ISSN 2159-9939
Meditation The Shadow Self Sage Art of Kim Dreyer Cat Napping Guardians of Being Finding the Balance Within
“Balance Throughout” September 2011 Volume 2 • Issue 9 ™• September 2011 • Volume 2
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PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS
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Eberhardt, Personal Visions jess*ca mae Tootie Marie Dawn Sherwood Faelin Wolf Mya Om Michelle Crowskin Bond LJ Rose Ankolie Amina Racozy S. J. Drew Sister Nariel Jenn Embers Nina Pak, www.ninapak.com Refraction Design & Creative Services Personal Visions Eberhardt, Wendy Beth
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-based-spiritualists, 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 those 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 ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 3
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contents 6 Dream Weaving Teaching 8 Life’s Wit Fairy Tale, part 2 of 2 9 Meditation On Balance 10 Elders Corner Searching for Balance
On The Cover: “Spirit of Nature” by Kim Dreyer feature article on pages 14-15
11 Herbal Quickies Sage 12 Keeping the Edge Finding the
Balance Within
14 Art & Soul Kim Dreyer 16 PE Book Review A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
17 Life’s Wit Cat Napping 18 Divine Mind The Keys of Balance 20 Urban Shaman The Shadow Self 25 PE Book Review Guardians of Being
VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 9 • SEPTEMBER 2011 “BALANCE THROUGHOUT” PAGAN EDGE™ IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY PERSONAL VISIONS ADMIN@PAGANEDGE.COM ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 5
Dream Weaving To teach is to to witness uncounted possibilities. When we teach from the knowledge of our experiences, we share much more than just knowledge, we share what it is to be human from our personal point of view. This is a powerful gift, for it shapes both the giver and the receiver. To teach is integral to being pagan. It is one of the things that sets us apart from the largest world faiths. It brings the responsibility for integrity, honesty, and knowledge to the individual level. If we choose to teach, we choose to take up the mantle of a unique form of trust in the eyes of the gods that is every bit as important as the trust that should exist between parent and child. The bond that forms between a teacher and their students can be one of the most lasting in terms of life influence. When you take a moment to think of all the people you hold as a hero in your life, are not most of them teachers in one shape or form? What a wonderful thing it is to be a hero to another, even if it is only to play the role of opening a new door of experiences. It is tempting once we feel called to teach to let the habit of teaching dominant our view of faith. Teaching can provide the sense that one is closer to the divine than you are otherwise. It can get very comfortable sharing what you know with each new student. Also, it tends to make you an expert on the scope of what is being taught — what better means to put us on top of our game? However, this is where we reach a point of a possible shift in our personal balance. To be a teacher means we can fall prey to the desire to stop learning. The illusion of “knowing everything you need to” can lead us to
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publisher speaks
a flawed view on life. Down this path, we self limit our freedom to learn and accept new ideas. It is necessary to remember our origins and ongoing roles as learners. Without the capacity to learn new things we will get bogged down in ritual and tradition that will lose its relevance over time. We all need to stay engaged with our inner “fool” if we put a tarot spin on the concept. Outside of the self-dynamic of what it means to be a teacher, we must never lose grip of the struggles of being a student. Many things in life require intellectual, emotional, and physical understanding to be fluent. Learning is both a stress and a reward, but often the reward is delayed, sometimes for years. To keep our inner balance as students, we must of course strive to renew interest in learning each day, especially if it is repetitive in practice. The student must also be active in demanding proof of what is taught. The most interactive student-teacher relationship will deliver, for a short time, a sum greater than either person. This is the greatest expression of balance there can be when sharing knowledge and faith. September is about balance and the peace it can bring to our lives and our connection to the gods. I join Pagan Edge’s entire staff in approaching our features harboring both knowledge and a certain naivete. Each month we work to share of ourselves and in turn we hope to learn from you our readers. I hope you enjoy this issue and do your part for our balance by providing us with some feed back. Just look under “Contact Us” to leave either written or verbal comments. Balance is approached in many ways for many things. The spiritual stillness we can achieve is the reward that is well worth the effort. Blessed Be! Eberhardt
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September 2011 • Volume 2 7
Editor’s Note The good news: Our August issue of PE was packed full of great articles. The bad news: it was SO packed, we missed fitting in the last half of Life’s Wit by S.J. Drew titled Fairy Tale... the rest of the article is below, please see August’s issue for the first half.
continued from page 12 of PE August “So I can fix this.” I could, so she finally gave me the spell and I didn’t know it was going to be so much trouble,” she replied in one breath, scanning her book. She only had one summoning spell, which had summoned the faerie, and didn’t have any banishing spells. “So you thought you’d try this by yourself before I got home?” “I had it handled,” she snapped, switching to some of her reference books.
“Kelly, now!” The teenage girl slammed her book shut and stomped outside. Bridgette took a deep breath and went to her room to get some supplies. Kelly angrily paced back and forth. Half of an hour passed and finally her mother called her back into the house. “I banished it,” Bridgette said.
The faerie flew back upstairs, apparently having lost interest in the cat, and went into the dining room and started to pluck the petals off of the vase of flowers.
“How?”
“What exactly did you summon?”
“Yes,” she said sullenly.
“Kelly, sit down. We need to talk.” Kelly slumped into a chair. “You know you made a mistake.”
“A faerie,” she sighed.
“And you’re going to clean up the house and pay for the things that got broken.”
“What kind of faerie?” Bridgette asked with more patience than she felt.
“Figures.”
“I don’t know. Does it matter?”
8
“I can do this, Mom!”
“Why did you do this?”
“Kelly, go outside.”
“I thought I could handle it,” Kelly.
“Why?”
“There are reasons I haven’t
™• September 2011 • Volume 2
taught you how to summon spirits. This is one of those reasons. If you don’t set the right kind of boundaries, they can run wild.” “I’m sorry about the stuff.” “I’m grateful you aren’t hurt. These things can be dangerous. The next time you want to do something like this, please ask me first. I may not give you permission, but I will try to make sure you understand why,” Bridgette said. “Fine.” “Now, sweep up the broken dishes so I can start on dinner.” She fetched the broom, grateful she didn’t get grounded, and she resolved to be more careful with spirits in the future.
Meditation on Balance by Eberhardt
As the Autumnal Equinox or the “first day” of fall
approaches, we all experience the
brief
moment
when
the
tim e b e t we en day a nd nig ht is
balanced. For those of us in the north, it is the time of the year when we look to the cold. In the south, it is the time of the year when we look to things warming up. Seasons change between both halves of our planet in a Yin Yang fashion, the planetary cycle of life moves around us in a mostly unseen river. The currents of the air and the light are set in patterns easy to recognize, yet almost easier to ignore, in modern culture. Our buildings note the change and start to warm or cool us, as do our unconscious minds as we slip into our cars with air conditioning or seat warmers to make sure our journeys are ones completely separated from our surroundings. This separation from the world and its continuous nature has made us ill; many of us suffer from anxiety, depression, loneliness as this unrecognized gap in our lives goes unfilled.
Modern conveniences have gone a long way in making many of the aspects of our lives better. However, they have all been introduced piecemeal, without us individually weighing their pros and cons. This act of giving up control has left a great deal of Western people looking and longing for things they can’t identify. Each of us is on a spiritual journey whether or not we like it or really want to be on it because that spiritual journey is simply the life we lead. As we look around our lives we have to continuously ask the question, “Do I need this?” It is a deceptively simple question, in that there is a whole culture and society lined up to answer that question for us and the answer is always yes. We each have to ask that simple question while looking at the complex and always moving nature of our lives. The word “need” requires us to look at the actual value any given choice will either add or take away from our lives. Here in the west we pagans, and everyone else for that matter, have all that we need. When you consider the daily needs of most of the world’s six billion people we have been blessed & burdened with a bounty that would make any of the gods blush at its imbalance. All but the extremely poor Meditation continued on page 19 ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 9
From the Elders Corner by Lucille M Rose
What is balance and why is it important in our spiritual and daily lives?
According to some authors, several thousand years ago we worshipped the Goddesses and lived in a matriarchal-based world and not a patriarchalbased world. It has been hypothesized the great works written by women of the past had been systematically destroyed. These authors theorize that Alexander the Great destroyed all proof by burning many documents that were stored in the Library of Alexandria. The Library of Alexandria held over half a million documents from Assyria, Greece, Persia, Egypt, India and many other nations. A couple years ago, I read Serpent of Light: Beyond 2012 - The Movement of the Earth’s Kundalini and the Rise of the Female Light, 1949 to 2013 written by Drunvalo Melchizedek. The author explains that the Mayans are not predicting the end of the world at 2012, we are simply misinterpreting the predictions 10
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earching for S alance B
of the Mayans.
The author feels it is a shift in energy, a transition from the masculine energy to the feminine. As a result we are seeing more wars waged because of the shifting of this energy. The masculine energy does not want to relinquish its hold and the feminine wants to regain it. The transition will be completed at the end of 2012. My father was raised as a Catholic and my mother was raised as a Lutheran. Both religions were extremely patriarchal years ago in the 1950’s when I was a child. The impression I formed through my Sunday school lessons was they worshipped a God who was judgmental, harsh, critical and condemning. Because Eve ate an apple, women were blamed for all the destruction in the world and every thing committed by men. Even at
the age of thirteen I saw the flaw in these ideas/concepts and as a result I became more and more resentful at this attitude in and with structured religion.
I rebelled against this type of religion consisting of domineering men ready to rule women with an iron fist. Searching continued on page 24
SALVIA, is derived from the Latin salvere, to be saved, in reference to the curative properties of the plant. It has been used as a medicinal herb throughout the classical period and medieval times. This name was corrupted popularly to Sauja and Sauge (the French form) and in Old English to ‘Sawge,’ which has become our presentday name of Sage. Alternate names: Common sage, Garden sage, Kitchen sage, True sage, Culinary sage, Dalmatian sage, Broadleaf sage. Cultivated forms include Purple sage and Red sage.
LORE/BACKGROUND Identification: a familiar plant of kitchen gardens, considered an evergreen undershrub. Sage generally grows about a foot or a little higher and has wiry stems bearing oblong leaves are set in pairs on the stem and are 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length. Leaves have rounded ends, finely wrinkled by a strongly-marked network of veins on both sides, are greyish-green in color and have soft hairs on the underside. Flowers are in whorls and are generally purplish; blossoming in mid to late summer. All parts of the plant have a strong, scented odor and a warm, bitter, somewhat astringent taste, due to the volatile oil contained in the structure. Where it grows: Dry banks and stony places, usually in limestone areas and often where there is very little soil. Found natively from Spain along the Mediterranean coast up to and including the east side of the Adriatic. It loves climaten zones 4 to 11, however it is happy growing in a pot on the deck or porch. It prefers full sun but will also grow in partial shade. It likes average water, but be careful not to drown it. Sage is a perennial but it should be replaced every three to four years or it becomes woody and unproductive. Harvesting: Young leaves can be gathered individually for culinary use and are best if used immediately. To harvest your own sage leaves for drying; cut the plant down to 4 inches above the ground then strip the leaves from the stems and dry for future use. Leaves can be left on the stem for drying and should be tied in a loose bundle and huge upside down in a dry dark place. Sage continued on page 22
Disclaimer Personal Visions makes neither warranties express or implied representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this Web site. Personal Visions does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of this website or the information contained herein. Health-related information changes frequently and therefore information contained on this Web site may be outdated, incomplete or incorrect. Statements made about products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Use of this Web site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient relationship. ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 11
Original Photography by Nina Pak ©2011 Wardrobe Designer: Temna Fialka, Model: Leyla Salmi, Make Up Artist: Lauren Marler Thomas
Finding the Balance Within Keeping the Edge
by Mya Om
Meditation to Ma’at the Egyptian Goddess of Balance: Close your eyes and breathe deeply, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Take a few moments and focus on your breathing and on relaxing your body. You see yourself standing in a brightly lit hall. Around you are thousands of people all waiting, all seeking judgment and the knowledge of their own inner balance. In the distance you see the Goddess Ma’at
standing at an ornate dais. She appears as a young woman with long flowing dark hair. On her head is an ornate headdress holding a single ostrich feather. In one hand she holds the scepter of power and in the other the ankh of eternal life. Person after person approaches her and as each comes to stand before her, she takes the feather from her headdress and weighs the value of each individual’s heart and worth for a lifetime of deeds. From where you stand you cannot see the outcome of her judgment. Nor have you been called to stand Finding continued on page 26
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The Art of
Kim Dreyer
Amphibia Guardian of Nature
In a small, inspiring village surrounded by mountains in South Africa, artist Kim Dreyer creates spiritually intriguing fantasy pieces. Her painted guardians and fae tell stories vibrating with their own energy. They empower their viewers by bringing solace, igniting action, lending strength, and even creating balance within. Kim’s parents encouraged her creativity from a young age. “I was brought up in a home where fantasy, the unknown, sci-fi and the occult were all part of growing up and my fascination and love of fantasy naturally flowed into my art.” She was formally trained in graphics and had a career in creating pottery and sculpture. In addition to digital painting, she also creates jewelry of spiritual inspiration. Her current style is completely self-taught and a new stage in her journey as an artist. “Having worked as a graphic designer using digital software for quite a few years - I started experimenting with digital painting in my free time. I enjoy the depth and color and luminance that the digital medium offers. I do the occasional acrylic painting which is a slight variation of my digital style more free flowing with less detail. But, at present, I still prefer the digital medium.”
Fae of Midnight Dreams
Kim often creates poetry to read along with the viewing of her pieces, however, “I am happy for people to make their own interpretations of my work. In fact I love reading or hearing people’s interpretations... sometimes they match the intention and meaning I have carried into the painting, other times a whole new twist which I find fascinating. The one thing I do hope is that in all my art people find a positive and caring message.”
Spirit of Phoenix This is a spirit/soul painting I did for a friend. 14
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Like many following a path of alternative spirituality, Kim finds hers “difficult to pin down with one category”. She follows her own mix, combining wicca, paganism, and shamanism to suit her needs and beliefs. “My belief system definitely influences my art. In fact I would
Art & Soul
Honouring Spirit, Goddess & Nature
featured artist by jess*ca mae
“I paint, create and live from spirit and the heart.” say that the two go hand in hand. For me, my art is all part of my spiritual development and life and vis versa. I paint, create and live from spirit and the heart.” Her inspiration and heart echo throughout swirling feathers, glowing orbs, and subtle symbolism which can make one smile with beauty and peace. Sometimes the rhythm and repetition of coinciding circles and swaying stalks catch the eye in a visual meditation. “I would hope that my art (including my poetry) helps others find their bliss, find their own path and purpose in life, and helps people and Mother Earth heal and evolve. I do not seek fame. I am quite shy and would rather have my art in the public eye, than me. What is more important to me for the future of my art is the message and meaning it carries - I am merely the ‘tool’ from which it is created.” While she can occasionally be found at holistic faires in South Africa, mostly she displays and sells her artwork from her studio or online. “I am currently designing a new website with shopping cart where both my art, jewelry and commissions can be viewed and purchased.” She also works with a distributor in Australia www. crystalwood.com.au. Currently, Kim is working on an oracle deck featuring her artwork and writing. The deck will not be released until 2012, but for a sneak peak of her unique oracles, visit her website www.kimdreyer.daportfolio.com. “My journey to link to my authentic self and spiritual self has had a big influence on my art. It is also important to me that my art has meaning and touches the viewer on a deeper level - hopefully inspiring love, healing and a stronger connection to the Divine feminine and Nature.”
Melancholy Moon
Spirit Eagle
Personal Pendant
Kim’s work is available on Deviant Art www. ambercrystalelf.deviantart.com, as well as directly through her. Most of her pieces are sold as prints, greeting cards and bookmarks. To order directly or enquire about commissions, email the artist at kimdianejewellery@gmail.com. Chuckle ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 15
The PaganEdge
Book Review
by Faelin Wolf
are no longer able to die. Israfil, the Angel of Death seems to be slacking on the job and no souls are getting taken. Some of Remy’s old Seraphim brethren visit to hire him to find Israfil, but there are others who are trying to stop him. Remy is reluctant to be involved in any of Heaven’s business, but it becomes personal when Madeline is affected. Despite his suspicions and opposition, he takes the job.
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
by Thomas E. Sniegoski, 2008, ISBN: 045146205X I picked this up on a whim. I’m not always a fan of Christian-inspired stories, but this seemed pretty interesting! And I discovered a good, fastpaced read that introduced me to a new world of Seraphim and provided a satisfying mystery to solve. Remy Chandler (formerly, the angel Remiel) is a private investigator. He lives out his life working, taking care of his dog, Marlowe, and caring for his dying human wife, Madeline. One of his cases opens a mystery of a supernatural nature—suddenly people and animals on Earth
There are many interesting elements in this book. Remy’s struggle between balancing his angelic nature and his life as a human appears throughout the book. He uses some of his powers, like being invisible and communicating with animals (like Marlowe!), on a daily basis, but he suppresses his greater powers. Daily, he has to think about his differences from humans because he visits his dying wife in her nursing home—he sees her aging and dying while he still looks the same and doesn’t get ill. Remy also has mixed feelings about his past in Heaven and the story of why he chose to leave Heaven to live among humans is an interesting one. The message that God loves humans and considers us his finest creations because we have a spark of the divine runs throughout the book and again offers some interesting insights into the various characters. Check it out! I thought it was a fitting read for this month, given that Remy struggles with balancing his life as a human and his past life as an angel. Enjoy! Book Review continued on page 25
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Life’s Wit by S.J. Drew
N g t a n a i p p C
Michael laid on his couch thoroughly annoyed with himself. He had a huge project due in a week and now he had come down with some kind of flu bug. He’d gone to work Monday and Tuesday despite feeling like death warmed over. Every single one of his co-workers told him he looked awful and he should stay home, but he had to finish his project. He just couldn’t make the drive today and it annoyed him He checked his company cell phone constantly for his email. “Get down, Boots,” he snapped. The black cat with white feet hopped off his lap and washed a paw. He set the phone down. No email. Then he sneezed several times. Boots crouched down behind the footstool.
The medicine was starting to make Michael feel sleepy and slow. He found himself watching Boots as the cat crouched down, wiggled his tail, and fixed his green eyes on Saddles, a mostly white cat with a distinctive black spot that had given him his name. Saddles was heading into the kitchen to get some food. Then Saddles seemed to catch the movement of Boots’ tail and he
stopped and stared directly at the smaller cat.
“He can see you, you stupid cat,” Michael said to Boots, who of course didn’t pay attention. Boots charged Saddles, then abruptly came up short and dashed into the kitchen. That was apparently the signal to play, and Saddles chased after him. Michael reflected he hadn’t been home much as he watched his cats romp through the apartment. Now Boots was chasing Saddles through the kitchen. Michael winced as he heard small pellets bounce off the tile and realized one of the cats had slid into the food bowl and tipped it. “You two stop that!” he yelled. The cats paid no attention to him. He sighed and returned to checking his email. Boots bounded into his lap, off the back of the couch, and continued for another round. Michael let out an “oof” and a string of curse words. “Stop it!” he yelled again. In half an hour, the cats calmed down. Saddles leapt on the foot of the couch and hunkered down between Michael’s feet for
a nap. In a few minutes, Boots hopped up and laid down next to the bigger cat. He yawned and put his head down. “Don’t do that,” Michael said, yawning in return. “Just because I’m sick doesn’t mean I can afford to slack off.” The cats started to purr. It was a relaxing sound. Michael sneezed several times. The cats at the foot of the couch hadn’t moved. “I wish I could sleep like that,” he said. “Completely relaxed and not a care in the world. You don’t have some sort of flu. You don’t have a huge project due in a week that you aren’t working on.” Saddles sighed contentedly and Boots started to snore. Michael smiled. “Maybe I could learn from you guys,” he thought. He yawned again, feeling quite drowsy. “I’ve let work take over my life instead of finding a balance. I’m too sick to go into the office, so even if I do get an email, there’s not a lot I can do about it. Maybe I can just pretend I don’t have a care in the world. Maybe I can sleep like a cat,” he thought. He reached down and turned off his cell phone, adjusted the pillow behind his head, and tried to relax. Very soon, his own snores mingled with those of Boots. ™•
September 2011 • Volume 2 17
Making the Divine Mind, Mine
by Sister Nariel, Contemplative Order of Anam Cara
The Keys Of Balance I was considering recently how we might enter more perfectly into a balanced, contemplative life. It can be difficult in a world that is now filled with increasing demands and instant distractions. It is far easier I think, to simply melt into the distractions and get on the assembly line of what we call life. As we become backed up against the wall of paradox, we find ourselves confounded by the inequality of what we have and what we want to have. We mourn the loss of time to things we don’t want to do in relationship to the things we dream of doing. We become disenchanted. We become frightened and shadows grow.
Balance is attained and maintained by honoring the paradox; there are two equal sides separated only by degrees. For something positive, there is an equal negative. For every push, there is pull. For every strength, there is weakness. For every darkness, there is light. This law governs everything from the vast Universe to the most miniscule grain of sand. Many times, we look around our lives and we see so many things that we meant to do, could have done, would have done. We are tempted to feel that we somehow failed if we didn’t get #323 on our “To Do List”, done. We have such concern for the outward life and so Repeat continued on page 23
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Meditation continued from page 9
have some level of luxury even if it’s only because they have been seduced by a free and loose credit market. So when you ask the question of need, approach it from the initial stand point of saying no. No, I do not need this next video game, no I do not need an SUV. If you do this for all things you will find that the burden on your spirit lessens with time. When we put ourselves and our entire civilization out of balance we get back the woes three fold as can be clearly seen in the financial markets of this last week. There was no mysterious group of men at the top that made this all happen. It was each of us going with the default “yes”, piled on top of all the negative energies, that finally gave way. For this Equinox, look around your home; look around your shared spaces; look at your internal state of being and ask yourself what do you not need? Write those things down so they are not lost and then take action to pass on the useful items to others that may truly have a need. If it is knowledge — teach. If it is food — feed. If it is to shrink your social circle — say goodbye to those that you only just know, and understand that you will never know more of. A network of friends is only truly a community if you all share skills, experiences and emotional interaction. A list
of names on a social network or in a paper address book only lengthens the chains of negative energy we drag around with us. To reclaim balance in our lives every day of the year we have to also do things that are positive energy creators. As I hinted at above, when you move parts of your life along, you are actually both cleaning out the negative and creating a positive in the same act. Giving, in whatever form, is
one of the best and simplest ways to create a healing creative flow back into your spirit. This is something that the Gods and everyone around you can easily approve of and, if you’re lucky, follow the lead you have set. I know many of you at this very moment are thinking you have nothing to give. Your life is so full of negatives, how can giving any of it away create positive feedback? “Starting Small” is the answer.
Go outside and pick up all the litter that you can find on your block and throw it away. Give a friendly hello to anyone you encounter as you do this task. You could also simply sweep the dirt and soil that has found its way to your sidewalk, back to the grass or other plants that need it for support in their lives. One step grander is to look around and offer to help an older person or a younger person complete any task. You don’t have to talk much, just simply be kind. Let your mind wander to all the other things that you could give that have absolutely none of the negatives you fret about. Once you are done, look back and see how your negatives disappeared or at least lessened while you were giving. Note that they don’t have that strangle hold on you that you allowed them, then remember the positives again and make a plan to recreate and expand on them each day. Being a Pagan is not following the dogma that was dreamed up by any given human. It is a lifestyle that says live in the world now for it is the world that is sacred and therefore it is you that is sacred. As my series on living within your climate this last summer points out — your actions tell the story of your life. Your actions create the magic — the life force that everything needs to survive.
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September 2011 • Volume 2 19
The hadow elf S S
Illustration by Ankolie Imagine you’re standing in front of a mirror, and in the mirror is your reflection. Imagine the secret fears and hates within you taking form in the reflection. Think of all your darker instincts and unpleasant emotions, the ones you try so hard to repress, being reflected. Something primal and dark — something we would rather attribute to someone else entirely. 20
™• September 2011 • Volume 2
the Urban Shaman
by Michelle “Crowskin” Bond This is the unbalanced Shadow Self. It is the part of us we try so hard to break down and destroy because it doesn’t reflect the clean-cut image we want to be. We are taught it is wrong to be this way — that we aren’t supposed to have these kinds of things inside of us. The fact is: the Shadow Self is still a part of you no matter how deeply you try to bury it. The more you try to lock it down or deny it exists, indeed, the more power it has over you. Instead, you need to come to a point where you can embrace this aspect as part of you. You need to learn to tame it and work with it. Then you can learn to change yourself and the very reflection you are afraid to see. As gritty and unpleasant as it may seem, you need to accept who you are before you can ever expect to make any real changes to the world around you. After all, isn’t deep inside you where real changes in the universe begin? Without our rage, our primal instincts, and our darker emotions; everything good about us would be less important as well. Rage protects just as lust gives life. Almost all of the things you hate about yourself have purpose when acknowledged
and worked with. It is when we give them too much power over us, by being afraid of them and locking them up tight, that things are thrown out of order.
everyone who walks it. It will last a lifetime and the rules will constantly change on you. If done well, it will be one of the most powerful lessons you’ll have in this life.
The old tribal shamans were healers, but were also warriors in the same breath. Keeping safe and protecting the people — sometimes by the strength of the primal warriors, other times by the gifts of the healers. They needed to accept both sides of themselves, make peace with both the light and shadow, in order to fully accept their place. It was the only way they could maintain their balance and be a whole person.
Working with your Shadow Self allows you to strongly protect the good in yourself and help you grow more whole. We walk without shadow our whole life — taming it and not letting it control us. A shaman’s balance is only maintained by keeping in step with it.
In our modern society that strength is just as needed. We have to be the protectors of those around us, our own tribes if you will, just as much as we need to heal and care for them. We walk within our duality as balanced workers. Falling to either side takes away from our whole and makes us weaker. It is hard to come to terms and acknowledge our Shadow Self. It is even harder to actually work with the Shadow Self. So how does one go about doing it? You have to figure it out on your own. This journey different for
Like a scale, tipping it too much is going to lead you into exactly the same problem. Light and love is powerless without the strength to stand up for it; just as strength and power are nothing if done for the wrong reasons. Balance and compromise is your greatest asset. Diplomacy is needed in energy work, including when working on yourself. The Shadow Self is a fancy concept for what is already inside you — one piece of a growing shifting whole. Never let the shadow of yourself scare you or defeat you. Pull power from the precious flaws and mistakes you’ve made. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and remember: it is the flaws which make you all the more powerful.
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September 2011 • Volume 2 21
Sage continued from page 11
s e v a e e g a L d e i r S y p s i r C F
ot s to the h e v s a e le v a e e g L sa e Fresh Sag they are not wet) Add fresh reful not to over e ca r (make su e oil, being an. Cook for 20 to e h G t u n o ep ook Oil or Coc crowd th flip and c n e h t Coconut , s d ds. 30 secon ore secon hot Sea Salt m d 5 e 1 n t fi u e r o Un for ab ve from of oil in a ely remo t h ia c d in e 4 m / d plate Im ut 1 t. To owel line sea t a e r e h Heat abo p a m p iu oil to with er med le lightly k skillet ov il is ready, dip the in r p s d o he an test when esh sage leaf in t fr e y. salt. end of on les then it is read izz oil – if it s
e e r u o t weet Pota P
S
ed eled, cub e p , s e o t a eet pot 4 large sw utter 1/2 cup b ced arlic, min sage 2 cloves g ped fresh p o h c ly e oon fin 1 tablesp ream eese s heavy c olone Ch v o r P & 1 1/2 cup a zzarell the dded Mo e r h S e butter in te. p h t u f o n 3/4 c o blespo 1 minu . Melt 1 ta . Add garlic; cook s e o t a t o heat ook p oil. Boil and c pan over medium ream; bring to a b c ce same sau ook 1 minute. Add gh a c ; ess throu , r p r o Add sage r e a ric ture s through to the cream mix beat in e o t a t o p s tatoe dually ooked Put hot c dually add the po r large whisk. Gra orously after ra no vig strainer. G h a wooden spoo e, stirring im t a t a it n w spoo beating ter 1 table t u b g in remain nd shly grou ion. e it fr d d d a n a h c ea h salt eason wit S . d e lt e m eese until . Stir in ch te s a t per to black pep
CULINARY USES Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked: The strongly aromatic leaves are used as a flavoring in cooked foods. They are an aid to digestion and so are often used with heavy, oily foods. They impart a sausage-like flavor to savory dishes. The young leaves and flowers can be eaten raw, boiled, pickled or used in sandwiches. The flowers can also be sprinkled on salads to add color and fragrance. MEDICAL USE The whole herb is antihydrotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, galactofuge, stimulant, tonic and vasodilator. Sage is also used internally in the treatment of excessive lactation, night sweats, excessive salivation (as in Parkinson’s disease), profuse perspiration (as in TB), anxiety, depression, female sterility and menopausal problems. DIY: For a homebrewed sage tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water, steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Use this infusion as a gargle for sore throat or as a mouthwash for gingivitis. You can also drink up to 3 cups a day to improve digestion and help regulate blood sugar. Drinking sage infusions could also help reduce wetness if you perspire a lot. The leaves make excellent teeth cleaners; simply rub the top side
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of the leaf over the teeth and gums. The purple-leaved form of sage has tougher leaves and is better for cleaning the teeth. Supplement Internal Use: Sage is available commercially in liquid leaf extract form; the usual dose is 1 teaspoon three times per day. Take by mouth as directed. Follow all directions on the packaging. If you are uncertain about any of the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist. This herbal product should not be used for a long period of time. A treatment period of no longer than 2 to 4 weeks is recommended. If your condition persists or worsens, or if you think you may have a serious medical problem, seek immediate medical attention. Precautions Some herbal/diet supplement products have been found to contain possibly harmfulimpurities/additives. Check with your pharmacist for more details regarding the particular brand you use. The FDA has not reviewed this product for safety or effectiveness. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Very few side effects have been reported from the consumption of Salvia officinalis leaves. However, those using more concentrated forms of this herb, such as tea or extracts, may experience inflammation of the lips and lining of the mouth. This inflammatory response is probably due to a toxic chemical in sage called thujone. In very large amounts, thujone has been shown to cause
convulsions. If you notice any possible side effects, contact your doctor or pharmacist. If you have any of the following health problems, consult your doctor before using this herb: seizures (epilepsy). - Liquid forms of this herb preparation may contain sugar and/or alcohol. Caution is advised if you have diabetes, alcohol dependence or liver disease. Ask your pharmacist about the safe use of this herb. Limit alcohol intake, as it may aggravate certain effects of this herb. Sage leaf is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this product is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding Before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription medications you may use to be aware of possible interactions. Concentrated sage oil is toxic and its use should be restricted to aromatherapy.
• • • • • •
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properties being used for purification and cleansing. White Sage is the prominent ingredient in smudge sticks, but sweet grass, cedar and lavender are also used. If you can gather and dry your own wild sage for smudging, do so, as it will retain the spirituality of the herb. If you prefer, sage can be burnt in an incense bowl, and the smoke brushed around the room, by using a feather as a fan. The herb is also an excellent one for meditation and divination. Regular Sage, is used in protection, prosperity, fertility, longevity, money attraction, healing, and business rituals. It is said that if you eat sage, you will become more wise and immortal. Carry to promote wisdom. Element: Air/Fire Zodiac Planet: Jupiter Sign: Sagittarius God Associations: A masculine herb most associated with gods. Greek/Roman - Zeus, Jupiter Celtic - Mabon ap Modron Egyptian - Thoth
MAGICKAL USES White Broadleaf Sage, considered the “King” of all sages, is also used as an ingredient of smudge sticks, when it is bundled whole and dried. One end of a smudge stick is lit and then blown out, so that it smolders and smokes. These ™• ™
September 2011 • Volume 2 23
Searching continued from page 10
The more I listened to the sermons in church on Sunday, the less I accepted their way of thinking. Within the last few years there have been a few changes incorporating the acceptance of the feminine with a more positive aspect and a more loving gentle male God. At fourteen, my grandmother, who lived alone, broke her hip. After she was discharged from the hospital I was sent to live with her. For me, it was a time of enlightenment, peace, joy, happiness and discovery. While baking, or preparing and eating dinner, we discussed many things. One of the main topics was how I felt about organized religion and the way women were treated within the church. I also discovered I was not an evil child possessed by the devil. I simply had psychic abilities like my beloved grandmother. Years later my sister was given orders to serve at the army base at Ft. Campbell, U.S.A. Soon after, she became a member of a teaching coven. She called me and told me 24
™• September 2011 • Volume 2
she had been reading some very interesting books and passed on the titles and authors. She would love to discuss the books with me after I read them. Sounded like a good plan to me! I had never heard of these books or recognized these authors. Little did I know she was introducing me to a spiritual path that not only included Goddesses but also honored them! For me, this is what was missing in the organized patriarchal religion of my parents. Goddesses! Balance with the feminine and masculine energies. It took me years to finally accept the God who worked with me and when I did, I realized I had made a transition from a patriarchal based spirituality to a matriarchalbased spirituality to a balanced-based spirituality. If the theory “there is always turmoil during transition” is correct does this indicate to us that there is always a state of constant upheaval, conflict or struggle when striving for balance? Sounds like our lives. There are twenty four hours in a day. If we work too many hours we have few hours left to sleep, eat, or play with our families and friends. If we work too few hours we have very little income to afford the basics for survival. If we consume too little amount of food we
starve and if we consume too much food we can become morbidly obese. If we give all our time or energy to others we have little to no time or energy left for ourselves.
“In order to give back to our relationships, careers, families, and passions, we must pull in for short moments to take care of ourselves…” ~ Chris Casson Madden
References: Eisler, R. The Chalice and the Blade Stone, M. When God Was a Woman http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/ articles/articleview.cfm?aid=9 Who burned the library of Alexandria
Book Review continued from page 16
Guardians of Being
by Eckhart Tolle & Patrick McDonnell, 2009, ISBN: 978-1577316718 This is a simple, quickly read book full of important things to remember. I like to think of it as a picture book for adults! I think all of you who own pets are going to love it. Tolle reminds us that living in the present, in the now and being still are extremely important to our very beings. He urges us to connect with nature and animals, because they are always in the now. Specifically, he talks about our pets, our cats and dogs, and how they are creatures of the now, creatures of the divine, and creatures connected to Being. I love Patrick McDonnell’s art (he created Mutts). I think he does an amazing job of illustrating Tolle’s simple, yet powerful, words. I love the emphasis Tolle puts on nature here and his encouragement to learn a little from our pets. Take some time to read Guardians of Being and remember the things you already knew. And then, be still and listen. ™• September ™• August 2011 • Volume 2
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Finding continued from page 12
It is only when we perceive the world in a new way do we really begin to understand our individual power. before her yet. As the next person approaches her, the world seems to pause and your eyes meet. Her lips do not move and yet you hear her voice so clearly. She asks, “What is the value of your heart? What worth have your deeds? Have you found your perfection, your Utopia yet?” You turn away with tears in your eyes, for you have no answer for her yet. The scene shifts around you and you find yourself standing in an empty room. On the walls you see flickering shadows. They are a reflection of the fire burning in one corner. Intrigued, you walk towards the fire until you stand at the edge of the flames. You stare into the flames and in them you see reflected images from your life. For good or bad these images are a part of you. They represent who you are today, but not who you can become. As you reach this realization, the room around you begins to fade away and you return to an awareness of yourself and your body. Awake — you open your eyes. In 1982, Starhawk first published a small book called Dreaming the Dark, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity to the Pagan Community at large.1 This was a largely political book and challenged the reader to reject the “power over” structures of modern society and to embrace the “power within.” Starhawk confronts the traditional notions of family, success, and value. In doing so, she invites the possibility of individual worth based on something other than the expectations of others or the traditional values of our society. It is only when we perceive the world in a new way do we really begin to understand our individual power and can really begin the process of 26
™• September 2011 • Volume 2
mastery necessary for a true magickal awakening. Starhawk describes the quest for a utopian state where each individual struggles within herself to find her own value structure(s) and to reject the values imposed by what she describes as the “power over” structure. Here the individual/society emphatically rejects some parts or even the whole of the old system and seeks instead to create a new idealized structure. Starhawk claims it is a necessity in order to achieve a more balanced sense of self and a more balanced relationship with the world around us. But is a total rejection really necessary? It hasn’t worked for other Utopians – think the Soviet Union – where emphatic rejection was interpreted as calling for violent revolution and a total destruction of the old system in favor of the new. Instead is it possible to find an inner balance that works within the traditional values of our society and yet is still true to the desires of self? Will destruction of the old bring you back into balance with yourself? Can you ever really erase the past? It is not easy to reinvent yourself because you carry with you the memory, insecurities, and the pains of your past. Many people, in seeking to create a new self, reject or hideaway those parts of the original self that do not fit in or do not belong. They justify this rejection of self by calling it transformation. But transformation does not come from hiding from yourself, it comes only when you truly embrace and accept all of your disparate parts. Only then do the scales truly balance. Starhawk, Dreaming the Dark, Penguin 1982, reprinted with a new preface in 1997.
1
Repeat continued from page 8
little for the inward. It is only when we attempt to thwart or neglect the laws of balance, that imbalance results. Imbalance allows feelings of dissatisfaction, failure and confusion to mount. We must begin to recognize that the laws are not our enemy but are instead, great tools of self discovery and healing. As we come to understand that the laws exist not only around us but within us, we can begin to unlock our potential and reach towards our dreams, our destiny. It all begins within, and with, choice. Within us exists a great mansion of potential and yet we may find ourselves lurking about on the outer gateway wondering how do we get IN? With conscious decision and action, we can unlock the doors and venture to the places within our own souls. We can allow the laws to reveal and restore the balance within. Having restored balance, we may transform our outward life in conformity to the inward life. Our souls have such great possibility! Yet it is as if we have lost the keys and lost our way, becoming wanderers in a foreign land. What are these keys that we need to finally cross the liminal space? One key is desire. We must truly desire to go within. We can own a key, yet never use it.
One key is faith/trust. This key is the one that allows us to trust that when we turn the key of desire it will in fact, work! One key is action. We can hold a million keys to a million things but until we actually put forth the effort to place it in the keyhole and turn it, we will forever be on the outside steps of our inward dwelling. One key is courage. When we have placed the key into the lock and have opened the door of our inward sanctuary, we must not lose heart. We should not entertain a fear of the dark, a fear of what may be there, a fear of becoming who we are destined to become. In order to restore balance we must confront imbalance. If a great banquet was set before us, would we be content to simply nibble on bread crumbs? Be not afraid, my brothers and sisters. Use what is within you to transform what is around you. Discover the laws that are in operation at all times and you will have discovered the secrets of lasting transformation. --For those reaching towards a more perfect balance, Sr. Nariel suggests a study of The Kybalion by Three Initiates. Tarcher Conerstone Edition. ISBN 978-1-58542-643-0.
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