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How much do pastors make? Bishop Anthony L. Jinwright apparently rolls around in the greenbacks just to take a bath.
" The 16-page indictment says Jinwright failed to report 875,000 in taxable income for him and his wife, Harriet Porter-Jinwright. She is listed on the church Web site as a co-pastor, but is not charged. "
"The indictment alleges Jinwright owes from 200,000 to 400,000 in unpaid federal and state income taxes. "
"The indictment also details salary and reimbursements of 3.1 million for Jinwright from the church from 2001-2006. It also lists more than 400,000 in income from speaking engagements and book sales."
SOURCE: News 14 Charlotte Local pastor indicted for tax evasion
The "Bishop" likes his cars. He drives a Bentley, a BMW 530i, a Mercedes-Benz S550V, five Lexus vehicles and a Maybach 57. I'm willing to bet Jinwright preaches Prosperity theology.
You can watch Bishop Jinwright give his trademark performance here. Get that man a Bentley. Technorati tags: Prosperity Theology, Religion, Taxes
Today is Bunny Day, AKA Easter Sunday.
For interested readers, the definition of Easter is here
So let's deflate our respective senses of wonder, and take a good, hard look at the Resurrection Myth.
It's a central tenet of Christianity. If you don't believe in it, you're either,
A. A pagan
B. An atheist
C. A Gnostic,
D. Supply your choice of noun here.
While resurrection myths abound in most folklore, from Osiris to Hercules, the xtian version is quite different, inasmuch as all human beings are promised a "physical" reunion with their spiritual bodies.
I'll give that an eight, it's got a good beat, but I can't dance to it.
In the words of the Great Agnostic:
"Does anybody believe that, who has the courage to think for himself? Here is a man, for instance, that weighs 200 pounds and gets sick and dies weighing 120; how much will he weigh in the morning of the resurrection? Here is a cannibal, who eats another man; and we know that the atoms you eat go into your body and become a part of you. After the cannibal has eaten the missionary, and appropriated his atoms to himself, he then dies, to whom will the atoms belong in the morning of the resurrection? Could the missionary maintain an action of replevin, and if so, what would the cannibal do for a body? It has been demonstrated, in so far as logic can demonstrate anything, that there is no creation and no destruction in Nature. It has been demonstrated, again and again, that the atoms in us have been in millions of other beings; have grown in the forests and in the grass, have blossomed in flowers, and been in the metals. In other words, there are atoms in each one of us that have been in millions of others; and when we die, these atoms return to the earth, again appear in grass and trees, are again eaten by animals, and again devoured by countless vegetable mouths and turned into wood; and yet this church, in the nineteenth century, in a council composed of and presided over by professors and presidents of colleges and theologians, solemnly tells us that it believes in the literal resurrection of the body. This is almost enough to make one despair of the future--almost enough to convince a man of the immortality of the absurd. They know better. There is not one so ignorant but knows better."
- Ingersoll, "Orthodoxy"
I for one would love to believe in life after death, become a hereafterian. But alas, all facts point elsewhere.Or, in the words of John Adams: "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. "
We have accounts two millennia old. Accounts which differ, not in the matter of minutiae, such as whether the weather was inclement or not, or what variety of sandal fashion was in vogue, but varying "widely" in crucial, key points in each 'testimony'. The most ridiculous of which, is that fumbling, bumbling incompetent Matthew (if that was his name, in lieu of no signed original document), who made much of the fact that, in Matthew 27:50
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and MANY BODIES OF THE SAINTS WHICH SLEPT AROSE,
53 And came out of the graves AFTER his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Which I find most...amusing. Because
A. The graves were opened and the saints resurrected at the 'death', but
B. They had to WAIT until the three day cycle was at an end.
"Hey guys? We're a, ahem, a"little" ahead of schedule here. Is it okay if you all just wait a couple of more days until the Big Guy comes back? You can? Cool!"
And who were these fellows? These others that arose from the dead? Only one apostle mentions this, of the three. No names, no witnesses, obviously an apocryphal story which should be discarded.
And no outside corroboration whatsoever. This is all OVER the place in the beloved 'gospels'. In this instance, it's not mentioned in Mark, or John, or even Luke (who was supposed to be a 'superlative' historian ).
As should all of it. The resurrection concept reeks of syncretism. Dionysius, Osiris, Hercules, Adonis, Tammuz: the list does go on, into the dim recesses of history.
The saddest part of the story is not that it was told: it's a hell of a story. The saddest part, is that so many accept it as truth, fight for it tooth and nail, to the detriment of their fellow man.
An end to fairy tales that guide our lives, I say. These belong to the venue of children. Not adults. We should put these childish things away.
Otherwise, it's the blind leading the blind: both fall into the ditch.
See, the book of fables has the occasional use, after all.
Let the dead sleep. Let not their ghostly hands manipulate us across the centuries, let not their words and deeds influence the minutiae of our lives. There is no hereafter: there is no conscious immortality. It is a dream only, a lovely one, but one that needs fade with the light of day, the light of reason, the light of life.
Origin: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com
What to pray for? How to pray? Have you ever heard the phrase, "when all else fails, pray"? Is that good advice or bad?
How often do you pray? What circumstances in life cause you to start praying?
Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 1:3)
Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8)
We should be abiding in the Lord at all times. We should pray to Jesus like he's our best friend, and we should be seeking his advice about everything we do. Now, before you email me, am I suggesting that we need to pray to God about whether to order the hamburger or the chicken sandwich at the fast food restaurant? No, because God already said, "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4-5)
But we should turn to God every time we have an opportunity to rely upon him and to let him guide our path through life.
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (John 15:4-9)
Today, what can I pray for you about?
Reference: goddesses-and-gods.blogspot.com
Frankincense is known for being useful for breaking down mucous, fighting anxiety, cancer, infections, depression, inflammation, and stimulating the immune system.
Here is the breakdown of how it works it's magic:
Skin:
* Traditionally Frankincense has been used for skincare. It's known for helping promote healthy skin, reduce scars/wounds/stretch marks and reducing wrinkles
* Can be used in treatments for warts, moles and skin infections
Image Source
Stomach:
* Used for digestion and digestion related issues such as ulcers, vomit.
* Used to be ingested. If ingested, chew it like a gum and only pure forms should be used (please note that I am not advocating that you eat Frankincense!)
* Also used for dysentery, fevers, leprosy
Lungs:
* Inhaling incense or burning oils is said to help with bronchitis, laryngitis and asthma
* Cleans respiratory tract
* Sedating or cooling on lungs, thus helps with coughs
* Helps with voice loss (see above)
* Enhances immunity prevention in body
iStock image
Mental Health:
* Helps relieve depression
* Reduces stress/nervousness
* Dispels fears
* Relaxing/Rejuvenating
Spiritual:
* Known as being sacred, used to communicate with the Divine
* Promotes spiritual awareness
Other:
* Has been used in compresses for hemorrhoids
* Ayurvedic system uses it for strengthening female hormone system (not quite sure what that means though)
* Helps with urinary tract infections
* Oil pulling with Frankincense helps reduce gum disease
* Relieves headaches and restless leg syndrome
* Reduces aches and pains in muscles, bones and joints
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Jn 13:16-20 IMAGINE
"(Click here for readings)"
"Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me...No slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it."
There it is! You read it yourself. We are called to be "authentic" ambassadors of the Lord. We are called - actually sent - to represent the Lord wherever he wants, whenever he wants, throughout the world and throughout our life. Imagine for just a moment what that would mean. Imagine for a moment if I never said "No" to the Lord or if my life was a constant "Yes" to Christ. What would that mean? A new world! A new world order where loves reins supreme, forgiveness is ordinary and mercy is expected.
Instead of imaging "no religion", let us imagine the religion of Jesus Christ, the religion of love. It's easy if you try, and it's perfectly fine because it is the perfect religion! Who said God is Love? Answer: St. John the Apostle. And it is striking that only Christians refer to God as being Love. Muslims have ninety-nine names for God, but not one of them is "God is Love "or even" God is Father. "I'm not here to bash anyone. I am here to bathe in God's Almighty revelation, a revelation that is far superior to all other revelations. Regardless of my upbringing or background or faults and failures, I can believe "God is Love" and I can believe that "God is Father." Who couldn't believe that? Who wouldn't believe that? Who shouldn't believe that?
God is love and his love is best expressed by His Word: Jesus Christ! God's tolerance towards man is best described by one act: His crucifixion. Instead of condemning the world, he died for it! Instead of blasting and cursing to smithereens sinners the Lord embraced them, welcomed them and healed them. He taught us to never ever give up on anyone and to never ever spread hatred and revenge upon our enemies. It's okay to pray for the soul of Usama Bin Laden and the safety of our soldiers. It's okay to pray for the soul of Margaret Sanger, abortion providers and the children who have been aborted. It's perfectly fine to pray for those who have been abused and those who abused. It's even okay to pray for Professor Peter Singer and those who advocate infanticide! But what is not okay is to cheer the death of the sinner. Rather, it is to cheer for their conversion! This is the scandal of the Christian faith. It is no longer an eye for an eye; a face for a face, or a tooth for a tooth. This is the greatest scandal of our faith. It is how we love.
Just recently the Iranian government, under pressure from human rights organizations, postponed the retribution punishment of a criminal with drops of acid. I was appalled by the reaction of so many Americans to the postponement. It would appear as though the war on terror has hardened many American hearts. We cannot let that happen. The World loves Americans because of our generous hearts and because of our love for others. We need to fight the war on terror with tenacity, but we cannot be a part of it.
The Lord picked Twelve Apostles, not because they were perfect and not because they were gods. He picked them because he could work with them, through them and in them.
If we claim to be Catholic, then we must live like Catholics. The Lord has given us a beautiful faith and calling. He has given us everything - all the means - to become holy. This means, we must live to the fullest extent the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Otherwise people may not believe in Christ because of us, and that is a cause of great concern.
"Imagine being Catholic! Try loving rather than insulting; forgiving rather than judging, and giving rather than resenting. It's easy if you try."
Reference: master-of-pentagram.blogspot.com
I've been reading the golden dawn and basic qabalah books for a while now, and recently i started looking at Crowley's LEsser key of solomon. I have a few questions regarding the nature of the conjurations. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
1. I've heard alot of people talk about setting ceremonial dates, as to call forth the entities in their proper "house" or degree of zodiac. I am confused as to whether these are specific days, or Zodiac signs attributed to the demon's element. If the demon I wish to evoke is of air, is any time within the zodiac of Aquarius, Libra, Gemini? etc. If not, how do I find the specific day?
2. I know for the most part evoking is external and crowley talks about physical incarnations of these demons, but I've heard some people say the images are just symbolic of their nature. Yet I have I also heard people talking about SEEING these demons, having EXTERNAL conversations with them. I believe magick is subconcious affecting at will, so are these things REALLY incarnating physically? Have you ever SEEN one, not with your third eye, but personally felt the breath of the demon?
3. What is the difference between the 72 demons and the 2nd goetia book containing the Aerial spirits?
posted in
Goetia
- 96 replies
" Anointing oils are by and large hand-me-down in Wicca spells. To "BODY SPRAY" procedure to dose or rub a drain on to a human being or item such as tools, candles, or supplies etc. Only, anointing oils are hand-me-down inside Wicca spells to mushroom drop a line to and vernacular to deities inside Esbats or Sabats. If you are probing in knowing how to use anointing oils in Wicca spells, this matter motion help you with this endeavour.
Here a Wicca spell, oils are sometimes hand-me-down to standardize with the Sun and Moon energies. They are alike hand-me-down to pay honour to the God and God if the Wicca religion inside rituals. Dependable Wicca train may alike use oils to allow the candle (ILLUSTRATE AN BODILY, EVERYDAY TIME OR FUNCTIONING).
Besides, anointing oils are completed up of a combination of plant life, ancestry, and natural herbs. If you wondering how to kind herbal oils, well you can add your dry herbs to lovable almond oil, jojoba oil or simple oil. You basic for that reason allow the herbs to saturate close up in the oil for three to five days. Herbs are by and large hand-me-down in Wicca spells and they can enchant us with their perfume and beauty. The aromas of herbs bring us to a more and evident level of consciousness. Only they keep up one to rotation and restrict extend on the spell days performed.
These are some examples of Wicca anointing oil hand-me-down in Wicca spells:
* Mix three parts of Patchouli oil with two parts Musk foundation one part or carnation to make the corporeal Sabbat oil. This finale oil is assumed to self-assured a communion with the deities at the ritual.
* To kind concoction oil that is by and large hand-me-down in Sabbats, you are enforced to add two parts frankincense with one part Myrrh, one clove barrage, and one part all taste.
* If you are feat a ritual to show your appreciation the full moon and to help you get matching with the moon's lunar energies, you can kind anointed oil by mixing three rose parts, one part sandal wood oil, and one part jasmine. It is strip that you anoint the person's volume with the Esbat to get that he or she absorbs the lunar energy.
* If you wish to maiden name the God, you can maiden name her with a God oil journal, by mixing three parts tuberose, three parts rose, one part palmarosa, one part ambergris, and one part lemon.
These are piazza a few examples of Wicca anointing oils hand-me-down inside ceremonies. Whatever crack you are celebrating, put forward are private oils hand-me-down inside these ceremonies. Thus, it is principal that you understand how to kind and use anointing oils in Wicca spells for this is a typical in Wicca rituals. If these oils are shaped in right, this can distressed the ceremony and ritual. It is optional that you opening do an in fullness grounding of the more or less anointed oils hand-me-down in Wicca ceremonies and what it (ANOINTED OIL) is specially hand-me-down for.
Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
With Tuesday evening's transit of Venus I decided to break out the planetary magick and perform a trimmed-down version of my Venus elixir ritual. A while back I published the elixir ritual for Jupiter, and this one follows the same structure with the proper names, colors, and figures inserted for the planet Venus. I used a small cup of absinthe for the elixir itself, and began the rite during the hour of the Moon while Venus was still making its transit of the Sun. From a subjective standpoint the elixir felt highly charged and the ritual seemed to go well, though I'll want to see some tangible results before I conclude it was a success. Subjective impressions can arise from all sorts of circumstances, whereas measurable results are a much more reliable benchmark.The ritual script follows. Since I was performing it myself rather than in a group I truncated some of the sections, but the structure I used was essentially the same as this more elaborate version. The script presented here can either be used by either a group or an individual, depending upon the preference of the operator or operators. The statement of intent that appears here is also quite generic, and can be customized as you see fit to anything that would properly fall within Venus' sphere of influence. I. OPENING"Officiant performs the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram."II. THE MAGICAL FIELD"Officiant performs the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Hexagram."III. PRELIMINARY INVOCATION"Officiant performs the Middle Pillar Ritual."IV. CONJURATION"Officiant performs the Greater Invoking Ritual of the Hexagram for Venus (Venus hexagram in emerald green, Venus symbol in scarlet, godname YHVH Tzabaoth)."OFFICIANT: Oh glorious and mighty ANAEL, you who command and rule over the intelligences and spirits of NOGAH, behold me, and in the name of the same your God, the expansive and merciful YHVH TZABAOTH, attend and appear before us now. Full powers and wonders of the planet Venus do we rightly desire! Enlighten our understanding, encourage our hearts, and manifest unto us as we partake of your spiritual realm.ALL: So mote it be!OFFICIANT: Gloria Patri et Matri et Filius et Filia et spiritui sancto interno et spiritui sancto externo ut erat est erit in saeculo saeculorum sex in uno per nomen septem in unoALL: ARARITA.V. CHARGING ELIXIR "Raising the cup of elixir in both hands, Officiant gives the dedication:"O beautiful and triumphant YHVH TZABAOTH! To thee we raise this talisman of our magickal will! We ask thee, oh Exalted One, to receive this body of our rite into the light of thy presence. As we proceed in making this Elixir of Venus, charging it with the creative energies of NOGAH, we shall achieve a true alchemical ferment, mighty in Yetzirah and vitalized by thy blessing. In partaking of this Mystery, let there be unto us vitality of soul, increase of sight and true gnosis of the wonders of thy Sphere!"The cup is replaced on the altar. All link hands and make one clockwise circumambulation, visualizing a wall of emerald green light whirling rapidly in the same direction about the circle. When finished, hands are unlinked and the wall of light is allowed to fade. Then, beginning with Officiant and proceeding clockwise, the cup is passed to each participant. Each holds it at heart level and says:"Creature of Wine who art established in the Sphere of Venus: by the vital force of my breath I enliven thee to perfect this work of Holy Magick in the realm of NOGAH.Each individual breathes once upon the wine and passes the cup clockwise. When finished, the cup is replaced on the altar. All link hands and circumambulate the altar 4 times clockwise with attention on the cup, then unlink hands when done.Officiant now raises power: Visualize a continuous spiral of emerald grren light ascending from the ground at feet, whirling clockwise around the body and ascending until it disappears above the head. Hold the visualization then vibrate the divine name once:YHVH TZABAOTH"Allow spiral to fade. Each participant in turn, clockwise around circle, does same as above. When finished, all link hands and vibrate once more:"YHVH TZABAOTH"Hands are unlinked. With Officiant leading, all extend hands toward the elixir cup. Visualize beams of emerald green light emanating from both hands and entering into the cup. After a few moments, Officiant ends visualization, folds hands on breast, left over right. All do likewise. Then Officiant traces in a horizontal plane the symbol of Venus while vibrating once more:"YHVH TZABAOTH"All link hands and make one complete circumambulation of the circle. Hands unlinked. Battery: 1. Officiant raises cup and says:"Behold the Elixir of Venus! For all and for each it is prepared! Let each and all receive its magick virtue! Be the ferment of our spiritual alchemy mighty in the crucible of my soul!"Officiant drinks elixir then invites all others present to partake. One by one, all participants raise the cup, make the following declaration, and then drink."Be the ferment of our spiritual alchemy mighty in the crucible of my soul!"Pause for a few moments. All link hands and make one complete circumambulation of the circle. Hands are then unlinked."VI. THE LICENSE TO DEPARTOFFICIANT: O thou ANAEL, praise and honor be unto thee for the splendor of thine office and the majesty of thy being. And the blessing of thy God and mine, the beautiful and triumphant YHVH TZABAOTH. Because thou hast diligently answered unto our demands, and hast been very ready and willing to come at our call, we do here license thee to depart unto thy proper place; without causing harm or danger unto man or beast. Depart, then, I say, and be thou very ready to come at our call, being duly exorcised and conjured by these sacred rites of magick. AMEN.ALL: So mote it be!VII. DEDICATIONALL: May the benefit of this act and all acts be dedicated unto the complete liberation and supreme enlightenment of all beings everywhere, pervading space and time. So mote it be. May the benefits of practice, ours and others', come to fruition ultimately and immediately and we remain in a state of presence. AH!VIII. CLOSING"All perform the Qabalistic Cross. Battery: 1"OFFICIANT: I now declare this temple duly closed.
by agnosticator
Once again, I am reminded of the primary difference between a "true" Christian and the rest of us. Here is a quote from a Christian in the forums:
"Christians are capable of greater levels of love than unbelievers. Not because of who we are; but because of God's work in our hearts."
This is an example of a common belief shared exclusive to believers. They are better than anyone else because God touched them and made them special. But not only special, God makes them superior in every way. They magically become more empathetic, more honest, more loving, and morally superior. Simultaneously, they possess a mean streak; an attitude that is palpable to those unlike themselves. This is the arrogance of faith.
The New Testament inspires this attitude through the doctrine of salvation. But this is only the beginning. The scriptures are riddled with words of arrogance masquerading as love and concern. There is a mean-spirited bitterness permeating the New Testament, and it is directed at the world.
Humans and the earth itself are evil and destined for everlasting destruction. But God loves us. God created "sin" but it is our fault for being born into it. If we don't believe, we will be tortured eternally. Some may believe hell is temporary rather than eternal, but we are still punished to death by torture. Yet God loves us.
We are called fools for being wise (i.e., intellectual or educated), while anyone who believes the New Testament's "good news" is called wise-even if he is not too bright. God loves us and wants to save us, but if you use the brain he gave you....you might reject his offer. So, let us become fools for Christ!
The New Testament describes "wolves in sheep's clothing"(Mt 7:15) causing us "to believe a lie"(2Thess. 2:11), and to beware of "cunningly devised fables"(2Pet 1:16). But the authors are describing themselves. Furthermore, believers become "wolves in sheep's clothing" whenever they speak of their mean-spirited religion. They are killing us with kindness whenever they speak of salvation, hell and and the solution called god's love. They are not the solution. They are the problem. They are the liars, and the truth in not in them.
"Mk 11:11-26 The Sky's The Limit. Not Really.(Click here for readings)"Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions."If you could ask the Lord right now for anything, what would it be? Think about it and remember, "Ask and you shall receive." So, what would you ask for? Did you ask for forgiveness?Christ told his disciples, "When you pray, I tell you, all that you ask for, you will receive it and it shall be yours. And then he said, "When you pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that the Father in turn may forgive you your transgressions." There are a lot of good things (very good things in fact) that do not come naturally. Forgiveness is one of them. When we seek to forgive we are dying to ourselves. When we seek to be forgiven, we are placing ourselves in harm's way. Though forgiving is a very good thing to do, it does not come naturally. Both these acts of love defy the laws of survival just like a rocket defies the laws of gravity. To punch through the clouds requires a lot of rocket fuel and thrust. To punch through Heavenly clouds requires a lot of grace and trust. Like the sky, asking for forgiveness is one of the toughest things to punch through. To forgive others is a close second. Supernatural virtues do not come easily because - simply put - they don't come naturally. So what must I do? It required years of constant thinking and planning for the space shuttle to lift off. To get heavenly lift off of our body and soul requires years of constant prayer. It takes years because praying doesn't come easily. And praying doesn't come easily because it doesn't come naturally. And the reason why prayer is hard to do is the same reason why punching through the open sky is hard to do. There are a lot of forces within us that try to stop us, and one of the most powerful is laziness. "LAZINESS." We made it! Yes, we made it from non-existence to existence. We are here! We have gone from non-life to life. And "being" is not just anything; it is everything! And like everything, our very being must be nourished to grow and must learn to fight in order to grow. Laziness is a force that works against us. Laziness takes life and twists it back to non-life; it takes fresh fruit and makes it gross"." When we just sit around trying to look pretty we get gross, like that fig tree in the desert with tons of leaves but no fruit. Something is wrong with this. Something is very wrong. It should be producing fruit. Instead, it's just standing there looking kind of silly. And right now, we are looking kind of silly.Isn't it amazing at how the government has grown in the last fifty years? Isn't it amazing at how the government is trying to regulate and moderate everything, even what we eat and drink? Aren't you amazed at how much money the government keeps pumping into education, welfare, defense, tolerance and alternative energies and still we have millions of ill-prepared students, millions of unemployed Americans, millions more who hate us, thousands of teens who bully and massacre us, and tons of waste around us? Why haven't we solved these problems? Because we keep trying to resuscitate a gross mentality; the mentality that "you can do whatever you want" and someone else will handle it.We're not seeking to be held accountable and we're not holding a gun to anyone to be held accountable. There's little to no incentive to be responsible. There's plenty of back stepping, moving away, walking away and going away that is going on here! Everyone is apologizing except those who need to apologize; and everyone who is taking a stand or standing their ground is being kicked to the ground.Jesus, the Son of God, had to take care of our problems. He had to lead the way. He was the first to drive out those selling and buying near the temple. He was the first to overturn the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling. He was the first to do it for us. But he didn't ask us to stay put or even to walk away. Instead, he demanded that we pick up our cross and carry it all the way. We think that prayer is the answer to all our problems. It isn't. It is the answer to all our weaknesses and inadequacies. Prayer is the way our Lord joined forces and conquered. By ourselves we are inadequate. This may explain why so many marriages are woefully wrong, our parents and families are woefully inadequate, our children are woefully rude and our society is woefully unbalanced. Let's start thinking, planning and praying. Let's lead the way in harm's way and dying to ourselves for mankind's sake. Let's lift off where the sky is not the limit. Let's pray like the Lord and get results that are out of this world.
Source: pagan-magic.blogspot.com
Merry Meet everyone :)))A fellow sister of the Mists and friend of mine, Rowan Pendragon from One Witch's Way is running The Pagan Blog Project. I think it's a wonderful idea, and will be participating in it. I know some of you who read my blog also blog so I thought I would pass it along to you as well. SO WHAT IS IT?Each week during 2012 on Friday all of us that are part of the Pagan Blog Project will write a post relating to Paganism, witchcraft, magick, etc. Each week there will be a specific prompt to help you write your blog post for that Friday focusing on one letter of the alphabet. For example, week one is the letter "a" so you will see a blog post from me this Friday that has something to do with a topic that starts with the letter "a". :)))) There are 26 letters in the alphabet and 52 weeks in the year, so we will do each letter of the alphabet for two weeks. WHAT IF I DON'T BLOG AND I JUST WANT TO DO THIS ON MY OWN? This is still a great idea to help you with journaling even if you don't have a blog. Keeping a journal is a wonderful way to work with those creative energies. So even if you don't want to do the challenge formally, I encourage you to do it on your own at home in a special journal.SOUNDS GREAT! I'M GONNA JOIN YOU! :))))) WHAT NEXT?CHECK OUT ALL THE INFORMATION AND SIGN UP HERE: THE PAGAN BLOG PROJECTI look forward to blogging with you in 2012!Love and Blessings,Jasmeine Moonsong
Credit: master-of-pentagram.blogspot.com
"I took a few hours away from grading final exams to get some training at the Great Valley Museum's new facility that will take up most of the bottom floor of our nearly completed Community Science Center. The Great Valley Museum is a modest affair (befitting the town of Modesto?) occupying a few small ancient buildings just off campus. It is ironic to realize that most of their community outreach has been away "from the museum and in the hands of their traveling teachers. But that is about to change in a big way: the Great Valley Museum will no longer be a small museum of primary interest to nearby schools, but will instead be a great reason to visit the town of Modesto in California's Central Valley. There will be some rather striking exhibits about the natural history of the region, but there will also be a state-of-the-art planetarium (with a new generation star projector that is the first to be installed in the United States), a Foucault pendulum, a natural outdoor laboratory with native vegetation, and a fully equipped observatory. And there will be a big white ball floating in the big room at the end of the building! Well, it's white until the projectors are turned on. Then some magic happens (well, not magic, but "science").
Four calibrated projectors make the sphere glow with a totally three dimensional look at planet Earth, and a great deal more. There is nothing static about this orb. As you will see in a moment, it rotates, and can be manipulated in any direction desired by the presenter.
Some three hundred programs are available in nearly all the sciences, but it especially shines in biology, meteorology, climatology, and geology. Many of the programs provide real-time or near real-time views of the earth. Above is a view of sea surface temperatures on January of last year (and is cycling through December 11, 2012, the day I was looking at it.).
The view above shows the age of the sea floor, and the location of plate boundaries across the planet. Nothing quite prepares you for the world in motion. I only got a couple of videos that show things moving. The first shows a rotating Earth, kind of a background appearance when the unit is on, followed by a demonstration of weather systems across the entire planet, visible all at once.
I was really impressed with being able to walk around and see the full scale and perspective of each of these planets. The biggest rift valleys and the biggest volcanoes in the Solar System are visible in the photo above. They don't stand out quite this way on Earth!
The body above was even more intriguing to me. I've seen plenty of maps, but they don't quite have the impact of this glowing sphere.
The pictures pretty much give away the identify of the small moon above. But below...wait, that's no moon!
I have a bad feeling about this, Luke!
The Science on a Sphere program is a product of a NOAA, and more information can be found at the link above. If you ever come through Modesto on your way to...wherever...be sure to stop in! The museum will be opening sometime this summer. Here is the Great Valley Museum website.
Credit: witch-selena.blogspot.com
Recent events prompted me to put together this ritual designed to impart the soul of an individual with the power and impetus to accomplish their will following the death of their physical body. Thelema has a very open attitude toward death that is expressed in the Gnostic Mass, that the experience of the world beyond death corresponds to the individual will rather than any universal process or experience. Some souls may choose to reincarnate, others may choose to be reabsorbed into the infinite, while others may choose to remain at peace, in contemplation, or with their chosen and preferred. About the only dogmatic concept of the afterlife in Thelema is "The Book of the Law"'s complete rejection of a "hell realm" or any sort of "dread hereafter."
Nonetheless, when an individual dies their will may not be purified or developed sufficiently for them to sort out how to proceed once their body no longer functions. This is especially true of someone who is not a spiritual practitioner. The process of death is confusing enough that without some significant practice it may seem less like an opportunity for the expression of will and more like a fearful ordeal. This ritual is designed to strengthen the will of the deceased so that they can not only pass through the confusion of death but traverse the spiritual realms in accordance with their True Will.
This ritual is a work in progress. It could probably be improved by adding in some sort of part for an audience to play so that it could serve a social as well as a magical function. So far, it is designed as a ritual for a single magician casting on behalf of the deceased. I'm also still thinking over the closing - I don't think that the banishing should be repeated so it currently ends with the dedication. I might want to add one more step in there to "seal off" the rite without banishing the energy. Credit is due to Aleister Crowley for the Star Ruby, Star Sapphire, and the selections from the Gnostic Mass, and to Sam Webster, who wrote the Dedication and whose work inspired the Refuge and Awakening sections.
The temple setup is very simple. An altar should be placed in front of the magician, upon which is placed a photograph of the deceased. Other implements and tools may be present as the magician deems appropriate. The ritual should be performed on the first Saturday following the death of the individual for whom the ritual is being performed. The plural forms (we, us, etc.) used in the ritual refer to the magician and the deceased.
* The magician begins by joining hands at heart level and stating the Death collect from the Gnostic Mass.
Term of all that liveth, whose name is inscrutable, be favorable unto us in thine hour. So mote it be.
* The magician performs the banishing Star Ruby.
* Refuge is taken in Nuit, Hadit, and Heru-Ra-Ha.
We take refuge in Nuit, the blue-lidded daughter of sunset, the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night sky, as we issue the call to the awakened nature of all beings, for every man and every woman is a star - AUMGN.
We take refuge in Hadit, the secret flame that burns in every heart of man and in the core of every star, as we issue the call to our own awakened natures, arousing the coiled serpent about to spring - AUMGN.
We take refuge in Heru-Ra-Ha, who wields the wand of double power, the wand of the force of Coph Nia, but whose left hand is empty for he has crushed an universe and naught remains, as we unite our own awakened natures with those of all beings everywhere and everywhen, dissolving all obstacles and healing all suffering - AUMGN.
* Will is then awakened.
For pure will, unassuaged of purpose and delivered from the lust of result, is in every way perfect. All is pure and present and has always been so, for existence is pure joy, all the sorrows are but as shadows, they pass and are done, but there is that which remains. To this realization we commit ourselves - pure and total presence. So mote it be.
* The magician performs the invoking Star Sapphire.
* The Greater Invoking Ritual of the Hexagram for Saturn is performed. The godname used should correspond to the spiritual tradition followed by the deceased - Babalon for a Thelemite, YHVH Elohim for a Judeo-Christian, and so forth. Corresponding names from many traditions can be found in "Liber 777" and it is not usually difficult to determine the proper godform governing death and the afterlife in most religious traditions.
* The magician then performs this slightly modified form of the End collect from the Gnostic Mass upon the photograph.
Unto (the deceased's name) from whose eyes the veil of life hath fallen, may (he/she) be granted the accomplishment of (his/her) will, whether (he/she) wills absorption in the infinite, or to be with (his/her) chosen and preferred, or to be in contemplation, or to be at peace, or to attempt the labor and heroism of incarnation on this planet or another, or in any star, or aught else, may (he/she) be granted the accomplishment of (his/her) will, yea, the accomplishment of (his/her) will - AUMGN AUMGN AUGMN. So mote it be.
The magician then touches the photograph and visualizes energy flowing to the soul of the deceased, strengthening the will and providing a vector of motion in harmony with its individual nature.
* The ritual is closed with the Dedication of Merit.
May the benefit of this act and all acts be dedicated unto the complete liberation and supreme enlightenment of all beings everywhere pervading space and time - so mote it be. May the benefits of practice, ours and others, come to fruition ultimately and immediately and we remain in a state of presence - AH.
So far, the ritual has been performed once and felt quite effective, keeping in mind that any sort of empirical validation is rather difficult to obtain when casting spells for those who have passed on.
The night after their return and the triumphal feast, Enkidu awakens in terror. He has dreamed that the gods have held a conference. Because Enkidu and Gilgamesh have slain Humbaba (who guarded the Cedar Forest for the god Enlil) and disrespected Ishtar, they must be punished. Because Gilgamesh is two parts god and one part man, while Enkidu is half-man and half-beast, they decide that it is Enkidu who must die.
Soon after his dream, Enkidu is overcome by a grievous illness. As he grows weaker, Enkidu curses the trapper and the harlot who brought him to Uruk. In giving him the knowledge of civilization, they have also given him the knowledge of mortality: instead of the clean death of a wild animal, he now faces a shameful death on a sickbed. But then Shamash, God of the Sun, calls to him from the sky and reminds him that, even though his life was short, it was happy. He has known the pleasures of the countryside and city both, but most importantly:
Now Gilgamesh is your beloved brother-friend!
He will have you lie on a grand couch,
will have you lie on a couch of honor.
He will seat you in the seat of ease, the seat at his left,
so that the princes of the world kiss your feet. Thus reassured, Enkidu withdraws his curses and replaces them with blessings. After twelve days of suffering, the once-wild man departs this earth for the place where the dead dwell, a grim land where they "drink dirt and eat stone" in eternal darkness. Gilgamesh is inconsolable: for a week he keeps vigil beside Enkidu's corpse, trying desperately to awaken him. Finally a maggot falls from Enkidu's nose as Gilgamesh shakes him. Realizing at last that the situation is beyond hope, the heartbroken Gilgamesh allows his friend to be buried and commands his whole kingdom to mourn.
As the days pass, Gilgamesh's sorrow only grows greater. No longer does he wash himself, comb his hair or shave: instead of his royal robes, he dresses himself in the skins of wild animals. His mourning is combined with a deep, existential terror. In seeing his friend die, he has been confronted with his own mortality: he knows now that all his treasures and all his achievements must ultimately turn to dust. Turning away from his castle and his kingdom, he takes to wandering in the wilderness, crying bitterly.
"Exercise 1-3: Grief"
"We all experience loss. Grieving over a lost child, a beloved pet, or an irredeemably broken relationship is not necessarily a sign of self-indulgence or weakness. Rather, it is a lamentation. There may be lessons to be learned from this experience, but right now there is only pain. Give yourself permission to feel that pain and express that pain. If it brings tears, cry: if it brings anger, rage. Let the pain speak until you have gained what the Greeks called catharsis - the purging of pent-up emotions and release of tension."
We place a great emphasis on keeping a stiff upper lip, on holding oneself together and being strong in the face of adversity. Expressions of pain and suffering are unseemly. Boys don't cry, and neither do women who wish to be taken seriously. Those who don't "get over it" and go on with their lives - those who are still mourning after some set period of time or who are too open about their suffering - are shunned: at best their efforts to share their pain are met with uncomfortable silences and efforts to change the subject.
In many other cultures lamentation for loss is not only acceptable but expected. In Haiti it is believed that the dead will not rest unless they receive their due of mourning: those who do not cry and show their grief at funerals run the risk of being haunted. Keening, haunting wails of pain and loss performed by hired mourners, was customary at traditional Irish funerals. Orthodox Jews who have lost a parent, child, sibling or spouse perform keriah, the ceremonial rending of the garment, to give vent to anguish by means of a controlled, religiously sanctioned act of destruction. Gilgamesh's mourning is extreme even by Sumerian standards, but so too is his loss. His actions are not presented as a sign of his weakness but as a sign of his love and a fitting response to the death of his beloved companion.
Grief is recognition that one's life has been irrevocably changed. A part of your identity has been torn away: wife becomes widow, son becomes orphan, spouse becomes divorcee. The challenge is to create a new way of life while incorporating the old. For the grieving Gilgamesh, it is important that his friend be remembered. He orders that a monument of gold and lapis lazuli - the most precious materials known to Sumerian culture - be erected in Enkidu's honor: he also commands his subjects and all of creation to join him in his mourning.
Often grief is accompanied by a profound sense of guilt. When we lose a loved one to a disabling chronic illness, we may feel a sense of relief at their passing: their troubles are over, and so are ours. No matter how sad we feel, we may think that we are not sad enough: our happiness and healing become weapons we can use to flagellate ourselves for not loving our deceased enough. We may treat our loss as a sign of failure: if only we had done things differently, it wouldn't have come to this. The mighty Gilgamesh is not used to failure, and yet his strength and cunning cannot save Enkidu.
Elizabeth K"ubler-Ross has defined various stages of grieving. First we see Gilgamesh going through denial as he sits with Enkidu's corpse and refuses to accept his friend's death. Then, as he realizes that Enkidu is gone, he enters the anger stage. His pain manifests itself in his refusal to attend to his duties as king and ruler. Much as "cutters" use self-mutilation to express their anger, Gilgamesh's unshorn beard, dirty face and filthy animal-skin clothing are outward signs of his internal suffering. From here comes bargaining: frightened by the presence of death, Gilgamesh resolves to conquer it by gaining immortality for himself.
From the Kenaz Filan Blog
http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com
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What Values do you hold in your heart; not your mind? If you want to get ahead spiritually and energetically then you need to re-assess your values. We all break them to conform and keep the peace many times during our lives. It's very important now that we all pay attention to what we 'cant' see. What a lot of people don't understand or have really taken from the whole Mayan calendar 2012 awareness; is the greatest opportunities for growth and release. As the end of the 3rd dimension is closing or shall we say is still overlapping to the 4th, it's giving us a blessing to align with our highest selves to overcome 3rddimensional realties; the wheel of karma you might say. Aligning now with the 'Soul's values' allows colossal shifts to occur. As we come out of our minds (3D reality) and move into our hearts (4D reality) we operate at a completely different level of consciousness. We must surrender individually and planetary as a race to this reality; allowing the ego to still run things will cause you discomfort on all levels of your being. The big one to watch out for is feeling lost and confused, and I'll tell you for those that have kept it all together mentally for years and are denying the change will find it extremely difficult, as they have only ever lived in the mind; living in the heart is very different. It's already happening to someone you know right now. Help when you can, and ALWAYS pass on information to your fellow human being. What Values do you hold in your heart, not your mind? Your mind values are programs either through ecology, genetics or physical interactions. Values of the heart are soul based universal in nature and eternal. You figure out which ones you should follow. Don't lie to yourself anymore! The post What Are Your Values? appeared first on Universal Healing.
Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
I've heard that some people who have trouble conceiving have given "crystal therapy" a shot to help. One of the most common complaints that a new age healer will address is fertility issues. Couples who are trying to conceive have often tried anything that they think may help. Since many problems with the human reproductive system revolve around stress-based ailments, I see no harm in giving crystal-based rituals a try for relaxation and for paving the way so that conventional medicine practices can do their jobs even better!
The first step in crystal therapy to aid fertility is to select the stone that is right for the job. Some stones are said to be especially powerful for women and female complaints, such as Jade, moonstones of all colors (but especially white and raibow hues), quartz in pinks and purples such as rose quartz. Many people choose shapes that are evocative of reproductive symbols, such as an egg or perhaps carvings of Venus of Willendorf or other feminine symbols. However, this is up to you -- use what makes you feel comfortable. Stones for male fertility should be selected from gemstones which have a reputation for masculine energy enhancement: pyrite stones, gold, and tiger's eye are all great choices. Again, shape is a nice touch; if you come across "lingam" type stones, or anything vaguely phallic, go ahead and give it a try. I feel that the composition of the stone is a lot more important than a pretty shape. But again, you may be the type who gets really into the esthetics. If so, do what you like!
Once you have your stones, select a nice resting place for them somewhere in your home. If you have an altar for meditation or some place where you place important things, add the stones. I've heard that some people create "nests" for their implements in fertility rituals, which I think sounds like a lovely idea. Customize and personalize your stone with your own specific energy signature, as I've described in a previous article.
Then, consecrate your fertility nest as well, dedicating the area to love, healing, and fertile energies. Then place the stones inside, and visit each day to meditate -- you and your partner should both choose times, seperately or together, to visit and contemplate, to direct abundant and fertile energy toward the subject at hand. Remember that the space you choose to place your nest should be peaceful and calm; it should make you feel safe and reaffirm your dedication to the act of conception.
I just wanted to post this to see if anyone has had a similar experience or if they have any suggestions as to why this is happening.
I've been reading tarot cards for a little over a year now and in the beginning I would do readings for myself for anything and everything. I would of course take all the 'practical' steps for whatever the situation was but I would also do tarot readings to give myself an extra perspective on things.
In the last few months however, I've found that I don't want to use my cards to suggest the outcome of things- I would rather just let things play out and find out the outcome when it happens. For example, I have a court case coming up (some of you may have read my post some time ago about my noisy neighbors) and while before I would have welcomed a reading to inform me about anything and everything related to this, now I'm just happy to wait and see what happens.
I wonder if this is the 'honeymoon' period between my tarot cards and I wearing off or if it's maybe my intuition telling me when tarot will and won't be helpful. Has anyone else experienced something similar?
Statistics: Posted by Obsidian - Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:15 am
Witches and charismatic Christians are leading religious growth in Australia with many women turning to witchcraft or paganism as a reaction against the patriarchal nature of traditional Christianity.
Dr Philip Hughes of the Christian Research Association said the numbers of people participating in nature religions - mostly witchcraft and paganism - rose by 140 per cent between 1996 and 2001. Agnostics were on the rise too, he said.
For many, nature religions were seen as environmentally friendly.
But Dr Hughes said their numbers remained small, with fewer than 25,000 adherents in Australia.
"They are never going to be really numerous as it is largely a protest movement."
Leading witch Caroline Tully says witchcraft is a religion for the weak and oppressed, especially women.
"Actually, I'm surprised the guys haven't taken advantage because there are so many single women," she said.
"There aren't many men, and a lot of them aren't particularly appealing."
Dr Hughes said growth among Pentecostals (such as Sydney's Hillsong Church) had been remarkable, along with ethnically based religions. For example, the Coptic Orthodox Church grew by 83 per cent between 1991 and 2001.
"Immigrants head to the churches in large numbers, even if they did not attend in their homelands," Dr Hughes said. However, he said he discounted fears in some church circles of mass conversions to Islam.
"The number of converts is very small, probably in the realm of less than a thousand or two. Only 2.5 per cent of all Muslims in Australia were born of Australian-born parents and some of these would be grandchildren of immigrants."
About 25,000 Australians identified themselves as Buddhist at the last census. Dr Hughes said young people liked its simplicity and ethics.
He said changes in immigration meant religion was now more diverse. Between 1996 and 2001, Buddhist numbers grew by 79 per cent, Hindus by 42 per cent and Muslims 40 per cent.
But all these groups together were still less than 5 per cent of the population.
Books You Might Enjoy:
Eliphas Levi - The Conjuration Of The Four Elements
John Ankerberg - Satanism And Witchcraft The Occult And The West Part Ii
Aj Drew - Wicca Spellcraft For Men
Origin: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com
