Whispers on the Wind

Southern Italian and Sicilian drumming, chanting, and dancing.

2011-12-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a weekend workshop with Alessandra Belloni. The workshop was a variation of her “Rhythm is the Cure - Healing Dance & Drum Workshop”. Alessandra describes the workshop as, “In this workshop featuring Southern Italian folk dances and rituals we will learn chants used to invoke the healing power of the sun and moon, as well as a repertoire of therapeutic dances, accompanied by the beat of Frame drums and tambourines. Alessandra presents these unique dance movements which trace their roots from Southern Italy back to ancient Greece, with connections to Iran, Egypt and Andalusia, as well as to the traditions of the Gypsies who traveled from Rajasthan through North Africa, Morocco and Spain to Sicily and Calabria.”

My reason for talking this workshop was to be exposed to (and hopefully learn a bit of) the traditional drumming and chanting that is native to Southern Italy and Sicily. For me, the dancing was an added bonus. I wanted to learn about the Italian/Sicilian traditions of using rhythm, chant, and dance so I could incorporate some of the techniques into my own practice of Sicilian-American Stregheria.

From the outside, as an observer, one can see that this artistry has its roots in what is commonly referred to as the “folk customs and celebration of the ancient Italic peoples and their descendants. However, from the perspective of the full participant who can approach this system with mindfulness and respect, a system of spiritual expression and healing is revealed. This goes well beyond folk customs. It becomes no less than a powerful spiritual devotion, a system of inducing trance states, and a door to the realms of ecstatic (Dionysian) dance, chant, and rhythm that can lead to healing and triggering cathartic events.

The weekend workshop was held in an ideal setting. We stayed in a private mansion on 44 acres of gorgeous land. We had a wonderful and gracious host (Arden) and an amazing cook (Heidi). Other than them, we had the entire grounds to ourselves.

Over the course of the weekend, Alessandra shared with us several basic drumming techniques using a type of Italian tambourine/drum (tamburello/tammora/tambourine). The techniques were strung together into specific patterns designed to enliven the spirit and body and to align the participants with our goals.

Coupled with that, we also learned some traditional rhythmic chants and combined them with the drumming to add to our devotional practice. Rhythm is the Cure – rhythm is the key.

Throughout the weekend we were also learn the basics of four traditional dances. They were the Tammorriata, the Pizzica Tarantata, the Tarantella de’ 600, and the Ritmo e Danza e di San Rocco or Spinning Dance. A person watching would immediately see the relation to the “Italian Wedding Dance” that is often seen at Italian-American festivals. These dances, however, are far more than simple folk dances or elaborate step dances that are performed at Italian-American community celebrations. Watching Alessandra perform these steps shows a clear spiritual essence to them and you KNOW that the dance is something that can bring one closer to the Divine.

The combination of rhythmic drumming, chanting, and drumming in this ancient style is powerful for all participants regardless of which role is performed. A person usually takes one of the roles: drummer, singer/chanter, or dancer. With practice, some folks may combine the drumming and chanting but the dancers do not normally also drum or chant at the same time. Although, Alessandra is so accomplished that she can seemingly effortlessly do all three at once!

Frankly, I never knew what hard work drumming (and chanting and dancing!) were until I took this workshop. It’s hard. Also, it’s so very worth it.

I am immensely grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in the workshop. It has given me some new tools to add to my own practice and Path. I had a wonderful time meeting new friends, being in a totally supportive environment, and expanding my understanding of the practices of my ancestors.

If you ever get the chance to see Alessandra Belloni, do so. If you ever get the chance to study with her, do whatever it takes. You won’t regret it. I don’t.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

Who is Alessandra Belloni? An excerpt from her website (http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/) says: “Alessandra Belloni is the Artistic Director, Founder and Lead Performer of "I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA", an Italian Music, Theatre and Dance Ensemble who is Artists-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St.John the Divine in New York City. She is also the designer of a line of signature series Italian tambourines made by Remo, and of special brushes for tambourine with Pro- Mark. She is the only woman in the U.S. and in Italy who specializes in traditional Southern Italian folk dances and percussion that she learned from the old people in the fields.”

Dances: (http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/workshops)

TAMMORRIATA - This elegant and sensual dance from Naples is performed by couples playing castanets to the rhythm of the large drum, called the Tammorra. The dance movements have a strong Spanish and Middle Eastern flourish, with many recognizable movements of the Flamenco and Belly Dance traditions. These movements are set to the beat of African 4/4 rhythms. The Tammorriata is based upon an improvisational style of drumming and singing usually enacted during the summer rituals in honor of the ancient Earth Goddess Cybele, and later, the Black Madonna.

THE PIZZICA TARANTATA – This erotic and dynamic ritual dance originated as a cure for the mythical bite of the Tarantula, a condition causing a mental disease called tarantismo, which afflicted mainly women (tarantate) in Southern Italy. The wild rhythm of the Pizzica, played on medium size tambourines and accompanied by dance was performed as an exorcism ritual which produced a trance-like state beneficial for the healing of many disorders and imbalances. As part of a re-enactment of this healing ritual, Alessandra will lead the participants in a circle dance accompanied by her magic tambourine 6/8 rhythm and singing. During the ritual each student will learn the steps of the Pizzica, which means “ bite,” building up to a culmination where each student will enter the circle and lay down upon a white sheet, surrounded by red ribbons, and emulate "Spider" like movements on the ground, releasing stress and blockages of sexual energy, as well as opening the heart and throat chakras. The dance comes to completion as each participant dances their way out of an imaginary “Spider Web.”

TARANTELLA DE’ 600 – This is a Renaissance folk dance which is done in pairs which is very popular in Italy and throughout the Mediterranean. It contains both fast, energetic steps and combined arm and leg movements which improve coordination. This invigorating dance had been called by Alessandra’s students ‘Italian Aerobics”.

RITMO E DANZA DI SAN ROCCO or SPINNING DANCE – This dance originating in Calabria during the Middle Ages evokes the elegant and meditative movements of the Whirling Dervish ceremonies of the Sufis. This dance was used during the time of the plague to heal people and as a release from overpowering fears of death. Due to the trance-inducing movements and incessant spinning many people enter ecstatic states during this dance. The session ends with a meditation utilizing a chant to the Sun, Jesce Sole, in the Lydian scale. The calming and lilting harmonies of this chant combined with the ocean drum guides students into complete relaxation. Participants emerge feeling light and joyful after this healing journey through sound and dance.

What's up for December?

2011-12-01T15:55:00.000-05:00

Happy December, everyone!

We've been very busy trying to get ready for the holidays. Since most of our customers tend to shop with us all year round rather than just at the holidays, we've been trying to figure out how to provide them with something new during this season. (Have I recently mentioned just what an amazing programmer Mike is?)

Mike came up with a fantastic idea. We had been talking about putting some sort of a wish list for our customers who wanted an item but were yet ready to make the purchase. Aside from the technical problem of figuring out how to program a wish list into an existing website, we didn't want people to have to set up a profile at our website just to let your friends know what items they would like for the holidays. I pulled a few customers about a wish list and many of them said that they already had an Amazon Wish List and would love to be able to put products from our site on their Amazon list for the friends and family to see.

Now, I know that Amazon does provide plug-ins for some browsers but folks tend to be picky about what plug-ins they install on your computer. Mike did a little bit of research into the Amazon "add to Wish List" button. With some technical tweaking he was able to integrate the technology for the Amazon Wish List button directly into our individual product pages.

Each one of our product pages has two buttons on it: our normal “add to cart” button, and new a new “Amazon Wish List” button! If you already have an Amazon Wish List, all you need to do is click on the new Amazon Wish List button and you'll get a small public by prompting you to add the product to your wish list. The best part is that if you have more than one Amazon Wish List, you can even select which list the product will go to!

If that's not enough, might even rewrote our inventory tracking system so we can keep even closer watch on our stock levels.

As always, if there's something that you are looking for but can’t find on the website, just let me know. Speaking of which, you may be wondering where our StregaCrafts products (potions, incense, and anointing oils) and Dryad Designs jewelry and statuary have gone. We've moved both lines of products (StregaCrafts & Dryad Designs) to our newest website HTTP://www.stregacrafts.com. Come on over and give it a look. We'd love your feedback.

That's all we have for now. I've got to get myself ready to dash off to a weekend workshop with Alessandra Belloni.

Ciao bello!

Vincenzo

New ventures

2011-09-29T15:12:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I've written a blog. It's not that I haven't been inspired to say something (Gods know!). It's that I've been very, very busy.

For the past several months, Mike and I have been working to get a new retail website up and running. The focus of the site is/will be Witchcraft derived from the Mediterranean cultures and religious traditions. Our new venture is called Strega Crafts and we'll be going live in October. Our goal is a full site publish for the Monday, October 3, 2011.

We'll be offering handmade items and accessories and we'll be starting with my own incense, anointing oils, and potions. We are in the works to get hand crafted chalices, jewelry and statuary, and strega-rosaries.

Any other items that you would like to see us offer?

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

So, what happens when we die?

2011-07-08T08:10:00.000-04:00

I was recently asked the question, "So, what really happens when we die?" .

What a great question. For me, I see it as a very complicated subject that we can only use metaphors to describe. I don’t think that there is any one right or correct interpretation as to what happens after death or before birth or between incarnation, etc. Like the Gods, I think it is a Mystery that is so vast and profound that we can’t truly comprehend it while we are here in manifest form. We can only commune with our Gods and seek the poetic metaphors that help us explain it both in a spiritual way as well as a mundane way.

I believe that we all have an immortal soul as well as a mortal spirit. The mortal spirit is that non-physical aspect of us as manifest individuals. Our consciousness, if you will. The soul is the eternal essence that all of our incarnations have their roots in and is the part of us that is closest to the Gods. Through each incarnation, the Spirit works towards communion with the Soul and the Gods. I don’t believe that heaven, hell, underworld, Olympus, etc. are actually physical places. I do believe that in the human psyche they have physical associations or equivalents though. The Underworld is just that – under world, below the ground. It is chthonic as are the earthly gods and Gods of the Dead. Think of all the myths that place the entrance to the Underworld in Sicily (near Mt. Etna). I also see the Underworld as having many different layers, each with their own purpose (rest for the beloved dead, etc.).

This is going to be hard to explain in writing but I’ll give it a shot.

When the Soul manifests a Spirit in the world, in a way, it becomes tied to the world. Once the individual body dies, then the particular manifestation is over.
The personality or spirit (that part of us that is US), is withdrawn into the Soul.
Loosed from the ties to the material, the Soul/ retreats (to the Underworld) to integrates the lessons learned. Depending on how the life was lived and if the individual really learned or experienced anything, this process can be “like heaven” or “like hell”. I think that this is why so many cultures have different levels of the Underworld, each assigned to a particular theme.
When the Soul has integrated the experiences and lessons of the particular incarnation, it returns to the realm of the Gods *by crossing back over the River of Forgetfulness*.
At that point, the Spirit (the individual personality) remains behind in the Underworld – perhaps as beloved dead.
Then Soul, from within the realm of the Gods, ties itself to the world and manifests another Spirit in the world.

The Soul evolves through each successive incarnation by integrating the lessons from each before being born again as a new incarnation. The reason that the new incarnation won’t normally remember the past one is that bringing baggage from the past into the present/future is a self-defeating process. The Soul already integrated the lessons of the previous incarnation and can guide the new incarnation with that knowledge but without the baggage.

I believe that each incarnation (Spirit) is always tied to the Soul. This explains how someone can train to remember past lives. It also explains how we can contact individuals who have crossed over while still having the soul reincarnate. It’s the Soul that reincarnates, not the Spirit.

When Vinnie dies, then Vinnie will go to the Underworld and (hopefully!) become one of the beloved dead. The Soul that Vinnie was a part of then re-incarnates as a new Spirit after integrating Vinnie’s experiences and lessons.

Anyway, that’s my view. Hope it was interesting. :-)

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

Nature of the Gods

2011-06-21T16:39:00.000-04:00

Happy Solstice everyone!

Below is a repose of a response that I sent to one of the mailing lists that I am on. It is a list about traditional Stregheria. One of the members raised two questions and this was my (long winded) response. I hope you enjoy!

Benedizioni,

Vincenzo

Repost:

The question asked in the forums:
1) Do you percieve our Deities as monogomous? I mean I have a feeling the Greeks weren't much in monogamy... the Romans then absorbed much of their mythology....

And 2) “what would you call the major God and Goddess in Stregheria”

Vinnie's response:

Mind you, I can only offer my own perspective – and that hinges on your description of hard polytheism versus soft polytheism. I believe that you and I may view hard and soft polytheism very differently and that colors how each of us perceives and interacts with the gods.

I believe that it was Dion Fortune in her novel Sea Priestess who said, “all goddesses are one goddess, and all gods are one god and there is one initiator”. I don’t believe that she meant that to be taken literally, especially after reading her novel dozens of times. I take that phrase to be true “metaphorically” but not literally. The best way to explain that might be to describe how I see the gods.

Hard Polytheism – Hard Polytheists believe that gods are distinct, separate real divine beings not psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces. Hard polytheists reject the idea that "all gods are one God". (From Wikipedia)

Soft Polytheism – Soft Polytheism is prevalent in New Age and syncretic currents of Neopaganism, as are psychological interpretations of deities as archetypes of the human psyche. English occultist Dion Fortune was a major populizer of soft polytheism. In her novel, The Sea Priestess, she wrote, "All gods are one god, and all goddesses are one goddess, and there is one initiator. This phrase is very popular among some Neopagans (notably, Wiccans) and incorrectly often believed to be just a recent work of fiction. However, Fortune indeed quoted from an ancient source, the Latin novel The Golden Ass of Apuleius. Fortune's soft polytheist compromise between monotheism and polytheism has been described as "pantheism" (Greek: πάν pan 'all' and θεός theos 'god'). However, "Pantheism" has a longer history of usage to refer to a view of an all-encompassing immanent divine. (From Wikipedia)

On the whole, I find myself somewhere in the middle of the two. I believe that the gods are individual entities or consciousnesses albeit far removed from how we normally think of human consciousness – they are individual consciousnesses of a different order than human consciousnesses. Many gods or goddesses may share traits and be similar but they are NOT the same. For instance, Mary (mother of Jesus) is NOT Hera (mother of the Greek Gods) even though they are both “divine mothers”. They are distinct and separate entities even though they may share certain qualities and characteristics.

However, I think that the “gods of myths” aren’t the actual gods. The “gods of myths” are characters in the teaching stories of particular cultures, the purpose of which was/is to help the average person make sense of the universe and their place in it. The myths (ancient and modern!) are teaching stories at best and soap operas of the ancient world at worst. They were the stories of the gods for the common people, not the Initiates or the people in direct communion with the divine forces as Priests and Priestesses. For the average person, the myths were there to help the common person understand the world and their place in it and they were by necessity tied to the culture in which they were told. For the Initiates (the Priests and Priestesses of the goddesses), the myths were/are signposts (not to be taken literally) to the Mysteries and helped people connect to the divine.

Gods and Goddesses such as Aphrodite or Venus may both be Goddesses of Love but I see them as separate individual entities each with their own rites, rituals, personalities, etc. Although separate and distinct, they “share a job description” if you will. They are individuals but are both individual divine emanations of “LOVE,” yet as individuals they are not indiscriminately interchangeable.

This might help – think of all women as emanations of the divine concept of “WOMAN” and of all men as emanations of the divine concept of “MAN”. Yet each woman and each man are distinct individuals and are not interchangeable. Refer that back to the Dion Fortune phrase and you get the concept that all Goddesses are manifestation of the divine “GODDESS” and all Gods and manifestations of the divine “GOD”. The phrase “one initiator” then means that GODDESS and GOD are the first individual manifest separations of the ineffable – that level of the divine which, as manifest beings, humans can’t comprehend without putting a face, name, attribute, or ritual to.

So, this is my personal cosmology. The totality of ALL THINGS (knowable and unknown) is the ineffable divine and by its nature (and the limitation of ours), can’t be easily grasped in words, deeds, and concepts by the human, manifest mind. GOD and GODDESS are the first conscious manifestations of the inedible that we can easily grasp and interact with. Individual Gods and Goddesses are the specific *individual* divine entities that are often culturally specific – each with their own rites and rituals associated with them. Witches deal with paradoxes all the time and the nature of the Gods is a paradox but it works. So, for me, the gods are BOTH individual entities as well as manifestations of the unknowable.

Now, on to your questions –

1) the monogamy of the gods, specifically as expressed in Greco-Roman mythology. Remember that these are myths – teaching stories that are culturally driven – not recorded factual activities of the entities known as Zeus, Hera, Apollo, etc. They are the signposts to help someone find Zeus, Hera, Apollo, etc. The specifics matter less than the underlying message (or mystery) of the myths.

And 2) “what would you call the major God and Goddess in Stregheria”. That will vary depending on the specific tradition. Once again, this is just my opinion and what I teach and isn’t what either Leo Martello or Lori Bruno taught me. We (the Sheaves of Demeter) call on Great Apollo and Great Diana as the “celestial divinities” – Sun & Moon, Mother & Father, Light & Illumination. The individual God named Apollo and the individual Goddess named Diana and their respective myths point us toward knowledge and communion with Great Apollo and Great Diana (Father & Mother, Lord & Lady). We also have Demeter as our patron and through the individual Goddess Demeter, we seek contact with the living growing life of the world. Hades and Persephone are the individual Gods that are the guardians of our beloved dead and through them and their interactions (Demeter, Persephone, and Hades), we seek the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. Additionally, we have specific secret names for “the Lord” and “the Lady” as well as an oathbound name for “the mother of the Craft” which we do not use outside of the Family.

In a way, for us, the individual divine entities of the Greco-Roman pantheon becomes a touchstone to interact with the ineffable via familiar names, faces, and rites so that we can understand and connect with them in order to explore the Mysteries.

I hope that answered your questions and I didn’t stray too far off topic. Perhaps I should repost this response as a blog entry!

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

May musings

2011-05-25T12:24:00.000-04:00

I've sat down to write a new blog dozens of times since the last time I posted. So, why haven't I posted anything since March 29th? It's certainly not because things have been boring! Oddly enough, it's because I felt that everything that I could blog about was negative and I didn't want to put that out in the world.

I would start to write and realized that I was complaining. Topics were about how someone wasn't acting honorably, being fed up with gossip, or simply "I can't believe that XXX did YYY".

So, tell me. When you want to post something, how do you keep it positive?

I'm going to try something new. As you might be aware, I'm often on Facebook and frequently post things that I find amusing, articles that I find of interest, or just good wishes for folks. Although I haven't yet figured out how to get my Twitter feed and FaceBook statuses to post here as "mini-blogs", I'm going to take the time and cross-post some things here.

Light and life to you all!

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

The little things like standing up straight...

2011-03-28T12:44:00.001-04:00

Back in February, I had a little accident involving a large patch of ice and a fall. Ouch! I really did a number on my back and it laid me up for a while. Eventually, I realized that the pain meant that I had done more to my back than simply bruising it so I made an appointment to see the Chiropractor that Mike has been going to for a number of years.

One of the reasons that we chose the practice that Mike had been going to was that they are wonderful and profession and professional people. What had impressed me was how they look at their clients and their treatments in a "life encompassing way" (i.e. holistically). They even have an optional program for consciously living a healthy life called Bonfire Health.

So rather than making an appointment to be adjusted to take care of the problem/symptoms from my slip&fall, I decided to see them and set up a "correction plan" so I could work on the symptoms AND learn what I should be doing to be healthier.

I've been going for about 6 weeks now and it's been pretty amazing. My posture is better, no more neck aches, I grind my teeth a lot less, and the most amazing thing - no more insomnia! Apparently my back had been so out of whack for years that it interfered with my sleeping and relaxation. Honestly, that never occurred to me as a reason for my insomnia. Afterall, my posture wasn't great but it wasn't THAT bad either.

The health update?
Just a little bit of adjustment in how I sit, some conscious awareness of what I do with my neck and head when driving, and some simple exercises to strengthen my core. Amazing. Just from those little changes, I notice that I sleep better, I ache less, and I have more energy. In short, I feel fantastic!

It's the little things in life...

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

New Streghe on the block? - Revisited

2011-01-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I received an email from Lupercus. In it, he informed me that, "Diana decided to publish this Q & A on our own blog and also to send it to as many concerned parties as possible."

In the spirit of goodwill and clarification, I would suggest that people head over to their blog site and read, "Questions & Answers: APS Diana & AP Dianus del Bosco Sacro". The site is located at:
http://thegreatrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/questions-answers-aps-diana-ap-dianus.html.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

New Streghe on the block?

2011-01-28T06:11:00.001-05:00

OK, so over the past few weeks, there has been an uproar about some people who are claiming to be streghe from Italy coming to the US and teaching "the mysteries of the Great Rite". Folks have been asking me to comment on them and their validity/authenticity.

Without meeting them, I can not comment on either their validity or authenticity. Witchcraft (by any name) in Italy is incredibly diverse so it's possible that they are both valid and authentic. It's also possibly that they're trying to make a quick buck on the gullible pagans (sheeple) in the US who fall for the "but they're from XYZ and claim BlahBlahBlah so they must be TRUE". Without meeting them in person, I can not offer an opinion on anything other than their press releases.

So far, it appears that whatever it is that they do, it has nothing to do with the type of Italian Craft that I was passed by Leo Martello and Lori Bruno. Why do I state this? Because on one of their recent blogs, they draw a connection between Leo and their own Tradition.

The blog in question is here: http://thegreatrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/leo-martello-and-del-lago-stregheria.html.
My response is reproduced here:
"Rev. Vincent Russo, arsenic.com said...

I don't think that it is in any doubt amongst Streghe in the USA that Leo did import a valid and authentic Witchraft tradition of Sicily/Italy. However, I am a bit confused when you say, "The town has always spoken of Leo Martello's Grandmother, a great witch and perpetuator of the del Lago Stregheria family and tradition". To the best of my knowledge, as one of this students and adopted family, Leo did not practice the "del Lago tradition" or the tradition of the del Lago family. He practiced what he simply referred to as the "Strega Tradition" which he defined as the witchcraft traditions of HIS family. He did not claim to speak for the myriad of other traditions peppered through the Italic cultures. Granted, he was trained by members of his own family as well as members of other families, initiated into Continential Witchraft and various traditions of what is now known as BTW, and supplimented what was passed to him with his own research, experience, and gnosis. But, he never claimed that his family was a perpetuator of del Lago Stregheria.

January 28, 2011 2:49 AM"

So, just to be clear: these folks may or may not be authentic or valid. It's not my call to make and I have not met them personally so I am not yet in a position to comment. However, Leo Martello is not part of their tradition and his name shouldn't be linked to their tradition.

I do know that the material that they claim to be presenting to the public in their workshops is not material that Leo would have made available to in a public setting.

I am sure that I will be posting more on this topic as time goes on especially since a number of us will be traveling to Pantheacon to meet them for ourselves.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

Brilliant Analysis of the Charge by Sorita d'Este & David Rankine

2011-01-15T06:57:00.000-05:00

Note Bene: This is NOT my work! This is a repost from http://wicca.avalonia.co.uk/?page_id=155. I just happen to think that it's very very good. Buy the book. :-)

Charge of the Goddess: Analysis

—————————————-
The following is an extract from the book WICCA MAGICKAL BEGINNINGS by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine (Avalonia, 2001, 2005, 2008) Versions of it have been published in numerous publications to date. It is reproduced here with kind permission of the author and publishers.

(c) 2001-2008 Sorita d’Este and David Rankine, all rights reserved.
—————————————-

Textual Analysis of the Charge of the Goddess

(This is an extract from the Chapter “Adore the Spirit of Me” in the book Wicca Magickal Beginnings by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Those seeking a more complete history and analysis are advised to obtain a copy of the book which considers the ritual and text, as well as its history in a more complete form). The book is available from numerous bookshops, as well as from Amazon and directly from the publishers: http://avaloniabooks.co.uk/catalogue/titles/wicca_mb.htm
————————
“HP: Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was also called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.”

The opening introductory statement by the High Priest is clearly presenting the idea of a universal goddess. This piece seems to be original, though there is a historical basis for the concept and name of the Great Mother, as can be seen in the writings of the Roman historian Lucian, in the second century CE, who wrote of the goddess in his work De Dea Syria (‘The Syrian Goddess’) as:

“She is our Mother Earth, known otherwise as the Mother Goddess or Great Mother. Among the Babylonians and northern Semites she was called Ishtar: she is the Ashtoreth of the Bible, and the Astarte of Phœnicia. In Syria her name was ‘Athar, and in Cilicia it had the form of ‘Ate (‘Atheh). At Hierapolis, with which we are primarily concerned, it appears in later Aramaic as Atargatis, a compound of the Syrian and Cilician forms … for in one way and another there was still a prevailing similarity between the essential attributes and worship of the nature-goddess throughout Western Asia.”

The Roman historian and magician Apuleius, a contemporary of Lucian, expressed a similar theme. In his novel of initiation, The Golden Ass, he has Isis describe herself as the goddess of whom all others are aspects.

“For the Phrygians call me the mother of the gods: the Athenians, Minerva: the Cyprians, Venus: the Candians, Diana: the Sicilians, Proserpina: the Eleusians, Ceres: some Juno, others Bellona, others Hekate.”

The Qabalah also needs to be considered when we look at the idea of the great mother goddess. There is a very mistaken concept amongst those who have not studied its mysteries that the Qabalah is entirely patriarchal. This is not the case and it never was. TheSefer ha-Zohar (“Book of Splendour”) places great emphasis on the Shekinah or divine feminine, and it brought sexual polarity very much to the forefront of Qabalah at the time of its publication in 1290, and the subsequent publication of the Sefer ha-Bahir (“Book of Brilliance”) in 1310, when the Hermetic and Neoplatonic texts were also being translated, resulted in both traditions feeding into alchemy, the Grimoires and other magickal traditions of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Significantly this also predated the main period of the witch trials, and the conflation of prejudice against Jews, heretics and witches.

“From Her do they receive their nourishment, and from Her do they receive blessing; and She is called the Mother of them all.”[1]

The word Shekinah is from the root Shakhan meaning ’to dwell’, and refers to her presence within all humanity. In the ninth century the German branch of Qabalists described the Shekinah as the circle of fire around God, their union causing the throne, angels and human souls to come into being.[2] The Shekinah has been seen as manifesting in two ways. As the Lesser or Exiled Shekinah she is perceived as being the world soul, somewhat akin to the concept of Gaia as postulated by James Lovelock. However as the source of souls, Shekinah is also present in every person, as the spark that seeks to reunite with the Greater Shekinah, the great goddess.

“Her ways are of pleasantness, and her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.”[3]

The Kabbalistic Shekinah, the Gnostic Sophia and the classical goddesses all enjoyed notable attention through the Renaissance, and it could convincingly be argued that the deities of Wicca are expressions of an inevitable resurgence of the divine powers seeking an outlet, as they have done for the last fifteen hundred years.

This idea of a universal goddess or great mother goddess was to continue through the Renaissance, as can be seen in writings by authors such as the German humanist Konrad Mutian (1471-1526). In correspondence he observed, in a manner which would have been seen as sacrilegious by the Church at the time:

“There is but one God and one Goddess,
But many are their powers and names:
Jupiter, Sol, Apollo, Moses, Christus,
Luna, Ceres, Proserpina, Tellus, Maria.
But have a care in speaking these things.
They should be hidden in silence as
are the Eleusinian Mysteries;
Sacred things must be wrapped in fable and enigma.”[4]

This view is one which would be repeated in writings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In 1901 Sir Arthur Evans became convinced of the idea of a single great goddess in prehistoric times when he was excavating Knossos in Crete. From this idea he subsequently chose to interpret all divine female figures at the site as a single goddess, and all male figures as a single subordinate son/consort god. This idea was expanded by the French archaeologist Joseph Dechelette, who suggested that the cult of the Great Goddess had originated in the Neolithic period in Asia Minor and the Balkans and expanded across the Mediterranean to the whole of Western Europe.[5]

Occultists would also incorporate these ideas into their world-views and hence their writings. The author George Russell (AE) in his classic work The Candle of Vision, published in 1918, espoused the original divinity being divided into the Great Mother and Great Father, from whom the gods and goddesses derived. This idea was also subsequently seen in the occult novels of Dion Fortune in the 1930s.

In the part version of the Charge published by Gardner in Witchcraft Today in 1954 all the names following that of Aphrodite were omitted – i.e. Ceridwen, Diana, Arianrhod and Bride – giving the impression that the Celtic Goddesses were later additions. It is also interesting here to note the difference between the version of the Charge attributed to Doreen Valiente and published in the Witches Bible where the goddess Diana is changed into Dana and the name of the Greco-Roman Egyptian goddess Isis is added before that of Bride.

Reference to Melusine occurred in Crowley’s Law of Liberty, and some discussion of her is called for here to put her inclusion into perspective. Melusine was described in the late fourteenth century tale of Mélusine de Lusignan.[6] Melusine can be seen as the archetypal fairy wife. In different versions of the tale she is half fish, serpent or dragon. The gist of the story is that she married Remond, who became the Conte de Poitiers. She made Remond swear that on Saturdays he would allow her privacy, but after his brother made him wild with jealousy, Remond burst in on Melusine and realised her true nature. She then left him, in the manner of the fairy wife whose true nature has been discovered. The inclusion of such a figure may seem strange, but Melusine was a tremendously popular figure, like Morgan Le Fay, whose roots hint at earlier divine origins. Her inclusion does however provide a further clear illustration that this piece of prose does not have Roman origins as Gardner suggested.

We may also conclude that it is possible that the person who compiled the earliest versions of the Charge had read Crowley’s Law of Liberty – material from which can be found in both the earlier Lift up the Veil and the later Charge of the Goddess. Crowley mentioned Melusine in the Law of Liberty when he wrote: “Do not embrace mere Marian or Melusine; she is Nuit Herself, specially concentrated and incarnated in a human form to give you infinite love, to bid you taste even on earth the Elixir of Immortality”. We can see here the equation of Nuit as the universal goddess, and the idea of the High Priestess as being the representative of this goddess in ceremonies.

This introductory line to the Charge is generally thought to be the original material of the author(s) thereof, as no known precedent exists in the works which otherwise influenced it.

This part of the Charge corresponds directly to that used in the Lift Up the Veil charge dated to 1949, which could then be said to be the earliest known source, presumably written by either Gerald Gardner himself (as this was pre-Valiente) or it could possibly be part of an original piece of prose currently lost to us today.

As an aside, for those who love life’s little coincidences, we thought we would include something similar which we found in a book published in 1920 on the subject of the Native American tribe of the Iroquois, which reads ”My Children, listen to the words of the Great Mother. You are burdened and troubled; your little ones are silent and fearful…”[7] There is nothing of course to suggest that this is directly related to the compilation of the Charge, but it is a fascinating parallel usage which we thought worthy of inclusion.

“High Priestess: At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice.”

Interestingly here, we find that Gardner wrote in Witchcraft Today “At mine altars the youth in Lacedaemon made due sacrifice”.However, it is noteworthy that in Gardner’s rendition of it there, he at least omitted a rather obtuse error in this first line of this version of the Charge, but of course we don’t know whether this was an accidental mistake or a deliberate omission in an effort to not reveal too much of the prose.

So what is wrong with this statement? Put simply the geography is all wrong. Sparta was a city in Lacedaemon, not the other way around, this statement is like saying England is in London or America is in New York! Then there is an apparent contradiction with the line “Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice….” which is found later in the same version of this Charge. So, whilst the goddess seems to be saying that sacrifice was made, she is also saying that she demands no sacrifice now! This is probably a side effect of the use of literature from a number of sources and the conflation of the myths of a variety of goddesses to represent the words spoken by one, or it could indicate a change of position on the part of the goddess, or her worshippers!

The reference to the ‘youth of Sparta,’ is to the ritual flogging which took place at the altars of the goddess Artemis Orthia (“Artemis of the steep”) during the Roman period. As part of the rites, young boys would be scourged on Artemis’ altar until it was smeared with their blood, being both their ritual purification and their sacrifice to this virgin huntress.

The origins of this rather grim ceremony are believed to have come from the discovery of an image of Artemis Orthia which had been lost from a temple for some time before being rediscovered. Two Spartan warriors, Astrabakos and Alopekos, discovered it and upon doing so immediately went completely insane. Following this a temple was erected around the rediscovered statue in honour of Artemis and through doing so the goddess was temporarily propitiated. However, during a sacrifice taking place on the altar, rival groups of Limnatians, Kynosourians and Mesoans got themselves into a brawl and as a result many of them were killed on and around the altar. Artemis, not known for forgiveness, decided to kill the rest of those involved through disease as a punishment for defiling her temple.

The Spartan people made desperate appeals to an oracle for advice on what to do and were told that the only way to stop the disease was to stain the altar with human blood as an offering to Artemis. For many years they offered human sacrifices at the altar (the sacrifice being chosen by lot) until this practice was eventually substituted with that of the whipping of young prepubescent boys. The boys were scourged until enough blood had been produced to stain the altar anew and thus ensured another period of peace with the goddess. During the scourging a priestess would hold a light wooden image of the goddess with which she would be able to tell if the men who were doing the scourging were slacking on the amount or the severity of the blows given to the boys based on beauty or rank. If the statue grew heavy it was due to the men slacking and the priestess would chastise those doing the whipping to ensure that Artemis’ offerings were made correctly and appropriately.

As an interesting aside, flogging is a theme which recurs in the worship of the goddess Artemis. It also played a part in the cheese-stealing rituals recorded by Xenophon in Lakedaimonion Politeia in the fifth/fourth century BCE. Here two groups of young men would contest a piece of cheese which was placed on the altar of Artemis. The first group defended the cheese with whips, whilst the other group had to try and steal it. Though there is no direct connection here with sacrifice, which is clearly indicated in the example of Artemis Orthia, it may be that this was another variation of a similar rite as those being scourged would undoubtedly bleed onto the altar, making a blood sacrifice as part of the ceremonial goings on.

The use of the scourge in an ancient ceremony was well exemplified by the frequently quoted Roman festival of Lupercalia, where young men clad in skins would rush around beating people with strips of goatskin, which was believed to promote fertility and easy childbirth. However this does not really bear much resemblance to the use of the scourge in the Wiccan tradition. In medieval times the scourge was described as being used frequently for punishment of witches. One such example is seen in Murray’s The God of the Witches:

“The accused escaped with her life, but her sentence was, ‘To be scourged from the end of said town to the other. And thereafter to be banished from the country’.”

Another common suggestion is the claim that the Knights Templar used scourging, a reference Gardner himself makes in his works. Whether they did or not, there is certainly a well-documented history of self-flagellation within the Christian church as a means of’purification’, so this is a much more likely source of the magickal beginnings of using the scourge to be “properly prepared”.

“Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the Moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet who have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites…”

Gardner omits “Whenever ye have need of anything” in Witchcraft Today. He also writes “meet in some secret place, and adore me who am Queen of all the magics… for I am a gracious Goddess, I give joy on Earth, certainty not faith, while in life; and upon death unutterable, rest and the ecstasy of the Goddess. Nor do I aught in sacrifice…” At this point Gardner tells us that he is forbidden to reveal any further part of the charge.

This piece is clearly derived with only minor changes from chapter one of the Aradia, which reads:

“Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and when the Moon is full, ye shall assemble in some desert place, or in a forest all together join to adore the potent spirit of your queen, My mother, great Diana. She who fain would learn all sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them my mother will teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown. And ye shall all be freed from slavery, and so ye shall be free in everything; and as the sign that ye are truly free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women also.”

Here it is necessary to look at the difference in use of the text. In the Aradia, it is the goddess Diana who addresses her daughter, Aradia, giving her instruction on how to teach witchcraft to humanity. In the context of use within the Wiccan tradition, the priestess is said to channel a goddess and speak these words to the witches. This may seem like a small inconsistency, but one which has quite a huge magickal implication, as well as of course a spiritual one, both of which are worthy of some consideration.

“…and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.”

Another piece from Aradia, this time chapter two, shortened and rewritten, finishes this part of the Charge: “… and, the feast over, they shall dance, sing, make music, and then love in the darkness, with all the lights extinguished: for it is the Spirit of Diana who extinguishes them, and so they will dance and make music in her praise.” Dancing, singing, making music and love are all classic ingredients in the ‘imagined’ witches Sabbath as described in the major works of the height of the persecutions by such infamous figures as Peter Binsfeld (Tractatus de confessionibus maleficorum et sagarum, 1591), Nicolas Rémy (Daemonolatria, 1595), Martín del Río (Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex, 1599), Francesco Guazzo (Compendium Maleficarum, 1609), and Pierre de Lancre (Tableau de l’inconstance des mauvais anges et demons, 1612, and L’incredulité et mescréance du sortilege plainement convaincue, 1622).

“For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit, and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is Love unto all beings.”
The latter part of this line comes from Crowley’s Law of Liberty, quoting “ecstasy be thine and joy of earth” (AL I.53) and “love is the law” (AL I.57). Although these pieces are pulled out of context and put together, it is worth noting that the beginnings of the two relevant verses are “This shall regenerate the world” (AL I.53) and “Invoke me under my stars!” (AL I.57), both concepts of great relevance to the Wiccan tradition, and also hinting at their union in the Orphic Oath of “I am a child of earth and starry heaven.” So although seemingly out of context, this line retains a great deal of relevant symbolism, even if quite concealed.

This phrase is an inspirational one, as can be seen by the following quote from the nineteenth century English poet and literary critic John Addington Symonds, “The mania of Plato was a permanent ecstasy of the spirit, in which love led the way to heaven, and raised a man above himself.”[8]

We may also note the occurrence of the phrase ‘ecstasy of the spirit’ in the writings of the late fifteenth century poet John Skelton, when he wrote in a way which strongly resembles the reincarnation theme found in the Charge, “ls it possible that in some such passionate ecstasy of the spirit we pass through death into the life beyond death?”[9] Skelton also mentioned the triplicity of Diana, Luna and Persephone in his work Garland of Laurels in 1523 when he wrote “Diana in the leaves green, Luna that so bright doth sheen, Persephone in hell”.

“Keep pure your highest ideal. Strive ever towards it. Let naught stop you or turn you aside. “

Again this line draws straight from the Law of Liberty, where Crowley wrote: “Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it, without allowing aught to stop you or turn you aside.” This key line refers to the concept of the true will, and doing only what is right to achieve your full potential.

“For mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth;”

This is somewhat rewritten from the earlier version of the Charge (Lift Up the Veil), which draws more directly from Liber Al, “There is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters” (AL III.38). The reference to the quarters is one which is not used in the Charge, but interesting from the point of view of Wiccan terminology, where the four directions are sometimes referred to as quarters. It also hints at the grimoires where the magick circle was often divided into quarters, as seen in theHeptameron and subsequent grimoires. The ‘land of youth’ is a translation of the name of the Irish otherworldly realm of Tir-na-Nog, home of the Irish pantheon of the Tuatha de Danaan. As the nineteenth century author Thomas Croker observed in Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1828), “It is called the Land of Youth, because time has no power there, no one becomes old.” The presence in the Charge of this Celtic otherworld clearly indicates the relevance of the Celtic goddesses in the initial list of names.

“and mine is the cup of the Wine of Life: “

This line seems to derive from the Catholic Liturgy, as part of the reading drawn from the Byzantine Matins, in the Table Blessing for Holy Thursday, which goes, “Instructing his friends into the divine mysteries, Jesus, the wisdom of God, prepares a table that gives food to the soul, and mingles for the faithful the cup of the wine of life eternal. Let us all, therefore, draw near the mysterious table, with pure souls let us receive the Bread of Life” The real question here, which we can neither prove or disprove at this point, is whether this was a deliberate use or whether it was a phrase merely imbedded in the psyche of the person who compiled the Charge,who consequently used it without realising the source of their inspiration?

“and the Cauldron of Ceridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.”

This seems to be original material. The reference to the “Cauldron of Ceridwen” brings in another of the goddesses mentioned at the start of the charge. The equation of the cauldron to the Holy Grail, a very Christian symbol, is somewhat puzzling and inappropriate, but it has a nice poetic ring and flows on naturally from the previous line which as we have shown was likely borrowed from Christian liturgy. It is of course also a popular theme in the Arthurian and Grail Mysteries, which might have influenced the person(s)who compiled this piece, due to its inherently ’Celtic’ overtones.

Years later, in An ABC of Witchcraft (originally published in 1973), Valiente quoted from Hargrave Jennings’ The Rosicrucians, Their Rites and Mysteries in her entry for the Cauldron. In this, if indeed she was the author of these lines, she may have revealed her inspiration for their inclusion, but this is purely speculation on our part, and certainly is not an adaptation of words / phrases as found throughout the Charge. “We claim the cauldron of the witches as, in the original, the vase or urn of fiery transmigration, in which all things of the world change”[10]

The idea of immortality is raised in relation to the incarnation of the Goddess on Earth in Law of Liberty, as we have seen in regards to the inclusion of Melusine earlier with the phrase “Elixir of Immortality”

“I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of
Joy unto the heart of Man.
Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal,
and beyond death I give peace and freedom,

and reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, “

This is another extract from the Law of Liberty, derived from Liber AL 1.58 adapted and expanded on from Crowley’s original: “For hear, how gracious is the Goddess; “I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.”

“…for behold, I am the Mother of all things,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.”

In The Golden Ass, Isis says of herself, “I am she that is the natural mother of all things,” giving a likely source for the use of this phrase. In this context it could also possibly be derived from the Qabalistic title of the Sephira of Malkuth, “Mother of all living things”. Other than this these lines seem to be the original writings of the person(s) who compiled the Charge. The phrase “Mother of all things” is also found in Milton’s Paradise Lost, in Book XI where he wrote, “Eve rightly called, mother of all mankind, mother of all things living, since by thee Man is to live.” This may be significant as a subsequent line in the Charge also seems to originate with this same work by Milton.

“HP: Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess,“

Once again the text returns to Crowley’s Law of Liberty, “We have heard the voice of the Star Goddess”, emphasising the Egyptian stellar goddess Nuit, who represents the entire universe in the cosmology of Thelema.

“She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.”

This line appears to be more original material which is most likely a continuation of the reference to Nuit, who in Egyptian mythology is perceived as encircling the universe. The phrase “Hosts of Heaven” is very widely used, but it is worth noting here that it may refer to the company of Angels in heaven in popular Christian use as it occurs several times in the Bible, or indeed to the Moon and Stars in the Occidental traditions, which again supports the idea that this line refers to the goddess Nuit.

“HPS: I who am the beauty of the green earth;
and the White Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters; and the desire of the heart of man,”

This is largely original material, though it is possible the line “desire of the heart of man,” may have been inspired by Crowley’s bookThe Vision and the Voice (1909) where we find “I am the blind ache within the heart of man”. We may note however that the phrase“beauty of the green earth” used in conjunction with stellar references was a common occurrence in Christian writings of the nineteenth and early twentieth century, so this is a well documented analogy. Illustrating this point with two examples, in The British Preacher (1831) we read “How good must that light be which reveals to us the grandeur of the starry heavens, and the beauty of the green earth,” and in Evangelical Christendom (1893) we see, “if the glories of the starry heavens, if the beauty of the green earth never taught man of God”.

“call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me. “

This line is clearly again derived from Crowley’s work, as “arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!” is found in both the Law of Liberty and its inspiration Liber AL I.61.

“For I am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe;
From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return.”

Uniquely this part of the Charge appears to come from the Ritual for Transformation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, in which we find “O Soul of Nature giving life and energy to the Universe. From thee all things do proceed. Unto Thee all must return.”Alternatively it is possible that the author of the Charge took the line, “From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return”, directly from Milton’s Paradise Lost, which was the probable source of inspiration for the Golden Dawn.

“and before my face, Beloved of the Gods and men,”

This is again probably original material. Although almost certainly just coincidental, we thought it amusing to mention that this line is also found in a novel published in 1908 which has a character called Doreen in![11] In Norse myths, Baldur, the son of Odin is often referred to as “beloved of Gods and men” which might have provided some inspiration for the use of the term; however this seems strange and unlikely considering he is male. With these being words of the goddess this would be an inappropriate usage. However, the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, was also sometimes referred to by the same title, and it is hopefully more likely that the author(s) of the Charge, may have taken their inspiration from this goddess rather than using the title of a male god.

“let thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the infinite.”

Again this seems to be derived from two more quotes merged from the Law of Liberty: “He is then your inmost divine self” and “in the constant rapture of the embraces of Infinite Beauty”. These quotes are in reference to words spoken by Hadit, the masculine divine in the cosmology of Thelema. Thus it is being used completely inappropriately as words spoken by the Goddess, as in fact it originates in relation to the God. This may indicate that the person compiling this version of the Charge was not familiar with Crowley’s work or philosophy, but thought of the words themselves as mere poetry to be used, as it would seem from this that the material used to compile the Charge was used regardless of its original context and symbolism, instead being purely utilised for its poetic and emotive effects. This recalls Valiente’s remark in An ABC of Witchcraft that Gardner told her he “had supplied words which seemed to him to convey the right atmosphere, to strike the right chords in one’s mind.” If this is the case, then it could also support the idea that Gardner was the author, or one of the authors, of the original, as it seems to have been rewritten from the Lift Up the Veil charge.

“Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold:”

The line “heart that rejoiceth” could be taken from Crowley’s Vision and the Voice, though it is not a unique phrase so this may be coincidence.

“all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; “

More from the Law of Liberty, here emphasising the sexual and sensual components of magickal ceremony in a very Crowleyan manner, “Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are rituals”

“and therefore let there be Beauty and Strength,
Power and Compassion,
Honour and Humility, Mirth and reverence within you.”

The reference to “beauty and strength” could be from Liber Al (AL II.20) or may be coincidence. The rest all seems to be original, though it may have been inspired by “let there be Harmony and Beauty in your mystic loves, that in us may be health and wealth and strength and divine pleasure according to the Law of Liberty”; words spoken by the Deacon during the Gnostic Mass, another of Crowley’s works.

“And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know the mystery,
that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without thee, for behold;
I have been with thee from the beginning,
and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”

The inspiration here comes from Crowley’s Liber LXV, lines 59-60, “But I have called unto Thee, and I have journeyed unto Thee, and it availed me not. I waited patiently, and Thou wast with me from the beginning.”

[1] Kabbalah Unveiled, Mathers, 1887 [2] Kabbalah, Ponce,1974
[3] Proverbs 3:17-18.
[4] The Survival of the Pagan Gods, Seznec, 1953
[5] Manual d’archeologie prehistorique Celtique et Gallo-Romaine, Dechelette, 1908
[6] Mélusine de Lusignan, Jean d’Arras, 1393
[7] The Hero of the Longhouse, Mary Elisabeth Laing, 1920
[8] An Introduction to the Study of Dante, Symonds, 1890
[9] Essays in Romance and Studies from Life, Skelton, 1878
[10] An ABC of Witchcraft, Doreen Valiente, 1984
[11] Mary Ware: The Little Colonel’s Chum, Johnston, 1908

Auguri e Buon Natale a tutti! May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy!

2010-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Auguri e Buon Natale a tutti! May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy!

This poem always makes me smile and brings back some of the most wonderful childhood memories of the holiday season. Remember, this is the season for giving and sharing. So, I'm sharing this poem with you and hope that it brings a smile to your face.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Chthonioi Alexandrian Tradition - Beyond an Initiatory Line and into a Tradition

2010-11-19T22:38:00.004-05:00

The following is a statement of identity of a "Line" of Alexandrian Craft that grown into a Tradition . We began the writing of this document at the Chthonioi Family Grand Council held on May 30, 2009 C.E. and finished it in celebration of Samhain, October 31, 2010 C.E. We are now making this document public. Please feel free to contact me ( Vinnie Russo custserv@arsenic.com ) for additional information.

Chthonioi Alexandrian Tradition (of Wicca)

Beyond an Initiatory Line and into a Tradition:

The Chthonioi branch of the Alexandrian Du Bandia Grasail (DBG) Line has developed innovations that were and are significantly different from the practice of the more traditional DBG family, and from the practice of the wider Alexandrian community. The results have led to an extraordinarily rich heritage comprising Sabbats, Esbats, Initiations, Elevations, and kabalistic rites which acknowledge the ceremonial magic which Alex Sanders brought into the Gardnerian foundation of his practice.

The heritage of the Chthonioi is one of thoughtful, committed, and reverent worship, practice, teaching and service. It includes a tendency to teach about the perils of "glamour" and to mandate the practice of self-awareness techniques that minimize glamour. This has allowed the Line to produce generally sane and effective, sequential leadership through the daughter covens. As a result, the Chthonioi covens maintain close family ties with each other and even in some cases with "cousins" from the more traditional branches of DBG. We consider the Chthonioi Line to be a distinct path which is Alexandrian-derived, and we have practiced as such since 1974 alongside and in harmony with those Traditional Alexandrians who consider us Kin.

As is proper in a hierarchical tradition, we discuss questions of tradition with our elders, both within the Chthonioi family and with our traditional Du Bandia Grasail Line cousins, and come to a consensus. In this case, many generations of Chthonioi, as well as other traditional Alexandrians in the Du Bandia Grasail Line, have discussed the changes in our practice over the years and have concluded that we do, in fact, deviate enough from core Alexandrian practice that we should add the modifier “Chthonioi” to our Line name. Based on the long established working relationship and history with our kin, we feel that a clarification in name accomplishes several things:

1. It defines us as an identifiable derivation of the Alexandrian Tradition without claiming to be Traditional Alexandrian

2. It allows the more Traditional Alexandrians to choose for themselves if they want to acknowledge our Line as kin without having our praxis imposed on them

3. It allows those Traditional Alexandrians who do consider us kin to still share with us a diverse magical working relationship and attend each others′ events, as has been done since 1974/5 (the birth of Chthonioi Coven/Order of Ganymede), as well as to cross-train students in more than one family line.

Claiming the right to define ourselves, based on consensus from many available generations of elders in our line, we have made the decision to formally establish ourselves as the "Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition" or “Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca”.

Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca, a brief description:

The term “Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca” is used to describe the practice of the Boston-based family of covens directly downline from and including Coven Chthonioi. Coven Chthonioi (and daughter Covens) grew out of the Alexandrian practice of its founders in the 1960′s/1970′s, and is the oldest continuous Line descended from Du Bandia Grasail, the first documented Alexandrian Coven in the USA. Chthonioi and its downline are, in general, open and non-secretive, on the principle that the Mysteries guard themselves well enough without us throwing additional obstacles in the path of understanding.

Originally purely Alexandrian, Coven Chthonioi early on changed its worship from that of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of Britain to that of the Gods and Goddesses of Greece (Greco-Roman Pantheon and Isian worship), and changed its ritual form somewhat to suit this change in mythology. Many of the original founders (Chthonioi/Ganymede) were students of comparative religion and Classics. Given the enormous effect Greek and Roman culture has had on American arts, architecture, law and politics, since before the founding of the country, this pantheon has proven especially well-suited to our culture and our focus on social workings. In addition, the comprehensive documentation of Greco-Roman religious practice and philosophy allowed early leaders of the coven to easily form a coherent Tradition. Nonetheless the basic ritual form we use (Casting the Circle, Drawing Down the Moon, Initiations) is closely enough based on our Alexandrian background that most all of the local completely traditional Alexandrians consider us Kin or “kissing-cousins”.

Most Traditional Alexandrians consider themselves to fall under the description of BTW or British Traditional Wicca. The term "Wicca" here refers specifically to the lineaged, initiatory mystery religions with roots in the New Forest region of Great Britain, manifested today through various "traditions" all linked with a common ancestry back to the New Forest area. "Wiccans" or "The Wica" are the properly initiated and lineaged members of those Traditions. Like our more traditional Alexandrian kin, our Tradition′s members are properly initiated and lineaged members who also trace our lineage back in an unbroken initiatory succession to Alex Sanders.

Coven Chthonioi is the originator of the cycle of rituals that has become known as the Book of the Provider (or Provider Cycle). The Provider Cycle is a series of rituals performing sacred enactments of ancient fertility lore surrounding the Wheel of the Year within the growing and harvest times, and using the symbology of the Earth Mother/Harvest Maiden and the Sun King/Harvest Lord. Most Covens in the Chthonioi-Alexandrian family practice a recognizable form of the Provider Cycle as part of their material and pass down the original Alexandrian Book of Shadows (the “Burned Book” version) as well as considerable additional material.

The name Coven of the Chthonioi, which is Greek — χθωνιοι— means “the People of the Earth,” or “the earth-born,” since first in our prayers we call on Earth, the Mother of us all. The name also refers to the gods of the earth and the realm under the earth, especially Demeter and Persephone, who are central to our Book of the Provider. These were the gods particularly associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient initiatory religious tradition that inspired most, if not all, later secret initiatory societies.

General practices:

We share many things in common with our Traditional Alexandrian Kin. We celebrate the eight Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, and we celebrate both the New and Full Moons (with variations from coven to coven.) The original Book of Shadows material passed to our Line is present within our Lore and rituals (sometimes obviously, sometimes hidden) and honors our origin and core practice. As a family we do not believe that the Book of Shadows defines or limits us, rather it provides a starting point from which to grow. We feel that Tradition and Innovation are two sides of one coin that, when wisely integrated together, foster healthy growth and fruitful spirituality.

The Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition is organized into Covens, and families of Covens. It is not possible to self-initiate into the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition; it is only possible to be Initiated into the Line by someone already in the Line authorized to do so. Each coven is autonomous and we claim the sole right to determine for ourselves what constitutes our core practices. As of this writing, Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca has at least 6 generations of active Covens.

Covens in the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca tend to emphasize the creative and dynamic character of the Alexandrian Tradition. Since Alex Sanders himself continued to change and evolve his practice of Wicca throughout his life, the Chthonioi branch feels empowered, and even obliged, to continue the creative growth and development of the tradition. These covens place a great emphasis on group ritual, and often incorporate ideas and techniques from non-Wiccan forms of ritual magic. The magic practiced in this branch is primarily theurgic in nature, aiming to effect a subtle inner transformation of the spirit. It is our deeply held belief that Wicca, and specifically Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca, is a living growing being of beauty and strength.

Some features that distinguish us from traditional Alexandrians include:

The use of pantheons other than the traditional gods of Wicca, primarily but not exclusively Greek/Greco-Roman. In particular, the Tradition works with gods that were involved in the ancient Eleusinian and Isian Mystery religions. Some covens have developed rituals based on ancient mystical and initiatory traditions from other regions as well. The approach taken to the worship of the gods involves both scholarly study of ancient traditions and direct experiential interaction with the gods.
The teaching and use of the Provider Cycle and other materials written by Lucifer, the founding High Priest of Coven Chthonioi, and expanded by others. The following selected excerpts from “Raise the Song of Harvest Home” [1] give an idea as to the nature of the Book of the Provider/Provider Cycle:

The Provider Cycle( PC) is a series of rituals performed during the growing season starting at the New Moon or Full Moon (depending on timing) immediately after the Spring Equinox, and continuing on each Full Moon until the closest one before Samhain (October 31st). (Note: some Covens practice the PC throughout the entire year by using material in addition to the original.)
Arachne, a Sister of the Order of Ganymede, states in her published remembrance of Lucifer, “The Cycle is perhaps best seen as a rewriting of the Mysteries of Eleusis appropriate to our time and climate; a celebration of the endless cycle of life and death.” The PC owes much of its meaning and drama to its representation of a “Sacred King cycle”.
The Provider Cycle is an example of successful creation of modern “traditional” ritual. Traditionalization of these new rites was accomplished by careful incorporation of material from pre- and post -20th Century literary sources. The old materials were chosen for their ability to be supportive of the flow of the ritual story, and are made to appear as part of the larger PC whole by the context in which they appear, and by judicious word substitution that does not break the flow of the original meter.

The concept that the polarity of “male” and “female” energies and their immanent divinity reside within each one of us, and can be accessed at will. This may be influenced by physical gender but is not necessarily bound by it. The work of polarity magic is expected to take place primarily on the inner planes. The goal of the work is for each priestess and each priest ultimately to have access to both God and Goddess energies within themselves, and to be able to encompass the full creative polarity each within their own auras.
Some branches of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian have incorporated Same-Sex Initiations (SSI) as a way of acknowledging the importance and validity of inner contacts and true connection to the divine regardless of physical gender. Although not universally practiced by all within our Tradition, we nonetheless acknowledge SSIs as equally valid, lineaged, proper Initiations and part of our Tradition.

Standards of Conduct:

Chthonioi-Alexandrians adhere to the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law. We do not charge money for teaching or ritual, beyond a fair sharing of actual ritual expenses. We are mindful of the power differential between Elders and students and so strive to avoid inappropriate personal, material or sexual exchanges within the context of coven relationships. Exploitative or abusive relationships of any kind are not tolerated. We have a strong ethic of personal initiative, responsibility, and accountability, and encourage the kind of personal development that allows members to function highly in these respects.

History of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Line:

(The following is paraphrased from “Witches at the Hub of the Universe [2])

The Du Bandia Grasail Line is one of the oldest continuous Alexandrian-derived lines in America, dating from the initiation of Summanus by Alex and Maxine Sanders in 1969, and his development of the early coven which became Du Bandia Grasail. Summanus was the original founder of DBG and worked with the coven for several years before turning the leadership over to "Lucifer" (who took his name for its original meaning, “Light-bearer”) in 1973.

In 1974, Lucifer and the other coven elders recognized that, even at that time, there were already differences within the Alexandrian Tradition and they as elders were unable to decide which direction the coven would or should take. Lucifer returned to consult with Summanus on the issues involved. Lucifer was advised to set up his own group, one that could celebrate all the “traditional” holidays, but also allow them to continue to build on the original Wiccan system.

As the original coven was unavoidably going to break up, and since none of the factions could truly be said to embody the original coven any longer, none of them were to retain the Du Bandia name. Instead, in 1974, the DBG line split in into three traditional branches which kept to rituals more closely based on the original Alexandrian BOS, and one more progressive branch (Chthonioi/ Ganymede Line), which kept the original Alexandrian BoS at its core but continued to expand, change, and actively incorporate further materials.

The original daughter covens of the original Alexandrian DBG coven were:

· Coven of the Chthonioi / Order of Ganymede, 1974-present (originator of the cycle of rituals that has become known as The Book of the Provider)

· Astreas, 1973-1984 (Dubuque 1973-75, Milwaukee 1975-84), merged with outer court Sophia ca. 1978, and still continues through “hives”

· Uil′iomlan Tri-fillte Mathair ("Gefilltefisch"), 1974-1976

· ArDealrach Baintighearna, 1974-1981

DBG Today:

The Lines off the original DBG coven, both more traditional and more progressive, continue and prosper today in Massachusetts and elsewhere, with active training given by people who were present in the 1970’s and later. Some members of the DBG line are responsible for the development of the Society of Elder Faiths, (a 501(c)3 Pagan church) which has been providing public ritual, workshops and retreats for thirteen years. Other members of the DBG line have been active in helping to produce some of the major festivals and newsletters which drew pagans together in the decades before the Internet made it easier for people to find each other. And others have quietly offered public ritual in small occult stores for decades. These positive outcomes were made possible by members of both the more-traditional Line (Uil’iomlan Tri-fillte Mathair) and the more-progressive Line (Chthonioi/Ganymede) working loosely with each other as members of the same Family, as equals.

Finally, a small disclaimer and a word of thanks:

Because Elders are autonomous in our Tradition, none of us can possibly speak for all of us. Because we value individual autonomy within our Tradition, we understand that there may be disagreement over particular choices made by covens or individuals of our Line. We consider dynamic and enlightened exploration of such disagreements to be healthy, and do not see them as creating barriers between friendly, working relationships within our Wiccan family. In light of this, we do not expect all members of our family to agree with everything presented.

It is with thanks and deep appreciation that those of us "old enough to remember" wish to acknowledge the Protean Line of the Gardnerian family, and specifically Judy Harrow. Proteus and it′s downline have an analogous relationship to the Gardnerians as the Chthonioi Line does to the Alexandrians. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their willingness to declare themselves different, liberal and progressive, while nonetheless definite members of the Gardnerian Family. May the Protean Line always prosper!

This essay was written, edited, compiled, and approved by the following Elders and Initiates of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca and made public in celebration of Samhain, October 31, 2010 C.E.:

Vincent Russo HP, Coven Synchronos, Sheaves of Dememter

Raven HPs, Coven Synergy

Arachne HPs, Symbios

Lakshmi HPs (Current), Chthonioi

Shamash HP, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Steve Wage, Delios Eros, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Astrea, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Albion, Cthonioi

Gwyddion, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Mabon, Chthonioi

Lucia, Ganymede, Chthonioi

Iris, Moonfire, Ganymede

Marilyn Bernstein, W.W., Chthonioi, Ganymede

Janus HP, Spawn Far Coven

LoriJoy, SpawnFar Coven

Iris, Symbios

Pomona, Symbios

Aurora, Symbios

Briannan HPS, Amaltheia, Sheaves of Demeter

Ain, Sheaves of Demeter

Thymele HP of Synergy

Binah, Coven Synergy

Ash, Coven Synergy

Cypress, Synergy Coven

Hanuman HP, Holoklaros, Ganymede, Symbios

Dragonfly HPS, Holoklaros

Epona, Holoklaros

Tree, Holoklaros

Blackthorne, Holoklaros

Anubis HP, Kouretes

Runa HPs, Kouretes

Miranda, Kouretes (Symbios, Earthclad, Amaltheia)

Nyx, Kouretes

Marta, Kouretes

Berta A. Miller-Daniels, Order of Ouroboros

TreeFire, Mnemosyne′s Well, Spawnfar, Silver Cauldron

Wade Birdwell, Urla 303, Rabbit Hole Koven, New Orleans

Rowan, Persephone’s Midden/Coven Temenos

Bran, Temenos/Solitary

Sources:

[2] Witches at the Hub of the Universe: The History of Du Bandia Grasail and its Successors (Summanus’ Account) – Part 1 & Part 2 (selected excerpts).

Resources

Coven Chthonioi: http://orderofganymede.org/

DBG Family Tree: http://chthonioi.org/familytree/dbgline.html

Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition: http://chthonioi.org/ (This is the website of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition, a progressive Alexandrian based tradition of Wicca.)

This Much I Know Is True

2010-10-19T13:25:00.003-04:00

EDIT: The title of the book is "I Know This Much Is True" (Sorry for the typo!)

Wow. On a recommendation from a friend, I bought "This Much I Know Is True" by Wally Lamb
(http://www.amazon.com/Know-This-Much-True-Oprahs/dp/0060987561)

(CORRECTION: the title is actually, "I know this much is true".)

I just finished it and I'm not really sure what to say about it. I don't recall ever having had a book touch me quite like this one has.

At first, the attraction to reading this book was that it is the story from the perspective of the grandson of a Sicilian immigrant. It is that, but it is also much more than that. It is the search for who the narrator is, the process of grief and the need to live even when death touches us, about sibling rivalry, and about - ultimately - self discovery, peace, humility and the importance of family and forgiveness.

There are pure gems of wisdom hidden in the pages of this book.

Buona lettura,

Vincenzo

Great Fall Family Recipe - Vegetable Barley Soup

2010-10-08T11:42:00.001-04:00

For Coven last night, I made a tasty & flavorful vegan/vegetable barley soup. It was really gratifying to see folks enjoying it so much!

I modified the original recipe that I found here:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/beakers-vegetable-barley-soup/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS:
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 1/4 cup uncooked barley
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, red or green, or yellow

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 small green squash, sliced or chopped
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 onion, chopped
3 - 4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons of Balsamic Vinegar
2 teaspoon white sugar (very important to smooth the "bite" from the Balsamic Vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, squash, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Balsamic Vinegar. Bring to a boil, THEN cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 - 100 minutes. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Mangia e statti zitto!

Long distance learning - some rambling thoughts...

2010-08-31T12:06:00.002-04:00

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve written an actual blog. It seems that my little updates on Facebook have taken the place of regularly writing a blog. Just so much easier to send a few quick thoughts to Facebook rather than to sit down and come up with a couple paragraphs of something that I think people might find interest.

One of the things that Mike pointed out is that if I want to regularly do a blog isthat I really should be focused on writing topics that are of interest to me. After all, if I’m not interested in what I’m writing going to be much harder to sit down and write a blog.

I’ve been particularly interested in the topics that have been coming up recently in a lot of different discussion as to whether or not someone can effectively learn/teach Wicca, Stregheria, or magic “long distance”. I think it’s possible to do long distance learning/teaching OF Wicca, Stregheria, or magic but that’s different from actually teaching/learning it.

There are wonderful academic and folk lore resources About Wicca, Stregheria, and magic that will give readers a good background or basis of these topics. There’s a wealth of resources about the historic and modern practices but these are all intellectual descriptions of things that really have more to do with the subconscious, spirituality, and sharred experience.

Most traditions of Traditional Wicca define their tradition based on praxis (or correct practice for their Tradition) and the shared experiences that comes from following that praxis in a group or coven setting. In a way, praxis is the framework that hold the oral teachings of the particular tradition and it is a combination of praxis an oral teachings that leads to the shared experience of a particular tradition of Wicca. Since Wicca is based around group work, shared experience, and specific practices, that would seem to make it very difficult to teach someone longest distance.

Stregheria, or the Strega Tradition, is also a tradition of the Craft. Where Wicca is based on specific praxis, Stregheria is based on a balance of Old Traditions and living family Traditions, personal gnosis, hospitality, respect, and honor and living the Tradition. To learn Stregheria, you need to live Stregheria and the best way to do that is by example. I’m not sure how you would do that without being physically present.
Mind you, that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn about theset things from books and articles or from forums, networking sites, or discussions. Learning about these things will let a person develop their own spirituality and way of connecting with the divine.

On the other hand, I know of a few very dedicated individuals who have combined both distance learning WITH regular visits to their teachers. They are very motivated individuals who do the work that their teachers give them, practice what they can on their own, AND also go to great lengths to meet as often as possible (in person) with their teachers. That way, they get the passing of knowledge and shared experience that is crucial to the passing on of a Tradition.

If someone wants to learn about Paganism or modern “eclectic Wicca”, the framework of knowledge is out there and it can be turned into a valid and powerful personal practice. If someone practices on their own, does the Work, records their experiences, discusses them in places such as forums and meetups, and learns and shares, then they are just as much a Witch - even if it isn’t “formal training” or Traditional Wicca that they are practicing.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rev. Vincent Russo, Proprietor (SKYPE)
Arsenic & Old Lace: http://www.arsenic.com
Your One-Stop Occult Shop for over 25 years!
Myspace Blog: http://stregonemago.blogspot.com/
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Was getting the iPad worth it?

2010-06-29T09:25:00.001-04:00

Was getting the iPad worth it? That is the question that I have repeatedly been asked over the last month. The broad, general, without clarification answer is "yes, it was worth it".

What do I like about it?
The screen is big on real estate and the virtual keyboard works very well.
It doubles as a Kindle for my ebooks.
For media consumption it works well (videos, music, books, social networking).
There are a huge number of apps so I have a several screens sorted by use - work/productivity, web pages frequently visited, multi-media, networking sites and programs, personal fun (comics, recipes, yelp, translator).
Lighter and more convenient than a laptop and easier to use than a small mobile phone.

So, what don't I like about it?
There are so many apps that it is hard to know which ones are useful and which are crap. I wish that for the paid apps, you would automatically get a free trial of the app - even if it was just for one day.
Apple is still being stupid about not allowing Flash to work on it's mobile devices. That is a real pain for quite a few websites. At least I can itch most of the "instant play" on Netflix.
I am still searching for a secure FTP program, a remote desktop (from iPad to laptop) program, and a program to let me mount the iPad from my laptop as a remote drive. If you know of any, let me know.
With a little bit of effort, I can run the store from the iPad. That means that we can take orders and process them even when we go off to a festival.

All in all, I honestly ink that the answer to the question is yes.

Oh, one more pro: it's so easy to type on it that I have been doing more writing an before getting it. This blog, for instance. :-)

Ciao,

---Vinnie
Arsenic & Old Lace

Crows

2010-05-17T11:54:00.000-04:00

As you know, I have a particular affinity for all things corvid. :-)

I recently decided to look into the greco-roman myths surrounding crows and discovered that there was a connection between crows and Apollo.

Below are some of my favorite snippets.

Apollo and the Crow -

The Crow was the god Apollo's sacred bird. Apollo was associated with prophecy and wisdom, with music and poetry, with medicine, law, philosophy, and the arts. When the Olympian gods were set upon by the monster Typhon, the god Pan shouted a warning, and the gods changed themselves into animals to escape. Aphrodite and Eros changed themselves into fish. Pan too tried to become a fish, but ended up as only half a fish. Apollo changed himself into a Crow.

How the Crow Became Black -
It is said that the Crow was originally snow-white in color, but it was the Crow who brought Apollo the awful news that his love Coronis had been unfaithful to him. Apollo took out his anger on the poor Crow turning his feathers into the mournful black color that crows have worn ever since.

Would anyone else like to contribute any tidbits of corvid lore from the Mediterranean?

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

************************************************************************

Rev. Vincent Russo, Proprietor
Arsenic & Old Lace: http://www.arsenic.com/
Your One-Stop Occult Shop for over 25 years!
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Basic homemade tomato sauce

2010-05-10T10:24:00.000-04:00

Ciao a tutti,

A few folks have asked about a recipe for my sauce. To be honest, I don't really have a recipe in the traditional sense. I have a list of general ingredients and a system of putting them together. However, tha's about as close as it gets to a recipe.

It may sound kind of hokey but I think that my sauce tastes so good because I make it with love. You be the judge. Take a look at it. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Enjoy!

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

- - - - - - - - -

Basic homemade tomato sauce:
- leave off Step 1 & 2 if you want to make a vegetarian sauce.

Brown ground beef (1 - 2 lbs) in a sauce pan with olive oil and garlic.
If desired, add finely chopped Prosciutto (1/2 - 1 lb). When browned, drain.excess fat.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil, a bit more garlic, and either crushed or diced tomatoes (at least 28 oz, I use more). Simmer for 15 minutes. If using canned tomatoes, do not drain the water. If using fresh tomatoes, you might need to add some water. (If you're making a vegetarian sauce, make sure to sauté the garlic in olive oil and then add the tomatoes to it.)
Add veggies of choice (red, green, and yellow bell peppers / mushrooms / diced red onion / zucchini / chopped black olives, etc.).
Add wine - red or white depending on whatever flavor you want to add. I like to add some Chianti, Merlot, or even Pinot Grigio/Gris. A good ratio is: 1 cup for the pot, 1 glass for the cook.
Either simmer (and stir) until sauce begins to thicken (a long time!), or add tomato paste to thicken if you don't have all day.
Add Optional Ingredients – to taste based on preference -

Fire Roasted Red Bell Pepper, diced or dried flakes

Red Pepper Flakes for hotness if you desire
Grated Carrot for sweetness if you so desire
Scallions, finely chopped
Prosciutto, finely chopped

Add Herb Mix - - I make a batch of herb mix to keep on hand for convenience and it is easy to make. Use more or less equal parts based on personal preference. Because Rosemary and Orange Peel are so potent, I tend to use a smaller amount of them than I do of the other herbs -

basil
marjoram
oregano
rosemary
thyme
sage
savory
orange peel (finely grated if fresh)

Add some grated Parmesan-Romano or Pecorino.
Keep stirring while sauce simmers.
Add fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste.

Remember, stir counterclockwise to stir out all stress.
Stir clockwise to stir in love, respect, and honor.

State zitto e mangia
(Shut up and eat)

Saint Sebastian

2010-05-06T09:24:00.000-04:00

I recently compiled the following information for the Coven. It occurred to be that other folks might find some interest in this as well. It is just a bit of history about my family and the patron saint from the town where the paternal side of my family both cam from and immigrated to. Enjoy!

I wanted to mention a little bit of family history. My dad’s family originated in Melilli, Sicily. The immigrated to Middletown, CT with LOTS of other Sicilians at the turn of the last century. Middletown and Melilli are considered sister cities and they both celebrate a feast day on May 4th dedicated St Sebastian. The feast is called "Festa dei Nuri". (Festival of the Naked).

Unofficially, he is associated with Apollo and some feel that he is a patron/protector of LGBT folks.

Martyr
Born c. 256; Died c. 288
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church

Feast: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints>
January 20 (Catholic)
December 18 (Eastern Orthodox)
May 4 (Melilli Sicily & Middletown, CT)

Attributes: arrows <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_symbology>

Patronage: Soldiers, plagues, arrows, athletes, Patron Saint of Middletown, CT and Melilli, Sicily

Because Sebastian had been thought to have been killed by the arrows, and yet was not, and then later was killed by the same emperor who ordered him shot, he is sometimes known as the saint who was martyred twice.

Saint Sebastian as an LGBT icon -
Many LGBT writers and artists have interpreted Sebastian’s life story as suggesting that he was gay. This association was first made explicit in 1909 by Georges Eekhond’s “Saint Sébastien Dans la Peinture,” but existed anecdotally earlier. Oscar Wilde, for example, used Sebastian Melmoth as an alias during his declining years in Paris.

Some other info if you are interested –

Info on Melilli can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melilli

Info on St Sebastian here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sebastian

Thus endeth today’s history lesson.

Ciao,

---Vinnie

Konrad Maziarz: Had to share this.

2010-03-25T07:44:00.000-04:00

I just don't understand the problem, some violently, with the Health Care bill. Sure, it is NOT perfect. There are even some pretty significant issues with it. However, ANY health care bill that actually supplies health care is better than having NO health care. I've listened to the arguments of the folks who oppose health care reform and when you actually go to independent non-politically affiliated sites to research the issues, all of the opposition arguments fail. They're either misinformation, gross exagerations, or outright lies.

It saddens me that our law-makers play this game and and do childish things like the republican "pout-fest". It saddens me even more that the people they serve would rather be led in a campaign of hate and ignorance rather than think for themselves and consider other points of view.

Konrad Maziarz: Had to share this.

Had to share this.

Mon at 4:45pm

This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating breakfast of US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory. I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads built by the local, state, and federal departments of transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to send via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.

After work, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to a house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all it's valuables thanks to the local police department.

I then log on to the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post on freerepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.

Bitching about the Health Care Bill? Read this...

2010-03-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

I don't know Konrad Maziarz, but this was a post that he did on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/nivho#!/note.php?note_id=376184907947&id=1474759419&ref=nf

I honestly don't understand the problems that people are having. The bill isn't perfect. However, something is better than nothing. I have yet to hear EVEN ONE objection that isn't either completely false or a gross twisting of the facts or a reaction based simply in fear. Come on folks, grow up and chose information over ignorance.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

Community is important

2010-03-02T13:28:00.002-05:00

The title of this blog might be self-explanatory to most of us, at least is it for most of my friends and immediate community.

As Pagans, Witches and Wiccans, part of our religion or spirituality (indeed, a major part) is serving the Gods. That means different things to different people. Generally speaking, for someone who is Wiccan it means that we hold to the Rites of our particular Tradition. Our Rites honor the Goddess and the God, turn the Wheel of the Year, and connect us with Them through aligning ourselves with what is happening in the world around us. This might take the form of Sabbat and Esbat celebrations or other devotional Rites.

However, a big part of my personal spiritual practice is community. Specifically, service to the community. I don't understand Witches who say that community service (at least community interaction) is not a part of their practice. Yes, our Rites let us connect with Them but the easiest and most effective way of seeing Them manifest in the world around us to to see Them in the very faces of the like-minded folks in our community. If I can see Them in the people with whom I interact, how could I not serve Them? Seems like a no-brainer for me.

For a number of years, I've been in a state of semi-retirement from teaching the Craft and from actively participating in community events within the greater Boston community. Mostly because I was burnt out due to my perception of "entitled Pagans", bickering about definitions, witch-wars and flame fests. Last year, that began to change with my involvement in the Society of Elder Faiths (the SEF).

Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to attend social events, open Sabbat celebrations, and network with folk who I might not otherwise have met. What was surprising to me was that I was enjoying myself. Through attending the SEF open events, being encouraged to actively participate, and offering
to coordinate the Befana Yule event, I gained a valuable and renewed perspective and appreciation in regards to community. What I came to realize is that community is more important than I was letting myself believe and experience.

As a direct result of interacting with the SEF community, I have come out of my semi-retirement and am once again participating in community. It was a direct result of positive community interaction that prompted me to start the Sheaves of Demeter and, once again, begin teaching. It was a direct result of positive community interaction that prompted me to attend the Feast of Lights and reconnect with some old friends that I hadn't seen in far too long. It was a direct result of positive community interaction that prompted me to offer my serviced to the SEF as a potential board member to nurture community and grow positive connections with others.

Recently, I was appointed to the Board of the SEF and I am happy to say that I look forward to the coming year (and longer!) where I can offer my services to help nurture such a wonderful community.

If you can afford the time and effort, I would encourage you to become more active in your local community especially if your local community isn't doing what you'd like to see it do or if it is not quite as positive as you would like it to be. Remember, if you want change and a more positive community, YOU need to change it.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

Busy, busy!

2010-02-26T11:01:00.001-05:00

I just realized that my last post was January 22 when I responded to CNN and the Haiti relief effort. My how fast time passes.

I've recently been reviewing my life and the things that I do to fill my time. One of the things that I realized is that I often overschedule myself with things that have no REAL purpose other than to fill time. After sitting myself down and looking at WHAT I do, I made a few changes.

I'm still as busy as I've always been, it's just that the things that fill my schedule are things that are important to me rather than time sinks.

So, what's new?

I've started a new training coven that will be practicing both Sicilian Witchcraft (The Strega Tradition) as well as Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca.
I've devoted time to network and work in my local pagan community through the Society of Elder Faiths.
I've set aside time for a healthy home life, including date night. It's important for us old married folks to take time to reconnect with each other and what's important. :-)
I've begun planning my trip to Italy. It may not happen this year but it's a first step on the journey.

I have an Italian phrase-a-day calendar and when there is a particularly relevant phrase, I keep it tacked to the side of my computer monitor to remind me of it's meaning. There we 3 of them this week. In no particular order:

Sapere è potere. (Knowledge is power.)
Ridi ogni giorno. (Laugh every day.)
Se è davvero cosÌ importante, troverai il tempo di farlo. (If it's that important, you'll find the time.

Good advice.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

Sent to Robin at CNN HLN

2010-01-22T11:15:00.002-05:00

Hi Robin,

I am currently ON one of the cruise ships that has been to Haiti and our port of call was this past Tuesday.

The folks that are being critical of cruise ships going to Haiti are missing a few important points:

* the ships are bringing relief effort in the form of supplies and bottled water
* many passengers booked and paid for their vacations up to a year ago so that money was already spent
* the ships are going to unaffected areas and employing people in the local communities
* diverting ships to other locations deprive Haiti of valued supplies and tourist dollars

Our own ship, Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas, brought over 60 pallets of bottled water and other supplies to the island. They also donated all money spent by the passengers that day to the Haiti relief effort. In addition, in little more than 24 hours, over $140,000 was raised for the Red Cross relief effort by the nearly 3000 gay and lesbian passengers of this cruise, the tour company Atlantis Events, and past customers of Atlantis Events.

So for the critics, let me tell you what we did - Rather than texting $10 (which is vitally important), we donated our vacation. We put money directly into the hands of families that were affected by this tragedy. We helped to employ people who have family and friends that were affected by this tragedy. We listened to local Haitians tell us about themselves, their culture, and how this effects them on a personal level.

We all do what we can, when we can, how we can. People should talk less and do more.

Sincerely,
Rev. Vincent Russo

The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage

2010-01-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

Although this article is very long, I strongly encourage everyone to read the whole thing. It is very well thought out and respectful.

---Vinnie

Find this article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/229957 © 2010

The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage
Why same-sex marriage is an American value.

By Theodore B. Olson | NEWSWEEK
Published Jan 9, 2010

From the magazine issue dated Jan 18, 2010

Together with my good friend and occasional courtroom adversary David Boies, I am attempting to persuade a federal court to invalidate California's Proposition 8—the voter-approved measure that overturned California's constitutional right to marry a person of the same sex.

My involvement in this case has generated a certain degree of consternation among conservatives. How could a politically active, lifelong Republican, a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, challenge the "traditional" definition of marriage and press for an "activist" interpretation of the Constitution to create another "new" constitutional right?
My answer to this seeming conundrum rests on a lifetime of exposure to persons of different backgrounds, histories, viewpoints, and intrinsic characteristics, and on my rejection of what I see as superficially appealing but ultimately false perceptions about our Constitution and its protection of equality and fundamental rights.

Many of my fellow conservatives have an almost knee-jerk hostility toward gay marriage. This does not make sense, because same-sex unions promote the values conservatives prize. Marriage is one of the basic building blocks of our neighborhoods and our nation. At its best, it is a stable bond between two individuals who work to create a loving household and a social and economic partnership. We encourage couples to marry because the commitments they make to one another provide benefits not only to themselves but also to their families and communities. Marriage requires thinking beyond one's own needs. It transforms two individuals into a union based on shared aspirations, and in doing so establishes a formal investment in the well-being of society. The fact that individuals who happen to be gay want to share in this vital social institution is evidence that conservative ideals enjoy widespread acceptance. Conservatives should celebrate this, rather than lament it.

Legalizing same-sex marriage would also be a recognition of basic American principles, and would represent the culmination of our nation's commitment to equal rights. It is, some have said, the last major civil-rights milestone yet to be surpassed in our two-century struggle to attain the goals we set for this nation at its formation.

This bedrock American principle of equality is central to the political and legal convictions of Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives alike. The dream that became America began with the revolutionary concept expressed in the Declaration of Independence in words that are among the most noble and elegant ever written: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Sadly, our nation has taken a long time to live up to the promise of equality. In 1857, the Supreme Court held that an African-American could not be a citizen. During the ensuing Civil War, Abraham Lincoln eloquently reminded the nation of its found-ing principle: "our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

At the end of the Civil War, to make the elusive promise of equality a reality, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution added the command that "no State É shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person É the equal protection of the laws."

Subsequent laws and court decisions have made clear that equality under the law extends to persons of all races, religions, and places of origin. What better way to make this national aspiration complete than to apply the same protection to men and women who differ from others only on the basis of their sexual orientation? I cannot think of a single reason—and have not heard one since I undertook this venture—for continued discrimination against decent, hardworking members of our society on that basis.

Various federal and state laws have accorded certain rights and privileges to gay and lesbian couples, but these protections vary dramatically at the state level, and nearly universally deny true equality to gays and lesbians who wish to marry. The very idea of marriage is basic to recognition as equals in our society; any status short of that is inferior, unjust, and unconstitutional.
The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution. It is an expression of our desire to create a social partnership, to live and share life's joys and burdens with the person we love, and to form a lasting bond and a social identity. The Supreme Court has said that marriage is a part of the Constitution's protections of liberty, privacy, freedom of association, and spiritual identification. In short, the right to marry helps us to define ourselves and our place in a community. Without it, there can be no true equality under the law.

It is true that marriage in this nation traditionally has been regarded as a relationship exclusively between a man and a woman, and many of our nation's multiple religions define marriage in precisely those terms. But while the Supreme Court has always previously considered marriage in that context, the underlying rights and liberties that marriage embodies are not in any way confined to heterosexuals.
Marriage is a civil bond in this country as well as, in some (but hardly all) cases, a religious sacrament. It is a relationship recognized by governments as providing a privileged and respected status, entitled to the state's support and benefits. The California Supreme Court described marriage as a "union unreservedly approved and favored by the community." Where the state has accorded official sanction to a relationship and provided special benefits to those who enter into that relationship, our courts have insisted that withholding that status requires powerful justifications and may not be arbitrarily denied.

What, then, are the justifications for California's decision in Proposition 8 to withdraw access to the institution of marriage for some of its citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation? The reasons I have heard are not very persuasive.

The explanation mentioned most often is tradition. But simply because something has always been done a certain way does not mean that it must always remain that way. Otherwise we would still have segregated schools and debtors' prisons. Gays and lesbians have always been among us, forming a part of our society, and they have lived as couples in our neighborhoods and communities. For a long time, they have experienced discrimination and even persecution; but we, as a society, are starting to become more tolerant, accepting, and understanding. California and many other states have allowed gays and lesbians to form domestic partnerships (or civil unions) with most of the rights of married heterosexuals. Thus, gay and lesbian individuals are now permitted to live together in state-sanctioned relationships. It therefore seems anomalous to cite "tradition" as a justification for withholding the status of marriage and thus to continue to label those relationships as less worthy, less sanctioned, or less legitimate.

The second argument I often hear is that traditional marriage furthers the state's interest in procreation—and that opening marriage to same-sex couples would dilute, diminish, and devalue this goal. But that is plainly not the case. Preventing lesbians and gays from marrying does not cause more heterosexuals to marry and conceive more children. Likewise, allowing gays and lesbians to marry someone of the same sex will not discourage heterosexuals from marrying a person of the opposite sex. How, then, would allowing same-sex marriages reduce the number of children that heterosexual couples conceive?

This procreation argument cannot be taken seriously. We do not inquire whether heterosexual couples intend to bear children, or have the capacity to have children, before we allow them to marry. We permit marriage by the elderly, by prison inmates, and by persons who have no intention of having children. What's more, it is pernicious to think marriage should be limited to heterosexuals because of the state's desire to promote procreation. We would surely not accept as constitutional a ban on marriage if a state were to decide, as China has done, to discourage procreation.

Another argument, vaguer and even less persuasive, is that gay marriage somehow does harm to heterosexual marriage. I have yet to meet anyone who can explain to me what this means. In what way would allowing same-sex partners to marry diminish the marriages of heterosexual couples? Tellingly, when the judge in our case asked our opponent to identify the ways in which same-sex marriage would harm heterosexual marriage, to his credit he answered honestly: he could not think of any.

The simple fact is that there is no good reason why we should deny marriage to same-sex partners. On the other hand, there are many reasons why we should formally recognize these relationships and embrace the rights of gays and lesbians to marry and become full and equal members of our society.

No matter what you think of homosexuality, it is a fact that gays and lesbians are members of our families, clubs, and workplaces. They are our doctors, our teachers, our soldiers (whether we admit it or not), and our friends. They yearn for acceptance, stable relationships, and success in their lives, just like the rest of us.

Conservatives and liberals alike need to come together on principles that surely unite us. Certainly, we can agree on the value of strong families, lasting domestic relationships, and communities populated by persons with recognized and sanctioned bonds to one another. Confining some of our neighbors and friends who share these same values to an outlaw or second-class status undermines their sense of belonging and weakens their ties with the rest of us and what should be our common aspirations. Even those whose religious convictions preclude endorsement of what they may perceive as an unacceptable "lifestyle" should recognize that disapproval should not warrant stigmatization and unequal treatment.

When we refuse to accord this status to gays and lesbians, we discourage them from forming the same relationships we encourage for others. And we are also telling them, those who love them, and society as a whole that their relationships are less worthy, less legitimate, less permanent, and less valued. We demean their relationships and we demean them as individuals. I cannot imagine how we benefit as a society by doing so.

I understand, but reject, certain religious teachings that denounce homosexuality as morally wrong, illegitimate, or unnatural; and I take strong exception to those who argue that same-sex relationships should be discouraged by society and law. Science has taught us, even if history has not, that gays and lesbians do not choose to be homosexual any more than the rest of us choose to be heterosexual. To a very large extent, these characteristics are immutable, like being left-handed. And, while our Constitution guarantees the freedom to exercise our individual religious convictions, it equally prohibits us from forcing our beliefs on others. I do not believe that our society can ever live up to the promise of equality, and the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, until we stop invidious discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

If we are born heterosexual, it is not unusual for us to perceive those who are born homosexual as aberrational and threatening. Many religions and much of our social culture have reinforced those impulses. Too often, that has led to prejudice, hostility, and discrimination. The antidote is understanding, and reason. We once tolerated laws throughout this nation that prohibited marriage between persons of different races. California's Supreme Court was the first to find that discrimination unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed 20 years later, in 1967, in a case called Loving v. Virginia. It seems inconceivable today that only 40 years ago there were places in this country where a black woman could not legally marry a white man. And it was only 50 years ago that 17 states mandated segregated public education—until the Supreme Court unanimously struck down that practice in Brown v. Board of Education. Most Americans are proud of these decisions and the fact that the discriminatory state laws that spawned them have been discredited. I am convinced that Americans will be equally proud when we no longer discriminate against gays and lesbians and welcome them into our society.

Reactions to our lawsuit have reinforced for me these essential truths. I have certainly heard anger, resentment, and hostility, and words like "betrayal" and other pointedly graphic criticism. But mostly I have been overwhelmed by expressions of gratitude and good will from persons in all walks of life, including, I might add, from many conservatives and libertarians whose names might surprise. I have been particularly moved by many personal renditions of how lonely and personally destructive it is to be treated as an outcast and how meaningful it will be to be respected by our laws and civil institutions as an American, entitled to equality and dignity. I have no doubt that we are on the right side of this battle, the right side of the law, and the right side of history.

Some have suggested that we have brought this case too soon, and that neither the country nor the courts are "ready" to tackle this issue and remove this stigma. We disagree. We represent real clients—two wonderful couples in California who have longtime relationships. Our lesbian clients are raising four fine children who could not ask for better parents. Our clients wish to be married. They believe that they have that constitutional right. They wish to be represented in court to seek vindication of that right by mounting a challenge under the United States Constitution to the validity of Proposition 8 under the equal-protection and due-process clauses of the 14th Amendment. In fact, the California attorney general has conceded the unconstitutionality of Proposition 8, and the city of San Francisco has joined our case to defend the rights of gays and lesbians to be married. We do not tell persons who have a legitimate claim to wait until the time is "right" and the populace is "ready" to recognize their equality and equal dignity under the law.

Citizens who have been denied equality are invariably told to "wait their turn" and to "be patient." Yet veterans of past civil-rights battles found that it was the act of insisting on equal rights that ultimately sped acceptance of those rights. As to whether the courts are "ready" for this case, just a few years ago, in Romer v. Evans, the United States Supreme Court struck down a popularly adopted Colorado constitutional amendment that withdrew the rights of gays and lesbians in that state to the protection of anti-discrimination laws. And seven years ago, in Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court struck down, as lacking any rational basis, Texas laws prohibiting private, intimate sexual practices between persons of the same sex, overruling a contrary decision just 20 years earlier.

These decisions have generated controversy, of course, but they are decisions of the nation's highest court on which our clients are entitled to rely. If all citizens have a constitutional right to marry, if state laws that withdraw legal protections of gays and lesbians as a class are unconstitutional, and if private, intimate sexual conduct between persons of the same sex is protected by the Constitution, there is very little left on which opponents of same-sex marriage can rely. As Justice Antonin Scalia, who dissented in the Lawrence case, pointed out, "[W]hat [remaining] justification could there possibly be for denying the benefits of marriage to homosexual couples exercising '[t]he liberty protected by the Constitution'?" He is right, of course. One might agree or not with these decisions, but even Justice Scalia has acknowledged that they lead in only one direction.

California's Proposition 8 is particularly vulnerable to constitutional challenge, because that state has now enacted a crazy-quilt of marriage regulation that makes no sense to anyone. California recognizes marriage between men and women, including persons on death row, child abusers, and wife beaters. At the same time, California prohibits marriage by loving, caring, stable partners of the same sex, but tries to make up for it by giving them the alternative of "domestic partnerships" with virtually all of the rights of married persons except the official, state-approved status of marriage. Finally, California recognizes 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place in the months between the state Supreme Court's ruling that upheld gay-marriage rights and the decision of California's citizens to withdraw those rights by enacting Proposition 8.

So there are now three classes of Californians: heterosexual couples who can get married, divorced, and remarried, if they wish; same-sex couples who cannot get married but can live together in domestic partnerships; and same-sex couples who are now married but who, if they divorce, cannot remarry. This is an irrational system, it is discriminatory, and it cannot stand.

Americans who believe in the words of the Declaration of Independence, in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, in the 14th Amendment, and in the Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and equal dignity before the law cannot sit by while this wrong continues. This is not a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American one, and it is time that we, as Americans, embraced it.

Find this article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/229957
© 2010

Italian in the new year

2010-01-09T17:23:00.000-05:00

Well, with the new year in full swing, I'm trying to learn a phrase or word a day in Italian. This is in addition to my restarting my Rosetta Stone lessons. I am hoping to plan a trip this year that will be one week in Sicily and one week in Italy. My goal is to be able to understand and be understood without unduly embarrassing myself. Wish me luck!

This week's phrases - They're a hoot. Of course, they start with the month and the days of the week.

January - Gennaio
Venerdì - Friday
Sabato - Saturday
Domenica - Sunday
Lunedì - Monday
Martedì - Tuesday
Mercoledì - Wednesday
Giovedì - Thursday

Felice Anno Nuovo! Happy New Year!
La Vita è bella! Life is good.
Guida con attenzione. Drive safely.
È una femmina! It's a girl!
Ho bisogno di un riposino. I need a nap.
Il difficile sta nel cominciare.     The first step is the hardest.
I tuoi figli sono adorabili.     Your children are adorable.
Anchi'io!     Me too!
Che genre di musica ti piache? What kind of music do you like?

Pretty standard stuff but I'm hoping it's basic enough to get me re-motivated to start lessons again. I've been lazy and only learning isolated words and phrases. That's only useful to a point. I really need someone in the area who wants to take lessons with me and be my buddy.

:-)

Ciao,

---Vincenzo

Happy New Year & Sale at Arsenic & Old Lace

2010-01-06T08:20:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

We just wanted to send you our Happy New Year's wishes and thank you for being a customer. You've helped us make the last decade a memorable one. As we enter a new decade, 2010 promises to be an exciting year and we can't wait to get started!

We'd like to offer you 10%* off everything in the store for the entire month of January. Just enter this coupon code (without the quotes) during checkout:
"QCCZBJHRJ6GAP"

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

- Vinnie, Arsenic & Old Lace

*Multiple discounts may not be combined. Only one discount per item. If you qualify for multiple discounts, we will apply the most favorable discount to your items, where applicable.

Rev. Vincent Russo, Proprietor * Arsenic & Old Lace
PO Box 448 * Malden, Massachusetts 02148 * Tel: 617-381-4369

December 2009 Newsletter

2009-12-08T08:48:00.008-05:00

Your One-Stop Occult Shop

December 2009 Newsletter

Arsenic & Old Lace

Happy December! Happy Yule!

Happy December!

Snow, chilly weather, decorations, family gatherings, good homemade food, the good witch Befana, the rebirth of the Sun King, and an all night Solstice vigil. All of those things and more are part of our family traditions during this time of year.

However you and your family celebrate the holiday(s) of this season, we would like to wish you the very best and safest of times.

"Our Christian friends are often quite surprised at how enthusiastically we Pagans celebrate the 'Christmas' season. Even though we prefer to use the word "Yule", and our celebrations may peak a few days before the twenty-fifth, we nonetheless follow many of the traditional customs of the season: decorated trees, caroling, presents, Yule logs, and mistletoe. We might even go so far as putting up a 'Nativity set', though for us the three central characters are likely to be interpreted as Mother Nature, Father Time, and the baby Sun God. None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who knows the true history of the holiday, of course."

The above paragraph comes from a great Yule article by Mike Nichols. We are lucky enough to have him permission to repost the entire article on our site: Yule/Midwinter's Eve.

Since this is such a wonderful solar-centered time of year, we'd like to offer you a special gift. For December, we're going to put all of our "sun themed items" on sale for our members!

Save 15% on sun-themed merchandise! We've neatly gathered them all into one spot for you: December Featured Products.

New & Noteworthy - New Collections, Networking Pages, & Blogging

Our blog is going to be moving! We'll still have links to it from our site, but the new blog will have it's own special address: http://stregonemago.blogspot.com/. Because we send out a monthly newsletter, the blog will become more focused on Vinnie's personal musings rather than specifically store-centric stuff. However, it will also contain events that we are planning or attending. Over the next few months, we will also be duplicating some articles over there.

Featured Products for December: In honor of the turning of the Wheel and the Yule rebirth of the Sun, we've gathered all of our sun-themed products in one convenient space. Members save 15%.

For the New Witch Collection: What's a new Witch to stock their cupboards with? We know the choices can be difficult so here are our suggestions! We've picked a few items from each of our most popular categories to help the new Witch start out! You'll find all the essentials such as elemental Tools, devotional Statues, Jewelry, and more.

Join us on Facebook at our own FanPage! Come on by and start a discussion on our Fan Page or even review a product. We also post upcoming event that we sponsor or attend.

Come by and let us know what you think!

Upcoming Events - A Befana Yule

Join Vinnie and the Society of Elder Faiths in celebrating the Winter Solstice - Yule, the Return of the Sun! This year we will be presenting a "Befana Yule" ritual.

Date:

Friday, December 11th

Time:

Doors open at 6 PM
Orientation at 7 PM

Place:

Brigham Hill Community Farm

Befana is the Italian "good witch" who brings gifts of the season to the children. She represents the Goddess of the Hearth who gives renewal to the Sun. She is also the old crone who connects us to our Ancestors and the cycle of life, growth, and renewal.

As this a community Sabbat ritual and celebration, attendees are asked to bring a fully prepared dish to share for the feast afterwards. More information can be found:
http://www.elderfaiths.org/yule09.html.

About Arsenic & Old Lace

Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1981 and now exclusively on the web, Arsenic & Old Lace is dedicated to providing quality products and advice to the Pagan and Wiccan communities. We have become one of the best known occult supply shops in New England and one of the most trusted places to get quality supplies and gifts. We strive to provide the best possible service for our customers.

You can choose from over 6000 products and save 5% or more off retail prices.

Arsenic & Old Lace

Rev. Vincent Russo

Proprietor

Web: http://www.arsenic.com

Tel: 617-381-4369

Blog: http://stregonemago.blogspot.com

Become a Facebook Fan - click here!

Members Specials

In honor of Yule, Members receive 15% off all of our sun-themed products! Come by and browse our selection.

2009 November 23, Moving over to blogger

2009-11-23T23:44:00.002-05:00

As you can see, I'm in the process of trying to get all of my old blogs transferred over to blogger. Unfortunately, since I have my blog archives in several different places, they're not importing quite right. :-) Oh well.

I've posted some of the important or interesting blogs from the past year and I will be posting more as we move forward into the holiday season and 2010.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

2009 November 01, November Newsletter

2009-11-23T23:38:00.007-05:00

(http://www.arsenic.com/resourcepages/newsletters/nov2009.aspx)
(Still not properly importing from the old blog site.
Please use the link if needed.)

Arsenic & Old Lace

Your One-Stop Occult Shop

November 2009 Newsletter

Arsenic & Old Lace

Happy November!

Ah, November. It's one of my favorite times of the year, and not just for Thanksgiving! For me, this time of year marks the change to when I am more focused on the home, family, and friends.

November seems to be a bit scarce on holidays. On a secular level in the USA, we celebrate Thanksgiving. For modern Paganism, most of us have already celebrated 3 harvest festivals but one more never hurts! Even so, you don't find many modern Pagan celebrations during this month.

Most of the regular Sabbats or celebrations in modern Paganism are fairly solar focused in their emphasis. Being without a formal holiday this month lets me focus on more personal aspects of my practice such as my devotional work with regards to the importance of friends and family. This often takes the form of meditations and ritual designed around, not the solar myths but instead around the lunar cycle. As they occur this month, their order is Full, Waning, New, and Waxing.

I find it particularly empowering to prepare myself with a ritual bath prior to starting my devotions, whether I have a full ritual planned or just a simple meditation. Ritual baths work by bringing the mind and body into alignment with your intention.

To encourage you to try this wonderful and easy way to focus, we're giving our members special discounts on our entire selection of AG Ritual Baths. Save 15%!

Upcoming Events - A Befana Yule

Join Vinnie and the Society of Elder Faiths in celebrating the Winter Solstice - Yule, the Return of the Sun! This year we will be presenting a "Befana Yule" ritual.

Date:

Friday, December 11th

Time:

Doors open at 6 PM
Orientation at 7 PM

Place:

Brigham Hill Community Farm

New & Noteworthy - Spell Casting Shop and improved Site Navigation

We're going to be instituting several new "collections". These collections will be groupings of products by a common theme. We'll still have all of our old "departments" like books, music, and candles but we thought that since we do have over 6000 items, designing collections would make it even easier for you to find what you need. Our newest collection is our Spell Casting Shop where we've assembled everything from full ritual kits to those hard to find ingredients like coffin nails.

Site navigation has been improved! Come by the site and see the marvelous job that Mike did with redesigning our UI for more intuitive menus. We have added menus on the homepage, search, and product listing pages to make it easier to navigate to specific categories or subcategories. You can always find where you want no matter where it appears at the site.

Come by and let us know what you think!

About Arsenic & Old Lace

You can choose from over 6000 products and save 5% or more off retail prices.

Arsenic & Old Lace

Rev. Vincent Russo, Proprietor

Web: http://www.arsenic.com

Tel: 617-381-4369

Blog: http://blog.myspace.com/nivho

Become a Facebook Fan - click here!

Members Specials	In honor of November devotionals, Members receive special discounts on our entire selection of AG Bath Salts! Come by and browse our selection.

2009 October 26, Observance of Wiccan New Year Ends in Religious Discrimination Suit

2009-11-23T23:35:00.003-05:00

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Observance of Wiccan New Year Ends in Religious Discrimination Suit
• Oct. 26th, 2009 at 7:17 AM

Some of you may have already seen this as a "share" on my Facebook page but I thought it was interesting enough to repost as a blog - especially since I'm working in Salem and it's October.

---Vinnie

http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/26/75/37.php

Observance of Wiccan New Year Ends in Religious Discrimination Suit
In a complaint filed in federal court in Connecticut, Gina Uberti alleges she was unfairly terminated for practicing Wicca, known as the largest of neopagan religions.

________________________________________
October 23, 2009

Observance of Wiccan New Year Ends in Religious Discrimination Suit

Last Halloween, Gina Uberti took vacation days to celebrate the Wiccan new year in Salem, Massachusetts, the town infamously known for the witch trials of 1692 that ended with the hanging of 14 women.

Less than a month after Uberti took part in the festivities of Samhain, one of the holiest days in the Wiccan calendar, she was fired from her job as a district sales manager for Bath & Body Works.

In a complaint filed in federal court in Connecticut last week, Uberti alleges she was unfairly terminated for practicing Wicca, known as the largest of neopagan religions.

Uberti alleges in the lawsuit that her boss said just before she was fired, “You will need a new career in your new year. … I will be damned if I have a devil worshiper on my team.”

Uberti says in the suit that her troubles at work began shortly after she returned from her trip to Salem. Her boss lamented that Uberti had chosen to go on vacation during a particularly important week at work, Uberti said. Uberti said her vacation had been approved by another manager a year in advance and that she had taken that particular time to celebrate a Wiccan holiday.

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Uberti’s boss, Sandra Scibelli said, according to court documents.
Until she was fired November 20, 2008, Uberti had worked for the retailer for eight years, first as a manager in the company’s Milford, Connecticut, store and then as a sales manager from her home in nearby East Haven.

Uberti filed charges in February with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which granted her the right to sue in September.
Bath & Body Works is part of Limited Brands Inc, based in Columbus, Ohio.

“We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status,” says Robin Hoffman, specialist, external communications for Limited Brands. “Additionally, we do not comment on pending litigation.”

Uberti’s lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress and damage to her career as well as lost pay, vacation days and pension benefits, as well as other restitution.

Tal Marnin, an attorney with White & Case in New York, says U.S. law prohibits religious discrimination regardless of whether the religion is widely practiced or not.

“The employee has to show she is a sincere believer and that her attending the ceremony was part of her religious observance and practice,” Marnin said.

The company would have to show Uberti’s absence caused it an “undue hardship,” Marnin said.
The Wiccan new year, Samhain, takes place the same day as the Celtic new year. It is considered one of the four holy festivals, or Sabbats, according to the complaint. Uberti says in her complaint that for the previous six years she had received and taken time off to make the annual new year’s pilgrimage to Salem.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects covered employees from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
—Jeremy Smerd

2009 September 01, All Among The Barley

2009-11-23T23:33:00.003-05:00

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Tuesday, September 01, 2009
All Among The Barley - Now is come September, the Hunter’s moon begun...
....................
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka6LZbLdAek
.. ..
All Among The Barley....
....
Now is come September, the Hunter’s moon begun....
And through the wheat and stubble we turn the green to dun....
The leaves of pale and yellow are kindlin’ into red....
And the ripe and bearded barley is hangin’ down his head.....

Chorus:....
All among the barley....
Who could not be blithe?....
When the ripe and bearded barley....
Is smilin’ on the scythe. ....
....
The Spring is like a young man who does not know his mind.....
The Summer she’s a tyrant, the most ungracious kind.....
The Autumn is an old friend who loves where all she can,....
For she brings the bearded barley to gladden the hearts on man.....
....

Chorus:....
All among the barley....
Who could not be blithe?....
When the ripe and bearded barley....
Is smilin’ on the scythe. ....
....
The wheat is like a rich man, he’s sleek and well to do.....
The oats are like a pack of girls, laughing and dancing, too.....
The rye is like a miser, he’s sulky, lean and small.....
But the ripe and bearded barley is monarch of them all.....

Chorus:....
All among the barley....
Who could not be blithe?....
When the ripe and bearded barley....
Is smilin’ on the scythe. ....
....
The babe it knows no grief nor care, safe in its mothers breast.
The grown man, he must strive and strain, it's seldom he can rest.
The grey beard sits and takes his ease, where care no more holds sway.
With pipe, and dog, and clear brown ale, he dreams the time away.....

Chorus:....
All among the barley....
Who could not be blithe?....
When the ripe and bearded barley....
Is smilin’ on the scythe.

2009 August 19, Authentic vs Valid

2009-11-23T23:32:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
    Authentic versus Valid
....................

What is “valid” versus what is “authentic?”

This topic seems to creep up quite frequently with regards to different modern day traditions of Pagan spiritual practices (Wicca, BTW, Stregheria, you name it).

With everyone on the internet being an authority on just about everything, it can get quite confusing. It seems like everyone is trying to state in black&white what something either IS or IS NOT and since everyone is an expert, who do you trust?

It’s particularly difficult when trying to discuss anything having to do with areas of spirituality, especially with such young Paths like Wicca and modern Paganism. In most forms of Paganism, there is NO central authority that can give proclamations from “on high”. More established Paths (read – organized religions) tend to be able to do that with authority because they have a long history what they are, how things are done, HAVE a central authority, and have collectively over the years agreed on certain base definitions for themselves and how they express them to outsiders. As modern Pagans, we’re still struggling with those things – partly because we are young in terms of public organization as compared to them.
Old Timers in the Craft need to realize that newer folks WILL see things in a different way and shouldn’t get so threatened when someone comes along and presents a view that differs from theirs. Instead, it might be more productive if they really listen, correct from their perspective, and keep a dialogue open.

New folks should realize that the Old Timers have been doing this for quite a while and might actually have a clue based on research, personal experience, and community agreement regarding terms and definitions. I would suggest that new folk present their differing views in a less antagonistic way, acknowledge that they may not know everything, and keep a dialogue open. When they are gently corrected, they should take it as “constructive criticism” and not as a personal attack.

Basically, act like adults and agree to disagree while continuing to talk and be honest with each other.
I realize that I have certain deeply held beliefs that differ from some of the more conservative Wiccans yet I know that they are equally valid for me and my practice. Whenever I talk about Wicca, Stregheria, or Paganism, I try to get across that what I am speaking about is only from my perspective. I am not “defining” as much as I am “describing”. That, I think, is the key: describe rather than define and “my way/our way” rather than “the way”.

I am one of the moderators for a Stregheria yahoo group and “valid and authentic” recently came up with regards to “Strega traditions”. Personally, I see a difference between “authentic” and “valid”. Frankly, “authentic” is nothing more than “is something what it claims to be”. “Valid” on the other hand is simply “does it work”.
Below is the post that I made in response to those discussions as relating to Stregheria. I’d be interested in your feedback.
.. ..
---Vinnie

.. ..
Post from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/traditional_stregheria/
Vinnie Russo on Grimassi and Streghe ....
Posted with permission.....
From: Vinnie Russo ....
Subject: [traditional_stregheria] Moderator Note - Grimassi & Wicca bashing....
Date: Aug 12, 2009 8:49 AM....

Hello all,....

.. ..
First, I want to say that I am thrilled with all of our new members and the recent lively discussions. However, I need to step in both personally and as a moderator regarding Raven Grimassi as well as the recent attitude of "Wicca bashings".....

.. ..
I know Raven Grimassi personally. People who criticize his published material often don't have all the facts, have never talked to him, or have jumped to assumptions.....

.. ..
Raven's published material is just that published. You don't really think that he'd actually publish all the material that he has or what he uses to train personal students, do you? It's material that is appropriate to teach the public, he makes that very clear. However, what Raven teaches his students is both authentic and valid. {Vinnie’s note: please see above descriptions of Authentic & Valid.}....

.. ..
I would like to quote directly from Raven Grimassi:....
"There is a rich legacy of ritual, lore, and magic in the teachings of Italian Witchcraft. It has always been my goal to share this with others in whatever way I can. This has been a challenge over the years because much of the material is protected by sworn oaths to not reveal various elements. I have pushed that envelope over the year and continue to do so today. Ironically this has brought charges from initiates that I am violating the oaths, and it has brought allegations from the public that I have nothing authentic to share and am simply using the "oath claim" as a shield. We are a fascinating community." ....

.. ..
"The facts are that I plant the keys to initiate material in my non-initiate material. I use common material as a carrier for the inner workings. All that is required is for a person to sift through my books and join things together. The keys and the doorways are all there, it only takes a focused desire to reveal what resides within the written words. Is this the breaking of oaths? For some people it is, and some initiates feel that I am freely giving away keys that they have had to work for over the years."....

.. ..
"Some non-initiates look at my work, and because it contains some common Wiccan elements they dismiss it all as unauthentic. I guess this is like finding a fly in your soup; it ruins the whole thing. Except, of course, that the fly doesn't make chicken soup something else because the fly is mixed in. It's chicken soup with a fly in it. That's pretty much the situation with Wiccan elements in my writings on Italian Witchcraft. I was particularly amused one time to hear my book on Italian Witchcraft referred to as Wicca with marinara sauce. While inaccurate, the statement is still funny."....

.. ..
"I find that some of my critics invent things about me and work, which is really a misuse of valuable time for all concerned. While I appreciate respectful differences of opinion, and I value constructive criticism of my writings, I have little tolerance for unwarranted allegations and outright lies. But I do realize that being a public figure is going to draw attacks upon my work and my character. It's an unfortunate truth about human nature."....
More can be read here: http://www.ravengrimassi.net/about.htm. ....

.. ..
OK, back to me now. In addition to responding to inaccuracies regarding Raven's work, I want to address the recent "Strega good, Wicca bad" attitude. ....

.. ..
What's with all the Wicca bashing? There is absolutely no reason to denigrate or criticize another Path in order to compliment one's own. It is entirely possible to "sing the praises" of what Stregheria is WITHOUT the need to criticize what it is not. ....

.. ..
Stregheria is a VERY diverse path and some families and branches have chosen to incorporate some Wiccan elements. So what? I applaud them. They are taking a long term look at things and incorporating elements into their own practices to ensure what they pass is a complete system rather than a fragmented system of lore and folk magic. Bravo.....

.. ..
The very culture of Sicily and Italy is syncretic in nature (Italian, Greek, Spanish, French, African, Phoenician, etc.) and there is no reason that our Craft shouldn't reflect that. As a matter of fact, it would be VERY surprising if our Craft DIDN'T reflect that especially as a living tradition. As many of us are American, English, etc. and NOT native Italian or native Sicilian, it only makes sense that we would begin to incorporate elements of the culture that we currently live in and make those elements our own. Just because something originally can be traced to another culture or Path doesn't mean that it can't also be part of Stregheria. It becomes part of Stregheria (at least in particular families) when the element in question becomes fully integrated into the composite fabric of the Craft.....

.. ..
Further, factual history of the Craft (of any culture) is almost non-existent. Most of the so-called facts are simple oral lore and stories but would not stand up to academic research to ascertain the validity of the various claims. Much of the initial modern Wiccan/Pagan movement started based on a fabrication of history (i.e. tweaking the truth and even outright lies). It's much better now with Wiccans becoming Academics and doing real research that will allow them to take a more honest look at themselves.....

.. ..
I don't want to see us (The Streghe) fall into the same trap that the Wiccans of the 1960's did namely, that of everyone claims to have a personal family tradition going back in an unbroken line for thousands of years; with unchanged material, lore, and mysteries; that is a complete system of magic and mystery; that was always secret which is how it survived; and is oathbound so no verifiable proof can be offered to corroborate. If we follow that path, it only makes us look like attention seekers and children that don't know any better.....

.. ..
So, let's all try to criticize others less and compliment good academic research, good heart, and honest discussion more.....

.. ..
---Vinnie ....
.. ..
.. ..
11:33 AM
1 Comment
1 Kudos

    Shae)0(


Kudos to you Vinnie. Too often people concentrate on the difference instead of looking for our similarities. In actuality we should all be working for a common cause in taking better care of our world and eath other. It is our own personal perspective that makes the differences jump out and too often jealousies, and arrogance makes people go off on their own tangent about how "right" their viewpoint is. I too write about my path, and try to make sure people know that it is from my perspective as it is my personal path, and not one that is joined with a group. If it coincides with another's views, so be it...then we have found common ground upon which to build our friendship. If not, then again, that is okay too, for it gives us a place to start talking and listening to each other in an effort to grow as friends. Thanks for the reminder today. Blessed Be.

Posted by Shae)0( on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 1:36 PM

2009 August 06, August Newsletter

2009-11-23T23:26:00.002-05:00

Thursday, August 06, 2009

(Links disabled or in MySpace format)

August Newsletter for Arsenic & Old Lace
Current mood: busy

Arsenic & Old Lace

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer and Happy Lammas!
As our good friend Jonathan said in a recent email to us:

"Whether we call it La Cornucopia, Lammas, Lughnasadh, Festa di Demeter Malophoros, Green Corn & Dance, First Harvest, Time of the Scythe, Lunasa, Feast of St Peter's Chains, or that magical moment when the stars align into just 5' Leo... Wishing you a wonderful celebration of First Fruits in this season of summer's bounty."

Lammas is often called "The First Fruits" and is the first of the 3 harvest festivals in modern Paganism (Autumnal Equinox and Samhain are the other two) and is usually celebrated on August 1. A nice entry at Wikipedia is located here.

To help celebrate, we're giving our members special discounts on our selection of Altar Cloths and our Tote/Messenger Bags. Save 15% here!

Upcoming Events
Where we will be and when...

We have several events that we will be attending in the near future and would love to see you at them!

Annual Society of Elder Faiths Lammas Faire!
Join us for a great day of fun and fellowship. The beginning of the Harvest Season has long been marked by fairs, games, and gatherings. Our Faire is held in celebration of the ancient festival of Lammas,
in the tradition of the summer gathering of the tribes.

Sunday, August 9th, 2009
Metro West YMCA at Hopkinton
Gather at the Camp Carol Pavilion at 1:00 PM
Closing ritual at 4:00 PM
Admission: $5 SEF Members, kids under 12 free, $10 all others

Drum Circle! Belly Dance Workshop! Games for All Ages!
Sun Shield Workshop for Kids and Their Families! Cookie Bake-off (be a judge!) {http://www.elderfaiths.org/LF09}

Southern New Hampshire Pagan Pride Day - Save the date!
NH Pagans of all traditions and paths are welcome at NH Pagan Pride Day 2009

10am - 6pm
UU Church in Manchester, NH

We will have a variety of workshops, performances, vendors and craftspeople, as well as opportunities for the kids! Come and celebrate the Harvest season with us and show your Pride in your traditions and beliefs! {http://snhpaganpride.org/}

If you find yourself attending either of these wonderful events, look us up!

New and Noteworthy - Specialty Collections

· Fairy Collection - We've added a new "Specialty Category" where we've collected all of our Fairy related items in one convenient place.

· Our Dryad Design Collection and our Witches' Alchemy Potions are back!

As always, we're very interested in getting feedback from you! Please send us your suggestions and comments so we can improve our service.

About Arsenic & Old Lace

You can choose from over 5000 products and save 5% or more off retail prices. Save 10% on all purchases of $50 or more.

Arsenic & Old Lace

Rev. Vincent Russo,Proprietor

Web: http://www.arsenic.com

Tel: 617-381-4369

Blog: http://www.myspace.com/nivho

Become a Facebook Fan - click here!

Members Specials In honor of Lammas, Members receive special discounts on a selection of incense and incense accessories!
Come by and browse our selection.

Whoops! This month's special is actually on Altar Cloths and Tote/Messenger Bags.

Posted by Arsenic & Old Lace (Vinnie Russo) on Thursday, August 06, 2009 - 9:56 AM

2009 July 02, Seek out water???

2009-11-23T23:23:00.003-05:00

2009 July 02, Seek out water???

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Thursday, July 02, 2009
2009 July 02, Seek out water???
Current mood:Wet

.. ..
This morning I drew a tarot card for myself with the question, “Why can’t I seem to get as much writing done as I want?”. (When drawing a card for myself, I tend to rely on “Tarot: Mirror of the Soul” for the initial interpretation before putting my own spin on it.)

Mirror of the Soul gives the meaning of the High Priestess card as “access to intuitive powers, healing, independence, inner equilibrium, increased self-confidence”. That made sense to me.

The Question that I was told to ask myself was, “Are there areas in your life in which you allow others to influence you rather than trusting your own intuition?” Well, I knew the answer to that one!

The Suggestion that was offered was, “Seek out water as often as you can. Meditate near water, and learn from it as much as you can.”

Those of you in the NorthEast know that we’ve been getting rain after rain after rain. Today has been a particularly intense storm (thunder, lighting, rain, hail). I had water all around me! However, meditating while sitting on the back porch watching and listening to the rain fall was getting me nowhere.

What luck! The rain pattered off and the sky cleared! Since focusing on the rain wasn’t working, I knew just what to do. I promptly put on my jogging shorts with the intention of a quick jog to the park, a short meditation at the pond, and a quick jog home.

On the way there, I was thinking – almost like a moving meditation. Before I actually got to the park I had figured out that I know what the block in my writing is. I’m worried that if I don’t have cohesive structure before starting to write, then what I put on paper will be all over the place and hard to understand. I also have an intuitive idea what to do about it. I need to just write and not worry about the form, structure, or “polish” of it – that can come later. But I was holding myself back from doing just that. But why? Because I was worried about what would happen if I pushed past the block.

That's when I made the mistake of asking no one in particular, "What would happen if I trusted my instinct and pushed past the block?" There was a crack of lightning and the sky opened up. In a matter of seconds, I was soaked to the skin and couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of me. That was my answer. If pushed past the block with no regard to anything else, it would be like a dam breaking – a flow of force but without a container. Potentially overwhelming if not prepared for but the water would be free.

While getting soaked, I realized that right now, my writing is all dammed up and the information that I want to get down isn’t doing any good unless I do get it down. Maybe it’s time to release the floodgates and see what happens. After all, it’s only water, right?..
..

2009 June 12, Do the right thing...

2009-11-23T23:22:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Friday, June 12, 2009 - Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Current mood: amused

I needed to make a quick run to the convenience store to get some milk this morning. Normally, I’d actually run (well, let’s be honest, walk) to the store because it’s only a few blocks away. For some reason, I took the Rav instead.

Bizarrely, the closest convenience store was OUT of milk! So, I navigated around some back streets (the street that the convenience store is on is one way) to go to the next closest. The street I choose is one that I drive on quite frequently. It’s not a major street but it’s not a minor one either, especially at the tail end of rush hour.

The light at the corner was just turning from yellow to red as I approached so I slowed to a stop. Apparently the car behind me was in a rush because the woman blasted her horn. I was obvious that the light was red and that I wasn’t turning right. Did she want me to go through a red light? I glanced at them in the mirror and there was a car full of teens driven by an older woman. One of the teens was trying to ask the woman something and she just pointed to the window in disgust while continuing to glare at me. The teen shrugged, opened the window, and threw out one of those large plastic Dunkin Donuts ice-coffee cup.

Now, I really don’t like people who litter. I especially don’t like people when they throw trash out of cars. It shows a lack of respect, a lack of personal responsibility, and a disregard to the people who live there. I doubted that saying anything to them would change the situation so I figured that I’d lead by example.

Since the light was red, I put the Rav in park and got out. I walked toward the passenger window of the offending car. Without looking at them or addressing them in any way, I simply bent down, picked up the trash, and walked back past my Rav to the trash bin on the corner.

However, before getting to the bin, woman started to honk and yell, “move it!”. Apparently, when I was picking up after them, the light had turned green and she couldn’t go forward because I was in parked at the light in front of her. She couldn’t go around because of oncoming traffic. Basically, she was stuck there until I put the trash into the bin. By the time I got back to the Rav, the light was red again and the woman was screaming a blue streak and the kids were laughing.

She rolled down her window and screamed at me to “get in the fucking car and go!”. I wasn’t quite back in the Rav at that point so I turned back to her and calmly responded with, “If you hadn’t allowed your child to irresponsibly throw trash out the window, then I wouldn’t have stopped to clean up after them.”

She responded with, “You have no business doing that! We’re going to be late because of you!”

That’s when my bitch kicked in. I (still standing outside my Rav, with the light having changed back to red again) said, “If I see someone doing something wrong and I don’t take action to correct it, then I am just as much to blame as they are. I figured that saying something about trash would be lost on you so instead I chose to simply pick it up and throw it out. You’re the one who let the child thrown garbage out onto the street and you’re the one who confronted me. I was simply teaching by example.”

She said, “Yeah, how do you like this example? Are you going to pick up my trash too?” and promptly threw her Dunkin Donuts sandwich bag and ½ full coffee cup out the driver side window. With a very large smile I said, “Nope. I’m going to let you take responsibility for your own actions.”

What she didn’t realize, was that there was a cop about 30’ away watching and listening to the whole thing. When he saw her throw trash out the window into traffic, he came over and said to me, “Why don’t you get on with your day. I have this.”

As I drove off to the convenience store, the nice police man was writing her a ticket.

The moral of the story? Do the right thing BECAUSE it is the right thing to do Sometimes when you do the right thing for the right reason, you get the added bonus of watching someone being forced to take responsibility for their own actions.

2009 May 11, Meeting Maxine Sanders

2009-11-23T23:21:00.001-05:00

Monday, May 11, 2009
Meeting Maxine Sanders

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

On May 5, 2009 I was honored to be part of a small group of people that held a private chat (with Q&A) with Maxine Sanders while she was here in the Salem/Boston area. (For those of you who don't know, Maxine was the wife and High Priestess of Alex Sanders and co-founder of the Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca.)

Her stay in Salem was hosted by Alexandrian Elders Karagan & Jimahl di Fiosa (http://www.karaganwitch.com/ & http://jimahl.blogspot.com/) and the event itself was graciously hosted at Nu Aeon by Alexandrian Elders Gypsy and Richard. These Elders arranged for her to have a combination social, talk, and chat with some of us.

The event was attended primarily by Alexandrian Elders but also by a few guests representing other Traditions. As the event was not Alexandrian or "elders only", she gave us explicit permission to share her words in public formats such as blogs and mailing lists. With luck, the audio recording that a friend attempted to make will be clear enough to be transcribed. It will be a couple days before I know.

When I was introduced to her (as an Alexandrian) she said, "I recognize you, you're Vinnie. I recognize you from the Alexandrian Network." She then clasped my hands in hers and gave me a kiss on each cheek. I admit I was quite tickled. She is a lovely lady and very gracious.

Although I wanted to ask her about some of the issues regarding difference in practice with the Alexandrian Tradition (including Same-Sex Initiations) I also realized that a public forum/social might not be the right place for a lengthy discussion. I simply mentioned to her that I had been in contact with one of the Elders in her daughter coven (giving her the name of the Elder) and at some point would love to ask her some of the same questions. Apparently, she was aware of the contact (as I would assume). She told me that I could trust the answers that he gave me regarding differences in the Alexandrian Tradition as they reflected her own opinions. Maxine also invited me to contact her in the future - which I am sure that I'll do!

Maxine has a new book out called Firechild. It chronicles the early years of the Craft in Britain and her life with Alex. It offers a unique perspective of the Craft at that time and modern day practitioners to clarify our origins. Although my book distributor hasn't yet stocked Firechild, I suggest that you get a copy and give it a good read. There are some real gems in it!

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie

I posted a couple pictures of Maxine here:

http://www.arsenic.com/images/personal/pics/VinnieMaxine1.jpg
http://www.arsenic.com/images/personal/pics/VinnieMaxine2.jpg

2009 April 21, The turning of the Wheel and the arrival of Beltaine

2009-11-23T23:19:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The turning of the Wheel and the arrival of Beltaine

Current mood: excited

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

You know, I celebrate the 8 Sabbats - the turning points on the Wheel. We, as modern Pagans and Witches, have specific days that we observe the Sabbats whether by calendar or astrological event. Even though I do that too, I personally find it much more magical to KNOW the season and its special days by KNOWING the environment around me.

Today I woke up and got myself ready to head out to the Post Office. When I opened the door, something magical happened.

There was a nip in the air (46* F). Our hilly neighborhood was filled will rolling fog clouds. One minute you can't see the other side of the street, the next, the veil was was lifted. The full kiss of Spring was in the air despite the chill. I just stood for a few minutes and stared at our plum tree and lilac tree. They were both in the beginning of budding and blooming. That's when it hit me.

TODAY was Beltaine! Happy Beltaine everyone!

(Pics posted on the original blog didn't survive export/import.))

2009 Mar 13, Friday the 13th – No longer Alexandrian?

2009-11-23T23:15:00.004-05:00

2009 Mar 13,     Friday the 13th – No longer Alexandrian?

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Friday the 13th – No longer Alexandrian?

Yesterday on the Amber & Jet Yahoo group Branson (a List moderator and NOT an Alexandrian Elder (Moshian, I have been informed) declared that I am no longer a Proper Person because I “have deliberately left the prescriptions of that Tradition”. “That Tradition”, of course, refers to the Alexandrian Tradition. He posted, “Knowing this, you may no longer sign your posts as Alexandrian”. Although he can enforce that on the list that he moderates, it’s a bit silly to think that makes a difference anywhere else.

So, what caused this? Well, it’s against the Terms of Service to repost yahoo group messages but you can join the A&J list and go see for yourself. What I can do is describe the events leading up to the situation from my perspective.

Over the past few years, there has been a number of discussions in the Alexandrian community as to what “is core” and what is or isn’t acceptable practice. Of course, no resolution was reached and many of the discussions fell to the inevitable default “I’m correct and this is how it is.”

Some of these same issues recently came up on the Amber & Jet list and seemed to center around the fact that I was outspoken enough to say that there ARE certain things that ARE within the bounds of the Alexandrian Tradition even though some Alexandrians state that they are not acceptable as Alexandrian practices. Of course, to actually discuss HOW and WHY they ARE within the bounds of the Alexandrian Tradition would involve delving into an open and honest discussion of the Alexandrian Book of Shadows which can’t happen on a public list since the BoS is oathbound. I had originally assumed that the discussions would end with the usual “agree to disagree”.

Instead, some of the more vocal and conservative Alexandrian drew a line in the sand and basically stated that certain things were forbidden. This time, I was fed up with letting a few people make proclamations and dictating the public view of the Tradition. I believe that no one person or limited group of people has the authority to do that, only the collective body of Initiates of the Tradition. Until that happens, as Elders, we should be able to agree to disagree and hold honest and open conversations, at least ideally.

Although there are many issues that have been discussed in many different forums, I believe that the biggest that contributed to Branson’s action included things like .. changes and/or additions to the non-core lore of the Tradition, gender roles and understanding of polarity, differing opinions to what constitutes the core of the Tradition, and acceptance of same sex initiation either as a regular practice or as a valid exception to regular practice.

Some folks expressed that if I felt that strongly about those things, that I stop calling it Alexandrian and just call it something else. The problem with that is that there is an entire branch of the Alexandrian Tradition that holds lineage back to Alex Sanders, whose core lore is based on the earliest version of the Alexandrian Book of Shadows, and up to now (when I pushed this issue), was considered Alexandrian. The Line of which I speak is the Ganymede/Chthonioi line. It is one of the oldest (founded in 1974 or 1975) Lines in the US and holds unbroken Lineage back to Alex Sanders from the then until present day. It is large, diverse, and prosperous. Something to consider though, if you will:
* I received Alexandrian I & E’s (Initiation and Elevations)
* I’ve been vouched for my numerous Alexandrian Elders, even the conservative ones
* I have M-F-M-F lineage back to Alex and I have the original version of the Alexandrian BoS.
That makes me Alexandrian regardless of anything else.

If my practice takes me in a different direction, the conservatives can claim that my *practice* is no longer solely Alexandrian but they can’t question my right to be an Alexandrian. It’s hypocritical. I find it sad that even when meeting the stated requirement of Alexandrian Initiation, the shit hits the fan when I still dare to disagree and want dialogue.

So for now, I’m willing to call myself Chthonioi-Alexandrian and to describe my Line as in that way.   FYI, this is specifically in regards to my “Chthonioi-Alexandrian Lineage” and has nothing to do with my Stregheria practice or lineage.

Let me clarify something The Amber & Jet list is not mine and I am not a moderator on it. It is an egroup/elist which is a finite thing and is run by moderators and owners. I believe that they have every right to define terms used on the list however they want - but only on the list. There is often some wonderful discussions that happen on that list - more so on many other lists.

UPDATE - oh, I've just been informed by Branson that I am now "beyond the Pale". I think that I just lost what little respect I had left for that attitude. Whatever.

Comments posted on the original Blog post:

Arachne -
    Hey Sweetie -- just read your note to me (et al) and came here to read your post. [JOINED to read your post - !] There is just oh, SO much to be said about this, and none of it flattering to Branson and his ilk. Our Family *so* has the A cred that it's...well, rather mind-boggling to even contemplate the audacity of a small handful of A&J people deciding to anathematize us! Symbios plans a lengthy discussion of this at our usual meeting Sunday night; would you like to join us? Big, big hugs in the meantime, and BB! Arachne

Posted by Arachne on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 1:25 PM


Jayson Derwin -

    Sigh. Same old crap. Ego's with nothing to do.

Posted by Jayson on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 2:47 PM



Intuitive Life Network -

    Your integrity is intact, and that's all that matters, ultimately. Maybe this Branson does not see beyond the veil. & he has no idea who you are...

Posted by Intuitive Life Network Productions on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 5:37 PM



Peter White -

    Vinny, one thing I have discovered is the online pagan community is, generally, filled with close minded, my way or the high way, ignorant fluffy bunnies. You don't have to look much past the 'elders' of our local Boston pagan 'community' (such as it is) to see that, and you know whom I am speaking of. Just like the local idiots we have to deal with here in Boston they crop up elsewhere sadly and it seems the A&J list is no exception. Bottom line, it is what it is, and not worth wasting any more time pondering over it. People like him are going to be irrational and illogical and all you can do is nod, pat them on the head and go your merry way. For what its worth you have all my respect and I know many others. Blessings.

Posted by Peter on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 5:58 PM


Jen -
    What exactly does Branson mean by "beyond the Pale"? Does this mean you've been given the boot? Good riddance. I actually feel very comfortable with the idea of being Chthonioi-Alexandrian because it means I don't have to spend several paragraphs explaining what my actual affiliation is.

And, just so you know, your downline loves you!

Posted by Jen on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 8:37 PM


Gina -
    Ugh this BS was strong in that discussion! Anyway we at least know what..s going on. I think ego is definitely playing a role on Branson..s part ... who appointed him grand poobah of proper personhood and who may call themselves what? The sheer audacity of using your privilege as a moderator of an online list to tell someone what they may or may not identify themselves as is unfathomable! Especially in a religion that prides itself on having no central governing body. Lawdy. Big big hugs Vinnie, I..m glad you..re in my family. Thankfully we have an abundance of common sense.

Posted by Gina on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 10:00 PM


Luna Calante -
    Uh I've been on that list for over a couple of years - mostly silently, ever since my first vocal introduction - and I know exactly what you mean. By the way, Branson is neither Alexandrian nor Gardnerian: he is Mohsian, or so that's what he claimed to be when I questioned him offline about some Alexandrian tradition business. So I really don't know with what authority he can speak on whether your practice can or cannot be defined Alexandrian. All he knows about Alexandrians is what he hears from Adam and Juniper. Most of the time, the picture painted about tradition on the A&J list (and I can only speak for the Alexandrians here) does not reflect reality. Branson & Co. have done several blunders over the years in regard to Alexandrian Initiates around the world. The fact he hasn't learnt from his mistakes just goes to show how little he knows about Alexandrians which are not many but are quite close-knitted, and how little his opinion should weigh on what you know to be otherwise. If it's any consolation our HP had a run in with Branson when he first joined the list. I come from an ultra conservative line here in the UK which goes undiluted direct to Maxine (who's still alive and kicking and ready to put things straight when needed) and I can reassure you nothing and nobody can take your lineage, initiations and elevations nor in public once you've been accepted as such nor in private, not even from ultraconservative perception and certainly not from a non Alexandrian. So you sign yourself as you have always done, keep your head high and disregard his nonsense.

BB & kind regards.

Posted by Luna Calante on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 8:56 AM


Raven -
    thank you for your kind words.It's reassuring!

Raven, who sorta started the whole thing on A&J.Oops!

Posted by Raven on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 10:15 PM


Arsenic & Old Lace (Vinnie Russo) -

    So, he's not even Alexandrian and he's claiming to speak for our Tradition? Ye Gods. Now his opinion means even LESS than it ever did in regards to this issue.

Posted by Arsenic & Old Lace (Vinnie Russo) on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 10:56 AM


Black Label Raider -

    Well said, as for only being a 1 Alexandrian from the DBG line it saddens me to See so many of us that dont get along. We have lost the message to Love, each other, regradless of are differances. Goddess Bless -Radulf

Posted by Black Label Raider on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 7:16 AM

elisa coppola -

    I think Peter sums it up........ I believe affiliations are merely an outline not something to be caged in. No one knows "the whole truth"...our path is to evolve...find new ways.....explore....and it sounds like that is what you are doing..... sorry, but their loss

Posted by Elisa Coppola on Friday, March 20, 2009 - 9:43 AM

2009 Feb 18, The True Mysteries

2009-11-23T23:09:00.004-05:00

2009 Feb 18, The True Mysteries

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

I've been re-reading a great series of Science Fiction by Dan Simmons. The book that I am currently up to is "The Rise of Endymion". It never ceases to amaze me how much wisdom can be found in Science Fiction and Fantasy... even the Keys to the Mysteries - or at least sign posts.

Here is a passage that struck a cord with me. I hope that you enjoy it:

(c) 1977, The Rise of Endymion, Dan Simmons, p284
To see and feel one's beloved naked for the first time is one of life's pure, irreducible epiphanies. If there is a true religion in the universe, it must include that truth of contact or be forever hollow. To make love to the one true person who deserves that love is one of the few absolute rewards of being a human being, balancing all of the pain, loss, awkwardness, loneliness, idiocy, compromise, and clumsiness that go with the human condition. To make love to the right person makes up for a lot of mistakes.

2009 Feb 02, Coffee With The Strega - A Discussion Workshop

2009-11-23T23:06:00.003-05:00

2009 Feb 02, Coffee With The Strega - A Discussion Workshop

Originally posted on my previous blog archive site

Hey all, here is a discussion workshop that I will be doing at the end of the month. Hope you can make it!

http://www.arsenic.com/resourcepages/strega/streghecoffee.aspx

We've heard the word, but most of us don't know much about Italian Witchcraft, or Stregheria. Vinnie is an experienced Stregone (male Strega) and Alexandrian Elder who will sit down with interested members and discuss Stregheria as he learned to practice it from some of the best-respected Strega teachers of our time. Bring your favorite nibbles and baked goods, and sip coffee as we discuss some of these topics:

What is Stregheria, traditionally and today? What kinds of daily practices would a Strega learn and do? What does Strega magic involve? Who are the gods, and how are they worshipped? Are there any similarities between Stregheria and Wicca? What is a personal relationship with the Mother, Father, and the Ancestors?

We will plan for two to three hours of informal discussion, and depending on member interest, will offer a series of discussions that further explore the nature of contemporary Streghe, and the areas of intersection and distinction from Pagan and Wiccan practice in our community today.

............
Date:
February 28, 2009, Saturday

Time:
2 PM – 5 PM

Cost:
FREE for SEF Members, $5 non-Members, all fees donated to the Society of Elder Faiths.

Please bring snacks/munchies to share.

Location:
Brigham Hill Community Farm on 37 Wheeler Road in Grafton

Directions:
From the Mass. Pike -
Take Exit 11 (Millbury, Rt. 122), NOT exit 11A, turn right onto Rt. 122 South.
Proceed a little over 2 miles, during which time Rt. 140 will merge in
from the left, and you will then pass under the Mass Pike.
At the base of a down grade, look for Wheeler Road on the right. (If
you reach the Stop & Shop you have gone too far.)
Turn right on Wheeler Road.
Follow Wheeler Road up the hill until you can see the point where Wheeler Road ends at North Brigham Hill Road; you will then see the barn and its parking lot on the left.

Whispers on the Wind

Southern Italian and Sicilian drumming, chanting, and dancing.

What's up for December?

New ventures

So, what happens when we die?

Nature of the Gods

May musings

The little things like standing up straight...

New Streghe on the block? - Revisited

New Streghe on the block?

Brilliant Analysis of the Charge by Sorita d'Este & David Rankine

Charge of the Goddess: Analysis

(c) 2001-2008 Sorita d’Este and David Rankine, all rights reserved.—————————————-

Textual Analysis of the Charge of the Goddess

Auguri e Buon Natale a tutti! May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy!

Chthonioi Alexandrian Tradition - Beyond an Initiatory Line and into a Tradition

This Much I Know Is True

Great Fall Family Recipe - Vegetable Barley Soup

Long distance learning - some rambling thoughts...

Was getting the iPad worth it?

Crows

Basic homemade tomato sauce

Saint Sebastian

Konrad Maziarz: Had to share this.

Konrad Maziarz: Had to share this.

Bitching about the Health Care Bill? Read this...

Community is important

Busy, busy!

Sent to Robin at CNN HLN

The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage

Italian in the new year

Happy New Year & Sale at Arsenic & Old Lace

December 2009 Newsletter

2009 November 23, Moving over to blogger

2009 November 01, November Newsletter

2009 October 26, Observance of Wiccan New Year Ends in Religious Discrimination Suit

2009 September 01, All Among The Barley

2009 August 19, Authentic vs Valid

2009 August 06, August Newsletter

Thursday, August 06, 2009

2009 July 02, Seek out water???

2009 June 12, Do the right thing...

2009 May 11, Meeting Maxine Sanders

2009 April 21, The turning of the Wheel and the arrival of Beltaine

2009 Mar 13, Friday the 13th – No longer Alexandrian?

2009 Feb 18, The True Mysteries

2009 Feb 02, Coffee With The Strega - A Discussion Workshop

(c) 2001-2008 Sorita d’Este and David Rankine, all rights reserved.
—————————————-