Well it has been amazing journey. I know I have not posted in a bit but as everyone knows sometimes life just happens.
Our Spiral Scout Troop is going well. In fact we are in the middle of our first fund raiser and it is going quite well.
My parents renewed their vows on the 11th of this month and it was beautiful. I had the unique privilege of making her dress and veil. She spent two weeks here with the family and it was nice to have her here.
My job with FWTI is going quite well and I am honored to say that I have been asked to be on the committee to help organize FWTI's presence at Pantheacon '09. We are all working on getting the Community Site up and running. Thanks to my fellow coven sister we now have a community board. It is so great to see it all start to come together.
I have sewn robes for Rontu, Bear, Tristan and I. Bug and Usagi are begging me for them now.
LOL
LOVE OUT THERE TO EVERYONE
Friday, May 16, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Updated article
So I have my first article on paganism being published. It is a redone version of Skip the Cow. I am very excited and in fact am posting the new one here...
You see them in every book stores New Age section. We call them Wicca 101 books. And they line shelf after shelf all promising the same thing; to teach you the craft the fast and easy way. Sometimes you even find some that proclaim to go beyond the witchcraft basics and delve deep into the mysteries of the Gods. In this witch's experience they don't live up to those proclamations.
When I first felt the voice of the Goddess calling me home I will admit I ran for those fast and easy ways books. I read them, I self initiated and thought myself quite the priestess... for about 20 minutes until I realized that faith of any kind should not be fast and easy. The dictionary definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something as well as Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. How does that happen after reading a 200 page book. It doesn't.
So then how does faith happen? Faith happens through mindful contemplation and a journey to discover how you connect with Divinity. For me that journey began by studying the religious history of my ancestors as well as the history of the craft itself. In reading the history of the craft, of my ancestors the Goddess revealed herself to me in a way I believe I would not have gotten through reading generic how to book designed to play up the magick of the Gods and not the faith.
Studying our history helps us connect to it, connect to those who have gone before us in a meaningful and kinesthetic way. It helps us develop our faith as well. Knowing the rituals and beliefs of our ancestors strengthens our own. We can look to them and know that we are not traveling this road alone. I know that starting down that road may seem daunting but trust me it can be as easy as stepping into your local library. Go there and read about your culture, ancient Goddess worship anything you can get your hands on, not only will you get a more through education but you will save yourself some money as well.
There is another benefit to studying history as way of connecting to faith and Divinity. In this day and age we are raising another generation of wiccans. By learning history from history itself we are helping to create a sense of lineage for our children and their children to come. We can impart to them the wisdom of our culture, of our ancestors, of the Gods themselves. We instill in them a desire to keep that connection alive. They see faith as a deep spiritual connection to the Divine not just a ritual we do on Sabbats or Full Moons. In fact studying your history together is a great Family Coven bonding activity. Having each member of your Family Coven do some research on the cultural history of their choice and share it with everyone. Making history apart of your everyday life will ensure a connectedness to the ways of the Wise Ones themselves.
When I was much younger than I am now I had a friend who was a vegetarian. I asked him once why he chose that lifestyle. His response to me still resonates today. He said “I used to eat meat and then one day I saw a cow and you know what they were eating grass, and it made me think. All this time I have been getting my nutrients from a secondary source, why not go straight to the source. Skip the cow, eat the grass”
What does that mean for the pagan person? It means that we want to have a deeply meaningful spiritual connection to the Gods we need to to skip the cow and eat the grass.
I know if we do our faith will thank us.
You see them in every book stores New Age section. We call them Wicca 101 books. And they line shelf after shelf all promising the same thing; to teach you the craft the fast and easy way. Sometimes you even find some that proclaim to go beyond the witchcraft basics and delve deep into the mysteries of the Gods. In this witch's experience they don't live up to those proclamations.
When I first felt the voice of the Goddess calling me home I will admit I ran for those fast and easy ways books. I read them, I self initiated and thought myself quite the priestess... for about 20 minutes until I realized that faith of any kind should not be fast and easy. The dictionary definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something as well as Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. How does that happen after reading a 200 page book. It doesn't.
So then how does faith happen? Faith happens through mindful contemplation and a journey to discover how you connect with Divinity. For me that journey began by studying the religious history of my ancestors as well as the history of the craft itself. In reading the history of the craft, of my ancestors the Goddess revealed herself to me in a way I believe I would not have gotten through reading generic how to book designed to play up the magick of the Gods and not the faith.
Studying our history helps us connect to it, connect to those who have gone before us in a meaningful and kinesthetic way. It helps us develop our faith as well. Knowing the rituals and beliefs of our ancestors strengthens our own. We can look to them and know that we are not traveling this road alone. I know that starting down that road may seem daunting but trust me it can be as easy as stepping into your local library. Go there and read about your culture, ancient Goddess worship anything you can get your hands on, not only will you get a more through education but you will save yourself some money as well.
There is another benefit to studying history as way of connecting to faith and Divinity. In this day and age we are raising another generation of wiccans. By learning history from history itself we are helping to create a sense of lineage for our children and their children to come. We can impart to them the wisdom of our culture, of our ancestors, of the Gods themselves. We instill in them a desire to keep that connection alive. They see faith as a deep spiritual connection to the Divine not just a ritual we do on Sabbats or Full Moons. In fact studying your history together is a great Family Coven bonding activity. Having each member of your Family Coven do some research on the cultural history of their choice and share it with everyone. Making history apart of your everyday life will ensure a connectedness to the ways of the Wise Ones themselves.
When I was much younger than I am now I had a friend who was a vegetarian. I asked him once why he chose that lifestyle. His response to me still resonates today. He said “I used to eat meat and then one day I saw a cow and you know what they were eating grass, and it made me think. All this time I have been getting my nutrients from a secondary source, why not go straight to the source. Skip the cow, eat the grass”
What does that mean for the pagan person? It means that we want to have a deeply meaningful spiritual connection to the Gods we need to to skip the cow and eat the grass.
I know if we do our faith will thank us.
Monday, March 10, 2008
2nd meeting
Yesterday the Laughing Coyote Hearth had its second meeting. We created our Circle Banner and painted our element stones. It was very productive and the scouts enjoyed it very much. We decided that our banner will have people dancing around a fire in merriment with the image of a coyote in the fire and the Full Moon as a backdrop.
Bear is working on his Recycling Award and is now the Recycle Captain in our house for the next 3 months. Usagi is working on her gardening badge and Rontu is working on Ecology. Bug is still thinking on what he wants to work on first
Next week we start planning for the year to come.
Bear is working on his Recycling Award and is now the Recycle Captain in our house for the next 3 months. Usagi is working on her gardening badge and Rontu is working on Ecology. Bug is still thinking on what he wants to work on first
Next week we start planning for the year to come.
Friday, February 22, 2008
We are official
Our Hearth has been chartered!
We have gotten our handbooks and are just now waiting for our Hearth Certificate and patches.
Yay for us
We have gotten our handbooks and are just now waiting for our Hearth Certificate and patches.
Yay for us
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
So where's the Rev.?
I have been an ordained Minister or High Priestess for over 10 years now. I do not use the title Rev. before my name. I will admit that my Bible does say Rev. Heather Christensen on it. That is because it was an ordination gift from my father and I cherish it to this day.
Let me clear, it is not that I believe that I do not live the life that deserves the title Rev or Lady, far from it. I make sure that the path I am on is very inline with my beliefs on how the clergy should live.
When I introduce myself as Rev. Heather or Lady Heather I put myself into a box if you will. Some people are off put by Rev.'s or Lady's because they have had bad experiences (read : "I know better than you do I am a HPs") with them in the past. In that moment of introduction I am setting up the framework of our whole interaction. The message that I want to convey is one of Empathy, Compassion understanding and help. I find that sometimes it is hard to do that when I have Rev. or Lady hanging over my head. The saying that you only have one chance to make a good impression very much rings true here. When setting up that framework that we will build our relationship on it is important to me not to imprint the person with a sense that I am coming to them from a a belief that I am better than they are because I have titles.
In the end I walk the walk, so whether I use it or not I am always Rev. Heather
Let me clear, it is not that I believe that I do not live the life that deserves the title Rev or Lady, far from it. I make sure that the path I am on is very inline with my beliefs on how the clergy should live.
When I introduce myself as Rev. Heather or Lady Heather I put myself into a box if you will. Some people are off put by Rev.'s or Lady's because they have had bad experiences (read : "I know better than you do I am a HPs") with them in the past. In that moment of introduction I am setting up the framework of our whole interaction. The message that I want to convey is one of Empathy, Compassion understanding and help. I find that sometimes it is hard to do that when I have Rev. or Lady hanging over my head. The saying that you only have one chance to make a good impression very much rings true here. When setting up that framework that we will build our relationship on it is important to me not to imprint the person with a sense that I am coming to them from a a belief that I am better than they are because I have titles.
In the end I walk the walk, so whether I use it or not I am always Rev. Heather
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Our Virtues
The Christensen-Branson's shall be known for
Integrity~ Living by a personal moral code. Defending and upholding it, even in the face of difficulty
Empathy~ Understanding the thoughts and feelings of others and acting appropriately
Charity~ Giving assistance to those in need. Being kind and generous with others.
Truth~ Living life without deceit. Being honest with yourself and others.
Unity~Harmony and cooperation even when disagreements exists
Respect~ Being mindful of the thoughts, feelings, wishes and traditions of yourself and others; holding them in high regard.
Vision~ Using creativity and imagination to look beyond today and plan for the future by setting goals and moving towards them
Faith~ A strong belief of worth in yourself and others. Keeping to your spiritual ideals.
Family~A group of people united through love and compassion, striving for a sense of oneness in both good and difficult times
Loyalty~ Keeping to one's promises and commitments. Showing allegiance to people who exhibit the same qualities
Wisdom~ Continually seeking knowledge through the experience of yourself and others; using good judgment to filter and apply that knowledge to everyday life
Tolerance~ The ability to accept the views beliefs and opinions of others when they differ from your own
Courage~ Having the strength to follow your convictions even in the face of disapproval
Gratitude~The quality of being thankful and appreciative for what you have been given. A lack of greed.
Spontaneity~The ability to accept each moment in life as it comes. Demonstrating creative adaptability while still having fun Being able to laugh at yourself
Self-Discipline~ Being able to control your actions and feelings even when tempted not to. Showing self control and restraint especially when not supervised.
Integrity~ Living by a personal moral code. Defending and upholding it, even in the face of difficulty
Empathy~ Understanding the thoughts and feelings of others and acting appropriately
Charity~ Giving assistance to those in need. Being kind and generous with others.
Truth~ Living life without deceit. Being honest with yourself and others.
Unity~Harmony and cooperation even when disagreements exists
Respect~ Being mindful of the thoughts, feelings, wishes and traditions of yourself and others; holding them in high regard.
Vision~ Using creativity and imagination to look beyond today and plan for the future by setting goals and moving towards them
Faith~ A strong belief of worth in yourself and others. Keeping to your spiritual ideals.
Family~A group of people united through love and compassion, striving for a sense of oneness in both good and difficult times
Loyalty~ Keeping to one's promises and commitments. Showing allegiance to people who exhibit the same qualities
Wisdom~ Continually seeking knowledge through the experience of yourself and others; using good judgment to filter and apply that knowledge to everyday life
Tolerance~ The ability to accept the views beliefs and opinions of others when they differ from your own
Courage~ Having the strength to follow your convictions even in the face of disapproval
Gratitude~The quality of being thankful and appreciative for what you have been given. A lack of greed.
Spontaneity~The ability to accept each moment in life as it comes. Demonstrating creative adaptability while still having fun Being able to laugh at yourself
Self-Discipline~ Being able to control your actions and feelings even when tempted not to. Showing self control and restraint especially when not supervised.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Spiral Scouts
Our family has charted a Spiral Scout Hearth. It has been a long time in the works, but now that things have settled down here we went ahead and did it. We named our hearth Laughing Coyote and are now just awaiting the approval of HQ to be official.
We are very very excited.
If you would like to learn more about them you can check out the website at www.spiralscouts.org
We are very very excited.
If you would like to learn more about them you can check out the website at www.spiralscouts.org
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