Merry Meet and Happy Thursday, Family and Friends:
Last night, I watched a long awaited segment of the National Geographic Channel's "Taboo" documentary series. For those of you who aren't able to get National Geographic where you live, the series follows the diversity of cultural practices such as body modification, healing, Voodoo, burial rites, sexual practices, etc. It's really quite interesting. I believe you can follow this link and either download or purchase episodes. I would highly recommend it.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/taboo
Last night's episode however, made me cringe! The episode was about "nudity", specifically ritual nudity. A Wiccan group from Australia agreed to hold a ritual in which they were filmed practicing skyclad a.k.a "nekkid" for the series. The actual translation of the word, Skyclad, means "clad only by the sky". Quite beautiful, in my humble opinion.
Let me begin by saying that I have absolutely no problem with nudity in general. The human body is a beautiful thing. What I do have a problem with however, is with this group's choice to have their ritual filmed, under any circumstances.
The fact of the matter is, that there are many, many people who still don't understand what the Wiccan practices are and there are some they aren't meant to. Some practices are purposely reserved only for those who practice within formal covens. They are sacred.
There still exists an unfavorable mindset regarding our beliefs and what we do and this kind of programming only serves to enhance people's misconceptions by dangling (no pun intended) just enough information to make it tantalizing. Ritual nudity in certain Wiccan traditions is not a well guarded secret. Anyone can research and learn that certain groups do, in fact, practice ritual nudity.
"Many traditional covens work skyclad or nude – not to emphasize sexuality but to let psychic energy flow unhindered, to help members accept their own bodies as natural and good, and to point up the fact that all are social equals in the circle" pg. 45, Coven Craft by Amber K.
Perhaps, the reason why there are still so many misconceptions about Wicca and Neopaganism is because there is an element of secrecy surrounding it. For some, the fear of persecution because of their beliefs is still very real. There are documented cases of those that have lost their jobs and their children, simply because they are practicing Pagans. What is worrisome, however, is that this particular group's half hour segment provides hardly enough information to arrive at an informed opinion about the various Wiccan traditions and their practices. There are also rituals that are open to the general public in which the celebrants and participants are fully clothed. And it's, ya know, television. If something is misinterpreted, there really isn't the opportunity to clarify what one has seen. And again, it's television! Which means that these episodes have been edited to the networks advantage to allow for the the best overall ratings. Seriously? Ritual nudity? Who wouldn't be curious?! That's definitely going to be an attention grabber, especially for those looking to join in the proverbial "Witch Hunt".
Many Wiccan traditions have one area in which they are unified, that being, preserving the integrity of "The Craft". We want to insure that our practices remain as they were passed down and not become watered down until they are unrecognizable from the beauty of their origins. We hold them in our hearts as sacred rites. When people or groups such as this allow their rituals to be filmed, they weaken that unity and integrity. More importantly, how much of a real education is the general public getting about Wiccan practices? There is a wealth valuable information that could have been shared that is far more interesting than whether one is " naked in their rites".
This morning as I drove the kids to school, I felt the need to caution them lest they get any negative feedback from last night's episode. I could hear it now, "So, does your mother really dance naked under the full moon?".
In Darkness, Light!
Tracy
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Beauty and the Blizzard
Merry Meet Family and Friends!
So, we're currently in the throes of a blizzard! There's about a foot on the ground and counting. This morning, I was looking out the window watching the snow fall, thankful that I had filled the bird feeder the day before. I worry about the birdies managing to find food in this weather!
As the snow was falling at it's heaviest, I spotted a beautiful little guest eying up the feeder and I grabbed my camera to see if he would allow me a photo op. Just thought I'd share!
Cheerfully Anticipating Spring!!!
Tracy
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Words of a...
:::GASP::::
WITCH!!!
:::mini rant warning:::
:::sarcasm font on:::
If you have concerns or questions about Wicca or Witchcraft, please, for the love of nerve, don't buy into the whole "Hollywood" crap! Feel free to ask, most of us would be more than happy to answer. And contrary to what some might like to you to believe, I'm not going to paint some rosy ass picture designed to make those who have misconceptions feel more comfortable or accepting of my choices. In the end, you'll believe what you want to believe.
Just for the record however, no, we don't perform human or animal sacrifices. We neither worship Satan, nor believe in it's existence. Satan is a Christian concept. We believe that giving evil a name lends it power. There is enough evil in the World without the designation of it's own personal deity.
What about Black Magick? Magick is neither Black nor White. Have you ever been livid pissed to the point that you wished someone got exactly what they deserve? Well than you have practiced negative magick!! Know the old saying, "be careful what you wish for?" Words have power and so does the intent behind them. So, yes...do be mindful of what you wish for and where and to whom it's directed.
We hold the Earth and all her inhabitants as sacred. We celebrate the Seasons and the cycles of life. That pentacle we wear? Represents the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit.
Yes, we believe in God, most likely more than one. I didn't have to "find Christ". I know exactly where he is...on my altar along with the other Deities that I honor!
We don't proselytize. We're not a cult of crazies intent on kidnapping or brainwashing your children. That's your job!!
If you adhere to any of the misconceptions stated above, guess what...you could never consider yourself a Wiccan and we wouldn't either!
So, perhaps you're wondering why I'm ranting or why I feel the need to justify my beliefs.
Well, I'll tell ya. Every once in a while, someone will read my Facebook page or something else I've written and say, "ya know, I think Tracy is a Witch?" Ya think?
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter are all wonderful venues for people who've yet to meet to become acquainted. My friends and coworkers, my husband, my husband's friends and colleagues, my children and their friends, have all "friended" me on Facebook and in doing so, have the ability to glimpse into the parts of my life that I most happily share.
Obviously, people are going to be curious about what the term "Witch" actually means, what I do or what I believe. Curiosity is a good thing. Curiosity inspires us to learn and if given the opportunity, I will most happily teach. Ignorance born of fear however, paralyzes the mind with preconceived notions. There are still plenty out there who, upon hearing the word, "Witch" immediately close their minds, lock the door and throw away the key.
Therein lies the danger. Refusing to learn fosters and perpetuates ignorance. People have occasionally criticized my choice to be so vocal about my beliefs. "Aren't you worried about how this will effect your children?", I've been asked. Well, it probably has effected my children much in the same way their religion has effects theirs, with the exception perhaps of a lot less guilt or fear of spending eternity in a much toastier climate. Oh, and they don't seem to be tortured in school quite as much. After all, one can't argue that a little well placed fear can be quite healthy as well!
And on that happy note, I will leave you with the following words of wisdom;
“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”
Marie Curie (French Physicist), twice winner of the Nobel Prize, 1867-1934)
In Darkness, Light
Tracy
WITCH!!!
:::mini rant warning:::
:::sarcasm font on:::
If you have concerns or questions about Wicca or Witchcraft, please, for the love of nerve, don't buy into the whole "Hollywood" crap! Feel free to ask, most of us would be more than happy to answer. And contrary to what some might like to you to believe, I'm not going to paint some rosy ass picture designed to make those who have misconceptions feel more comfortable or accepting of my choices. In the end, you'll believe what you want to believe.
Just for the record however, no, we don't perform human or animal sacrifices. We neither worship Satan, nor believe in it's existence. Satan is a Christian concept. We believe that giving evil a name lends it power. There is enough evil in the World without the designation of it's own personal deity.
What about Black Magick? Magick is neither Black nor White. Have you ever been livid pissed to the point that you wished someone got exactly what they deserve? Well than you have practiced negative magick!! Know the old saying, "be careful what you wish for?" Words have power and so does the intent behind them. So, yes...do be mindful of what you wish for and where and to whom it's directed.
We hold the Earth and all her inhabitants as sacred. We celebrate the Seasons and the cycles of life. That pentacle we wear? Represents the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit.
Yes, we believe in God, most likely more than one. I didn't have to "find Christ". I know exactly where he is...on my altar along with the other Deities that I honor!
We don't proselytize. We're not a cult of crazies intent on kidnapping or brainwashing your children. That's your job!!
If you adhere to any of the misconceptions stated above, guess what...you could never consider yourself a Wiccan and we wouldn't either!
So, perhaps you're wondering why I'm ranting or why I feel the need to justify my beliefs.
Well, I'll tell ya. Every once in a while, someone will read my Facebook page or something else I've written and say, "ya know, I think Tracy is a Witch?" Ya think?
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter are all wonderful venues for people who've yet to meet to become acquainted. My friends and coworkers, my husband, my husband's friends and colleagues, my children and their friends, have all "friended" me on Facebook and in doing so, have the ability to glimpse into the parts of my life that I most happily share.
Obviously, people are going to be curious about what the term "Witch" actually means, what I do or what I believe. Curiosity is a good thing. Curiosity inspires us to learn and if given the opportunity, I will most happily teach. Ignorance born of fear however, paralyzes the mind with preconceived notions. There are still plenty out there who, upon hearing the word, "Witch" immediately close their minds, lock the door and throw away the key.
Therein lies the danger. Refusing to learn fosters and perpetuates ignorance. People have occasionally criticized my choice to be so vocal about my beliefs. "Aren't you worried about how this will effect your children?", I've been asked. Well, it probably has effected my children much in the same way their religion has effects theirs, with the exception perhaps of a lot less guilt or fear of spending eternity in a much toastier climate. Oh, and they don't seem to be tortured in school quite as much. After all, one can't argue that a little well placed fear can be quite healthy as well!
And on that happy note, I will leave you with the following words of wisdom;
“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”
Marie Curie (French Physicist), twice winner of the Nobel Prize, 1867-1934)
In Darkness, Light
Tracy
Sunday, January 17, 2010
"Mom, my stomach hurts"
Merry Meet and Happy Sunday, Family and Friends!!
So, a friend and I had a discussion about dishonesty. I think lying for the most part, is part of the human experience. Lying is learned in childhood. "Mom, my stomach hurts" is the classic lie I've heard most often since becoming a parent. If I fall for it once and keep my child home from school, the next time the child will find it just a little easier to lie again.
I had an extremely strict upbringing. At times, I felt the need to lie just to avoid the embarrassment of telling the truth. My mother was obsessively over-protective. I often lied to my friends about why I couldn't join in an activity because to admit the truth would mean acknowledging that it was simply because my mother wouldn't allow it. The result however, was that I needed to come up with more and more elaborate lies and remember which I told and to whom. This NEVER works!!
Growing up, many people described me as quiet or aloof, when in fact, I just didn't want to get close enough for them to learn the truth. Fortunately, my closest friends understood and accepted that lying was not something I preferred to do or part of who I was, but what I felt was necessary to preserve my self-esteem or lack thereof.
Someone who consistently lies when it's just as easy to be truthful fits the profile of a compulsive or pathological liar. Most often they create a entire reality around themselves and are legends in their own minds. They are, in a word, mythomaniacs. A mythomanic, when confronted with their own untruths, often becomes extremely defensive. Of course they do, it's threatening the fantasy they created about themselves. They will very often claim that "dishonesty" is the quality they disrespect most in others, while in reality, it is the mirror image of their own existence.
I can not, in all good conscience, say that as an adult I've never lied. I've told a few whoppers! And I make no excuse for lying. When I think back to the nature of said "whoppers" however, I recognize that there have been two basic scenarios. I've either lied to protect someone I love or to avoid losing something that I hold precious to me. Does that justify lying? A lie is a lie, isn't it? Let your own conscience be the judge.
In my humble opinion however, there is no lie more despicable than knowingly and willfully lying about another person. Even the smallest of lies that threaten an other's reputation or integrity defines the lowest one can descend to achieve personal gain.
It's like the moron in High School who ruins a girl's reputation simply by telling all his friends that he's had sex with her. The friends have neither the reason to disbelieve or the desire to learn the truth, so it's easier just to accept what they've been told and perpetuate the lie.
As the mother of a teenager, I shared this scenario with my own daughter, who found it difficult to believe that someone would actually do this to another person, until of course, it happened to her. One of the advantages, however, of being "friended" by her classmates on Facebook was that it made it quite easy to get the message across to the little bastard, that unless he wanted his genitals mounted on a plaque and gifted to his parents for Christmas, he would do nothing more that might disrespect my daughter.
I've recently encountered a few life situations in which I've been dealing with this type of behavior, all of which are not only disrespectful to me and my family, but are threatening on both a personal and professional level. In my daughter's case, I've effectively dealt with one and am taking necessary steps to remedy the remaining. At the risk of redundancy, "woe betide the creature that fucks up in my garden".
In any case, if I had any advice to give based on my experience it would be this. If you suspect that someone has been dishonest about you, confront them. They will almost always become defensive and reveal themselves by trying to recreate their version of the truth. If you've been told something that doesn't ring true or seems out of character for another person, try to give that person the benefit of the doubt and consider the source.
Truth fears no questions. ~Unknown
In Darkness, Light,
Tracy
So, a friend and I had a discussion about dishonesty. I think lying for the most part, is part of the human experience. Lying is learned in childhood. "Mom, my stomach hurts" is the classic lie I've heard most often since becoming a parent. If I fall for it once and keep my child home from school, the next time the child will find it just a little easier to lie again.
I had an extremely strict upbringing. At times, I felt the need to lie just to avoid the embarrassment of telling the truth. My mother was obsessively over-protective. I often lied to my friends about why I couldn't join in an activity because to admit the truth would mean acknowledging that it was simply because my mother wouldn't allow it. The result however, was that I needed to come up with more and more elaborate lies and remember which I told and to whom. This NEVER works!!
Growing up, many people described me as quiet or aloof, when in fact, I just didn't want to get close enough for them to learn the truth. Fortunately, my closest friends understood and accepted that lying was not something I preferred to do or part of who I was, but what I felt was necessary to preserve my self-esteem or lack thereof.
Someone who consistently lies when it's just as easy to be truthful fits the profile of a compulsive or pathological liar. Most often they create a entire reality around themselves and are legends in their own minds. They are, in a word, mythomaniacs. A mythomanic, when confronted with their own untruths, often becomes extremely defensive. Of course they do, it's threatening the fantasy they created about themselves. They will very often claim that "dishonesty" is the quality they disrespect most in others, while in reality, it is the mirror image of their own existence.
I can not, in all good conscience, say that as an adult I've never lied. I've told a few whoppers! And I make no excuse for lying. When I think back to the nature of said "whoppers" however, I recognize that there have been two basic scenarios. I've either lied to protect someone I love or to avoid losing something that I hold precious to me. Does that justify lying? A lie is a lie, isn't it? Let your own conscience be the judge.
In my humble opinion however, there is no lie more despicable than knowingly and willfully lying about another person. Even the smallest of lies that threaten an other's reputation or integrity defines the lowest one can descend to achieve personal gain.
It's like the moron in High School who ruins a girl's reputation simply by telling all his friends that he's had sex with her. The friends have neither the reason to disbelieve or the desire to learn the truth, so it's easier just to accept what they've been told and perpetuate the lie.
As the mother of a teenager, I shared this scenario with my own daughter, who found it difficult to believe that someone would actually do this to another person, until of course, it happened to her. One of the advantages, however, of being "friended" by her classmates on Facebook was that it made it quite easy to get the message across to the little bastard, that unless he wanted his genitals mounted on a plaque and gifted to his parents for Christmas, he would do nothing more that might disrespect my daughter.
I've recently encountered a few life situations in which I've been dealing with this type of behavior, all of which are not only disrespectful to me and my family, but are threatening on both a personal and professional level. In my daughter's case, I've effectively dealt with one and am taking necessary steps to remedy the remaining. At the risk of redundancy, "woe betide the creature that fucks up in my garden".
In any case, if I had any advice to give based on my experience it would be this. If you suspect that someone has been dishonest about you, confront them. They will almost always become defensive and reveal themselves by trying to recreate their version of the truth. If you've been told something that doesn't ring true or seems out of character for another person, try to give that person the benefit of the doubt and consider the source.
Truth fears no questions. ~Unknown
In Darkness, Light,
Tracy
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Mew Beginnings!
Merry Meet and Happy New Beginnings, Family and Friends!
As some you may know, my husband has had a long standing moratorium on my getting any more pets, which I have made a long standing committment to ignore.
So, it was the first Sunday after the New Year and after spending the better part of the weekend indoors making Yule/Christmas go away, I needed to get out of the house. As much as it was a relief having the stress of the holidays behind me, they were indeed wonderful and I found it all quite depressing.
My husband had promised to take our daughter, Kyla, to get a new video game and I thought I would...ya know, just tag along. Seriously, for reasons that are only clear to me now, I felt an overwhelming need to visit Petco. For those of you who don't have a Petco where you live, imagine a supermarket exclusively for pets and you'll know what I mean. The other thing Petco offers is pet adoptions!
As my husband and daughter made there way towards the video store, I casually said, "I'm just going to go over to Petco", all the while knowing that I had an ulterior motive. I walked into the store and there was the rescue agency, "Felines in Need" set up with rows of cages with cats and kittens waiting to be adopted. Almost against my will, I was drawn to the last cage and there was a beautiful black long haired kitten with golden eyes. She was...exquisite!
And yet, it wasn't only her beauty that I was struck by. Her eyes told the story of a spirit that had been broken. Despite the fact that she had obviously been well cared for, she appeared dejected! The adoption agent explained that it was her first time being shown and that she was probably just stressed.
I didn't care what the reason. At that moment, I made a promise that she would never feel that way again.
I took a picture and sent it to my daughter's cellphone with a note that said, "Come see the new baby! Don't tell Dad!!!". Then I asked the adoption agent if I could fill out an application. I was feverishly filling out the paper work when I noticed my husband and daughter walking towards the store!
My husband immediately walked over and demanded, "What are you doing?'. "Nothing", I answered, not very convincingly, but with that "deer in the head lights" expression just for effect. "We're not getting another cat!", Ray said. "I know. I'm not getting her, I'm just filling out an application", I replied. Isn't she cute?, I asked. "Yeah, she's cute. Are you out of your mind?", he asked, seriously. For the love of nerve! He's asked me that more times than I can count! You would think after 23 years he'd know the answer by now! "We're not getting another cat!", he repeated. I nodded in agreement....just for effect. I finished writing and the adoption agent told me she'd check my references and let me know by the end of the week if we would be approved for the adoption.
For the better part of the week Ray kept insisting that we were not going to get another cat. On Wednesday last, the adoption agent phoned to tell us they had made their decision and I broke the joyful news to Ray.
May I present....
Lady Musette!!!
By the way, Musette has only been with us for a few days and my husband has told me every day how cute she is!
Ahhhh....it's good to be right!
In Darkness, Light!
Tracy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)