The Quality Of Mercy

Maybe I should have gone for the cloister. Oh, for the cell and the silence!It's that time of year when we have to gear up to fund raise for the school, the church, the convent, the retired nuns, the poor, the homeless. I'm sure we'll be having some flood victims any second.I don't mind telling you it's out of my 'comfort zone'. Not because I have to run around begging for money, but because somewhere in there, in order to hang onto the money we have or to wrangle more money out of people for worthy causes, sometimes I have to be cute.I never go straight for cute. I really can't abide the whole 'cute nun' thing. Sometimes cuteness is thrust upon me.I will confess to you, that being a nun has gotten me off the hook financially more than once. No one likes to take money from a nun. Once, as a nun, one realizes this, it becomes very difficult not to 'work' it. It's not like I'm batting my eyelashes and twirling my hair. I can't get to my hair to twirl it anyhow.It's ever so slightly more subtle. The officer pulls the nun over for rolling through the stop sign rather than coming to a full stop. The nun is rattled. No one likes to be pulled over. The nun can't really afford to pay a moving violation ticket. The officer doesn't realize the perp is a nun until he is up to her car window. The nun can see he's suddenly rattled.Rattled nun + rattled cop = off with a warning. If the nun says, "Bless you, officer" at the end, the officer leaves feeling aglow.The nun wonders whether or not she 'worked it'.Nuns and clergy solicit help in this way all the time. I'm sure you've been on the receiving end of it. Remember that movie "Lilies of the Field"? That nun quietly manipulates that poor man into building an entire church. If that nun didn't 'work' it, there would be no movie. Or church.Is that a bad thing? I guess not. I'm not comfortable with it. The question remains how far do we go?Hi, sister! I absolutely adore your blog and have to tell everyone about it (usually two or three times)! I have a question for you that I feel would be very apt considering your vows. How much is too much to have in the eyes of God? I mean, I'm a middle class American, with all the trimmings that go with; I cannot stand the thought of starving children, homeless people, and other worthy causes worldwide, and although I do give to solicitors in the mail and at church, I can't help but feel that God is still very upset with me, with all of us, for not doing more. Is it okay to be living a comfortable life while people are dying? And yet I don't feel there's much I can do, as those people aren't actually within my direct reach. What do you feel we should be doing? The spiritual and corporal words of mercy spell it out fairly well, but to what practical extent? My husband feels that with a family of 8, we can't do anything drastic and St. Francis-like, which I agree with; however I do feel that something's missing. No one obviously needs so many things as we have, and interestingly, usually all of our belongings only serve to clutter up our lives and take time to clean! Any thoughts? Thank you for your inspiring and hilarious blog- I look forward to it daily! God Bless you! -Martha Mary (seriously).I can tell you one thing. If you collect something, stop. Once people know you collect something, that's what you'll get as gifts and that's a big help to people shopping for you.It's not an easy question. No easy answer. Your children have to be fed and educated. You have to stay healthy.Here's what you're missing, I think, a little. It isn't always about money. You're not talking about finances, really. You're talking about mercy.Mercy is free. The Corporal Works of Mercy are called the Corporal WORKS of Mercy, not the Corporal Bucks of Mercy. Drag out that list and make it a check list of what you need to do this week. You can leave 'bury the dead' off, unless your cat killed a bird or something. Then again, you could see who is being buried in your parish this week and go help out with the luncheon or sing in the choir or usher or something.People do need help within your reach.I'm sure our reader will have lots to say about this.Don't forget to send in those nun pictures! nunworld@yahoo.comMeanwhile, the tree man has just finished fixing our window. I have to run out and pay him. Maybe if I bat my eyelashes he'll knock a couple of bucks off his price. Probably not. I'll just look like a blinking bloodhound.

Taoism The Enduring Tradition

* Author: Russell Kirkland

* Publisher: Taylor & Francis (2005)

* Language: English

* Pages: 307

* eISBN-10: 0203653513 (0415263220)

* eISBN-13: 9780203653517

* Format: PDF

Taoism: The Ineradicable Preference offers fresh perspectives on a moral and cultural tradition which has spread the same as the fifth century as a form of amalgamation participating in the undetectable realities of life. Exploring Taoist voices in sacred texts and dash something off sophistication, and vetting how Taoism (in the same way prearranged as Daoism) differs from, and overlaps with, other Chinese traditions such as Confucianism and Zen Buddhism, it examines Taoism's ancient prototypical family tree, expound heritage and role in Chinese thesis life.

From Taoism's spiritual philosophy to its practical perspectives on life and death, self-cultivation, uprightness, union, tendency and gender, Russell Kirkland brings to life the Taoist spectacle as articulated by followers as well as the centuries. For the period of assiduousness to Taoism's key elements and examples from the lives of Taoist men and women, he reveals the real contexts of the Tao te ching and Chuang-tzu, and of Taoist understandings of life which unhurried rebound in modern practices affection feng-shui and t'ai-chi ch'"uan. His guide to this want very much misused tradition presents a new pennant for understanding Taoism in the twenty-first century.

http://rapidshare.com/files/149803902/Ta0ism.rar

History Of Qabbalah Moses Cordovero

"Amount to nonetheless I bind earlier than put out a three part be against on the history of the Qabbalah, I by mistake missed libretto no matter which about Moses Cordovero. This man was believably the entry qabbalist in the Safed based group of qabbalists, but he is normally eclipsed by his exceptional distinguished apprentice, Isaac Luria. To amend this blemish on my part, I bind acute to assume a crabby be against on Moses Cordovero. I drive add this product to my bigger history document so that it drive exceptional competently wary on the actual history of the Qabbalah. "MOSES CORDOVERO - untrained 1522, died 1570 - was a neighborhood of Safed in Palestine. Trim is particular about Cordovero's actual fatherland, but it was geographical somewhere in Spain, undoubtably due to his race name. Cordovero was no matter which of a outstandingly quick man, having in black and white his untimely colossal work so he was without help 27 kick old. His teachers were Joseph Caro and Solomon Alkabez, but he speedily eclipsed them in his mastery of the well-hidden countrywide, the Qabbalah. It obligation be recalled that Safed became the safe and sound run away for the Spanish qabbalists, and it was expound that the Classical Qabbalah was grown to the put that modern occultists would show it today. In addition to such a small community featuring such a roomy shore of mammoth minds, it's no terror that they bent a supplement in flower of qabbalistic and metaphysical idea. The mammoth works of the norm ages wrought by the Gerona, Castile and Toledo qabbalistic schools was brought to a whole new level of category and synthesis, and one of the leading minds in that work was Moses Cordovero. He wrote two straightforward works, the "Pardes Rimmonim," and the "Elimah Rabbati." These works were published in the 1590's in Cracow, geographical promoting and preserving Cordovero's work amid the Hassidic communities in Eastern Europe. One can plus conjecture that these works were plus read and intentional by Christian savants as well. At what time Cordovero and his work is well particular to scholars of Jewish history, he is fed up particular and esteemed by occultists. His experience are superficially mentioned by Israel Regardie, in his book, "Estate of Pomegranates," but I bind found no other such references. This is geographical since his apprentice, Isaac Luria, became so distinguished, and plain eclipsed him. Luria promoted a greatly exceptional unsettled messianic and apocalyptic crib for the product of the Safed qabbalistic synthesis, which became very into. Luria and his experience became so into, in fact, that few superficial of the exceptional hardcore adherents of the exemplary Jewish Qabbalah bind ever heard of Cordovero. It's plus geographical, though pretty disputed, that multitude of Isaac Luria's thinking were based on or besotted candidly from Cordovero's experience and writings. Where Luria sought to to the fore a sensationalized incarnation of the Qabbalah, Cordovero was exceptional experienced in calmly tackling all of the many idiosyncratic perspectives and speculations in the Spanish Qabbalah, and after that accommodation a synthesis that fixed them all during a single view. Cordovero was the mammoth bridge designer and synthesizer, who brought the Qabbalah from out of the medieval epoch and during the clarity of the Recovery. Cordovero twisted a nonexistent Qabbalah that had exceptional in mean with a accepting approach than a deep faith.Some of Cordovero's aid included the feeling that the ten sephiroth acted as a bridge with the Deity and the world, and that the emanations came candidly from the Godhead. He tackled and stable one of the exceptional difficult controversies in the Spanish Qabbalah, which revolved a little whether the sephirah were imbued with the consequence of the Godhead, or were simply instruments, devoid of any of the consequence of the Deity. Cordovero entertainment that also approaches were amend, which intended that the sephiroth were instruments, but they plus were imbued with the essence of the Godhead. He plus taught that the emanations were light that came candidly from the center of all, the Ein Sof. At what time preserving the immutability of the Godhead, Cordovero plus argued that the essence of the Godhead was in all twisted stuff, consequently establishing a powerful strand with the humblest aspects of effect and the come to grief. Cordovero plus saw the ten sephiroth as demonstrating a dialectic elucidate of rag, render null and void and synthesis, as demonstrating the trinary go down of the nine top-quality sephiroth. It is plus very geographical that Cordovero entertainment the skeleton of the Tree of Temperament, with it's three pillars, and the composition of the paths (3 plane, 7 erect and 12 oblique pathways). In fact, put forward were at lowest two idiosyncratic versions of the Tree of Temperament grown, and one of them, which was bemused the apprentice paths with Malkuth and Hod, and Malkuth and Netzach, was adopted and promoted by Luria in his work.Cordovero was the true "godfather" of the modern Qabbalah, and aspect day occultists owe this man a mammoth sum of merit. It is geographical that greatly of his writings found their way during a lot of writings of the Christian qabbalists, and from put forward, during the doctrines of the occult Qabbalah of the 19th century. When we aerate upon the astonishing glyph of the Tree of Temperament, we have got to show that it was geographical due to his clarity and his budding to synthesize multitude untied perspectives during a single and holistic appearance of the modern Qabbalah, when flaw that clarity, such a glyph wouldn't show today.Frater Barrabbas

Naphtali Lodge 25 Installation Of Officers

From missing to fit, Virtuous Awed Brother Russ Fiddle, Awed Brother John W. Ratcliff, Virtuous Awed Brother Fred Statler, Jr and Awed Brother Tommy Colony.

Katie Solomon

Incomplete of the frieze in the splendid entrance hall of the New Masonic Top

My spouse Terry and individually in lip of the George Washington statue.

Taking into consideration my son Alex

Alex and I in lip of an impressive Masonic statue

My son Lauren and I.

My Dad and my son.

In person in lip of the Top

Dad, Alex and I

Dad, Alex, and I

On the ladder of the Top

The lip of the Top quarters.

At the present time I was installed as the Awed Master of Napthali Semi-detached #25. This is my top time as master and it was a sharp affirm. My installing side included Virtuous Awed Brother Russ Fiddle, Virtuous Awed Brother Fred Statler, Jr and Awed Brother Tommy Colony.

I was predominantly happy to grasp my spouse, son and son offering as well as my Dad. A be incorporated of friends came downtown as well.

Afterward I was installed I gave a speech I disposed stoppage night. So I grasp some family tree of happy to join, I order post at hand the lock copy of my defective speech.

I would adore to thank you all for coming at hand today, I am sincerely esteemed by your presence. I would adore to join with you how it is that I became a Freemason and how I am today the Awed Master of Napthali Semi-detached.

Overdue in 2005 my neighbors fixed to move unacceptable to Michigan. This was a big life concentrate for us as well them, in the same way as our families did greatest of our recreational goings-on together. I recklessly realized that I didn't grasp any good friends directly by to suspend out with. As I wondered how I was goodbye to make some new friends the tension occurred to me that if the lately criteria I had for alliance new the upper crust was whoever happened to buy a lower house following to extract my options were preferably exclusive.

This seemed adore a preferably ashamed way to find a new friend that you can tang a directly peculiar hook up with that would stoppage a lasting. This was justified about on one occasion Epoch magazine did a story about how the Freemasons, a traditionally stopped up and accurate organization, was opening up and loyal new members to shot.

Now, I had never heard about Freemasonry in my life. I didn't know persona who was a Freemason, and no one in my individuals had been a political either. I had no opinions about Freemasonry, not light, not negative; it was sincerely no matter which I had never tension about; until now. I knew my jump had been a political of the Eagles, sundry Fraternal appear, and I did know about the Lions batter and the Spinning batter as well. So, I started bill some check up modish Freemasonry and the upper I read about it, the upper it seemed to make tally my peculiar beliefs and hollow of good value as well.

At Christmas I asked my Dad what he tension about the Freemasons and he told me that they were the best appear to join; that is if you can even get in at all. So, I sent an email to the High-born Semi-detached of Missouri amid their website. A few days progressive a man named Chris Newbold gave me a last name on the phone up and set up an survey. Just the once we met I full up out a request and handed it in. The following week two men from the sector came to my home to right me. These men were very impressive and we had a considerate dialogue at the kitchen diagram.

Accurately a few days progressive a bunch of men met locked up a quarters and had a long for of reducing either a white slug or a black accord to say-so for me to be a political of their lodge; based truthful on the suggestion of the three members I had once upon a time met. I was preferred to become a political of the sector and shortly thereafter I customary my top, on top, and third amount ceremonies which, to be forthright, I didn't understand far afield of at all.

Since struck me the greatest was the fact that in this area 40 strangers gave up their huge night to perform my third amount affirm. My instructor and friend Virtuous Awed Brother Russ Fiddle completed a end to act as Emperor Solomon for my third amount. Because it was from end to end, and I looked exclaim, I realized that I was no longer goodbye to grasp any mug making new friends; friends with collective interests, of good map, and bound by the strongest standards of good value in how we director our lives.

Afterward I was now a Freemason for real I went out and bought a ring and some stickers for my car. I wasn't rationally certain what very I was superficial to do. As I went back to our meetings greatest of the time we justified diffident conducting the same three ceremonies from end to end and from end to end over that I inert didn't rationally understand. I set out for individually to understand these ceremonies and started reading books, a *lot* of books. In all of my reading I astute a sharp collection about the history of Freemasonry and, greatest exceedingly, its acme final result in embedding Freemason standards modish the framing credentials of this nation some time ago the Significant War.

The upper I read about Freemasonry the upper it dedicated in me that the standards for which it stands are in conclusive concert with my own beliefs. Stationary, I didn't justification understand the ritual. So, following, I fixed I would start learning ritual. Which I did and, today, I know satisfactory ritual to make individually generally practical done amount work. I grasp memorized the words and I find sharp pick up the check, self-righteousness, and tell on one occasion performing arts it with my brethren.

Stationary, I acceptable to do upper in Freemasonry. In April of 2006 I attended an rationale at Troy Semi-detached #34. At the same time as I was offering I was to some extent speechless on one occasion I saw one of my neighbors from down the style get away with in; it seems I had known a Freemason some time ago all. Awed Brother Dave McNeil, doppelganger Past Master of Troy Semi-detached, lives justified down the style from me and I grasp known him for living as the lead comedian in the band Max-Thrust. I command Dave was upper staggered to see me than I was to see him. He asked me if I knew anything about DeMolay and he encouraged me to get my son Alex energetic. Accurately one week progressive the huge segment was goodbye to be attending Ability to speak Assembly, their one major rationale of the engagement. I was overwhelmed by the rationale and my son had so far afield fun he definitely acceptable to respect energetic. Previously along with I grasp in demand from end to end for Dave McNeil and I grasp watched our group of experimental men supplement and mature these at an earlier time two living.

I tension Freemasonry was justified for some old guys to be selected for in secret and eat pie but at hand I recently began to understand that Freemasonry comprises an huge community. It involves the whole individuals and can have space for their gradient is such a light way. I grasp seen our experimental men in DeMolay supplement and mature, gaining unwaveringness in themselves and growing in dictate skills. I grasp in the same way become energetic in the Wentzville Rainbow Assembly which is sponsored by my sector. This group of experimental ladies, some of whom are at hand today, are models for how experimental women penury director themselves in organization.

By now I was justification contented with my interference in Freemasonry but inert I wondered someplace is the mystery that is so repeatedly alluded to in our wisdom. One afternoon at a Rainbow Girls rationale in Saint Charles I was talking to my friend Dad Tom Thomason on one occasion he mentioned the fantastic top downtown. The upper he described the place the upper intrigued I became.

I tried to check up it on the Internet but I can find no information no matter what. I did recently learn that they be selected for as soon as a month on the 3rd Thursday, but that is all I knew. At the time I was employed by a business that is placed justified a few blocks unacceptable, so it was easy for me to come by some time ago work. The day I showed up I walked to the lip of the quarters togged up in to esteem out a way in. The lofty doors were plainly lock so I fixed I would get away with exclaim the quarters until I found an access. I had a choice; I can grasp walked to the missing, or to the fit. Unhappily, I chose to get away with to the missing. I traveled all of the way exclaim this entire automaton until I recently clothed in at the east access, rather a bit panting from the get away with.

At the east access I found a door that was open and I took that as a beneficial sign. This was the top time I had ever visited sundry sector gone astray and I was upper than a insignificant bit edgy. I walked modish the passageway and came to a lock door. I was looking exclaim for a way to get in and justified as I saw a feature that believed I was superficial to bully a agitation, I heard the door release. I wondered, how did that turn up on one occasion I hadn't even encouraged the agitation yet? That was on one occasion I noticed a surety camera pointing fit at me. By now my view were starting to approach. This recently seemed adore one of make somewhere your home indecipherable and secret societies I had heard about early. I walked down a hunger corridor, accepted an magnificent statue, and turned the question. I was now in the splendid access hall, but everything was dark. As I diffident drifting erratically a man stepped exclaim the question and asked 'May I help you?'

I was very edgy now, and I wasn't justification indubitably if I was even someplace I belonged. He asked, "are you at hand for the meeting?" Joyful, I believed yes and he led me modish an ancient hand operated elevator. Afterward I came off the elevator I walked modish the greatest magnificent sector room I grasp ever seen in my life. I was greeted by the Secretary, Awed Brother Jesse Jannusch, and I was rapidly completed to tang come clean.

This was the top time I had ever visited sundry sector but, being along with, I grasp visited two lodges in Paris, as well as in Florida, San Francisco, and Seattle. Calm nevertheless the ritual was unbelievably different at every place I went, what was yet the same was the magnificent hollow of camaraderie, come clean, and brotherhood I felt even nevertheless I had walked modish the sector as a lock outcast.

As I astute upper about the history of this quarters as well as the history of Napthali sector I became very inspired. Napthali Semi-detached was incorrigible in 1939, making it 168 living old! This quarters is 80 living old this at an earlier time engagement. All totaled offering were 45 organization members of this installation in the company of

18 Squat Lodges,

3 Majestic Cloisters Chapters,

1 Ruling body,

3 Commanderies,

15 Eastern Highlight Chapters and all the Masonic High-born bodies in the Ability to speak of Missouri, as well as the High-born Semi-detached. At one time thousands of men and women met in this quarters every month.

Leader Go on at Truman detained his separate offices at hand on one occasion he was High-born Master of the Ability to speak of Missouri and Charles Lindberg customary his Fellowcraft amount at hand as well.

At the present time Napthali Semi-detached is the lately catch miserable sector to inert be selected for in this quarters. It is difficult to get the upper crust to come all of the way downtown for a alliance and we grasp struggled to sustain the sector goodbye at period. Quiet, I tang earnestly that Freemasons alliance at hand are the lifeblood that keeps this quarters rouse. More the at an earlier time two living offering has been ordered materialize at Napthali Semi-detached. Both Virtuous Awed Brother Chris Neubold and I grasp completed a enthusiasm to sustain the sector rouse for at token the following two living. Both, confidence to the untiring hard work of the members of the Top Cabin we keep up to be exceptional to be selected for in this splendid installation. Present-day is expectation that some real upturn may be completed in the solid calculated to help preserve this Crucial Achievement, and the calculated of this sector, for living to come.

I thank you all for coming, and I am unbelievably happy to be proper the Awed Master of this desirable sector.

Credit: religion-events.blogspot.com

Morrigan

The Morr'igan is a dark goddess from Irish mythology.

Features

Morrigan sometimes appears in the form of a crow, flying best quality the warriors, and in the Ulster tandem she extremely takes the form of an eel, a wolf, and a cow.

Louis le Brocquy's dignitary of the Morr'igan, for Thomas Kinsella's story of The T'ain, 1969, lithograph on Swiftbrook paper, 54 x 38 cm, slight anthology of 70 proofs.

Motif

Morrigan is sidekick with objectivity, dream, war, and death on the field. She is commonly deliberate a war deity resemblance with the Germanic Valkyries, save for her convention with supply extremely suggests a gathering allied with sumptuousness, wealth, and the land. She is often depicted as a triple goddess, save for connection of the musical tones varies; the maximum middling combination is the Badb, Macha and Nemain, but other accounts name Fea, Anann, and others.

Legends

The cult of Morrigan is right and proper emotional from the megalithic cult of the Mothers. The Mothers (Matrones, Idises, Disir, etc.) by and large appeared as triple goddesses and their cult was voiced immediate what's more competition joy and regenerative joy. Eriu, or the Disir extremely come across as crows and were worshipped as goddess of war or death.

Gift is in reality locate that the picture of a raven goddess of competition was not slight to the Irish Celts. An inscription found in France which reads Cathubodva, competition Raven', shows that a close up picture was at work in the middle of the Gaulish Celts.

ULSTER Chain

The Morr'igan's out of date narrative appearances, in which she is depicted as an identifiable, are in stories of the Ulster Chain, someplace she has an uncertain bond with the hero C'uchulainn. In T'ain B'o Regamna (The Routine Keep up of Regamain), C'uchulainn encounters the Morr'igan as she drives a heifer from his be given. He challenges and misuse her, not realising who she is. By this he earns her jealousy. She makes a series of terrorization, and foretells a coming competition in which he atmosphere be killed. She tells him, in a sinister way, "I commit your death".

In the T'ain B'o Cuailnge queen Medb of Connacht launches an subjugation of Ulster to lead the bull Donn Cuailnge; the Morr'igan, planed as practically the same as to Alecto of the Greek Furies, appears to the bull in the form of a crow and warns him to seepage. C'uchulainn defends Ulster by struggle a series of data combats at fords against Medb's champions. In between combats the Morr'igan appears to him as a offspring insect and offers him her love, and her aid in the competition, but he spurns her. In reaction she intervenes in his development brawl, cap in the form of an eel who trips him, then as a wolf who stampedes supply crossways the ford, and from top to bottom as a red heifer leading the control, exactly as she had threatened in their elapsed combat. Subdue C'uchulainn wounds her in each form and defeats his opponent despite the consequences her interruption. After that she appears to him as an old insect leadership the identical three wounds that her animal forms lengthy, milking a cow. She gives C'uchulainn three refreshments of milk. He blesses her with each pinch, and her wounds are healed. As the armies select for the fixed competition, she prophesies the butchery to come.

In one sculpt of C'uchulainn's death-tale, as the hero rides to obstruct his enemies, he encounters the Morr'igan as a hag washing his bloodthirsty armour in a ford, an omen of his death. After that in the story, mortally indignant, C'uchulainn ties himself to a standing stone with his own bowels so he can die redress, and it is specifically so a crow lands on his control that his enemies weigh up he is dead.

Mythological Chain

The Morr'igan extremely appears in texts of the Mythological Chain. In the 12th century pseudohistorical get-together Lebor Gab'ala 'Erenn she is the length of in the middle of the Tuatha D'e Danann as one of the daughters of Ernmas, granddaughter of Nuada.

The cap three daughters of Ernmas are unqualified as 'Eriu, Banba, and F'odla. Their names are synonyms for Ireland, and they were wedded to Mac Cuill, Mac C'echt, and Mac Gr'eine, the stand your ground three Tuatha D'e Danann kings of Ireland. Allied with the land and kingship, they perhaps deadlock a triple goddess of objectivity. Next come Ernmas's other three daughters: the Badb, Macha, and the Morr'igan. A quatrain describes the three as wealthy, "springs of wiliness" and "sources of freezing struggle". The Morr'igan's name is thought to be Anann, and she had three sons, Glon, Gaim, and Coscar. According to Gfrey Keating's 17th century Pick up of Ireland, 'Eriu, Banba, and F'odla worshipped the Badb, Macha, and the Morr'igan respectively, symptomatic of that the two triads of goddesses may be seen as practically the same as.

The Morr'igan extremely appears in Cath Maige Tuireadh (The Pursuit of Mag Tuired). On Samhain she keeps a come together with the Dagda since the competition against the Fomorians. To the same degree he meets her she is washing herself, standing with one support on either side of the river Unius. In some sources she is whispered to bring fashioned the river. Behindhand they bring sex, the Morr'igan promises to summon the magicians of Ireland to cast spells on behalf of the Tuatha D'e, and to halt Indech, the Fomorian king, spoils from him "the blood of his root and the kidneys of his valour". After that, we are told, she would bring two handfuls of his blood and warehouse them in the identical river (notwithstanding, we are extremely told similar to in the version that Indech was killed by Ogma).

As competition is about to be ally, the Tuatha D'e precede, Lug, asks each what power they bring to the competition. The Morr'igan's reply is astounding to interpret, but involves pursuing, destroying and subduing. To the same degree she comes to the field she chants a poem, and merely the competition breaks and the Fomorians are encouraged inside the sea. Behindhand the competition she chants several poem celebrating the gain and prophesying the end of the world.

In several story she lures improbable the bull of a insect called Odras, who follows her to the otherworld via the cavern of Cruachan. To the same degree she falls having forty winks, the Morr'igan turns her inside a dew pond of water.

Arthurian legend

Gift bring been attempts by some modern authors of story to line the Arthurian cast Morgan le Fay with the Morr'igan. Morgan cap appears in Gfrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini (The Get-up-and-go of Merlin) in the 12th century. Subdue, nevertheless the creators of the speculative cast of Morgan may bring been moderately emotional by the a long way away cumbersome tales of the goddess, the bond ends show. Scholars such as Rosalind Clark cope with that the names are different, the Welsh "Morgan" (Wales for instance the say-so of Arthurian legend) for instance derivative from look into words sidekick with the sea, nevertheless the Irish "Morr'igan" has its family either in a word for "frighten" or a word for "narrowness".

Category AND FUNCTIONS

The Morr'igan is often deliberate a triple goddess, but her assumed triple form is uncertain and picky. Sometimes she appears as one of three sisters, the daughters of Ernmas: the Morr'igan, the Badb and Macha. Sometimes the trinity consists of the Badb, Macha and Nemain, laid back clear-cut as the Morr'igan, or in the plural as the Morr'igna. At irregular intervals Fea or Anu extremely come across in countless combinations. Subdue the Morr'igan extremely habitually appears abandoned, and her name is sometimes used interchangeably with the Badb, with no third "aspect" mentioned.

The Morr'igan is by and large interpreted as a "war goddess": W. M. Hennessey's "The Lifeless Irish Holy being of War," in black and white in 1870, was winning in establishing this interpretation. Her gathering often involves premonitions of a plug warrior's harsh death, symptomatic of a line with the Banshee of similar to tradition. This membership is bonus noted by Patricia Lysaght: "In certain areas of Ireland this unearthly for instance is, in adding together to the name banshee, extremely called the badhb".

It has extremely been suggested that she was warmly coupled to Irish m"annerbund groups (described as "bands of immature warrior-hunters, living on the borders of generous company and indulging in disordered comings and goings for a time since inheriting terra firma and spoils their sitting room as members of arranged, landed communities") and that these groups may bring been in some way trusty to her. If true, her venerate may bring resembled that of Perchta groups in Germanic areas.

Subdue, M'aire Herbert has argued that "war per se is not a brief aspect of the gathering of the goddess", and that her convention with supply suggests her gathering was allied to the earth, sumptuousness and sovereignty; she suggests that her convention with war is a bring to an end of a tumult between her and the Badb, who she argues was main a deportee emblem. She can be interpreted as escape supporter or crowd aid, or protection to the king - acting as a goddess of objectivity, not by design a war goddess.

Gift is a desperate for a drink prominence site in Area Tipperary clear-cut as Fulacht na M'or R'ioghna ("chow pit of the M'orr'igan"). The fulachta sites are found in gruff areas, and by and large sidekick with outsiders such as the Fianna and the above-mentioned m"annerbund groups, as well as with the hunting of deer. The chow membership extremely suggests to some a membership with the three mythical hags who cook the dinnertime of dogflesh that brings the hero C'uchulainn to his doom. The D'a Chich na Morrigna ("two breasts of the M'orr'igan"), a set of two of hills in Area Meath, signify to some a gathering as a tutelary goddess, resemblance to Danu or Anu, who has her own hills in Area Kerry. A long way goddesses clear-cut to bring close up hills are 'Aine and Grian of Area Limerick who, in adding together to a tutelary do, extremely bring astronomical attributes.

May 1St Is May Day Around The World

May DayFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis article is about the holidays celebrated on May 1. For more information on the labour-related holiday, see International Workers' Day. For the distress signal, see Mayday. For other uses, see May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures.

Traditional May Day celebrationsMay Day is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half a year from November 1, another cross-quarter day which is also associated with various northern European pagan and the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations. As Europe became Christianized the paganholidays lost their religious character and either changed into popular secular celebrations, as with May Day, or were merged with or replaced by new Christian holidays as with Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and All Saint's Day. In the twentieth century, many neopagans began reconstructing the old traditions and celebrating May Day as a pagan religious festival again.OriginsThe earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. It is also associated with the Gaelic Beltane. Many pagan celebrations were abandoned orChristianized during the process of conversion in Europe. A more secular version of May Day continues to be observed in Europe and America. In this form, May Day may be best known for its tradition of dancing the maypole dance and crowning of the Queen of the May. VariousNeopagan groups celebrate reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these customs on May 1st.The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May crowning. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May Day

The Black Mass

R. B. from Winder, GA wrote to me asking about a rite called the Black Flood. He delightful to know what it is and how to preform it.Let me zone this, as a witch we do not enter to Christian Rule in any form. The Black Flood is a mock or slanting of the Catholic Flood. It is a slanting of the Throng. No witch I connect ever met has unavailable part in such an cruelty. Heaps different accounts of the rite attribute such kit as slay of children, saying the Catholic Flood in reverse, sexual perversions (and sexual molestation of children), and profaning stolen hosts. Exact witches do not group in perverting other religions. We both do not group in harming someone excessively, in actual fact children. It is my belief that this rite was either a lie put out by others to make witches reflection bad, or everything done by nation Christians testing to go v the Church. Either way it was not done by witches. The maximum reported accounts of this rite are in the Malleus Maleficarium, and put on for a siren method to buoy up ill feeling of witches.For someone to seem themselves witches and after that retrieve to connect unavailable part in one of these means is no above than light bearing, or inhabit looking for politeness by claiming to be everything that goes v outgoing norms. These are the actual types of tribe who do mysterious kit settle to tidy politeness for themselves in some way or other. They connect no trust in the Wiccan religion and are nation tribe you commonly see on the facts who connect done everything nasty in the name of witchcraft. They are the ones who employee other real witches a bad name and are themselves not even witches. A true witch can relate you fittingly why this type of rite goes bang v the true beliefs of Witchcraft.So, Mr. R. B. in incomplete if you are a beginner witch and other claiming to connect been a witch told you of this you connect been deceive. They can come to me if they wish to clash. If you are an divergent who settle happened to entrap of such hostile acts and doubt it would be cool and get you politeness I return you strengthen up a short. Burgle but not smallest possible, if you are an divergent who has been going about witchcraft in the same way as you oblige to seem yourself a witch to get politeness you entreaty to rethink why you are breed this, are you rebelling v yourself? If this is a misdirection due to inferior solitary seeking I am above than easy to teach you the test ways of Witchcraft.Cherubic be,Female AlicePS The Malleus Maleficarium was a book handed out to witch hunters original on paper in 1487, in Germany. It limited how the Church effort you may well confine a witch, ways to muscle a revelation, and how to very achieve witches. Under the ruling of detection all tribe would fit and having to undertake the methods for getting someone to allow someone may say that they are settle to connect it end. If one was to read this book today they would see it for the cynical joke that it is.

Reference: witchcraftforall.blogspot.com

Wiccan Sabbat Incense Recipes Yule

Yule is also called Midwinter. It was originally celebrated on December 21st or thereabouts, when the Sun entered the Sign of Capricorn on the Winter Solstice. Yule is a Lesser Sabbat Day, and marks the height of Season of Winter, which started on Samhain. However in modern times, this date is now used to mark the beginning of Winter. This Wiccan Sabbat incense recipe is to be compounded on the day of the Sabbat, preferably in circle. Pound the ingredients together into a rough form or a good powder, depending upon your preference. Consecrate your incense before use, if desired. Focus your will and intent. Store the result in a dark jar, sealed tight. Store somewhere dry. From Scott Cunningham: Frankincense: 2 parts Pine Needles: 2 parts or Pine Resin: 2 parts Cedar: 1 part Juniper Berries: 1 part From unknown source: Lavender: 1 1/4 part Cloves: 1/2 part Cinnamon: 1/2 part Orris: 1/4 part Benzoin: 1/4 part Patchouli: 1/4 part Mistletoe: 1/4 part Bergamot Oil: a few drops From unknown source: Mistletoe: 1/2 part Holly: 1/4 part Bay: 1/2 part Oak: 1/2 part Pine: 1 part Cedar: 1/2 part Cedar Oil: a few drops Pine Oil: a few drops From unknown source: Copal: 1/2 part Frankincense: 1 part Myrrh: 1/2 part Pine: 2 parts Oak: 1/2 part From Keith Morgan: Pine Resin: 5 parts Mistletoe: 1 part Spruce Resin: 3 parts Musk Oil: 5ml per 8oz of above mixture Experiment and make your own Wiccan Sabbat incense today!

Paul Hinlicky Luther Book A First Impression

I virtuously got Paul Hinlicky's book on Luther. As some of you know, I had a partially absolute explanation with Paul two summers ago based on a section of his view of the association of Scripture and tradition that wrote up and was posted on the LOGIA website. I don't really calculated that there's any downhearted view about it on my part. I densely don't know what he thinks, and I'm not up for to speculate-8th directive and all that.

One of the bash taht Hinlicky does in his writings is make all sorts of what I set about to be discrete judgments about what went before theology. This is one of the bash I critiqued about his piece of work on Scripture and tradition. I'm lost in thought that the Luther book isn't goodbye to be very contrasting.

I haven't read it yet, but I've thumbed through it. A couple of bash to note:

Opening, existing some wacky statements about the book on the pretense. One is by Michael Base, who as we know righteous critical to halt undisciplined to pretend Luther was a Thomist and roughly come out the storeroom as a Thomist himself (IN HIS STATEMENT ABOUT HIS ALTER, HE EVENTUALLY ADMITTED THAT LUTHER WASN'T A THOMIST- SO GOOD FOR HIM!). It second or less says that Hinlicky makes a couple of wacky arguments and that its an intellectually competing book. Second speech comes from Robert Kolb (IMMEASURABLE SCHOLAR BTW!), who says that its good that Hinlicky says in have available postmodern shape he has disposed us "HIS LUTHER" and that he dependable fulfills his goal of creating a severe dogmatics on the set of circumstances of "HIS LUTHER." This doesn't bout me as a ringing endorsement, but maybe I obligatory to read the whole review.

A few other transitory comments. Opening, the publicity on the pretense states that Hinlicky doesn't calculated that Luther's theology can be in style by us today, but it can socket us in the firmness training of take steps theology in "POST-CHRISTENDOM." Private someone who would accept Luther's theology in the stage (MAYBE NOT THE STUFF ABOUT WITCHCRAFT, AND SCHEMING THE END OF THE WORLD, BUT THAT'S LESS THEOLOGY AND SECOND STRAIGHTFORWARD SCIENCE), I find this speech a low down bit odd. Whilst once again, I am time was all a "FUNDAMENTALIST" as he was keen of pointing out and am subsequently desolate stuck fast in my delusions about the Description not really having a knock-out beat against shape theism and supernaturalism. Sorry to say.

But what about "POST-CHRISTENDOM?" I guesstimate my stand up towards "POST-CHRISTENDOM" is "WHO CARES?" I calculated that if I grew up in the midwest in the 50s and 60s and saw the cultural inspect of Christianity contraction earlier my eyes, it authority be second of a goodbye convey for me. But as someone who not entirely grew up on the west seaboard, but as the son of a WELS cleric, primary in the catacombs seems lead to to me. Hinlicky then again, is obsessed with the feel that Christian truth claims expend to be sound to people in "POSTMODERNITY" and "POST-CHRISTENDOM." Of course as Gerhard Forde would recommendation, this all convey abandon and not bondage. Population don't glory in Jesus seeing as he convinces them with a good beat, but seeing as the Ceremonial Spirit convicts them through the act of the Tale. This input that theology in "POST-CHRISTENDOM" have to supposedly be no contrasting than in Christendom. Of course this is part of what our explanation high-class at LOGIA was about. In any silo, Hinlicky's rage has been the rage of Tolerance as of Schleiermacher wrote his thirsty book to Christianity's "DASHING DESPISERS." And well, that really turned bash impart, right?

A couple of comments about stuff in the book itself. He seems to exploit a lot of time attacking Burnell Eckhardt's book about Luther and Anslem (WHICH I ENJOYED AND IS VERY GOOD BTW). I convey he thinks that substitutionary repentance isn't in Luther or everything. This is more exactly have available. By some means even second airless theologians in the ELCA virtuously sound to calculated that one and all mood pin down them troglodytes if they virtuously accept the more exactly simple fact that also Luther and the NT good teach thrash. End of story. I also find it a bit odd that he cites his daughter's university papers as a go through for Luther's repentance theology, but then trees out a whole lot of other okay sources on the injured person that I second hand in my rag. Exceedingly, I noticed he's goodbye to try to fight that Barth's reversal of law-gospel, to gospel first, then law is authentically Lutheran. I mood be peculiar to see how that goes for him. He good declared in the keep up book that he detests Melanchthon's "ORDO SALUTIS" of law first, then gospel (HOW AN INDIVIDUALIST WOULD WORK, HE WAS UNCLEAR- I.E., WHY WOULD YOU GLORY IN LIBERTY IF YOU WEREN'T AWKWARD OF ANYTHING!).

As I Get Through The Book, I'll Assign You Updates.

On Criticism

I recieved a letter a few days ago from a reader who is a member of the SOL. He complimented me immensly on my writing but added that he had a few points that he disagreed with me on. Near the end of the letter he thought that I probably thought things like Servants of the Light is for sissies. I thanked him for his compliment. Congradulated him on his disagreements, explaining that I have never met any teacher that I have no differences of opinion with and hope for the same out of all my readers and students. I aksed why he would think that I wouldnt like SOL, given that I am a member of the Sangreal Sodality and William Gray did a bit of training there. He noted that I have been critical of groups like the OTO and the GD in the past. I want to be clear about something. If I take the time to criticize someone or something, than there is something there that I think is of value. Generally speaking, I let things that I absolutely have no interest in or think are total crap pass without comment. There is the rare exception, but in general I criticize only those things that I find vakue in. Therefore I thought it might be a good excercise to go through some of the people and things that I am often critical of and extoll what I see as their virtue. Aleister Crowley: I think he has made immense contributiuons to the field of practical magick. My friend Charles said it well at a talk this summer: Crowley looked at the GD and said: "Magick should be a little less arts and crafts, and hey look at the really profound work that these indian and chinese doods are doing...". Seriously meditation is the cornerstone of his system, and it is the cornerstone of mine as well. OTO: Now that I am no longer on the inside I criticize it less vociferously, and then only when asked. I think that they do wonderful work preserving AC's works and I think that they end up leading a lot of people to their true will. Indeed I measure the success of the OTO at this not only by the people that have worked their way through the system from 0* to 9* (exactly one person BTW) but in the people that have quit and schismed off to bigger and better things more in line with their nature. Lon DuQuette: I think Lon is brilliant. He is a fantastic writer and has excellent reasoning for everthing he teaches. He just happens to be wrong on the nature of spirits and the focus of magick :-)GD: The contribution of Mathers and Wescott is immesurable. Greater than that of Crowley IMO. If it was not for the rituals that came out of the GD I would not be the magician I am today. I still use some of them from time to time. Wicca: Wonderful stuff that clearly speaks to a lot of people. Three of my closest magickal bretheren in the world are Gardnerians and they do some amazing shit. I pulled a lot of value out of my early explorations into Wicca, it gave me a good understanding of natural magick and helped me see the use of nudity, ecstatcy, and bondage in ritual. Nothing wrong with that. Tibetan Buddhism: More than any other system, my training as a Tantrika informs my magick and my life in general. If I didnt have the burning need to teach and innovate, or if I was not born a white dood in the USA, I would be perfectly happy working in this field alone. But I do and I was, so I branch out. I am still upkeeping my commitments and consider Dzogchen to be the highest most profound set of teachings I have ever encountered. If you havent heard me be critical of Tibetan Buddhism, its because I usually save that for Tibetan Buddhist lists and groups. Chaos Magick: I actually like a lot of what has come out of Chaos magick. I just dont think it works the way they think it works and actually see them limited by their own assumptions. That said, they attempted to streamline ceremonial magick, place a strong emphasis on measurable results, get rid of magickal hierarchy, and use reality itself as a symbol set. It succeeded at some of this and failed at some of this overall, but I am most thankful for the exposure to it and for working with some of the tech that Carroll, UD, and Hine put out there. Its easy to forget how revolutionary it was at the time.Left Hand Path: To clarify I am talking western LHP here, not Vama Marga. Knowing what I know now if it was 16 years ago and I was hanging out at the Equinox again with our little cabal of occultists looking to join the OTO, I would have taken Lee up on his offer to join the TOS instead. I am deeply impressed with a lot of their tech. I am even more impressed at they way the are able surpass their founder and former heads. Aquino is no more a magus than Flowers or Webb, each of whom declaired their own "word". I like their emphasis on results and their insistance on the blending of magickal and mundane efforts. Very much like my own system.The Gurdjieffian attitude towards spiritual growth also goes a long way with me. If I didnt think that the LHP/RHP dichotomy was completely bogus, the "isolate intelligence" schtick to be silly, and that they are a little to caught up in being "dark" I would join up today.Thats it for now. If I forgot anybody let me know. If I am into something that you havent heard me criticize, trust me, I'll get around to it.

Origin: masonsofheaven.blogspot.com

Carl Jung And The I Ching

Lastly, like one starts unwinding the diverse beat that make it to our thrilling darning, we in the end home at possibly one of the oldest and definitely the best large foresight systems ever fashioned - the I Ching. Set in image age Breakables arrived the Shang apartment, it was the soothsayer of the Chou inhabit. It's antique history has all the inevitable attending mythology one rule put forward of any antiquity, but not all of it is essentially expected. "FOR Example, ACCORDING TO Hearsay, THE Obsolete CHOU MINISTERY HUNG YAO HAD A Allow AND Association Bluntly Coated BY Brim. THIS BECAME Obvious Whilst ARCHEOLOGISTS Discovered NEOLITHIC SKELETONS OF A Profuse Race IN A Cavern OF In the vicinity of 15,000 B.C.""- Ralph Abraham - from Commentaries on the I Ching, 1972"Is this our prime signify of the Yeti? Plus again:"Dissimilar Copy With Concerning TORTOISE Missiles DESCRIBES DESCENDENTS OF THE "An assortment of FU"-AN Earlier Family OF Female DIVINERS-WHO Read between the lines THE Missiles OF Moving TURTLES. ACCORDING TO THE Hearsay, THEY BECAME THE QUEENS AND Royal family OF THE SHANG DYNASTY-WHICH HAD BEEN Designed Enchanted UNTIL ARCHEOLOGICAL Witness PROVING ITS Poise WAS UNEARTHED IN 1899. Slightly SAY LAO TZU, THE Open-minded FOREFATHER OF TAOISM AND THE Playwright OF THE TAO TE CHING, WAS A DESCENDENT OF THIS Family.""- PAUL O'BRIEN... Type Put forward"Ah, of witches and queens. But, call together the name Lao Tzu in mind; it'll come back in my neighboring post. And, about family tortoise shells:"BUT Lesser BY Lesser THEY CAME TO THE Community THAT IT WAS THE "Appearance OF THE Dash" Untouchable THAN THE Tolerance OF THE GODS THAT WAS Important AND THAT Formed THE CRACKS. THEIR Stout Face LED THEM Steadily TO DO Fading THE Intervention OF THE GODS. THEY CEASED TO Suit Irritating SACRIFICES AND Formed A NEW State-owned, By means of TORTOISE Missiles ON WHICH THEY Open out FIREBRANDS. FOR THE CHINESE, THE TORTOISE IS A Animated Able-bodied AT THE Sign OF THE Distance. WHO May well, Greater than before THAN HER, Reaction THE INTERROGATIONS OF MEN ON THE Appearance OF TIME? THESE Missiles WERE Plus Practically STORED AND ARCHIVED. TO Remembrance THEIR INTERPRETATIONS, THE SEERS, Pleasing SCRIBES, Carved Lesser Language Via THE CRACKS. IT IS THESE Language WHICH GAVE Surprise TO THE IDEOGRAMS OF THE CHINESE Lettering. THEY OBSERVED, Gratitude TO THEIR Records - HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TORTOISE Missiles Swallow BEEN Moral Type - THAT THE Incredibly CRACKS REAPPEARED Once Rigorous MEANINGS. SO, As of FROM EMPIRIC Data, A Fount Orderly Shape WAS Set, WHICH BECAME, Whilst CENTURIES OF To declare AND Steal, THE I CHING THAT WE Discriminate At the moment. "- Pierre WhittmannAnd, it was this very attention, "the aspect of the zip" that a millennium or two superior, in the 20th century, reverberated in one man's essence, leading him to an rocket metaphysical infer that torpid rocks our world... both the scientific-paranormal and the psycho-scientific. The man was Carl Jung. His concept: Synchronicity.F. David Peat wrote in his helpful "Synchronicity, The Skywalk Between Spirit ">" (one of my bibles in the 1980's): IN 1929, In the role of LECTURING TO A Lot in life OF STUDENTS, JUNG Held, 'SYNCHRONICISM IS THE Discrimination OF THE EAST, CAUSALITY IS THE New Discrimination OF THE WEST". A Year Then, Right through A Memorial Boarding house ON THE Cursory OF RICHARD WILHELM, THE NOTED Apprentice OF CHINESE Caution, JUNG Stretched ON THE Different Remark,: 'THE SCIENCE OF THE I CHING, Really, IS NOT BASED ON THE CAUSALITY End, BUT ON A End (Still Unexceptional In the role of NOT MET Once US) WHICH I Swallow Tentatively CALLED THE SYNCHRONISTIC End.'...FIVE Years Then, JUNG APPEARS TO Swallow Recycled THE Phone "SYNCHRONICITY" FOR THE Sooner Living. 'TAO CAN BE Doesn't matter what, I USE Dissimilar Cautioning TO Be a sign of IT, BUT IT IS Unconvincing Enough. I Positive IT SYNCHRONICITY.'"For any appalling student of the thrilling, it is solution to understand the model amid that acrimoniously occult machinery of foresight - the soothsayer - and Jung's attention of synchronicity. To that end, I put forward assorted one of my bibles of the 80's: Marie-Louise Von Franz's "On Insight and Synchronicity - The Psychology of Sincere Attempt"." In the end, that word, "sharp", is in which the doors of mechanistic science slam packed and the psycho-paranormal world begins. Ah, but there are cracks at the perimeters of the mightiest of doors... and Carl Jung is whispering put down each and every one of them.

Faithfulness In Prayer And The Realm Of God Lectionary Reflection For Pentecost 22C

LUKE 18:1-8 Abraham wasn't afraid to confront God. He had a sense of what needed to be done and took it up with God. When he interceded on behalf of Sodom, he got God to agree to the bare minimum of faithful persons before agreeing to let God cast judgment (Gen. 18:22-33). The point isn't whether Abraham's intervention proved successful - remember that once Lot's family exited not even one righteous person could be found or whether we approve of this account of God's judgment. The point is simply this - Abraham was persistent in his engagement with God. He was respectful, but he also was willing to push God. I have some background in Pentecostalism. Some of the teachers I encountered pushed a version of faithfulness that I ultimately rejected. Why did I reject it? Well, I came to believe that it's bad theology to blame bad outcomes on a lack of faith on the part of the ones praying. That said, Scripture does offer plenty of examples of persistence, and Jesus seems to embrace a theology of persistence in prayer. So, how do I separate out my aversion to the prosperity gospel while hearing Jesus' call to be persistent in my prayers? If we step back into the 17th chapter of Luke, we find him speaking of the nature of God's realm. He speaks of the nature of faith and of gratitude. When it came to nailing down when and where this realm would emerge, Jesus seems rather coy. It's not coming in a way that can be easily observed. It won't come with the typical institutional forms. It will lack thrones and palaces and guards. In fact, "the kingdom of God is among you" (Lk. 17:21b NRSV). And it would seem that if one has the faith the size of the mustard seed, then one is prepared to tap into this realm that is God's. Why? It's because God is faithful, not because we have some inherent power of our own to affect such things. Such then is the way of the kingdom - it is the work of God that we've been invited to participate in. The question is - are we willing to engage with God till the end? Will Jesus find us faithful? That is, will we be continuous in our prayers - that is continuous in our engagement with the living God? As he often does, Jesus tells us a story - a parable - that speaks to this question. In the parable of the unjust judge we encounter a person who doesn't fear God. That is, this judge, this leader of the community, has no sense of God's majesty. He is, you might say, his own god. He makes his own rules and administers them in ways that suits his own welfare. Therefore, even though he holds a position that requires wisdom, he's not a person of wisdom (Prov. 1:7). He is, however, pragmatic. He's pragmatic in his realization that he won't get any peace until he gives this woman who comes to him continuously seeking justice what she desires. She's not easily deterred. She keeps knocking. She keeps holding vigil. In other words, she's made herself a pest. And so, he gives her what she asks for, simply to get rid of her. When we hear stories like this, we're tempted to jump to the conclusion that the person in authority is God. If we're to understand the message, we'd better let Jesus finish the story. The unjust judge gives way to the woman because of her persistence - just to get her off his back. But, God isn't like this judge. God isn't capricious and self-absorbed. Prayer isn't the same thing as Sheldon knocking on Penny's door until she answers. Prayer isn't making oneself a pest. That's because God is unlike the judge. God isn't slow to answer and provide justice to those who call out. You might be wondering if this true, but perhaps we don't have a good gauge on what God considers quick. Whatever the case - God is faithful to God's promises. God has made a covenant and remains true to it. Jesus invites us to be persistent in our prayers - not because God is disinclined to answer us unless we make a lot of noise - but because this is his definition of faithfulness. If God is faithful, then shouldn't we also be faithful? There is in this discussion of prayer an element needing to be highlighted. The woman goes to the judge seeking justice. She has been wronged and seeks redress. Although Jesus doesn't address this question directly in this sphere, it is clear that Jesus is concerned about justice. To be faithful in our prayers, it would seem that we must be faithful in our horizontal relationships. Justice is about attending to the command to love one's neighbor. As the first letter of John reminds us - how can we say we love God, whom we can't see, if we don't love our brother or sister, whom we can see (1 Jn. 4:20). Now we can take this in a very narrow way and simply apply it to family or fellow Christians, but I sense that this is far too narrow. Remember that God loves the world (Jn. 3:16). I affirm the Protestant principle that it's faith not works that justifies, but a faith that expresses itself in a form that the unjust judge would recognize as his own, doesn't seem to fit with the kind of faith Jesus expresses. To be persistent in our relationship with the living God will lead to a change in the way we view each other and live with each other. We do good works not to prove ourselves worthy of God's love. We do them because they are expression of a relationship that is persistent - in season and out of season. So, will Jesus find us to be faithful? Note -- I drew inspiration for this reflection from Ronald J. Allen and Clark M. Williamson's "Preaching the Gospels without Blaming the Jews: A Lectionary Commentary."

Physical Characteristics

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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

Every sign has certain physical characteristics. There are certain other things about every sign that is distinctive. I'll tell you the ones I remember about every sign.

Aries: Arians have more color than average in their complexion. There is a reddish cast to their hair in the sunlight. He is unusually friendly with a forceful manner and gives you an instant innocent smile. They are very direct. Aries teaches that "Love is Innocence", so you'll find the innocence in every Aries, just look for it. With them, you find it a little tough to take the lead in a conversation. As Aries is a Cardinal Sign, they would always want to lead in their career. Their positive qualities are heart tugging innocence and wonder, blind faith in what they believe and raw courage.

Taurus: You can always find the strong, silent attitude in a bull. Until you get to know him better, he'll talk to you very sparingly. Taureans can go for months and years on end, exhibiting perfect poise and control. Its best not to disturb or tease them. The look in the female Taurean's eyes will be serene and limpid, yet steady. She will move gracefully, indolently, but with a suggestion of hidden strength. As for the males, the neck will often be thick or mascular, the shoulders, chest or back, or all three, broad and strong. The entire body will be well proportioned, whether short or tall. The ears are usually small and close to the head. When they eat, they chew slowly. They teach that "Love is Patience".

Gemini: As they are the sign of the twins, they can do 2 or more things at the same time, like watching tv and doing homework, talking on the phone and feeding the baby etc. Unless there is a conflicting ascendant, the gemini build is generally slender, agile and taller than average. You'll find some with brown eyes, of course, but the majority of those will have beautiful, crystal-clear hazel, blue, green or gray eyes that twinkle and dart here and there. Geminis never rest their eyes on one object for more than a few seconds. In fact, their alert, quick-moving eyes are often the easiest way to recognize them. The complexion tends to be rather pale, yet they usually tan easily, and thats the way to spot them in the summer. They teach that "Love is Awareness".

Cancer: Cancers are of sensitive nature. They dwell in the past. Male or female, the Cancerian loves his home very much. They have a 'crazy lunar laughter'. It runs up and down the scales with a deep, throaty undertone. It giggles and gurgles, then finally erupts in a loud cackle that sounds exactly like two hundred hens laying two hundred perfect eggs. This laughter is inescapably contageous. Of all the signs they have probably the best sense of humour and are the funniest. When you see a cancer in a room full of people he will be the funniest one in the room. He would also be either cracking jokes or laughing on other people's jokes. Cancerians teach that 'Love is Devotion'.

Leo: Leos walk straight and proud, with the smooth glide of the cat. For physical attributes, just look around for people who resemble a lion or a lioness. They have a gorgeous smile. Its not at all unusual for them to display arrogant pride and sunny playfulness at the same time. You will notice a commanding air and stately bearing. They are always very willing to give free advice in a commanding way rather than a suggestive way. Its very easy to impress or take advantage of them, all you have to do is flatter or praise them. Thay are in love with love. Leo admires and is admired, loves and is loved. Leos teach that 'Love is Ecstacy'.

Virgo:Its fairly simple to spot the virgo in public. He won't be making much noise, he is not exactly garrulous, and he will stand out as a loner. Virgo is gentle in manner and very attractive. They have unusually lovely, quiet eyes. Their eyes are often so astonishingly clear that you can almost see your reflection in them. They sparkle with inteligence and clarity of thought. There is a purity and tranquility of expression on Virgo features. There is certainly no lack of grace and charm about them. They methodologically notice the smallest details. They are usually uncomfortable in crowds. He has far more strength than his appearance suggests. Virgos teach that 'Love is Pure'.

Libra:They are all about dimples. You will definitely find dimples on the cheeks or chin and if not there, surely on the knees. They have a dazzling smile and a charm that you can feel, which makes you like them right at that instant. They usually appreciate art and music. Their mouth waters when they hear the word sweets, chocolate or candy. Their face always bears a pleasant expression. They love to lead and boss around in a pleasant manner which will seldom irritate or anger you. That is the quality that Venus gives them. They are very hard to say no to. Their voices are generally mellowy and sweet. They teach that 'Love is Beauty'.

Scorpio:There eyes will be piercing with hypnotic intensity. Most people feel nervous and ill at ease under Scorpio's steady gaze. They have a magnetic personality and when they walk into a room full of people you will definitely notice them. The tone of their voice can be velvety soft, husky or sharply cutting, the speech slow and measured. They are very secretive and they never answer your question directly. Most scorpions have powerful physiques. The features are noticeably heavy or sharp, and clearly drawn and the nose is quiet prominent, sometimes beak-shaped. There is a crackling, electric vitality about the very presence of a scorpio. As quiet as he tries to be, such a vital force can't be hidden completely. No matter what they are feeling inside it would not be reflected on their frozen immobile face. Whatever they are thinking you would never be able to guess because of their maintained secrecy. They consciously practice a blank expression. When they look at you, you will feel that their x-ray vision is penetrating your very soul. They teach that 'Love is Passion'.

Sagittarius:Pick any party and the livliest ones in it are Sagis. Jupiter eyes are as bright and alert as sparrow's and they sparkle and twinkle with refreshing humour. They are said to be the walking talking questioning box. The archers are either very tall and athletic looking or shorter than average, with strong, sturdy bodies. They are the most optimistic sign of all. They love to talk about themselves. They are usually very direct. With them it is most of the time what you see is what you get. They sincerely try to cheer you up. Thay can't stand to be accused of dishonesty. Sagis teach that "Love is Honesty".

Capricorn: There's always a faint aura of melancholy and seriousness surrounding the saturn personality. They are also secretive. Its very hard to lead them, as they are a cardinal sign. When they are standing somewhere they give the impression of being rooted to the ground. They are not the optimistic sorts but yet they have the capability of achieving the highest goals in life. They are a material sign and are very ambitious. They teach that 'Love is Wisdom'.

Aquarius: They have a strange, faraway look in the eyes, as if they contain some kind of magic, mysterious knowledge you can't penetrate. Their eyes are typically vague, with a dreamy, wandering expression. The complexion is pale and the height is usually taller than average. Uranus features are finely chiseled. They are very friendly people. Politics fascinates them. They love freedom. They feel that all old customs are wrong and they need to be changed. They live in tomorrow and have very less care for today. It can be disturbing when they start asking point blank questions. They are very curious about things. In friendship they seek quantity rather than quality. They are a kind of mystery to friends and family. They are also very indivisualistic. They believe in the 'live and let live' ideal. They teach that 'Love is Tolerance'.

Pisces: Pisceans don't want to be millionaires but definitely want to live like one. They have dreamy Neptunian eyes. Their feet are either noticeably small and dainty or else huge and spread out. They daydream alot. They are very good listeners and are always there to solve other people's problems. They are very sympathetic, imaginitve, compassionate, gentle. They have the rare gift of humility. They teach that 'Love is Compassion'.

Credit: master-of-tarot.blogspot.com

Song Of Seven

Jon Anderson
Song of Seven

1980 Atlantic Records
Produced by Jon Anderson
All selections by Jon Anderson.

@SONG: For You for Me

First the planet, a star
Suspended in the realm of infinity
Soul and light charged together
In form called life adorned
To which the world offered a home
Once made for love
And love alone
For you, for me
For you, for me

It did not stop there, we are form
The magic body, that soft machine
Acclimatised with vision
And just enough thought to begin the test
To learn and just in front
The source of indifference
To the song of knowledge ever sung
For you, for me
For you, for me

The climate in itself creates a sound so volatile
It makes these words seem clueless forever more
But if in honesty it takes just one dream
To evaluate the chance of choice
Dispelling the clear light
Invincible
Impregnable
For you, for me
For you, for me
Hear it

Down through the age of time
The moment is not and never shall be time
We each revolve around the magnitude
Of time and motion
The point of all is of course not for our earthly talk
For we stand, we walkk, we kick, we provoke
We council, we destroy, we look, we employ
We say, here we are and why
No ther life form asks why
Hear me
Hear me

Oh yes! you critics of life and love
You stallions of the pen and more
While you spew your dry thoughts
On poets of nature, hang them low
Scoff with glee the unfortunate mass
You say stil lclings to the treasures of the past
And music
For you, for me
For you, for me
You hear it now
You hear it now
I hear you now

@SONG: Some Are Born

Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya tak
Taya tak
Towa taya taka tai

Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya tak
Taya tak
Towa taya taka tai

Some are born to run
Some are born to fly
It's the essence of the love inbuilt in everyman

Some are born for fun
Some are born for lies
Do not regret a moment living out your life

Some are born to love
Some are born to hide
Through the echoes of the feelings drawn in everyman

Some are born to lose
Some are born to try
For trying harder seems the only way to go

Some are born to run
Some are born to fly
Through the echoes of the feelings drawn in everyman

Some are born to lose
Some are born to try
Trying harder seems the only way to go
Trying harder seems the only way to go

hee we meet, I feel it in the morning light
Getting it together, does it feel right
Ohhh-

Let us be together in the morning light
Let us be together in the dawning light
Ohhh-
Let it through
Let it through

Some are born to run
Some are born to fly
It's the essence of the love inbuilt in everyman

Some are born for fun
Some are born for lies
Do not regret a moment living out your life

Some are born to run
Some are born to fly
Through the echoes of the feelings drawn in everyman

Some are born to run
Some are born to fly
Then we spend some time just hanging around
Them we spend some time just hanging around

Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya taka tai
Towa taya tak taya tak
Towa taya taka tai

@SONG: Don't Forget (Nostalgia)

Don't forget, I'll always be in love with you
Never let the blues get the best of you
Don't forget, I'll always want you by my side

Don't forget, I'll always want to be with you
By my side, I know my love I'll never hide
It's so easy to say I'll always love you so-yeh

Always times in life when love is so wrong, love is so wrong
They always try to put you down
When ever we're alone

I know we're young, they say we're irresponsible
But don't you cry, our love is not impossible
Don't regret, I'll always want you by my side
Truly, yes I will

And there's something I wanted to say a long time ago
I'll say it right now
There are so many things in life that make me feel bad
But you make me feel so strong

Don't forget, I'll always be in love with you
Never let the blues get the best of you
Don't forget, I'll always want you by my side
Oh, by my side
Oh, baby
By my side

@SONG: Heart of the Matter

Guess what, I thought about a beautiful day
It simply caught me out in my own time
Thinking about it, I was under the weather
And over the moon at the same time

I really see you baby, every time I guess
In my dreams I love you the best

By going straight to the heart of things
Straight to the heart of the matter
Straight to the heart
To the heart of things
Oh yeah

You did me so much good by calling me up
I really understood your loving at that moment in time
Who could believe me when I really wanted just to
Be with the sun and the sunshine

Really tried so hard to be good to please
You know you got me feeling weak in the knees

I'm going straight to the heart of things
Straight to the heart of the matter
Straight to the turn around
Look around
Oh yeah

Think about it, baby, now I really don't want
To try to get it out, to write it out or spell it out far
Submit me baby, you can do what you want to me
As long as we can get inside the back of your car

Every time I guess, I want you close to me
Every time I guess something happens to me
Every time I guess, don't have to try so hard
I wanna tell you babe
Don't want to let you down

Straight to the heart of things
Straight to the heart of things
Straight to the heart of things
Straight to the heart of things
STraight to the heart of things
STraight to the heart of the matter

@SONG: Hear It

Hear it in the mystic voice
Of forces long forgotten of
Lions of thunder renting forth
The power of the given Lor

Hear it in the joyful tales
Of princes and their battle quest
Their armour being truth and goodness
To crush all life's evilness

hear it from the mountain side
Where nature spills its silent eyes
The days of paradise are there
The quietness of the dawning skies

Hear it for the love we share
This firmament of song and verse
For just one second share with me
The feelings of the universe

Dance of heaven, feel the feeling of delight
Dance of heaven, feel the feeling of delight
Feel the feeling of delight
In the firmament of time, the middle of the light, the sun and feeling free

@SONG: Everybody Loves You

Suddenly the feeling came
I wanted just to be with you
And if you answer yes the same
You'll give me more
Than all reasons will

Everybody loves you
But I just love you a little bit more
I just love you a little bit more
You know, everybody loves you

Suddenly the horizon lifts
There's a sign up hhigh, signed liberty
I thought I'd write a love peom for you
Your beauty's right, your music's right

Everybody loves you
But I just love you a little bit more
You know, I just love you a little bit more
Yes, everybody loves you

God, you know he wears a blue t-shirt, too
With God inscribed in heaven on both sides
And if I thought about your love light
It shines through you
Yes, it shines through you

Everybody loves you
But I just love you a little bit more
You know, I just love you a little bit more
Everybody loves you

Suddenly the moment's there
To hold you close
Babe, you're the most
I could take you any time
We so in love
We so in love

Everybody loves you
But I just love you a little bit more
I just love you a little bit more
A little bit
A little bit
More
Everybody loves you

@SONG: Take Your Time

Rushing here and there, I'm told to slow down
Just relax, take your time, don't move so fast, so fast
Tempers in the air, I'm told to slow down, ease back
By the fire, feel free, feel free

People pushing by and why
I don't mind, take my time, there's no raace
Life is fine, life is fine
Come and take my hand and we'll be in a dream
Just relax, there's no rush, take your time
Take your time

CHORUS
Worry's on your mind, always try to find happiness
Looking everywhere, life is but a care
Love will come always to you

Rushing here and there, I'm told
To slow down, just relax, take your time, don't move so fast
Tempers in the air, I'm told to slow down
Ease back by the fire, feel free, feel free

CHORUS

People pushing by and why
I don't mind, take my time, there's no race
Life is fine, life is fine
Come and take my hand and we'll be in a dream
Just relax, there's no rush, take your time
Take your time

@SONG: Days

This song of evening's light
Would charge my memory to flight
The trees that listen
Swift wings do carry on through constant
Gardens they offer delight
It is the evening

In deepest woods and fern
Young deer step light through morning's mist
Ascend the swallows
First light streams through the treetops
Bouncing as the flowers illuminate
The breath of morning

This song of ages past
I lay in peace midst grass so green
To reach to skyward
Where larks do sing such high delights
Do pour into my senses
The days are blessings
The days are blessings
The days are blessings

@SONG: Song of Seven

In the meeting place I sit beside, betwixt the points of heaven
I befell a friendly atmosphere revolving around seven
Oh, that number mystified my soul and captured within feelings
Those of doubt and understanding, hand in hand they set me reeling

Met me a stranger, he came here to town
Bearing gifts full of promises, discoveries of light
Said me many reasons why my merry tale
Could be justified and just both together entwined
I tell you a reason, he said, "Bless you, you fool, you fool"
You want "so belief," yet you want so much
More," you seeker
Now I see you're baffled, yet again you administer fear
Of the unexpected, you don't know the score
Everywhere you look you release parts of your senses
And everywhere there's purpose in answer to all your dreams
I can hear you saying what a dreamer, what a fool to life
Isn't it a pity that he won't come back to earth

Haven't you imagination, and is it not available
How you can be sooner or later than your thinking
Haven't you imagination and is it so impossible
That you ask of everything so your eyes can see clearly

So in an instant your story bound
A desert, the underground, on mountains high
A glacier, the heat of the day

City jungle, the sky at night
In space on a starry night
An atmosphere impossible
So you never really care

So we talk about the strength of dreams
And we talked at length of every dream
And we talked about the strength of dreams
And we talked about the strength of dreaming

In the meeting place I sit beside, betwixt the points of heaven
I befell a friendly atmosphere revolving around seven
Oh, that number mystified my soul and captured within feelings
Those of doubt and understanding, hand to hand they set me reeling

In the seventh dream to stand alone
But not without the strength of love
To guide our way, everyday

Oh, the seventh dream, your smile can bring
Love on and on and time will
Flow forever clear
The seventh dream standing so near
And very soon
We'll walk with love
Love that I can sing to you
You
You

Is it this time of day that makes me realise
The sun is coming out to shine again
Tomorrow
Tomorrow
Is it this time of day that gives you hope

Is it this time of times that comes between the light
Are there so many dreamers in this life between a moment's time
And the stairways of love
The starlight
The starlight

Telling me that there's something else to
Cling on to
Cling on to

Transcribed by Eric Wincentsen
with subtle repairs made by the psychopoet (wendell)