Coco Craft and Tarot

Where have I been????

2012-01-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true. I've been a bad, bad blogger on this site. But Priestess work came in droves just after my last post and I've been working as a Chaplain at Occupy Wall Street.

Please check out a piece I wrote (with Mary Caliendo) for The Wild Hunt.

Also, this one!

I'm currently in the process of building a new blog/website which will combine both my work in the Craft and Tarot worlds. I feel that "A Girl Called Woo" has run its course and it's time for something fresh. I will post the link when I feel it's ready for exposure!

Meanwhile, a blessed 2012 to all of you! It's going to be a fabulous adventure....

xoxo
C

TAROT FOR VERMONT! Get a reading and help good people get back on their feet.

2011-09-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

In years past, when I wasn't able to drive to New Orleans or Texas or discover a cure for cancer, I read Tarot. In the aftermath of Katrina, in the shadow of a friend's divorce, or in the throws of a classmate's battle with the Big C, I read cards and gave the money to the causes or bank accounts set up for them. I'm doing it again. As I mentioned in my last post, my friends in Vermont were devastated by Hurricane Irene. Tarot has been the one thing I've consistently been able to do to help when I'm not medically or legally trained and indefinitely car-less. But for the month of September, I can help by donating my Tarot proceeds to the Bethel Relief Fund.

Pricing is as follows!

Phone and Skype readings:
15 mins--$30
30 mins--$45
60 mins--$60

Email readings are available, too! $20 per question, answered via email within 48 hours.

Contact me at courtney@tarotoftheboroughs.com for scheduling!

xoxo
C

Before the catch up, Vermont needs our help

2011-09-01T04:45:00.000-07:00

I have a long tale of East and West coast adventures and misadventures--but before storytime comes work. Our friends in Vermont need our help. Communities are coming together up there to shovel mud out of the homes of strangers and put back together an infrastructure decimated by Hurricane Irene.

Please donate what you can to this grassroots, Pagan-led work force trying to put their immediate community back together: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=272337666111248

Maybe Mother Nature will give us enough time between natural disasters so that I can regal you with crazy-ass tales!!!

xoxo
C

Popping in!!!

2011-08-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

A whirlwind of weeks...:) Janet and Gavin came to town and we raised a hell of a fab time up at Palaia Vineyards in Highland Mills, NY. A full week at Craftwise and Summerfest at Brushwood. Several of us then went to to Laurelin Center and tonight, I'm taking the decadent choice of the Super Shuttle Van instead of the Subway/NJ Transit route to Newark Airport and flying BYE-BYE-VROOM!!! to OR/WA/CA for the Left Coast Tour!

Tuesday, August 16th at Celestial Awakenings in Vancouver, WA: Voice of the Tarot! http://www.celestial-awakenings.com/

Thursday, August 18th at Deforest House in Portland, OR: http://deforesthouse.net/weber.php

Wednesday, August 24-Thursday, August 25: Two classes ("Voice of the Tarot" and "Circle Casting for Personal and Group Magick") and available for readings at Sacred Mists! http://www.sacredmists.com/napa-valley-workshops.html

Saturday, August 27-Sunday, August 28: I will be presenting at BATS! http://www.dodivination.com/sf_bats_logistics_parking_c_speakers_vendors

I look forward to decompressing and sharing the fantastic stories...but I will also be trying to see family and old friends while out West, so please look for more updates when I return!!!

xoxo
C

Festival brain.....

2011-07-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Back from Brushwood. :) In body, anyway. My head is still floating up in Sherman, NY somewhere, but I'm sure it will drift back in sooner or later.

Back to Patrick McCollum Take a few minutes to get caught up on the lawsuit and his own thoughts about it. Can't get too comfortable in festival land....we may be surrounded by hundreds of gorgeous Pagans at any one of these sites, but as a whole--we still have a long way to go.

So.....back to being public and making noise in a good way!

At Brushwood we raised a bunch of money for the Cornwall, NY SPCA during a Donkey Parade. Janet brought me a stuffed donkey as a birthday present, which she pinned to the front of my dress. We walked around the camp, drumming and shaking our change cups tell people they could "Kiss Courtney's Ass" for a dollar. $114 wracked up pretty quickly. See? We can still be freaky-deak Pagans and give to a good cause.

And if anyone should have found my brain up in Brushwood, please drop it off at my office, immediately. My co-workers thank you.

Patrick McCollum Lawsuit

2011-07-08T13:19:00.001-07:00

I'm running away to see my man in a few minutes and don't yet have the thought-streams to make an intelligible blog post. (Coven threw me a surprise birthday party last night and I'm still a little foggy. :) )

But you will want to read the ruling in the Patrick McCollum case. Stay informed. It's important for all of us.

xoxo

Frustrating news, but this is how it rolls sometimes.

2011-07-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty unhappy today. I've made the difficult choice to take a leave of absence from Seminary this coming academic year. I'd rather not be taking the year off. I'd rather be pushing my education forward, but after several conversations with the deans at the Seminary and my advisor, this is the best option for now. Everyone at both the Seminary and my place of employment (which is also a college) has been very kind and supportive but unfortunately, what we are each able to provide for each another does not match up right now.

The situation:When I applied to the school, it was with the understanding that I would be able to continue my full-time job, which provides tuition remission, while pursuing the degree. However, the Masters of Divinity track has a large canon of required core-classes to obtain the degree. The problem is that these classes are only offered during the 9-5 workday. My job provides tuition remission with the agreement that all classes be taken outside of the office hours of 9-5 (which is a fair policy, I do agree). The school is trying to change their scheduling to better accommodate working students, but this will not be happening within the next academic year. This past year, the majority of classes I was able to take were electives. If I continue this pattern, I will have spent two years in a program on nearly all electives and very few core classes. This makes me very nervous.

Several people have suggested solutions out of support. Believe me, the folks at Seminary and I have discussed each and every one of these sorts of solutions and they simply do not apply. I'm posting several below as I'll be traveling a lot this summer and probably answering the same questions. It's easier on me to simply post them here and direct people to the blog. :)

Can you change your work schedule? Perhaps make up the hours later?
No, I can't. My job requirements entail me being a point person in the office between the hours of 9 and 5.

Can you take vacation time? To do the classes one day a week or something?
No. I'm the Executive Assistant to a Dean. Being out of the office one day a week will not work as I need to be present as much as possible during the academic year.

Can't you take the courses at another school and transfer them to the school?
No. The Seminary has a strict policy that its core classes must be taken at the institution. Being in Higher Ed, I understand where they are coming from. Unfortunately, it makes my student-life much harder! :)

What about independent study? Or on-line courses?
Neither apply to these courses.

How many courses are you talking about? Is this really a big deal?
Roughly 6 courses--18 credits. Plus a field study component that I will have to work through, somehow! Yes. It's an issue.

What about going to school full time? Student loans? Scholarships?
Doing that track would put me at about 40,000 dollars in debt by graduation. I am not willing to take on debt in that amount for something that is not a mortgage. As for scholarships, they would have to be enormous and those are hard to come by. Costs of living in New York City plus heavy tuition pretty much equal poverty for the rest of your life if you go that route. I think it goes without saying that a Divinity degree would help my work as a Priestess--but I won't be walking into a paid clergy-role. :) Plus, I like my job and I'm treated well here. I will not be leaving it to go pursue full-time school.

Well....isn't there something they can work out for you?
Again, I've been in hours of conversations and the Seminary has investigated every option they currently have for my situation. The only real way this can work is if the core classes are offered in the evenings which is something they say they are working on--but it's not going to be available this coming year.

Will they be able to offer the classes the following year?
It's uncertain. I absolutely hope so, but again--I do not want to go through the stress and costs of another year of school without knowing if I will be able to finish my degree.

Have you thought about other programs?
I will be researching other options, but nothing is certain, yet.

Gee, that sucks.
Yes, it does.

Are you upset about it?
Yes, I am.

So, now what?
Not sure. Going to teach these workshops this summer, work on some writing projects, keep in conversations with the Seminary and also peek at other programs. It bothers me a lot to delay my education, but that's just how life rolls sometimes.

Seminary has been wonderful so far--both academically and through this situation. My job has also been very understanding and supportive as well. But they each can offer only what they can offer and being on both sides of Higher Ed, I understand the limitations. But without a guarantee that I can continue and finish, I'm not willing to compromise myself energetically and financially. It's really annoying--but sometimes you have to take a time out and wait for the right solution to present itself.

Meanwhile, I'll do better at keeping this blog up to date. :)

BBMF.

Free Readings!!!

2011-05-25T12:11:00.001-07:00

Tonight, from 6-9 p.m., Eastern Time, I will be offering free Tarot readings on the new site Shindigtarot.com! Here's where you can find me! http:hthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//shindigtarot.com/directory/coco_tarot

Also, this is the last day of the Tarot of the Boroughs sale. If you purchase a copy today, I will give you a free 15 minutes reading on the time and day of your choice!

So, come see me for free on Shindig today--purchase a deck and save that reading for a rainy day!

YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-05-19T11:44:00.001-07:00

Yahoo published an article about World Tarot Day! Jorge and I are mentioned as "cutting edge!"

Resources for LGBTQ recipients of violence

2011-05-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

If you are in the New York area and have been a recipient of violence (or have a community member who has been the recipient of violence), please check out the Anti-Violence Project. They provide advocacy for those wishing to report violent incidents to the police, as well as counseling.

Don't be silent. To be silent is to be complicit.

Whales!!!

2011-05-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Thriving in NYC!!! :D

Weighing in on the Five Fold Kiss

2011-05-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Society of Diana posted a blog about her concerns over the Five Fold Kiss and its inherent sexism in its traditional text. She asked me to comment and I did! Here's what I wrote (you'll want to go to the link above to see the original discussion).

Our Coven uses the Five Fold Kiss when intending to draw a Deity's influence into a person. The kisses are used to focus Etheric energy into those regions to better connect the person to the Deity. I encourage my members to not stick to text, but develop their own with the intention of Deity connection. I actually did not learn the words of the Five-Fold Kiss to say, "Formed in beauty" or "Formed in Strength." I learned it as "Blessed be thy breasts that encase the powerful heart within," which is used on either a woman or man. I think it is a useful ritual tool, but like all ritual tools, if it not examined and is instead treated dogmatically, it could become archaic and in this case, understandably received as sexist.

I'll be teaching the Mechanics of the Five Fold Kiss at Laurelin in August and then at Harvest Gathering in September! Please join me! I am very excited to be teaching this class to the public!

Going bizerk...in the best way possible!!!!

2011-05-07T09:39:00.001-07:00

I just saw THIS INCREDIBLE ARTICLE about a grey seal hanging out on the beach where I've been leaving offerings to Ochun and the Mother Hudson. (Those of you who remember my story about getting smacked for not leaving the Hudson an offering? This is where it happened.) Just recently, I did a spell for eco-consciousness on this same spot. And the seal arrived!!! I don't even know what to do with myself--except run down there and pick up trash so the seal is more comfortable.

MOTHER HUDSON IS COMING BACK TO LIFE!!!!! ASHE, ASHE, ASHE!!!!

Festivals this summer! Come hang with me!!!

2011-05-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

We're still in the midst of Beltaine planning (Our crew's celebration is tomorrow!!!) and I'm trying to keep my head down and focused on my finals...but I can already hear drums and smell bonfires.

Here are a few places where I'll be teaching this summer! Please come and hang with me!!!

Brushwood Summerfest--Craftwise College!
July 18-24
In gorgeous upstate New York. I'll be teaching my (in)famous Tarot classes: "Voice of the Tarot" and "Burn the Fucking Book." I'll also be leading my "Ethics of Spellcraft" workshop at Craftwise. I'm soooooo stoked....because my friends and mentors Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone will also be leading their incredible workshops...and my dear friend and sister in Brid Bernadette Montana of Brid's Closet will be teaching at the festival, too!(Both Summerfest and Craftwise are at Brushwood the week of July 18th!)

Laurelin Sun, Moon and Sky Magick Lughnasadh Celebration
Bethel, Vermont
August 3-7
At my good friend Kirk White's gorgeous farm in northern Vermont. They EVEN HAVE A PAN GROVE AND A NATURAL SPRING!!! It's even more exciting for me as two of my Students/Covenmates are also teaching: Lisa Vazquez and Noelle V Dor. HPS BEAMING SUNSHINEY-RAINBOW-SPARKLY UNICORNS OF PRIDE!!!!

And then....at the end of August....returning to my hometown of Portland, OR to show them all the cool things I learned while in the far East!

DeForest House
Portland, OR.
Thursday, August 18, 7-9:30
These kind souls endured my renditions of Lady Gaga and AC/DC at their New Year's Eve drum circle...now, they're kind enough to let me teach "Burn the Fucking Book!" and show off Tarot of the Boroughs!

***Vancouver, WA date in the works...will have more information soon!!!***

Sacred Mists Store
Napa, CA (The live, in-person store!)
August 24 and 25
Wonderful opportunity. :) I will be the first presenter this little gem of a store has had, in person! Many of you are familiar with Sacred Mists's Online College--but just this past August, they opened their doors as a store with doors and a roof and stuff inside! I will be teaching "Voice of the Tarot" and an introductory Wiccan Ritual workshop. I'll also be doing readings! Thank you, Lorien, for giving me this fantastic opportunity!

BAY AREA TAROT SYMPOSIUM!!!
San Francisco!!! California!!!
August 27-28
The last time I went to San Fran, I was with a Catholic School choir tour led by a bunch of nuns. I totally had a good time. We went to Six Flags and everything. But I think I'm going to have just as much fun as a 30 year old (yipes!)Witch and Tarot freak running around with a bunch of other Witches and Tarot freaks. I'll be presenting a talk on Tarot of the Boroughs. Maybe I'll even do Power Point! Yay!!!

If you are on the Left Coast and interested in coming to hang with me at any of these events, please register at the above links or email the stores if registration is not yet available. As registration does become available, I will update this blog. I never miss a chance to self promote--if you haven't noticed.

YAY!!! IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK!!! GOING HOME TO BE GOOD AND WORK ON A PAPER SO I CAN HAVE ALL THE FUN IN THE WORLD TOMORROW AT BELTAINE!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

Sorrow, forgiveness and healing--plus Tarot.

2011-05-04T13:13:00.001-07:00

Well, FIRST Tarot.

I'm still coming back to Earth after a world-turning weekend at the Reader's Studio. A swift lesson that I've been trying to avoid for months--even if you study Theology, even if you run a group, it is NOT a substitute for doing your own self-work. So now, armed with more things to reflect upon and investigate, I wade through the Beltaine tides (which have led to some very embarrassing Freudian "slips" at work...) and embrace the brightest part of the year in hopes that it will shine its light on the places in my soul that need illumination.

The Death of Bin Laden
This epic conclusion to the nearly mythic search for Bin Laden has shaken up painful memories for many from the tragic September day. The news broadcast cheering the streets of New York (I was asleep on my couch, processing my weekend), but much of it was mixed with tears. Facebook (stupid Facebook...) exploded with conspiracy theories, arguments as to whose victory it "really was," joy, anger, attempts at peace.

Revenge, for lack of a better term, is a complicated state. We fantasize about seeking revenge on those who have harmed us. Some of us may even receive the opportunity to reap what we consider revenge. But revenge is a shallow victory. It can feed the ego, but it leaves the soul in an extended feeling of hunger and want. During our trials of suffering at the hands of others, our souls are promised healing once revenge has been completed or "justice served." But when those moments come, the satisfaction is fleeting. Revenge does not undo the suffering we've undergone. It does not replace what was lost. Bin Laden's death may be providing closure for those who lost family and friends in 9/11--but it does not bring those lost back to life. Nor does it re-write the past ten years as glorious ones, filled with laughter and light instead of grief and pain. The soul is still left suffering after the revenge is complete, without the promise of an end in sight.

So what is the other option? Forgiveness? As a young Christian, I would grit my teeth and do my best to forgive the bullies that taunted me at school. Sometimes, I would succeed in doing so, only to be bullied again. I would "turn the other cheek" so friggin' often and simply allow the bullying to continue because in my young mind, it was the "good, Christian thing to do." Yet, there were also times both in my childhood and adult life, when someone who had done me wrong came forward with a heartfelt apology and I forgave them. And there have been individuals who harmed me in my past who never did apologize, and yet in hindsight I was able to forgive them. I am very thankful for those who have forgiven me when I've done stupid-ass things. The gift of forgiveness is peace in one's own soul. We no longer have to carry hot and self-poisonous grudges and perhaps we can even start anew in our own journeys with the people that either we've hurt or that have hurt us.

But the problem with forgiveness is the assumption that it's always necessary or always good. Can any of us really ask a woman who has been brutally raped to forgive her attackers? Or, back to the subject at hand, will it really serve anyone who suffered a loss in 9/11 any good to forgive Bin Laden for plotting the monstrous attacks? Would we be encouraging healing or the suppression of one's own pain? It is not fair to comfort one by saying it's part of their journey to experience that pain, or promise them that it will make them stronger. It minimizes and trivializes their experience.

When it seems impossible to forgive a person, group or situation who has harmed us, the only tool we can embrace is acceptance. We accept that a pain occurred. We also have to eventually accept that there may never be an answer to why something painful happened to us or those we love. Accepting does not mean condoning. Accepting also does not mean forgetting. But accepting that a pain happened may allow us to move forward and stop existing in the "Why did this happen? Why would this happen to me???" We accept that we will not know the answers, but we also accept the reality that our pain can be temporary, if we allow it to be.

My heart goes out to those who suffered directly or indirectly due to the attacks of 9/11. I am not excited about Bin Laden's death, as I do not believe his death will truly alleviate the suffering of the present. But nor do I mourn his death. Yes, he was a person--but he was a person who caused severe suffering and perhaps I am not compassionate enough to mourn the loss of a person who committed those acts. But what I do feel is hope that a benefit of this situation is the closure for those who suffered because of it, and hope that it moves forward the healing process. I hope those who lost are not pushing themselves to forgive Bin Laden, if they feel they cannot. But I do hope that all who suffered can reach a place of acceptance.

Peace, blessings and healing to all in this Light time of the year.

AWESOME WEEKEND COMING UP!!!!!

2011-04-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

If you're in the NYC area this weekend, I will be at the Reader's Studio at the LaGuardia Marriott Hotel! (Sorry, bitches...it's sold out! Hope you have your tickets already!) Tarot of the Boroughs will be for sale!!! (That is not sold out...you can order online!!!)

Also, Jorge will be at Brid's Closet Beltaine up in Cornwall, NY. He'll also have TofB for sale!

And to shamelessly promote another friend, Tarot reader Hilary Parry will be making her Reader's Studio debut! Hilary has been featured on Theresa Reed's Tarot Apprentice competition and I sincerely expect Hilary to win the hell out of that competition.

If you're there, come say hi to me and Hilary! If you're at Brid's Closet Beltaine, go say hi to Jorge!!! He'll be teaching Archetypes in Astrology!!!!

Friday Youtube, Inspiration and Diatribe

2011-04-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

(But not in that order)

DIATRIBE!!!!
I'm so excited for Beltaine, I'm tapdancing under my desk all day and skipping back and forth to the subway. In the nature of the Broom-Jumping, Handfasting Holiday I'm encouraging all ye Beltaine-Ritual-Planners out there to remember our brothers and sisters who are legally barred from Handfasting/Marrying the people they love. Consider including Marriage Equality in your Beltaine intentions. Our crew is dedicating our entire Beltaine Sabbat to raise energy to move forward Marriage Equality in New York State. We hope other communities will join us in sending energy to this very important endeavor!

INSPIRATION!!!
I had the privilege of hearing Sister Iesha speak, this past Tuesday night. I strongly encourage everyone to go to the link and read about her and the work she is doing with NYC youth.

FRIDAY YOUTUBE!!!
Both of these videos are very tongue in cheek. Please enjoy them for their message, and please do not be too sensitive about individual things they pick on. There are many fine leaders who use the title of Lady or Lord (I prefer "Broad" myself), and wonderful, empowering traditions that require Eldership before Leadership. These videos poke fun at abusive groups and leaders that are not fine, wonderful or empowering.

Bad Pagan Leadership: Joining a Coven

Bad Pagan Leadership: Pagan Unity Council

Ritual Etiquette. :)

2011-04-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

It's almost Beltaine and Festival Season is upon us! This is the time of year when a plethora of Open Circles beckon. Open Circles are a fantastic way to meet and learn from other people. BUT....there are a couple of things to remember! Take a peek and keep 'em in mind!!!

When attending Circle, please avoid the following:

Texting the Priest/ess ten minutes before the event asking for directions or to say you're three blocks away.
If they even have their phone on (I usually hand my phone off to someone else just prior to a ritual) their thoughts are on getting the event going. Getting last minute texts eats away at the focus the Priest/ess needs for the ritual. Not fair to them or the other people at the event!
Instead: Print out the directions as soon as they hit your inbox and put them in your cloak/gown/other pocket, immediately. Or, have the phone number on hand of someone else who will be there and call them, instead.

Pulling aside the Priest/ess to ask for a detailed description of what will be happening at the ritual e.g., "What exactly will we be doing tonight?" "Why didn't you tell me you were invoking this Deity?" If the Priest/ess didn't include this information in the invite, he or she will most likely explain things before Casting.
Instead Take time to read the invites carefully before showing up. If you still have questions, ask another ritual leader or simply wait for the Priest/ess to give the low-down. Don't demand personal attention from the Priest/ess moments prior to the ritual beginning.

Invoking other Beings or Quarters by different names or in different locations because you're used to doing it a different way. The Priest/ess or Ritual team chose the Deities or Quarter locations for a reason. You're messing up the flow by throwing in something else, energetically. Go with the flow.
Instead Wait until the Ritual has concluded and ask to the Priest/ess or a Ritual leader about the reasoning behind their choices. Even better, wait a few days and EMAIL THEM about it.

Lighting anything that smokes e.g., tobacco, incense, etc. It's safe to assume that all indoor spaces are non-smoking, particularly if it is a public or rented venue. Instead Ask a ritual leader AHEAD of time (not during the ritual) if lighting a smoking something is okay, but go ahead and assume that an indoor space means no smoking materials.

Bringing people who are going to freak out. Maybe it'll be hilarious to you to drag your stuffy roommate to a candlelit-chant-filled-drum-pounding gathering where people become possessed and/or break down in ecstatic hysterics. But your roommate will not find it funny. And the ritual leaders SURE AS HELL won't find it funny when they see the person cowering in the corner. Instead Bring along people who ask to come and do your best to let them know what kind of situation they'll be walking into. It's also polite to notify the organizers if someone is coming who is new to the Craft or rituals in general. Good ritual leaders want everyone to feel at home and will take special care to make sure a new person feels as such.

Chatting during ritual or while Priest/ess or Ritual Leader is talking to the crowd. Even if it's about Magick. Even if it's with someone whom you haven't seen since your last lifetime. No matter how quiet you think you are, you are distracting the leader and those around you.
Instead Whisper to the person, "Let's talk later" and find them after the ritual for a chat over cheese and hummus. If what you need to talk about is really that important, it'll still be important after ritual.

Bossing people around about food, freaking out about food, etc.
Showing up as a guest with a spoon marked, "VEGAN ONLY!!!" and policing it like a Secret Service Agent will make everyone around you unhappy. If you are a vegetarian or have a food intolerance and dig your tortilla chip into a nondescript dip without checking to see if your taboo food items are in there, don't bitch people out when you find the forbidden food on your tongue.
Instead Be flexible about food when sharing a meal. Yes, it's always best if people label the ingredients of a dish--particularly if it contains meat, dairy or foods with common allergens, like nuts or honey. But if you are the person with those restrictions, do ask around before diving in, if you're not sure. And yes, maybe someone used your Vegan Only spoon to dish Mac n' Cheez. If you're not going to chain the spoon to your wrist, quietly wash it and let it go.

Commenting on a logistical problem: "Gee! This walk is a lot farther than you said it would be!" "Man, maybe you should have gotten a bigger space?" "Wow...those directions were crap. Next time, a better landmark?" REST. A. SSURED. If there is a logistical problem, the ritual leader is as aware of it as he or she is the desire to strangle you for bringing it up--three minutes before ritual begins.
Instead Smile and say nothing. If you attend several rituals that continually pose the same logistical problem, email the Priest/ess at a later date with a suggested alternative. If you don't have a suggested alternative...continue to smile and say nothing.

Leaving without offering to help clean up.
So rude.
Instead: Offer to help clean up.

Oh! And if you're leading ritual....avoid the following!!!

Changing the way the Circle is being cast--in the middle of the Circle Casting. Even if an Ancient Muse came along and kicked you in the head, it's not a good idea to scream out, "I HAVE AN IDEA!!!" You've just fucked the flow for the rest of your Ritual leaders.
Instead Put that Ancient Muse on the back burner and as soon as ritual is over, scribble it in your Book of Shadows. Mention it next time, for the NEXT ritual, during the planning stages. (This one came courtesy of Tamrha.)

Arguing about the ritual--when the ritual is about to begin and guests are present.
All ritual leaders should ask each other questions regarding the ritual before the actual ritual, and any disagreements should be figured out before the community arrives and not in front of them. It unnerves the guests and undermines the energy the group is trying to cultivate.
Instead If something is unresolved before the ritual starts, hold onto that thought and discuss it at a later date before the next ritual. (This one also came courtesy of Tamrha!)

Interrupting the Priest/ess while they are talking or invoking about something they forgot to say/do. Probably the quickest way to never be asked to help lead ritual again. Don't do it. Unless you notice the space is on fire or that someone needs medical attention. Then, you should interrupt.
Instead Mention it later. If you simply cannot wait until later, whisper it in the ear of the Priest/ess when they're not the center focus of the ritual. But better to wait until afterward.

Leaving without helping to clean up.
Please see above!

INQUISITION!!!! Things you may not know....(And guess what? It's still happening!)

2011-04-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

I wrote a paper about the Inquisition! Ten pages, but should have been 10,000. There's a lot of nasty shit to write about! Here are a few things most people probably don't know about the Inquisition (the period of European history between roughly 1300 and just past 1600 where you got arrested for being different than the Church and if you were lucky, had the option of repenting your "wickedness" and then you wouldn't get burned or flayed alive. But, not everyone had that option.)

NASTY FACTS ABOUT THIS NASTY TIME!!!
* More people were killed for being Jewish than for being Witches. Far more. The Jewish people were the most negatively impacted group during this period.
* As many Protestants were killed for being Protestants than for being Witches. In fact, many people accused of being Witches were actually just being Protestants.
* Many of the people accused of Witchcraft most likely suffered from senility, dementia or epilepsy. But many people back then didn't know what those things were and just took poor old grannies to the stake because clearly, inane babbling equaled a very dangerous Witch.
* One of the Church's main beefs with Witchcraft was that in many areas of Europe, laity were more likely to consult local soothsayers than take the Church sacraments. This the Church found irritating and sent the Inquisitors after these folks.
* Mortality rates were high and people were afraid of everything. A new person comes to town? Coincides with a spike in disease? Clearly, that person is a Witch who caused everyone to get rancid boils and fever. Burn 'em.
* Most people of the Inquisition era were not aware that it was happening.

I've been a big skeptic about the "Burning Times" for awhile. After writing that paper, I am still confident that the people killed during the Inquisition were not getting together over an bottle of mead and chanting "Isis, Astarte..." I do not believe it is accurate or productive for contemporary Pagans to claim the Inquisition as our own Holocaust. Yes, there were people accused of Witchcraft who were arrested, convicted and tortured. But no, it was not an all-out attack on folk Paganism and folk Paganism alone. The Inquisition was actually a systematized, violent suppression system against anyone who did not conform to the Catholic Church's authority: this extended to Protestants, Muslims, Jews and other radical fringe Christian groups. Those accused of or arrested for Witchcraft may have been Goddess worshipers, but were more likely to be persecuted just for being different enough to annoy the Church without quite conforming to the other labels. Maybe they also had psychic gifts that scared the crap out of local priests. But these people were in all likelihood not embracing the same Pagan practices we now enjoy. So, it's counter-productive to go around waving the Burning Times flag.

However. The Inquisition should still scare us. It's still happening only this time, it might just be including "Isis, Astarte" chanting Pagans along with all the others.

I am lucky. I can wear my pentacle out in New York City and very rarely do I ever get shit for it. I live in an area where it is safe to be an out Wiccan but as well all know, there are a lot of areas where that's not the case. Unfortunately, I'm starting to believe that it's becoming even less safe. We may be heading into a phase where things are going to get even scarier. While the Catholic Church may not be officially in charge of everything we serfs do, the ubiquitous, multi-denominational "Church" has gotten a lot louder, a lot rowdier, and a lot more intent on ridding our world of other mainstream religions, along with LGBTQ and yes, Witches:

Hey, look! Churchy-Church people ridding the world of Witches!!!

(I'd like to point out that these freaks are "exorcising" Witchcraft using..erm...Witchcraft techniques: standing in a Circle, chanting, raising energy, oy...)

These people met at Harvard over the first weekend in April. No, it wasn't an April Fool's joke, but it sounded like one. I'd like to laugh and say to not be scared, but really? It only takes one or a few nuts to get really hooked into this mentality and people could be subject to true, physical danger. The fact that these people got their conference at Harvard says they either a.) have influence b.) have lots of money or c.) have both. All three options SHOULD be scary. One thing I learned from writing a paper on Inquisitional Heresy is that what the Church (or its radical affiliates...I by no means hold the average Christian accountable for these individuals) deems heretical is but a reflection of a present, societal fear. It's like the NY adage: if you see one cockroach, there are 12 more hiding in the walls. I encourage us not to give into fear, but to start becoming aware and continue to work on educating the general public to the best of our abilities. I don't want to open the Times one morning and see that something happened in the US that happened in Kenya as well as other places in Africa:

"Witch" Burnings in Kenya (Please note, this is a very graphic video.)

Let's all also keep in mind that the vast majority of Christians are not out to burn and flay people. The people involved in this kind of horseshit are radical and unbalanced people, caught up in a fear-based campaign that happens to aligning itself under the label of the Christian religion. Yet, this kind of freaked-out mindset is a dangerous, dangerous thing.

Trickle down effect! Here's one way the radical nuts are coming after our young ones. Here's another.

So what do we do???

Here are a few ideas you are free to ignore, but I encourage you to consider:

Don't point fingers, as in blaming the decent Christian guy next door who has always been nice to you for the crap pulled by these fuckers. Blame the action. Blame the mentality. Blame the individuals involved. Don't blame the religion and its affiliates.

Do be an out Pagan, if you are in a part of the country where it is safe to be one. Be a good neighbor, a good co-worker. Buy the Girlscout cookies and wear the Pentacle while you do it. Make a good impression on the person next to you, and maybe they'll take in of their own accord to educate their ignorant relatives at Thanksgiving about the Nice Pagan Lady at the office or on the block.

Don't be weird and secretive. Hiding your practices and acting shady when people ask you questions makes you think you have reason to hide what you do. Of course, keep personal matters of your group private, but be open to answering questions about your practices. Maybe they'll still think you're weird. But at least they won't think you drink blood of virgin kittens or some shit like that.

Do invite people of other faiths to your open gatherings. Help make them feel at home. Explain what's going on and do your best to show them a good time. There's a good chance they'll go back to their own communities or congregations and say, "Hey! Pagans are nice and throw a good party!"

Don't use social networking sites or blogs to announce your plans to curse the idiot who pissed you off in gym class. You sound like an idiot and you don't scare anyone. What you have succeeded in doing is in making the rest of us look bad.

Do use social networking and blogs to talk about your spiritual beliefs and your community building endeavors. Particularly if you are in an area where it isn't safe to be an open Pagan, this is a great way to help educate others in a safe format.

Don't alienate yourself either within your own Pagan community, or even just within your own self. Find friends and build bridges with other communities who share the same goals that you have.

Do be aware of religious persecution, but don't be paranoid. It ruins your own life. As my mom likes to say, "Don't give out free rent in your head."

And....happy Full Moon! Enjoy this beautiful weekend!!!

TONIGHT!!!

2011-04-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

Jorge and I are going to be on Beyond the Worlds! Listen to us!!! Should have blogged this sooner. Tweeted and FB'd it, but didn't blog it! Oy!

LISTEN HERE! 7 P.M. EASTERN (USA) TIME!!!

Happy (late) Ostara! Plant THESE seeds where it counts...

2011-04-07T04:58:00.001-07:00

With the global explosions bookending the Spring Equinox this year, my phone and inbox blew up with the same question, “Some of these people aren’t going to wake up. So what do we do???” Our world is at war. In the United States, our people are growing broke from debt and unemployment. Food and water shortages are abounding, globally. We can barely finish fundraising for the relief fund of one natural disaster before another one springs up. Talking and blogging isn’t fixing the problem. Wait. I’m blogging. But I’m on the bus and don’t have a crew of NGOs at my disposal, so it will have to do for now.

Just before Ostara, I attended a function with two of my Covenmates called “Haiti: One year later”. It focused on the state of Haiti following the 2010 earthquake and included panelists and speakers who had several ideas about what small faith communities could do to help Haiti rebuild. But the question I had for the panelists was this: “How can small, grass-roots groups with no money or humanitarian supplies laying around their studio apartments help Haiti rebuild?”

The answer I received from several panelists was, “Never underestimate the power of prayer and money.”

A doctor who was himself from Haiti spoke and said, “Come to Haiti. Visit us. Bring your tourism. When our industries get back on their feet, we will have jobs. If you come and see us, businesses will once again flourish.”

I looked at my friends. The wheels were turning in their heads as well. We want to go to Haiti.

After the function, I approached a different speaker who himself ran rebuilding “mission” trips to Haiti. His was a Christian organization, but if we all had the same goal, perhaps something could work. When I asked him about the logistics of bringing a small team to Haiti to rebuild, I also clarified for him that we were not a small church group, but a Wiccan Coven.

He smiled awkwardly. “Um….not a good fit.”

He did add, though, that we were welcome to donate money to his cause.

I took a compassion break in the other room. With the help of a glass of wine, I reflected on a kind approach to the exchange. The Haitian people weren’t at fault for this dude’s rudeness. Plus, there’s always the chance that I simply didn’t understand what he said. Miscommunication is responsible for so many of the personal problems most of us face. I returned to the table and asked why, specifically, he didn’t think it would be a good fit.

“Much of our work is distributing Bibles,” he said. I agreed. That would not be in our interests. “But we do sometimes take non-religious rebuilding teams to go down and work on projects.”

“That would be a better fit,” I said. “I will be in touch.”

(This reminds me that I need to contact that guy. I also want to mention a conversation that happened at Ostara, when I recounted this story to a Covenmate who is himself a Christian—a true Poly-Theist, having many Pantheons that he loves—and his response was, “So when did Bibles become edible? It seems to me that if they’re distributing what people need, it would stand to reason that they would distribute edible Bibles, right? That onion paper would probably be tasty….”)

So, is my crew going to Haiti? I don’t know, but it would be awesome! If Paganism wants respect, it needs to gain it by contributing on a local and global level on par with other mainstream religions. Church groups have gone down to Haiti en masse to help rebuild. Why haven’t Pagans? I'm sure it's happened, but it hasn't made the news if so. Or maybe it hasn't happened at all. The main reason that I see is not a lack of compassion or desire to help, but mainly a lack of resources and infrastructure. For better or worse, mainstream religions have institutions with money who are able to fund and organize humanitarian efforts in a way that Paganism simply has not yet put into place. We’re getting there. Just this past week, Circle Sanctuary raised over $30,000 for Doctors Without Borders Japan Relief. This is one of the largest Pagan fundraising initiatives to date. I’m proud to say that the Novices of the Old Ways contributed $200 toward this event. Not bad, considering we didn’t have a public Ostara this year!

So why Haiti? Why not Haiti? They’re as close as Puerto Rico. We’ll have to get a bunch of money, find a host organization who can show us where we’re needed and what do to. But why Haiti, when there is so much around here in New York that needs attention? By doing this, are we really helping a community or just trying to make ourselves look good in the eyes of other mainstream religions? Is this the best use of our resources? In my neighborhood, I am surrounded by families on food stamps at the grocery store, teenage mothers on the street and drug dealers on the corner. Kids, and adults, who don’t often understand the ecological problem we’re facing, over-utilize plastic bags and leave litter on the sidewalk, which inevitably ends up in the rivers. Does my own contribution really belong in a different country? There seem to be a lot of problems right outside my door.

Plus, are we really going to make it all the way to Haiti? I don’t know. We’re a Coven of 23 members, many of whom are having a hard time paying their own bills and finding work. Are we even in the position to help others? Again, I don’t know. But the will is there, even if the resources immediately aren’t always apparent. We managed to dig up $200 in one gathering for our friends in Japan. What else might we be able to do given more time and planning?

Then again, it might be just what we need to do.

Just like the panelists said, do not underestimate the power of prayer/energy and money. Take a look at what Circle Sanctuary pulled off in barely a week’s time with a few simple Facebook-link posts that quickly went viral. Whether you are solitary or with a coven, grove, etc….maybe it’s time to shake out the proverbial couch cushions for what resources you have to spare—whether they are financial, spiritual or of physical labor. There are ways in which we can all contribute, even in our smallest forms.

From one tiny grass-roots org, here’s what has worked for us so far:

* Passing the hat. It's not a good idea to press people or guilt them into giving. So many folks are broke right now--for American standards. But do let people know that every dollar helps.

* Bake sales. They're super fun.

* PARTIES. They're even more fun. Ask everyone to bring a dish, and some booze. You surely have a mess of Tarot or Rune readers in your crew. You may even have musicians or performers. The Pagan community is rife with highly talented people. Just ask. If they're available, most people are happy to contribute their talents for a good cause.

* Reach out to other groups and communities with like minded goals. We gather strength when we work in packs.

* Blog. Hey, look! That's what I'm doing!

* Use your Sabbats as an opportunity to discuss important issues in the community and around the world. Many of the biggest social movements in history began in spiritual gatherings.

* Make public service or volunteer work a mandatory part of initiation. Ask my Votaries. They've got a shit-ton of stuff to do....

* Expect that your assistance may not always be welcome. It may be because you're Pagan--it may be because the organization or project is already overwhelmed. Do your best not to take anything personally. Contemplation breaks like the one I had to take with the "Not a good fit...." guy are essential. If someone does appear to slight you, give them the benefit of the doubt and don't be afraid to ask for clarification. "Is there a reason why we wouldn't be a good fit for you all?" "Is there any other way we might be able to help?"

* Start small. Celebrate little victories. Maybe your crew alone won't be able to eliminate all plastic garbage from the ocean, but maybe you can help get your community to cut their plastic use in half. Maybe you can start with your crew. Setting personal challenges to make each of yourselves better and more engaged citizens of the planet is as essential as solving all other problems of the world.

* Share what you're doing. The Goddess invented Facebook for a reason (no matter what the movie says). Your work will inspire other work. Get on it and get loud about it.

* Lastly, pick something you are passionate about and find joy in doing. If the words of the Goddess say, "All act of love and joy are sacred to Me" (or something like that) then know your social contribution will have even more Divine value when it is done in that way.

* Pray. Meditate. Ask for guidance. Let the Gods know you want to help and ask Them to show you how you can.

Love your weekend!

xoxo
C

More Plastic stuff....

2011-03-21T06:32:00.001-07:00

Eventually, I'm sure I'll write about the Craft and Seminary again, but this is just too interesting!!!

University of Rochester Introduces Cap and Gown Made of Recycled Plastic Bottles

University of Rochester students graduating this May will be dressed in plastic bottles, but you probably won't notice. The caps and gowns that bachelor's and master's degree candidates will be wearing are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

The fabric used to make these gowns is spun from molten plastic pellets. It takes an average of 23 bottles to make each gown. That means that with more than 1,500 gowns sold at the University's bookstores each graduation season, 34,500 bottles will be repurposed to create the regalia.

This shift to the environmentally friendly regalia was a joint decision made by the conference and events office and the bookstores.

"We feel these gowns fit in with the University's 'green' mission," said Erica Strawbridge, conference coordinator for conference and events. "We think the students will appreciate this change."

"We consistently hear from students that they prefer eco-friendly products. We're very excited to be introducing these gowns," said Maria Ferrante, general manager of the bookstores. "Not only are they better for the environment, but the fabric actually feels softer and more comfortable than what we've used for previous commencement ceremonies."

Other features of the regalia include:

* Size labels stamped with soy ink.
* The plastic bags used to store the caps and gowns are made from recycled plastic.
* The shipping cartons are produced from recycled cardboard.
* If students don't want to keep their gowns after commencement, they can drop them off at the bookstore to be recycled into new fabric.
* They are softer to the touch and more breathable than traditional polyester fabric.

The gowns are made by Oak Hall Cap & Gown and are virtually indistinguishable in color and fit from the traditional polyester material. They will be available for purchase at the campus bookstores from March 25th through commencement.

New thoughts about plastic

2011-03-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

Never thought of plastic's inception as being a part of a solution to an environmental problem.....I like what this person has to say about plastic's good intentions, its current problems and a potential for it in the future.

Plastic--Too Good to Throw Away

Japan Relief Fund

2011-03-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you looking for places to donate to help Japan, please read below! Great chance to help Japan and support the endeavors of Pagans working for a better world.

From Circle Times:

Circle Sanctuary ministers Selena Fox and Patrick McCollum, along with Pagans from many paths, groups, and places are among those donating to Doctors without Borders through a Pagan Community First Giving donation site.

Doctors without Borders is among the international charities doing relief in Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake, aftershocks, tsunami, and nuclear emergencies. The donation site is facilitated by Peter Dybing, who was among the Pagans doing relief work in Haiti that Circle Sanctuary supported.

Website HERE!!!

Don't get distracted (or too depressed)....

2011-03-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

...but let's not forget the problems in our own country as well.

Remember the oil spill from last summer?

Oh, yeah. Atlantis called, too. Might wanna answer that.

2011-03-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we were deep into the Soul Sharing portion of our Coven gathering when the phone rang (shrill, old-school land line) and interrupted the person who was speaking. The person stood up, walked over the ringing phone, lifted and set it back down again without finding out who it was. We all giggled because it was a funny chain of events. We continued our Soul Sharing portion as if the call never came.

When we finished the sharing portion, I asked the person if maybe they thought there was a purpose for that call. The person had just been sharing something they were perplexed by and couldn't figure out. To ignore a call may have meant they had the message they sought all along. They just needed to listen to it.

Then, I realized, that was probably a call for all of us.

There is a story of a person who holes up in their house alone, looking for truth. One day, Truth comes knocking. "Go away!" says the person. "I'm looking for Truth!" So, Truth leaves.

The nonstop calamities have inspired countless bloggers, columnists and FBers to scream at the top of their caps buttons: "WAKE UP!!! WE NEED TO WAKE UP!!!! COME ON!!! WAKE UP!!!!" I think we're already awake. Many of us are, anyway. We know we're in deep shit. The planet is fighting back: a major oil spill, coal mine explosions, tornadoes, earthquakes, Tsunamis and now a nuclear melt-down. Governments are tightening their powers of groups of people long-oppressed and fighting back, which leads to more oppression and therefore, even more conflict and bloodshed. Running around shouting "WAKE UP!" is like continuing to pound on the doors of stubbornly sleeping neighbors while the flames are racing up the stairway. Time to stop shouting and time to get a bucket and join the other people who are working to put the flames out. (Please note: Don't actually do this if your home is really on fire. Get the fuck out and call 911.)

So, what now? What do we do?

Oh, shit, you know what? I have no clue. But I've got a couple of things I'm going to try.

First of all, stop being mad at the "them." Christians, Republicans, Democrats, Big Business, America, Martians, Your Mom: Whoever your "they" is, just stop blaming them. There isn't a single person reading this who hasn't drank out of plastic bottle, bought gasoline or used electricity from a power plant that pollutes at least once in your life. You are part of "them," too. How are you going to be less of a "them"?

On a practical level, I am beginning by not drinking my beloved seltzer out of plastic bottles. In fact, I'm not buying drinks that come out of individual plastic bottles at all. There is a water cooler with recycled paper cups at my job. Someone needs to buy me a seltzer making machine for my birthday so I can have it at home. I'll be happier and nicer, I promise. No, it's not stopping the flow of radiation from the Japanese reactors. But it's keeping just a little more plastic from ending up in those nasty-ass oceanic garbage patches.

And speaking of nicer, I'm focusing on being just that. Kinder, more patient, more compassionate. The world is painful enough right now without having one more impatient bitch on the subway. Maybe I'll end up being kind to a brilliant young eco-science major who finds that the world is still worth living and develops a method of solar energy that is so insatiably powerful and lucrative that the general public can't resist it. It's worth a shot, anyway.

And finally, I'm asking for higher power help in a place that I normally furrowed my brow at. For years, I've been skeptic of the concept of Atlantis. I didn't believe in land that once had mystical, flying crystals and hunky centaurs that vanished from the world and now yearns to contact others. Last summer, I attended a Dolores Ashcroft workshop on Atlantian theory. I did not go away believing in the different "races" of creatures that once inhabited the lands. I did not have the same visions of specific technological marvels that are impossible even today that many other attendees had. But what I did walk away with was the possibility that there may have been a society that was quite advanced for its time (even if not comparatively advanced for our time) that succumbed to a natural disaster and vanished from history. That I do believe is possible. And if it's possible for the spirits of that vanished nation to contact the world we currently live, I could believe that perhaps They might be interested in doing that, now. They may see parallels to their own world they'd like to help us avoid.

Funny that at about the same time these horrific natural and manmade disasters are springing up all over the world, Atlantis may have returned.

I am taking a step into formally skeptical territory. I am reaching out to the Spirits whose existence I previously doubted. I am asking for the Spirits of that lost land known as Atlantis to help us, if They can. What can we do to save our world and save ourselves? We are listening.

And what are YOU going to do?

New Review of Tarot of the Boroughs

2011-03-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Theresa Reed, aka The Tarot Lady! Review is up!!!

More of Theresa's work can be found here and on Twitter at @thetarotlady.

For those of you looking for ways to get shit done.

2011-03-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

More ways to get involved and SAVE THE WORLD!!!

Thinking (and acting) globally!!!

Acting (and thinking) locally!!!

Where to go for Astrology...

2011-02-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

I always talk to George. Now, EVERYONE can talk to George!

George Courtney of Tarot of the Boroughs has just started an Astrology blog. It's probably the greatest thing to ever happen to humanity.

I suggest you go read it, here....now.

LISTEN TO ME...AGAIN!!!!!

2011-02-27T06:35:00.001-08:00

I'll be on Beyond Worlds Tarot blogshow tonight at 7 p.m., Eastern Time. We'll be discussing the Strength and the Hermit cards. Listen to me so I feel important!!!!

xoxo
C

Pursuing Higher Education

2011-02-24T13:27:00.001-08:00

Lately, I've heard more Pagan leaders talk about furthering their education and often looking to seminaries. I can't recommend it enough. The fact that there is a sudden spike in interest indicates that we do have work to be done and further education will be a necessity.

If you are a Pagan and are considering Seminary, there are a lot of factors to keep in mind. Here are just a few of the things I did not expect:

* The Generosity of my Professors and Classmates
When I told members of the community that I was going into the Seminary, many asked how I would "spin" or "cloak" things, in regards to being Wiccan. I did not spin or cloak anything. They would either take me as a loud and crazy Witch, or not take me at all. They took me. :) And it's been great! Many of my professors have said they'd heard about Wicca but had never met a Wiccan. All of my classmates who have asked about my background have been curious for information.

* The progressive attitudes of the Christians that surround me.
Gay rights, women's rights, environmental activism, social justice, poverty initiatives--these people are WORKING for change in all of the areas that are important to me and to the vast majority of Pagans that I know.

* Pagans for the most part are doing pretty well.

When I applied to Union, I went in begging for tools to help my community. But the more time I've spent in the school and the more stories I've heard about my classmates' congregations and backgrounds, we're actually doing pretty well! The focus on the growth of the individual is something many mainstream traditions have either lost or never had in the first place. Even in our most dogmatic traditions, the focus is generally on the individual's personal progress and development. While I still think we have quite a bit of room to grow in a community outreach sense, we have a core of developing empowerment on a base level that many mainstream ministers long to be able to impart. Yay for us!!! Also, our "laity" (as my classmates would call it) are generally better read and educated than the average layperson of a mainstream faith. Pagans read. They read about their rituals, their myths, their religion's history and they generally understand their own ritual components and processes far better than their mainstream counterparts. Serious "yay" for us. :)

* Meeting former (and burned...) Pagans
It was a sad day for me to discover that we have "refugees" of our own. I was jokingly talking about "Bitchcraft" (the nasty habit Witches have of personally decimating each other) with a classmate of mine, having no idea of her background. She smiled and shook her head and said, "That's why I'm no longer Pagan." It's a real shame that we lost her. She's a very cool person.

* Testing my Coven's patience
...with my fatigue and absent mindedness. They have been unceasingly supportive of this insane thing I'm trying to do. It's hard for me to not be as available for them as I was before the program started. I want to do my ultimate best at everything--especially leading a Coven. I just am not able to devote as much brain space to anything as I did a few months ago. It takes me longer to respond to emails and phone calls and I can't plan as far ahead for our curriculum as I'd like. I'm learning to accept my limitations, which is a bitter lesson to accept.

* Missing my social life.
A few years ago, I was out at every show on the Lower East Side, every night. I thought I was ready to leave that behind for a time and dig into the books. Guess what? I miss it. A LOT!!!!! It's worth it, but I do miss the cool shit I used to do.

* The Fatigue
I wonder if I'll ever be not-tired again. Even when I'm well-rested, I'm exhausted by 9:00 p.m. On Mondays, when I work 8-4 and then have class from 4:10-8:30, there is no hope for me to do anything but stare at the wall.

* How much I'd love writing papers
I LOVE writing papers. But exams still scare me.

* Not playing guitar.
I was just starting to get back into it. Now it just sits there at the foot of my bed. When I'm done with homework, all I have the energy to do is stare at the wall. (Please see above).

* MISSING FESTIVALS!!!!
Between the Tarot deck and the classes I've developed, things were just starting to roll in regards to teaching at festivals!!! Now, I'm finding myself saying no to all the things I used to jump all over. If I've turned down a chance to lecture at your store or festival...know that it's killing me!!! How I crave the drums, the bonfires and sleeping in the mud!!!!

* Having an awesome boyfriend.
My boyfriend is awesome. :) He has been my rock and my guiding light throughout all of this.

I guess that's it for now. I'm burdened by blessings and I don't forget that. But I've made some sacrifices and sometimes, I wish I had all the cake while eating all of it, on both sides of the lawn where it's all sooooo green, studying and writing and teaching and partying all at the same time. Yes. It's impossible. But I do enjoy a pre-breakfast imagination session....

See you all in 2013. :)

Application for Government Permission to Incarnate into China in your Next Life.

2011-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

Apparently, they're serious. Read about it, here

February 17, 2011
Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York
520 12th Avenue
New York, NY 10036

To Whom it May Concern:
I am inquiring about the procedure for granting the government of China’s permission to reincarnate into Tibet in my next life. Is there a background check required? Does my religion in this lifetime come into the equation? I’m of European-American descent; does current ethnic background play a role? What about in previous lifetimes? If my family is of Slavic descent, does that technically count as Asian even though we are Caucasian? Will work for democratic initiatives in this lifetime count against us as the approvals are distributed?
Please let me know what forms I need to fill out and whether they are required to be submitted while I am still alive in this incarnation, or if I will need to wait for this life to be over.

Very truly yours,

Courtney Weber

You can find your local Chinese Embassy by Googling them with the name of your hometown. Come on. It'll be fun. If you do it, though, try to remember to print out the article and include it so the poor clerk who gets the letter knows what the hell you're bugging him/her for.

Damn.

2011-02-15T06:31:00.001-08:00

That last post was full of typos.

I'm blaming Theraflu and you can't stop me.

Your Circle Casting is Weird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

At our Imbolc celebration on Saturday, one newbie guest approached me to say that he had a very good time, except for one thing. He had difficulty with the way we had cast the Circle. It probably would have been a good idea to explain things prior to casting. But I forgot.

Hold onto your panties, boys and girls!!!!! The East Coast branch of Novices of the Old Ways casts a Circle by invoking Water from the East and Air from the West!!!

8-0

8-0

8-0

Okay. Yeah. We changed the order of East and West. B-b-b-b-but why???? How could we? How dare we? Why would we????

A couple of years ago, Circle Casting was my least favorite part of the ritual, behind cleaning up empty wine bottles and discarded cheese rind at the end. The reason for it was because even getting Quarter Callers to volunteer was harder than asking for root canals volunteers at a dentistry school. And (sorry to rag on my own crew!!!) when I would finally get people to agree to it, the Quarter Calling often sounded like this:

"Hail to the um.....hm....Hail to the Guardians of the.....(*cough*)....wait....um....we invoke Thee, Ancient Ones of the....what is associated with West, again?" Giggle. Giggle. Giggle.

While many other groups were working very hard to formalize the Quarter Calling, I wanted to get rid of the whole thing.

One day, my teacher, who is British, mentioned that the reason the Circle is cast as it often is cast is because the directions were based on a European system of direction. In Great Britain, where the traditional Circle Casting was developed, the greatest body of water was to be found in the West--the Atlantic Ocean. The jet stream of wind was strongest coming in from the East. Hence, honor Air in the East and Water in the West.

"So, I wonder if it would make sense for East Coast American Witches to cast by invoking Water from the East, where our ocean is located, and Air from the West, where our own jet stream comes from? North could stay the same--Earth being associated with ice, which we'd find in the North. Fire could stay in the South, where the hot equator is located?" I asked.

"Try it and see," he said.

I suggested it to my Coven this fall and at first, they were hesitant. Throwing something into the mix that is so different than what is familiar takes quite a bit of getting used to. But for us, it worked. We had stronger results. I no longer have to plead for Quarter Calling volunteers--people are excited about them. They flow easier and come in stronger. We've even taken to chanting the names of the Elementals to summon Them instead of using "Hail to the Guardians" in our private rituals. When we do cast using the "Hail" format, it's again much stronger than it was before. As New York City Witches, whenever we can move out of the symbolic and theoretical into the practical and tangible, the better. We have a difficult enough time connecting with nature. Why make it even harder? The closest ocean is in the East. Why not summon the spirit of the body of Water which is only 4-5 miles away, instead of reaching 3,000 miles to the next body of Water, on the West Coast? We are constantly pummeled by frigid winds that sweep in from the Midwest. Why not use Their energies for our ritual work?

Let me say again for the record that I do respect tradition and its place in our practices. Traditions are important as they act as the glue that holds practices together long-term. But the equally important role of the non-traditional practice is that it challenges longer-standing practices, moves them forward and keeps them from becoming stagnant cesspools of dogma. We've seen it happen to mainstream religions. The traditional and the non-traditional work together to provide healthy, holistic options for all members of the Craft. It is of dire importance that both are respected, but I'm worried to see that so many sects of the Craft are in danger of repeating the same mistakes mainstream religions have made. These are the same mistakes that sent most of us packing from the Churches, Synagogues and Mosques (among others) of our youth: Dogma without questioning, rules without understanding, practices by rout instead of by heart.

When we are not open to breaking tradition, we become its slave and in that mistake, our spirituality is whittled down to a system of right or wrong, which is precisely what is killing Christianity. It has the potent potential to kill Wicca, too.If you are member of a tradition, more power to you and kudos to you for finding a system that works for you! Your work in preserving your tradition is important as it will provide a strong framework of practice for those to come. If you are a non-traditionalist, again kudos to you for keeping things shaken up and moving forward--discovering new things and enriching the Craft.

Being a non-traditionalist is scary. We make lots of mistakes. We feel like we are out in the proverbial wilderness a lot of the time. But what we have is the unbelievable power of potential and discovery.

I urge those of the non-traditional persuasion to remember that your practices are as valid as the "Ancient Traditions" ("ancient" meaning they date way back to the 1970's....most of them.....). But do also be respectful when attending a traditional Circle. Avoid being critical or snickering at what might be too rigid for your tastes. Someone, somewhere has worked very hard to preserve that tradition and it serves many people, even if it's not your flavor.

If you are a traditionalist, be open to the way a non-traditionalist is performing things. They are keeping the Craft from fading into another dogmatic cult. I think that's something none of us, regardless of our tradition or non-tradition, want to see.

I encourage Witches all over the place, particularly those in the Southern Hemisphere to try moving around the Elemental Quarter calling. Would it make sense for South American and Australian Witches to call Fire from the North and Earth from the South? Just a thought and a question. Would love to hear your stories at courtney@tarotoftheboroughs.com.

Happy (belated) Imbolc!!!

xoxo
C

Isis called. Get up. We're late.

2011-02-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest--the Egyptian riots caught me off guard. I admit that I had no idea that the Egyptian people had not had voted in a fair, legitimate election in over 30 years. I did not know the people were so unhappy. Some have said that revolutions happen unexpectedly. But is this really such a surprise? Did truly no one see this coming?

How many of us were paying attention?

In Trance session after Trance session, the Goddess comes through and yells at us for not paying attention to something. There's always something we're missing. At Yule, Brid crashed the Sabbat. It was like having a party in the rec room with Mom upstairs asleep, and being terrified to whirl around and face Her--curlers and robe--looking at us all and demanding, "What the HELL is going on down here????" We were told to wake up. We were told to start NOW. Not to wait until later. "Your Mother is in pain," said Brid. "Do something NOW."

As Pagans, we revere the Gods and history of Ancient Egypt. But when we the last time that contemporary Egyptian events and oppression was discussed openly at a festival or gathering? We consider ourselves to be concerned for the fate of the pyramids and the monuments, but what of the people and their ability to get to a ballot box? Americans are quick to complain about the lack of a third-party option, but what about in Egypt, where there hasn't been an option offered besides the incumbent in decades?

This incident illustrates the great gap between what we Pagans say we love and where we are falling short. We say we love Isis. But we have done so little to help Her people. We say we are Earth worshipers. But I can't remember the last time I attended a Pagan gathering where paper plates and plastic cutlery weren't used. I am not immune. I have been oblivious to the plight of areas of the world sacred to my Deities. Our Coven was pretty ashamed of ourselves for having created as much garbage as we did at Yule and are now working to greenify our Sabbats--first by banning disposable plates and cutlery, as well as not using electricity during the ritual.

Let this be a sign to us. Mama Isis called. We're not paying attention. We have the potential to influence our communities for the better and we sure as hell better do it. To quote Queen Mother Imakhu: Your spirituality should compel you to get actively involved in helping your community, and not hide behind your cross, ankh, elekes, pentagram, prayer beads, mandala... What will your legacy be? Roll up your sleeves. Give a damn. Make a difference.

Okay. I said my piece. Off to find something else to razz you all about.

xoxo
C

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

2011-01-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

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....

2011-01-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-01-20T11:58:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-01-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

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

Note from Gede Parma re: Hope

2010-11-22T06:29:00.000-08:00

Gede Parma, author of several Craft books including "Spirited" and "Of Earth, Sea and Sky" wrote the following note on Facebook about hope and his reflections on American Paganism. Frankly, it gave me hope, too. Plus, he mentions me, which totally tickles my inner Scorpio. ;)

Thank you, Gede, for your inspiring words and thoughtful compliments.

As the weather (even here in the high desert, Placitas, NM) becomes colder and the wind changes, I reflect on my journey of the past 3 weeks. I have now been travelling for nearly 11 weeks. In that time I have visited the West Country of England, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In my time in the US I have spent sacred time and space in NYC, Collingswood and Cherry Hill (NJ), Philadelphia, New Hampshire, Boston and Salem (MA), the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego of California, and most recently Phoenix (AZ) and Albuquerque and the surrounds (NM). I have watched and witnessed the land change dramatically as I have wandered this holy land. I have come to have a great deal of respect for the generally left-of-centre (if you will) undercurrents of political America. I have been confused and confronted by the over-culture of the States that, in seeking to monopolise, capitalise and constrain, deplete the precious resources of this continent (and others) and fly in the face of civil liberties and the principle of sacred equality, which as a walker of the way between I find to be an essential understanding of Life. But I have found seeds of hope planted in the many communities I have been welcomed into. I have encountered members and groups of a diverse array of Pagan and other Earth traditions in my travels: Reclaiming, Feri, Temple of Witchcraft, Gardnerian, West Coast Eclectic, Golden Dawn, Progressive Wicca, Stryxian, Asatru, Heathen, Clan of Tubal Cain, and many I am probably forgetting (including the vast eclecticism that is a living, thriving component of the ‘NeoPagan’ scene). I have always regarded the diversity and multiplicity of the Pagan traditions as our inherent strength, and I still do. These differences in path and persuasion do not separate us so much as distinguish us, and yet we are joined by our experience of the Earth/World as sacred, as living, as intelligent. This is the philosophical precept of all Paganism in my mind, and beyond this simple understanding, the rest are out-growths of paradigms that have evolved, hopefully organically, from the breathing soil of the Great Mother.

Something that I find absolutely fundamental to all levels of my health and balance (including energetic) when travelling is the introduction to the spirits of place, the genius loci, the potencies within the Land. Whenever I reach new land I delve into it; my roots through every layer of soil, compacted rock, veins of mineral and gold, deep pockets of underworld water and chthonic gas, until the fine filaments of my ever-searching roots reach the molten core of earth-fire that is the beating pulse and shining star of the Earth. I draw up that vitality, I drink deep of the silver-white light of the camp-fires of heaven, and I then bring these energies to the wellspring of love that sits in the Centre (the heart - the transmuter of life-force). I am then at home and settled upon the land that I find myself with/in. I charge and bless my offerings and set them upon the ground or on the branch of a tree, perhaps I might even scatter the offerings to the winds; whatever the moment and spirits inspire. I affirm this: “Spirits of this holy place, may you welcome me as I welcome you” and thus is the relationship imbued with deep and abiding respect and a friendship that goes beyond the superficial. The Air, the Fire, the Water, the Earth, the sacred community that forms and is formed by place is then woven into my being and bones and becomes a part of me. As a wandering centre, as a Shamanic Witch, my relationships with the world/s around me and within me are decidedly conscious and thus return the gift of consciousness to me. I can not count the synchronicities anymore because when Magick is your charge, your guiding sacred principle, you become Magick and you are Ignited Mystery. As an initiate, as one who begins again in every moment, I am both elevated and deepened by my relationship with Life, and thus Mystery, however, beyond all else, I am humbled. As my dear friend Courtney Weber would say, “we are novices, not because we do not have knowledge or are not experienced, but because we are always beginners in the eyes of the Gods.” To accept this and surrender to this does not repress, suppress or oppress, it enlivens, deepens, moves and shakes, until we are made anew, again and again, reforged by the fires of creation/creativity and awakened to purpose - and whatever that is, is surely self-determined, resting upon your sea of karma.

I have walked amongst the Redwoods, and been held close by the sweating bodies of the people of the Earth in the mighty spiral-dance; I have been thrown into currents of ‘coincidence’ so overbearing that I forget the struggles against such a word, and I have witnessed the wonder of the blue-jay, the jack-rabbit, the crane, the hawk, the humming-bird and the vole. I can not forget the search for the spirits of place in what felt at first like a hollow void of senselessness (my visit to Philadelphia); and in the deep pursuit of such a communion I came across a sun-lit green square. I was alone and I sat on a remarkably ordinary bench. On one side of this square I was flanked by one of the oldest churches in the US, by an antiquarian bookstore, by empty store lots and by a main street; and yet, all was hushed. I looked down and there beneath a faded yellow autumnal leaf, I spied a vole (a field-mouse). Adorable was my first thought; dead? was my second. Then the vole moved, ever so slightly, and I realised that here, in the innocence and humility of the vole, scurrying to hide under fallen leaves, was the quintessence of the land spirits of Philadelphia - a city known for its bright hope and renewed political vigour focussed on the sanctity of autonomy, freedom and justice for all. And yet, perhaps, here also was the beginning of a ‘fall from grace’ of sorts in which these principles were gradually abandoned and compromised to make room for a capitalistic nation whose only goal is to homogenise, compartmentalise and dominate. Here, the spirits of the land, met with a struggle that they in their infinite wisdom and endurance could not oust…here, was the innocence, in a place remarked of as the centre of modern-day civil liberty, but also the beginning of a tide of desecration and degradation on land, spirit, people and principle.

And yet…I can not help but to have hope. Inside of me the flame has burned brighter than ever before. The Star Woman HerSelf, the mighty Weaver of the Fabric of Life, she who holds the distaff and the wheel, has placed the blue flame inside of me on the night-journeys of the long-ago; and the flame conjured in love, compassion, unity and strength have been kindled at almost every class and talk I have done in this country; at every circle, ritual and ceremony I have been a part of, alone or with other human company. I am walking a trail of quivering flame and its impact is that the Mirror of the Soul that is Me and You, and All, is reflecting a Truth undivided, and yet found in every part of the differentiation.

I have not forgotten what it means to be powerful. And as I sit here, in the home of woman who has opened her door to me with grace, I see the golden light of the oncoming winter dancing through the cold breath of the Great Spider who has spun her web in this land, and for the people here, for a timeless time. It is to the native peoples (including the non-human) of this land now that I am in: Placitas, Albuquerque, New Mexico, that I dedicate this blog: to the sunset and the Sandias that is turned the hue of rosey-pink by the dying light that will ever-return.

Hope.

Been awhile...but here I am!

2010-11-16T06:45:00.000-08:00

School and Samhain ate October. I haven't seen a lot of people outside of my crew in awhile. I've been blessed in that one of our members, another daughter of Brid, has returned from FL and has been taking care of me and my home while she adjusts to living back in NYC. I've been absorbed in adjusting to school work, all the while holding up my day job, which has been the busiest it's ever been. I had the privilege of attending the Hekate Ritual at the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel's Autumn Magick Festival. Between that and my own Crew's Samhain celebration, in which we invoked both Hekate and San Miguel in a Wiccan version of a Misa, our Lady of the Crossroads swept a lot of crap I really, really needed to stop carrying out with Her and I am deeply thankful. With a little more clarity and a little more time, I can catch everyone up on Witch In Seminary!

I had a lot of curious glances and received many nervous questions in my first few weeks at Union. In fact, I felt like I had a neon sign over my head that said, "THAT'S THE WICCAN GIRL." It was to be expected. Most of my classmates are new to New York, many coming from tiny Bible schools in tiny parts of the country. They were adjusting to not only life in the city (which is MORE than enough to adjust to, as is...), but also rubbing elbows with classmates from other Christian denominations--many of which many were taught were "wrong." Suddenly, a Wiccan chick is in the mix. Hair blew back all over the place. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my reception. There were a lot of respectful questions about Wiccan practices. Many were quick to let me know that they knew the Pentacle wasn't attributed to Satan. Several asked how we were all faring during the Christine O'Donnell debacle. It was sweet.

The main question I get from people both inside the Seminary and in the Pagan community is "Why a Predominantly Christian Seminary?" So, here goes:

1.) The Wiccan/Pagan community does not yet have accredited seminary schools that I am aware of. We do have institutions run by very fine teachers, but I personally wanted to go to a place with accreditation.

2.) Most Wiccan schools and Colleges are solely online. I learn best in live, face-to-face interaction.

3.) Union, while predominately Christian, is officially non-denominational. Hell, if they accepted an out-of-the-broom-closet Wiccan, they must be. I'm learning alongside people of many faiths. It's fun.

4.) Union's focus on social justice was appealing. I want to learn how I can help, both inside and outside the Pagan community.

5.) The classes are awesome. I'm thoroughly engrossed with Depth Psychology.

6.) Union is right across the street from my day job. That's convenient.

7.) My job is paying for a portion of my tuition. That's also convenient.

Do I feel out of place at Union, alongside so many would-be Christian ministers? Surprisingly, no. I feel quite at home. In discussions about speaking in tongues and Pentacostalism, I had plenty of contributions from my experiences in ritual possession and Trance Prophecy. When my classmates talk about being saved by Jesus, I say, "Yes, I understand. I was saved by a Goddess named Brid." But most of all, I'm surrounded by renegades.

My classmates are deeply spiritual people who, frustrated with their denominations, left to go to Union in order to find answers that challenge the notions they were raised with. While I feel I'm there more to find tools than answers, I'm a renegade within the Wiccan community. I was trained by renegade teachers who taught me to break the same rules and guidelines they gave me. When presented with a new structure, I'm likely to try it out and then reshape it just to see if it works in a different fashion. Just like my classmates are doing in their own faiths.

I respect tradition. There is a place for tradition and structure, just as there is a place for the non-traditional and un-structured. In the forest, it is the diversity of the ecosystem that allows it to survive as a whole. The same is true with our spiritual and/or religious traditions. A Wiccan Priestess attending a Christian Seminary is about as non-traditional as any of these things are going to get. I guess I consider this my contribution to our own eco-diversity and helping our own survival and growth.

There are more stories to tell--of my classmates realizing their religion's Pagan roots, Harlem Ministers reflecting on the Goddess and Witches dancing on the Chapel Altar to a Ra Ra band. There may even be a book in here, somewhere. Stay tuned. :)

Craft Services.

2010-10-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

OHMYGODIAMSO FUNNNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if most of you aren't going to get that joke.

So, while stories of me bringing up Trance Prophecy Regression in the middle of a discussion about speaking in tongues at Seminary are yet to come, I pulled some things from an essay I submitted in class last week. One of my classes has me thinking quite a bit about service and what it means for the Pagan communities. I'll let you know what kind of feedback I get.

At our Spring Equinox Sabbat (a holiday to honor the beginning of Spring), I led my congregation through our normal pilgrimage of silence through Fort Tryon Park. Annually, we honor the return of the living Earth by silencing our chatty mouths for a bit, and community with nature—even if she’s still a little frosty at the end of March. Many of the members had brought along young children who, hands clasped, ran ahead of us through the paths to where the park is wild. Because of a then-recent storm, many of our sacred spaces had been demolished due to fallen trees. We would need to find a new space to honor the beginning of Springtime and the awakening of the Great Mother. We followed the kids.
They took us up to a space worn between the trees by foot, littered with human garbage—paper waste, condoms, soiled clothing, even human excrement. Worse than the sight and the smell was the feeling of the space. Something damaging had occurred on the spot. Whether it was an act of violence upon another human being or through the waste, an act of violence upon the Earth Herself, the presence of Spirit was weak, injured and disturbed. Several of our members asked if we could find another spot to welcome the Spring. I left it up to them to decide. One woman raised her hand and said, “I think this place needs healing.” In short order, the rest of the community agreed. We rolled up our sleeves and began collecting as much trash as we safely could. The presiding Priestess, wrinkling her nose against the foul environment said emphatically, “What we are experiencing here is the antithesis of the Goddess. This is all that She shouldn’t be. Let us make it right.” We continued with our ritual, dancing and singing on a space that had been injured in the name of peace, light and healing. When the ritual was over and we had gathered back in my apartment for a community meal, I said to the cramped crowd in my tiny living room, “Spirituality is not always pretty. This is not a vacation. If you want to follow this path, you are going to have to get your hands in the dirt, like you did today.”
The Craft shows great promise for contributing and shaping our personal communities, but we are not there yet. This is mostly due to its age. We cannot discern what we can do for others until our own needs are met—defining who we are, what we believe and where we can help. I was moved by the efforts of the preachers and organizations who noticed needs in New York City in the early 20th Century and moved in to help at a time when the city was little more than a collection of bars and brothels and slums--not to convert, but to provide medicine for the sick and food and clothing for the very poor. This answered many a question I have about my own faith community and where we can contribute.
In many organizations, the idea of how to help is framed in ‘how many resources do we have?’ or ‘will our infrastructure support that?’ For a few years now, I’ve cut the Pagan community a lot of slack for its comparative lack of contributions to community causes due to its lack of infrastructure. However, the lack of infrastructure is what gives us the freedom to explore our spirituality further than in most mainstream religions. Also, the missionaries and groups that went into the slums of New York may not have had exorbitant sums to assist, either. The core of their mission’s success lay in two areas: 1.) identifying the need and b.) recognizing and utilizing all possible resources.
While we may not have the organizational resources of larger faith groups, there are still many ways that we can help. I was encouraged by Pagan Pride Day on September 25, 2010 in Battery Park, New York, where 600 pounds of canned food was collected and an animal rescue mission found at least one home for a pet in need. Maybe it wasn’t a huge ripple compared to organizations who are starting hospitals and schools, but it is a start and maybe it’s all that we can collectively do right now. Since beginning this reflection, though, I have heard of other Pagan organizations who are coming together to set up counseling and/or healing centers. We are growing in our capabilities to help others—but we are growing slowly.
I think there is a danger in not wanting to act when you are not able to act “the whole way”, meaning finishing a broad-project. I believe the goal ought to be to do whatever is in your power at the moment—just like the woman in the Gospel story who only had two coins to give to charity, and so that is what she had. Maybe the only thing my community was able to do that early spring day was to clean up the park and infuse the land with healing. But maybe the even greater message was the one we left with the children and young adults of our community—spirituality is about service, at its core: healing of the land and healing of one another. We start with only the steps we have in front of us.

An Urgent Message to all LGBT and questioning teens and young adults....

2010-10-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

If you're reading this, you may or may not know me. But even so, I care about you and your well-being, even if I seem like a snarky bitch most of the time on this blog. :)

If you are a Gay, Lesbian, Bi or Trans teen or young adult and you're struggling right now--please, please, PLEASE know that you are really not alone, even if it feels that way. If you are being bullied at school, you will NOT be in that school forever. You WILL eventually graduate and move on to a bigger and better place where you will find community for people who love you for who you are. If you are being abused and/or hassled at home, there are resources out there for you. One number you can call is 866-4-u-trevor for 24 hour support. There ARE ways out of your situation other than suicide.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem which will hurt those who love you and deny yourself of incredibly beautiful experiences in your future. I myself am not gay, but I could not imagine my life without several wonderful people in my family, friends and spiritual groups who are gay themselves. If any of them had chosen to not finish the path they were born to live, my existence would have suffered, severely.

When I received my ordination as a Priestess of Pan, our Grove's May Queen blessed the initiation with inspiration from the Goddess, Herself. I'll never forget the words she said that night: "We are meant to live our lives in joy." That statement has guided me through the work I've done for the Craft ever since. The woman I speak of is a lesbian herself and is one of the smartest, kindest, most spiritually endowed people I have ever met. I cannot imagine my spiritual path had she not crossed it.

I think of many of the teachers and mentors I had in the theatre world when I was studying in college and working as an intern. These individuals imbued in me a rock-hard work ethic, as well collaborative team skills and creative vision. It was this skill set that enabled me to work in New York City immediately after graduating college. Coming from the West Coast with nearly no contacts in the City, that is an incredible feat. Nearly all of the people I'm speaking of were gay or lesbian.

In my path in the Craft, a huge number of my most influential, supportive and inspiring teachers and mentors have also been gay or lesbian. I consult their books. I seek them out with magickal or spiritual questions. I email them on a regular basis. Where would I be had I not met them? Not nearly as enriched, protected and empowered as I am today.

I type this with tears rolling down my face. If you are in a dark place in your life right now and feel that your life is not worth living because you feel alone, please know that this time and place is temporary. A brighter day is coming for you. You too, are meant to live your life in joy. Your community, your future, the partner you will one day have, the children you will one day have--should you choose to--are all waiting for you. Know that each day that passes is one day closer to the light. Don't extinguish it before its time. We all want you here, just as you are.

I promise. :)

Ms. O'Donnell, may I see you in the kitchen, please?

2010-09-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, if you haven't seen it, yet:

Second of all, write to her. Let's make the best use of this recent slander against our community. If we could get one of the Tea Party Members to publicly acknowledge us as NOT being affiliated with Satan worship, it would do so much good for us.

If you write to her, be nice or we'll get ignored. http://christine2010.com/contact/ The phone number to her campaign office is here: (302) 468-7010

Here's what I wrote:

Dear Ms. O'Donnell,

Congratulations on winning the Delaware Republican Nominee for the U.S. Senate seat. Although our politics may differ, I commend you for your hard work and dedication to your cause.

My name is Courtney Weber. I am an ordained minister in the Wiccan community and therefore, a practioner of Witchcraft. I am also a Masters of Divinity candidate at Union Theological Seminary--a seminary which has trained many of the finest theologians in our country's history. I have trained under the guidance of several of the most respected Witches in the world. The information you presented regarding Witchcraft on "Politically Incorrect" in 1999 was absolutely incorrect and unfortunately misguided. Witches do not acknowledge the existence of Satan and therefore, do not worship such a being. I have traveled the world in my study of the Craft and have never met or heard of a Witch who would leave blood on their personal altar or have anything to do with the concept of Satan.

What you experienced in your past was not--I repeat, NOT--Witchcraft. You were severely misinformed and it is my hope that in the years that have passed you have been better educated on the religious beliefs of Wiccans.

You live in a state with one of the largest Wiccan populations on the Eastern seaboard. If you desire the support of the majority of your state at the ballot box, you will apologize to the the national and global Wiccan communities.

Very truly yours,
Rev. Courtney Weber
HPS, The Novices of the Old Ways

PARTY ON THURSDAY!!!!

2010-08-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

It's here! It's here! It's finally, finally here!!!!

Come out and party with us this Thursday to celebrate the birth of our Elephant Baby!!!!

Thursday, 8/26/10
8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery Btw. Bleecker and Houston
F to 2nd Ave or 6 to Bleecker Street
$5
($4 Magic Hat on draft!!!)

Already a cult phenomenon, Tarot of the Boroughs is the sensational new Tarot deck set in New York City and composed of spectacular, original photography. Inspired by the classic Tarot, Tarot of the Boroughs captures the Tarot's timeless images in contemporary incarnations, replacing the esoteric with the familiar. Tarot of the Boroughs features New Yorkers from all walks of life as well as well-known ...faces including Moby, Jonathan Ames, Reverend Jen Miller, Lilith Dorsey, Velocity Chyaldd, Larkin Grimm, Reverend Billy and Imakhu Mwt Shekemet among many, many others! Join us for an evening of performances by several of our illustrious models, readings by dynamic Witches, raffle give-aways of the new deck, Q and A with the creators and more!!!

Performances by:
Imakhu Mwt Shekemet
Reverend Jen
Francis “Faceboy” Hall
Master Lee and Chink Floyd
And more!!!

****The deck will be there and available for purchase!***

Say you were there at the debut of a classic icon!!!

Lessons from the Moon-as said by Noelle

2010-08-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the battle in Witchcraft is to keep from over-complicating it. In the end, it's simply communion and worship of the Moon. One of my personal spiritual tasks is to remind myself to go back to being the young solo-witch, chanting to the Moon in my parents' backyard. Running Covens, writing books and blogs, publishing Tarot--those are all delicious and adventurous additives, but not the core of the Craft. It's easy to forget that and hard to remember to go back into the backyards of our own souls, and gaze up on the cool, white globe that brought us to this Path in the first place.

Thank you, Noelle, for this reminder today.

Subway Spells and Fuckwads

2010-08-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I rode the subway downtown.

The subway lends itself to underworld experience because it IS the underworld. It's underground. But this experience wasn't so much underworldly as it was defensive.

Somewhere between Times Square and 34th street, a douchebag boarded the train. This one had a Bible in his hand and announced to the car, "ALL GAYS WILL BURN IN HELL!"

I'm not gay. But I was definitely burning. If I were stupidly brave enough, I would have called him out. But I'm intelligently cowardly. You never know what kind of weapons a douchebag will carry.

The Douche went on and on. He was "eloquent", so to speak, in that he was able to deliver a sentence from beginning, middle, and end in a loud and clear voice.

I got mad. I invoked Brid. "Brid, this asshat is hurting your children with hurtful words in a confined space." I began chanting a little spell to make him silent. I wanted him to get a coughing fit and stop speaking all together. I really wanted him to leave the train. He didn't do any of those, but as I continued chanting, I envisioned a steel spike through his tongue and superglue to seal his mouth. "Seal his lips and seal his tongue," I chanted. The chanting increased in intensity until I was rocking in my seat, my crown chakra buzzing.

He didn't stop speaking, but he lost all eloquence. Instead of finishing full sentences laced with hate, he began stuttering. "So...let me tell you about gays....in the bible...I mean...in the BIBLE...it says that gays are.....well....let me just tell you about GAYS."

But he was suddenly unable to say shitty things about gays.

Yay!!!

So there, Mr. Hating Douchebag! You mess with lots of juju when you say shitty things.

And for the rest of you Witches out there, invoke your powers to stop hate and irritations wherever they are. Maybe this will work for public masturbaters, too.

Back!!!

2010-08-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Hunnies!!!

I'm back in NYC, catching up on all the projects I've been neglecting. Including this blog.

But not today! Will catch up soon.

Damn, I'm a flaky blogger.

xoxo
C

In Ireland.

2010-08-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

So, please pardon me if it takes me forever and a day to get back into the groove of blogging!!! I'm too distracted by green and beer.

xoxo

Tarot Decks Take Time.

2010-07-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well THAT was the fucking UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR!!!!

Word is currently: August 18th.

Mother. Of. Gods.

Shit MY Dad says...

2010-07-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

Dad: So, whadya do this weekend? Did you stay in town?

Me: I went to Cornwall! I taught a Tarot class.

Dad: Oh! So, hanging out with those anarchistic--vegan--Wiccan--people out in the woods sacrificing animals and Republicans and stuff?

Me: No. And no, we don't sacrifice animals or people.

Dad: You don't? You don't sacrifice anything?

Me: Sometimes we sacrifice vegetables.

Dad: I think you Wiccans should sacrifice Sarah Palin. And just eat the vegetables.

The Five Agreements by Courtney A. Weber

2010-07-14T16:35:00.001-07:00

A guide to a fulfilling existence:

Be Impeccable With Your Word.

Don't Take Anything Personally.

Don't Make Assumptions.

Always Do Your Best.

Never eat anything with a main ingredient called "defatted peanut flour."

How it would sound if I were a Christian.....

2010-07-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

Would the following sound kind of...dumb?

"OOh! A cross. You know what that means, don't you? Crosses are some freaky shit!!!"

"Hey, Courtney! Haven't seen you in awhile. How's all that...what do you call it...Christian-Churchy stuff going?"

"Oh, meant to tell you. Found out my co-worker is a Christian! I suggested you be friends on Facebook."

(Upon meeting my boyfriend.) "Oh, wow! You're wearing a cross, too. Were you into that before you met Courtney, or did she suck you in?"

"So, it's Easter, right? That's kind of an important holiday, right? Are you going to nail someone to a cross? Isn't that what you guys do on your Holy holiday?"

"Hello, everyone. I'd like you to meet my friend Courtney. She's a CHRISTIAN!!! No, like a REAL one."

"I just want you to know that I don't care that you're a Christian. Even though I'm not supposed to be friends with Christians, I don't think you're a bad one."

"Are you a Good Christian? Or a Bad Christian?"

"You're not going to launch a Crusade on me, are you?"

"I just want you to know that I don't agree with anything you do and that I think you and your 'people' do dangerous, scary things. But I'm up for a new job this week, so if you wouldn't mind praying for me, that would be great."

xoxo

Goddess, Speak

2010-07-09T13:56:00.001-07:00

(Nabbed from my friend Sylvie...)

A girl whispered "Goddess, speak to me"
And a meadowlark sang but the girl did not hear.
So the girl yelled "Goddess speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky.
But the girl did not listen. ... See More
The girl looked around and said "Goddess let me see you"
And a star shone brightly.
But the girl did not notice.
And the girl shouted "Goddess show me a miracle"
And a life was born.
But the girl did not know.
So, the girl cried out in despair.
"Touch me Goddess and let me know that you are here!"
Where upon Goddess reached down and touched the girl.
But the girl brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

(Stupid girl.)

Tweet Tweet

2010-07-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to start a Twitter account and talk about Tarot.

If I do, will you read it?

The Wedding.

2010-06-25T08:34:00.001-07:00

Last night, I went to the wedding but fortunately, did not have to go alone! ABL and NVD came with me, but they got there after I did. The first people I ran into were a cluster of my Tarot clients! I only recognized one, and then felt really dumb when the other two introduced themselves to me. They'd been in my house for readings and everything. I couldn't remember their names. I couldn't remember what I told them, either (I never do), but I did remember what they came to see me about. They gave me updates and also said, "You were SOOOO right." It made me feel good.

Also, as it turned out, the bride's bachelorette party was filled with clients of mine.

"All everyone said was, 'ohmigod...she was sooooooo accurate'!" one of my clients said.

"I should have jumped out of a cake," I replied.

Reading Tarot is fraught with insecurity. Was I wrong? Was I mean? Did I fuck up someone's life who should have never listened to me? Do I owe refunds to everyone who has ever hired me?

It's nice to get good feedback once in awhile.

Now, I want a Jewish wedding when/if I ever get married. The canopy was so pretty.

Live readings onstage

2010-06-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last night, I read Tarot ***LIVE*** onstage. I've done Tarot readings in front of an audience before, but it's normally in a class. It was scary to do a reading at an open mic, where there are lots of rancid skeptics in the audience.

I got to read for Chemda, a woman I know from the Artstar scene, who is "The Girl" of Keith and the Girl, one of my favorite podcasts.

I think I did okay! She said I did okay, anyway. But maybe she was just being nice to me.

Honestly, what's more important than doing a public reading is doing something that scares you. Try it. Every day. Okay, I don't do it every day, but I do it when I've got the chance.

Tonight, I have to go to a wedding and probably have to go alone because Jorge double-booked himself. That's okay. I've never been to a wedding alone before. That's kind of scary.

Enlightenment through Dog Shit.

2010-06-23T04:47:00.000-07:00

I love Summer Solstice, by the way. Some of the most important revelations I've had have occurred around the Midsummer Sabbat. Usually, like love, when you're least interested in being Enlightened, the Great God Pan will appear in full form before your very sober eyes. Or you learn that your altar blew the fuck across the room on the same day your life was being turn upside down--while you were 2,000 miles away from it. Those were mine, anyway. Some of them.

This weekend, though, I celebrated my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of getting my SUPER IMPORTANT THIRD DEGREE. Or something like that. I celebrated it by walking the labyrinth in my boyfriend's back yard.

(For the record--it is insanely awesome that I have a boyfriend with a labyrinth
in his back yard.)

B was at school and I spent the early twilight of midsummer in the labyrinth. My NYC head is constantly cluttered with all the projects I have going on, and all the ideas I want to make into form, and there's usually a soundtrack of whatever band I've been listening to too much of, plus a few voices from awkward childhood memories that never got thoroughly sanitized by therapy. Don't gasp. You surely have them too, if the pills haven't taken care of them.

I decided to walk the labyrinth with no thoughts. This was hard. I would only take a step if my mind was completely without thought. This meant I would take one step and then stand there for another several minutes while waiting for the projects-ideas-bands-awkward childhood memories to dissipate. "Oh wait...I have no thoughts--step NOW! Wait...that was a thought... shit."

I couldn't get my mind to go fully blank. That's a hard thing to do. We're born with the ability to do it, but we're also born with the ability to wrap our legs around our heads and suck our toes from the opposite sides of our mouths--but most of us adults can't do that. It takes a lot of training to get back to your natural state. The best I could do was focus on one item at a time. "Walk to weed." "Walk to wood chip." "Walk to rock"

Walking the labyrinth, it would take about a minute and a half to get to the center. It's not that big. At the rate I was walking, though, it took me almost an hour.

One thing I did not focus on while walking was, "What's my message? What am I meant to learn?" All I focused on was one weed after another, knowing I'd eventually get to the middle, but only focusing on the small steps in the meantime. I wasn't even concerned with GETTING a message, just so long as I got to my goal.

But when I got to my goal, I saw indeed the message I was supposed to receive from the labyrinth.

There was a big pile of dog shit crusting up on the little trail where I'd walked. I didn't walk through it, though! I didn't even see it. I'm sure if I had nearly walked through it, I would have seen it and avoided it. But because I was focused on "Next weed....next rock....next rock...next weed..." I did not even see the pile of shit. I passed right by it.

Okay, Gods. I got my message. If I stay focused on what I'm doing and don't allow myself to be distracted by crap, I miss the piles of shit all together.

Good to know, as I navigate the final months of my Saturn return.

P.S. What a difference a year makes. :)

Creating a Tarot Deck--Getting Started

2010-06-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

I need to stop verbally wanking it and actually put something of substance in this blog--if I'm going to be all serious n' stuff. Until that day comes, you're going to have to hear about my road to Tarot Deck Creation....

Creative processes are frequently likened to birthing a child. Jorge and I call Tarot of the Boroughs our "Elephant Baby" being as it's been in creative utero for over two years. Almost three, in fact, if you count the span of time I spent kicking the idea around in my head.

I don't remember when I had the "Wouldn't it be great if I made a fucking Tarot deck?" thoughts began. Probably when I was doing a lot of readings for individuals and parties in New York--just before the crash came and my corporate party jobs vanished. People often like to know what specific cards mean and I would try to find contemporary correlations.

"See this guy?" I'd say, holding up the King of Coins. "This dude sitting on a throne surrounded by coins and fruit and stuff--that's your boss." I started seeing the Coin Court cards as CEOS and office workers, the Wands' Court as artists. Cup characters seemed pretty obvious--they were all of us falling in and out of love. I hadn't a clue where to start with the Swords.

I'm going to tell you one secret of the Creative Universe: It's not about you--it's about the project. Art is the vehicle for the Divine to speak through us, and It will shout out Its message to whoever can hear it. So if you have an idea for a book, a painting, an installation, a performance piece--whatever project is lurking around in your mind, I guarantee you that 700 other people out there are thinking up the same thing. The Gods will shout out what They want to see in the world, and will come by to help along anyone who is planning on getting it out there. I'd had this happen with several of my 10,000 failed attempts at writing novels and screenplays. If the Urban Tarot deck was in my consciousness, it was surely in the consciousness of others, too.

(Brace yourself for cliche....)

When I was in traveling in Ireland, where lots of good inspiration comes from (see? cliche....), I turned to a friend and asked if she felt like working on a Tarot deck with me. It seemed like it was a good time to go ahead and do it. She agreed! This was good. My friend was a very talented visual artist and I can't draw worth shit. But I had good ideas and I could run around taking pictures of the things I wanted drawn and could send them to her. She would draw the cards and I would find someone who would publish us. Hooray! We'd make a million dollars in no time.

When I returned to New York, I got started right away. Except for one problem: I didn't own a camera.

This was when I wrangled Jorge on board. We'd been friends in the Artstar scene of New York for awhile, and he'd attended a few rituals and meditations that my old Coven led. He was also interested in learning to read Tarot. Seeing as he had a camera and was quite photogenic, I asked if he'd be willing to lend me a point and shoot, and if he wanted to pose for me as "The Fool," which we later re-named, "The Seeker."

Jorge did not own a dinky point and shoot camera, but a super-nice camera with a strap and a big lens. Although he would have been nice enough to lend me the camera, I know my clumsy limits. Plus, he was curious about the project and offered to take all of the pictures.

Check out this G-Crack exchange! This is where it ALLLLLLL began, folks.....

4:09 PM George: hey. no I am actually non busy actually

me: Cool!
I was wondering two things....
one, if you had a digital camera I could borrow (not one of your really nice ones, something simple) and two, would you be willing to pose in a photo for me?
Clothed. I won't make you get nude with the weather this cold. :)

4:13 PM George: lol, Well I actually only have one camera. I could maybe take the pictures for you. Oh and sure I pose for you.

me: Cool!!!! I couldn't pay you, though....I'll buy you beer!

4:14 PM George: Sure I'll do it for some beer.

me: My friend and I are working on designing a tarot deck. She is drawing the cards from photos of real people. I would love for you to be The Fool (that's a good thing--not a bad thing.) The Fool is the first card in the tarot. He's young and optimistic and starting a journey. He's only called The Fool because he has yet to attain knowledge--not because he's foolish or a dumbass. You look young and have a natural optimism that shines through. I would love to photograph you in a train station with a large backpack--as though you were coming to NY for the first time.

4:18 PM George: alright, well that sounds like me, I still have a lot to learn. I have a plain black backpack about medium sized. Train station, maybe one of the above ground stations? Or were you thinking of a more Grand Central cross roads.

me: Grand Central, yes
Some photos of you in the center of the terminal, and some getting off a train.
To see which one works better.

4:20 PM George: alright thats sounds like a good idea. For the getting off the train perhaps above ground station, more light is what I am thinking. Oh and let me know about any other photos you need taken for the rest of the project. At the moment still waiting to see if I get rehired, not sure if the people in my department will still be there.

4:23 PM me: Wow..you are AWESOME...

4:24 PM There are 78 cards in total, but we're only concentrating on 4-5 at the moment. We already have photos for two, so we'll need to work on pulling a couple more before the New Year.

4:25 PM What are your plans for Sunday?

4:26 PM George: Sunday is open for me all day. Alright, sounds like you guys are working on a cool project.

There were many days when Jorge deeply regretted this decision.

Wow.

2010-06-15T11:45:00.001-07:00

Totally have nothing to say today.

Sorry.

xoxo

Places to send your cash to do something to help

2010-06-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of information about these places, so I would welcome feedback if you've got it--but here are three places that are working to help animals affected by the Gulf oil spill.

National Wildlife Federation

Audubon Society

International Bird Rescue

These are pretty much solely bird places. But, since we're bringing in Branwynn at our Summer Solstice and She's really into birds (starlings...), it seemed a good match to donate next Sabbat collection to help the winged friends. Now, my Crew my overturn my suggestion and say we've got to donate the money to the Save the Crabs foundation or something...it's wholly within their rights to do so.

Oh, and I'm tired today. It's a day when I wish Pan hadn't made me give up caffeine.

Ugh..the oil spill, the oil spill.....

2010-06-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to go. I was ready. Get me out of my sensible, second-hand Admin outfits, strap me into a pair of haz-mats, and pack my ass to the Gulf. "I'm going to fix the oil problem!!! Who's with me?????"

Then I realized something. I don't know how to clean up an oil spill.

I have a hard enough time unblocking my shower drain. Maybe that can be my contribution. I'll suck the shit out of my shower plumbing and ship it to BP. Whatever is in there could stop a Tsunami.

At our last Full Moon meditation, where we focused on the Cauldron of Rebirth, I spoke about letting go of feeling responsible for the things which I had no control over. Like whether other people liked the rituals I created. The feelings of other people about my work. The oil spill in my beloved Atlantic.

"But the truth is," I said. "I don't know how to fix the oil hole. I would not be any help at all."

"Don't worry, Courtney," said one of the Crew. "Even BP doesn't know how to fix the hole."

I'm wasting a lot of time crying over images of oil-drenched pelicans on the web version of the New York Times. Of course they're worth crying over, but wringing my hands because I can't go clean them myself is pointless. I have no skills in oil clean up. If I went down there, the people who know what they're doing would waste more time in training me than cleaning, itself.

What I CAN do is call a group of people together energetically to heal the ocean. It's not going to stop the oil by itself, and the damage has already been done. But it's something on the energetic plane that may help this thing from ever happening again.

Also, we can put our cash together. Giving money is not always the favorite option of the bleeding heart. We'd rather give our old clothes, canned food, or in this case--cut hair to aid in disaster. But we must remember that disaster teams are trained in this. They have access to sharply-discounted resources that we do not have, but they don't always have the cash to make it work.

We of course want to select reputable organizations as much as possible when choosing where to send our monies. So, if anyone reading this can make a recommendation of a place working to help the people of the Gulf region or the clean-up itself, please let me know! courtneyaweber@gmail.com

And if you're coming to our Summer Solstice celebration, the money will be going to that cause.

xoxo
C

Been a little emotional as of late

2010-06-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Especially today. I took it out on the people at Verizon internet tech support. But they deserved it.

If one of those tech support people heard from me today and heard all the bad, nasty things I called you, I apologize for my rudeness. But you really do work for an asinine company.

Returning from MIA

2010-06-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hey dudes,

I really fell off the blog wagon, but you can all blame my deck for that. And if you haven't had a chance to buy it...here it is! http://www.tarotoftheboroughs.com

In other news, I was accepted at Union Theological Seminary. (!!!) Yes, they know I'm Wiccan. No, I didn't "mask" or hide anything. There's a stirring the community for leaders to obtain more formal training. As soon as I started talking about starting seminary both in workshops and online, I started getting questions from people who have been looking for seminary training, but have yet to find one that is well-suited to their Pagan practices.

It's a tough one, yes. My recommendation is that you go into your research into seminaries with as open of a mind as you would like to receive when the Admissions board reviews your application. Most members of traditional and mainstream religions want to be accepted by you just as much as you hope to be accepted by them. If you are open and accepting, chances are you will be received with open arms. The Gods aren't through with us yet (thankfully...) and our own Wiccan and Pagan pantheons have been raising a hell of a lot of noise lately, trying to get us working alongside the bigger religions.

Just give it a shot. Talk to the people. Be honest about yourself. Hear what they have to say. Both of you decide together if you will be a good fit for the school and vice versa.

And...once I finish the ultimate battle with bad, bad Verizon, I'll be spending more time on this here blog. :)

xoox
C

Finally ready to roll!!!

2010-03-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hello loves!!!

We've got the Tarot of the Boroughs site up and ready to roll. We have just opened pre-sales for our Limited Edition copies of the deck. Check 'em out!

Tarot of the Boroughs

Maybe you've seen gnarled old ladies reading Tarot cards on 7th
Avenue. Maybe your college roommate gave you a reading. Maybe you
even own a deck yourself and maybe you even use it once in awhile. In
case you haven't had a reading, or seen one on t.v., or in the movies,
Tarot cards can help you understand the present and maybe even figure
out a few things about the future through the little pictures on the
cards. Unfortunately, most of those pictures confuse people, which is why
most people consult Tarot readers instead of reading their own. But
now, enter "Tarot of the Boroughs!"": a glamorous oracle
that can tell you everything you never wanted to know about your past,
present and future--and easy to read. Tarot of the Boroughs is a full 78 card
Tarot deck composed of spectacular original photography, set in New
York City. Inspired by the classic Tarot, Tarot of the Boroughs
captures the Tarot's timeless images in contemporary incarnations.
Tarot of the Boroughs replaces the esoteric with the familiar, easily
taking the reader into the heart of the Tarot’s stories. Mystical
tarot decks are easy to find. Tarot of the Boroughs is unique and
features New Yorkers from all walks of life as well as well-known
writers, visual and performing artists including Moby, Jonathan Ames,
Reverend Jen Miller, Lilith Dorsey, Velocity Chyaldd, Larkin Grimm,
Reverend Billy and Imakhu Mwt Shekemet among many, many others! The
deck will include a little how-to book that will help you along, if
you've never read the cards before.

Before these beauties hit the stores--we are pre-selling 150 limited edition
copies at $30 each. (Price will go up to $6,000,000 after the first
150 are sold.) These copies will arrive in your mailbox autographed by
George and Courtney and include free-shipping, a free-blessing and a
bag of sacred mojo. That's right!!! FREE SHIPPING! FREE BLESSING!
MOJO!!!!

Order now and give us a couple of months. Then, share with friends!
The sooner we sell 150,. the sooner you can uncover the secrets of the
Universe! It will be soooo worth it!

Good news....and dumb people....

2010-03-04T04:22:00.000-08:00

I GOT INTO SEMINARY!!!! SWEEEETTTTT!!!!

Now, here's why I can be even happier that I did...

So I can call out morons like this guy here who are calling themselves High Priests....

AND...

So I can call out writers of article posted above who say nasty-ass shit like this:

Practitioners of Wicca are nothing more than 14 year old girls emotionally and spiritually, and are too poor and stupid to join a better cult or religion. Seriously, Wicca is just Satanism with Downs Syndrome. Blessed Be!

Seriously. It's only 7:25 in the morning and already I feel like putting a fist through the wall. I won't, because that would hurt, but yeah. Feel like it.

IO PAN!!!!

2010-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

Hi! Been away. Missed you, completely. Anyway, the application for Seminary is in. My blood pressure has gone back down. And I am devoting my time to finishing the damn Tarot deck and raising money for its publication. Meanwhile, I'm posting an invocation to Pan I took from Janet and Stuart Farrar's "The Witches' God", which I adapted to a modern, urban Lupercalia event. The event was lots of fun, just so you know.

Great Pan, Lord of the Arcadian paradise,
Inspire our hearts with Your Presence.
Thrill our minds with your pleasant notes.
Lord of the clubs, the festivals, the bonfires,
Answer our wills with Your perfect magick.
Let hare and hind, otter and badger,
The vixen and her cubs, the trannie, the nymph,
the gay, the straight and those of mixed preferences
all the families of our brothers and sisters of the wild
find comfort in Your touch.
Let Your young men, women and gender-bending children
find Your power under the flash of the strobe and around
the pounding of the bonfire drums.
Let the birds of the air and the bats of the night dance freely
to Your piping, and the fish of the rivers and the great seas
find peace at the echo of Your call.
Teach us through gentle lessons how to care for our Earth
within the Urban jungle we inhabit.
Let all small things nestle secure against Your mighty legs
protected by the Goat-Foot God.
Listen to the call of the Great God Pan:
Brothers and sisters of the forests, children of the night:
Who among you will run with the hunt?

Even more thoughts on anger...

2010-01-29T06:51:00.000-08:00

I was meditating on the causes of anger last night and this morning, pulled the Wheel card from my new Tarot deck. (Afro-Brazilian Tarot. Gorgeous.) Also this morning, my friend Rachel posted this on her Facebook page:

Anger is the one thing that you feel more than other emotions. It will overshadow your interpretation of messages and lessons sent from the divine. Anger is so assuming that it will melt it's way into your very core, so much so that it can only be released by the hand of the divine, whose words it will mumble in your head. It takes away your tact, and fills acts of compassion with pride. It causes The Wheel to spin round and round again, cause anger won't let you meet your intended end. --a message from the divine that I'm told to spread around to everyone

Thank you, Scrump!!!! :)

What my boss said about my Seminary Application Essay which fully ousted me from the Broom Closet, but necessary for her letter of recommendation.

2010-01-26T14:09:00.001-08:00

"Very interesting."

Taking a blogging hiatus....

2010-01-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

I am determined to finish my grad school application this week, and that is eating up my mental energy. So, I won't be around to fill you up with quibs and crusty bits until I finish the fucker.

I love you more than you know. Most of you, anyway.

xoxo
C

Sad today.

2010-01-15T18:45:00.000-08:00

It's hard to be a smart ass when so many people are suffering. I guess that's true every day--that people are suffering, somewhere. But I think we're all really feeling it, today.

I have no medical training, so I wouldn't be of help in that way. But I just wish I could be there and hold their hands. Maybe I can on the astral plain tonight. I just wish I could tell those people that everything is going to be okay. More than that, I wish it were true.

Haiti, the world is thinking of you.

Message to Haters....

2010-01-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Dear People Who Are Bored and Lonely Enough To Waste Time By Being Douches To Me and My Friends,

When inflicting insults, be sure to use correct spelling, grammar and syntax. Otherwise, you won't sound like a jackass--but a STUPID jackass.

Go spend your time reading your Bible. There's something in it you must have missed--something about not judging others. (Matthew 7:1)

Besides, you're only encouraging us.

xoxo
C

"When Pagans Attack!!!"

2010-01-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

HHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm just so very, very clever.....;)

One of my crew members emailed me a few days ago concerned over something she'd seen about primitive Europe on the History Channel. In one reenactment, a Pagan Priestess performed an act of ritual sex with a young man and when the act was completed, another Priest or someone snuck up behind him and strangled him to death. That was how, according to the History Channel, the Gods were pleased and the people lived happily ever after.

"Cool!" I thought.

Just kidding.

The member brought up a good point--it bothered her that she was now part of a religion that had such violent origins. As usual, I had a bunch to say about it.

One, sensationalism. How else is the History Channel going to compete with "The Biggest Loser" without a little bloodthirsty, sex-rape-murder? They're not. "Real" history can sound droll and show producers are going to focus on the macabre and lazily skip over the reason behind the ritual or the more benevolent aspects of the practices. Sensationalism is not new, either. Much of what we know of ancient Pagan practices (Within and outside of Europe) came from letters sent by soldiers or missionaries. In the case of the missionaries, facts were frequently inflated or outright omitted in place of sensational fictions in order to encourage the Church to supply more funding for their causes. In truth, we don't know a lot of what the ancient practices were like outside of questionable authority, folktales and some archeological findings. Despite what many books preach, contemporary Paganism is NOT "The Old Religion." Thank god. Contemporary Paganism may share similar concepts (but we don't even know for sure about that....) but has fortunately left its bad, nasty and messy pieces for archeologists to wonder about.

However, that being said, many primitive religions did incorporate human sacrifice into their Rites and yes, the Europeans as well as the Aztecs. Archeology has indeed supported this conjecture. But remember that most world religions have dark roots. Judaism used to embrace the slaughter of enormous amounts of animals for the sake of pleasing Jehovah. Christianity, in addition to hanging heretics or burning them alive, launched the Crusades which killed enormous innocents as well as condemning basic human hygiene as sinful, which was a main contributor to the Black Plague---which killed about 1/3 of Europe. Yet, these religions have evolved out of these practices and the reclaiming tradition of Neo-Paganism is no different. Humanity as a whole has evolved past the need to outright sacrifice other humans in order to please our gods. Any religious sect that killed a human to please its God would be disbanded and locked up by local authorities and if it had any connection to a reputible religious community, it would be exiled from it. It is my belief that if we were somehow able to transport one of the Priestesses you saw on television from primitive Europe to a modern day Pagan gathering, I doubt she would even recognize it as a descendant of her faith. What we share in common with those ancestors is a connection to our planet and its seasons as well as a love of many Gods and Goddesses, but we have fortunately left the nasty stuff behind.

While the growth of Christianity encouraged many good things (the abolition of the practices as you mentioned, the notion of a God of peace and forgiveness), one of the damages it committed was the mentality that this world we live in was created by a God for us to consume. This has permeated much of the world and has placed us in the the most dire ecological situation our human race has ever faced. The reclaiming of Paganism may just be what the world needs to save itself. What we Pagans can offer our non-Pagan brethren is to see that we are part of the earth, not merely renters waiting for the day when the God who gave us this planet can get us off before it collapses. Don't be afraid or ashamed to be part of a religion that was once extremely violent. Be thankful that you are part of a religion that has let go of nasty practices which are no longer necessary and is focused on fixing the future for the next seven generations.

That's all for now. :)

Who wants to go to Ireland??????

2010-01-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys!!!

Want to go to Ireland with me and my friend Liz? We are organizing a trip to the Emerald Isle which will be based around several workshops with Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone. Many of these workshops will take place at sacred sites in Ireland including (but not limited to....) Newgrange, the Hill of Tara, the Four Knocks Burial Chamber and Ciaran's Well including a Lughnasa ritual!

About Janet and Gavin:

Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone are practicing Wiccans and authors. Janet and her late husband Stewart began publishing books on the Craft in 1971; joined by Gavin in 1993. Recent books include The Pagan Path, The Healing Craft, The Complete Dictionary of European God and Goddesses, and Progressive Witchcraft. Published in the U.S, Britain, Brazil and Japan, Janet and Gavin are globally recognized authorities on Witchcraft and Paganism.

Itinerary:

Tuesday, 8/3/10 Depart JFK on Aer Lingus

Wednesday, 8/4/10 Land in Dublin Airport and travel to Kells to settle into B&B

Thursday, 8/5/10 Opening Ritual with Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone. Workshop: Working with Earth Energies. Visit the King Stone and Lough Crew (Includes Dowsing Workshop)

Friday, 8/6/10 Workshop: Understanding and Connecting with the Gods & Goddesses of Ireland as Ancestors. Visit to Fourknocks Burial Chamber (includes Descent to the Ancestors Pathworking in tomb)

Saturday, 8/7/10 Workshop: The Tree, the Well and the Dolmen: Physical and Spiritual Cosmology of Ireland . Visit Tara Hill, the Royal Seat of Ireland. (includes Pathworking with the spirits of the Well and Tree at Tara).

Sunday, 8/8/10 Traditional ceremony at Ciarans Well and visit to Teltown for Lughnasa Ritual with Janet and Gavin.

Monday 8/9/10 Visit to Boyne Valley to Bru Na Boinne, (Newgrange) and Knowth. Evaluation, questions and answer session. Closing and farewell Ritual

Tuesday, 8/10/10 Last day/night in Dublin City.

Wednesday, 8/11/10 Fly home

Cost:
$2,050.00 for a double, triple or quad
$2,250.00 for a single

Includes:

* Round Trip Airfare from JFK Airport
* Transportation while in Ireland
* Accommodations
* 7 Breakfasts
* 5 Lunches
* 5 days of Intensive Workshops

If you are interested in joining us, you can find the website here. Or, please feel free to email me at courtneyaweber@gmail.com.

This is going to be the trip of a lifetime. I know a lot of people say that, but this time, it's true.

Big words and good books

2010-01-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Egotistic: Yeah, but who isn't?

Megalomaniac: Possibly. But when on your time?

Messianic: Shouldn't we all be? Well, maybe just a little bit?

Verbose: Yeah...you got me there. Can't argue with that assessment. :)

Hey, kids!!!

It's time for A Girl Called Woo's book suggestion of the week! Not that I'll have one every week. Sometimes it takes me longer than a week to read a book. Sometimes I don't want anyone to know what I'm reading. But because I don't have anything egotistic, megalomaniac or messianic to say, I'll just stick with being verbose.

Aleister Crowley's "Book of Wisdom or Folly"

Papa Crowley details 200+ lessons for basic spiritual survival in this classic tale of seeking out the Divine. While I admit that most ritual magick books published before the 1960's (and many published after that...) take enormous concentration and will to keep from falling asleep on their pages, this one makes me actually to turn its coffee-stained pages. I even opted to stand up and read on the subway this morning instead of clawing my way to a seat to write.

Bottom line, Crowley is funny. Cryptic, esoteric, elusive, but really, really funny. Any examples I put up here are going to be out of context and will miss the point, so I encourage you to read and see for yourself. I think it's the tone in which he writes. Even the title, "Wisdom or Folly" goes to show that even he isn't nearly convinced that he knows what he's talking about--which is refreshing when so many books written by spiritual people try to boast that they know everything.

The basic thesis is there is a singular life path for each person and to find true happiness and spiritual fulfillment, one must figure out that path and stick to it like gum to a boot-sole. He calls it, "The Will." And when you "Do What Thou Wilt", it means you're following your life's calling. It's not clear whether Crowley believes this divine will is congruent to the heart's desire or not. He also doesn't give a lot of advice on finding out what your will actually is.

On the downside, Crowley doesn't think very highly of women. In fact, one of his chapters is entitled, "`On Truth, Which Should Not Be Told To A Woman." The editors try to cover for him, saying, "He means the truth should not be told ABOUT women!", yet his reference to women as "Sirens", "Witch-Women (and not in the good way)", and insists that women are too gossipy to be told "The Truth." Dude. Really. I do not know any man who is less gossipy than the average woman. It's a human trait, not a gender thing.

BUT! On the upside, he really does have some good things to say. He talks about temperance in all things, encourage sex but only if both parties are amicable, and despite his nasty feelings about women, honors the Great Mother and reveres Nuit. One of my favorite passages reads, "Thus it is written in the Book of the Law: Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all sorrow are but as shadows; they pass and are done; but there is that which remains." This verse was particularly soothing on a PMS-laced crying jag that hit last night.

Not everyone likes Crowley. But even if you don't like Crowley, I strongly encourage you to read him, anyway. Many of the contemporary Wiccan rituals have at the very least been influenced by the work of the Secret Societies--including Crowley's O.T.O. We talk about "Do What Thou Wilt," but few Wiccan text really meditate on what this concept means. Crowley provides thought fodder for this idea.

It's so cold in this room that my fingers are shrinking inside my pentacle rings. Oy. Oy. Oy. Time to go home, eat soup, do an assignment my HPS gave me, and maybe watch some Dark Shadows, which my sister gave me for Christmas!!!

By the way, another super-creepy vintage class is this one. I've been getting creeped out by it since the 4th grade. Now. That's enough Amazon.com advertisement. They're not paying me anything. Just so you know.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

2009-12-31T19:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T16:26:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the return of the Sun God. :) Eat lots of cheese.

A Tarot Reader Opens a Chase Business Banking Account

2009-12-23T07:36:00.001-08:00

(HA!)

"Hi! I'm V. So, you want to open a business account with Chase? You're a sole-proprietor. Okay. What is your business called? Tarot of the....what? Tarot? You mean like Tarot cards? You're MAKING Tarot cards? Wow. That's uh....wow. Well, first time I've had that today! Ha! Since you're not incorporating, we will not need DBA forms. I will need your social security number, Ms. Weber. Just curious, do you READ Tarot cards? Really? How long have you been reading? 13 years??? Wow. That's uh...wow. Now, will you be requiring a Chase credit card? What about a debit card? What do you expect your average balance to be per month? How did you learn to read Tarot cards? Doesn't that require a gift? I mean, some people are SEERERS, you know? Like, they can see things? Read things? Don't you need to be able to do that in order to read Tarot? If you link your Chase credit card with your business banking, there will be no minimum fee. Without, you will need to pay a monthly fee of $25. There is a .25 interest rate for business savings accounts. Girl....I cannot BELIEVE you dropped in here at the end of the year...the things I could ask you right now.....mmmmmhmmm. I will need you to sign here and here and here and here. Wait, I'm going to need to call my manager. EDNA! Can I see you for a minute? This is Courtney, she's opening a business account. She reads Tarot. I know, right? Edna and I are allllll over this kinda stuff. We're going to have to have you come back and give us more information....*wink* if you know what I mean. I'm going to need to see two pieces of ID. So, a New York Tarot deck, huh? Will it work like a real Tarot deck? Like one you READ-read? Oh, and one more thing for you to sign. When you come back next week, we'll have the business books ready for you. You're going to make a lot of money on this thing. I can feel it. Thank you for doing business with Chase.

Cool! Video!!!

2009-12-22T06:39:00.000-08:00

My friend Imakhu, creator of television show "ASHE!" has this new episode out! I got a piece on there teaching Tarot at Pagan Pride Day, and also a bit of me running my mouth for awhile. (Damn, my lipstick was bright that day...)

She also interviews Kirk White, Rev. Eli Camarena and Laura Wildman among others--the real reason to watch this video. :)

Yule Musings

2009-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

I spent Saturday night reading Tarot at a party at the Russian Baths near Coney Island. It was a long subway ride through a furious blizzard, but there are far worse ways to make 90 bucks on a Saturday night. After a few hours of reading, I soaked in a hot tub, watching gorgeous bikini-clad peops rock out to live Balkan sounds, feeling all the more cozy knowing outside was the North Pole. After sufficient time in the hot tub, I retired to the sauna. There, I met a Russian guy named Paul. Paul asked if I'd like a Russian purification. I didn't know what that meant, but who was I to refuse an offer from a lovely Russkie dude two days before the Solstice?

You know what Paul did? He took me into the Cedar Steam room and proceeded to flog me with Oak Leaves...

It really was kind of too perfect.

After burning your toxins out in this gorgeous method, the person performing it on you puts you under a cold shower and even if you scream and try to run away (like I did), he'll make you stay in the freezing water because "You need it." Then, he wrapped me head to toes in white towels and ordered me to relax. (Only Russians make you fear the consequences of NOT relaxing enough.)

While I sat, wrapped in towels and listening to the brassy Balkan music, I thought to myself, "The Oak King rocks."

It took me awhile to get home. The subways are slow now anyway because of budget cuts. Late at night they're even slower. Add in the blizzard and I might as well have walked to Inwood. (Not really.) But there is a purpose for everything and this purpose was yet another gift of my pre-Yule evening.

When I got off the subway, it was nearly four in the morning. Normally, a sketchy time to be riding the trains alone, but not that night. New York City was completely silent. Not a car moved, not a person stumbled, staggered or cursed. The only sounds were the crunch of my boots in the snow. It was a pristine, blue-white covering turning cars into hills and dressing the apartment buildings like a storybook village street. I forgot about the cold, the fatigue, the fear of being out late and alone. I tramped through the snow, welcoming the presence of the Winter Queen. I wondered sadly, if my grandchildren would get to enjoy such a sight. Not knowing if they ever would, I took my time and took in the White Beauty. And this is how I welcomed Yule.

"You, Priestess, cannot be all things to all people"

2009-12-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I went to Delaware to see my friends and to attend a workshop. At the Trance Prophecy Ritual that evening, a seasoned Priest brought through Odin. I've attended numerous Trance Prophecy Rituals and met a lot of different Gods, but this was the first time I approached a God and was crouched on the floor trembling like Dorothy before Oz. Except, there was no old dude behind the curtain. The old dude was the Old Dude right before my eyes and He had a mess of things to say to me. First of all, "You, Priestess, cannot be all things to all people."

(Funny. My therapist echoed the same sentiment this morning when I was ranting about some twig.)

So funny. Even though I know it's true, it doesn't stop me from trying to be perfect. All. The. Time.

Saturday, I lead the first open ritual at the new Pagan Center of New York. We had a spectacular time! The corners were called, the intention was set. The Holly and Oak Kings were chosen and duked it out. When the Oak King was the (surprise surprise) victor....He declared, "Gods bless Witches everywhere!" and we all went wild and the previously orderly ritual burst into an ecstatic Pagan dance party. It went on for hours. I received a lot of positive feedback. People had a great time and truly seemed to get something out of it. It was a blessed event and I hope we have more of them.

Sunday, I overdid it, I think. I read Tarot for four clients--one of whom purchased a full hour. The first three really liked their readings, even though they weren't all glowing news. The third even gave me a large tip. But the fourth person left me sad and dejected.

She said she was unhappy. I saw in her reading that she works too damn much. She said it was true. I pulled out a few things she could expect to experience in the coming weeks and months and a few other things she could do about her depression.

"Tell me about my personal life," she said. "Tell me what's going to happen."

I flipped some more cards and saw the same thing. Depression. Stagnation. Her job sucks. Find a new one or continue to be unhappy.

She looked cross. "Are all your readings like this?"

"Like what?" I asked.

She waved her hands over the cards. "Like this. You're repeating yourself. This isn't what I want to know. I want to know what things will happen."

"I'm afraid this is the message I have for you," I said.

"This isn't what I wanted," she said. "I want to know things. Not what I already know." She offered to pay me for fifteen minutes, but I waived it all together.

I saged the house after she left. I felt very sad. I had told her what would happen, so I thought. No, it wasn't the 7th Avenue psychic reading: "You will meet a tall man with a flowing mane...." although I do give those periodically. But that wasn't the message for her. Maybe I was tired. Maybe I took on too much psychically in one weekend. I should have thought about that before making that poor woman traipse way uptown to my house and then not give her a good reading. Then again, it wasn't that my reading was inaccurate. It just didn't cover what she wanted to hear. (Sigh.)

The woman came to my house looking for something that I was unable to provide. That's all. But even in the afterglow of having helped a lot of people, the last one I came into contact with left unsatisfied. That, unfortunately, is the one that sticks with me, even though I try to focus on all of the others.

I will reflect on the advice of Odin (and my therapist). I did what I could for the people I met over the weekend. One walked away dejected, but there is only so much responsibility I can take for it. As I told one young man at the PCNY Yule who asked about becoming a telephone psychic, when one is a minister, they must treat the practice like a pharmacist treats their own practice. The pharmacist can only put the correct pills and instructions on the counter for the patient. It's up to the patient to not only take them, but take them correctly. They can't shove the pills in their mouths nor follow them home to ensure they take them correctly. But as a minister, it's really hard to let that go.

Now, to add to the list of shit I've been called in the last week: Tyrannical, judgmental, oppressive, hypocritical. This was from someone outside my Coven, I may add. I wish this person had been a fly on the wall when I was scolded by a mentor a day later for being "too polite, democratic to a fault, too open, and needing to grab a tighter hold on the reigns."

See? Can't please them all.

Tune in next week for, "Still haven't learned that one...."

Bleck! Sorry I'm MIA.....

2009-12-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

Writing new workshops and working on stuff for various Yule celebrations. I look forward to catching you all up on my manic thoughts...for those of you nice enough to pay attention to them!!!

Did want to direct you to the Pagan Center of New York's website

I'm teaching Tarot for Lovers at PCNY this Saturday from 2:00-4:00! $20 for everything you ever wanted to know about Love Readings. There will be a Yule ritual that evening. Shall be a good time!!!

SWEET!!!!!!

2009-12-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

Read THIS!!!

Oh...The Lady's good to me...and so I thank the Lady!!!

2009-11-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

Guess what, guys???

Last year, my Mom and I had a fight on Thanksgiving about me being Wiccan. It "made her sick to her stomach." Which made me sad. Obviously.

Anyway.

I was nervous coming home this year, thinking I'd be in for another fight. I wore my pentacles most of the weekend, except when my mother's new best friend "Dina" came over. I foolishly thought Dina, being Southern, would be freaked out by them and there was no sense in freaking out my mother's new friend at Thanksgiving.

To my delighted surprise, Dina asked me to give her a Tarot reading.

I did.

My mom even helped! She asked if there was anything special I needed or if it would be a problem if she were in the room when I did the reading. Dina loved her reading and said it was helpful. Mom got to see me read Tarot and see that it's not a "creepy, icky thing" I was doing, nor was it a "tongue in cheek, I don't really mean it, right?" thing. Plus, it gave her the chance to go call my grandmother and not feel her guest was being ignored.

Dina, as it turns out, is interested in alternative spirituality. She moved to Oregon to get away from the Bible Thumping she received as a child. My mommy's new BFF is a Goddess Worshiper. This, clearly, is a very good thing for me. AND for my relationship with my mother.

Short entry because I'm off to meet my friend Jenny for lunch. You can read her story here. She's inspiring. She doesn't like it when people say she's inspiring, but tough shit, kid. You inspire me.

IUD is GONE!!!!!!

2009-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

Janet told me Brid said to her, "Tell Courtney to smash the anvil."

This morning, I did.

"Just didn't work out," I told the doc.

No more painful reminders, several times a month.

It sucks that it didn't work out. It really did seem to be a perfect match. But sometimes, some things just don't work and we have to leave them behind.

So, I did. And then I ate a brownie. I deserved it.

When Ovaries Attack

2009-11-17T05:14:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was working on my Powerpoint presentation for my workshop at the Tahuti Lodge when I received a surprise attack from my own uterus.

It was, by far, the most painful experience of my life.

Menstrual cramps make you feel like your body is trying to kill you, anyway. It's the addition of this IUD though...that felt like my own normally sweet and gentle uterus called up my sciatic nerve and invited her over for blow and Twister. I'm pretty sure that's what happened.

I know a lot of Witches struggle with birth control. Hormones give me anxiety attacks. The IUD seemed like a great idea as I wouldn't have an artificially regulated cycle and wouldn't have to remember to take a pill. But this damn thing is trying to kill me I think. Last night was so bad that I couldn't even get off the couch to get more codeine out of my purse. (I finally did, though--as the need for pain pills will surpass all.) Then, I curled up on my couch and cried and googled "Signs of Miscarriage" as things were so bad, I wondered if I'd gotten knocked up and was knocking it out without knowing it. I wasn't. But I did wonder.

I also attribute this attrocity to having a Dark Moon period this month. I release every third lunar cycle, so every few months, I bleed on a Dark Moon. Dark Moon periods are....darker. All menstrual times release whatever bad juju we're carrying from our systems, and coming during a banishing time just after I lead a banishing ritual for N.O.W., I must have had to let something nasty and demonic go.

No bleeding yet, so I await with baited breath and a refill of my prescription of Tylenol 3. I may just have to chuck this thing and go back to condoms alone.

In other news, my deposit in the Magickal Garbage Can at Samhain seemed to have worked! I said I wanted to minimize distractions. Now, I no longer am able to piggyback on my neighbor's internet. Sometimes, Magick sucks.

Seminary Question Number 4 (or is it 3?), something good to read, and something great to announce.

2009-11-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

4.) How do you relate your faith, personal history, academic background and vocational goals?

How do I relate? What do you mean how do I “relate”? I’m not sure this is a well-formulated question. How many people come to this question and say, “What the fuck?” You want me to add all of this up and say, “this equals why I want to come to Union?” I truly don’t understand what you’re asking here. Are you asking me how the fuck I ended up here? Sometimes, I’m really not sure.

(That's not my final answer.)

Hey, kids! Want to read something totally friggin' awesome??? Go pick up this little thing! I found it at the Strand, but Amazon is our friend sometimes, too.

I am thrilled to announce the formation of something new and awesome. Today, the Pagan Community Center of New York was formed. I will keep you all posted and a new website is to come.

This is a turning point. Something big happened today.

Better use of pissiness (More thoughts on anger)

2009-11-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

When I was 18, I went to a Tarot reader.

This reader was quite good and noticed immediately that I carried quite a bit of anger--even if I was as sweet as can be during my visit. "Anger can be a powerful tool," she said. "Just don't let it destroy you."

I've often repeated that to my own clients who are dealing with anger issues. I myself am a naturally angry person. Jorge says this is because most of my chart is made of Fire and Air. Some might say it's the combination of being both Russian and Irish. My therapist would try to blame it on my childhood. (Why do shrinks blame everything on childhood?) Honestly, it doesn't matter where it comes from. The truth is that there is at least one point in each day when I'd like to punch through a wall.

But most of you would never know what a seething ball of rage I am. My co-workers have often commented that nothing rattles me. This isn't true. I do get rattled. But I've learned to redirect my anger into places where it's useful.

In my last post, I talked about being angry over heartbreak and trying to let that go, and hearing the Goddess say that these things go through phases and can't be forced. However, I can treat my anger like a knife. It can cut someone--which would be mean. It can cut me, if I bottle it up--which would be painful. Or it can be used to get work done--like cutting an apple, cutting through jungle, or carving something pretty about myself on a subway bench.

If you're like me and you live with a 900-pound raging Gorilla in your mind most of the time, put that Gorilla to work. Anger can drive us and stir us to get the job done. Below are six things worth getting angry about. Click on these the next time you're stewing about something your ex-lover said to you during your final convo....

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Congo's Witch-Hunt

War Rape

Still Melting

Blogging in Cuba gets you beaten

Wealthy nations forgetting their promises=people die of AIDS

(And to make you feel better.....HERE'S A REALLY CUTE BUNNY!!!)

Anger, healing and competitive sports. Plus television.

2009-11-06T22:37:00.000-08:00

Anger is a process and healing comes in layers.

One of the greatest gifts CRR left with his visit is a new perspective on anger. Seven years ago, we were furious with one another. So furious, one would storm out of the room if the other entered. We warned other people about one another. We did the fucktarded things early 20-somethings do when spurned: gossip, bitch, gossip, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch. (Except...it doesn't end with your early 20's...as it turns out...) But seven years later, CRR flew 3,000 miles just to hang out for the weekend. And during the visit, I knew I'd been very, very angry about something at one time. But those reasons seem so pointless that even if I weren't masking CRR's identity and our story, I wouldn't even know how to explain why I was so pissed.

So, what's the point in getting angry about anything?

Co-workers jerk us around. But it's our job to put up with them. Taking it personally is just going to run up your bar tab at happy hour. The MTA sucks. It just does. And sometimes, we get stuck underground, crammed against a bunch of strangers--some of them smelly. A few of them, rude. All of them just as unhappy to be stuck in there as we. Getting angry at the MTA doesn't make us get anywhere faster, or improve their overall service. What's the use in getting mad at a subway system? It's further proof as to why the Goddess invented the I-Pod. I-Pods save the day in a bad commute.

But sometimes, even our best perspective makes us still want to chuck a stiletto heel into a skull. Or leave a pentacle-ring bruise on a cheekbone. It may have been five months since I had my heart broken and through therapy, friends and sweet, sweet men, I'm doing pretty damn well. Occasionally, however, I'll be going along my merry way; doing my dishes, petting my cats, working on a blog post or something and I'll suddenly look up and scream "DOUCHEBAAAAAAAAAAG!!!"

"Huh," I then say to myself. "I guess I'm still kinda mad."

Tonight, after a few of these angry-Torrets episodes, I went into meditation. "Come on, you Guys," I said as I descended down the spiral staircase to The River. "Why am I still so fucking angry?"

Brid came to me looking like the Alanis Morrisette character in "Weeds." Pan came as the Silas character.

"Why do you look like Alanis Morrisette?" I asked Brid.

"I don't," She said. "I look like a doctor."

It was true. Alanis Morrisette's character in "Weeds" is an OBGYN. Brid was dressed in the white coat and everything. It made sense as one of Brid's traditional roles is that of midwife. And while I may not be having a baby right now, clearly, I'm birthing something that pisses and cries (my anger), and in Her doctor role, She was going to heal me. Pan in Silas-garb made sense: the older brother character who defends those he loves--while being extraordinarily sexy with a mild blip on the Gay-dar. We made out.

Brid pointed at the moon. "Notice how it changes? Its shape cycles in and out. You can't blame it for its nature. It will pass and change and come back."

I guess this means I have to wait it out. Anger will change. Anger will diminish. Anger will indeed grow back, so I guess this means the most dangerous and futile thing to do would be do cling to the anger or force it away. Can't do it for the moon. Can't do it for our hearts. We just have to trust the process and let time do its job. Even when we wish it would hurry up and do its job a little fucking faster.

On that note, I also advise watching basketball. Watching sports is important. When you get into a game, you don't think about anything else. It's the most entertaining form of cathartic meditation out there. Tonight, the Blazers beat the Spurs.

Essay Question #3

2009-11-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Describe your personal interests, including the fields which interest you most:

My personal interests include history, in particular religious history, anthropology, mythology, ecological technology and the esoteric disciplines such as Tarot, as mentioned above, astrology and medium ship. I am particularly interested in contemporary folk worship around the globe—how to people practice their faiths outside of the Church or Synagogue? I have studied mediumship in Ireland, Voodoo in New Orleans and espiritismo in New York. I teach lectures on Pagan Ethics and reading Tarot at spiritual workshops and festivals around the country.

As a performer, I’ve done quite a bit of shit I don’t know that I should mention in this essay…do you people really want to hear about me doing burlesque as a crack-head in rehab?

Tarot Workshop--ATTEND!

2009-11-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

Samhain was a heavy one and I still have a mess o' stuff to process. I promise to come and gab about me-me-me later-later-later, but first, want to promote a workshop I'm doing in partnership with the Tahuti Lodge of New York City. I also should go vote, but have a snoozing familiar on my lap and these moments are sooo hard to come by...

I will be teaching "BURN THE F***KING BOOK: READ TAROT LIKE THE PROS" as part of the world-wide commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck (also known as the Waite-Smith) publication in partnership with the Tahuti Lodge on 12/5. This is a great class to better know the Tarot--whether you've been reading for years or just picked up a deck last week. The class is designed to get you to take the important step of putting down the instructional book and letting the cards speak for themselves.

Would be readers frequently say, "I want to read Tarot, but I still have to use the little book in the box...." In this class, we will be focusing on connecting the characters of the Tarot to you and your experiences as well as touching on the history of the Tarot and its place in the contemporary world. Through these methods, it will be easier to shrug off the little white book that can inhibit the oracular nature of the cards.

The class will run 4-7 on Saturday, Dec. 5th. The fee is $20. Bring your cards (any deck will do!) and a notebook. Spread the word and bring your friends! This class will be great for the novice or the seasoned Tarot reader! More than that, my classes are fun and definitely don't suck.

Space is limited and reservations strongly encouraged: http://tarot.tahutilodge.org/

Blessed Be, Pretty Babies!!!

xoxo
C

BLESSED SAMHAIN!!!

2009-10-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

Friend of mine just sent me this poem:

(to be said at the front door of your home this eve)

Grandmother Wisdom, open the door,
Grandfather counsel, come you in.
Let there be welcome to the ancient lore,
Let there be welcome to the Winter of the Year.
In cold and darkness you are traveling,
Under crystal skies you will arrive.
May the blessed time of Samhain
Clarify the soul of all beings,
Bringing joy and wisdom to revelation.
From the depths to the heights,
From the heights to the depths,
In the cave of every soul.

~ Caitlyn Matthews

Testing.

2009-10-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

Let me see how well this works!

CRAFT TREAT!!!

2009-10-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

I just discovered that "The Craft" is on View Instantly on Netflix. If I'm a good girl and finish my seminary school application essay questions tonight...I know how I'm spending the rest of my evening......

Seminary Application Essay Question #2

2009-10-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

If your academic interest primarily has been in disciplines other than religious studies, how do you expect to integrate your graduate study in theology with this other interest?

I got my degree in Theatre. So, I definitely understand the vow of poverty. I think that pretty much covers it.

Essay Question from Application

2009-10-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

State a major theological dilemma that you wish to analyze during your studies at the Seminary. Explain in detail the importance of this intellectual problem for you.

-The Self in the Community.
-The complex nature of Intention.
-Getting Pagans anywhere on time.

After much meditation, research, contemplation and note taking, I have formulated the following thoughts regarding the propect of pursuing a Master's.

2009-10-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Oh. Shit.

Coming back to earth...

2009-10-19T10:51:00.001-07:00

Hello loves,

Got back into town from the UK Tarot Conference yesterday. A truly wonderful time. Catching back up on all the work that can only pile up for having left town for four days--so will be more interesting later!!!

Gearing up to take flight

2009-10-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

me: I slept through my alarm this morning.
Woke seven minutes after I'm supposed to leave.
Got to work only ten minutes late.

JG: you are a witch, you can bend time

Oh, if only that were true.

I have a friend who swears he can bend time. He says if he's late for work, he focuses on going back in time while he's zipping down the freeway. Sometimes, he says, he's able to get to work a full three minutes before he left the house.

I believe all things are possible. But I don't think it's possible for that friend.

Anyway, I was late this morning as I was out too late last night. I went to see Hope Sandoval in concert. Her voice is still clear and lovely as the xylophone she plays. But her band is lame. She got angry when the mics didn't amplify her enough, and left the stage for half an hour. It was fun to watch the nihilism melt from her crowd. I got home late, read cards for a friend who is going through a rough enough time to wait up until 1:00 to hear from me. I just wish all readings would end with, "No worries! It's all going to be fine!" But, they don't.

Jorge is meeting me here at noon so we can go make color prints of our cards to take to England for the UK Tarot Conference. It's starting to feel like we're actually going to have a deck that people are actually going to consult for answers on their love lives and careers. That excites me as much as it scares me. We're still searching for a publisher, but talking to the friend last night who accompanied me to the concert--we may look a little closer at self-publishing. The market right now, is just very, very lame.