This past few weeks have been unusually hectic, leaving me no time to myself. But I have noticed one really happy change since I last wrote.
For those who do not know, West Nile Virus has been decimating the crow population. I believe Washington, DC, where I live, may be the hardest hit as 90% of the crows have died. This is a full blown crow holocaust.
This has been really upsetting to me (as well as even more upsetting to the crows). I used to have two crows that lived in the tree right outside my window and they would wake me up really early every morning. And I would get mad at them and tell them to go away. And then one day, right when West Nile began to hit and I didn't even know about it yet, my crows weren't there in the morning and I got really worried about them. I think they probably died and I was so sad that I had been mad at the crows and I want them to come back. They can wake me up whenever they want.
Crows can live for a very long time and are extremely smart. I had not seen a single crow in the District for a couple of years, where they used to be all over the place. About a month and a half ago, I started trying to think information about West Nile Virus from my research towards the crows...or, more accurately, towards the spirit of "Crow" but mostly I have just been trying to intensely wish that the crows will be okay and safe from West Nile and come back to the District and flourish.
Since the last time I wrote, I have seen or heard four crows. This makes me so happy. I love crows. So, if anyone else sees this and wants to think good thoughts towards crows, that would be great. While you're at it, think good thoughts towards the bluebirds (also being hit by West Nile) and polar bears who need more ice.
This is an important polar bear picture that I want to print out and put by every light switch.
Polar Bear Picture
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Exploring Elementals by Painting
In DC we have several of those "paint your own pottery" places. I'm sure they are all over the country now. Anyway, I am in the midst of a project to explore the nature of the elemental spirits through painting pottery. Now, I am not particularly artistic, but I am playing around using some techniques that I learned at Rudolf Steiner College.
The nice thing about the pottery places is that it's pretty close to wet on wet water colors...a VERY forgiving medium. If you do something you don't like, just paint over it. So, each week for the past three weeks I have been going and painting a plate and trying to experience the essence of the elementals through the colors.
The main guidance that I got from my painting class at RSC is to trust the colors. Perfect Love and Pefect Trust. Trust the colors. You just start laying them on and see what arises. Once you see it, all you do is to to work with it.
So far, I've done a Salamander...not the amphibian, but the man of fire. I painted some fire and then a man of flames kind of came out of it. He really kind of formed himself. And then I did Sylphs...white forms on blue background. Here's the wildest thing about those. There is one that as I just splashed the brush down carelessly, a very delicate fully formed face was there. I certainly didn't make it. I don't have that kind of skill. The one I made looks like I made it. But there on this plate is a little Sylph with a fully formed beautiful face made up from how the background blue happens to show through the white. I also did an Undine that I have yet to see how she came out. She will be fired this week. Next week, gnomes.
My recommendation is that others should try this. It's fun and in both the Salamander and the Sylph, things came out of the process that I certainly didn't consciously intend, they were just there. They arose. It was a cool form of meditation.
Trust the colors.
The nice thing about the pottery places is that it's pretty close to wet on wet water colors...a VERY forgiving medium. If you do something you don't like, just paint over it. So, each week for the past three weeks I have been going and painting a plate and trying to experience the essence of the elementals through the colors.
The main guidance that I got from my painting class at RSC is to trust the colors. Perfect Love and Pefect Trust. Trust the colors. You just start laying them on and see what arises. Once you see it, all you do is to to work with it.
So far, I've done a Salamander...not the amphibian, but the man of fire. I painted some fire and then a man of flames kind of came out of it. He really kind of formed himself. And then I did Sylphs...white forms on blue background. Here's the wildest thing about those. There is one that as I just splashed the brush down carelessly, a very delicate fully formed face was there. I certainly didn't make it. I don't have that kind of skill. The one I made looks like I made it. But there on this plate is a little Sylph with a fully formed beautiful face made up from how the background blue happens to show through the white. I also did an Undine that I have yet to see how she came out. She will be fired this week. Next week, gnomes.
My recommendation is that others should try this. It's fun and in both the Salamander and the Sylph, things came out of the process that I certainly didn't consciously intend, they were just there. They arose. It was a cool form of meditation.
Trust the colors.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Project Tagback
Okay, so let's talk music. I was thinking about music and I was thinking about how sometimes those who visited Faery would bring back songs with them. Anyone who has the fey sensibilities knows what I'm talking about. There are some songs that are brought through across the veil and...they just ARE. There's something about them that is a little (or a lot) dangerous and sublime and definitely immortal. They're discovered or caught more than written. This is that musician as shaman thing. All hail the Bardic Arts!
And it's always the music. The music is the immortal part. The person may give them words, but the words are ours...they're mortal. They will die and be reborn in another form. So, here's what I'm thinking.
One of the places where you find some of these immortal songs is in sacred music. Some of the tunes are ancient, but a lot of them now have Christian words that have been layered on top of them. As mentioned, the words are the mortal part. They will die and be reborn in different forms over and over again and that's all good. I say, we should find these faery gifts and take them back. Hence...Project Tagback.
My theory here is that if we can identify these songs, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out from which faery kingdom they derive and we should be able to take them back without a whole lot of difficulty and maybe with minimal changes.
Here's my first contribution. The Hymn "Ecstasy," sometimes called "Oh when will I see Jesus?" Now...I think that this is probably a gift from the Sylphs. It feels like it is from them to me. And it doesn't need much modification. If you don't know that song, Sally Rogers has a great version.
Ecstasy Project Tagback Version
May I seek the holy mother
Below and high above
And from the flowing fountain
Drink ever-lasting love
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
When e're you meet with troubles
Or trials on your way
Then cast your thoughts to her
And don't forget to pray
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
Gird on the mighty armour
Of trust and hope and love
And when the conflict comes
It will carry you above
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
Tag back
And it's always the music. The music is the immortal part. The person may give them words, but the words are ours...they're mortal. They will die and be reborn in another form. So, here's what I'm thinking.
One of the places where you find some of these immortal songs is in sacred music. Some of the tunes are ancient, but a lot of them now have Christian words that have been layered on top of them. As mentioned, the words are the mortal part. They will die and be reborn in different forms over and over again and that's all good. I say, we should find these faery gifts and take them back. Hence...Project Tagback.
My theory here is that if we can identify these songs, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out from which faery kingdom they derive and we should be able to take them back without a whole lot of difficulty and maybe with minimal changes.
Here's my first contribution. The Hymn "Ecstasy," sometimes called "Oh when will I see Jesus?" Now...I think that this is probably a gift from the Sylphs. It feels like it is from them to me. And it doesn't need much modification. If you don't know that song, Sally Rogers has a great version.
Ecstasy Project Tagback Version
May I seek the holy mother
Below and high above
And from the flowing fountain
Drink ever-lasting love
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
When e're you meet with troubles
Or trials on your way
Then cast your thoughts to her
And don't forget to pray
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
Gird on the mighty armour
Of trust and hope and love
And when the conflict comes
It will carry you above
O' had I wings I would fly away and be at rest
And I praise her in her bright abode
Tag back
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Communication Blessing
I am preparing for the full moon next Thursday, May 31 (9:00 PM EST). One spell that I need to do is a communication blessing. I have my dissertation defense coming up soon and it will probably happen when Mercury is retrograde, so I'll need to work to offset that.
I am currently planning on making a philtre. Mercury rules 7:00 PM on Thursday, so that's what I will be aiming for.
Main ingredient is slippery elm powder: Mercury and Uranus, for a pleasing voice and the right words to say at the right time to say them.
Supported by:
Chervil Leaf: Mercury and Lunar, for clear thoughts with that kind of lunar intuitive aspect.
Eyebright: Mercury and Solar, for clear thoughts with that kind of solar/Apollonine prophetic aspect.
Laurel Leaf: Earth and Jupiter, Kick up the Apollonine influence - bay leaves are about Truth coming out, especially through words. Everyone always thinks of it in terms of blessings for court, but it is the leaf of Apollo, who is the voice of Truth, which, theoretically, is what the Justice system is supposed to be discovering and upholding. The Pythia (Priestess who was the Delphic Oracle) chewed on a laurel leaf as she went into trance. SO...I think that energy would be good to add since I want my work to support Truth and I want my words to support Truth.
Citrine Stone: Mercury. It can be good to have a stone in a philtre. Stones tend to have more stable vibrations. A piece of citrine can hold the specific programming of the intentions and keep that stability in the herbal mix.
As a philtre, I will wrap this all in orange silk or cotton (I need to get some) and then I will keep it with me when I go to defend my dissertation.
This should help me in other ways, too. Clear communication that articulates insights from the lunar and solar realms and is in service of Truth can't help but be good in many ways. I try to live by the maxim that all my words should be True, Kind, and Useful. I often fail, but I am trying.
I am currently planning on making a philtre. Mercury rules 7:00 PM on Thursday, so that's what I will be aiming for.
Main ingredient is slippery elm powder: Mercury and Uranus, for a pleasing voice and the right words to say at the right time to say them.
Supported by:
Chervil Leaf: Mercury and Lunar, for clear thoughts with that kind of lunar intuitive aspect.
Eyebright: Mercury and Solar, for clear thoughts with that kind of solar/Apollonine prophetic aspect.
Laurel Leaf: Earth and Jupiter, Kick up the Apollonine influence - bay leaves are about Truth coming out, especially through words. Everyone always thinks of it in terms of blessings for court, but it is the leaf of Apollo, who is the voice of Truth, which, theoretically, is what the Justice system is supposed to be discovering and upholding. The Pythia (Priestess who was the Delphic Oracle) chewed on a laurel leaf as she went into trance. SO...I think that energy would be good to add since I want my work to support Truth and I want my words to support Truth.
Citrine Stone: Mercury. It can be good to have a stone in a philtre. Stones tend to have more stable vibrations. A piece of citrine can hold the specific programming of the intentions and keep that stability in the herbal mix.
As a philtre, I will wrap this all in orange silk or cotton (I need to get some) and then I will keep it with me when I go to defend my dissertation.
This should help me in other ways, too. Clear communication that articulates insights from the lunar and solar realms and is in service of Truth can't help but be good in many ways. I try to live by the maxim that all my words should be True, Kind, and Useful. I often fail, but I am trying.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Traffic Alchemy
So, for anyone who doesn't live in the Washingon, DC area, allow me to tell you how utterly horrifying our traffic is. You have been warned. Know this when you come to visit. And, I hasten to note, that I am not some naive small town Midwesterner who has just moved to the big city and is blowing our traffic woes out of proportion...although I am originally from the Midwest. No, that is not the case. I have lived in Southern California and battled Los Angeles traffic. I have lived in Salem, Mass and miraculously survived Boston traffic. This area is truly bad.
Most people in Washington are from somewhere else and they bring their local bad driving habits with them. Also, this is a city filled with lawyers and lobbyists and they take that aggression and sense that what they are doing is IMPORTANT right out with them onto the road. Bad, bad, bad. It's enough to break almost anyone's serenity. But, I have created a game that I play with myself that makes it better and that's what I want to share.
Obviously, getting upset at the drivers around you does no good and only serves to make you more tense and unhappy. Mostly, when somebody does something reckless and selfish in the car, it is upsetting for a couple of reasons.
1. The reckless stuff is truly unnerving. You see how you could have been hurt or someone else could have been hurt. It's hard not to be a little scared and then mad at whoever made you scared through a stupid risk.
2. Who the heck does that person think s/he is? It's not like they are the most important person on the planet. Honestly. Selfish bastard.
But how different would we feel if we knew that the person who just tailgated us, swerved around us, and was really impatient, reckless and all of that had just received a call that their child was in an emergency room across town? It's still bad, but a lot of the sting is gone and instead you're wishing them well.
Now, here's my game. I don't know that this person IS NOT going through a scenario like the one just mentioned. So, I just decide to interpret it as though they are. This let's me wish them well on their way and just throw out to the cosmos that I hope that they get where they need to go safely, that everyone around them is safe, and that things will be okay for them. So, the effect ON ME is that I'm not as tense and angry and instead I'm practicing compassion and sending out blessings. Overall, I think that is much better.
My attempts at internal Traffic Alchemy. Just thought I would share.
Most people in Washington are from somewhere else and they bring their local bad driving habits with them. Also, this is a city filled with lawyers and lobbyists and they take that aggression and sense that what they are doing is IMPORTANT right out with them onto the road. Bad, bad, bad. It's enough to break almost anyone's serenity. But, I have created a game that I play with myself that makes it better and that's what I want to share.
Obviously, getting upset at the drivers around you does no good and only serves to make you more tense and unhappy. Mostly, when somebody does something reckless and selfish in the car, it is upsetting for a couple of reasons.
1. The reckless stuff is truly unnerving. You see how you could have been hurt or someone else could have been hurt. It's hard not to be a little scared and then mad at whoever made you scared through a stupid risk.
2. Who the heck does that person think s/he is? It's not like they are the most important person on the planet. Honestly. Selfish bastard.
But how different would we feel if we knew that the person who just tailgated us, swerved around us, and was really impatient, reckless and all of that had just received a call that their child was in an emergency room across town? It's still bad, but a lot of the sting is gone and instead you're wishing them well.
Now, here's my game. I don't know that this person IS NOT going through a scenario like the one just mentioned. So, I just decide to interpret it as though they are. This let's me wish them well on their way and just throw out to the cosmos that I hope that they get where they need to go safely, that everyone around them is safe, and that things will be okay for them. So, the effect ON ME is that I'm not as tense and angry and instead I'm practicing compassion and sending out blessings. Overall, I think that is much better.
My attempts at internal Traffic Alchemy. Just thought I would share.
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