want to focus on the best parts, of which there are many.
Here's to another year of exploration and growth in the North Country!
* I've not seen either yet, but my place of employment was on lockdown due to a bear once.
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
In many ways, the North Country is similar to the Mohawk Valley. It's still NY and therefore we witness similar plants and animals. Each area enjoys productive agricultural areas and lovely rivers and/or canals. We're a couple hours away from the Utica/Rome area, so I'm not seriously removed from my family and friends.
That said there are differences. Few people see wild bears in the Mohawk Valley, but they're quite common up here, as are bobcats*. There have even been lynx and cougar sightings. This is probably because life up here is more agriculture than in the Mohawk Valley which is heavily urban and suburban except for a few happy exceptions. The bigger animals haven't been driven out yet.
The rivers in the North Country seem more appreciated. They are a central part of life here and not just something discussed in 4th grade social studies. People celebrate our rivers. Schools incorporate them into their songs. The St. Lawrence is huge to our tourist industry, and many people who reside in this area enjoy it for sport, beauty, and sustenance.
The urban and suburban centers, while spread apart, have grown on me. Alexandria Bay is kitschy but the views are beautiful and the swimming area is great on a hot day. Clayton is one of my favorite places to go. It seems to be the artistic center of Northern NY with its textile museum, antique boat museum, studios, galleries, opera house, and art classes. The view of the St. Lawrence is just as spectacular there. The dining is also wonderful and vegetarian friendly.
Potsdam, an hour away from us, is a lovely college town full of cafes, international cuisine, boutiques, and access to the Raquette River. There is art and academia, and it seems very pedestrian friendly. I wish it were closer so I could live there!
Our city is Watertown. While smaller than Utica, it seems cleaner and more alive. There are many shops, restaurants, a huge and ornate library, and a thriving farmers market that is right in the middle of everything on Wednesdays (although parking is hard to find...) and a second, smaller one closer to the community college on Saturdays.
I am finding things to keep me busy outside of work and home. There are a lot of classes that I would like to take advantage of when I have a little more money - yoga, sustainable/organic gardening, tai chi, weaving, drumming.... I've even found belly dancing classes a few towns away. The CUUPs chapter is now providing me a place to practice Paganism more regularly with others. A second New Age shop just opened up here. The Mustard Seed in Watertown is my vegetarian cafe. We have an amazing Thai restaurant, a decent Indian restaurant, and now have hibachi! We are super close to the Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Ottawa, and Montreal. The military presence originally gave Northern NY a conservative feel, and I'm sure a majority of people here are very conservative, but the area is more diverse than that. I'm feeling happier here and more at home, and that's even without me waxing poetic about how I have an amazing job with wonderful people!
There are things I miss. The proximity to my family and friends is one of them. My parents, especially my father, keep talking about moving up here. They really like it. I wish they would. I miss seeing them as much as I used to. There are things about Utica I miss as well: the amazing Stanley theater and the art museum mostly. The Stanley gets Broadway shows and MWPAI has a spectacular collection as well as their affordable film series. Weretoad and I used to take advantage of that all the time. We also miss Minar, the Indian Restaurant in Utica. The place in Watertown isn't bad - it's quite good really - but the environment at Minar was special. The staff knew us and the decor was warmer feeling. Utica also had more independent cafes. I've found some in Clayton, Canton, and Potsdam, but Watertown only seems to have Paneera and the closest thin in my hometown is a Jrek's Sub Shop.
I also miss how close everything was in the Mohawk Valley. Unless living in the extreme outskirts, it only took 15-20 minutes to get anywhere. Up here, we have to drive 30 minutes to Watertown, 30 minutes to A Bay, 40 minutes to Clayton, 40 minutes to Canton, 1 hour to Potsdam... It's annoying and stressful to someone who wants to be more environmentally friendly. But even if I were to move to Watertown so I could be closer to everything there, I would then be 30 minutes from my job. I can't win, aside from moving in between - which is what we'd like to do. But, as the author of F that S says in her latest blog entry, living in the North Country comes with a lot of driving. Her entry assuaged my inner guilt, reminding me that the little things one does to help the environment do add up. Thanks for that!
While I'm certainly not close-minded to moving elsewhere down the road, I am finding myself happy here. I have days or moments when I am annoyed by the driving, but that's really the worst part, and I want to focus on the best parts, of which there are many.
Here's to another year of exploration and growth in the North Country!
* I've not seen either yet, but my place of employment was on lockdown due to a bear once.
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Collecting Bird Feathers
I found some feathers on my nature walk yesterday. Weretoad and I worked to identify the large feather, which I felt looked like it had belonged to a hawk, this morning. After a lot of poking around, I believe that it came from a red tailed hawk. Researching all of this made us aware that this bird is protected by something called the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 which makes it illegal to even possess the feathers of native song birds. I had always known about this law in a vague sense. I really only knew that it was illegal for anyone except a Native American to possess an eagle feather. I had no idea that the law covered everything from gold finches, to blue jays, to crows. According to everything I've read, if someone is found with a feather (some people put them in their cars, for example) there can be a "hefty fine" or even jail time. This law is applicable in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
In my research, I came across this wonderful blog entry by the Adriondack Almanack. It explains the law, but then explores the difficulty in having to tell a child who finds a feather that they have to put it back. The comments are also interesting. A lot of people agree that the law has a lot of holes in it. For example, if Native Americans can legally possess certain feathers (the red tailed hawk feather I found, for example, is believed to be incredibly sacred by many tribes), why can't Pagans keep certain feathers if there are spiritually sound reasons? Someone devoted to the Morrigan, for example, would probably want if not need to have a raven feather around.
At first I shrugged and said, "Who's going to know?"* Then I thought more fully about it. Yes, it is stupid that a person who innocently finds a molted feather could get in serious trouble for having it, but the reasons for the law are sound. The poor birds got into trouble because people wanted to use their feathers in fashion. An artist who innocently uses a found feather could inadvertently inspire hundreds of people to seek certain feathers. One thing can lead to another and voila... you have another horrible situation like this.
Now I realize some of you out there are shaking their heads and saying that I'm blowing it out of proportion. I am, kind of. I suppose. I guess I just decided that if I'm going to value conservation the way I do, I have to follow the rules myself until someone changes them**. I viewed the feathers I found as gifts from the nature spirits. I don't mean to decline them. Instead, I'm going to accept them as a lesson in conservation, nature, and art. I've not been feeling well today, but tomorrow I'm going to put the feathers back outside by my shrine after sketching them. From now on, if I find a feather***, I will identify it, sketch it, and ceremoniously put it by my shrine to show respect and gratitude.
*I'm glad I looked more fully into this now. I had an idea about making a blue-jay inspired bird and was hoping to use some feathers... I'll have to make fake feathers now.
** I don't really have the interest in lobbying for such change. I think Pagans should have the right to possess found feathers for sacred reasons, but I don't feel the drive to pursue the change myself. At the moment, I think we have bigger rights to fight for...
***...except for turkey feathers. They're exempt, as are the feathers of other game birds. The trick will be identifying them!
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
In my research, I came across this wonderful blog entry by the Adriondack Almanack. It explains the law, but then explores the difficulty in having to tell a child who finds a feather that they have to put it back. The comments are also interesting. A lot of people agree that the law has a lot of holes in it. For example, if Native Americans can legally possess certain feathers (the red tailed hawk feather I found, for example, is believed to be incredibly sacred by many tribes), why can't Pagans keep certain feathers if there are spiritually sound reasons? Someone devoted to the Morrigan, for example, would probably want if not need to have a raven feather around.
At first I shrugged and said, "Who's going to know?"* Then I thought more fully about it. Yes, it is stupid that a person who innocently finds a molted feather could get in serious trouble for having it, but the reasons for the law are sound. The poor birds got into trouble because people wanted to use their feathers in fashion. An artist who innocently uses a found feather could inadvertently inspire hundreds of people to seek certain feathers. One thing can lead to another and voila... you have another horrible situation like this.
Now I realize some of you out there are shaking their heads and saying that I'm blowing it out of proportion. I am, kind of. I suppose. I guess I just decided that if I'm going to value conservation the way I do, I have to follow the rules myself until someone changes them**. I viewed the feathers I found as gifts from the nature spirits. I don't mean to decline them. Instead, I'm going to accept them as a lesson in conservation, nature, and art. I've not been feeling well today, but tomorrow I'm going to put the feathers back outside by my shrine after sketching them. From now on, if I find a feather***, I will identify it, sketch it, and ceremoniously put it by my shrine to show respect and gratitude.
*I'm glad I looked more fully into this now. I had an idea about making a blue-jay inspired bird and was hoping to use some feathers... I'll have to make fake feathers now.
** I don't really have the interest in lobbying for such change. I think Pagans should have the right to possess found feathers for sacred reasons, but I don't feel the drive to pursue the change myself. At the moment, I think we have bigger rights to fight for...
***...except for turkey feathers. They're exempt, as are the feathers of other game birds. The trick will be identifying them!
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Time in the Forest
Crown Tipped Coral Mushroom - photo by Fanklin Creek
I spent more time in the forest yesterday. I put on my jeans, hooded sweatshirt, and Vibrams and headed into the muggy, mosquito infested wonderland. I also brought a basket, some offerings to the spirits, my knife, and a couple field guides. I found several feathers, a quartz vein as well as a loose piece to take home, and several black raspberry bushes. I harvested those. I also found numerous beautiful mushrooms like the ones photoed above*.
I was outside for awhile. I feel more confident in this new forest - and more welcomed. It saddens me to see the litter all over. I would like to bring a bag up and clean again, but it is depressing to know that it will come back. Sometimes it feels like litter bugs are in the majority. I don't really know what to do about that besides clean quietly and live by example.
*Apparently the crown tipped coral mushroom is edible...but I'm not confident enough to try it. Someday I would love to take foraging classes and gain that confidence.
*And occasionally yell at people, albeit passive aggressively...
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Follow These Blogs!
I want to take a moment and promote a couple blogs just started by people in my tribe. One is called Rambled Mind and will be a place of art and ramblings by a talented individual. The other, O-C-Designer, is a blog about interior designs, environmental materials, and doing so while dealing with OCD (by another talented individual!). Please follow them as I'm sure they will be fun and interesting. :)
Love to my tribe!
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Love to my tribe!
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Sunday, July 4, 2010
4th of July
The latest post on The Wild Hunt inspired me. Today I did a formal ritual to honor, well, the spirit of America*. Most people who know me realize I'm not the most patriotic person in the world. I'm proud of my country, but not blind to its offenses. I also don't fly a million little flags around my yard like some of my neighbors **. That said, I'm not afraid to say that I feel lucky to live where I live. I read a lot of environmental and human rights news and, frankly, so many people have it way worse than us. We have our faults, that's for sure, but at least most of us are relatively comfortable and, well, safe! It's a shame that we have corporations who exploit developing nations and our own environment, and it's a shame that some of our ancestors did unspeakable things to the indigenous people who lived here first, but there's also a lot of good in America and I can think of that and celebrate it today.
Just as in my ritual, let me post it to my blog:
Hail to the spirits of America!
Hail to its Nature Spirits! Hail to the high-flying, majestic bald eagle! Hail to the forest turkey! Hail to the river otters, moose, white tailed deer, squirrels, chipmunks, black bears, mountain lions, wolves, and bobcats! Hail to the kangaroo rats, the coyotes, the scorpions, and roadrunners. Hail to the great blue herons, the salmon, the monarch butterflies, the black widow spiders, and the alligators. Hail to the sea turtles, the dolphins, the tuna, and the pelicans. Hail to the ants, the bees, and the bats! Hail to the unseen spirits who were here first and who came over with our ancestors! Hail to you all and may we live in better harmony with you!
Hail to America's ancestors! Hail to the Native American ancestors! May we grow in friendship. Hail to our immigrant ancestors! May we remember where we came from. Hail to the friends and family we knew in America, and hail to those who fought for our country - especially those whose intentions and actions were honorable. May we learn from your triumphs and mistakes.
Hail to the Gods of America! Hail to the Gods of the Native Americans, and hail to the Gods of our ancestors! Hail to Lady Liberty! May we bring honor to you in all we say and do.
May we admit to our faults and work to improve them. May we help the less fortunate, and welcome them to our country. May we celebrate our diversity and learn to live together in peace. May we develop better technologies so that we can live in harmony with nature.
So be it!
* As you may recall, I've been doing one formal ADF ritual a week. I was cutting it close by leaving it until today, but I made it!
** Ahh...military towns...
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Just as in my ritual, let me post it to my blog:
Hail to the spirits of America!
Hail to its Nature Spirits! Hail to the high-flying, majestic bald eagle! Hail to the forest turkey! Hail to the river otters, moose, white tailed deer, squirrels, chipmunks, black bears, mountain lions, wolves, and bobcats! Hail to the kangaroo rats, the coyotes, the scorpions, and roadrunners. Hail to the great blue herons, the salmon, the monarch butterflies, the black widow spiders, and the alligators. Hail to the sea turtles, the dolphins, the tuna, and the pelicans. Hail to the ants, the bees, and the bats! Hail to the unseen spirits who were here first and who came over with our ancestors! Hail to you all and may we live in better harmony with you!
Hail to America's ancestors! Hail to the Native American ancestors! May we grow in friendship. Hail to our immigrant ancestors! May we remember where we came from. Hail to the friends and family we knew in America, and hail to those who fought for our country - especially those whose intentions and actions were honorable. May we learn from your triumphs and mistakes.
Hail to the Gods of America! Hail to the Gods of the Native Americans, and hail to the Gods of our ancestors! Hail to Lady Liberty! May we bring honor to you in all we say and do.
May we admit to our faults and work to improve them. May we help the less fortunate, and welcome them to our country. May we celebrate our diversity and learn to live together in peace. May we develop better technologies so that we can live in harmony with nature.
So be it!
* As you may recall, I've been doing one formal ADF ritual a week. I was cutting it close by leaving it until today, but I made it!
** Ahh...military towns...
( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thoughts on the Wicker Man
Muin Mound has various traditions that are part of becoming a folk. Along with staying up until just after sunrise, we made Muin Mound pins to wear at ritual, underwent a long guided meditation, participated in a ritual, were formally welcomed during the main worship service, and watched the Wicker Man.
Now, I'd never seen the Wicker Man before. It's not the sort of film my parents would have had around the house. It also has the reputation as a horror film and, for all my recent posts about ghosts and zombies, I don't often watch such things. When I found out what becoming a folk entailed, I decided to put off watching it until my vigil.
Why is the Wicker Man part of our vigil tradition? Well, it's a hugely popular movie in the Neo-Pagan community. Everyone seems to rave about it. Groups are even organizing Rocky Horror-like parties where people watch the movie and sing along to the beautiful songs. I suppose we watch it because it's become such a huge part of our Pagan culture and to become so involved in said culture is to experience its art*.
So what did I think of it?
Let me just get it out right now and say that I didn't enjoy the end. If you've never seen the movie, look away right now. Did the uninitiated leave? Ok, good. Now, the movie is called The Wicker Man because, at the end, the investigator, who also happens to be a virgin Christian, is sacrificed to the Gods by being burned alive (along with various animals) to ensure the fertility of the land. The residents of the all-Pagan island of Summer Isle, known for their apples, had a poor harvest the year before and wanted to give a really large sacrifice to aid them. Now, I always knew this was going to happen because of the movie's reputation and my background knowledge. Julius Caesar wrote about the Gauls use of wicker men but, other than that literary blurb, no other evidence for the practice exists. We know that the Celts did sacrifice people and animals, but the wicker man method was either incredibly rare, a one-time event, or a rumor that Caesar noted/created.
The film, over all, did not meet my definition of a horror film. It simply did not "horrify" me until the very end. I'm sure it's more horrible to Christians who are easily offended by nudity, sex, and polytheism. I spent most of the film giggling at the protagonist's discomfort (or growling at his rudeness) and wishing that I lived on an island of Pagans.
And this brings me to why I didn't like the end. As stated, I know our ancestors sacrificed animals and people to the Gods. I don't feel that we have to do that any more. Our society has evolved and, while I know some people still maintain such practices, I feel that we are in an age that requires less killing and destruction. We ravage our environment enough. We kill too many factory farmed animals. We have too many hungry humans in the world to justify killing animals to use up other important resources like grain and water. Human sacrifice is now murder and animal sacrifice is now arguably unsustainable. A better sacrifice to the Gods in this day and age would be to give up something you worked hard on, or, better yet, an environmentally damaging practice that is convenient to you (I could do more of this). There's also giving up time for community service. There are many types of sacrifice and all are appropriate, in my opinion. If you really feel that the Gods desire blood, put a razor to your own fingers. If you must offer an animal, buy an animal to feed an unfortunate family in the name of your Gods.
Some people giggle at the sacrifice of the Christian at the end. Me... I was uncomfortable with it. In the modern sense, it was a murder. The Pagans of Summer Isle claim that he was a willing sacrifice because he came to the island by his own free will, but that isn't so. They tricked him and then sabotaged his means of escape. I worry that many Pagans love the film because of their own bitterness towards Christianity. As much as the religion makes me uncomfortable, I know too many good Christian people.
Now, I know that most Pagans wouldn't dream of doing an actual wicker man. Most are level-headed enough to know that such practices are best left to ancient history. Hopefully most are aware that The Wicker Man is fictitious and that modern groups just don't do that (knock on wood).** After watching it with some of my grove mates, we had a brief conversation about how it was fictitious. I think the key to Pagans watching and enjoying the movie is that it must be followed by discussion because it can be educational and inspirational. When showing it to new Pagans or the highly impressionable, it should be prefaced in some way so as to cushion the blow.
Ending aside, I actually really liked the movie. A level-headed person should know that it's all fiction and that it's not an accurate portrayal of modern Pagans (Are any movies?). The music was beautiful. I was familiar with a majority of it. Damh the Bard does an excellent cover of "Gently Johnny," and Mediaeval Baebes produced a playfully melodic "Maypole Song." Also present was the traditional "Sumer is a Cummin In" that I so loved from MVPN's Beltaine rituals.
Mediaeval Baebes' "Summer Isle (The Maypole Song)."
In the end, and after a night to think about it, I really did enjoy "The Wicker Man." The ending made me uncomfortable, but that is the point of horror films, I suppose. Even though the movie wasn't much of a horror film otherwise, it gave me something to reflect upon. "The Wicker Man" can be a useful educational tool, is fun to watch as a fictional piece***, and has a lovely soundtrack. I think I would like to add it to my DVD collection.
*I say this is Pagan art because I've read that the crew consulted with Pagans for ideas and traditions.
** My brain would explode if someone showed up for a Beltaine rite with an animal to put in a wicker man. "But I thought that's what you guys did!" Oh that would be so weird...
*** ...as opposed to a basis for practice or belief.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Attempting to be a Fashionable and Eco-Friendly Pagan
It was warm yesterday so I put on my new black capris slacks (so soft!) and a black tank with a lovely, loose scoop-neck short sleeve over it. I thought my outfit would look particularly pulled together with all-black sandals*. At the moment I have a very old, very worn pair of brown wedges, a very old, very worn pair of high heel black and cream sandals, white and cream jute wedges, black flip-flops, and all black high heels. The latter I generally don't like to wear much because, although they are comfortable, they clack very loudly and are finicky if I step wrong. In other words, they force me to walk a certain - very careful way. But I wanted to look nice so I put them on and, shortly after, nearly fell on my face in the kitchen. I grumbled and found myself praying to the Gods to lend me grace. In fact, all day I caught myself praying before I went down the stairwell. "How funny," I thought, "that I'm praying to the Gods to keep me upright when I'm the goof who decided to wear these shoes."
I would like to find a comfortable, classy, and practical pair of black sandals. Ideally they would be vegan and more fabric than plastic. I'm having a difficult time finding anything like that... Most eco-chic shoes are very expensive. Tom's Shoes doesn't seem to make sandals. I normally love buying second-hand or vintage but I simply will not wear shoes another has worn. It skeeves me out. I will probably look around the mall and see if I can find anything... But I will continue to look around online. I'm not completely against spending $80ish for a pair of good shoes. I wear shoes until they start to fall apart, so if I can find something of quality that is more earth-friendly than leather or pleather, I will consider it.
Being a fashionable and eco-friendly Pagan is a very fine line to walk...
* I have to look relatively nice where I work. No sneakers or flip flops!
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I Love Gardening
I found a lovely local and organic greenhouse in Theresa, NY today. It's called Five Cedars and is a short drive from my home. We spoke with one of the owners - it's run by a husband and wife - and he was just so nice and welcoming. He gave us a little tour, showed us all the products he uses, offered various advice, and made us feel like ...friends? Connected through community? Something like that. My husband also really liked him and the property.
I bought a couple tomato plants, some cucumbers, peppers, lemongrass, a strawberry basket, and marigolds for pest control. I need to get more containers - for those and the other seedlings inside.
Gardening is so much fun. It's stressful at times, and by that I mean that I genuinely care about the plants and feel sad if they seem sick or stressed. Every year I learn more about the plant kingdom and life in general through gardening. There are small annoyances but bigger victories (most of the time).
I still remember my first gardens - little veggie patches that my father helped my sister and I make. I remember harvesting tiny carrots. Oh how tiny they were - no bigger than the tips of my pinkies! Yet I was so proud and amazed that the seeds had transformed. Something about gardening is very spiritual and speaks to my Druidic spirit. Through gardening, I feel closer to the cycles of nature - the occasionally chaotic and destructive but beautiful and bountiful cycles of nature.
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Reconstructionist Ideas and Environmentalism
"Pagan" and "environmentalist" don't always go hand in hand, but I believe that a majority of Pagans at least claim to care about the environment. I am no exception as you should know by now. I do my best to keep abreast of the latest environmental issues. As you can imagine, this can become depressing. There are times (probably some visible through my postings) when I succumb to the alarmist nature of others. Normally, I try to maintain a balance. I don't totally see myself as a luddite and I'm not sure what to think about the Dark Mountain Project, intriguing though it is. On the other hand, I'd like to think I'm not as materialistic as most people, environmentally conscious, attempting sustainability, and open-minded to drastic but positive change for the betterment of Mama Earth and society. It's hard to find a balance between it all, but I make it work most of the time. I don't claim to know all the answers or to be perfect.
I think a large part of my attitude has been shaped by reconstructionist methodologies. And by that, I mean the methodologies put forth by people like Erynn Rowan Laurie of the CR movement - not the racist, sexist, behind-the times version presented by some more "hardcore traditionalists." For example, within the CR FAQ (which Laurie helped author), the definition of Celtic Reconstructionism is given as thus: "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) is a polytheistic, animistic, religious and cultural movement. It is an effort to reconstruct, within a modern Celtic cultural context, the aspects of ancient Celtic religions that were lost or subsumed by Christianity." The key of this definition is the phrase "within a modern...context..." Whether you are interested in Celtic, Norse, Slavic, or Egyptian culture, reconstructionism is about adapting it for our times while remaining as true to the myths and parent culture as possible. This means that, even if an ancient practice (such as head hunting) may have been acceptable, important, or even sacred to our ancestors, it is neither legal, appropriate, nor necessary at this time. The practice becomes left to our ancestors and stories. Except in extreme cases, I think we all agree that human sacrifice, head hunting, and cattle raiding (excusing, of course, for sport ;) ) are outdated*.
There are, of course, some contentious issues among Celtic-inspired Pagans - such as the place of men in keeping Brighid's flame. There are also people like me who, despite my love of Celtic cultures, use Reconstructionist reasoning to explain why I don't have to eat the animals that were such a staple to my ancestors' diet**.
It's easy for those of us looking back at a culture that was lost/altered to pick and choose what is and isn't acceptable to ourselves and society as a whole, but what about living cultures having to do that right now?***
That brings me to an issue I've been reading about a lot lately. There is one environmental issue that has me more worried and more angry than many others - the destruction of our oceans. To me, it's one of the scariest things going on right now and several scientists and activists feel the same way****. Between the BP oil spill, the plastic gyres, and overfishing, it is enough to make me cry and gnash my teeth. Overfishing, especially, just boggles my mind...
Perhaps you've heard of the bluefin tuna and how endangered it is. Yet countries like Japan reject protecting it for cultural reasons. Seriously, Japan? How can you be so short-sighted and, well, stupid? This is an endangered animal we are talking about - a creature that is linked to many others in the ocean. We are losing our big fish, people. The statistics are staggering... Something like 90% of the world's big fish are dead. And yet people continue to destroy all in the name of human greed painted as human culture! If Japan truly values bluefin tuna and its place in its culture, it would allow the fish to repopulate and support the proposed ban. Just stop eating it! Is that really so hard?
Too often we hold culture up on a golden dais as something that is sacred and should not be tampered with or questioned. Yet history shows us that cultures change - they have to! It is part of what it means to exist, whether we change by choice or force. We need to start changing by choice not for any particular culture, but for humanity as a whole and for the myriad of other organisms who cannot speak or vote or protest. Japan, this a great opportunity to transform what the bluefin means to Japan. Where are your Shinto beliefs when money is involved?
It's time for Japan and countless other cultures around the world to do as Reconstructionists have done with so many other outdated practices - leave industrial fishing to the history books. *****
On a more positive note, Kevin Costner may have a way to clean up the oil spill! It's people like him that give me hope for our species and the oceans. Thank the Gods for good news!
* For more thoughts on this, read more of the CR FAQ.
** Not to mention, there are vegetarians who live in modern Celtic countries... So what if I would rather eat the sacred hazel nuts rather than the salmon who eat them?
*** I'm not trying to imply that Celtic cultures are not living... They are having to adapt and make new choices as well, but since they are largely Christian and/or secular in nature, their dominant culture is, I would argue, a tad different than the reconstructionist Pagan cultures showing up there and across the sea... I hope that makes sense...
**** At the very least, watch that last video. Sylvia Earle is an amazing woman and there is some beautiful footage.
*****I feel that I should mention, lest anyone try to put words in my mouth, that I am very supportive of small-time fishermen who work/sell locally and try to employ sustainable methods. I just don't eat their catch. :)
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
I think a large part of my attitude has been shaped by reconstructionist methodologies. And by that, I mean the methodologies put forth by people like Erynn Rowan Laurie of the CR movement - not the racist, sexist, behind-the times version presented by some more "hardcore traditionalists." For example, within the CR FAQ (which Laurie helped author), the definition of Celtic Reconstructionism is given as thus: "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) is a polytheistic, animistic, religious and cultural movement. It is an effort to reconstruct, within a modern Celtic cultural context, the aspects of ancient Celtic religions that were lost or subsumed by Christianity." The key of this definition is the phrase "within a modern...context..." Whether you are interested in Celtic, Norse, Slavic, or Egyptian culture, reconstructionism is about adapting it for our times while remaining as true to the myths and parent culture as possible. This means that, even if an ancient practice (such as head hunting) may have been acceptable, important, or even sacred to our ancestors, it is neither legal, appropriate, nor necessary at this time. The practice becomes left to our ancestors and stories. Except in extreme cases, I think we all agree that human sacrifice, head hunting, and cattle raiding (excusing, of course, for sport ;) ) are outdated*.
There are, of course, some contentious issues among Celtic-inspired Pagans - such as the place of men in keeping Brighid's flame. There are also people like me who, despite my love of Celtic cultures, use Reconstructionist reasoning to explain why I don't have to eat the animals that were such a staple to my ancestors' diet**.
It's easy for those of us looking back at a culture that was lost/altered to pick and choose what is and isn't acceptable to ourselves and society as a whole, but what about living cultures having to do that right now?***
That brings me to an issue I've been reading about a lot lately. There is one environmental issue that has me more worried and more angry than many others - the destruction of our oceans. To me, it's one of the scariest things going on right now and several scientists and activists feel the same way****. Between the BP oil spill, the plastic gyres, and overfishing, it is enough to make me cry and gnash my teeth. Overfishing, especially, just boggles my mind...
Perhaps you've heard of the bluefin tuna and how endangered it is. Yet countries like Japan reject protecting it for cultural reasons. Seriously, Japan? How can you be so short-sighted and, well, stupid? This is an endangered animal we are talking about - a creature that is linked to many others in the ocean. We are losing our big fish, people. The statistics are staggering... Something like 90% of the world's big fish are dead. And yet people continue to destroy all in the name of human greed painted as human culture! If Japan truly values bluefin tuna and its place in its culture, it would allow the fish to repopulate and support the proposed ban. Just stop eating it! Is that really so hard?
Too often we hold culture up on a golden dais as something that is sacred and should not be tampered with or questioned. Yet history shows us that cultures change - they have to! It is part of what it means to exist, whether we change by choice or force. We need to start changing by choice not for any particular culture, but for humanity as a whole and for the myriad of other organisms who cannot speak or vote or protest. Japan, this a great opportunity to transform what the bluefin means to Japan. Where are your Shinto beliefs when money is involved?
It's time for Japan and countless other cultures around the world to do as Reconstructionists have done with so many other outdated practices - leave industrial fishing to the history books. *****
On a more positive note, Kevin Costner may have a way to clean up the oil spill! It's people like him that give me hope for our species and the oceans. Thank the Gods for good news!
* For more thoughts on this, read more of the CR FAQ.
** Not to mention, there are vegetarians who live in modern Celtic countries... So what if I would rather eat the sacred hazel nuts rather than the salmon who eat them?
*** I'm not trying to imply that Celtic cultures are not living... They are having to adapt and make new choices as well, but since they are largely Christian and/or secular in nature, their dominant culture is, I would argue, a tad different than the reconstructionist Pagan cultures showing up there and across the sea... I hope that makes sense...
**** At the very least, watch that last video. Sylvia Earle is an amazing woman and there is some beautiful footage.
*****I feel that I should mention, lest anyone try to put words in my mouth, that I am very supportive of small-time fishermen who work/sell locally and try to employ sustainable methods. I just don't eat their catch. :)
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Sunday, May 16, 2010
"Our Way of Life" by Zoar
I heard this on A Darker Shade of Pagan. It's depressing but pertinent in regards to the oil spill.
EDIT: My husband suggested I warn people that this is weird and potentially offensive due to some of the images.
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
EDIT: My husband suggested I warn people that this is weird and potentially offensive due to some of the images.
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Saturday, May 15, 2010
"A Prayer for My Beloved"
This poem, by T. Thorn Coyle, is a reaction to the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf. It's beautifully written and nearly brings me to tears.
You have carried us, these long millions of years,
We beasts, we leafy fronds, we crouching walkers.
The ice has come, the ice has gone again.
Your crust has softened, hardened, cooled, and warmed…
Oh! Unsurpassed in beauty are you, lover!
I seek each day to look upon your face.
Your gentle wind, your raging fire, rain’s torrents,
And underneath, your shifting, massive, plates,
All seem to me a wonder.
Each day brings some new sound unto my ears,
And night, the scents: datura, damp, and steel.
The tattoo of my own heart thrills to you,
To heaving core, the molten, moving iron.
That so often leaves one shivering, or in sweat,
Between your textured surfaces and sky.
And then sometimes I forget you…
Oil gushes from your sandy floor, betrayal.
Chemicals suffuse once fertile soil.
Holes are rent above your southern quadrant,
Mountains blasted open, or felled clear.
And too many like me, on you dependent,
Your body stretched and waiting for a touch.
But solipsistic minds forget this knowledge:
That your skin is ours,
Your oceans saline quick, flow in our blood.
Lover, forever we can say, “I’m sorry,”
But actions speak far louder than strong words,
And we, though brave and brash, are also feeble.
Lover, I fall now to my knees before you.
I will not beg forgiveness, not just yet.
My good friends shall be gathered all around me,
Holding hands, we will make better still, amends.
Together, we will clean, slow down, and listen.
Together, we will sow and reap, and kiss.
We will arc around combusting star in season.
And learn to better love you.
So I pray.
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
You have carried us, these long millions of years,
We beasts, we leafy fronds, we crouching walkers.
The ice has come, the ice has gone again.
Your crust has softened, hardened, cooled, and warmed…
Oh! Unsurpassed in beauty are you, lover!
I seek each day to look upon your face.
Your gentle wind, your raging fire, rain’s torrents,
And underneath, your shifting, massive, plates,
All seem to me a wonder.
Each day brings some new sound unto my ears,
And night, the scents: datura, damp, and steel.
The tattoo of my own heart thrills to you,
To heaving core, the molten, moving iron.
That so often leaves one shivering, or in sweat,
Between your textured surfaces and sky.
And then sometimes I forget you…
Oil gushes from your sandy floor, betrayal.
Chemicals suffuse once fertile soil.
Holes are rent above your southern quadrant,
Mountains blasted open, or felled clear.
And too many like me, on you dependent,
Your body stretched and waiting for a touch.
But solipsistic minds forget this knowledge:
That your skin is ours,
Your oceans saline quick, flow in our blood.
Lover, forever we can say, “I’m sorry,”
But actions speak far louder than strong words,
And we, though brave and brash, are also feeble.
Lover, I fall now to my knees before you.
I will not beg forgiveness, not just yet.
My good friends shall be gathered all around me,
Holding hands, we will make better still, amends.
Together, we will clean, slow down, and listen.
Together, we will sow and reap, and kiss.
We will arc around combusting star in season.
And learn to better love you.
So I pray.
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Garbage Night
Hubby: Well... the garbage is done for another week.
Me: Thank the Gods!
Hubby: Don't thank the Gods - they didn't do anything! Thank me!
How right my husband is. :) Can you image Brighid, Thor, Zeus, Isis, or any God taking the trash out?
Then again, was trash a big issue for our ancestors? I would think that a majority of their "trash" was organic. I know that archaeologists research ancient garbage heaps, but they're nothing compared to what we modern humans produce. I know there are household spirits associated with cleaning the home.
Thoughts?
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Me: Thank the Gods!
Hubby: Don't thank the Gods - they didn't do anything! Thank me!
How right my husband is. :) Can you image Brighid, Thor, Zeus, Isis, or any God taking the trash out?
Then again, was trash a big issue for our ancestors? I would think that a majority of their "trash" was organic. I know that archaeologists research ancient garbage heaps, but they're nothing compared to what we modern humans produce. I know there are household spirits associated with cleaning the home.
Thoughts?
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Friday, May 7, 2010
Website Envy and Other Things
I felt really ill yesterday due to hormonal issues. I accomplished nothing after work.
I don't feel fully restored tonight, but I've already been more productive than yesterday! I did some work on a doll and did a quick ritual to promote healing in the areas surrounding the oil spill. CedarLight Grove is encouraging everyone to take part, even if it's just through meditation.
Speaking of CedarLight Grove, do they not have an amazing website? I hate to say this, because I'm very proud of my grove otherwise, but I totally have website envy. Ours looks really out of date... Heck, even some of the information is old. I don't even want to link to it right now because it's kind of embarrassing... I really want to offer Skip a hand but, at the same time, I don't want to step on any toes... Maybe he's just been really, really busy with ArchDruid business and, now that he's "retired," he'll have more time for that? I guess we'll just have to wait and see...
In other news, I'm trying to clean the house. My family is visiting this weekend and hubby and I have been so lazy! Despite the existence of a designated "art room," we tend to bring most of our projects into the living room. I think the problem is a lack of surface area in the art room. I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for a table to put in there. Maybe that will help?
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
I don't feel fully restored tonight, but I've already been more productive than yesterday! I did some work on a doll and did a quick ritual to promote healing in the areas surrounding the oil spill. CedarLight Grove is encouraging everyone to take part, even if it's just through meditation.
Speaking of CedarLight Grove, do they not have an amazing website? I hate to say this, because I'm very proud of my grove otherwise, but I totally have website envy. Ours looks really out of date... Heck, even some of the information is old. I don't even want to link to it right now because it's kind of embarrassing... I really want to offer Skip a hand but, at the same time, I don't want to step on any toes... Maybe he's just been really, really busy with ArchDruid business and, now that he's "retired," he'll have more time for that? I guess we'll just have to wait and see...
In other news, I'm trying to clean the house. My family is visiting this weekend and hubby and I have been so lazy! Despite the existence of a designated "art room," we tend to bring most of our projects into the living room. I think the problem is a lack of surface area in the art room. I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for a table to put in there. Maybe that will help?
[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Obligatory Earth Day Post ;)
I'm definitely in the camp that thinks "Earth Day should be everyday!" The physical Earth will endure until the universe itself decides to swallow her up. We're more apt to destroy ourselves than the whole Earth. I was always very moved by this poem by Sara Teasdale. It captures something of the truth of Nature.
What I, as an environmentalist, am most worried about is the life of *everything else* we share the Earth with. It's not fair for us to destroy the planet when we aren't the only ones here. There are a lot of resilient species out there who can take a lot of garbage - literally and figuratively! There are also many more species that are very sensitive to change. We're finding golf balls in whale stomachs now. That's just disturbing.
I also worry about our spiritual relationship with the spirits of the Earth and the land Goddesses many of us cherish so as our spiritual mothers. Does the Earth coddle us? No. She can eat us if she wants. But she is our home - our beautiful, beautiful home - and our source of life. I try to honor and respect that. To me, Earth Day is not just one day. Earth Day itself forces me to stop and think about why I do what I do and, then, continue doing it.
**I apologize if this was crap. I'm exhausted and should really be in bed now...
There Will Come Soft Rains
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pool singing at night,And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not oneWill care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself when she woke at dawnWould scarcely know that we were gone.
I also worry about our spiritual relationship with the spirits of the Earth and the land Goddesses many of us cherish so as our spiritual mothers. Does the Earth coddle us? No. She can eat us if she wants. But she is our home - our beautiful, beautiful home - and our source of life. I try to honor and respect that. To me, Earth Day is not just one day. Earth Day itself forces me to stop and think about why I do what I do and, then, continue doing it.
**I apologize if this was crap. I'm exhausted and should really be in bed now...
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