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Opus Dei : A Dialogue Between Friend and Foe
ADDENDUM: OPUS OBEDIENCE IS JESUIT OBEDIENCE (and also "openness of conscience" to the superior)
I hope to show here that there's no substantial difference between those 2 conceptions of religious obedience and so that you cannot avoid the conclusion that classical Jesuits are Fascists (It's obvious if we follow your FAQ at "6.2 Liberty"). Still more, If you read The Way 614-629 on Obedience, you'll see that it goes LESS FAR than St Ignatius, who's talking, YES, and explicitly, of BLIND OBEDIENCE.
True, those are only principles, and they don't prove that in practice misuses don't occur, or that the practice of Opus is not different from that of Ignatius. But for the moment you were talking about principles....
First, here's a cut of our exchange:
LUKE
it is very common among classical Jesuits to talk about the "surrender of one's own will" and to see the will of the Father superior as the will of God, not in all instances perhaps, but as an ascetic technique for self-detachment.
HOMEPAGE
>i can understand how that kind of obedience can help to increase spirituality. but it is a dangerous thing.. especially when it becomes a principle that they want to apply to society as a whole.
maybe i cut&paste a piece i have written about "obedience" to another person here:
>obedience is a difficult topic. on order to investigate its usefulness to society i tried to discuss it with an other person.. here is what i wrote to him:
when we talk about obedience than we have to distinguish between several forms of obedience.
first we can distinguish it by the target that is subject of the obedience.
there is
*) outward obedience. but you would still have your free will and would be able to think what you want...
*) intellectual & spiritual obedience. you would be obedient in what you believe and think. you would be obedient even if you know something is wrong because you do not have to "know" something yourself. you accept that your leader knows better than you..
then we can distinguish between a temporary obedience and a permanent obedience.
then we can distinguish between normal obedience and blind obedience. blind obedience is when you either thrust your leader so much that you do not question his commandments or if you are in a position where you have not enough information so that you could judge about a commandment.
finally it is important to also see by whom the obedience is demanded: a leader, a spiritual director, God, your conscience, the law, etc..
well, so much for the definition of terminology. the obedience that the opus dei demands in in this diction an obedience that is both outward and intellectual & spiritual side (with an emphasis on the i& s side). it is a permanent and most of all a blind obedience. they tell people that the obedience is demanded by God, but the leaders of the opus dei take out the right for themselves to decide what the will of God is and to demand obedience in his name. so the primary leader is the opus dei and not God.
now for the big questions: is obedience founded in the scripture? in other catholic orders? if yes: what type of obedience? (according to the above terminology) to whom is the obedience directed? etc..etc.. well i hope you people have answers to some of it. iwould especially be interested in how you think about the kind of obedience the opus dei demands.
my own view about that topic goes like this:
when we look at the kind of obedience that is demanded by other orders than i think (i am not an expert here) it is mostly outward obedience. (you have a strict plan on how you have to spend your day in the monastery, are not allowed to talk at certain hours etc etc.. but you are completely free in your mind). i guess this kind of outward obedience might help some people to develop more freedom on their inside and help them in spiritual growth.
you may argue that this obedience was a worldly one and that obedience to the church is different. well, if people would have been disobedient to the pope than maybe we would not have had the crusades or the burning of witches... etc..
the only "permanent blind intellectual ">apts" candidates was an essential part of government of the company
- One saw in him the soldier of God (...). Military man, Ignatius, they say, has created an army, with more or less secret instructions, with strict discipline (...) waging war to Satan
- War imagery (...) in the Spiritual Exercices all times.
- After the soldier has been recruited by taking the miliraty oath, has joined his commander camp and courageously decided to win a victory over the enemy, he must now begin to fight.
- a human group linked like that (...)by absolute obedience - that order uttered in Rome by the black pope being blindly followed everywhere, is likely to become powerful, if not glorious.
- this renouncement to one's own will, which is found in all mystical experiences...
- "complete indifference" is end of any asceticism of the will...
His disciple must not have any other inclination than to obey
- absolute obedience (...) do the sacrifice of they liberty in the hands of the Society Superiors.
- "The mind must be directed towards God (...) for the love of whom we obey to a man (...). All the energies must be put on that virtue, that is obedience, toward first the Pope, then to the Superior of the order (...). Everybody, on a word of the leader, as if it were from Christ himself (...) will renounce any occupation, even to write an alphabet letter that he has begun to write(...). All orders must be good to us. For our part we will renounce all other way to see things and all other opinion, in a kind of BLIND OBEDIENCE, and that in all what is not a sin. Everybody must be convinced that anybody who live in obedience must let himself be guided and lead by divine Providence, through his superiors, as if he was a corpse which we can move everywhere and treat in any way, or as if he was an old man's stick which is useful everywhere and for whatever purpose(...)
One must see Christ in him "
(CONSTITUTIONS)
- the corpse image comes from St Francis, who received it from an ancient tradition
(...)
it is necessary that the subordinate love the order and that he understand and approve it.
the duty of the subordinate, all explanations having been made, is to obey: he will put the issue in the hands of the Lord.
- The expression Jesuit General is liked by those who see in the society a powerful and disciplined army (...)
The General (...) is a monarch. The fact that this monarchy is elective must not give illusions: (...)the electorate is not elected but designated by the General
- The society organization looks heavily centralised. Nothing is outside the General's control.. From top to bottom a unique power is manifesting, through intermediaries, its sovereign authority.
This elective monarchy can become all-powerful only by relying on an aristocracy, that of the apti ad gubernationem.
- St Ignatius was of a very quick temper
-
- the essential point, the fundamental consideration, in the ignatian doctrine of obedience, is that the superior is the interpret of the divine will(...)
"But for the purity and perfection of obedience, for the true renouncement to our will and the self-denial of our judgment, I want earnestly (...) that those in this society distinguish themselves from others"
- he is very rigorous with some (...); that happen mostly when some don't want to obey or abandon one's own judgment against what is ordered
- "Perfect obedience to superiors, who hold the place of Christ..."
- Ignatius taught that obedience is an offering of all one's being : behavior, will, intellect ; an holocaust
- "If you want to remember that Master Salmeron is in authority and that God (...) is cooperating with him by a more special light (...) you will conclude that your own judgment may more easily be in error than his and that it is preferable, after having explained yourself, to submit your judgment to his"
... This doctrine is completely natural. If the subordinate must (...) obey to the authority's decisions, it is normal that the divine wisdom assist the superior by special graces.
- We must believe (...) that divine wisdom will guide all superiors for the best
- "A prudence of a lesser degree in the superior (...) is not a reason for disobedience (...) because he represent the person who is the infallible wisdom, and that one will compensate for what is lacking in his minister"
- When we enter the society, "one must put everything in to the hands of the superior, as the one who's taking place of Christ"
-
The representation of the subordinate must not be seen from a governmental point of view, but on the level of inspiration
"It seems to me that obedience want to be BLIND. I call it BLIND in 2 ways: the first one, that is the inferior -where there's no sin - must submit his judgment and follow the order given; the second one, that is the inferior (...) must tell with humility to the superior reasons against the order or inconveniences (...), without being attracted to one party or the other, so that "
"Once that indifference is present in the candidates, must consider the talents and natural inclination, when he will distribute the responsibilities"
"It is important to the utmost that the subordinates be entirely known from the superiors"
To this end, he has instituted what he calls the account of conscience. This (...) ask everybody to tell the superior, at set times, what concern their INNER and exterior life
- " open his conscience to the superior with a lot of humility, sincerity and charity (...);he will not hide anything concerning himself"
The practice of the account of conscience is in direct link with religious obedience(...)
In the account of conscience, obedience is able to deploy itself in an ideal fashion
- thus the account of conscience is the meeting of 2 charities, inside 2 submissions: that of the subordinate to his leader, that of the superior to divine will over the subordinate and the society
--Isn't that impressive? I have 2 other facts to add. Like opus, Society of Jesus has grades: brothers, and above all 2 level of priests: professed (profes) and coadjutors, of which only professed can be superiors. Opus has 3 levels of membership, plus cooperators.
The last fact is that Jesuits were always the target of the same kind of attacks than Opus: Glick, Foreword to Estruch p. XV:
"secretiveness, greed for corporate wealth and power, elitism, and propensity for manipulation".
Isn't it interesting? That alone is not a proof, but at the very least it casts suspicion about the criticisms.
Now, some comments about obedience. In both cases it is rooted in faith, and supernatural; being a member implies that you think that God is there whatever the superior may be. The constitutions are approved, so it`s a part of the church, and everybody is free to follow this vocation, as a part of the tradition (no need of it being explicitly in the scriptures, for a catholic).
In both cases there are some external checks against abuse: scriptures, catechism, papal teachings, the pope himself, who can eliminate Opus. There are internal checks: consultations, written books, explanations with superiors (I think we can see it, or deduce it from Tapia's experience).
Now, differences: Jesuits didn't recruit the same way, but nevertheless were doing recruiting; as you know, the ignatian exercices are highly motivational, and you have to choose your vocation, and there is hell possibly at the end of life, etc... A lot of psychology in those 7 or 30 days in silence... Exercices were proposed to young men just at the end of high school...
Before final vows, a Jesuit wait and study 10 years, so he knows exactly what it's all about when he surrender his liberty. For Opus, it is 5-6 years, but there is no vows, just contracts.
The most important thing is that Opus is for lay people, and from that come the problems; it seems that the conflict, or the difference between the inside and the outside is much more acute, because members are in the lay world, with, let's say, all the temptations, all the objections or ideas, all other people. A good guess would be that they need a reinforced defense system, more than Jesuits do. And so when a clash arises between the inside and the outside of opus in a candidate's mind, there's a strong perception of the will being forced. It's just an hypothesis that i'm giving you here.
You can well say that opus use authority in a different and bad way. We have to check that. But from the texts one can see that St Ignatius obedience was more Fascist. So if we keep the word, we must distinguish between good and bad fascism. Or each time we use "fascist" we must add the Jesuits and Ignatius. And if somebody doesn't do so, we must suspect there are hidden reasons for this...
In "short", this is my argument is this addendum.
Better would be to address the only real issue, beyond "fascism" and "reaction": just say that they are over-authoritarian and that authority is misused. Then we will have to address the real facts and their interpretations. But then the question remains: are the Jesuits over-authoritarian? I'm afraid the answer is not as easy as you may have thought first...
Last word: your last paragraph is incomplete: your must add holy tradition, that is dogmatic doctrine, and scriptures as interpreted by the church and his authentic magisterium. I agree, however, that all depends on the word "Blind". Our strict obedience is not the same as the blind obedience that is a particular Jesuistic-opusian thing.
You're right, obedience to supernatural church is different than that to state, because state matters are much more contingent. Crusades and heresy crimes punished by prison or death have few things to do with faith matters, since they concern political defense of some territories and relations between criminal law, canon law, and common good in this or that historical circumstances. Opus obedience seems at first sight 90% spiritual.
SOURCE
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Yesterday a vigilante mob in Kenya killed 15 people suspected of practicing witchcraft. The vigilante group believed to be responsible for inciting the violence is officially outlawed and hopefully its members will be arrested and brought to trial, rather than ignored by authorities like they are in some parts of the world.
Magick can prove to be an insidious excuse for violence, as it instills fear and its use is difficult to demonstrate reliably. Just like the witchcraft persecutions in Europe centuries ago, it appears from the article that the victims were not witches or wizards or spiritual workers of any sort, just elderly folks who had managed to accumulate enemies over the years.
The times and places may change, but human nature and mob psychology stay pretty much the same.
UPDATE: Today arrests have been made in the case, just one day after the killings. Hopefully this will help keep the violence from continuing or escalating.
Sample As soon as THE Go amiss AND Lead OF THE Neat Band together IN LEBANON, RODRIGUE (DIMITRI) EL KHOURY, BY ANTONIA PATSIDOU
"1) The Hellenic Neat community in Lebanon, lists boring 3,000 Hellenes-Greeks. The Hellenic sermon regions of the earth are mostly shut in the capital Beirut, and in Tripoli, at North Lebanon. Contemporary us above disc on the Hellenic community of Lebanon."
That the Hellenic Neat community in Lebanon lists boring 3000 Hellenes living in Lebanon, is a inappropriate put up. The true compute is about 300,000 and we are 7-8% of the identity, and the fourth major community in Lebanon, formerly Sunnis, Shiits, and Maronites. The compute 3000 represents family who have "Greek placement" from the new Greek take, and family who came to Lebanon from Greece formerly 1920. But family who have "Hellenic heredity", family who in imitation of spar Greek, family who are named "Rum"(in the Arabic discuss) are now above than 300,000.
Later the Arabs industrious our land in 634 A.D, they called our land "the land of al-Rum" and the at the outset Arab historian al-Wakidi from the 8th century noted that in every Syrian and Lebanese commune, the Arab invaders were required to converse in with our personal (al-Rum), in the "Greek discuss" (lougha Rumia). The actual as the Turks formerly them, they called Greeks "Rum" and the Greek discuss "Romaic". At the rear 1400 being of Arab invasions, we are completely Arabized, but we deposit our name, "Rum", and we deposit the Greek discuss in the liturgies. And you have to know that the Greek Neat community, and the Greek Catholic community (Uniates) have the actual heredity, and the Greek Catholic community now are about 190,000 in Lebanon. And don't let pass that lots Greek philosophers and saints are from Antioch (Saint John Chrysosotom, Saint John of Damascus, Saint Romanos the Melodist, etc.).
"2) The Hellenes in Lebanon, bit they speak Arabic, deposit in their way of thinking that they are Greeks, and are clear to develop the Arabism. But what about the tell untruths that was ready by the member parties irritating to assure them that they are Neat Arabs or Syrians, but not Hellenes. For instance sour happens with this issue?"
We serene cry out ourselves "Rum". In the old Arab manuscripts the name "Rum" in our earth machinery "Greek polite society", and the term "lougha Rumia" machinery "Greek discuss". And we are existing, lots centuries prior the Arabs. Papadopoulos, in his book "The Preceding of the Antichian House of worship", says: "The mountain of the Antiochian church was Greek" (page 51). And about the Arabization, he says in the actual book, "The irritation has been intensified as 773... The Calipha al-Mansur... prevents the teaching of the Greek discuss to children. Since that time, the Christians, very the Neat House of worship, were required to decode books participating in Arabic... and this is what precipitated the Arabization of the Greek polite society" (page 570, 571). The tell untruths of the member parties, committed by the Muslims, at this time say to all polite society that they are "Arabs", and the Christians are from the Arab tribes, which is not the truth. They teach this inappropriate put up in schools (Syria), and in Lebanon lots of the polite society repeat this inappropriate put up flaw any earlier period references, and flaw searching the earlier period truth. The tell untruths of the Maronite parties say to our "Neat insignificant" that we are all Christian "Syriacs", not Hellenes, and the "Rums" were invaders, as the "Arabs". And lots members of the "Rum" identity repeat this put up flaw any point of view, committed by the strong Maronite media. The truth is: in this land impart in imitation of existed lots nations-communities. The Syriacs (Maronites), the Hellenes (Rum), and the Arabs (Muslims). We have to develop the "plurality" of this turf, since it is the "historically true one" not the "ideological one".
"3) The Greek Neat Teen of Lebanon are the variety of the Greeks of Antioch, namely they are Greeks from the Hellenistic era. Contemporary is an handiwork on your part to found a member troop for the Greek Neat community. For instance are the objectives of the party?"
Easily by insisting on this "plurality" can we level our community from life form unfathomable. The Lebanese decree is a sectarian decree. We have 128 deputees, 64 prerequisite be Muslims, and 64 prerequisite be Christians. 14 deputees is the quote of the Greek Neat community. The Vice Prevalent Member of the clergy in the same way prerequisite be a Greek Neat. The complete community in Lebanon has its own member troop, that's why they are strong in politics. The Maronites have their member parties (kataeb, the Lebanese forces, the fpm, and the marada), the Sunni community has the "calculated be busy" and the Islamic organizations, the Shiits have the Hezbollah and Amal, the Druze have their parties. Unaffected the Armenian community (1%) of the identity is strong in member life and they can have their own building in the meeting and the imperial, since they have their own troop. The Greek Neat community (7% of the identity) has 14 deputees, none of them have "a Greek Neat" expression, no one of them come from "a Greek Neat" troop. The leaders of the other communities get paid OUR building, that's why our Neat deputees speak of the interests of the other communities. To comply with the "Maronites leaders" or the "Muslim leaders" to get paid them atypical time in impart electoral program. We have to soul ourselves in a member troop to improve our member specter, not precisely in Lebanon, but in Syria too and in Jordan. We have to soul ourselves in a member troop to level our earlier period society, the "Byzantine-Hellenic" society. In this way impart donate be no above fascinating our insignificant in the other's member ideologies. That's why we have to teach the Greek discuss to our insignificant, we have to make conferences about this earlier period society, and this time we ready the at the outset "liturgy in the east" commemorating the fall of OUR Urban (Poli) Constantinople, to deposit our earlier period society source of revenue. In our expression we said: "Hagia Sophia is ours", and we ready this liturgy with greetings from the Greek Neat of Antioch and all the East to our Ecumenical Patriarchate, saying: "Our Patriarch of Constantinople is an ecumenical credence, any rupture to his citizenship is an insulting act versus all the Neat polite society in the world". And for the at the outset time we talked to the Lebanese media about this provoke and this earlier period good cheer.
"4) Since the chivalrous war started in Syria, thousands of Christians have been killed by Muslim mujahideen guerrillas. Several of them are Greek Neat Christians, on the whole Hellene Macedonians and Hellenes of the Dense transom. For instance is your information on this issue?"
Our Greek Neat community in Syria outlast in a poor recognize. The Islamic fundamentalists at this time, supported by western "asinine" politics, incursion lots old Christian monuments, very in Homs Emesa, the commune of the big Greek Saint Romanos the Melodist. At this moment 130,000 Greek Neat are displaced from this commune to the Alawite turf or at Lebanon. They incursion our brothers impart, and weaken them, and the western media support these fundamentalists flaw asking the Greek Neat identity of Syria if it donate be better for them to reorganize an "Islamic fundamentalist decree". I can say, even in Syria, precisely by creating a Greek Neat member troop can we level our specter. Not to be used by the others conflicts - 13% of the Syrian identity is Greek Neat, above than 1,200,000. By firm a member troop for this big community, you can suppose what an grasp we donate have. We donate be above strong and we can say: our troop, our community donate never be obsession in your conflicts. We have our citizenship and we are existing to grab hold of them by creating this troop. We can make the kinship linking all the communities. And we can side with OUR citizenship.
"5) For instance communication would you daydream to send in Greek to your brothers in Hellas?"
We are snobbish of our Greek decline. Do not let pass that existing in the East, you have Greek brothers, and WE Sympathy YOU. We are the Acritan temples [Acritans were the Dense check guards] and we donate deposit the roast in our hands, the roast of Hellenism and Consistency.
Source: Shortened by John Sanidopoulos
Litha, or the summer solstice is arguably the most well known of all the Pagan festivals on the Wheel of the Year. At Stonehenge it is said that the Heel stone marks the midsummer sunrise as seen from the centre of the stone circle. We know therefore that the Summer Solstice was seen as a time of great significance to our ancestors. The word "solstice" is from the Latin word 'solstitium', which literally translates to "sun stands
Wheel of the Year Oshuna DeviantArt
still." Litha translates as 'the opposite of Yule' in Saxon tradition. Litha is the polar opposite of Yule on the Pagan Wheel of the Year, December 21st. While Yule represents the darkest day of the year, Litha represents the day with the most sunlight.
Other names for Litha include: Lithia, Alban Hefin(Gaelic for light of the shore), Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia(Roman), The Feast of Epona(Ancient Gaulish) Thing-Tide, Sank Hans Aften(Denmak) and St. John's Day. Litha is a celebration of the longest day, a day in which the world is bathed in light and warmth and since time began people have given thanks to the sun. The summer solstice of Litha is one of the four 'quarter days' of the year, also termed 'Lesser Sabbats'. Litha is usually celebrated on June 21st but varies somewhat from the 20th to the 23rd depending upon the Earth's relation to the sun.
Like Beltane, Litha is also a celebration of fertility. The Goddess is heavy with pregnancy from the mating at Beltane. Godesses Ceridwen and Demeter were significantly
Denis Savoie Photography
worshipped at this time of the summer solstice, being both archetypal mother Goddesses. The Sun God is celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky and we celebrate His approaching parenthood. This is the time that the God reaches his full maturity but he knows that after the festival he will begin to loose some of that strength. Fires were traditionally lit on beacons and wheels thrown down the hillsides to seek to delay the moment when his power will start to wane. Litha sees the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King rules the waxing half of the year from Yule to Midsummer; the Holly King rules the waning half; from Midsummer to Yule. At this time of Litha they duel and the Holly King will defeat the Oak King. The Celtic name for Oak is 'Duir' which means 'doorway', we are going through a doorway into the second half of the year, ruled by the Holly King.
On midsummer's eve people traditionally stayed up all night to watch the sunset and celebrate the longest day. Candlelit processions took place on this day, this is the origin of our modern day carnival processions. The Norse especially loved lengthy processions and would gather together their animals and families and parade with torches through the countryside to the celebration site.
Celebrations involving fire featured quite strongly at Midsummer. Giant effigies of the Corn Mother, the Green Man and dragons were carried through the town and later burnt on the Midsummer fires. People believed that the Litha fires possessed amazing power, and that prosperity and protection could be gained by jumping over the Litha bonfire. It was also common for courting couples to join hands and jump over the embers of the Litha fire three times to ensure a long and happy marriage. Some people believed that whispering a wish to a pebble and tossing it into the Litha fire helped to ensure the wish will come true. Blazing gorse or furze was often carried around cattle to prevent disease and misfortune.
Villages were alive with celebrations of this longest day often with Morris dancers, singing and storytelling. Once the Litha bonfires have died down the embers were commonly placed around the fields and orchards to protect the crops and to ensure an abundant harvest. Often people would take an ember from the Litha bonfire home with them for luck and protection of their home. Homes were often decorated with birch, fennel, St. John's Wort, and white lilies to bring luck and protection to the property. Mistletoe was also collected although not bearing berries as yet. Mistletoe was a very sacred and important plant to the Druids.
Midsummer is one of the times when the Fey folk emerge and therefore a perfect time to see them. Sometimes they play pranks on mortals, as made famous in Shakespeare's pay 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Old tales also recount the tale of the "faerie rade" a procession of Sidhe and other fey folk riding magical steeds across the countryside. Many people believe that Litha is one of the times of the year when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. This makes Litha a prime day for engaging in contact with Faeries. Honouring the Fae folk by leaving offerings of milk, honey, and pastries is a long standing tradition among many people. Some traditions stated that Litha was also the best day to wait inside a Faerie Ring to see if a Faerie would come and bless you.
Many people made protective charms or amulets at midsummer from Rue, Rowan and Basil, tied together with gold or yellow ribbon. These were held over the Litha fire to imbue them with the strengthening qualities of the fire's flames. Litha was and still is celebrated in different ways by different cultures all around the globe. The Celts would light balefires all over their lands from sunset the night before Midsummer until sunset the next day. In Cornwall up until the mid 18th century the number and appearance of fires seen from any given point was used as a form of divination and used to read the future. In Ireland, this day is dedicated to the faerie goddess Aine of Knockaine.
In parts of Northern Europe June 21st is "The Day of the Green Man. In the Italian tradition of Aridian Strega, this Sabbat (Strega Witches call them Treguendas rather than Sabbats) is known as Summer Fest - La Festa dell'Estate. Scandinavians celebrate this holiday at a later date and call it Thing-Tide.
Roman culture honored the goddess Juno at Midsummer. Juno is the goddess of childbirth, women and marriage. The month of June is named in her honour, and to this day June is a popular month for weddings. Midsummer was also a sacred time to honor Vespa, the goddess of the hearth. The matriarchs of Roman families would enter her temple and leave offerings for eight days in hopes of bringing luck to ther family.
Litha is known as Sankt Hans Aften (St. John's Eve) in Denmark and was an official holiday until 1770. Midwives and healers in this country would use this day to pick herbs and plants that would be used to heal others throughout the coming yea
This is a superb time for rising early and gazing at the early morning rays. Watching the sunrise and the sunset is a wonderful way to celebrate this longest day of the year. If you can keep a candle burning all day this is a lovely homage to the power of the sun. Celebrate solar energy by decorating with yellow, gold, orange, and red. The most important thing to do when celebrating Litha is to get outside and enjoy the wonderful sun.
Litha blessings to you, Alison xx
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Siusadh Ceanadach A Ceremony for Every Occasion: The Pagan Wheel of the Year and Rites of Passage
