PAGANW0LF
Trust male - 42 years
Blog 158
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The Spiritual Classifications Of The Wolf
As you can tell by my Shamanistic name, the wolf is VERY important to me personally. It's also one of the more common animals that people want to associate with as an animal guide. So I have composed this posting based on my experiences and the teachings of my tradition for those wishing to work with the Wolf.
First thing to learn before working with their spirit and magik, is what their spiritual purpose is. Each wolf comes to this plane of existence with a special gift of knowledge, just as we humans do. But unlike us, they (and most animals in the universe) are much better adapt to living within the balance of nature and with the flow of natures energy.
To work with the wolf, one needs to understand how the universal energy is connected to each wolf and move forward from there. The following is a brief explanation of this concept of magik and the right use of energy.
Wolves are considered by many to be the highest animal in the spiritual plane. They represent the teachers and guardians of balance in nature within the Divine Universe. They are the spiritual messengers in animal form, between the Divine force and incarnated beings.
Depending on their colour, they teach different lessons and share different energies with those they watch over and walk beside. Coloring is used as a means of spiritual classification for one basic reason. Energy, all energy contains several properties or traits. It has a sound that can be recoded, a 'energy level' that can be measured and a color that can be photographed.
For instance, place your hand on a stereo speaker and play a song. Do you feel the speaker vibrate with different variations based on the note being heard? Watch the flames of a fire. The intense or hottest part of the flame is white, or very light blue. The "cooler" portion of the flame is more red or orange.
Attaching an energy or purpose to an object, or an animal based on their color is not a new concept. It's as old as time.
Within the wolf community, each breed shares a lot of common energies, as outlined by Ted Andrews in his book Animal Speak. But learning the specific energies for the individual guides within the pack are also helpful when working with wolf magic.
* The White Wolf:
Known as the phantom, the white wolf lives in the spiritual and physical dimensions simultaneously. They teach the lessons which help to bring both these lives into balance. The help us learn how to build the bridge between the two worlds so that we might learn the underlying purpose of events and issues in our life.
* Brown Wolf:
They teach the lessons of health and healing. How to use the forces of nature in conjunction with the earthly knowledge of medicine to maintain a balance between the mind/body/spirit connections.
* Grey Wolf:
The hidden lessons, reaching through the veil of sight into the realm of spirit. The gray wolf is the teacher of spirit connections and communications. How we can balance our path with information from our spiritual teachers and guides.
* Red Wolf:
They are the keepers of earth and nature. They help us communicate with our surroundings, with the earth, with those around us and with nature in physical or spiritual form (such as in dream or meditation). They are the teachers of communication, both in word and gesture. When you see an animal cross your path, and you're unsure of it's message, the Red wolf can help you decipher the communication.
* Black Wolf:
The teachers of the physical. The black wolf helps us to bring balance into the physical natures, desires and expressions of our daily lives. They keep us focused on the issues of this plane of existence where our spiritual lessons and karmic experiences help us evolve and progress to the next spiritual level.
These primary colors govern all shades of the wolf kingdom. Light colored wolves, would fall into the White Wolf category and so on. -
SCIENTISTS INVENT DILDO THAT CAN REMOVE SPIDERS
MEN were declared obsolete last night after scientists finally perfected a dildo that can remove spiders from a bathtub. The invention, described as the 'Holy Grail of dildo technology' will come with a free scrunchy and a bag of synthetic sperm and be in the shops in time for a man-free Christmas.
Inventor Professor Holly Brubaker said: "Upon discovering a spider the woman simply points the dildo at it and presses the big, pink button marked 'icky spider'. "The dildo will emit an ultrasonic pulse and the spider will then run as fast as it can for the nearest available exit." She added: "The woman can then return to pleasuring herself by candlelight while eating a big bowl of chocolate buttons and reading about the fat parts of all the celebrities she watches on Living TV."
News of the breakthrough has led to a wave of nostalgia among women for the men they will soon be chasing down the garden path with one of their own golf clubs.
Emma Bradford, from Peterborough, said: "I think what I'll miss most is being spoken to like a child by someone who thinks he's the cleverest person in the world because he read the answers to all the Trivial Pursuit questions when he was 15." Jane Gerving, from Hatfield, said: "I'll miss living with the funniest man in the universe. He's just so very fucking funny. All the time." She added: "And of course, I'll miss the farts. The unrelenting tsunami of God awful, eye-watering, gut-wrenching farts."
Tom Logan, a pointless unit from Doncaster, said: "I got rid of a bat once. Can your dildo get rid of a bat?"
Scientists now predict the last man will have the last wank sometime in 2093 -
Les Paul, Father of the Electric guitar dies
New York, NY…August 13, 2009…Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away today from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.
One of the foremost influences on 20th century sound and responsible for the world’s most famous guitar, the Les Paul model, Les Paul’s prestigious career in music and invention spans from the 1930s to the present. Though he’s indisputably one of America’s most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, Les Paul is best known as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson’s best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul’s iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess. Among Paul’s most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general.
Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915, Les Paul was already performing publicly as a honky-tonk guitarist by the age of 13. So clear was his calling that Paul dropped out of high school at 17 to play in Sunny Joe Wolverton’s Radio Band in St. Louis. As Paul’s mentor, Wolverton was the one to christen him with the stage name “Rhubarb Red,” a moniker that would follow him to Chicago in 1934. There, Paul became a bona fide radio star, known as both hillbilly picker Rhubarb Red and Django Reinhardt-informed jazz guitarist Les Paul. His first recordings were done in 1936 on an acoustic—alone as Rhubarb Red, as well as backing blues singer Georgia White. The next year he formed his first trio, but by 1938 he’d moved to New York to begin his tenure on national radio with one of the more popular dance orchestras in the country, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians.
Tinkering with electronics and guitar amplification since his youth, Les Paul began constructing his own electric guitar in the late ’30s. Unhappy with the first generation of commercially available hollowbodies because of their thin tone, lack of sustain, and feedback problems, Paul opted to build an entirely new structure. “I was interested in proving that a vibration-free top was the way to go,” he has said. “I even built a guitar out of a railroad rail to prove it. What I wanted was to amplify pure string vibration, without the resonance of the wood getting involved in the sound.” With the good graces of Epiphone president Epi Stathopoulo, Paul used the Epiphone plant and machinery in 1941 to bring his vision to fruition. He affectionately dubbed the guitar “The Log.”
Les Paul’s tireless experiments sometimes proved to be dangerous, and he nearly electrocuted himself in 1940 during a session in the cellar of his Queens apartment. During the next two years of rehabilitation, Les earned his living producing radio music. Forced to put the Pennsylvanians and the rest of his career on hold, Les Paul moved to Hollywood. During World War II, he was drafted into the Army but permitted to stay in California, where he became a regular player for Armed Forces Radio Service. By 1943 he had assembled a trio that regularly performed live, on the radio, and on V-Discs. In 1944 he entered the jazz spotlight—thanks to his dazzling work filling in for Oscar Moore alongside Nat King Cole, Illinois Jacquet, and other superstars —at the first of the prestigious Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.
By his mid-thirties, Paul had successfully combined Reinhardt-inspired jazz playing and the western swing and twang of his Rhubarb Red persona into one distinctive, electrifying style. In the Les Paul Trio he translated the dizzying runs and unusual harmonies found on Jazz at the Philharmonic into a slower, subtler, more commercial approach. His novelty instrumentals were tighter, brasher, and punctuated with effects. Overall, the trademark Les Paul sound was razor-sharp, clean-shaven, and divinely smooth.
As small combos eclipsed big bands toward the end of World War II, Les Paul Trio’s popularity grew. They cut records for Decca both alone and behind the likes of Helen Forrest, the Andrews Sisters, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Dick Hayes, and, most notably, Bing Crosby. Since 1945, when the crooner brought them into the studio to back him on a few numbers, the Trio had become regular guests on Crosby’s hit radio show. The highlight of the session was Paul’s first No. 1 hit and million-seller, the gorgeous “It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”
Meanwhile, Paul began to experiment with dubbing live tracks over recorded tracks, also altering the playback speed. This resulted in “Lover (When You’re Near Me),” his revolutionary 1947 predecessor to multi-track recording. The hit instrumental featured Les Paul on eight different electric guitar parts, all playing together.
In 1948, Paul nearly lost his life to a devastating car crash that shattered his right arm and elbow. Still, he convinced doctors to set his broken arm in the guitar-picking and cradling position. Laid up but undaunted, Paul acquired a first generation Ampex tape recorder from Crosby in 1949, and began his most important multi-tracking adventure, adding a fourth head to the recorder to create sound-on-sound recordings. While tinkering with the machine and its many possibilities, he also came up with tape delay. These tricks, along with another recent Les Paul innovation—close mic-ing vocals—were integrated for the first time on a single recording: the 1950 No. 1 tour de force “How High the Moon.”
This historic track was performed during a duo with future wife Mary Ford. The couple’s prolific string of hits for Capitol Records not only included some of the most popular recordings of the early 1950s, but also wrote the book on contemporary studio production. The dense but crystal clear harmonic layering of guitars and vocals, along with Ford’s close mic-ed voice and Paul’s guitar effects, produced distinctively contemporary recordings with unprecedented sonic qualities. Through hits, tours, and popular radio shows, Paul and Ford kept one foot in the technological vanguard and the other in the cultural mainstream.
All the while, Les Paul continued to pine for the perfect guitar. Though The Log came close, it wasn’t quite what he was after. In the early 1950s, Gibson Guitar would cultivate a partnership with Paul that would lead to the creation of the guitar he’d seen only in his dreams. In 1948, Gibson elected to design its first solidbody, and Paul, a self-described “dyed-in-the-wool Gibson man,” seemed the right man for the job. Gibson avidly courted the guitar legend, even driving deep into the Pennsylvania mountains to deliver the first model to newlyweds Les Paul and Mary Ford.
“Les played it, and his eyes lighted up,” then-Gibson President Ted McCarty has recalled. The year was 1950, and Paul had just signed on as the namesake of Gibson’s first electric solidbody, with exclusive design privileges. Working closely with Paul, Gibson forged a relationship that would change popular culture forever. The Gibson Les Paul model—the most powerful and respected electric guitar in history—began with the 1952 release of the Les Paul Goldtop. After introducing the original Les Paul Goldtop in 1952, Gibson issued the Black Beauty, the mahogany-topped Les Paul Custom, in 1954. The Les Paul Junior (1954) and Special (1955) were also introduced before the canonical Les Paul Standard hit the market in 1958. With revolutionary humbucker pickups, this sunburst classic has remained unchanged for the half-century since it hit the market.
“The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul. He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone’s face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We will dedicate ourselves to preserving Les’ legacy to insure that it lives on forever. He touched so many lives throughout his remarkable life and his influence extends around the globe and across every boundary. I have lost a dear, personal friend and mentor, a man who has changed so many of our lives for the better.”
“I don’t think any words can describe the man we know as Les Paul adequately. The English language does not contain words that can pay enough homage to someone like Les. As the “Father of the Electric Guitar”, he was not only one of the world’s greatest innovators but a legend who created, inspired and contributed to the success of musicians around the world,” said Dave Berryman, President of Gibson Guitar. “I have had the privilege to know and work with Les for many, many years and his passing has left a deep personal void. He was simply put – remarkable in every way. As a person, a musician, a friend, an inventor. He will be sorely missed by us all.”
"Les Paul was a shining example of how full one's life can be, he was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I'm honored and humbled to have known and played with him over the years, he was an exceptionally brilliant man." Said Slash.
Joe Satriani said, "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls. Last October I joined him onstage at The Iridium club in NYC, and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all."
Keb’ Mo’ said, “He’s a guy who played right up to the end, that’s what we all want to do! With his brilliant playing and invention of multi track recording, Les Paul changed the face of music history.”
With the rise of the rock ’n’ roll revolution of 1955, Les Paul and Mary Ford’s popularity began to wane with younger listeners, though Paul would prove to be a massive influence on younger generation of guitarists. Still, Paul and Ford maintained their iconic presence with their wildly popular television show, which ran from 1953-1960. In 1964, the couple, parents to a son and daughter, divorced. Paul began playing in Japan, and recorded an LP for London Records before poor health forced him to take time off—as much as someone so inspired can take time off.
In the 1977, Paul resurfaced with a Grammy-winning Chet Atkins collaboration, Chester and Lester. Then the ailing guitarist, who’d already suffered arthritis and permanent hearing loss, had a heart attack, followed by bypass surgery.
Ever stubborn, Les recovered, and returned to live performance in the late 1980s. Until recently Les continued to perform two weekly New York shows with the Les Paul Trio, even releasing the 2005 double-Grammy winner Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played, featuring collaborations with a veritable who’s who of the electric guitar, including dozens of illustrious fans like Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Joe Perry. In 2008, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to Les Paul in a week-long celebration of his life which culminated with a live performance by Les himself.
Les Paul has since become the only individual to share membership into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Les is survived by his three sons Lester (Rus) G. Paul, Gene W. Paul and Robert (Bobby) R. Paul, his daughter Colleen Wess, son-in-law Gary Wess, long time friend Arlene Palmer, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A private Funeral service will be held in New York. A service in Waukesha, WI will be announced at a later date. Details will follow and will be announced for all services. Memorial tributes for the public will be announced at a future date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Les Paul Foundation, 236 West 30th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10001. -
have you ever........
Found out that your priorities are wrong? this is not because of a person but me, by the time i'd done on here, facebook, myspace, paganspace and all the numerous sites i'm on, half the days was gone and I was loosing focus. So, thats why i've been away, I have missed being here but I needed to create a better balance between work and leisure, anyway, i am back, recharged, refreshed and ready to catch up.
fondest regards
Rich )O( -
Whoops
Big oops guys, I have had a minor mishap with backing up the phone, if you had my number before, can you re-send it along with a name so I can get my act together
Thanks
Rich -
Beltane
Beltane: (Bealtaine, May Eve, Valpurgis) - April 30th/May 1st
Incense: Lilac, Frankincense
Decorations: Maypole, Flowers, Ribbons
Colours: Green
The Fire Festival of Beltane
This festival is also known as Beltane, the Celtic May Day. It officially begins at moonrise on May Day Eve, and marks the beginning of the third quarter or second half of the ancient Celtic year. It is celebrated as an early pastoral festival accompanying the first turning of the herds out to wild pasture. The rituals were held to promote fertility. The cattle were driven between the Belfires to protect them from ills. Contact with the fire was interpreted as symbolic contact with the sun. In early Celtic times, the druids kindled the Beltane fires with specific incantations. Later the Christian church took over the Beltane observances, a service was held in the church, followed by a procession to the fields or hills, where the priest kindled the fire. The rowan branch is hung over the house fire on May Day to preserve the fire itself from bewitchment (the house fire being symbolic of the luck of the house).
This is a holiday of Union--both between the Goddess and the God and between man and woman. Handfastings (Pagan marriages) are traditional at this time. It is a time of fertility and harvest, the time for reaping the wealth from the seeds that we have sown. Celebrations include braiding of one's hair (to honour the union of man and woman and Goddess and God), circling the Maypole for fertility and jumping the Beltane fire for luck. Beltane is one of the Major Sabbats of the Wiccan religion. We celebrate sexuality (something we see as holy and intrinsic to us as holy beings), we celebrate life and the unity which fosters it. The myths of Beltane state that the young God has blossomed into manhood, and the Goddess takes him on as her lover. Together, they learn the secrets of the sexual and the sensual, and through their union, all life begins.
Beltane is the season of maturing life and deep found love. This is the time of vows, handfastings and commitment. The Lord and his Lady, having reached maturity, come together in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust to celebrate the joy of their union. This is a time to celebrate the coming together of the masculine and feminine creative energies. Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, he desired the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms and unite.
Beltane Fire FestivalThe flowers and greenery symbolise the Goddess and the Maypole represents the God. Beltane marks the return of vitality and passion of summer. Another common focal point of the Beltane rituals is the cauldron, which represents the Goddess. The Welsh goddess Creiddylad is connected with Beltane, often called the May Queen, she was a Goddess of summer flowers and love.
May Day
May Day has long been marked with feasts and rituals. May poles, supremely phallic symbols, were the focal point of old English village rituals. Many people arose at dawn to gather flowers and green branches from the fields and gardens, using them to decorate the village Maypoles.
The May Queen (and often King) is chosen from among the young people, and they go singing from door to door throughout the town carrying flowers or the May tree, soliciting donations for merrymaking in return for the "blessing of May". This is symbolic of bestowing and sharing of the new creative power that is stirring in the world. As the kids go from door to door, the May Bride often sings to the effect that those who give will get of nature's bounty through the year.
In parts of France, some jilted youth will lie in a field on May Day and pretend to sleep. If any village girl is willing to marry him, she goes and wakes him with a kiss; the pair then goes to the village inn together and lead the dance which announces their engagement. The boy is called "the betrothed of May."
)O( -
The Hexham Wolf
The Hexham wolf?
At the turn of the 19th Century, Hexham, Northumberland, had a typically English countryside feel. Near to Hadrian's Wall, the busy market town prospered, and many people worked either on the land or at nearby factories. Around the town the wheels of progress were not yet in motion and the woodlands were still thick with trees. It was a place of scenic beauty and quaint rural happiness. But on 10 December, 1904 the town awoke to the local newspaper, the Hexham Courant, running the headline;
"Wolf At Large In Allendale"
Local farmers from the village of Allendale, very near to Hexham, had reported the loss of their livestock, so serious that many sheep were being stabled at night to protect them. A shepherd found two of his flock slaughtered, one with its entrails hanging out, and all that remained of the other was its head and horns. Many of the sheep had been bitten about the neck and the legs - common with an attack made by a wolf.
Hysteria soon set in. During the night, lanterns were kept burning to scare away the wolf, and women and children were ordered to keep to the busy roads and be home before dusk. The 'Hexham Wolf Committee' was soon set up to organise search parties and hunts to bring down the beast using specialised hunting dogs, the 'Haydon Hounds', but even they could not find the wolf. The Wolf Committee took the next step and hired Mr W. Briddick, a trained tracker. But he was also unsuccessful, despite searching the woods of Allendale and Wooley1.
Through December and over Christmas, the hunt for the wolf continued. Livestock was still being attacked, and on the 29 December the wolf was witnessed jumping a high wall. The next day it was seen running down and killing a black-faced ewe and apparently emboldened, the creature even got close enough to a group of local boys and young women, but it was frightened off by their shrill yelling and screaming.
Crying Wolf
Then, the body of a wolf was found on a railway line in Cumwinton, Cumbria, almost 30 miles (48km) west of Hexham. Had the Allendale wolf been found and killed? On 7 January, 1905 the Courant reported that the wolf on the railway line wasn't the one terrorising the Hexham and Allendale areas. The Wolf Committee had further evidence that there was a wolf still roaming around - with footprints, more carcasses and eyewitness accounts. Some locals believed that there wasn't just one wolf, but a whole pack living in the nearby woods. Further ideas suggested that the town had its very own werewolf!
However, come 21 January, 1905, the Courant was concentrating on the news of the Russian surrender to the Japanese at Port Arthur, during the Russo-Japanese War. The wolf was relegated to the back pages, with a description of a further hunt taking place with hounds, but later called off due to bad frost. And then, the attacks stopped. The sheep were safe, and although there were occasional reports of a large dog being seen in the woods, nothing more was said of the 'Wolf of Allendale' for decades to come. Until 1972.
The Hexham Heads
In February, 1972 the Robson boys were weeding their parent's garden not 10 minutes walk from where the 'Wolf of Allendale' stalked the woods. The pair soon unearthed two carved stone heads both about the size of tennis balls. A few nights after the discovery, neighbour Ellen Dodd was sitting up late with her daughter when both of them saw what they described as a 'half-man/half-beast' enter the bedroom. Although both mother and daughter screamed in terror, the creature seemed disinterested in them and walked off down the stairs. It was heard to be 'padding down the stairs as if on its hind legs', and the front door was later found open. It was assumed it had left the house in search of something else, but what no-one knew, or indeed was inclined to find out!2
Professional Interest
Soon, Dr Anne Ross took an interest in the apparently Celtic carved stone heads and took possession of the Hexham pair. She had several others that were similar and wanted to compare them, believing they were at least 2000 years old. Dr Ross lived and worked in Southampton at the time, and had heard nothing of the strange goings-on and apparent return of the 'Wolf of Allendale' associated with the carved heads. A few nights later at around 2.00am, she woke from sleep feeling cold and frightened. Looking up she saw a strange figure in the doorway of her bedroom;
It was about six feet high, slightly stooping, and it was black, against the white door, and it was half animal and half man. The upper part, I would have said, was a wolf, and the lower part was human and, I would have again said, that it was covered with a kind of black, very dark fur. It went out and I just saw it clearly, and then it disappeared, and something made me run after it, a thing I wouldn't normally have done, but I felt compelled to run after it. I got out of bed and I ran, and I could hear it going down the stairs, then it disappeared towards the back of the house.
Scared, but intrigued, Anne simply put the event down to a nightmare, but when she later returned home with her husband, archaeologist Richard Feacham, they found their teenage daughter, Berenice, distraught and in tears. After some coaxing she managed to explain the reason for her state, and Anne suddenly realised perhaps she had not been dreaming the night before. As Berenice later told, she had returned to the empty house at 4.00pm and opened the front door with her key. As it opened she saw a large shape rushing down the stairs toward her. Halfway down, the thing suddenly stopped and vaulted the banisters, landing with a soft thud like a heavy animal with thickly padded feet. Needless to say Berenice was terrified by the incident.
The End?
Eventually Anne Ross decided that the stone heads were the source of the problem, and promptly disposed of her whole collection. The Hexham finds were soon passed into the hands of other collectors, including the British Museum, where they were displayed to the public for a short time until reports of eerie occurrences forced them into storage. A dowser by the name of Frank Hyde attempted to find a paranormal link with the heads, and using copper mesh was able to apparently lessen their strange effects. Hyde later became uncontactable, and the 'Hexham Heads' fell out of favour.
Later on, there were claims that the heads were made in the late 1950s by the previous owner of the Robson's house in Hexham as toys, and had been lost in the garden - however the myth had taken root. They were also reportedly examined at Southampton and Newcastle Universities for proof of their age, but for now the artefacts have disappeared from public knowledge and their current whereabouts are unknown - just like that of the 'Wolf of Allendale' and the strange half-wolf/half-man. -
Soap operas and reality, a real oxymoron
So the world is still going to hell in a hand basket, We are going to be under the greatest tax burden in History and yet all the papers are banging on about some girl on Eastenders who got knocked over by a car. Now I don't know about you, but having my testicles nailed to a railway sleeper with a rusty 9" nail is more appealing thatn having to endure these mind melting spirit killing farces.
So, Never afraid to put his life and sanity on the line for you, my good friends, yon Wolfie has been doing a bit of research into these programmes, and has noticed a trend between them all whether they are on ITV, BBC or the Jeremy Kyle Channel.
Now bear in mind, that these programmes are reputed, (by the pundits on GMTV) as ultra realistic and a snapshot into modern life, (so If that's the case, how come no-one in Coronation Street ever stays in and watches Eastenders
and if they are an accurate slice of modern life, then in short, we're screwed aren't we?
So Just a few questions before I come up with my idea for a revolutionary (and far fetched) soap.
How come, in Eastenders, there are Mercedes, Jaguars, BMW's parked outside yet no bugger has a washing machine?
The amount of time that some one is asked to 'watch the stall' defies belief, can anyone remember who actually owns and runs what stall?
Is Albert Square a Prison, I mean, no bugger ever sods of to Asda for their shopping do they? that corner shop must be minting it and they sell everything!
Considering that there are an estimated 60m people in this country, isn't it coincidental how far flung family members always end up as partners?
Now, How many rooms does the Queen Vic actually have, I mean, according to the BBC, at one point, it was home to 14 people?
Now, I',m buying my fags from the corner shop in Coro, the prices haven't gone up in ages and although i don't like them, 20 Benson at £4.10 looks good to me.
Now, Considering that both the Rovers and the Queen Vic are the hubs of these places, why are they looking so run down.
fuelled by these questions, It took two minutes to find the biggest reality fuck up there is and it's in that bastion of British farming life, Emmerdale, and the Question is this.
for two weeks, the 'Kings' (whoever the fuck they are!) were threatening the Dingles (where I come from, an expression for someone from Wolverhampton) with evicting them from their Garage, Now.......allegedly, the Kings are bankrupt, so here is the question, what are they doing claiming rent, all assets would be in the name of the creditors.
And while we're on the subject of incredulous mind sapping belief, have you ever seen a farm where the kit is spotless, where the tractors are wax cleaned and polished? and no one ever gets up at 4:00 am do they?
So here is my idea for a soap, far fetched maybe, but a novel concept.
At Christmas, no-one dies, no affairs are aired, people wake up, get pissed, have a great day and fall asleep in the early evening
At weddings, No-one dies,, no affairs are aired, it's a great day, every body has a blast and great auntie gets pissed and falls asleep in the early evening.
When they go on holiday, no-one dies, no affairs are aired, everybody has a blast, they get drunk and fall asleep in the early evening
When a couple get together, they don't have kids who they surrendered many years ago in a small orphanage in outer Mongolia and have mysteriously ended up renting the room next door, and they have a great time, they go out, do normal things, no one dies, no affairs are aired and they get pissed and fall asleep in the early evening.
Every morning, there is the sound of the populace cringing when yet another fucking dozen pizza menu's pop through the letter box, (a sound missing from the two major soaps, evidently, pizza is new to the east end and Manchester)
People have a steady and reliable job, they leave the house in the morning, do a good days work, and come home, with no arguments, hence no-one dies, no affairs are aired and they fall asleep in the early evening.
When asked if they are going to the local, people might after washing up (a new concept) or doing the ironing (another novel concept) or even loading this thing called a 'washing machine' thus allowing the launderette to become a kebab house (see real world again), heavens, they may say no, as they're watching Coro FFS!
Not every girl under 16 gets pregnant and those that do get a fucking verbal arsekicking, nor do they surrender the kid to show up at the most inopportune moment 20 years down the line.
And best of all, it would mean an end to the reality of the four air heads sat outside my local discussing this mind melting pap lke it was real life!
now to erase all traces of these searches, i do have a reputation to uphold after all -
Moon Cords
The idea behind moon cords is to embrace and preserve specific attributes of moon power which are available during a specific moon phase. These attributes are directed into a length of cord and held there byknots; thus the attributes are available to the witch at any time. For example: you may wish to perform some magick which is appropriate to the waxing moon.
Ideally, you would be wisest to wait until after the moon is new to utilize the most compatible energies for your work. But what if you have good reason not to wait, and what if in linear time the moon is actually waning? No problem, if you have prepared a new moon cord, you can draw upon the new moon power at any time of any month. You can prepare a cord during each phase of the moon, and thus, have available to you the power of each phase. However I strongly suggest that you use the cords only when absolutely necessary, and try to work with the phases of the moon in the sky whenever you can.
TO PREPARE A MOON CORD:
Use a length of colored wool, or embroidery thread about two feet long. You can have five different colors if you prefer and prepare five cords: new, waxing, full, waning and dark. Or you can simplify matters and use three colors for three cords: new and waxing combined, full ( alone ),waning and dark combined. I find it sufficient to work with three. To prepare a cord during the appropriate Moon phase, Light your goddess candle and sit at your altar or work table- or go outside. State alignments, and call on that aspect of the goddess who rules the phase you wish to put into the cord. This is called charging the cord. Thus for the new and waxing call upon Diana; for the full call upon Selene, for the waning call upon Hecate. It's a good idea to use your athame for this, as the process is related to drawing down the moon. In a sense, you are drawing her down for each phase to enter your cord, so you may draw a pentagram over the face of the moon, or over the candle flame which represents her, and trace a line of power from the moon or flame into your cord, stating words of power.
"By the one power.
Working for and through me
I hereby call upon you, Diana,
To enter this cord with your power
to charge this cord
enter this cord
for the good of all
and according to free will
for the work of positive magic only
To aid me in my work
at the appropriate times,
According to your will
as these knots are tied."
Then tie nine knots in the cord, placing them equidistant from one another and use the ninth knot to tie the cord into a circle. then add:" So mote it be". Place this circle on the altar encircling your Goddess candle, and leave it there for awhile, meditating if you wish on the phase of the moon with which you have charged the cord. When you feel your work is complete, wind the cord into a compact little entity and enclose it in a tiny pouch or box. This is kept on the altar. It is best kept near your own tools. When you work with a moon cord either hold it in your hand or place around your goddess candle, as you do pecific magic for which you need it's aid. When you are finished, put it back in it's holder. You may take it out and hold it under the moon during it's name phase, to recharge it, but this is not absolutely essential. There is no drain on moon power, such as with a battery. The power is in the moon cord to stay.
)O( -
Lunar Moons
THE WOLF MOON
The fearsome nocturnal animal represents the "night" of the year. Wolves were rarely seen in England after the 12th century. To each Lunar month the ancients assigned a name in accordance with the nature of the activity that took place at that time. The Moon of deepest Winter is the Wolf Moon, and its name recalls a time when our ancestors gathered close around the hearth fire as the silence of the falling snow was pierced by the howling of wolves. Driven by hunger, wolves came closer to villages than at any other time of the year, and may have occasionally killed a human being in order to survive. The wolf in northern countries was at one time so feared that it became the image of Fenris, the creature of destruction that supposedly will devour the world at the end of time. The Christian version of the myth would leave it at that, but the myth continues. Like the wolf in the fairy tale of Little Red Riding hood, which preserves the full idea of the myth but is used only to frighten children, the wolf is slain; and the grandmother, like the world, is brought forth once more. As the light of the new-born year slowly increases and the Wolf Moon waxes full, it is a good time to look back upon that which has just ended and learn from our experiences. Bid the past farewell and let it go in order to receive the year that has just been born. Learning to let go of that which we would cling to is one of the greatest secrets of magick.
STORM MOON
A storm is said to rage most fiercely just before it ends, and the year usually follows suit. The Moon following the Wolf Moon is the Storm Moon. Whether you meet with a coven on the night of the Full Moon, salute Her in a solitary ritual, or simply blow Her a kiss, bear in mind the magick of this night and the nature of the storms of February. Unlike the boisterous storms of the light half of the year, which are accompanied by the clashing of thunder and the flinging of lightning bolts, the storms of February come in silence. They blanket the world in coldness in keeping with the nature of the dark half of the Wheel of the Year. But beneath the blanket of cold and silent snow, Nature rests, as we do when in the realm of the Spirit that is called death; and like those in the world of Spirit, Nature prepares for life anew.
CHASTE MOON or SEED MOON
The Antiquated word for pure reflects the custom of greeting the new year with a clear soul. The Moon following the Storm Moon is the Chaste Moon. Like Diana, chaste Goddess of the Moon, all of Nature at this moment is pure potential waiting to be fulfilled. The Goddess has many forms:
The maiden pure and lovely as the snow of February, The seductive enchantress of the night, The Crone ancient and wise.
As the Goddess can change Her form according to the Moon or according to Her will, ever renewing Herself, ever beginning again, se can we, Her children, always begin again by discovering new potential within ourselves. When you cast the Circle of the Chaste Moon, when the candles have been lit and the incense burned, look deep within yourself to discover what potential lies there waiting, like the Maiden, to be fulfilled. As it is the time for the planting of seeds on the material plane, so may it be time to do so on the psychic planes as well. On the night that the Seed Moon (another name for the Chaste Moon) of March is full, cast your magick Circle. Then before the rite has ended, select the spiritual seeds you would like to plant. They may be seeds of wisdom, seeds of understanding, or seeds of certain magickal skills. Then by an act of will, plant these seeds in the fertile soil of your subconscious mind with the firm commitment that they will be nurtured and cultivated in the months that lie ahead, so that they will grow and flower and bear fruit.
HARE MOON
The sacred animal was associated in Roman legends with springtime and fertility. As the Hare Moon of April waxes full, observe the rabbits leaping and playing, carefree in their mating and joyful in their games, and as you cast your Esbat Circle and joyfully dance the round, feel within your heart the carefree nature of the wild creatures that are also children of the Old Gods.
DYAD MOON
The Latin word for a pair refers to the twin stars of the constellation Castor and pollux. This time of the Sacred Marriage of the God and Goddess is the Dyad Moon, the time when the two become one, when all things meet their opposites in perfect balance and in perfect harmony. As you cast your Circle this night of the Dyad Moon, adorn it with apple blossoms, and light candles of white. When the sacred round has been danced, sit a moment and reflect. Seek harmony in all things. As the dark half of the Wheel of the Year balances the light, as heat balances cold, recall the words of the Goddess,
"Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence, within you."
And then before the rite is ended, if it is appropriate, become one with your working partner, physically as well as spiritually.
MEAD MOON
During late June and most of July the meadows, or meads, were mowed for hay. After the spectacular flowers of May have passed and the bees have gathered their pollen and nectar, the hives are filled with honey that is waiting to be gathered. In ancient times much of this honey was made into a drink called mead by a fermentation process similar to that of making wine. The "Moon in June" is the Mead Moon.
Mead has been considered to have magickal and even life-restoring properties in many of the countries of ancient Europe, and it was the drink of many of the great heroes of legend. The legendary figure Robin Hood, who is accepted historically as being a composite of several peasant leaders during the reign of King Richard I, is also generally accepted by Pagans as being one of us. One reason is that Robin was a popular Witch name, and also because he was always described as being dressed in green, symbolic of the Green Man of Sherwood Forest. Lincoln green, which is made from woad, the dyestuff used by the Picts of ancient Britain and the Druid priestesses, is also a color that symbolizes, historically, the Pagan peasantry. Among the articles robbed from the rich by Robin Hood are "met and met." This probably means "meat and mead." In the myth of Odin, one of His quests is for the Poetic Mead of Inspiration, which He returns to the realm of the Gods where it belongs, but a few drops fall to Earth, and this may be had by anyone who can find them. On the night that the Mead Moon waxes full, after the Circle has been cast and dancing done, fill the cup with mead (if it is available), sweet wine, or an herb tea sweetened with honey. Sip the sweet drink and sit quietly and make yourself a vessel ready to receive the inspiration of the higher realms. Become a mead cup ready to be filled, not with the brew of everyday life but with the clear, bright liquid of illumination. Every time this ritual is performed, even if there are no immediate results, you are becoming a more perfect vessel for divine inspiration. If the night of the Mead Moon is very close to the Summer Solstice, the results of this exercise can be very powerful. If the Mead Moon is full on Midsummer Night, then the priestess into whom the Moon is Drawn should be prepared.
WORT MOON
When the sun was high, the worts (from the Anglo-Saxon wyrt plant) were gathered to be dried and stored. As the Wort Moon of July waxes full, this is the time for gathering of herbs. The word wort is old Anglo-Saxon for "herb." When the magickal herbs have been gathered and hung to dry, the time of the Wort Moon is the time to give thanks to the spirits who dwell in the herb garden, and to leave them an offering. Perhaps as you place an offering in the moonlit garden, they will whisper to you other secrets of herbal magick.
BARLEY MOON
Persephone, virgin goddess of rebirth, carries a sheaf of barley as a symbol of the harvest. One day at mid-month we realize that the robins and wrens that were nesting nearby have simply vanished. Their lovely songs have been replaced by the shrill calls of the bluejays, who were so silent during the nesting season. As August progresses the days are still hot but nighttime temperatures are beginning to cool, and the late afternoon thunderstorms that bring the cooler air also bring about the ripening of tomatoes.
In the fields and meadows and along roadside snow there are wild herbs to be gathered. There are goldenrod, Queen Anne's lace, and milkweed - all awaiting the natural dyer who can extract from them tan, green, and bright yellow respectively, for dyes and for natural inks for talismans. Among the medicinal herbs to be collected at this time is boneset, which does not help broken bones to heal but is a febrifuge that was used as a remedy for "Breakbone Fever" in the 1840s. Milkweed pods with their silken fluff, goldenrod, and wild grasses and grains gathered now will be dried in time to adorn the altar at the Autumnal Equinox. As the aromatic herbs begin to fill the rafters in the dry heat of the attic, and the braids of onions and garlic fill the cool darkness of the root cellar, the golden grain and yellow corn ripen in the fields under the waning August Sun. To the Ancients this was the Barley Moon, a time to contemplate the eternalness of life. Just as we are descended from the first woman and the first man, who descended from the Gods, so is the grain of the bread that we eat descended from the first grain ever gathered. By ritually eating the Lammas bread we are participating in a chain of events that stretches back through time to the Gods themselves, And here before us in the ripening fields is the promise of the future. Everywhere there is abundance in the herb garden, the vegetable garden, the field, and the orchard.
The pantry shelves are lined with glistening glass jars that are filled with colorful fruits and vegetables preserved for Winter days; quarts of red tomatoes, cucumbers in slices or spears, dark red beets with cloves and cinnamon sticks, the yellow of corn, the orange of carrots - a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. The house is filled with delightful aromas as pickling spices are added to crocks of brine and exotic chutneys simmer on the stove. But the time of abundance is drawing to a close.
The fireflies of June and July have given way to katydids, whose scratchy calls to one another fill the evening air of August with the promise of frost in six weeks.
HARVEST MOON or WINE MOON
The moon nearest the Autumnal Equinox brings a feast from the yearly harvest to the table. Since wine was, and is, such a sacred fluid, the Pagans of old naturally named this Lunar month the Wine Moon.
As you celebrate the night of the Full Wine Moon and dance the magickal round in the moonlit Circle, pour some white wine in a silver cup. Before the rite is ended, if possible, catch Her reflection in the liquid, then take a sip. As the Moon-blessed wine casts its inner glow, sit quietly and feel your own spirit, of which the wine is a symbol. As the body is stilled and the spirit soars, feel on this night of magick a sense of the kind of transformation that takes place during true spiritual initiation. Today the term Harvest Moon is applied to the Full Moon nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. This is because, it is said, in other times when harvesting was done by hand, as the days grew shorter farmers were able to work into the night in the brightness of Her light.
BLOOD MOON
Marking the season when domestic animals were sacrificed for winter provisions. At this time of year the abundance of fruit and vegetables begins to slow. It is a time when our ancient ancestors gathered what they could store and then supplemented their Winter diets either by hunting wild animals or by slaughtering domestic ones. So this Lunar month is called the Blood Moon. As you cast the Esbat Circle on this moonlit Autumn night and fill the cup with blood-red wine, know that you will be joined in the sacred dance not only by the unseen presence of departed friends and family so close at this time of year, but also by the spirits of animals as well, perhaps of those that have died so that we may have food.
In this age of assembly line slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants, it is especially appropriate that on this night of the Blood Moon we who are on the Pagan path ritually ask the understanding of our animal sisters and brothers, bless them, and bid them merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.
SNOW MOON
Time heralds the dark season when the Sun is at its lowest and the first snow flies. As the Winter Sun wanes and the Snow Moon waxes full, cast your Circle in the warm glow of candlelight. Salute the Moon in Her snowy whiteness and breathe in the coolness of Her light. Become as still as this Winter night, and know that the activity of the warm light months is behind us. Ahead are the dark months of the year. The Spirit is most active when the body is most still.
OAK MOON
The sacred tree of the Druids and the Roman god Jupiter is most noble as it withstands winter's blasts.
The Full Moon nearest the Winter Solstice is the Oak Moon, the Moon of the newborn year, the Divine Child. Like the Divine Child who is born to die and dies to be reborn anew, the ancient Oak has its trunk and branches in the material world of the living, while its roots, the branches in reverse, reach deep into the Underworld, symbolic land of the Spirit. As the roots probe downward into the grave-like darkness of the Earth, its branches grow ever upward toward the light, to be crowned by sacred Mistletoe. At this most magickal time of the year, as the light of the old dying year wanes and the Oak Moon waxes to full, cast your Circle wearing Mistletoe in your hair. Let this token remind you that like the Oak, we too dwell simultaneously in two worlds - the world of physical matter and the world of Spirit. As you invoke the Goddess of the Moon, ask that you become ever more aware of the other side of reality and the unseen forces and beings that are always among us.
)O(
