Reading Room

"Confessions of a Pagan Nun~A Novel" by Kate Horsley (2001 Shambhala Publications, Inc.) captivated me completely with it's poetic writing style and historical insight. The story is presented as though it is the manuscript of a woman named Gwynneve, who lived at a 6th century monastery of Saint Brigit in Ireland. Chapter One begins with Gwynneve telling her childhood story and of life in a pagan tuath (tribe) before the spread of Christianity. The next chapter, called First Interruption, brings us to Gywnneve's present time where she is transcribing the writings of Saint Patrick, but takes time to write her own story. A new woman has joined Saint Brigit's order about whom there is much speculation. Is she the daughter of a chieftan, or simply mad? Thereafter each chapter fluctuates between Gwynneve's past and present life.

Gwynneve is very close with her Mother, who would be what we would call a "wise woman" and is well respected. She has a knowledge of herbs and their uses and is sought after for healing. She often takes Gwynneve along on her sojourns into the forest to wildcraft. After Gwynneve's Mother dies, she leaves her home in search of Giannon, the solitary Druid with whom she has fallen in love. Giannon agrees to take Gwynneve as a student and the two live alone together as husband and wife in the forest for many years. Gwynneve learns writing, which is her passion. Meanwhile, Christianity continues to get a foothold and many changes are occuring. Giannon and Gwynneve choose to remain neutral, neither joining forces with their fellow Druid sisters and brothers nor embracing the new religion. To further complicate the picture, there is dissension between the Christians themselves, the Pelagians and the priests of Rome. So when Giannon is abducted in the night, their hut on fire, Gwynneve knows not whether the hooded figures are Druid or Christian.

This story brings to life the chaotic times of religious/cultural change in a land and it's inhabitants. It addresses many issues and asks many questions. I highly recommend this book! 188 pages; glossary of Celtic terms included

Some of my favorite excerpts: "I see the improvements the Christians have brought, but these improvements and payments in gold have seduced the chieftans away from powers older amd more elemental than scripture. The chieftans themselves relied too much on druids for their knowledge and did not make themselves wise enough."

"I have seen that the Christian philosophy of the bishops compels people to turn away from the earth and toward heaven. It encourages a view of earth as a place of degradation and temptation and spreads this view of our one mother to include all mothers, whose wombs are considered unclean."

"The philosophers who now control the Christian cult and condemn Pelagians as heretics love the ideal as a measure by which to judge those who do not agree with their authority. Whoever reads this, do not be told what to do to receive grace. You know in your heart, unless your mind is sick. And if your mind is sick, then make a country where all the people have sick minds and kill each other over philosophies and hallucinations."

For information on Pelagianism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagianism

For information on Druidism:
www.geocities.com/Athens/7326/druid.htm

Arachne's Gift

Yeah, I know..never put sharp knives in a drawer. While preparing for our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday, I hurriedly reached into a utensil drawer for a large fork. Instead of grabbing the fork, my finger grazed the edge of a serrated steak knife. Owie, owie, owie! OK, run to the bathroom, get the peroxide and hold a piece of TP over the cut until it stops bleeding. Then put a band-aid on and go about business. That is my usual procedure..but this baby didn't want to stop bleeding! As far as I could tell, it was only a small cut, but after at least five minutes of holding my dripping finger over the sink, I ran to the basement to look for some spiderweb. WHAT?!?

I vaguely remembered hearing that spiderweb will stop bleeding. Finding some cobwebs between the rafters in my unfinished 100+ year old basement, I held the injured finger up and began winding it with cobweb moving in a deosil fashion and voila! the bleeding stopped WITHIN SECONDS! What a sight! A blood covered finger encased in gray cobwebs! I have to tell you, my better half wanted to know what I was doing :)

I left the finger like that for about 30 minutes, then carefully washed off the webbing with a cotton ball soaked in water. The webbing had made a form fitting bandage of sorts and removing it did cause a few trickles to ooze from the cut. Another douse of peroxide, a band-aid, and I was able to continue our dinner preparations. Later that night, I did put a dab of antibiotic cream on it for good measure with a clean band-aid and the cut is now healing nicely.

Taking a quick gander on the web (pun intended) I discovered that this folk healing remedy was used by the ancient Greeks. The spider web acts as a catcher for the blood, essentially doing the job of platelets. Some would say this is not a sanitary procedure and should not be used on humans (do not use spiderweb that has been sprayed with bug spray!) but either I have clean spiders or 19th century doctors were right in confirming that spiders coat their silk with an antiseptic agent. I would say, that in a pinch, this is a good bit of information to know...and I won't hesitate to use it again if need be!

http://www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/bleeding.html

This page has home remedies to stop bleeding from small cuts. As always, please seek medical attention if needed!!!

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/cobwebs_help_dogs_ear_stop_bleeding.php

This link tells about using spiderweb on a dog's ear.

Sound Booth~"Matriarch"

This CD gives me goosebumps! Joanne Shenandoah (see previous post "The Nammy's") sings in her natural tongue on "Matriarch", a collection of traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) women's songs. Miss Shenandoah has dedicated each of the 13 tracks to a special woman in her life. For example, "She Puts Them Up" honors her Aunt, who in Iroquois tradition, is like a mother to her and is also characteristic of Oneida hospitality. Drumming, Native American Flute, Pianolin, Guitar and Resonating Stones round out the clear, sweet voice that is Joanne's. This CD nevers fails to uplift my spirits with these Goddess inspired songs. Highly recommended!

Recorded at "Indian Springs", Oneida Territory, New York and Subterranean Snake Recording in Boulder, Colorado. Produced by Tom Wasinger and Joanne Shenandoah.

1996 Silver Wave Records

http://www.silverwave.com/

The Nammys

Two of the biggest names in the Native American music industry, Joanne Shenandoah and Bill Miller, will be presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards on Saturday, October 6, 2007 at the Native American Music Awards. The event will take place at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. (See my entry from March for more on Bill Miller.) This is the first I have heard of Joanne Shenandoah. Where have I been!?! This recording artist has only been in the business since the late 1980's, with 14 albums and a Grammy to her credit. I intend to purchase one of her albums as the sound bites on her website sound very interesting. She is of the Iroquois Confederacy, Oneida Nation and Wolf Clan. Here is a link to her site:

http://www.joanneshenandoah.com/

David Rodgers, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the Eastern Woodland Native American Gathering near Tiffin, Ohio last June, is also up for an award at the Nammys. He was honored at the Gathering with the presentation of a Eagle feather for his artistry on the Native American flute. Here is a link to his website:
http://www.flutemusicfromtheheart.com/

Here is a link to the Nammys page:
http://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com

Journey to Annwn

There is an oaken door,

Hidden far away.

In a secret garden,

Where the Fair Folk play.

See the spider spinning,

Hanging in the tree.

Come a little closer,

You will find a key.

Ancient locks will open,

Stone steps going down.

Misty air surrounds you,

Fire lights your crown.

Moonlit path awaits you,

Through enchanted trees.

Softly now..eyes closed..

For that is when you see.

Wise and loving Old One,

Rocking with Her tea.

Look into Her cauldron

Bubbling...So Mote It Be!

Soon your time is over,

Thank Her as you leave.

Life becomes a dream now,

Ever Blessed Be!

Poetry

By Aganippe

May 7, 2005

Artwork

"Court of Faerie"

By Thomas Maybank

1898-1925

Reading Room

I'm behind...WAY behind. With spring cleaning..yes. Updating this blog..yes, guilty. However, what I really am referring to is reading Harry Potter. I've only read the first two books in the series (collective gasp heard amongst wizards and witches!). She must not own the third book, they say. Nope, I have them all with the exception of the last installment released a few days ago (with much fanfare I might add.) OK..she must be SO busy, that she hasn't had any time for books. EHHH...wrong again. I'm currently reading "The Corn King and the Spring Queen", the 1931 historical novel by Naomi Mitchison. So why haven't I picked up "The Prisoner of Azkaban"? I was bored with the first two Harry books.

Let's face it..the Harry Potter books, originally written for kids, are entertaining fantasy but outstanding literary works they are not. So why the "Potter Mania" among adults? Well, while allowing for individual taste, some young adults WERE kids when "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" hit the book shelves in 1997 , so they grew up with the stories. Some are parents of young readers enjoying the fun alongside their little Harrys and Hermiones..while others simply follow the leader of the "What's New and Hot Club". Don't get me wrong, I think the Harry Potter novels are beneficial because they have kids actually reading books and using their imaginations in this day and age of computer games and scheduled play dates..but are the stories leading them to the occult world as some christian fundies/book banners suggest?

My own interest in subjects pagan was awakened after reading "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley in 1985. That wonderful take on the Arthurian legends gave me a starting point to my long held "there is something missing from christianity" feelings, and I was left with the aura of coming home again. I began reading everything I could on the Druids which led me to Wicca and well, here I am, a Wiccan Witch! But that set of events would not have transpired if the seeds of unrest were not there to begin with..the book itself did not "seduce me to the dark side".

Are the events in the stories a true representation of the neo-pagan movement? Hardly, though I believe J.K. Rowling did work enough similarities into the fantasies to give finger pointing fundies something to obsess over. For instance, I think the sorcerer's stone in the first book is a take on the philosopher's stone, a legendary substance which enabled adepts in alchemy to compass the transmutation of metals. Some witches do have wands and/or work with herbs (although I have yet to witness wands like the ones from Ollivander's and mandrake that screams while being harvested.) The Mysteries of the Universe and connecting with Nature are so much more phenomenal in this Witch's opinion!

So will I ever get around to reading the next Harry Potter? Eventually, yes. I have heard the books do get better as they go along..but right now I have some spring, oops pre-fall cleaning to do. Where's that magick wand when I REALLY need it? :o)

Raven in the Snow

"I have watched the seekers searching for their gold~The rape of the land, generations unfold~Nations of the world, their rise and fall~I've watched it all, I'm a Raven in the snow" One of my favorite CD's is "Raven in the Snow" by Bill Miller. Songwriter, educator, performer, artist and Grammy award winner (2005 Best Native American Album, vocal or instrumental~"Cedar Dream Songs") are just a few of the words that come to mind when describing Bill. He describes his music as "alter-Native American" blending folk, rock, country, new age, tribal chants and drumming.~ Born one of nine children, his father was of the Mohican nation and his mother of German descent. The family lived on the Stockbridge-Munsee reservation in Wisconsin in near poverty. Although his father was an electrician and draftsman, racial hatred required his father, who had designed many of the buildings in Appleton, Wisconsin, to take his name off the designs and clean toilets and empty trash to keep his job. Growing up Native was not easy for Bill with alcohol abuse and two suicide attempts by age 19 a symptom of his drained spirit. Luckily, music saved him from a life of despair. Bill feels that art in general has the ability to tear down prejudice and promote understanding between all of us...just one reason his live performances are backed up with personal stories. Bill feels that the United States doesn't realize what a tremendous resource Native Americans are and that it is going to be gone soon (2.5 million Native Americans nationally including 750 Mohicans, 1998 statistic). He also stresses seeking wisdom before knowlegde..quite the opposite of our "information seeking age". ~I was fortunate to attend a performance of his for an artist/lecture series at a small, local liberal arts college in 1998. Even though the concert was free, the small auditorium was sparsely filled...but those of us in attendence were soon captivated with the first strains from his Native American flute to his rock n' roll numbers to his heartfelt stories. As we stood applauding at the end of the evening, those interested in purchasing Bill's CD's were invited to come down front. This man, who had just filled the auditorium with his artistry, soul and energy was quiet, humble and almost shy as he sold and autographed CD's. I purchased "Raven in the Snow" that evening. Since then I have added "Native Suite", "Ghost Dance" and "Spirit Rain" to my collection. Each album is different and unique, but Bill Miller's spirit is the thread that connects them all for me. To hear sound clips of Bill's music, touring information, etc. go to: http://www.billmiller.net/index.html