Winter 2011
The Heartland Spirit A free publication of the Heartland Spiritual Alliance
Happy Holidays e
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Happy Chanukah
s ou aLia y Jo uRn Sat M
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In this issue President’s Statement of Intent ................................................................. 4 Transition ................................................................................................. 6 Healthy Tips and Tricks ............................................................................ 7 Spirit Circle............................................................................................... 8 Notes from the President ........................................................................... 9 I Am ........................................................................................................ 13 Intro to the Runes .................................................................................... 18 Embracing Jealousy and Measuring Love ............................................. 21 Community Calendar of Events .............................................................. 24 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 Tristan Knight Dana Locke (Chairman) Lane Locke Greg Meister (Interim) Officers: President: Angela Krout Vice President: Dusty Silversmith Secretary: Kettryn Jones- Clark Treasurer: Michelle Lindeman 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 in 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.
If presenting yourself as an expert on a subject, make sure you list your credentials in your by-line. Acknowledge your sources.
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! 3
President’s Statement of Intent by Angela Krout For those of you who don't know me, I am Angela Krout, and I am President of Heartland Spiritual Alliance. This is my statement of intent. With a deep sense of duty and high resolve, I have accepted the mantle of the presidency. I have accepted it with a full and grateful heart—without reservation—and with only one purpose—the purpose to devote every effort of body, mind and spirit to lead this organization to the best of my ability. With the love and full support of my family, I present to you my Statement of Intent. My intent in running for president was not because I felt anointed by some holy rite or gift. It's not because I see this position as one of a benevolent dictator, who has the ultimate power. The president's job is to lead and serve. To mediate. It is compound and complex and not to be entered into lightly. It is not a position of popularity nor is it merely a figurehead for an organization. What I want is the opportunity to serve. To serve as the president of Heartland Spiritual Alliance, to mediate, participate, engage and assist. Sometimes all at once. To guide committee chairs, bounce ideas off of each other, back the committee chairs on tough decisions, when appropriate. To assist new members in finding their footing, and welcoming them to the organization. To be the face of the organization. To attend HSA functions to show my support for the organization as well to be an ambassador for the organization. As I have for the past year, I would like to continue the organization's move forward to run like a business. However, I also want to see the organization move forward with bringing the spiritual and family aspect back to HSA. Also, I would like to be involved in program development, evaluation and strategic planning. I would like to begin evaluations of current programs for effectiveness and value for the organization. At the end of these evaluations I would then like to make recommendations to the board and membership for new programs or procedures as well as long term strategic growth and sustainability plans. I would also like to begin investigating our eligibility for grants. That's the business side. Let's talk about the "human" side of this organization and what I intend to do. I realize that this organization is a veritable "human soup" of experience, knowledge, goals, dreams, ideas and personalities. Ultimately, my responsibility is to keep that from "boiling over" (metaphorically speaking) and to help people understand that just one idea, while it may be theirs, is not the only idea and to consider other viewpoints. 4
Bottom line, I have done mediation. I can do mediation. What I refuse to do is to "referee" childish games. With me, the buck truly stops here. I intend to enforce the rules of civility, in meetings and online. If you have a problem with another member of this organization about HSA business, I will be happy to mediate and hopefully bring the issue to an equitable and agreeable resolution. What are my qualifications? I've been a member of HSA since 2001/2002. I first held the sanitation chair, then the next year the meals chair, then I assisted Jai Roberts with merchandise and then I was elected merchandise chair. I also was in charge of the silent auction a couple of years ago when our fundraising person was unable to complete their duties. I was then the fundraising chair the following year, and last year held the most successful Witches’ Ball that the organization has seen to date. I forget the year, but it was the year we met at Dennis and Kathy's, I actually served on the board of directors. Wasn't a long service, but we were working on the bylaws then! Last year, I was elected to the vacant spot of Treasurer. Most of you know the hundreds of hours I put in last year. I also was elected to the fundraising and merchandising chair, held all three of them simultaneously and did not drop the ball on any of the three. New procedures were put in place for money security at HPF. A Treasury assistant was chosen by me and has been invaluable in the organization's book keeping. We are a business. We are a spiritual organization. It is time for more participation and less divisiveness. It is time for an increase in active membership and time for more than a small group of people at meetings to make policy for the rest of the organization. This organization can run as a business while still maintaining the feeling of a community and a family. I am asking you to place your confidence in me, and in my ability to render a free, fair judgment, to serve this organization to the best of my ability, and to reject any kind of pressure or obligation that might directly or indirectly interfere with my conducting business in the organizations best interest. My record of 10 years of support and dedication to this organization should speak for itself. I sincerely hope that no member, considering the needs of the organization and the issues we will meet in the coming year, will waste their franchise by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my speech or service. I would hope that they see the vision that I have for the organization, that they would see that I am prepared to pursue that vision and serve this organization and community with my whole heart. 5
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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Notes from the President Communications in the Community by Angela Krout Well. This has been an interesting couple of months. For those of you who have missed the memo, I have been elected to the position of President of Heartland Spiritual Alliance. So, every month, hopefully, I will be submitting an article for the newsletter. Here lately, I've been thinking about the community in which I live, work, and practice. It was Aristotle who first defined the word “community” as a group established by men having shared values. That definition has morphed and expanded through the years. It has been recognized that people can belong to a number of different "communities" simultaneously--communities of place, cultural communities, spiritual communities and online communities. The world has morphed into a “global village” type community through the use of the internet. However in the communities in which we live, work, and participate, these “groups”, “lists” and “e-mails” transmit a lot more than mere information. They transmit emotion. Sometimes very badly. We don't know what the person on the other end of that electronic submission is feeling. We can not read the emotions. We can not be objective when we post, “I think having the company holiday party at Hooters is bad” and someone replies that, “Obviously you're insecure with yourself if you think this way.” Our gut response is to get mad, lash out with a diatribe a mile long, involve every person on our friends list, build this massive support system, fire out these emails and other electronic communications full of hate and venom, only to find out that the person who wrote that response said it and meant it in a sarcastic tone. Through electronic communications, unless I post ***BEGIN SARCASM*** or, <<<GRIN>>> then no one knows what I mean. Big example: I once posted online a comment about getting to go to a concert or some such thing. One of my friends, whom I know well, know how she talks, etc...posted, “You're an evil witch. I hate you.” I had friends going off the deep end defending me! I really appreciated the show of support, but what this friend meant and tried to tell me by that posting was she was jealous! I KNEW that. But everyone else did not know her intent and jumped to my defense. It ended up with some hard feelings. Not only does it end up with arguments, it ends up with people reiterating THE SAME STATEMENT OVER AND OVER IN CIRCLES! Sort of like being lost in Dante's hell. Person #1 believes that the color yellow would look good con’t page 12
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Transition by Jason Truman All states will undergo transition. The above idea seems simple when viewed from the surface but I would challenge you to dig into it a little deeper. This idea calls into question a great deal of what we seem to take for granted. If we accept this as a reality, and I can find nothing in history that would contradict it, then nothing has any degree of permanency. In fact, if we find value in it, the idea of permanency becomes nothing more than, at best, a quixotic ideal and, arguably, at worst, a state of terminal stagnation. We officially define evolution, at least in part, as “any process of formation or growth development.” With a perceptive eye, we can draw wisdom from these transitions. Further more, with a sensible priority and a persistent practice we can guide what we have defined as inevitable into desirable results. Finally, with a patient mind, we can allow our designs to fail without despair and reap irreplaceable experience from them. Without implying value judgments such as “good” or “bad,” whether we call it a success or a failure and with a degree of objectivity, we can call these transitioning states of being the breath of life. At the very least we can view them as the breadth of life. Having acknowledged the eternal transition of states, we can ask ourselves how to benefit form this knowledge. As spiritual, sentient beings we have the capacity to guide our evolution and as magicians we have the responsibility to do so. As an important first step in charting our course we can start seeing the world without the verb “to be.” Using “is” displays a degree of false permanency, implies false intrinsic value such as “good” or “bad” and defines a solid, non-subjective reality. If you have followed me this far, I would suggest an experiment: Consciously remove all conjugations of verb “to be” from your daily vernacular and see if the unyieldingness of the world doesn’t give way to a more dynamic facade. By removing concrete states of being we begin to see opinions replace value judgments, we watch the reality of “what is” disintegrate into working ideas of “what I perceive” and “what you perceive” and keep an open mind regarding the transitions of states of being. Jason Truman 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 8
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.
Healthy Tips and Tricks by Sherree Ross With the Holidays comes parties, family gatherings, not enough sleep, and lots of stress. A few small changes can make a big difference in making the whole holiday time more pleasant. - Practice deep breathing and relaxation: Meditation for 3-5 minutes a day or a yoga class 2-3 times per week can do wonders for stress and help keep blood sugar levels stable and cravings for too many of those holiday foods at bay. - Practice self care: Get a massage or Reiki session, read a book, take a long hot bath, have a glass of wine while listening to inspiring music, have a cup of herbal tea and enjoy the aroma as well as the tea, take a walk, work on your hobby, or play with your pets or kids. - Practice gratitude: We all have so many things to be grateful for but we get bogged down in daily stress and activities. Spend a few moments each day and think about all the things in life that are wonderful and that you appreciate. And don't forget to express that appreciation to your loved ones. Have a happy, joyous Holiday Season! 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 9
Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Statement of Intent Conâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t from page 5
They should see that I am concerned with the future. We must once again be the flagship model that other festivals and pagan organizations look to as the example. I would like the chance to lead the organization and the charge into the dawning of a new day. With love and respect, Angela M. Krout
Angela Krout lives in Independence Missouri, with her husband Neil, her oldest son Dylan and her two cats, (house managers) Oberon and Artemis. She enjoys a myriad of hobbies and activities ranging from travel to being out on the family boat. Angela has been active in HSA since about 2002. She's managed the sanitation committee, meals committee, fundraising committee, and merchandising committee. Last year, she almost went completely insane running the Treasury, Fundraising and Merchandising committees. Recently she left the treasury committee when she was elected to the President's position. Angela loves Camp Gaea. She also facilitates the children's games for the Festival of Tara. In fact, she has many wonderful stories of her times at camp. Some of which involve shuttle vans, frogs, ducks, glow sticks, kilts, blenders and one very special swimming pool. If you ever get the chance to sit with her and talk about the community, the obvious love and pride she has for it ,will completely shine through.
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
Notes from the President con’t from page 7
on a sign. Person #2 states that while yellow is a wonderful color, they would like to see the signs “daffodil”. Yet another one, Person #3 chimes in that person #1 is doing their job and that yellow is yellow and that they support person #1. Person #3, a Sherwin Williams Paint salesperson goes on a diatribe that there are different shades of yellow and proceeds to post pictures of said colors. Person #1 states that the shop who creates the signs only creates them in one shade of yellow. Person #4 then jumps in with “let's change shops since we can't buy them in daffodil.” It just goes on and on until person #1 comes back and says the shop that they are using only uses general street signage colors. Also, by this time many other people have chimed in, when ultimately, there is one shade of yellow, the signs will be printed in that shade, and that's that! So, is it perception? Is it lack of proper communication? How can each of us, as a community, look within ourselves to see what our failings, expectations and needs for effective electronic communication are and how to effectively communicate that to others? How do we get past the barriers of perception? How do we get past our own objectivity and try to remember that e-mail, text messaging and even Facebook, those messages and postings are all subjective and that they mean exactly what we WANT them to mean, instead what they REALLY mean? I leave you with this. The next time you get an email, a Facebook posting or message, a text.....etc. Read it. Think about it before you respond to it. Try to look at those words as just that. Words. Emotionless black text on a white background. Before you respond, remember that you can create effective communications by simply being objective. Blessings of effective communications to you and yours! Angela Krout – President of Heartland Spiritual Alliance
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I AM by Stephen Keener Opening Statement: The following information that I AM writing is my attempt to share what I have remembered from the Spirit Being, I AM. I am sharing what I think right NOW is my personal truths, and beliefs. I do this because I am willing to be in service to Spirit Being. And maybe, my writings will help other people on their own life adventure; or Spiritual Path. What I think are my truths and belief are NOT the only way, the right way, and to be honest, they are subject to change. After all, I am open to remembering more Spirit Being wisdoms as I continue my life adventure.. These truths and beliefs speak to me; they are my guide that has been revealed to me from the immortal Spirit Being I AM. So, this is what I have RE-MEMBERED. Also, just to let you know; Spirit Being speaks to me through many mediums. Such as books, movies, what other people share with me, and through my own thoughts. How I will present the information is by presenting it in topics with subtopics. Create a Manual; a life guide with Spirit… What is the “I AM“: The following is what I think or what can be considered a personal truth of “What or Who, I AM”. In simple terms, I AM is an immortal Spirit Being. Experiencing a physical life in a mind/ego, and body of my Spirit Being’s creation. I AM a Spirit Being vibrating at a lower energy vibration in order to create a body of matter. A body made up of cells that is bone, tissue, organs, and blood. As a Spirit Being I AM immortal, and I AM in perfection. So, in order to experience the opposite of perfection, I have created, and inhabit a physical form. And while in the physical form I have forgotten I AM immortal and perfection; that I AM Spirit Being. So the adventure of the physical life experience is to remember who I AM while being in a body. con’t page 14
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I Am con’t from page 13
Acknowledging that the I AM physical mind and body is unconditionally loved and respected by the Spirit Being, “I AM”. “The life experiences that guided me to RE-MEMBER Spirit Being I AM” Much of my life has been spent thinking I did not belong here in this physical world. To be honest I also did not want to be here. I perceived myself as not being enough and it was based on what others thought of me; how I did not fit into what society thought was “normal”. As a result, depression and low self esteem of the mind and ego guided my life experiences. And so I thought selftermination was what I considered to be an answer to resolving these personal problems. I was so caught up in the fears of life, I had cut myself off from the Spirit Being I AM. It was all done in innocence mind you, but there it is in simple terms. Fear of not being enough, not being what society told me I should be created me feeling helpless, and alone. And this caused me to be selfdestructive, and suicidal. I heard the loud voice of my mind, and ego that supported these fears. But regardless of that loud mind and ego voice, there was always that soft, loving voice that kept me going. The soft, loving voice that said, “keep going, you will get through this; we are not done yet”. For the longest time I had no idea what the soft, loving voice was; it simply was is the only way I can describe it in words. It was when I was faced with my own possible death; my mortality, that I realized everything in my life was beyond my control. That I could DO nothing, the mind, ego, or the body could not fix this health problem. That the mental and physical “dis-eases” I was experiencing was beyond my control, and they were beyond societies control to fix. So, all there was for me to DO was to “Surrender”. Surrender my feeling of not being enough, the depression, low self esteem, not fitting in to society; everything. And then, with the complete and total surrendering, there came the remembering of the Spirit Being I AM. That soft, loving voice that kept encouraging me, that kept me going was the voice of Spirit Being I AM. And with that remembering, there came a complete change in my life experiences. With the surrender came forgiveness. And with the forgiveness of the past; the dis-eases of my mind, ego, and body that I had been holding on to; all the dis-eases that created the depression, low self esteem, not fitting in, and the thoughts of suicide began to be released. With con’t page 15
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I Am con’t from page 14
surrender to Spirit Being, I was remembering to forgive, and release the diseases of the past, so I can begin to experience life in the present; live in the NOW, and experience life with Spirit Being. And I see this experience of surrender, and forgiveness as the blessing of a “Miracle”. So, in a brief way I have now shared what I think I AM is, and the life experiences that guided me to remembering what I AM, is. Also, my mind and ego are thinking what a long time it has taken me to remember that I AM Spirit Being. This has been a 48 year time span of life experiences that has guided me to this simple personal truth. But to be honest, it is taking a lot less time to surrender, and forgive the past; than it did to accumulate all the dis-ease of the past. I now see life as an incredible adventure with infinite possibilities. So, there you have it; I finally remember who I AM, and remembering is not over. The life adventure still continues. Life is a rollercoaster ride, and the mind and body is the cart I AM is riding in… Stephen “Kelson” Keener lives in a comfortable townhouse in the Midwest City of Lenexa, Kansas. He lives there on his own, but is at peace being a single gay man. He enjoys getting together with family and friends, getting out into the woods, camping, canoeing, and doing craft projects as a creative outlet. Life has been quite the adventure with all its ups and downs so he decided to write the processes he has remembered that enable him to live in the NOW, and go with the flow of his life experience. His favorite life motto is “Life free of expectations allow for infinite possibilities to occur”. Blessings of Love and Peace to all.
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The Dusk Before the Dawn Masquerade fundraiser was a smashing success. HSA would like to thank everyone who attended, as well as those that donated items to the raffle, the fabulous entertainers, the DJ, and the staff of Bacchanalia. A very special thank you to all those that brought items to help support Hope House.
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Intro to the Runes by Greg Meister Before beginning to work with the runes I always strongly advise people to familiarize themselves with cosmology of the Nordic belief system that runes come from: I wot that I hung on the wind-tossed tree all of nights nine, wounded by spear, bespoken to Óthin, bespoken myself to myself, upon that tree of which none telleth from what roots it doth rise. Neither horn they upheld nor handed me bread; I looked below me-aloud I cried-caught up the runes, caught them up wailing, thence to the ground fell again. These are stanzas from the Havamal, one of the poems included in the Poetic Edda (Hollander Translation). These stanzas describe how Othin gained the wisdom of the runes after performing a shamanic ordeal that involved hanging upside down from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine nights with a spear wound in his side, while being given no food or drink. Seeking what insight can be found with in the Poetic Edda can be of great assistance in beginning to understand the runes. It is very important for students of the Runes to have at least a base understanding of The Nine World System – Asgard, Vanaheim, Ljosalfheim, Svartalfheim, Midgardh, Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Niflheim, and Hel. Going any deeper into the nine worlds is a subject all its own, for another time. Also, study Urdarbrunnur – the Well of Wyrd, which is the well at the base of the world tree Yggdrasil. The Norns (Urd, Verthandi, and Skuld) are three sisters that live by the well. They keep the tree plentiful and living by watering it each day themselves with water from the Well of Wyrd. Urd represents that which has become; Verthandi, that which is becoming; and Skuld, that which may become. These concepts are very important to understand with reference to the web of Wyrd and Orlog. Wyrd is often compared to Fate and Orlog to Karma. Though these concepts have vague similarities, Wyrd is more fluid. Along with the influence of Urd
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con’t page 19
Intro to the Runes con’t from page 18
(that which has become) one still has control over Verthandi (that which is becoming) and therefore can effect Skuld (that which may become) as opposed to having your “Fate” set or sealed. In popular terms when thinking about the web of Wyrd consider the Butterfly effect. Orlog is certainly influenced a good deal by your past deeds of thought and action as well as the deeds of your ancestors, but how you are currently living has a great deal more affect on how things manifest in the here and now, and continue to unfold in the future, than how such things are portrayed in Karma. These are the base of the pillar in beginning to understand the runes. The runes in both divination and magic are archetypical symbols that allow us to both more clearly see the web of Wyrd and one’s Orlog and to begin to weave the web in a manner that will bring about our desired changes. As archetypical symbols, the runes can be powerful tools in unlocking knowledge and energies with in ones sub-conscious and super-conscious mind. For this very reason they are not something to be worked with lightly for in doing so, there is the potential to cause one’s self considerable harm. I also strongly advise students to spend a great deal of time studying and meditating upon the runes themselves before beginning to use them in divination or magic. The word “rune” itself translates to “secret” or “mystery.” In seeking to learn and understand the secret or mystery, one will gain insight and confidence into the potential uses of the runes. You will find information about the Elder Germanic Futhark, the Anglo-Saxon Futhark, the Younger Futhark and possibly even the Armenian Futhark. The Elder Germanic Futhark is the one most commonly used in divination and magic and therefore will be the focus of these articles. But beware: there are several books out there about the runes that are glaringly inaccurate. For example, any book that adds the 25th blank rune to the Elder Germanic Futhark is starting from a place of inaccuracy and therefore is best avoided. The blank rune is a concept of modern origin and has no traditional value or significance. As runes are ancient archetypical symbols, sigils, or glyphs, being blank means it is not really a rune at all. Plus, the meaning attributed to the blank rune is already encompassed by the rune Perthro. A few books I might suggest to begin your study of the runes are: Edred Thorson’s -
Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic At the Well of Wyrd: A Handbook of Runic Divination con’t page 20
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Intro to the Runes con’t from page 19
Freyja Aswinn’s -
Leaves of Yggdrasil: Runes, Gods, Magic, Feminine Mysteries, and Folklore - Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes and Feminine Powers
Kveldulf Gundarsson -
Teutonic Religion: Folk Beliefs and Practices of the Northern Tradition - Teutonic Magic
There are a great many other books and authors dealing with the runes, but these three are a good place to start. In our next newsletter edition I will discuss the first three runes in the Elder Germanic Futhark: Fehu, Uruz, and Thurisaz. One last note of interest: a rune magician is known as a Vitki, an Old Norse term that translates to “wizard” or “wise one”. When the term Vitki was Anglicized it became Vicca. Of course we must remember that in the Germanic language grouping the “W” is pronounced as “V” hence we have Wicca. Of course, the very old practices of Asatru (often now called Heathenry) predate modern Wicca. Greg Meister began investigating various alternative spiritual paths 28 years ago and has been an Asatru Gothi (Priest) and Vitki (Rune Magician) for 18 years. He is deeply versed in the Elder Germanic Futhark, its rune staves, galdr, mudra and stadhas. He has presided over many dozens of rituals over the years; always working with the runes. He has taught dozens of rune workshops, dealing with runes for divination, runes for healing, rune galdr, mudras, and stadhas, rune meditations, and the runes as a means to enlightenment
HSA Membership If you are 18+ and would like to become a member of HSA and help promote the practice of, and tolerance towards, alternative spiritual paths, please visit our website at www.kchsa.org to submit a membership application. Membership in HSA is $20.00 per year, and the membership year extends from July1st to June 30th of each year. 20
Embracing Jealousy and Measuring Love by Angela Krout What is jealousy? Are there many ways of defining jealousy, or only one? Is it okay to be jealous, or is it wrong, sinful or even wicked? Is jealousy a neutral human response, or an irrational emotion that we should shun? What's at the root of jealousy? Is it a deep-seated craving to take from another for ourselves? To deprive someone else of something we want and don't have? What if we want something, but not at the expense of another? Is jealousy at the root of any squabble over who gets his or her share first? Is jealousy the result of personal insecurity, fear that there won't be enough to go around, or fear of rejection? Before these questions can be answered, consider these: How do we measure love? Is love a tangible thing that can be contained in one heart, two hearts or in the "traditional family"? Or is love as endless and immeasurable as the heavens? Many people who ask how polyamory works, or struggle with how it could possibly be successful, seem to measure love in the form of a balance (or scale). The two sides of the scale are evenly balanced at times, but when one side starts to tip up or down, the other side moves in the opposite direction. So, they assume (and obviously it is true of some) that if a lot of love pours out toward one partner, the other partner would ultimately suffer by comparison, since the balance of the scale would shift and no longer be even. This type of measurement relies heavily upon one's constantly comparing one partner to another, and the assumption that the quality of each partner relationship is dependent to some degree upon the quality of the other relationships. I would ask, what if the quality of both relationships is very good? Is the quality affected when one partner has a joy to celebrate (maybe several occasions or special events in a row that are meaningful) and the other partner doesn't? Does that tip the scale in favor of one partner over the other, because of sheer number of shared events of significant sentimental value or meaning? (Would this be true if we were to measure a parent's love for his or her children?) The second method would be to view the various relationships as bars on an equalizer that are constantly moving up and down. The quality of the conâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t page 22
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Embracing Jealousy and Measuring Love conâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t from page 21
individual relationships are separate and distinct from each other, and while they may at times all come together as one (as in one song or piece of music, etc.), they can also stand alone, independent from the others. They are constantly in flux, moving up and down, sometimes louder, fuller, richer, at other times more subdued, soft, soothing. I have two children, each one with a unique personality, talents, and tastes. I love my children, but I have a unique relationship with each one of them. In each of those relationships, there is a common denominator. I encourage self-discovery and critical thinking, respect their likes and dislikes, and guide them through the challenges that occasionally test their self-esteem, ability to reason, and desire to express themselves and their individuality. If one of my children excels at math, does that mean the other, of necessity must not also be good at math? Is there not room for more than one of them to shine in the same area? If I'm proud of one child and express love and encouragement for a particular achievement, or for simply being who he or she is, does that in some way diminish my other child? Can it not, instead, produce an incentive for the other to shine as well? So again, what is jealousy? Might it be the excuse we give when we hide our light/talents/qualities, etc? If so, why are we hiding? When jealousy surfaces in my life, it is an opportunity for me to observe and reflect upon its trigger. An examination of my feelings usually finds that I am not nurturing myself enough, which is common for busy women. It's tough finding time for myself, and for alone time with my husband, which I value immensely, and when I go for long periods of time without it, I start to feel it, and that feeling plays out in many ways. Jealousy is a natural emotion that I embrace so that I might know myself, and ultimately love myself better. I honor the process involved and rejoice in the self-awareness that it brings me. Maybe that's because deep down I believe love is immeasurable. There will always be more when I need it. It doesn't run out when another basks in it; in fact, it invites me to do the same. And I do.
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Community Calendar of Events
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 Wed, Dec 28, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Fridays, January, *Winter* Farmers' Market, 4-8 pm, BADSEED, 1909 McGee, KCMO 64108, Brooke, brooke@badseedkc.com, www.badseedkc.com Wed, Jan 4, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Thurs, Jan 5, Colorful Journey w/Aislinn, $75 ($37.50 deposit to reserve by 12/29 & $60 if paid in full by 12/22) , 7:30 pm , Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Wed, Jan 11, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Wed, Jan 18, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Wed Jan 25, Spiritual Pathworking w/Aislinn $5, 7:30pm, Amethyst Dreams, 4301 Main Street, Suite #10, KCMO 64111, Aislinn, 816-231-1919, aislinnfirehawk@gmail.com Fridays, February, *Winter* Farmers' Market, 4-8 pm, BADSEED, 1909 McGee, KCMO 64108, Brooke, brooke@badseedkc.com, www.badseedkc.com
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Editor’s Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in The Heartland Spirit are strictly those of the authors of each individual article and do not necessarily represent the positions of The Heartland Spiritual Alliance’s Board of Directors, its Officers, or Membership.
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