The Heartland Spirit Fall 2011

Fall 2011

The Heartland Spirit A free publication of the Heartland Spiritual Alliance

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In this issue Statement of Intent ................................................................................... 4 The Power of Cauldrons in Your Everyday World ................................... 6 Spirit Circle............................................................................................... 8 Song of the Hunter .................................................................................... 9 Healthy Kitchen Witch Tips and Tricks .................................................. 10 The Core Foundations of Pagan Leadership .......................................... 12 Community Calendar of Events .............................................................. 14 Environmental View ................................................................................ 18 Heartland Spiritual Alliance (HSA) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting the appreciation and acceptance of a variety of alternative religions and philosophies. HSA encourages participation in educational programs and activities; most of which deal with the various nature oriented or nature connected religions of the world, the similarities within all religions, and the respectful free exchange of spiritual beliefs. We strive to maintain a well organized, dynamic, and smooth running organization within an atmosphere, which allows people of all religious traditions to coexist peacefully.

Heartland Spiritual Alliance Board of Directors and Officers Board of Directors: Diana Arganbright Sarah Geimer Kaleigh Jones-Clark (Interim) Tristan Knight Michelle Lindeman Dana Locke (Chairman) Lane Locke Officers: President: Aislinn Firehawk (Interim) Vice President: Dusty Silversmith Secretary: Kettryn Jones- Clark Treasurer: Angela Krout 2

Newsletter SUBMISSIONS All contributions should be submitted electronically to the Newsletter Committee at newsletter@kchsa.org.

Please submit your contribution along with your article's title, your "pen"-name, pictures or public domain graphics, and a four to five sentence by-line introducing yourself and/or your business/trade/organization.

The Heartland Spiritual Alliance reserves the right to accept or reject all submissions at its discretion for any reason.

All copyrights remains the property of the submitter. As a non-paying newsletter, we ask for reprint rights only. We will not grant permission for a third party to reprint your content without your permission.

All submissions are accepted and published on the representation that the submitter is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter. The submitter agrees to indemnify and hold Heartland Spiritual Alliance and its agents harmless from any and all liability, demands, or damages arising out of the submission. Such indemnity includes the provision of a defense to any actions or claims and the payment of costs and attorneys fees in connection therewith.

Newsletter GUIDELINES 



Choose a theme, announce it the first paragraph, and use it throughout your article. It is important to be clear, precise, succinct, and organized..

Re-read your article and look for ways to make it more focused and easier to read.

Use subheadings to help break up longer articles into specific topic areas.

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If presenting yourself as an expert on a subject, make sure you list your credentials in your by-line. Acknowledge your sources.

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If submitting a controversial article, back it up with facts. Anticipate the other's viewpoint and address it with respect. Avoid name-calling. Try to provide solutions to problems rather than just complain.

Other tips: Shorter sentences are better than longer ones. Front load your point in the first paragraph. Simplify when possible. Use and follow an outline.

Don’t overuse a word. Have someone else read it. Write from the heart!

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Statement of Intent

by Jason Truman “We come together to promote spiritual evolution through understanding, participation, acceptance and retrospection.” This is the statement of intent of the current opening to HSA meetings but, what do those words mean? Doesn’t “statement of intent” indicate some kind of magical working? When did an HSA meeting become a magical working? Why should an HSA meeting be treated as a magical working?

These are all valid questions and should be explored by each member, but first we must explore the words themselves. “We come together…” The simple act of coming together brings its own set of opportunities as well as difficulties.

Each person has a view of what is best for the organization; people may have agendas of their own and each member may have a set of expectations, realistic or not, that they are trying to carve out of reality. The four words of intent, the ideas, and the ideals in the statement arm us with tools we can use to temper those expectations, agendas and views.

Air, the fixed element of objectivity, brings us the lesson of Understanding. Air touches every side of an object, both the desirable and undesirable parts of any thing it comes into contact with. It does not discriminate, harbor prejudice or shy away from unpleasantness.

Fire, that irresistible element of will, brings the necessity of Participation before us. Each of us has chosen to come together; the critical first step to participation. Fire admonishes us to drive forward from that initial point lending our will to the evolution of the whole.

Water, the mutable element of subjectivity, teaches us that by wanting Acceptance ourselves, if we are balanced and fair-minded, we must accept others. We must also accept that our views, agendas and expectations may not be what is best for the evolution of the whole; one of the hardest lessons of water.

Earth, the fertile element of riposte, insures we do not lose Retrospection. Just as the fertility of soil is dictated by the substances deposited in it, any organism or organization, is helped or hindered by what is laid down in history.

The situations with the highest probability of success seem to have their emotional subjectivity balanced with detached objectivity and the passionate will to drive forward checked by a stalwart knowledge of the road behind. We must remember that HSA was entrusted to us by those who came before as we will, in time, entrust it to those who come after us. As one of her current guardians, I am confident that if we work to build and maintain a balanced and fair mind we can leave a stronger, healthier organization to those who come after us.

And, in planting those seeds in fertile soil now, see the trend grow exponentially over time.

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‘Sleepy Boy’ by Jason Truman Jason Truman – HSA’s Chair of Sacred Experiences Jason has been practicing magic for a little over twenty years. He is well versed in the Egyptian pantheon and has explored many other paths for varying amounts of time; finally settling on Kaos Magic as his “somewhat chilly, magical home.”

Fancying himself something of an artist, he has been known to “smear graphite on paper,” a skill that has grown over a lifetime. He has frequented Camp Gaea in Kansas for the past fifteen years and has a long, sordid past with cabin number S3. With good friends, Evelyn Welk and Mark Beason, they left a lasting impression on the land in the form of Key Pass. As some of the founding members of the House Arcanum, they have also marked camp in the form of the House Site off of First Field.

For the past six years he has been in love with Chi Lu Chuan, a southern long-arm, eight animals kung fu style. Most recently, he decided to throw his lot into the cup and Chair the Sacred Experiences Committee; “my most beautiful and terrifying commitment yet.” He looks down the road, both personally and in HSA, with excitement and a budding care for the community.

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The Power of Cauldrons in Your Everyday World

by Colleen Scherer This article originally appeared in Circle Magazine in 2007.

Next to the broom, cauldrons are one of the most recognizable symbols of the witch. Their rolling, boiling, alchemical process is at the heart of the Craft—to change and alter mere mundane elements into something more; something magickal.

But like other elements of the Craft, cauldrons hold their own mysteries that lie hidden beneath the surface—just out of reach of those who do not dare or care to look. But if you look, really look, the symbol of the cauldron is everywhere in many forms. The form and image of the cauldron is readily accessible throughout the mundane world for your magickal needs.

Before one can find the symbols of the cauldron in everyday life, it’s important to understand and define the properties of the cauldron so that it can be easily seen. My experiences with the tool of the cauldron have taught me that the cauldron represents the power of the feminine, the realms of feminine magick and a place for the Goddess’s alchemy to take place.

When I began looking to find the cauldron in my day to day life, I was amazed to discover how readily available it is for me. Naturally, the first place I looked was in the kitchen. The quickest, easiest symbol is in the kitchen—the sauce pan or soup pot. I’ve spent many pagan holidays brewing, baking, and boiling up something to be magickally imbued with the power of the Gods and Goddesses on those special days.

But beyond the soup pot, I discovered that basically anything you cook food in is a form of the cauldron because of the alchemy that takes place during mixing ingredients and heating. I would even suggest that the oven is a form of the cauldron. Mixed ingredients go into it, but a wholly transformed, single item comes out in return. It does not come back to us exactly how we put it in. It becomes a new item, whole and complete; no longer the sum of all of its parts.

To me, that is part of the magick of the cauldron.

However, the cauldron’s powers can also be found in another room in the home—the bathroom. A bathtub is a type of cauldron because of the magick that can happen there. Just ask any woman who’s soaked away the stress of her day or soothed her sore muscles how warm water, salt, and herbs can transform her body, her heart, and her mind. Isn’t that the nature of the magick in a cauldron?

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Speaking of a woman’s body, she carries a cauldron within her. Many symbols of the cauldron reside within a woman. A woman’s womb is a symbol because of the creative, transformative nature of her organs. Within her, life is created, formed and released into the world. Even if she never carries a child, the sacral (or second) chakra energy is housed in the womb of a woman. It is a dark, moist, creative space where her ideas and creativity find the force to be created and brought forth into the world.

As we continue to travel through the body, I found that the skull is also a representation of the cauldron. Within its boundaries holds our brains—a magickal organ that connects us on many different levels to the unknown and the unseen. The skull cradles the brain where so many thoughts and ideas are created and molded, where we meditate and join with other worlds. Scientists still do not completely understand how our brains work. The brain is such a complex organ with multiple energies happening simultaneously, it appears to be magick.

One of the most powerful representations of the cauldron is the heart. In the heartspace, emotions and energy are transformed. Mystery schools and spiritual elders all teach that the heart is the basis for true magick and true wisdom. Our hearts have the ability to change negative emotions and feelings into happiness, joy, and contentment. That power is unlike any other in the body. Best of all, all of the body symbology of the cauldron can be taken with you every day to use and experiment with.

If looking to the world to find physical cauldrons within nature: caves, hot springs and even the core of the earth are all natural symbols. Look at how the core of the earth births multiple layers of rock and crystals. She transforms simple minerals and materials into solid forms with etheric resonance within them. I’m reminded of the lyrics, “She changes everything she touches and everything she touches changes.”

Another real-world example is the chrysalis. We still do not understand the process completely by which a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. The butterfly is the ultimate symbol of transformation. The question becomes: does the butterfly remember its existence as a caterpillar who only knew the world from the ground? Does it only know its life as a winged creature? Does the rebirth allow it retain memories of its former self or is it merely a past life?

The cauldron teaches us that nothing is static. Nothing is without movement.

Nothing comes out of the cauldron unchanged. It is the nature of the cauldron to transform, to take you into the darkness to be reformed. I encourage you to find other examples of cauldrons in your everyday life. con’t page 9

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Spirit Circle Spirit Circle is a monthly educational gathering facilitated by the Heartland Spiritual Alliance Sacred Experiences Committee. They strive to bring together respected presenters of various backgrounds and belief systems to help share knowledge within the community.

Spirit Circle meets 7-9 pm on the third Thursday of the Month at Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111.

October 20th KC Metaphysical presents the Tarot. A high level introduction and discussion on the cards followed by readings for donations.

November 17th Angela Krout presents an introduction to, and discussion about, Native American mysteries and traditions.

December 15th Mark Stinson presents a Heathen Yule/presentation on the Norse traditions.

January 19th Shae Moyers presents an introduction and discussion on the Voudon traditions.

February 16th House Arcanum hosts a demystification and discussion on Kaos magic.

March 15th The Sacred Experiences Committee presents a Spring Equinox ritual. A purely celebratory observance of the season.

April 19th (tentative) A presentation of Mayan beliefs and how they relate to 2012 is planned.

May No spirit circle is planned in May due to Heartland Pagan Festival.

June 21st (tentative) A presentation of Wicca by Jeff Heckathorn is planned.

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Song of the Hunter

by Michael (aka Elfin) Gather round the bonfire bright And tales of hunts recall Hail the Horned God's Glory And returning of the fall.

Glad tidings of the new year Let the crackling bonfires bring, As the Horned God comes in victory clad Let happy voices ring.

Hail Cernunnos, God of Witches Grant us strength and stealth and grace, To bring down game for the winter As we time of famine face Let the Horned God shine glory On his children one and all And let him grant us power All throughout the coming year.

The Power of Cauldrons in Your Everyday World con’t from page 7

Magick happens within, not without. Although using a physical tool is handy, magick takes place inside of you and you really don’t need any tools. The world has provided us with many forms of cauldrons to use in our daily lives.

We have only to see them and use them. That is the greater magick behind the cauldron.

Colleen Scherer is a writer, magickal practitioner and teacher, a Seichim Reiki Master/Teacher and faery oracle reader. She has been following an eclectic magickal path since 2001.

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Healthy Kitchen Witch Tips and Tricks

by Sherree Ross Each person’s soul is nourished by all aspects of life: relationships, career, hobbies, physical activity, spirituality, etc. The physical body is nourished by the food eaten. When the soul is happy, singing it’s own music, food choices tend to be healthier and contain the nutrients the body needs to flourish and support the soul. When the soul gets unbalanced, stressed, thrown off course, or even overtired, the body seeks to help the soul try to be happy and often compensates by craving foods that keep the body going and overstimulated.

Caffeine, sugar, and salt become best friends to the body in times of stress.

They all dehydrate the body making it more tired and over-stimulated, sluggish, and less energized. If thirst sets in, the body has already reached the state of dehydration.

One small change a day can go a long way in helping the body to feel better.

Instead of that second or third cup of java or that next forty-four ounce soda, or fifteen ounce bottle of juice (1/4 cup sugar with no fiber), why not try a glass of spring water or sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime?

Coconut water has natural electrolytes without all the sugar of most energy drinks. How about a cup of herbal tea? Hibiscus with it’s beautiful red color, and vitamin C is uplifting. Mint tea helps calm the stomach and nerves.

Jasmine tea, aromatic and sweet, sooths the soul. Happy Hydrating!

Sherree Ross is a Certified Health Coach, a living foods chef, a Seichim Reiki and a Karuna® Reiki Master/Teacher, an Emotional Freedom Technique Practitioner (holding Certificates of Completion for EFT-CC and EFT-ADV) and a trained herbalist. Helping people with food allergies (especially going gluten-free and dairy-free) reclaim their health, she offers nutritional classes, healthy cooking classes, weight loss classes, pantry makeovers and grocery store tours. Sherree@SherreerRoss.com or www.SherreeRoss.com

Heartland Spiritual Alliance a proud sponsor of

www.witchvox.com 10

HEARTLAND PAGAN FESTIVAL May 24 - May 28, 2012 Gaea Retreat Center McLouth, KS http://www.kchsa.org

“Dawning of a New Day” Honored Guests include Kerr Cuhulain, Christopher Penczak, Barbara Criswell, Flannigan’s Right Hook and more.

The 27th Anniversary of One of the Largest Pagan Festivals in the United States Rituals · Vision Quest · Bonfires Distinguished Speakers · Concerts Workshops · Mystical Merchants 11

The Core Foundations of Pagan Leadership

by Raven Spirit Recently, I received an invitation to speak at the “Pagan Leadership Conference” hosted by Elysium Coven. I will be candid: I had a wide range of thoughts go through my mind when approached, the first being, “What do I have to say that anyone would be interested in hearing?” I am not an Elder; would not claim the title if someone gave it to me; and I certainly do not consider myself a Leader by any means, though some would disagree.

For a number of years I was very open and out in the community. I started “Pagans’ Night Out” (PNO) with the help of Pat Chambers and Selene Rati.

Shortly thereafter “Kansas City Pagan Pride Day” (KCPPD) was created. In the 10-plus years I “ran” the event, we (or rather YOU), raised very close to $20,000.00 for local charities in the Kansas City area. Now I say I “ran” the event but I was just a figurehead and simply promoted it a lot. During the ten years I was involved quite a few people actually helped run it. The passing of the torch to the community occurred when the event was turned over to the “Witches’ Meetup” to organize.

But I am getting a bit off topic.

What makes up a Pagan Leader? I used to think being a Pagan Leader was a person who was out in the forefront of the Pagan Movement, being the activist for the rights of all Pagans. Please do not misunderstand me, those people are also needed. Case in point: if not for the Pagan Leaders fighting the Veterans Administration (VA) and The White House I would not have the option to lay at rest in a VA cemetery under the pentagram symbol. Through their hard work, I now can.

However, I want to get to the root of my feelings on this subject. What is a Pagan Leader, at its very core, when we strip it all down, remove the fancy glitter, hang the robes back up in the closet, and turn on the TV? What is the core of Pagan Leadership? Where does it all come from? It is simply the three foundations of spirituality: the Hearth as Altar; Work as Worship; and Service as Sacrament.

The Hearth as Altar Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more sacred than your home. It is your escape and sanctuary from the day-to-day grind. In his book, Folklore by the Fireside, Alessandro Falassi discusses how, at the end of the day, families would gather around the hearth and share stories; not only of the Gods and Ancestors, but the things going on in their lives right then. Have we

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become too busy with mundane life that we have forgotten this? I don’t mean give it lip service. What I mean is (for example) if the kids have good grades then light a candle on your altar and thank the Ancestors for the guidance and protection of our children.

I know times are tight. I know the economy sucks - it has for a while. Would you let your altar, dedicated to the Gods, become tattered and shoddy? No! Then why do we do it to our homes? There have been times we will go to every pagan event, festival, gathering, circle, et cetera, just to leave our homes and “temples” with a stack of bills and maybe even no water, lights, or heat. Where are our priorities? Part of making our Hearth our Altar is taking a bit of pride in the place we live. It shows we have pride in our families and ourselves.

Work as Worship Work your faith. You do not have to go around with a million bumper stickers on your car to prove your faith. In fact, who cares what your faith is? Who cares what my faith is? The only ones it matters to are the Gods and yourself.

Personally, it matters to my coven as well, because I swore an oath not to reveal the tradition to anyone outside of Circle. But more than anything, your actions matter. You can think “All Pagan, All Day” and then charge your action with the thought and send it on its way. The mundane are not freaked out; you did your work; everyone is happy. It is a win/win situation.

Before you comment, I am not talking about Paganism having to go back in the shadows, and burning times returning. No, I am talking about power with and not power over - working with mundane society and not shoving or forcing our spirituality down their throats. Gods know we hate it when someone hands us a Tract, or tries to tell us about Jesus, so why would we want to do something similar?

Service as a Sacrament This goes hand-in-hand with Work as Worship. Let us look at this a bit deeper.

In Robert A. Heinlein’s book, Stranger in a Strange Land, we learn of the concept “Thou art God” (multiple). If we hold this to be true, our thoughts and the things we put energy into have power and take on form. This is part of our God -self taking shape, so really our work is holy. But wait a minute…if I have a part of this God-nature in me, and you have some in you (because “Thou art God”), then what I am doing to and for you is directly for the Gods. Treat people with a bit of kindness and not like the world is out to get you. If we are Gods, we should act like it. I do not mean having a big old chip on your shoulder and an “I am I better then you” attitude, but more with an attitude of, “How can I help you? What can I do to make your day easier?” In time we will look at the person and not the action, and find out who we are really helping - the other person or ourselves? con’t page 14

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The Core Foundations of Pagan Leadership con’t from page 13

To sum up my view of a Pagan Leader: it is someone who takes pride and responsibility in themselves and their surroundings; works and walks their faith (instead of just talking about it); and sees God not only in themselves but in others.

Wait another minute… since it’s just a label, what if we removed the word Pagan from Pagan Leader? We would have someone who was proud, responsible, stood up for what he/she felt was right, and regarded others as important, too.

That sounds like something to strive for.

Works Cited Falassi, Alessandro. Folklore by the Fireside. Austin: University of Texas Press 1980. Print.

Heinlein, Robert A. Stranger in a Strange Land. New York: Berkley Medallion Books 1961. Print.

Duane "Raven Spirit" Marshall served on the HSA Board for 2 years, was a committee head for 10 as well as serving as a Pagan Pride Inc Board Member and was the Founder of KCPPD. Currently, Duane is a Third Degree Priest in the Georgian Tradition.

Community Calendar of Events Sat, Nov 12, Psychic Development Series - Module Two: On The Path - Practical Tools of Integrating the Mundane and The Spiritual w/Rev. Shae Moyers, $33.33, 1-4pm, Crescent Springs; 7317 W. 80th St., Overland Park, KS 66204, Kat, 913-341-2044, crescentsprings@dynx.net, www.crescentsprings.net Sun, Nov 13, Heartland Spiritual Alliance, Monthly Meeting, 2-5pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-813-8167, info@kchsa.org, www.kchsa.org Wed, Nov 16, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10,KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Thurs, Nov 17, Heartland Spiritual Alliance, Spirit Circle, 7-9pm, Aquarius con’t page 15

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Community Calendar of Events con’t from page 14

Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, Jason, ritual@kchsa.org, www.kchsa.org Fri, Nov 18, Heartland Spiritual Alliance, Masquerade Ball, Dusk Before the Dawn, $20, 7pm-12am, Bacchanalia, 12450 Newton St, Overland Park, KS 66213, fundraising@kchsa.org, www.kchsa.org Sat, Nov 19, Journey With Your Spirit Guides/Totem Animals w/Aislinn thru Communiversity, 2pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Sat, Nov 19, Unlocking Your Immune Potential: Exploring Natural Approaches to the Cold and Flu Season, Dr. Mark Green, ND, 2-3pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Sat, Nov 19 Manifesting Your Hopes and Dreams, Zane Matthews, 6-8pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Sat, Nov 19, KC Metaphysical Fair, 10am - 8pm, $6, Holiday Inn, 8787 Reeder ,Overland Park, KS, Sylvia/Gigi, kcmetaphysical@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/kcmetaphysical, www.kcmetaphysical.com Sun, Nov 20, KC Metaphysical Fair, 10am-6pm, $6, Holiday Inn, 8787 Reeder, Overland Park, KS, Sylvia/Gigi, kcmetaphysical@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/kcmetaphysical, www.kcmetaphysical.com Mon, Nov 21, Green Party, Monthly Meeting, 7-9pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Tues, Nov 22 –Dec 6, Yoga Tuesdays-Gentle Flow Hatha Yoga w/Mimi Mateos, $30/3sessions, $60/6 sessions, drop-ins, $12, 6:15pm -7:15pm, Crescent Springs, 7317 W. 80th St., Overland Park, KS, 66204, Kat, 913-341-2044, crescentsprings@dynx.net, www.crescentsprings.net Tues, Nov 22, Ananda Nidra: Tantric Meditation for the 21st Century, Johnson and Michaels, 7-9pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Wed, Nov 23, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com con’t page 16

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Community Calendar of Events con’t from page 15

Wed, Nov 23, Witches Meet Up, 7-9pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Sun, Nov 27, Journey Around the Medicine Wheel w/Aislinn thru Communiversity, 12pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Wed, Nov 30, Gluten-Free, The Good-to-Go-Grains, Sherree Ross, 6:30-9pm $55, The Culinary Center of Kansas City, 7920 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS, 66204, 913-341-4455, www.kcculinary.com Wed, Nov 30, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Thurs, Dec 1, Higher Self Alignment Temple, Rev. Kat Lyman; $15, 6:308:30pm, Crescent Springs, 7317 W. 80 th St., Overland Park, KS 66204, Kat, 913-341-2044, crescentsprings@dynx.net; www.crescentsprings.net Thurs, Dec 1, Chocolate Bliss, Sherree Ross, 7-8:30pm, North Kansas City Library, 2251 Howell St., North Kansas City, Missouri 64116 , 816-221-3360, www.northkclibrary.org/node/245 Thurs, Dec 1, EFT: Pain Management w/Rita Reno thru Communiversity, $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO, Aislinn, 816 -231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Sat, Dec 3, Holly Holly Holly Days Sale, 10am-6pm, Cristo Rey School, 211 W Linwood, KCMO, 64111, www.facebook.com/hollyhollyhollydays Sun, Dec 4, Holly Holly Holly Days Sale, 10am-5pm, Cristo Rey School, 211 W Linwood, KCMO, 64111, www.facebook.com/hollyhollyhollydays Wed, Dec 7, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Sat, Dec 10, Psychic Development Series- Module Three, w/Rev Shae Moyers, $33.33, 1-4pm, Crescent Springs, 7317 W. 80th St., Overland Park, KS 66204, Kat, 913-341-2044, crescentsprings@dynx.net, www.crescentsprings.net con’t page 17

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Community Calendar of Events con’t from page 16

Sun, Dec 11, Heartland Spiritual Alliance Monthly Meeting, 2-5pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-813-8167, info@kchsa.org, www.kchsa.org Wed, Dec 14, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Thurs, Dec 15, Heartland Spiritual Alliance, Spirit Circle, 7-9pm Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, Jason, ritual@kchsa.org, www.kchsa.org Sat, Dec 17, The KC Tarot & Oracle Meetup, 10am-12pm, Donation, Crescent Springs, 7317 W. 80th St., Overland Park, KS 66204, Kat, 913-341-2044, crescentsprings@dynx.net; www.crescentsprings.net & www.meetup.com/ kctarotoraclemeetup/ Sun, Dec 18, Castle and Cross Celtic Concert, 2-4pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Sat, Dec 17, Journey Into the Stones Part I w/Aislinn thru Communiversity, 2pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Sun, Dec 18, Journey into the Stones Part II w/Aislinn thru Communiversity, 12pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Sun, Dec 18, Luna Lushede Open Yule Ritual, $Donation$, 5pm, www.lunalushede.org Mon, Dec 19, Green Party Monthly Meeting, 7-9pm,Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com Wed, Dec 21, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Wed, Dec 28, Witches Meet Up, 7-9pm, Aquarius Books, 3936 Broadway, KCMO 64111, 816-931-6303, www.aquariusbooks.com 17

Blast from the Past The Heartland Spirit has been in publication for over ten years. Many of the articles written in the past hold relevance for this day and for our new generation of readers. To that end, this section will occasionally appear with a previously printed article from The Heartland Spirit.

Environmental View Answering Mother Earth

by D. Sanders This article originally appeared in The Heartland Spirit August 2003 I was surprised recently when I performed a basic Internet search under the term “environmentalism” and immediately found numerous sites vehemently and passionately opposed to what I had always considered to be a common sense and moral duty of man. One website says that environmentalism is “fundamentally an attack on the ideals of Western civilization. Opposed to science, technology, and economic development, environmentalism holds that the non-human has value but the human does not.” Another declares, “Now observe that in all the propaganda of the ecologists—amidst all their appeals to nature and pleas for ‘harmony with nature’—there is no discussion of man's needs and the requirements of his survival. Man is treated as if he were an unnatural phenomenon.”

First of all, please allow me to dispel what is apparently a common myth.

Every living organism is interrelated. Everything. We cannot understand one part without looking at the other parts. Everything we do affects something and someone else. Since humans constitute “living organisms” then yes, we are in the same boat, my friends. When we talk of environmentalism, we are essentially talking about ourselves. Auto exhaust affects the air that flows through my lungs. Contamination affects the water I drink. Chemicals used in factory farming affect the food I eat. A thinning ozone layer results in cancer on my skin. In areas of overpopulation, violence increases, etc. The list goes on and on. It is clear to me that a healthy environment allows me to continue maintaining the kind of lifestyle I have become accustomed to living. This is my requirement for survival; this is man’s requirement for survival. As a human, I value my health. So the claims of the anti-environmentalist are incomprehensible to me. They do not make any sense. How is this an attack on man? Environmentalism is common sense. It works for us, not against us. con’t page 19

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Environmental View Answering Mother Earth con’t from page 18

Many of us also look to the Earth as being our Mother and our home. We find a deeply spiritual connection with Mother Earth and all things of nature. When we contemplate the idea of interconnectedness, we start to realize that to treat all things of nature with respect is to ultimately treat ourselves with respect.

There is much for us to learn in this regard. The first step, I think, is to start being conscious of all our regular daily actions. We are a culture of post-industrialist mass consumerism. We still hold on to a “frontier mentality,” the grand American notion of limitless resources, and the freedom to take and use them however we want to. We are constantly bombarded with advertising media that promise immediate gratification. We have been taught that material objects can fill our ever increasing spiritual emptiness.

We consume goods and culture, though they cannot possibly give us true pleasure, insight, or wisdom. Mother Earth is calling out and we should answer her. We should listen to what she has to say and act according to what will be ultimately more beneficial to all of us in the long run. Do not think of it in terms of some boring obligation that you have to do for the cause of some far away abstract idea. Think of it in terms of what gifts you can give to yourself.

There is a Buddhist saying that goes, “Don’t sacrifice your own welfare for that of another, no matter how great. Realizing your own true welfare, be intent on just that.” (from Dhammapada 166). Do not think of it in terms of the non-human having more value than the human. Do what is right and most

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