Options for Black Friday November 26, 2009

(This post is mostly directed at the Americans reading this. We sure do love our consumer goods! “Black Friday” refers to the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, which is the biggest shopping day of the year as millions of people turn out to malls, stores and shopping centers in search of sale items for holiday gifts.)

Tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day. It was begun as a protest of the rampant consumerism that infects American society like a plague, especially at Christmas, to the point where people put themselves into debt for months or years afterward, act awful and rude to each other as they struggle to deal with crowds of other shoppers, and even trample people to death in their rush to snap up bargains. I’ve done this for several years now (partake in Buy Nothing Day, I mean, not trample people). I suppose it helps that I don’t spend any money at all most days, but I still make it a point to participate. However, I’m also realistic enough to know that at least some of you reading this might be planning on slipping out to shop tomorrow, so here are some alternatives that will let you have your cake (feeling good about doing something charitable) and eat it too (spending money.)

First of all, I suggest shopping online. At least you won’t be burning fuel, battling enormous crowds in brightly lit, noisy malls or adding to the general chaos and unpleasantness on the streets. Even better, you could make a purchase from an independent seller of handmade goods. A number of people (some of whom I know!) sell their wares on Etsy or similar sites where the items range from charmingly amateurish to well-made and professional. You can give someone a one-of-a-kind, handmade gift this year while supporting independent craftspeople and retailers rather than large manufacturers and chain stores.

Should you want to give something exotic with more global impact, consider shopping at one of the Greater Good Network’s “click once a day to help” sites. They sell many imported handmade, fairly-traded and/or green goods including clothing, jewelry, accessories, toys, home decor and gifts. Profits go towards the charity from whose store you bought the item — the item description will tell you exactly how many cups of food, square feet of land or free mammograms your purchase will fund. You can also donate directly to the GGN if you’re so inclined.

If you want to give someone a gift but don’t want it to be “stuff,” you can donate a microfinance loan in the recipient’s name to help a small entrepreneur start or improve their business. You can do this through Kiva, which lists the names, photos and descriptions of folks around the world seeking loans. The minimum loan amount is $25 but that amount can be rolled over endlessly to help other entrepreneurs (or collected by the person in whose name you donated) once the original loan has been paid back, thus having the potential to help a number of people with the same small investment. They have an excellent repayment rate.

Finally, you can make or bake your own gifts to give, share your time and service with someone who needs it, write a letter or a poem for each person on your list, invite everyone over for a special homemade meal, round up a group of people to perform community service together, or make some other gesture that shows how much you care, all with a minimal outlay for supplies, transportation or postage. Or you could reconsider the whole thing and come up with holiday gifts that cost nothing — which is the whole point of Buy Nothing Day, anyway.

(Cross-posted in somewhat different form from my LiveJournal.)

For Thanksgiving November 25, 2009

We honor the predators and the prey,
those who stalk and devour,
and those who fall and are devoured.
Hail to thee, throughout the Nine Worlds.

We honor the hunters and the game,
those who give chase and kill,
and those who flee and are slain.
Hail to thee, throughout the Nine Worlds.

We honor the fisher-folk and the fish,
those who cast nets into the seas,
and those who are caught and taken.
Hail to thee, throughout the Nine Worlds.

We honor the farmers and their crops,
those who till the earth, sow and reap,
and those who grow and are harvested.
Hail to thee, throughout the Nine Worlds.

We honor the scavengers who come last of all,
those who feed on both predator and prey
and who devour what is left behind.
Hail to thee, throughout the Nine Worlds.

Hail the swift falcons of Asgard.
Hail the sweet herbs of Ljossalfheim.
Hail the golden grain of Vanaheim.
Hail the fierce wolves of Jotunheim.
Hail the green gardens of Midgard.
Hail the boiling seas of Muspellheim.
Hail the flowing brews of Svartalfheim.
Hail the shining fishes of Niflheim.
Hail the journey’s end in Helheim.

(from Be Thou My Hearth and Shield)

Hail to the soldiers, police officers and firefighters who work tirelessly to ensure our safety.

Hail to the doctors, nurses, healers, specialists and scientists who work tirelessly to protect our health.

Hail to the farmers, ranchers, gardeners, planters, harvesters and field workers who work tirelessly to provide our food.

Hail to the teachers, professors, researchers and scholars who work tirelessly to improve our store of knowledge.

Hail to the counselors, guides, psychiatrists, clergypersons, priests and lay religious people who work tirelessly to improve our mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

Hail to the artists, poets, singers, dancers, actors and writers who work tirelessly to reflect the world in all its awesome terror and beauty.

Hail to those who work tirelessly in landfills and dumps, halfway houses, methadone clinics, morgues, prisons, nursing homes, welfare offices, slaughterhouses and everywhere else there is a job no one else wants to do.

Hail to all those who came here in search of freedom and a better life.

Hail to those who were here first and lived free for thousands of years.

Hail the beloved dead and those who are yet to be born.

This year I personally am thankful:

For finally, after many years of suffering, getting my chemically-based depression under control.

For having the opportunity to take yoga teacher training thanks to a loyal and good friend.

For the love and affection of my friends and family, both of the blood and otherwise.

For Fuzzybutt, who makes me happy and expects nothing but head pats, belly rubs and affection in return.

For waking up and realizing that it isn’t a sacrifice if someone has to demand it.

For love, passion, trust and devotion.

For Himself.

* * * * *
I will return to making more substantial posts after the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to those in the U.S. and a fruitful week to everyone.

Call for Submissions: Frey Devotional November 14, 2009

This is posted on behalf of my friend and housemate Joshua. (Yes, it’s actually him and not Raven who’s doing this book, for those who are wondering.) Josh loves Frey very much and really wants this devotional to be awesome, so send him something good!

* * * * *
I am putting together a devotional anthology for Frey (because I love Frey!) with the working title “Honey, Grain, and Gold.” I am looking for:

1) Prayers to Frey, of any kind. Under 100 lines.
2) Poetry for/about/from Frey. Under 100 lines.
3) Frey-relevant rituals, of any kind. Under 2000 words.
4) Frey-relevant recipes.
5) Essays about your personal experience of Frey, or your devotional activity towards Frey, or how honoring Frey has changed your life, or similar topics. Between 500 and 5000 words.
6) Devotional songs for Frey, either with sheet music, or with a recording you can send me.
7) Traditional songs (past copyright or with author’s/songwriter’s permission) that you find particularly Frey-relevant.
8)Frey-related images suitable for printing in black and white, such as images of Frey, photos of Frey/Vanic altars or ritual items, or exceptionally inspirational nature/farm/grain photos. The original must be at least 300dpi at final print size. If you didn’t make the image yourself, I need some kind of documentation of copyright permission.

Please do not send me writing that complains about or criticizes other people’s spiritual beliefs or practices.

Send submissions to joshuatenpenny@yahoo.com. Files can be in Word, Open Office, plain text or cut-and-pasted into the email. Include your full legal name and your mailing address so I can send a release form, and tell me what name you want used in the book.

Thanks and please pass this along wherever you feel it is appropriate

(Also, if there is a deity that you’d like to see a devotional for and you’ve got some material for it but are scared of organizing the anthology yourself, send me an email. Asphodel Press is always looking for more deity devotionals, especially for gods besides Odin and Loki – They have enough! We are also interested in collections of prayers and rituals. And don’t think that we won’t publish your devotional because we don’t know you or because we don’t like your god.)

– Joshua Tenpenny

Thief of Hearts November 6, 2009

Thief of hearts,
you have ransacked
this beggar’s hut,
left me
nothing.

All I see
now
is the print
of your pilfering hand
everywhere.

– Ivan M. Granger

Book Review: Books of Hours November 4, 2009

The Book of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess and Book of Hours: Prayers to the God represent something of a departure from the norm for Pagan publishing in that they are not “Wicca/Neo-Paganism 101″ texts nor are they compilations of magical correspondenses, tables and spells. These are genuine books of hours arranged for daily, seasonal, lunar, solar and occasional use, and they contain prayers rather than invocations or rituals.

Designed to be used either separately or together, these are primarily intended for a Wiccan audience. Prayers to the Goddess is based around the aspects of the Threefold Goddess and the prayers for Her are meant to be said in the morning, evening and at night. A separate Common of the Moon contains prayers for the Full and New Moons, and the Seasonal Common reflects the eight Sabbats.

Prayers to the God celebrates Him as the Lover of the Goddess and contains daily prayers addressed to the God and meant to be said in the afternoon, as well as solar, lunar and seasonal prayers. Unlike the first volume, this one also contains prayers specifically for men and women. Both books have a selection of assorted prayers for different purposes and an appendix describing a few commonly worshiped Hellenic, Celtic and Egyptian deities.

In modern Wicca and Wiccan-based Neo-Paganism, the Goddess has ascendancy over the God and is often the focus of more devotional and ritual behavior. The author is writing from that standpoint and therefore, the first volume is more of a stand-alone book than the second, where the material addressed specifically to the God isn’t as extensive. However, the real beauty in these two books is that they are meant to be used concurrently, so that one would be praying to the Goddess and God daily at different times, forming a continous round of prayer from morning to night and following the cycles of the Sun, Moon and seasons.

As my housemate pointed out, the one potentially discordant thing about these two books is the different between the tone of the prayers addressed to the Goddess versus those addressed to the God. The former are prayers of reverence and devotion to a universal deity, while the latter are expressed from the point of view of a lover to one’s divine but very particular Beloved. Since the author is a (presumably) heterosexual woman, this makes a certain amount of sense. However, it also limits the usefulness of the prayers somewhat for those who aren’t inclined to view the Goddess and God in these roles. While the author acknowledges this in her preface to Prayers to the God, it would have been nice to see the same approach consistently in both books.

While the theology expressed doesn’t reflect my own beliefs (I’m a hard polytheist and conceive as the gods as separate entities rather than facets of a universal Goddess and God) I do admire the sincerity and devotion that went into the writing of the Books of Hours. The brief prayers are very beautiful, and while some might find the daily affirmations and meditation topics too “New Agey” or simplistic, there is nothing preventing one from using different subjects for these. Additionally, it’s nice that these were conceived by the publisher as quality books intended for many years’ use; they’re hardbound with an attached ribbon marker and parchment endpapers, and printed with an easy-to-read font (but no illustrations). Unfortunately they’re both out of print, but used copies may be found online.

I highly recommend these for Wiccans and Neo-Pagans of that bent who seek to develop a closer relationship with the Goddess and God and who are inclined towards regular devotional practice or monasticism. For others, these books might serve as inspiration for a Book of Hours more relevant to their own tradition or theology.

Book of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess
Book of Hours: Prayers to the God
by Galen Gillotte
2002, Llewellyn Publications
$14.95 (each)

On Monastic Restrictions: Personal Conduct November 3, 2009

I had a much longer entry here which explained why and how I arrived at my guidelines for personal conduct as a monastic. The more I wrote the more explaining I felt I had to do, which made the post even longer and more tedious. I did say I’d explain, however. For those who are curious, I have briefly listed Loki and Hela’s expectations of me as a nun, which I knew would be required of me long before I took my vows.

For all intents and purposes, I’m spoken for. I’m Loki’s priestess-wife and a dedicated, professional monastic, so I don’t date nor am I interested in any other sort of romantic attachment. I simply haven’t got the time, energy or emotional resources for that. As for what (or who) I can and cannot do in regards to sex, that is something I’d rather not discuss here. Suffice it to say that I am not celibate in the sense of never engaging in any sexual activity at all, but I’m not going to be hooking up with anybody new unless my red-haired Interloper decides it’s a good idea and sends someone my way.

I must cultivate total honesty with myself about my motives, reasoning and feelings about everything. Loki’s biggest lesson for His folk is that even if you lie your head off to others, you should never lie to yourself. Being clear about why I say and do the things I say and do is a high priority for me, partly because that kind of awareness fosters wisdom, compassion for others and greater understanding, and partly because understanding why I’m driven to act a certain way might change my mind about acting that way in the first place. Note that this doesn’t require that I refrain from doing anything, just that I’m honest with myself about why I’m doing it.

Being honest with myself also means that I must to be able to accept the consequences of my actions without making excuses or trying to get out of paying the price. Admittedly, that’s not something Loki’s terribly interested in (he does spend a lot of time in the Eddas running away after doing something unwise)…but personal responsibility happens to be something Hela values in those who serve Her. In fact, Loki and Hela are really interested in people who can own their shit in these ways. They don’t seem to mind if you haven’t got all your shit together, but you need to be able to point to it and say, “Yeah, that’s my shit, right over there!”

This is not an uncommon thing to encounter for those on the path to greater understanding; carved above the Oracle of Delphi were the words “Know thyself,” and one of the four corners of the traditional Witch’s Pyramid is “to know” — which I always believed must imply self-knowledge as well as esoteric acumen. The danger with striving for self-knowledge is in becoming too absorbed in your own navel-gazing and sense of your place in the greater scheme of things, which brings me to my next point.

I must remember that it isn’t all about me. I am in service to deities who have Their own agendas as well as Their own existence outside of being my gods. I am in a community (or several intersecting communities, rather) of people with needs and goals which are no less important than mine. I am writing this blog as much for the sake of other Pagans interested in monastic practice as I am for myself. Just because it was my choice to devote my entire life to religious service and devotion doesn’t mean that the results will affect no one else.

That’s it. I don’t have a Rule. I don’t use a set of formal Hours to pray or worship by (although I’m working on augmenting my daily practice with something similar). I haven’t got a set of commandments or rules. I’ve just got my four simple monastic values and I have to use my own judgment about right action. I also have to remain humble enough to understand when my ego is getting in the way. If this sounds too easy or as if I’m trying to cop out of having more stringent requirements, well…all I can say is that living up to these few things is going to take the rest of my life to learn to do even halfway well.

As for how, exactly, I determine “right action,” this is going to sound disrespectful in the extreme, but I often think that those who seek to emulate the Norse gods must be crazy — have they actually read what goes on in the old stories? There’s a good deal of oath-breaking, lying, unprovoked mayhem, cheating and pointless conflict there, and no, Loki isn’t responsible for all of it. I say this without judging Them, of course. The gods do things because that’s how They do things. Not being one of Them, I need to have an ethical way to deal with the world based on the things I value as a human being.  I’ll address my personal ethics in a later post. It might be interesting to contrast and compare them with the ethics posts I made about a year ago when I was still trying to take my monastic practice in a direction it was apparently not intended to go.