LISTEN TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gonna be on Beyond Worlds Tarot blogtalk show this Sunday at 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time. The topic of the show is The Chariot and The Lovers. Things that are fast and things that are sexy--things in which I am an expert, as I so cornily said on the "Tarot of the Boroughs" FB page.

Link to the show is HERE.

Hope you can listen in!!!!

xoxo

Learning from other faiths and sometimes, teaching them, too....

My Seminary classes are heavily populated with Pentecostal Christians. Some are still practicing, many are (as many of my classmates are) questioning the faith in which they were raised and are going back to school for answers. Some of the earliest small-group discussions involved the practice of Speaking in Tongues--when the Holy Spirit descends upon a member of the congregation and they start prophesying. Sometimes, it's in an unintelligible manner of speech that requires translation by an Elder in the community. Sometimes, there are clearer messages. Pentecostalism is similar to the Craft in many ways. As I understand it, many Pentecostal Churches do not require a specific degree to lead the Church (although many Pentecostal ministers do indeed have Seminary degrees). The process involves clapping and focusing on bringing in the Holy Spirit to embrace someone in the room. In some Churches, it happens more than at other Churches. And in the Churches where speaking in tongues was more likely to happen than in others, it was a common assessment that certain individuals were more likely to "take on" the Holy Spirit than others.

They did not use the word possession.

But one thing came up, and that was how to "diagnose" an authentic case of speaking in tongues. How do we know when someone is actually touched with the Holy Spirit or if that person is faking? Or if that person *thinks* they're touched, when they're actually not?

"In Voodoo," I said. "It's common to stick chilis in a jar of rum. If the person is actually possessed, they'll drink it and be able to handle it. If not, they won't. Not being sure of authenticity in spirit-trance is a common issue across faiths."

It was silent in the room.

I hope I don't sound like I'm mocking because that isn't my intention. These Pentecostals were a little unnerved to hear of Voodoo or Wiccan practices mentioned alongside their own practices. Likewise, I was surprised to learn about how much Pagan faiths had in common with the Pentecostals. On my first day of class, I scribbled in my notebook, "Is Pentecostalism the Witchcraft of Christianity?"

I dunno. But it's something to think about.

There is a re-Paganification, if you will, of Christianity emerging. I see it in my classmates and they certainly aren't the only ones. A Quaker classmate of mine asked for the email address of one of my Covenmates--a mate who is himself a Christian, but interested in Goddess worship and magick practice. The classmate is curious about the Pagan roots of Christianity.

Another classmate approached me after a lecture one day, wanting to know about my faith. My first response is always, "What would you like to know?" Their usual response is "Everything." And then, I'm stuck. That's a lot to answer in the usual fifteen minutes we have, if that. This young woman narrowed down the question to say, "How does what you do relate to what we do?"

I narrowed it down like this, "The myth of the God slain to nourish the people is a very old one indeed--going back to Ancient Egypt and the Osiris myth and probably before that. There is no coincidence that your God resurrects at the same time the Earth is coming back to life--at the beginning of Springtime."

Not sure where that came from. Maybe it was my own tongue of Brid's fire. But she went away smiling and learned something. As did I. Sometimes, it takes someone from the outside asking you about your faith for you to learn something about it, yourself.

Yay, weekend!!!!

Hey look! It's me!

Couple of kind souls blogged me this week. This one was about young Tarot readers today. She also profiles Jessica Bowman, Angelo Nasios and Elliot Czaplewski.

And my friend Hilary Parry wrote this stunning review of Tarot of the Boroughs! Thanks, Hilary!!!! xoxo

Tales from Seminary

I've been promising this blog that I would tell seminary stories. It's slow on a Friday and I'm processing a little bit of Writer's Block, so here goes:

The Day the Seminary Guy Asked Me about Christine O'Donnell, Among Other Things.

SG: Hey, been meaning to ask you about the Christine O'Donnell thing. How are you guys...can I say that? You guys? How are you guys dealing with that?

Me: Oh, it's such a load of shit. That woman really shot herself in the foot...

SG: So, is she a Witch?

Me: No way. She doesn't know what she's talking about. If she were to practice, I know of no Covens that would take her with the kind of attitude she's presented.

SG: Aw...you'd kick her out?

Me: Well, she wasn't part of our community to begin with, so I guess the point is moot. Anyway, we're not too worried about her because what she's actually done is harm her own campaign while giving our Elders the opportunity to respond to her comments, showing us in a much better light. So, she lost out...

SG: Wait. Are you guys going to put a curse on her or something?

Me: I don't think most people are that interested in investing that kind of time in her. What she's really done is alienate the Wiccan community of Delaware...

SG: Wait. There are Wiccans in Delaware???

Me: Yes! There are lots of Wiccans in Delaware. My boyfriend lives there with four High Priests.

SG: Your boyfriend is Wiccan?

Me: Yes. And...

SG: Wait. Do you guys date outside of Wicca?

Me: All the time. But anyway, I don't know of anyone hexing or cursing Christine O'Donnell. I mean, she won't be getting any of the Wiccan vote down there after this but truly, I don't think she would have, anyway. We're notoriously leftist.

SG: Wait. You guys vote????

(more to come)

Shit!

I guess people are going to start reading this again, now that I got blogged. Off to think of something brilliant. Meanwhile, check it out!!!

The Tarot Lady