The Broom Closet • Men’s Roles • Music of Tyr • Peter Grimes • Honoring Our Gods
“Everyday Gods” June 2010 Volume 1• Issue 6 ™• June 2010 • Volume I
Connecting Alternative-Faith Writers and Readers
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™• June 2010 • Volume I
Contents
4 Dream Weaving Editor Speaks 5 News from the Edge 6 From the Elders Corner Honoring My God
On the Cover Photographer EWVanderBerg and model Kyle
8 Spotlight
Publisher • Eberhardt, Personal Visions Volume 1 • Issue Executive Editor - jess*ca mae 1 January 2010 Proofreading & Copy Editor - Maeve Gregory Our Maiden IssueServices Layout “Cleansing” & Design - Refraction Creative Pagan Edge™ is published Website Management - Personalmonthly Visions by Personal Visions, admin@paganedge.com Consultants - Maeve Gregory, Dawn Sherwood, Faelin Wolf, and Tootie Marie
10 Plant Vibes
Our goal at Pagan Edge is to provide readers a high quality, timely magazine with content relevant to modern pagans’ lifestyle and passions. Our publication is a lifestyle magazine so while we may publish spells, rituals, and some magick how-to; we aim to focus on ways that pagans, wiccans, earth-basedspiritualists, and those of like mind can incorporate their values and beliefs into their everyday living. Pagan Edge Magazine & paganedge.com exist solely to offer information to our readers. The publisher, editor, and the entire personnel of Pagan Edge., Pagan Edge Magazine, Personal Visions, Refraction Design and paganedge.com cannot be held responsible for misuse of any information provided. The views expressed in the articles and ads are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect these of Pagan Edge Magazine. Product descriptions, recipes & any how-to information: While we, and our affiliates, attempt to provide accurate information in the magazine and on the site, we do not warrant that the content on this Site will be accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. It is your sole responsibility for the use of the content of this Magazine or web site. For additional details please see www.paganedge.com
Deepening Men’s’Roles in the Pagan Lifestyle
9 Life’s Wit A Good Man A Hot and Juicy Trend… Mixed Succulent Containers
12 Keeping the Edge Like A Fish Needs A Bicycle 14 Art & Soul Celtic Knotwork of Peter Grimes 17 Urban Shaman Out of the Broom Closet 18 Eclectic Cooking Beer Impregnated Chicken 20 Handecraft Walk This Way 22 Our Lady’s Counsel Advice from Lady Fae 23 Note This! Music Review on Tyr 24 Scribes’ Tablet Poetry from Our Readers 26 Wheel of Happenings Calendar of Events 27 PE Book Review
Volume 1 • Issue 6 June 2010 “Everyday Gods” Pagan Edge™ is published monthly by Personal Visions, admin@paganedge.com ™• June 2010 • Volume I
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Dream Weaving
editor speak
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Most of us were not raised pagan, but born into families with faith bound to a God acting as paterfamilias of the world. An angry but loving God ready to deliver punishment or reward pending upon our devotion and worship of him and our willingness and ability to follow his rules. When discovering the pagan lifestyle it is desirable to replace the angry father God with the nurturing mother Goddess. We leave the vengeful and selfish God behind and therefore also excommunicate ourselves from the caring and supportive God. We excommunicate ourselves from the male gods of paganism, scared and intimidated they may too closely resemble the vengeful and white-bearded God of our past — the one throwing lightning bolts in fury from his kingdom above. We excommunicate ourselves from the heroic archetype embodied and encouraged in a male deity. We overlook the patience of the Hunter, the playfulness of the Trickster, the sexuality of the Consort. In so doing we limit ourselves in our struggle for equality and inclusivity. Our lifestyle needs to embrace deities of all colors and gender before we can hope to appeal to followers of all colors and gender. Then we can achieve the balance and understanding among all the world’s people we so often wish for in our practices. In June’s Pagan Edge we aim to bring to all topics of interest to the men following our path and raise awareness about the importance of a man’s role in our practices. Happy reading and blessings, ~jess*ca
News from the Edge Pagan Edge welcomes Lucille Rose aka “LJ” to our writing staff. She is an ordained minister, a Reiki Master and teacher, and has received the I AM Mahatma Initiation. She is a Third Degree Initiate Wiccan Priestess of Tangled Moon Coven and Oak Ash & Thorn. She was given approval to hive off in 2007and founded a daughter circle, the Briar Rose Circle. She has been an active member of the Mothergrove Sanctuary since 2001 and an organizer/fund raiser for the Summer Gathering that is held in July. She is the business owner of Lotions Potions & Notions, a home based business that creates all natural products designed for spellwork….or not. She will be writing From the Elder’s Corner column. Pagan Edge Staff - For more info on Pagan Edge’s writing staff visit our staff page at www.paganedge. com for complete bios and photos of our contributors. Feedback? Pagan Edge magazine and website is for you, about you, and by you. We are always looking for writers, artists, and advertisers to support and contribute to Pagan Edge’s online community forums, FaceBook and MySpace discussions, and the magazine itself. We also need your feedback so we can continue to provide articles you want to read, discussions you want to partake in, and art you want to view. Send your thoughts to chief-editor@paganedge.com or leave them on our FaceBook and MySpace group pages.
Make Reading Pagan Edge Easy! Subscriptions to Pagan Edge available for 6 or 12 months. Each copy produced print-on-demand just for you and mailed direct from MagCloud. Stop by our website for details! Oops... The May issue of Pagan Edge was full of articles and great stories, we actually did not have room for all the articles received and deleted our Art & Soul feature on Margarete Handy of Lady Mudwerkes. We forgot however, to delete her name from the front cover. Not to worry Lady Mudwerkes fans, Margarete’s work will be featured in one of our fall issues of Pagan Edge. Have a Sticky Situation? Get advice from Lady Fae’s Wisdom Circle in the “Our Lady’s Counsel” coulumn, submit your quandries to advice@paganedge.com. We Are Growing May’s issue was bursting at the binding with good stuff, we now have over 325 followings on FaceBook, close to that on MySpace, and we get more subscriptions every month. We do need more help “behind the scenes” to make our staff more efficient and our magazine and website the best that it can be. We are currently looking for graphic designers, writers, researchers, visual artists, web developers, and advertisement sales. If you are interested, you must be dedicated, punctual, and talented. Submit your letter of interest to our publisher at admin@paganedge.com
We Want to Hear It: good, bad, or edgy... Give Us Feedback! Have something to say? email: letters@paganedge.com ™• June 2010 • Volume I
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From the Elder’s Corner
by Lucille M Rose
Honoring MY GOD I was born in 1951, the year the witchcraft laws were repealed in England. Being a witch, that would be considered a nice year in which to be born and great for people who lived in England. However, I was born in the United States. It was also a time when the majority of the women ruled their homes and men ruled the rest of the world. Mothers worked in the homes and raised the children. Men worked during the days and spent very little time with their children. My father was in the military. Sometimes he would be stationed in another country for twelve to eighteen months, which meant we had no father during that time. Sometimes he took us with him on tours, but most often times not. For crimes committed not punishable by society but punishable within the family structure, warnings were delivered by the mother with the phrase “YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL WHEN YOUR FATHER GETS HOME. YOU ARE GOING TO BE SO SORRY”. The fathers administered the punishments for these crimes. In our house, hugs and kisses given by fathers were something we saw on TV shows such as Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best. It was amazing to me that the TV children did not fear these TV fathers. Why were the TV children never beaten? Where was their fear? The American dream was to grow up, get married, buy a house and have children. Girls and young women were always cautioned before a date on what not to do. Kissing led to petting, petting led to heavy petting, and heavy petting led to premarital sex, and premarital sex resulted in a child born out of wedlock. In my hometown, unwed mothers went to a distant 6
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aunt’s house for a visit, which was actually the Home for Unwed Mothers. Being an unwed mother was not a title that an unmarried woman wanted to have attached to her name. This title removed her from the marriage market. And because the opposite sex could be the reason for all this turmoil to society’s well laid plans for our lives… men were something to be feared when dating. Even the religion that my mother and father practiced consisted of a God that was to be feared. When one died, one was judged by this God as to being worthy of entering his kingdom based on the behavior of one’s life. Now there was a male subjecting us to fear of where we were going to be spending eternity after we died! Is it any wonder that I, a child growing up with all this fear being directed from all the male energy, wanted no part of a male God! Fear is an odd motivator. One day my sister and I were having a conversation about how her male Deity “tried” to work with her. He would relay messages through the Goddess who worked with my sister because she would not listen to him. In fact she would show him the palm of her hand. My mouth dropped. This was a revelation! I did the same thing! I knew there was a male Deity trying to speak to me, but there was NO WAY I was going to listen to “HIM”. All I could associate with a male presence was fear, so good luck buddy. I had the mistaken idea in the back of my mind, if I ignored HIM he might go away. However, he did not go away. He just relayed the messages to the Goddess who worked with me and she would tell me what he wanted me to know.
Then came the day of “the epiphany”. He was not going to leave me. He was going to be in my life regardless. I also realized this God had never harmed nor punished me. He had never given me a reason to fear him. And if there was no reason to fear him, then there was every reason for me to love and honor him. So, how do I honor the God that has chosen me? Do I set up an altar dedicated to him? Unless the altar is set up for a blacksmith or metalworker, I really doubt he would be impressed or interested. Do I take the time to write poems dedicated in his name? He might use them to start a roaring fire. Perhaps homemade brownies and a nice Port wine might be just the thing until I think of something that might interest him. And since I know He is a God who works with his hands, I know he is smiling when I get out my handsaw, table saw, dremel, or electric sander. I can feel him edging closer, breathing down my neck, waiting for me to extend an invitation to him to take over a project that I have started. I honor him by allowing him to work through me on my projects. I honor him by loving him and recognizing the fact he is a part of my life. I do all this without fear and this is how I truly honor him.
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Spotlight
by Eberhardt
EMOTION & VOICE “Welcome to religious history brought to you by man.”
“Welcome to religious history brought to you by man.” — this statement (if not implicitly made) certainly can be inferred from most texts about the history of religion since the time of the pharaohs to present. If women have written about faith they have either chosen a male pen name or have been placed in the rare column of any theological collection. This is the framework which any pagan male of the last 100 years has walked into. Against the background of women finding and commanding their rightful place in religious discourse, it can make it seem almost offensive as a pagan man to speak up and declare his own voice. There is not a lack of male leaders in the pagan movements of the late 20th century, but they themselves speak from an older time. Buckland, Gardner, and earlier voices of the 19th century liberal religious movements certainly follow the standards of all those Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and pagan philosophers populating the previous 2500 years of our shared history. The question is: what role should we as pagan males, equal but not greater than our female counterparts, take now? If you have been involved with any pagan path in the last 30 years you know this target has been one that has moved and shifted as much as any tree that finds home on a coastal outcropping. The territory can provide expansive and transformative experiences while at the same time making our spirits feel tenuous at best in the ever present winds from the mother sea. 8
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Two major themes seem prevalent in today’s pagan culture. Relating experiences that bring new value to all and listening to all the other voices and taking in new experiences and knowledge. Listening has been something the males have had to practice at throughout time. It is not a trait that is viewed favorably in pop culture or Western culture in general. It is much better to be a man of action (sports hero, war fighter, corporate star) than to be known as a sage individual that coaches and does not command. As a current day pagan male, you can be both a man of action and of wisdom. The choice you must make is when to apply either. The tool you can use to do just that is to listen two-thirds of the time and speak or act the rest of the time. We men act best when we know something so well we do not have to think of the steps to complete the given action. That is the threshold you must look for in your own life. The same holds true for wisdom and teaching. If you cannot speak of something in a voice that can recount the lesson in story, diction, and illustrative format then perhaps you are not ready. Patience is the virtue that will do any man the most benefit over the length of his life. The next time something comes to mind and almost reaches your lips make yourself pause and ask if this is the right time and place. If you have any hesitations then stop and listen more. You will find that both the God’s hand and the Goddess’ eyes will provide you with a greater boon.
A Good Man From atop the small rise, he surveyed the 28 acre field before him. It had been a very difficult season, eleven days of drought just after the seeds had been planted forced him to carry buckets of water by hand to ensure the seeds would take. He was very concerned the dry spell would ruin his crops again this year, but his determination and need paid off as the plants began to grow. The crop was almost ready to be harvested and a bountiful crop it was indeed this year. It was a beautiful sight: brightly colored vegetables packed in against a lush green background of vegetation. Even after the rains finally came he had to contend with the deer and the rabbits, the bugs and what he had thought to be a type of fungus but fortunately was not. He did not have any misconceptions about farming when he and his wife had decided to move west and stake their own claim to a piece of land. He knew it would be very hard and that there would be failures, but he also knew that with the support of his family, and the desire to provide them with what he felt they should have, anything was within reach. As the sun was just starting to dip low on the horizon, he took one final look at the section of fence he had just repaired; satisfied with his work, he headed toward the cabin. A slight breeze had just begun to stir and with its flutter came the smell of his beautiful wife’s beef stew and cornbread muffins. His stomach responded to the scent and he realized how hungry he was, the chicken leg he had for lunch now only a memory. Laughing as his mouth started to water in anticipation of a fine meal, he saw his son also approaching the house. He
Life’s Wit
by Brian St. Clair
looked on with pride as Marcus saw him, waved and broke into a run. “Dad, Dad I got an A on my history test today” he heard his son shout. “I knew you could do it!” he called back. Marcus was breathing hard when he finally reached his father and gave him a hug worthy of the best father. His son looked up at him and said, “I am glad you helped me study for it last night, it was so easy!” “Well I am very proud of you son, you worked hard to get that A and you earned it. Let’s go see what your mother is up to.” As the two entered this small but very cozy cabin, the smells that had been a simple tease outside brutally assaulted him with delicious intent, causing his stomach to nod its approval. Marcus laughed at the sound and went to give his mother a hug, who responded with only the love that a happy mother has to offer. “Marcus would you please run out and get some water?” “Sure Mom” the boy said happily and was gone. “How is the fence?” she asked her man, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a tender kiss. “Fixed and ready for the abuse of the next buck that happens into the area”, he responded, kissing her back. She laughed and said supper was almost ready and that she hoped he was hungry. He said he was starving and that it smelled sublime. During dinner his wife mentioned that his friend and neighbor, Roger, was having trouble fixing his cattle fence and his cows were getting out. Roger had been there for him many times this year so he would be happy to stop by in the morning to see if he could help out. ™• June 2010 • Volume I
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T CY a HO & JUI T R
Plant Vibes
by Dawn Sherwood
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Mixed Succulent Containers Have you seen them? They’re everywhere lately… flaunting their plump, fuzzy, pokey twisty or flat-leaved stuff… in shades of blues and greens, sometimes blushing with red, orange or purple. Cacti and their other succulent counterparts, showing off in simple to artsy containers, are truly a hot gardening trend. They can be found in the floral section of most superstores, next to flats of annuals at the neighborhood greenhouse and displayed amongst haute couture garden décor at trendy boutiques. They look ready to give their best, indoors or out. Should you adopt some of these tough yet juicy looking plant combos and surge beyond holiday cactus and jade trees? Succulents appeal to our appreciation of nature’s diversity and adaptability, but also to the time-crunched schedules of modern pagans. Succulents, which include cacti, are able to store moisture in fleshy tissue in their stems, roots or leaves. Most also have features that help reduce water loss in the hostile habitats they originate from. The need for very minimal care and low use of water are reasons enough to give them consideration. Their wide range of
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beauty is another. The plethora of textures, shapes and colors, which can cohabitate in a single container, is inspiring. This variety allows for maximum visual impact in a very small amount of space. And that impact is long-lived, especially when contrasted with a pot full of annuals. When conditions are to the plant’s liking, many succulents will also reward youand ever important pollinators, with a flush of flowers at least once per growing season. And yes, the same container of succulents that graced your outdoor space all summer can be brought indoors to overwinter. Even during their dormant cycles these plants are still attractive. Water, feed and soil requirements will vary among the basic groups (i.e.; mountain, jungle or desert species) and with the season. Grouping those that originate from similar habitats is certainly the wisest route to healthy plants. The most common care error cited by succulent experts is overwatering. Moisture is best monitored below the surface, rather than at the surface, for the truest
gauge of water needs. Using a pencil or chopstick to poke several inches into the container, dipstick-style, will often show the soil is actually moist and needs no water, despite appearing dry at the surface. To create your own succulent container, seek out appropriate pots, potting media and food at any plant peddling shop that is offering the individual plants. For those who prefer the web, try Cactus Limon (www.cactuslimon.com) or Cactus Lands (www. cactuslands.com) for plants, basic care information and wonderful lists of reference books. An excellent general reference on selection, planting and care is The Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents by Terry Hewitt. When deciding on which combination of succulents to go with, overall aesthetics will be just as important as care compatibility. Whether buying a pre-planted combo or creating your own, be sure the mood this mini-landscape will convey is suited to your desires. A mix of pudgyleaved, subtly contrasting blue and green varieties could serve to bring a feeling of cooling and calm. Low growers, set off by a layer of sharp edged rocks might transport you to a cool, yet more invigorating mountain setting. A bowl full of varieties with fuzzy, pancake, wavy and twisted leaf forms would lend a sense of whimsy. And a mix of spiny classics in round, vertical and multi-limbed forms, perhaps accented with red-tinged rocks, can stir an appreciation for the beauty and the challenges of arid deserts. The small amount of work (more like fun) up front to select the right succulents and learn their care needs will bring rewards for many years. Succulents seem to bear testament to the notion that sometimes you really do get more than you give. Considering they’re sponsored by Mother Nature, that shouldn’t surprise us.
Envisioning Spiritual and Climate Wise Living mypersonalvisions.net ™• June 2010 • Volume I
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Like a
by Mya Om
Fish needs a Bicycle
When I was asked to write about honoring the male for this month’s issue, my first thought was “good Goddess you have got to be kidding!” I am more inclined to write about how much a fish needs a bicycle. Males and the Male Divine need no more fawning, adoring fans! After all they have the Christians, the Jews, and the Muslims worshiping at the altar of manhood. For years I found the idea of a male divine in Wicca unsettling. I blame this on two things – first I spent my formative years living in perhaps the most patriarchal society in the “civilized” world and second, when I found Wicca, my first teachers were Dianic. Dianic Wicca is a subset of Wicca that believes exclusively in honoring the Goddess, and excludes the God from ritual.1 In fact, many Dianic groups do not allow males into circle at all. This is very different from the American Eclectic Tradition, through Oak Ash and Thorn (OATh)2 that I am learning now – where the God plays a vital role in ritual. OATh focuses on teaching its students that the God and Goddess are both equally necessary for a balanced rite. The idea of needing both male and female energy in ritual is a much different cosmological belief than that practiced by the Goddess-only groups I had been a part of in the past. Still, Dianic Wicca served a vital purpose for me; it allowed me to connect with the Goddess in her various roles and it gave me time to get over my distaste for “all things male” in religion. When I followed the Dianic path, my thinking was: the God gets enough attention from the monotheists, why does he need anything from me? The reality is – he doesn’t. I on the other hand, do need something from him – I need balance. I needed to know that not all males are like the ones I grew up with. I needed to realize that the Archetypical Male, as represented by the God in his various forms, did not have to embody all the negative connotations that I associated with the monotheistic God of my 12
Keeping the Edge
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childhood. I once had a Christian friend explain to me that her particular tradition believed women came fourth in God’s affection somewhere between horses and sheep, and well below men. In Islamic society males are valued because they alone can carry on the family line. Islamic law gives a male child 2/3 more in an inheritance than his female counterpart, and if a man had to choose between educating his son or his daughter, his first obligation is to his son. In our modern society on average a man is still paid more than a woman and most insurance companies cover Viagra but not birth-control pills. The list of a thousand small slights and disparities started playing on repeat in my mind, and before I knew it I found myself building a big head of steam. As I considered my intense reaction I realized I wasn’t being fair. It is easy as modern feminists to tar all males with the same brush. We have to realize all men are not created equal. There is that rare man out there who does more than write nihilistic poetry about the affect of Bambi’s mother’s death on him, who doesn’t sit on the couch expected to be served hand-and-foot while the “game” is on. The pagan men I know have rejected the same cosmology I have rejected and they too are searching for something new. They seek, as I sought, a new version of the male divine, one that works together with the feminine in all her many forms. The past two thousand years is not their fault, and many of them are as disgusted with our historical legacy as most women I know. That male deserves to be honored, and he deserves an archetype that represents all that he is capable of being. When we think about the God, it is important to detach from that word all of the connotations and connections created by the Church, Mosque, or Synagogue. Since
the 1970’s we have talked about reclaiming words, first it was “woman,” then “Goddess,” and then “witch.” We speak in terms of thealogy and herstory, and creating a new narrative of the female identity.3 Yet the male in our pagan society has had no such revelation or revolution. Our ideas about the God are as tied up in the monotheistic narrative as they have always been. It is time to detach our views, ideas and connections with the God from that outdated mentality. It is time to reclaim the word God, and if we do that, then perhaps a fish may one day need a bicycle.
For more information on Dianic Wicca or if this is something that interests you check out the Reformed Congregation of The Goddess International: http://www.rcgi.org/ 1
For more information on American Eclectic Wicca and the OATh tradition: http://www.oakashandthorn.org/ 2
Diane Stein, Casting the Circle: A Woman’s Book of Ritual. The Crossing Press 1990 3
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the Celtic Knotwork of
Peter Grimes four dogs in gold border 21 x 29.6cm acrylic on paper
Lines and color intertwine to capture one’s attention in their mysterious and continuous dance. Like labyrinths walked by foot and followed by fingers, artist Peter Grimes’ celtic knotwork creates labyrinths for the eyes to wander through and meditate upon. Within each path of the overall design, lays individual paths intertwined with their own meanings and symbolism. Intriguing and calming at the same time, one can trace the lines of one single piece for hours, for as soon as a path is completed it begins again, an infinity of rhythm to delight the sight and engage the brain. Born in Sydney NSW, Australia and raised in Northallerton North Yorkshire, UK Grimes currently resides in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia where he is influenced by Australia itself and its animal life. A majority of Grimes’ pieces are influenced by their predecessors of times past. He defines his pieces “Celtic, more properly called Hiberno-Saxon but celtic is what everyone seems to know it by, it’s not a pure celtic style such as Le-Tene, and when this style was at its height cerca 8th century with the Lindisfarne Gospels and Book of Kells, influences from Anglo Saxon, Viking and Germanic art is evident.“
two birds entwined in knotwork oval 21 x 29.6 cm acrylic on paper
His love of drawing and abstract artwork attracted Grimes to celtic knotwork which combined with discipline to bring his art to where it is today. The pieces Grimes creates are the result of continuous
dragon and wolf tattoo 21 x 29.6 cm acrylic on paper commission for tattoo
goddess knotwork 25.4 x 17.8 cm acrylic on paper
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Art & Soul “I’m quite happy if people like them, I think the interpretation is very much up to the viewer.” study of illuminated manuscripts (which are increasing in accessability on the internet) and his surroundings in Australia. “I loved Celtic art from first seeing it, so I taught myself how to draw it out, learning first by copying then with the aid of books by George Bain, Iain Bain and Aiden Meehan. I guess my re-interpretation of it just came about as I was learning and developing my own personel style.” Although pagan and an initiated Witch, his spirituality is not a big influence on his work, “I don’t think it influences my art as much as it could, apart from the odd pentagram in paintings and the Goddess Knotwork I tend to be more influenced by old manuscripts and animals I see.”
featured artist
two friends 21 x 29.6 cm acrylic on paper design for the cover of an Australian magazine
Grimes has also practiced for hours to develop his designs and his technique. “I use acrylics on acrylic paper as the designs are easier to draw out on paper rather than canvas. Whereas more traditional types of painting do not use such detailed drawing and planning out as knotwork designs... and I love the quick drying nature and properties of Acrylic paints.”
green and red shield 42 x 59.2 cm acrylic on paper
Grimes paints for pleasure and for commission, although he is not currently selling work at any galleries, it is easy to view his portfolio and contact him via his website www.petergrimescelticart.net and also deviant art http://spookyt5.deviantart.com. Many of his pieces are for sale by contacting him directly or visiting www.vicarthouse.com
purple pentagram 25.4 x 17.8 cm acrylic on paper
celtic bat 25.4 x 17.8 cm acrylic on paper ™• June 2010 • Volume I
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the Urban Shaman
Out of the BroomCloset
by Michelle “Crowskin” Bond
We all come to the point in our lives when we make decisions and life choices which affect ourselves and those around us. Deciding to be neo-pagan is the easy part. The hard part comes when you try to explain your faith to others. Many new pagans struggle with this process. It can be quite intimidating coming out “of the broom closet” to your parents, friends and coworkers. It is hard to express your faith without dealing with the negative associations. Here are some basic tips which may help you ease the transition, avoid some of the problems of “coming out” as a pagan, and help you feel more confident about being who you are. • Privacy: There are many of us who work everyday jobs with no one the wiser to the practices we follow out of the office; yet we have the freedom to admit it openly to friends and family alike. Remember: just because it may be a huge step for you personally, sometimes being discrete is just as important as well. Resist the urge to “scream it from the rooftops” and instead keep it “on a need to know” basis. • Test the water: Ask your friends and family what they believe. If you include them into some conversations based in your beliefs, you can see where they stand and why, with the buffer of friendly debate. You might end up finding out their ideas aren’t very far from your own. It will also help them understand where you’re coming from. • Suggest books: Let a friend borrow a few good books on the subject if they are curious to learn more. You can suggest authors you like, and books you’ve read so you have a common source to reference in open conversation. Pick books which are generalized and match closely with your own beliefs. • Beware the misinformation: Stay away from giving too many sources on the internet to look up. Some resources aren’t reliable and wandering off topic on the internet it could lead to assumptions which aren’t relevant. If you want
friends to see and understand the information out there, you may need to help direct them to what’s more true for yourself. • Keep the fiction out: Some people’s assumptions of being a Witch or pagan comes from what they see on television and read in fiction novels. Make sure you are clear about the realities of your practice and how it differs from fictional sources at the very start or you may regret the questions later. • No extremes overnight: Waking up to someone suddenly dressing or acting different will make accepting their new faith much harder. Try to be sensitive to your family and friends’ feelings as well and give them time to accept what you’ve decided is your path. You’ll find time may soften their ideas and they will be much more open if they see it hasn’t changed who you are or what you want in life. • Patience is key: Your friends and family may have many questions about what it is to be pagan, your beliefs, and how you practice. Be prepared to answer whatever question they have and encourage open discussions. The more they know about the basic information, the less likely they will judge you on stereotypes or media assumptions. • Be content: Remember this is your path and your faith is an individual journey. You should never try to force anyone to be completely happy with your decision. Be content with who you are and follow your heart. In the end do what is best for you as a person and let the rest follow. Think over these steps, keep communication open, be sensitive to other people’s feelings, allow them the opportunity to understand your decision and you will find you can avoid a lot of the problems which could arise. Finally, when you are ready, you can step out of the broom closet and feel more comfortable being yourself around those you care for. Congratulations. It will be quite an interesting roller coaster from here on. ™• June 2010 • Volume I
17
beer
e t a n g Impre ch
When you think about men cooking, does beer, generous cuts of meat, cooking outdoors over a grill, and recipe names with allusions to sex come to mnd? That’s what came to mind for us at Pagan Edge, so we decided to explore just how far those themes could be taken. To do that, we enlisted the help of Scott Sheldon, a historical reenactor of the 1700’s to show us some of the tools and techniques he uses in reenacting to prepare this month’s recipes. This meal can be made in the location of your choice: a modern kitchen with stateof-the-art appliances, on a gas or charcoal barbecue, or, as Sheldon did, an open hardwood fire (perhaps before or after a ritual gathering). Sheldon started the fire with traditional flint and steel. Wellpracticed, he quickly got a spark onto the tinder to make flame. When he became involved in historical reenactment, he had to prove that he could do this procedure in wet and windy conditions. Something that would be a challenge even with matches or a lighter.
18
Another special tool that Sheldon used was an 150-year-old knife with a bone handle. Thinner than a chef’s knife, it made quick work of the potatoes and onions. Sheldon has never sharpened it. The older steel doesn’t dull like modern stainless steel nor does it have the tendency to bend as a similarly thin stainless steel blade would. Before sheathing it, he wiped it clean on his pants’ leg essentially stropping it on the cloth and helping to keep it’s edge. He warns, however, not to do this. “I wouldn’t suggest people hone or clean the knife on their leg. It’s a bad habit of mine which ™• June 2010 • Volume I might not work out so well some day.”
Perhaps the solution is to take off the pants before wiping the blade on them?
Cooking time will vary depending on the fire, but in general this is not “fast food”. This is a meal and cooking technique for times when friends and conversation are the focus, and people are relaxed and not in a hurry. The ease of cleaning up offset the time spent cooking with a few plates, flatware, and preparation tools and no pots or pans. Residue was burned off the cast-iron fork and grill used to cook the chicken. The foil the potatoes and onions were cooked in was thrown away, but with a little effort could have been cleaned and recycled. And there you have it...a meat and potatoes meal cooked with beer and oldfashioned “manly” implements that would still be tasty regardless of the gender of the chef or source of heat. Beer Impregnated Chicken 1 clove garlic, minced 1 12-ounce bottle of beer 1 teaspoon Bavarian seasoning 4-6 chicken breasts Process: With such a simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients is key. When cooking with beer, choose one that you would enjoy drinking. This would be a good time to use a special microbrew beer with strong character. Sheldon used an IPA. Mix the garlic, seasoning, and beer in a casserole dish. The fat can be removed from the chicken, but Sheldon recommends leaving it on for flavor. Prick the chicken breasts with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate and place in the dish. Make sure that the chicken is covered with
ed
hicken
the marinade. Allow to stand at room temperature for one hour at which point it will have absorbed most, if not all, of the marinade. Place on the pre-heated grill approximately 6-7 inches above the coals. It should be hot enough for the chicken to sizzle when it hits the grill but not so hot that the surface of the chicken develops color and is done cooking. The beer will help to sear the meat and seal in juices, so that the chicken can cook through without over-cooking the outer layer and undercooking the inside. Occasionally baste the chicken breasts with more beer as they cook. To be sure that the chicken is done, test the thickest portion of the breast with a meat thermometer or by cutting it open. Potatoes and Onions Under Wraps 8 medium red potatoes, sliced thin 2 onions, peeled and sliced in 8ths olive oil salt and pepper to taste (optional) aluminum foil Process: Tear off a length of aluminum foil, approximately 1.5 to 2 feet long. Place it shiny side down. Toss the sliced potatoes and onions with olive oil and place half of the mixture in the middle of the foil. Fold the sides of the foil together over the potatoes and onions and then finish by folding the ends of the packet over and pressing down firmly. This should give you a firmly formed closed envelope in which to steam the vegetables. Repeat with a second length of aluminum foil and the remaining potatoes and onions. Cook on the same grill as the chicken starting 30 minutes before putting the chicken on the grill. Remove with tongs and open to test if done. Reseal and replace on the grill if needed.
Eclectic Cooking
by Maeve Gregory
Beer Impregnated Chicken The Recipe 1 clove garlic, minced 1 12-ounce bo ttle of beer
1 teaspoon Bav arian seasoning 4-6 chicken bre asts Prick the chicke n breasts & cove r in marinade o & IPA in a casse f garlic, season role dish at roo ing, m temperature fo on the pre-he r one hour. Pla ated grill app ce roximately 6-7 coals. Occasio inches above nally baste the th ch e ic they cook. ken breasts wit h more beer a s
Packet CooPkoetadtoes & O
The Recipe
nions
8 medium red potatoes, slice d thin 2 onions, peele olive oil d and sliced in 8ths salt and peppe a luminum foil r to taste (opti onal) Toss potatoes, onions, & oliv e oil. Place ha the middle of lf of the mixtu the foil appro re in xi mately 1.5 to side down. Fo 2 feet long, sh ld sides of foil iny together over by folding end the mixture, fi s of the packe n is h t over and press Repeat with a ing down firm second length ly of aluminum mixture. Cook foil and remain . on the same g ing rill as beer imp regnated chicke n.
™• June 2010 • Volume I
Walk This Way
Supplies: (The only truly required supply is the first item fueled by your imagination) Branch/Tree Limb Saw Sand paper Electric Sander Wood Burner with tips Wood Carving Tools Dremel Tool with tips Paper Images Crystals or Stones Cord
Brad Nails Eye Screws Paint Polyurethane Sealer Brushes Glitter Glue Water Gloves Eye Protection
A walking stick can be an eternal work in progress changing with every hike you take. Add things as they inspire. There is no pressure to complete it all at once. Let it become your story stick, a labyrinth of “remember-when.” While working on this project keep in mind color, symbolism, and meaning in the design. Try to incorporate safe travel, protection from wild animals, navigation, and seeing the path. Selecting a Branch To obtain a branch for a walking stick search a favorite patch of woods, cut one from a tree in need of pruning, or buy one. When selecting a fallen branch, be sure the wood has not yet rotted. If planning to cut off the ends, select one slightly taller than the desired final height. The general rule of sizing is shoulder-high for a staff-style or mid-waist for a cane-style with a diameter the hand can comfortably grip with a slight over lap of the thumb with the fingers. Hardwoods such as oak, ash, and maple work very well. Preparing a Found Branch If it is a dead fall branch, the ends will need to be cut and sanded. Remove unwanted branches or protrusions and sand those as well. Remove any loose or unwanted bark, which may reveal interesting markings left by bugs that can be incorporated into the overall design.
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™• June 2010 • Volume I
Preparing a Purchased Walking Stick Most purchased walking sticks already have a sealer on them. If you plan to
Handecraft
a how-to by Wendy Beth
Selecting and Adorning a Walking Stick wood burn, paint, or stain any areas, that area will need to be sanded to remove the finish.
by applying a thin layer to the target area and sprinkling glitter over top.
Wood Carving I have seen many awe worthy wood carvings on walking sticks with images of faces and animals. An Internet search of ‘wood carving’ will provide numerous resources for technique and patterns, including videos. Carving on a rounded surface will be more difficult. Also hard woods are tougher to carve. A dremel tool would make the job easier and less dangerous. If opting for hand carving tools, be sure to use care by directing cuts away from the body, wearing protective eye wear, and work gloves. Making shallow cuts will also lessen possible injury as less force is needed. A scrap piece of wood, ideally from the same branch, can be used for practice.
Stone or Crystals Knot holes provide a wonderful opportunity to add stones or crystals. Select one the approximate size of the recess. If the hole is a little small, it may need to be hollowed out more with a wood craving knife, dremel tool, or drill. Once the opening is ready, insert the stone or crystal using a little glue to secure it. For this application, I recommend using a glue that is suitable for many types of surfaces, such as E6000.
Wood Burning Similar to line drawing with wonderful smoky smells. Outline your design, then fill in the details. The harder pressure added and the longer the tip is left on the wood, the darker and deeper into the wood the design will go. Practice first on a scrap piece of wood, from the same branch if possible. Wood burning can also be used to enhance carving by adding more detail. Painting/Staining If wood carving or burning provides too much of a challenge or the tools are not available, images can also be painted or stained onto the wood with a brush or paint/stain marker. Painting and staining can also be used to enhance features of wood carving or burning design. On a face design, adding paint or stain to eyes or lips will give them an extra pop. Decoupaging Sheet music, greeting card images, words from a newspaper or book, images from a magazine, scraps of wrapping paper, or anything else that is paper can be decoupaged on to the walking stick with a mixture of white glue and water. Paint the target surface of the walking stick with the glue mixture. Affix the paper item of choice and smooth out any bubbles. Coat thinly and evenly over the paper item with the glue mixture. If a bubble appears after the glue mixture has dried, poke it with a pin or needle, gently squeeze the air out, and reapply the glue mixture. Glitter can also be added using the glue mixture
Crystal Points A crystal point is a nice addition to the top of a walking stick. Use a drill with a bit that is the approximate diameter of the crystal point, drill hole straight down into the end. Affix the crystal point using a glue that is suitable for many types of surfaces, such as E6000. Metal Objects Flat objects such as keys, metal tags, metal filigree castings, or charms can be screwed or nailed to the walking stick. Avoid affixing objects to the desired hand grip area. Sealing After any wood carving, wood burning, painting, staining, decoupaging, and embedding/affixing objects is complete, I recommend preserving your hard work with 2 to 3 coats of water based polyurethane. Hanging Items Take care anything hanging from the stick should be light. Heavy hanging objects can throw off the balance of the walking stick or cause injury. Sharp, pointy things would be a bad idea as well. An eye screw can be attached for hanging items. Cord, string or ribbons can be attached with some small brad nails to ensure they do not slip. Spots where smaller branches have been removed make an ideal spot for hanging items. Hang colored ribbons, leather cord with feathers, or a cord with clips for collecting items, such as leaves or feathers, while hiking. Feel free to email pictures of your walking sticks to chiefeditor@paganedge.com. I would love to see what PE readers create! ™• June 2010 • Volume I
21
Our Lady’s Counsel Advice from Lady Fae’s Wisdom Circle
Dear Lady Fae, I recently came out of “the broom closet” to my best friend. She had a few questions for me but didn’t make a big deal out of it. I thought all was cool, but she’s been acting differently around me. She’s almost “overly nice” compared to her usual demeanor and she also makes sarcastic jokes and comments like, “Oh, is that how the witches do it?” or “What are you going to do, put a hex on him?” I try to just joke along with it but don’t know how to make sure that she is really joking. I fear she might actually think that everything I do is a reflection of Witchcraft or that I would hex someone. ~ Best Friend Dear Best Friend, Coming out the broom closet can be such a scary thComing out the broom closet can be such a scary thing! And it’s always disappointing and honestly, frustrating when someone seems to be okay with what we’ve told them, but then acts very differently. Especially when that someone is close to us. It seems like maybe you and your best friend need to sit down for another discussion. She seems to clearly still have some questions or confusion around what being a witch really means, or she doesn’t seem to approve. Either way, a frank, honest discussion should be able to shed some light on the issue. Be sure to express how you feel about her sarcasm and jokes. Let her know they are hurtful and upsetting. Explain why the idea of hexing someone is so horrendous. Describe how being a witch is one part of your identity, not all of it. Really be clear and speak of how her behavior is impacting you.
Then sit back and let her talk about what she doesn’t understand, doesn’t like, or even fears. Listen well. Offer to provide her with some resources, like a beginner’s book on witchcraft, that might answer her questions if this seems to be a problem. Try not to be defensive and to see where she might be coming from, but don’t lose sight of your own thoughts and feelings because they are absolutely valid. As sad and as difficult as it may be, be prepared for her to not be able to accept you as a witch or to have difficulties with the basic ideas of witchcraft. Once you know where she stands and what she believes, you have some thinking to do: will she still be your best friend? Can your friendship survive this? Do you still want to be friends with her, but maybe no longer best friends? I sincerely hope it does not come down to that. I hope that she merely has some questions and that another discussion and some resources will help her feel more comfortable with this new (to her) side of you. Good luck. Be courageous and be good to yourself in the process. Many, many blessings, ~* Lady Fae
Need some counsel from Lady Fae’s Wisdom Circle? email your questions to advice@paganedge.com 22
™• June 2010 • Volume I
Music Review
Note This!
by V.L.
Tyr
Following the North Star In 1998, Faroese natives created a band in Copenhagen called Tyr. They named themselves after the god of courage, strength, justice, victory, and battle. They haven’t sat down to take a break from the life they sought and happily embarked upon since their formation. They tell the Norse stories with hard music and true, gut-feeling. These vikings are on an eternal journey to Asgard. Before they were full swing into their career, Tyr was simply performing with all the energy they could muster. They performed their single “Orimurin Lanjiwas” at the Prix Foroyar Festival in the Faroe Islands in 2001. A compilation CD was made from the live performances. A year later, that very single became a big hit in Iceland, they released their first album, How Far to Asgard, and a single after that, Olavur Riddararos. Since then, the band found success after success. They toured with Amon Amarth and Die Apokalyptischen Reiter. The group was already fairly large and only became larger after signing with Napalm Records. In 2008, Tyr was nominated for Band of the Year by Faroese National TV and Radio. Their current line-up: Heri Joensen (vocals, guitar), Terji Skibenæs (guitar), Gunnar H. Thomsen (bass), Kári Streymoy (drums). Currently, Heri is working on a solo album. The information for this can be found on the band’s official MySpace. The band tours in America and can be booked nationally and internationally. Without a doubt, the band has amassed a large group of fans. They are extremely skilled in mixing
Celtic, Norse, Doom, Heavy, and Progressive Metal. The lyrics of their music holds truth to the Norse history and mythology that the members of the band hold sacred. The band’s current discography is as follows: • How Far to Asgard (2002) • Olavur Riddararos (2002, single) • Eric the Red (2003) • Ragnarok (2006) • Land (2008) • Black Sails Over Europe (2009) • By the Light of the Northern Star (2009) Their upcoming shows are: 6/3 Hard Rock Hell Festival (Ibiza, Spain) 7/10 Viking Rock Concert (Gudvangen, Sognog Fj., NO) 7/16 G! Festival (Syoragota, FO) 8/7 Wacken (Wacken, Schleswig-, DE) 9/10 ProgPower USA XI (Atlanta, Georgia) Tyr is definitely a band worth paying close attention to. They care about their fans and the message that they’re sending to them. They can be found on MySpace and Napalm Records’ website. Tyr’s contact information can be found on their MySpace. Other bands that sound like Tyr would be Before God and Soulgrind. Our monthly featured music can be heard on: www.myspace.com/paganedgemagazine ™• June 2010 • Volume I
23
Scribes’ Tablet One Day in the Spring
While we...we consummate!”
CAPO FRET 1
I can’t explain what I saw That Spring so long ago, But each year I return With the passing of the snow.
©Greg Currie
One day in the Spring AM F Out in the woods I heard the clack of horns F AM And the Stomping of hooves! C E I followed through the trees That warm Spring day Until I spied a clearing While I, I hid away! I saw them laughing there I think all were drunk A lady in leaf green Presided from a tree trunk! They vied for her hand, With horn, brawn, hoof. They wrestled and cajoled Until most had had enough The strongest, wiliest one Was the last to stand, He strode up to her and said, My name is Pan! “I’ll be your King tonight, and you’ll be my Queen. Let the Maypole unfurl And our passions been seen!” She took his calloused hand, said, “The Spring awaits... Let loose the ribbons
The Green Lady and The beast called Pan Never did return, but its Evergreen where they did stand! Evergreen! Evergreen! Its Evergreen where they did stand! The Green Lady! The Beast Called Pan!
The Stag and the Goddess ©Greg Currie
NOTE: THE [BM] IS A BARRED CHORD ACROSS ALL STRINGS. ON THE [BM] THE INDEX FINGER IS RAISED AND LOWERED ON THE B STRING, THE UPPER E STRING ON THE [D], B STRING ON THE [A]. THE A STRING IS HIT ONCE FINGERING THE SECOND FRET ON THE TRANSITION FROM [A] TO [G], AND THE LOWER E STRING IS HIT ONCE ON THE SECOND FRET FROM THE TRANSITION FROM [G] TO [E]. Intro: [BM] [BM] With the cool summer’s breeze [BM] On the night’s cool air [D} In the woods a stag [A] Did appear... [G] He lowered his tines Till they touched the ground The Goddess rose up And climbed atop him
Share your poems, music, short stories and reflections with Pagan Edge 24
™• June 2010 • Volume I
Poetry from Our Readers She was light as a feather To his strong hooves As they bounded together Over rocks and roots They rode through the darkness And they rode through the light Of an Artemis moon Like a bow raised high He was her strength And she was his guide Through the woods they rode Till a clearing came nigh There were twelve in that clearing With blades raised high Not to kill, lest they Themselves, should die... They offered sweet incense They offered blessed wine They sang a song Old as time The Goddess spoke softly With words of love She whispered them secrets Of below and above Then the rider and the stag Turned back to the wood The sound of singing Echoed them home (Home...) The Goddess disappeared As she stepped to the Earth The Stag disappeared As he turned to the woods
Pan
©Greg Currie Sweet the wind With fragrant sweet clover That ripples the green Forwards and over Echoes the field A sweet reeded pipe Blown from cheeks Furry and ripe Lean form in the grass Half goat and half man Slumbers here deeply The god called Pan His great pipes by his side His empty horn in his hand He dreams of round nymphs And of roaming the land His ancient hooves nestle Amongst the clover and green While the wee folk watch on From their places unseen They watch with still patience For their goat king to rise For the wee folk delight In mirth and surprise!
Greg Currie is a poet and musician from London, Ontario and fairly well known in the Pagan and Wiccan communities across Canada. Greg works to help recognize and promote Canadian Wiccan culture through the website www.the wicca.ca. He is also involved in the work to repeal Canada’s last remaining anti-witchcraft law (Criminal Code of Canada s.365).”
Poetry & Prose submissions welcomed at www.paganedge.com Scribes’ Tablet page ™• June 2010 • Volume I
25
Wheel of Happenings
Events Calendar
JUNE 2010 3rd - 6th Duckstock, The Party Dragon Hills (near Carrollton, Georgia) http://www.duckstocktheparty.com/
3rd - 6th Spirit of Womongathering SWG Producers Firewalker and B.Leaf Cronewrite (Undisclosed - Pennsylvania) 10th - 14th Babalon Rising Amalantrah Foundation, Inc. (French Lick - Indiana) 11th - 13th 33rd Annual Kansas City Scottish Highland Games Highland Games, Inc. (Riverside - Missouri) 12th - 13th 6th Celtic Midsummer Faerie Fest Cimber Cade & April Hollon (Fair Oaks - California) 12th - 13th St. Louis Pagan Picnic St. Louis Pagan Events, Inc. (St. Louis - Missouri) 18th - 20th A Midsummers Night Dream Festival Spirit Dome Productions (Chloe - West Virginia) 18th - 20th Iowa Pagan Alliance Faery Festival Iowa Pagan Alliance (Granger - Iowa) 19th - 21st Midsummer Ball, Paganfest Rochelle Moore, Deposits for booking kashmiragents@gmail.com 20th – 27th Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) 2010 Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve,Salem, Missouri http://www.circlesanctuary.org/psg/
24th - 27th SunFest XXII Summer Solstice OWOW (Near Lincoln City - Oregon)
25th - 27th The Shenandoah Midsummer Fest (Middletown - Virginia) JULY 2010 6th - 11th Spirits of the Earth Festival Tameika & Fox (Wyoming - Ontario) 8th - 11th Chesapeake Pagan Summer Gathering Chesapeake Pagan Community - WVox Sponsor (Darlington - Maryland) 9th - 11th Shaman’s Spirit Festival Spirit of the Earth Church Inc. - WVox Sponsor (Hopkinsville - Kentucky) 10th – 11th Chesapeake Pagan Summer Gathering Chesapeake Pagan Community Darlington, Maryland 15th - 18th 7th Annual Summer Gathering MotherGrove Sanctuary www.summergathering.bravehost.com 28th - Aug 2nd The Kaleidoscope Gathering (Eganville - Ontario) AUGUST 2010 7th – 10th 6th Annual World of Faeries Festival David and Gloria Yaeger South Elgin, Illinois
20th – 27th Wisteria’s Summer Solstice Gathering Wisteria Event Site, near Athens, Ohio http://www.wisteria.org/
7th -15th Sacred Harvest Festival Southern Minnesota http://www.harmonytribe.org/
23rd - 27th Wic Can Fest 2010 WVox Sponsor (Mansfield - Ontario)
12th - 15th Merry Meet and Grand Council 2010 Covenant of the Goddess - Midwest Regional LC (Indianapolis - Indiana)
If your festival is not listed here, please email us at admin@paganedge.com to have your listing added. 26
™• June 2010 • Volume I
The Pagan Edge
Book Review Y: The Last Man, Volume 1: Unmanned
by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra, 2003 ISBN: 1563899809 This graphic novel is very much based in science—although, as far as we know, not real science. Maybe we can say it could be an alternate reality? But I felt it fit in nicely with our masculinity theme for this issue. In this first book of the 10 book series, we are introduced to a world where there are no more men or males of any species. A plague has suddenly and instantaneously killed every male on the planet, except for Yorick Brown and his pet monkey. Yorick’s immediate concerns are for his loved ones—his mother who is a congresswoman and one of the few politicians left, his sister who is considering membership in an extremist Amazon-like gang, and his girlfriend in Australia who is unreachable by phone or by plane. Being the last man on the planet is difficult to hide. Soon, Yorick finds many different women who are interested in his help and his submission. Some want him to help them repopulate the planet. Some want to kill the last man on earth. Some want to use him to gain political power. And one, the scientist who may have engineered the plague, wants to study him to discover why he survived. Yorick just wants to find his girlfriend. Yorick’s struggles with the meaning of his life and how to handle the demands from different factions in the world provide a fascinating main story line. Equally interesting is the picture of a society that is suddenly a matriarchy born from a patriarchy. How do the women of the world survive when the majority of those in charge and with certain knowledge (like most of the airline pilots, the military, the police, doctors, politicians, etc.) are gone? This is definitely a thought provoking series. Worth the read or at least a look!
by Faelin Wolf
Sacred Paths for Modern Men: A Wake Up Call from Your 12 Archetypes by Dagonet Dewr, 2007 ISBN: 9780738712529
Why is masculinity not as valued in our pagan ways as femininity? Perhaps we have rejected the traditional, dominant, patriarchal view of masculinity that rules our society, but we have not yet made room for new masculinities to take its place. Dewr is striving to forge new paths for men, with new definitions of masculinity and new roles. He explores 12 archetypes to help guide men’s lives. These archetypes are based on stories we have of the different incarnations of the God, research on mythology, and even fictional characterizations of masculine legends. He offers these 12 with acknowledgement there may be many more worthy of discussion and exploration: The Divine Child, The Lover, The Warrior, The Trickster, The Green Man, The Guide, The Craftsman, The Magician, The Destroyer, The King, The Healer, and The Sacrificed One. Each archetype has a chapter including myths and legends of gods and men who exemplify the sacred name. Dewr also explores how modern men who embody the archetype may benefit and be harmed by the role. He then offers some questions to reflect on that help a man delve deeper into how this path plays out in his life. Dewr has taken a positive step in identifying new masculinities for men. But I don’t think this book is just for men! Looking at the masculine energy can be helpful for women as well. Dewr’s writing is easy to read and full of humor. He also admits that he is not an expert but is simply a man who experienced difficulties in finding other men to be his role models and with whom he could identify. ™• June 2010 • Volume I
27
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™• June 2010 • Volume I