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 Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:12 pm
Blessed_Scribe We are in need of writers for the following sections: Abilities, Animal Totems, Astral Projection, Author of the Month, Book Review, Crystals and Gemstones, Divination, Meditation, Mythical Creatures, Pagan Art, Pagan Music, Spells, Pagan Art, and Author of the Month. If you're interested, please head on over to this thread to pick up the application. Once you've filled it out, please send it to Blessed_Scribe. It's a paying job (Gaia gold only), so it's well worth it! biggrin - Introduction- Guild Happenings- Member's Section- Advanced Practitioners- Astrology- Current Affairs- Elements- Herb Garden- Pagan Humor- Game Room- Classified Ads- Feedback - we want to hear your opinions
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:02 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:38 pm
Please welcome our new members! biggrin Scubas_girl, CrookTheDiscordant, Born_Butch, Kyrellyan, Lilith Le Rouge, Lord Magion, Musical_Vampire_Socks , XxXDecember-SnowXxX , Captain Oreillee, skenzii_da_MASTA, VampirePrincess87, _Hy5t3r1a_ , MIssEdwynne, Kat Skella, Maered_Mari, goddessnaia, Seinen the Hentai Monk, kitsunegirlyPlease wish the following people a happy birthday this month! August 2nd - - Dark Angel Rai August 4th - - NoahFayce August 5th - - Angel Lionheart August 9th - - hoshiko-demon August 10th - - chubathang1165 August 11th - - The Riot King August 12th - - Lucifer Kiss August 16th - - YumiSukazu August 17th - - Naienko August 18th - - musik6-13-05 and Nessie Black August 19th - - Bayleigh of the Dark Moon August 20th - - mystikdreamer, dragonwings87 and Amythest Fae August 23rd - - SinginginSilence, and Dark_Style August 24th - - Lady Katmarie and navrie August 28th - - God_of_Skills August 29th - - Satans Sweetest Angel August 30th - - AmeRose ---------- Member's Art If you'd like to have your art featured here, just PM Blessed_Scribe. You'll get gold for anything that you submit. (Art is defined as poetry, short stories, excerpts from a novel, photography, sculptures, graphic design, painting, drawings, collages, etc). | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:45 pm
 Advanced Practitioners - Researching 101Written by StarlockAnyone who has been walking this path even from their early days has had to do their own research. A primer on how to do research shouldn't be a topic in "advanced Paganism" but for better or for worse, this basic skill is something left under-addressed in our K-12 education and given little note in most of the Pagan literature you're bound to read. All research of course, starts with asking a question. Asking a good question is important, however. We need to go farther than "I want to know something about candle magic." In what context do you want to learn about candle magic? Do you want to gather information about the history of candles and candle making first? Might you be more interested in the historic and folkloric usage of candles in religious traditions of the world? Maybe you're more interested in seeing what others have done and pick up something to inspire your own personal practice? Refining your questions will help you figure out what sources of information would be best to consult for what you're investigating. Familiarize yourself with library cataloging systems such as Dewey, used in most public libraries, or Library of Congress, used in most academic libraries. One of the most important things you will need to learn how to do is evaluate sources of information in relation to the questions that you're wanting to answer. I say in relation to the question you want to answer because a source that is ill-suited for one purpose may be well-suited for another. In this short introduction I can't hope to do a justice to this topic, but here are a few general things to consider. Know your Own Biases. This is a toughie, folks, and requires a humbling (sometimes humiliating) degree of self-honesty. We all bring our own prejudices and naive preconceptions to the table when approaching a source of information. We all have our own personal tastes and preferences for writing styles and types of information. To fairly evaluate a source, you need to remove your ego from the picture. Author Evaluation. Are they qualified to be writing on this topic? Are these qualifications relevant for the information you're looking to glean from this particular source? If, for example, you want to know the folkloric uses of a certain herb, you should probably look for a book written by an ethnobotanist or folklorist. On the other hand, if you're just looking for something spiritually inspiring, qualifications likely don't matter much at all. Check the Bibliography. Regardless of an author's qualifications, check to see if they've provided evidence of doing good research. Nobody can be an authority on everything, so scrupulous authors will refer back to the people who are. For example, if you are consulting a book by a Pagan author for that bit of herb lore you wanted, they should have something written by an ethnobotanist or folklorist in their bibliography. Publication. Information can become out of date, so be mindful of the copyright of what you are reading. Also be mindful of the general reputation of the publisher in terms of their standing as an academic or mass-market press. A university press is likely to be scholarly, but keep in mind that a publisher's reputability is not a sure-fire indication of source quality in relation to your needs. Intended Audience. If you find yourself not liking a book, ask yourself if you are part of its target audience first. Remember your biases and who you are. We all get sick of reading Witchcraft 101 books after a while, so if you're past that stage, you might need to approach reading it from a different angle or find another source of information to answer your question Quality of Content. This is another toughie, folks. Figuring this out is an art and there are many things to keep in mind. Consider if the source is primary or secondary. Really scrutinize that bibliography again. Examine the tone and style of the writing; is it lending itself to an objective presentation of facts? Does the book present a flourish of moving personal anecdotes? How does this source's perspective relate to other books of a similar stripe? Is it in line with them or does it break with them, perhaps controversially? Does this source blur the line between fact and opinion? Many of us will complain (myself included) about the lack of more academic research standards in our literature. We need to remember that this is not the niche most Pagan literature is intended to fill. Our literature, rather than being academic, is designed to provide spiritual inspiration and guidance on highly personalized paths. Often times, the facts aren't at the heart of the questions we need answers to on our path and an author's anecdote may be just what we need. It does mean, however, that for most factual inquiry, you should get out of the Pagan literature and into the subject literature directly related to your question. Additional Resources: *** Critically Analyzing Information Sources*** Evaluating Internet SourcesHere's a question you should be asking by now: is Starlock an authority on this topic? If you take a look at any authoritative criteria which shows you how to evaluate internet sources, your answer should be a resounding "NO!" General piece of advice (and take it for what it's worth!): take any information gleaned from web forum users with a heaping pile of salt. I don't care how smart they sound and how much they cite. People with agendas and axes to grind know how to make persuasive arguments; many of them are skilled at knowing how to pass off their opinions as facts. Never use a web forum to make up your mind about factual information. | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:49 pm
This month, the Egyptian new year begins in August with the star Sirius rising, after being hidden for 70 days. Lots of ancient cultures had calendars or myths based on the stars and I'm going to mention some of them for this issue. The Babylonians used the first known astrology system, around 2000 B.C. The original Babylonians didn't have the mathematical knowledge to predict star patterns, so interpretations were done day by day. By 400 A.D., they had enough math experience to calculate the positions of stars and planets with accuracy. They only knew about five of the planets: Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mercury, and Mars. The Babylonians were the first to use the 12 zodiac signs, but did not perfect them. The Greeks created constellations with star patterns, and most of them are still known today. The Greek philosopher Plato was a studier of astrology. The Greeks also believed the position of the planets and stars could affect daily lives, and the word “astrology” in Greek means “science of the stars”. Zeus, the king of the Greek Gods, was the water-bearer. The constellation Aquarius might have represented Zeus. Egyptian astrology developed more after Egypt was captured by Alexander the Great from Greece. There are three different seasons, Inundation from June 21-October 21 on the modern calendar; Emergence from October 21-February 21; and Summer from February 21-June 21. These seasons correspond almost fully to the position of stars and planets. The Egyptian zodiac, like the modern Western zodiac, had twelve signs and they are named after the Egyptian Gods. The people born this month, August, are born under Anubis, the guardian of the underworld. Asian astrology has a slightly different system. There are twelve signs like Western astrology, but the zodiac sign is based on the year you were born, and each year within the sign is a different element. For example I was born in 1994, the sign of the dog, and the year “1994” is metal, so I would be a metal dog.* The Mayan astrology is pretty well-known, since they created a calendar that resets itself in December 2012. The Mayans actually used two calendars, one 260-day religious calendar and one 365-day everyday calendar that synced up several times. The re-setting of the Mayan calendar would actually be a cause for celebration, not the end of the world. Chaldean astrology is the last type I'm writing about, and it's another ancient form. There were tablets found from around 670 B.C. written by priests. They observed that the planets and stars moved regularly, so they assumed that they were intelligent or controlled by an intelligent being. This belief was the reason they began worshiping the “host of Heaven”. They did not think of the being they worshiped as God, but a middle man between God and humans. Chaldean astrology also uses numbers and the position of Earth as key factors.
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Sources:
Babylon
Greece
Greece 2
Egypt
Egypt 2
Chaldea
Chaldea 2
*I found this in a thread in either Midnight Moon guild or Blessed Be guild, but I can't locate it again sweatdrop It's not mine!
| Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:52 pm
 Current Affairs - Recent Deaths and Wookey Hole AuditionsWritten by doistuNow, this article will be a little different to my previous ones because there are a couple of things I want to crowbar in. The recent death of 15 lads in Afghanistan is one such topic. In the past ten days 15 British men, serving in the Armed Forces, have lost their lives as part of a major operation being implemented to fight the Taliban. I don’t support war. I don’t think fighting, killing and dying are the best way to go about sorting things out. But we are pushed to do what we must do and I, for one, am honoured that there are men and women out in the world fighting to protect me, my family and my country from the dangers that extremists might pose. I really feel for the families of those that have fallen and I hope they find peace wherever they are now. I’m not trying to turn people on to war or turning a blind eye to its consequences but I think it’s important to remember that we aren’t as stable as we think we are. Every day the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and many other organizations abroad and at home work only to keep us safe and well. I think it’s appropriate to remember them and thank them for what they do. I know this doesn’t have much to do with paganism but, as many of you will know, the Armed Forces recently started accepting paganism as the faith of their lads. Some memorials have been marked with pentagrams or pentacles as a symbol of the faith of their fallen. Our own (how dramatic of me) risk their lives every day to protect us and care for our well being. Should we not offer them our support and admiration? God/dess/etc knows they deserve it. Wookey Hole WitchMoving on to a much more cheerful topic, a job has recently come up for grabs in Somerset, England. The job in question is to be a live-in witch at the famous attraction, Wookey Hole. Legends say that there was once a witch in residence who was turned into stone by a local monk hired to exorcise her! Not only is this a very appealing job in terms of pay (50K per annum!), but many people I’ve spoken to have said that the open auditions being held on the 28th of July could really open up people’s eyes as to just how many witches there are in my dear old native England. Those who apply are required to write a 500 word essay explaining why they might be suitable for the role and I’ve read at least 2 applications that highlighted a prior knowledge and practice of witchcraft. Many of you reading this and many more besides have a knowledge of what witchcraft is, how it can be used and what part it can play in our lives. It may be that many genuine pagans and witches will apply for this job. And why not!? It pays brilliantly and it would be a really fun job to be honest. It could be used to enlighten people as to what the modern witch does in this modern day. Is it possible that we could see an increase in the overall acceptance of pagans and witches as a result of this ‘talent-search’? I hope so. | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:56 pm
 Elements - Attuning to WaterWritten by StarlockThis is the last in a series of articles which are designed to help you attune to the various elements through personal exercises. There are many 'parts' to each of these exercises that can be done as stand-alone activities so feel free to switch things around a bit and see what experience works best for you. See the previous newspapers for the other attunements. Materials• Medium-sized bowl filled with water I like using metallic ones. • Cup or chalice filled with water. You'll be drinking it, so an ice cube or two doesn't hurt. • Singing bowl. If you don't have one, then use whatever other tool you associate with the element of Water; I think singing bowls are excellent because of their harmonic quality. MethodsFind a location suitable for this exercise; a relatively quiet location where you can focus and not be interrupted. Since we're dealing with water, you could do this attunement while taking a bath and use the bathtub in place of the bowl of water. Spend a few moments relaxing, grounding, and centering. If you'd like, you can light candles and incense you correspond to Water if it helps set the mood, then make a statement of your intent. This time you're on your own for creating one that you think sounds nice! Drink some water, but do so with an air of mindfulness that exceeds the usual. Fully experience the sensation of the water on your lips, how it feels going down your throat; how it cools the body. Recognize that over half of your weight is water and how vital this substance is to your existence. Observe water and examine it closely; it stillness, the mirrored reflections in its surface. Gently tap the edge of the bowl and watch what happens to that surface. Play with the water and really observe how it reacts to changes, be it drops of water added to it or how different objects react to water's presence. Immerse in the water a bit by dipping your hand into the bowl. Feel how the water makes room for the solidness of your hand and how it feels against the skin. Take some of this water and brush it over other areas of the body, visualizing it cleansing away impurities, leaving a sense of peace and harmony. Once you've cleansed using the element of Water itself, try using your ceremonial tool (singing bowl). Focus on the harmonic vibrations of the bowl, letting them wash over you and cleanse your aura of any psychic debris. This process may feel different than the first. Bring the essence of Water within. Return to the bowl of water and gaze deeply into its depths. Allow your ego to be dissolved and dissipate within that water. Reflect on the fact that not only are you mostly water, but that the surface of our planet is mostly covered in water. Land masses are isolated islands compared to its immense depth and it unifies our entire world: one water. Visualize the water in the bowl evaporating into the sky, forming clouds, falling as rain, flowing into rivers, back into oceans. It is all one water. Let the essence of Water speak to you. Continue for as long as you want but eventually return your awareness to the present moment. Spend a few moments grounding and centering; blow out your candles if you used any. Give thanks to the Spirit of Water with some closing words. Extra MethodsFollowing are some other little practices you can do on an everyday or moment to moment basis to help you get to know Earth. • Feel the Rain instead of pulling out the umbrella next time nature decides to let loose. • Visit a body of water in your area, be it a small stream, lake, or ocean. Spend some time getting to know it and watching how it moves or what lives there. • Drink mindfully and affirm your bond to the element of Water. In our time, water shortages are becoming a critical issue, so honor this gift more often. • Play with dyes in a bowl of water as part of your water observation. ----- Sources: It's somewhat hard for me to pinpoint sources for this article; much of this is out of my own head, but there are some books that contain similar exercises that probably inspired me somewhere along the way and that you might find interesting:*** Hawke, Elen. The Sacred Round: A Witch's Guide to Magical Practice. *** Lipp, Deborah. The Way of the Four: Creating Elemental Balance in your Life. *** Starhawk. The Earth Path: Grounding your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature. | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:00 pm
 Herb Garden - GingerWritten by doistu Ginger or Zingiber officinale is grown in Africa, Asia and India. It requires a hotter climate but it is widely available in almost any grocery shop. Most commonly, it is used in cooking and adds a wonderful hot, warming flavour to many dishes such as Gingerbread Men smile and Double Ginger Cake. The part of the Ginger plant used in cooking and herbal remedies is the root only. The root itself looks like a fat hand with weird fingers (odd image I know). So it’s very easy to spot it when you’re out shopping. It can be bought fresh, dried (most dried forms will be finely chopped) or pickled. The pickled ginger is most commonly used as a side dish in Japanese cooking/cuisine. Due to its fiery taste it is associated with the element of Fire. Medicinal uses include aiding with blood pressure issues or some other problems with blood flow. Because it adds a lot of heat the heat can help stimulate blood circulation. It can also be applied, in thin slices, to painful joints. The heat helps blood circulate in the painful area and speed up the healing process. Folk Names: African Ginger Gender: Masculine Planet: Mars Element: Fire Power: Love, Money, Success, Power Warnings: If too much is consumed then you could end up with a bit of a nasty stomach ache. It’s recommended to use even less if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not take ginger if you are on blood thinners. ----- Sources: Ginger Warnings| Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:15 pm
Good NewsBishop to Pope. "I have good news and bad news." Pope: "What's the good news?" Bishop: "God is Alive." Pope: "That's *very* good news -- what's the bad news?" Bishop: "She's dancing with the Witches at Fort Hood." ----- FootprintsI dreamed that I was walking down the beach with the Goddess. And I looked back and saw footprints in the sand. But sometimes there were two pairs of footprints, and sometimes there was only one. And the times when there was only one pair of footprints, those were my times of greatest trouble. So I asked the Goddess, "Why, in my greatest need, did you abandon me?" She replied, "I never left you. Those were the times when we both hopped on one foot." And lo, I was really embarrassed for bothering Her with such a stupid question. ----- Degrees and TitlesWonder what all those *degrees* and *titles* are for? Here's your answer! High Priest: Leaps tall buildings with a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive, is faster than a speeding bullet, walks on water and dictates policy to God. 3rd Degree Initiate: Leaps short buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a switch engine, is just as fast as a speeding bullet, walks on water...if the sea is calm and talks to God. 2nd Degree Initiate: Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds, is faster than a BB, more powerful than a railroad hand-car, walks on water in a swimming pool and talks to God...if a special request is approved. 1st Degree Initiate: Clears a small hut, loses the race with a locomotive, can fire a speeding bullet, swims well and is occasionally addressed by God. Neophyte: Runs into small buildings, recognizes a locomotive two out of three times, frequently wets self with a water pistol, can do the doggy paddle and mostly mumbles to animals. High Priestess: Lifts tall buildings to walk under them, kicks locomotives off the track, catches speeding bullets in her teeth and freezes water with a single glance. SHE *IS* GOD. ----- Sources: Good NewsFootprintsDegrees and Titles| Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:24 pm
 Game RoomI suggest that you save the puzzle to your computer (it won't let me copy them for some reason) and then open them in paint (or some other program like that) and mark where the words are. Once you've found as many words as possible, send me your completed word search. You will receive 1,000 gaia gold for each completed puzzle you turn in (25 gold will be taken away for each word not found).   The Rules- Be sure to title the PM "Newspaper Games", and send them to Blessed_Scribe please. - You cannot post your answers for others to see or share them with any other member anywhere or at anytime. Doing so will forfeit your prize. - No cheating, don't ask others where the answers are . - We will only accept the answers to these puzzles during the month of August 2009. - Have fun! | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:29 pm
This is the spot where you can advertise just about anything you want. Want to advertise your quest? Do you want to advertise something you're trying to sell? Or maybe you're looking for a mentor. Whatever it may be, this is the place to do it! It's completely free. All you have to do is send a PM to me, Blessed_Scribe, with your ad and which months issue you'd like it to be in. It can be as many months as you'd like, not just one. ----- Blessed_Scribe We are in need of writers for the following sections: Abilities, Animal Totems, Astral Projection, Author of the Month, Book Review, Crystals and Gemstones, Divination, Meditation, Mythical Creatures, Pagan Art, Pagan Music and Spells. If you're interested, please head on over to this thread to pick up the application. Once you've filled it out, please send it to Blessed_Scribe. It's a paying job (Gaia gold only), so it's well worth it! biggrin | Introduction | Guild Happenings | Member's Section | Advanced Practitioners | Astrology | Current Affairs | Elements | Herb Garden | Pagan Humor | Game Room | Classified Ads | Feedback - we want to hear your opinions |
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