Good Teachers

Today's wisdom comes from the Limen blog from a very thoughtful post titled Historic Community. It's part of her discussion on community building. Read the whole thing.

This is the bit that caught my eye. I am lucky enough to know teachers like this (and I hope you are, too):

It’s teaching without being patronising. It’s guiding, but treating your colleagues like the mature, capable, competent, intelligent adults that they are, and standing back and seeing how they solve things, not how you’d solve things. It’s being a resource, without doing all the work for someone else. It’s sharing the cool stuff, without competition or fear of losing your own value. These are people who *know* they’re good teachers, who know how many lives they’ve touched - but who also know they can always improve, and who were, up until the very end of the semester, both looking for new ways to teach material, to engage their students, to share their wisdom and knowledge.

...These are teachers who are very careful about how they spend their time. They invested incredible time outside the classroom in grading, designing assignments, or creating new courses. They spend their time thoughtfully: they’d rather travel to an interesting place, or see a specific, chosen film, than have the TV on or watch whatever the summer blockbuster is. They read in a way that awes and amazes an extremely literate and well-read community. They’ve been active in their community - in politics, in community service, in service to the school - in all sorts of ways.

I also recommend her posts on Seekers & Responsiblity.

Go well, stay well,

Sia

I love these candles with the different colored flames. They come from a store called More Than Light

Wizzards!

Off the Shelf:

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
This is the first book published in the famous Discworld series, and the first of the "Rincewind books" within that series.

Little Miss Sunshine (DVD)

Sia's Post

Yvonne Aburrow
Lovely.

Check out a Live Journal post by Yvonne Aburrow a while back titled Things We'd Like To See. I quite agree. Yes, indeed. That would be most helpful. Add a dragon that attacks spam (I want rending! I want fire!) and I'm in.

For those of you who don't know her, she is the author of several books on myth, magic, animals and trees.

Speaking of Wizards:

Rincewind, one of my favorite Wizzards (and you know he's a Wizzard cause it says so on his hat) is about to appear on film. Terry Pratchett's book The Color of Magic will be brought to the screen by Sky One. Their rendition of Hogfather got good reviews, so we hope that this production will be as good. (They are throwing more money at this production, but we all know what that did to Pirates II and III. (1) Alas, this presentation of The Color of Magic, like Hogfather before it, will only appear on British TV. American fans will have to watch the DVD's.

David Jason will appear as Rincewind. Most of the actors appearing in these productions are, naturally, from the UK, however; it is rumored that Steve Carrell might play the character of Twoflower, a hapless tourist.

Mr. Carroll is best known for his work on television in The Daily Show and The Office, as well as for his movie roles in The Forty Year Old Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine. At this point, the rumor is unconfirmed and may well be little more than wishful thinking on the part of U.S. fans. Personally, while I love Steve Carrell (in particular, I admire his darkly funny and very sensitive portrayal of the suicidally depressed Proust scholar in Little Miss Sunshine), I would prefer to see an Asian actor playing a part of an Chinese character.

For more on this issue read Hollywood Yellowface, an article at the Bright Lights Film Journal webpage.

Sia

(1) and once again the cry goes up to the heavens from Pirate fans, "With all that money yer spend'n, why don't ja hire a writer!? Arrrggggh!

Happily, in the case of the Discworld series, they have one of the better ones.

Art: Rincewind with Quantum Butterfly by the amazing Mr. Paul Kidby. Check out his website for Discworld images and t-shirts.

Pagan Warriors

Off the Shelf:

Women on War: An International Collection of Writings from Antiquity to the Present - Daniela Gioseff (Editor)

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam - Bernard Edelman (Editor)

Help Support Full Circle: Any money made from book sales via the Powell's Books or Amazon links at this blog goes to support non-profit efforts such as the Pagan Voting Project, the Spiral Steps Support Groups, The Gaia's Guardian's Project (which supports those who do companion animal & wildlife rescue and work to protect the environment), and the Earthwise Networking Project (which helps like-minded folks connect to do some good where they live). Thank you so much.

Sia's Post:

Some time back Beliefnet posted a provocative article by Carl McColman (1) on the ways in which the Pagan community views those of our people who serve in the military. It is still relevant. McColman writes about:

(a) quiet revolution that has been occurring in Paganism, as more and more Pagans enter the armed forces (and increasing numbers of military personnel embrace the old religions.

He goes on to say that

...These Pagans often identify as warriors, blending ancient or earth-centered spirituality with the ethics and ideals of the martial arts. A leading Pagan warrior is Kerr Cuhulain, a Vancouver policeman and former Air Force officer whose books The Wiccan Warrior and Full Contact Magick celebrate the ancient--and still relevant--connection between primal spirituality and the path of the warrior.

Warrior spirituality recognizes that it is a limitation to see the Goddess as some sort of romantic peacenik. Try convincing mythical Goddesses like the Hindu Kali Ma, the Irish Morrigu, or the Greek Athena that Pagan spirituality is all about peace and love. Each of these figures are ferocious, take-no-prisoner warrior queens, far more concerned with security and self-defense than with playing nice in the multi-cultural sandbox.

You can read the rest of the article and post your thoughts about it at the link above. If this topic interests you, here are some other, related links:

Military Pagans Page at The Witches Voice

List of Pagans and Heathens in the Military

Miliary Pagan Network

Pagan Vets

Officers of Avalon

Women Warriors

My thoughts today are with men and women who serve in the armed forces, with their families who miss them, and with all those caught in the cycle of violence and war around the world.

In our family we will remember a dear friend lost in Vietnam and ancestors who served in WWI and II.

Congratulations and grateful thanks go out to all those who made it possible for our warriors' families to display the pentacle (2) on their headstones. May these memorials be proudly maintained but few in number.

Blessed Memorial Day,

Sia

(1) It should be noted that Mr. McColman has recently converted to Catholicism. We wish him all the best.

(2) A pentagram is the name for a drawing, design or image of a 5 pointed star with continuious, unbroken lines. It is most often seen within a circle. The pentacle is that design translated into clay, metal, stone, or some other form. See more information here at Wickipedia, and here, at a Wiccan webpage devoted to that subject.

Joss Whedon: Honorary Pagan

The man who gave us witty, brave, conflicted Buffy and the sexy, kick ass gals of Firefly has something he wants to say:

What is wrong with women?

I mean wrong. Physically. Spiritually. Something unnatural, something destructive, something that needs to be corrected. How did more than half the people in the world come out incorrectly? I have spent a good part of my life trying to do that math, and I’m no closer to a viable equation. And I have yet to find a culture that doesn’t buy into it. Women’s inferiority – in fact, their malevolence -- is as ingrained in American popular culture as it is anywhere they’re sporting burkhas. I find it in movies, I hear it in the jokes of colleagues, I see it plastered on billboards, and not just the ones for horror movies. Women are weak. Women are manipulative. Women are somehow morally unfinished. (Objectification: another tangential rant avoided.) And the logical extension of this line of thinking is that women are, at the very least, expendable.

Goddess Bless Joss Whedon. I hereby dub him an Honorary Pagan.

Pass it on.

And do check out the link he gives to Equality Now. As Whedon says,

...it’s no longer enough to be a decent person. It’s no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I’ve always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I’m beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red.

For more on this issue, read an earlier post titled: Recovering From Our Culture: Why Words Matter

Note: I first saw this link at Hecate's (AKA She Who See's All) blog. Thank you, H.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch:

Kestryl Angell is a Pagan writer to watch. She is proving to be a resonant voice for common sense. So far she has posted several articles at The Witches Voice. (see links below).

Teachers take note; you might want to point your students towards these four essays:

On Being A "Plain Clothes" Witch

Taking It To the Pentagram

Seperation Anxiety ....or Growth?

The Power of Words

Sia

Photo: Actress Gina Torres (Amazon Extraordinaire ) as Zoe in Firefly

Off the Shelf

Firefly: The Complete Series (DVD) - Joss Whedon (Creator)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale - James B. South (Editor

Tit for Tat or What Would Sekhmet Do?

Today we have a story of tit for tat....or is it the other way around?

My thanks go out to devildoll at Live Journal (who noted this outré version of Mary Jane) and to logansrogue (who drew the Spiderman/Peter Parker companion piece) for giving me a very good laugh on a Monday morning. As women we sometimes become desensitized to the constant, commercial use of our bodies-as-objects in order to sell anything under the sun. I find it interesting (and heartening) to see how outraged these young women got at seeing one of their fictional heroines treated in this way. Good for them.

Today I want a new bumper sticker. It should say: What Would Sekhmet Do? Like a lot of Pagans, I'm very comfortable with nudity. But I have to wonder, why is she doing his laundry? Ah, the ideal woman: She picks up after him just like his mom, but she looks like a stripper while she does it. It's.....so very 60's. One would think that this Mary Jane was serving on the original Enterprise.

For more on the subject of Mary Jane, and her place in the plot of Spiderman III, see Spiders, Sluts and Misogynists by Justin Nisly. (1) Also check out this website: Feminist Science Fiction, Fantasy & Utopia

And now for something completely different A story about Leonard Nimoy and his second book of photographs, all taken of large, curvy women. You can read more about this in Alas A Blog, and in Big Fat Blog.


His-story:

A discussion over at The Wildhunt Blog on Ronald Hutton's new book, and a comment there by Hecate reminded me of this poem by Monique Wittig. I first encountered it (and the writer) in college:

There was a time
when you were not a slave,
remember that

You walked alone,
full of laughter,
you bathed bare-bellied.

You may have lost all recollection of it,
remember...

You say there are not words to describe it,
you say it does not exist.
but remember,
make an effort to remember,
or, failing that,
invent.

Not everyone is a fan of Hutton's. I suggest that you read more than one book on early Britain, and decide for yourself. Personally, I think that Triumph of the Moon is one of the best books ever written about the development of modern Pagan culture.

Her-story:

Since we are once again on the subject of women, imagery, and self esteem check out Why Women Need a Goddess by Carol P. Christ.

Enjoy,

Sia

Update 5/17/07:

Fox has picked up the story and quoted an article by blogger Sleestak titled Mary Jane, The Other White Meat.

Note: For those among us who love words here is a note, and yet another note on the origin of the phrase "Tit for Tat".

Off the Shelf:

Fiction:
Desiree by Annemarie Seliniko A merchant's daughter makes history...and then some. Based on a true story.

History:
The Hysteric's Revenge: French Women Writers at the Fin De Siecle by Rachel Mesch, lecturer in the French Department at Barnard College.

Druids: A History by Ronald Hutton (just published)

Art: This is a photo of a Halloween ornament in my collection. We call her Miss Thing.

Beltane: Old Style & New Style

I sent out Beltane greetings to friends today.

Our own celebrations will begin at sunset on April 30th, and continue on through the time of Old Beltane (1) and a bit beyond. These celebrations include parties, dancing the sun up, rituals, feasts, decorating springs and wells, Morris Dancers, rituals and May Poles. That's Beltane Old Style. Our celebrations also include habitat restoration work, native gardening efforts, raising funds for local charities, food drives, supporting animal rescue groups, and other meaningful work for Mama Gaia and her creatures. That's Beltane New Style.

It is a busy and beautiful time.

Old Style or New Style it's a time for flirting, fun and frolic. Being uppity women, Snakemoon and I both own quote buttons that say Hi, I'm Pagan. Ask Me About My Sex Holiday.

Beltane is also a time to celebrate the Green Man. If you have not already seen it, you may like this old essay of mine titled In Praise Of Pagan Men

This is a time to cherish the earth while we celebrate spring. For example, our Gaia's Guardian's project helps recruit volunteers from among our earthwise friends to work with mainstream, locally based non-profit groups that help both animals and the planet. It's always been important to me to build these kind of links between Pagan volunteers, and their neighborhood community service organizations. It's something I think needs doing. I find it rewarding, as well. (2)

The timing of this Cross Quarter Holiday can be confusing. Here's why:

* Astrological Beltane: Occurs when the sun is at 15 degrees Taurus. (Usually around May 5th).

* Astronomical Beltane: The time when the constellation Pleiades can be seen on the dawn horizon. Our ancestors would have been well aware of changes to the stars that heralded a change in seasons; something most moderns now miss.

* Calendar Beltane - (AKA May Day): This is commonly celebrated on May 1st. However, it is important to note that calender changes made by the Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 moved the date backwards by 11 days in most European countries. Overnight, May 12th became May 1st. (Note: England and American did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752). Thus, the Calendar puts the well known May Day celebrations such as Morris Dancing, May Poles and Fire Festivals, et al, at at a time far earlier than they were previously held. In Medieval and Renaissance times these celebrations took place 11 - 15 days later in the season; at a time when the weather was noticeably warmer and dryer, travel (both by sea and over land) was easier and safer, many more spring flowers bloomed, a larger number of young animals were about and thriving, and it was far more pleasant to be outside.

* Lunar Beltane: Occurs during the first full moon in May.

Many ancient and modern calendars are based on either lunar or lunisolar calendars. Such calenders were/are used by people in Native American, Hebrew, Islamic, Asian, Hindu and Pagan cultures. Many ancients peoples, including the ancient Celts, Egyptians, Africans, Mayans, Hawaiians, and Babylonians, used lunar calendars.

* Solar Beltane - (AKA Cross Quarter Beltane): Beltane is a Cross Quarter Holiday, one that stands halfway between a solstice and an equinox in the Wheel of the Year. It's exact date and time is calculated in relation to the other seasonal holidays ocuring in a 365 day-long solar year. You can check this on sites such as the Archaeoastronomy site.

Here are Actual dates and times for the Cross Quarter holidays through 2012

* Tribal - (AKA Festive Beltane): Our ancestors often held feasts, faires, and festivals that lasted for many days. (This makes sense when you consider that travel to and from these gatherings could take days. Why travel all that way for a brief event?) Today, Pagans and others celebrate this holiday over a period of several days, often gathering to meet or do rituals at a time most convenient for their families and/or group.

The Wheel of the Year:

The Wheel of the Year is celebrated by Pagans, Druids, Wiccans and others as a way to honor the past, and be in touch with nature. Please Note: The number of holidays on the Wheel remains constant, but their names and focus may vary according to one's culture and tradition.

More information and links can be found in the footnote #1.

Happy Spring to all here.

Sia


(1) Doug and Sandy Knopf write that our ancestors knew the time of Beltane was near when they saw the rising of the constellation Pleiades on the dawn horizon. The Pleiades are also known as the Seven Sisters and the first born and most beautiful of the Sisters is named Maia. The month of May is named for Maia.

As Mike Nichols notes:

Due to various calendrical changes down through the centuries, the traditional date of Beltane is not the same as its astrological date. This date, like all astronomically determined dates, may vary by a day or two depending on the year. However, it may be calculated easily enough by determining the date on which the sun is at 15 degrees Taurus (usually around May 5th). British Witches often refer to this date as Old Beltane, and folklorists call it Beltane O.S. ('Old Style'). Some Covens prefer to celebrate on the old date and, at the very least, it gives one options.... This may also be a consideration for Covens that need to organize activities around the week-end.

Lunar Beltane occurs on the first full moon in May. Mark McNutt notes that

Pagans speak of Lunar Beltane, which is the time of the Full Moon in the middle of Spring, always a Moon in Scorpio which implies the mood of sexual fertility and balanced with the sensuality of Taurus. This is why it is such a Bel -time. The ritual of Beltane celebrates life coming into full fertility in the garden and in our own beings. Life, death, and sexuality are transformative partners in the walk of life.

Druid Richard Eaton believes that Beltane is not so much a sexual time in the Wheel of the Year but a sacred fertility festival celebrating birth.

(2) While living in Northern California, my husband and I developed an online Earthwise Community calendar for that state that was, I believe, unique, in part because it supported the view that Pagans are people who walk between worlds. We list social and cultural events on our calendar as well as arts and crafts postings, gardening, musical and family-friendly events, as well as nature hikes and camp outs. These are listed right alongside rituals, Pagan classes and drumming circles. After all, we Pagans have lives. I enjoyed doing that (as time consuming as it was) but it is something I had to give up when we moved to a new state. I notice with a great deal of quiet pride that other people in the earthwise community are doing this sort of broad-focused networking in their communities and using the new media to great effect. Good on you, folks.

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Off the Shelf:

Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration by Raven Grimassi

Wheel Of The Year: Living the Magical Life by Paulene Campenelli

The Witches' Sabbats by Mike Nichols.

Green Man: Tales of the Mythic Forest: Terri Windling (Editor) A book of stories about the Green Man and the Green Woman.

The Green Man: Spirit of Nature by John Mathews.

Green Magic: The Sacred Connections to Nature by Ann Moura

Lord of Light and Shadow: The Many Faces of the God by Dj Conway

King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette

Save Our Planet: 750 Everyday Ways You Can Help Clean Up the Earth/25th Anniversary Edition by Diane Maceachern

For Parents:

Circle Round and Sing by Anne Hill

50 Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth by The Earthworks Group

Artwork: This image is by the brillent Mr. Brian Froud. Brian was kind enough to let us use several of his images for our Fairy-themed Witches Ball in 2001. He also donated several prints for our silent auction. This ball was a charity fundraiser for our local Humane Society and over 600 people attended that year. Brian lives in the UK, and he was scheduled to tour the U.S. and to attend our event as Guest of Honor but 9/11 forced he and his wife to cancel their plans.

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire: Dysfunctional Families and Group Energy

Off the Shelf

Wheels of Life: A Users Guide to the Chakra System

The Sevenfold Journey

Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self

- all by Anodea Judith

John Bradshaw On The Family by John Bradshaw

Truth or Dare by Starhawk

100% of all money made from book sales via the Powell & Amazon links at this website go to support non-profit efforts by FCE, such as the Pagan Voting Project, the Spiral Steps Support Groups, The Gaia's Guardian's Project, and the Earthwise Networking Project. Information on all these projects is available at www.fullcircleevents.org

Sia's Post

For those who are interested, this article by Dr. Anodea Judith (with a Forward by yours truly) now appears at The Witches' Voice:

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire: Dysfunctional Families & Group Energy

Excerpt from Forward: This article, a powerful triple weaving of ideas put forth by Starhawk and John Bradshaw, along with personal wisdom she gained working in the Pagan community, was written in 1989 by a counselor named Anodea Judith. In her essay (which appears below) the author discusses the roles, which many of us learned to adopt as children, and shows how these roles can later haunt us as adults. She describes how assuming these roles again in later life (also known as “working from our shadow sides”) can sabotage attempts to build community and undermine even our best projects by poisoning our group's energy system and supporting toxic relationships.

Dr. Judith does not simply bemoan the problem; she also offers practical, common sense solutions. Anyone who has encountered dysfunctional behavior in a circle, coven, class, festival, ritual group, organization, or workplace will find her article both relevant and useful.

Share it as you see fit.

Sia