Regional Land and Water Spirits/Beings

I just saw an article about how Pennsylvania state park is evicting gnomes from the gnome houses that were made for them on some of the trees. Now, while I can understand why people are upset about this, because the belief in the Fae, Fair Folk, Gnomes, Trolls, and such are on the rise in other countries aside from Scandinavia, I don't think you are going to find them in North America.

I have a good reason for saying this.

These fantastical beings are regional, they are land and water beings, tied to the land of their lore. North America has their own land and water beings/spirits that you aren't going to find in Europe or in Asia. Some creatures seem to be world wide (such as vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters), but those are not creatures of the land or waters. They are creatures that are human or once were human and therefore not tied to the lands they originated in. You are not going find the Raven Mocker in France, the Panti' roaming around Germany, the Bakwas floating in the forests of Scandinavia, the Urayuli walking about the woods of Romania, or the Achiyalatopa roaming around Greece.

North America does have their own versions of similar creatures to Europe, some examples are the Ishigaq from the Inuit lore, the Gaasyendietha from Seneca lore, Skin-walkers from the Navajo lore (though they are much more malevolent and dangerous than other shapeshifters), Yehasuri of the Catawba lore, Unhcegila from the Lakota lore, Tsul 'Kalu from the Cherokee lore, etc.

There are many spirits and land/water beings that exist all throughout the world, some are very similar to one another, others are almost identical, and many are extremely unique.

The point of this article is that while many of us Pagans practice and follow European paths and believe in many European creatures, we assume that those same practices and creatures are here in North America. It is disrespectful to the land and surroundings beings when you follow the rules and traditions of another land when dealing with the local beings, instead of learning and understanding the rules that they follow here.

Not saying some house creatures didn't come over with those who immigrated from Europe, but they are few and probably stay within those houses and yards. My best suggestion, is while you follow your path and learn about the creatures of Europe, learn about the local creatures and their rules as well, that way when you work with the land and its inhabitants, you are showing them respect and acknowledgement that they are there.

"How Morning Star Lost Her Fish", from Stories the Iroquois Tell Their Children by Mabel Powers, 1917

Larry MacDougall

A Loss of Identity

One thing you see a lot of in the US, typically more so than anywhere else, is the constant process of labelling of ones self. And I do not mean the labels of religions or clothing styles, or even sexual orientation/gender. I mean when we label ourselves from some form of heritage such as "I'm African American", "I'm Irish American", "I'm Asian American", etc. Usually, you hear these kinds of descriptions from people whose family has been in the US for a few generations now. We don't see to completely identify as simply just Americans, and I have a theory as to why this may be.

You find in many other countries, that when a person is a citizen of that country, unless they are a dual citizen, you won't here "I'm African British", "I'm Asian Canadian", or "I'm Scottish Norwegian". You typically only find those kinds of labels in the US. And I feel this is due to one major thing that the US doesn't have that the other countries do have. A Culture.

As a country, we do not truly have a culture that defines us as Americans. We are a conglomerate of many individual cultures brought over from all over the world. And while this is a very wonderful thing to see, to be able to see so many different backgrounds being able to live in the same country, it also creates an emptiness for many who's families have been here for many generations due to the loss of their families culture. Its why we get so hung up on trying to find an identity, and why, sometimes in religions, you will get people who want that religion to only be for certain people. You see this mostly in Heathen and Wiccan communities, and I am sure you see it in other communities as well.

Because we lack an identity, a culture, a way to connect to where we come from, we become so caught up in our labels that sometimes we take it too far, and make it too important. Its why in Heathenism you have a 50/50 chance of either finding a page or group that is truly open and accepting of those who have been called by the gods of that path, or finding a page or group that believes only people of European descent (specifically Scandinavian) have any right to even follow the Heathen path.

And in Wicca, again you have a 50/50 chance of either finding those who are open and accepting of who you are and your practice style is, or finding those who say unless you come from a family tradition you cannot claim to be Wiccan.

I think its because of our loss of identity and culture that many become so clingy of these things, and become so protective of it that they turn it into something negative.

Everywhere else you go you have a culture of people, but in the US all we have is a culture of money.

I honestly have no idea how we could work to correct this issue, but maybe we already are. Many groups, religiously, and heritage are working to become more open and to share knowledge with many others. And maybe, just maybe, if we all were to let go of our tight grips on our labels, to work on finding who were are as a people now, while still remembering our ancestors and where we come from, a new culture may emerge that will give us and those to come an identity we can be proud of, that will unite us as Americans, rather than "Insert heritage here" Americans.

(I apologize for any redundancies and/or bad grammar, its almost midnight when I wrote this so there are bound to be mistakes, but these are some of the thoughts that have been rummaging through my head for the past year)

When Pagan Pages Attack

I do apologize that my first blog of the year is another rant blog, but this is to address an issue that pops up a lot in many Pagan pages that I have come across. Though none as bad as actually being asked if I was the one who hacked their page all because I was disagreeing with the meme they used, not the message they were trying to get across.

There seems to be a problem with many Pagan pages now a days that are pretty much banning any form of disagreements on their pages. Disagreement of opinions, views, messages, and other things. Now, many people who make comments that disagree with a post on these pages half the time are very aggressive and are attacking the page/poster. Then there is the other half where the person is actually polite and is not attacking anything, but is simply commenting their opinion.

Then there are pages who are like the aggressive commentators, who will attack anyone who comments a disagreement with anything. Today I came across a post on a page, who I have loved, followed, and supported for a few months now thinking that the admins where pretty cool and I loved the messages they were posting. The post they made had a great message about how the Pagan community need to be united, caring, and helpful to one another and of other pages. Nothing wrong with that message, I fully agree with it. What seemed a bit off with that message was the meme associated with the post which stated "A Queen never leaves her throne to address a peasant throwing stones". Now, on the surface this seems like a pretty great quote and is very empowering.

If you dig a little deeper though into that statement, thinking about it from a perspective of leader and country, its actually a very pompous statement.

If you have peasants throwing stones, there is always a reason for it. If a queen never goes to see why the peasant is throwing the stone, the situation can never be fixed and will lead to disorder and eventually an uprising against said queen. A good leader will always leave their throne when it comes to their people who they are in charge of caring for.

Reading the meme, I felt it was contradictory to what the admin's message was and I stated as such. I said that the comment wasn't towards the message because I agreed with it, but it was aimed at the meme and I said why I felt it wasn't such the best of statements to use and that maybe something more along the lines of "A Queen never leaves her throne to address the heckles from others". Implying that anyone, rich or peasant, who simply wants to hate the leader for her being who she is will be ignored.

My comment was taken as if I was attacking them, their message, and their page. When I clarified what I was saying and apologized if I had caused confusion of my intentions of my comment, I was told that commenting disagreements brought people down and found my comment deleted.

Admittedly I was very upset by this, and still a little am. Nothing in my comment was derogatory, offensive, nor attacking anyone or anything. I kept it civil and polite. And yet, have been made out to look like I was attacking them, their message, and their page, and have now even been asked if I was the one who had hacked their page, all because apparently my small not serious disagreement was negative and attacking them.

I know I am not the only who has probably had a similar thing happen to them. All I know is such things are what tears people apart. Trying to silence someone by saying they are being negative and attacking them, telling them that disagreements bring people down and are basically not allowed is just as bad as attacking a person because you disagree with them. Both are trying to suppress individualism and free thought. Both try to suppress what it means to be human and what it means to be Pagan.

How else are we all going to grow and learn if we aren't allowed to express our disagreements? I fully agree that being aggressive and attacking people is not the way to do things, but trying to suppress even the smallest hint of a disagreement in a post/comment is wrong.

What will make us stronger as a community is being able to civilly and politely discuss our disagreements, our viewpoints, and our stances on things without name calling or attacking each other. Being able to talk things through so we not only better understand one another, but also ourselves makes us a strong community and people. Its why, as long as any disagreements are civil and polite, even if I don't agree with what is stated, I will not remove comments from my blogs, nor my pages.

I hope this problem with this page, and many others will eventually stop and we all can be the community we have been looking for. Supportive, and not afraid to expression our ideas, thoughts, and opinions because we know they will be discussed rather than attacked.

(Page name will not be mentioned because this is simply a rant, not a slander article. If you happen to know the page of which I am speaking about, I request that their name is not commented for their privacy.)

Image from http://blog.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/2011/06/

The Native American Headdress and Cultural Appropriation (Small Blog Rant)

I will admit I am a bit frustrated today.

So I came across a video of a musician playing a song. The song was pretty cool and very well done. And I probably would have become a fan if it wasn't for one thing. He has decided to incorporate a costume Plains Native American Headdress as a part of his "brand". He has made the excuse that because it isn't the same as a Ceremonial Headdress that its okay for him to wear and use as a part of his costume.

What he fails to understand is the fact that making a costume out of any sacred item of any culture is extremely disrespectful of that culture. The many people in the Native Community have spoken out against being used as a Mascot, having their regalia and sacred items being turned into a costume, and basically having their entire culture and history being turned into a joke.

I am of Native Descent. My Great Grandmother was half Algonquin on my mothers side, and I know I am of Cherokee on my fathers side. I was raised around Lakota beliefs and culture up until a certain point when life took a different turn.

My point to mentioning my heritage is that I don't go walking around pretending I am some how a representative of all American Indians just because of that little bit. I haven't been a part of the culture now for many years. But yet I have seen people on his page saying "I'm a Native American and I think its cool". When I have taken a closer look at their profiles, its easy to see they are not at all involved in the community or the culture.

I do still pay attention to the struggles they go through. I do still have a great respect for my ancestors of this continent. And I will always stand with those who are fighting to protect their culture and to keep it alive.

All this musician has done is create an excuse all because he doesn't want to be told he is doing something wrong. He has now labeled everyone who is speaking out against him wearing the mock headdress as "Haters". He ignores the fact that creating a mock replica of a sacred item of a culture, or using anything that is a mock replica unique to a culture is cultural appropriation and is disrespectful of the people and their struggles and history.

If he wants to look like some kind of Goth Tribal person, there are ways to look tribal without using anything that is appropriating a culture. Make something up. Get creative. Don't just take from a culture you have no right to take from. A people's culture, a people's way of life, their history, is not something to be turned into a costume or a brand, especially if you are not a part of said culture.

Some people might make an argument saying that telling someone they can't wear the headdress is the same as telling someone who isn't Christian they can't wear a cross. A Culture and a Religion are two different things. You can convert to a Religion, but when it comes to a culture, you are either born into it, or adopted by it by being brought in by others who practice said culture.

If you want to see the video I will post it here along with his >> page << so you can see for yourself.

The Media, The Pagans, and The Bad Journalism

Where do I begin.

So many "news" (and I use that term loosely) media outlets seem to have become guilty of bad journalism. Many spreading misinformation and outright lies that cause fear among the viewers and readers all over. Instead of reporting facts, they just report the opinions of those being interviewed; they no longer do research to inform the public.

One such piece was brought to the attention of a group I am in written by a "Journalist" (again using the term loosely) entitled 'Wiccan Ritual Killing' Leaves Family of Three Dead in Pensacola: Police. While it was the officer Sgt.Hobbes who specifically claimed it to be a "Wiccan" ritual killing, the journalist made no attempt to give plausible other options, nor inform the readers of the facts of Wicca and other Pagan religions.

Instead they only reported what the Officer Sgt.Hobbes commented, and interviewed a neighbor's opinion which continued the claim of it being Wicca and Satanic related.

To inform those who may not know, Wicca is a Duotheistic religion that follows a Harm None law. They follow the belief that what they do to others comes back to them three fold. So someone who is truly following the Wiccan religion wouldn't even attempt such a thing.

Now, I can't say whether the killing was ritualistic or not, I do not know the details of the bodies that were found; aside from two having their heads bashed and throats cut, and the third being shot and having her throat cut. But as many know, there are people everywhere, in every community, who are deranged and will find some form of reasoning for taking someones life, no matter what their religious beliefs are.

Its plausible that yes it could have been a Ritual killing, but done by someone who is deranged and picked up a book on magic or a bible. Rituals aren't solely Pagan, people in Christianity also perform some form of rituals. Cleansing and Blessing homes, Exorcisms, Baptizing Babies/People, leading a sermon/mass. Rituals aren't only about performing a spell, it could simply be to remind ones self of their deity or to bless people.

Not too long ago, there was a dreadful case in which a deranged young man who followed Christianity killed another young man who was in a Rock Band. This is because he believed that the band member was practicing Witchcraft due to their use of a Pentacle as a part of their logo. People who know the young man have made statements that he was also a Christian and had no ties to Witchcraft or any Pagan practices.

I bring this up because people are treating the killer as a deranged person and do not view him as a reflection or representation of the religion he followed. And yet, when it comes to a religious minority, if a case pops up caused by one or a small handful of individuals, they reflect and represent the entirety of that religious community. Blaming a religious minority for the actions of a few individuals is very biased caused by misinformation, ignorance, and lack of understanding of those minorities.

As mentioned in the Article, one of the victims was working for Homeland security. That is a dangerous job on its own, and if he was working in the field, its possible that someone who was being investigated decided to attack him after finding his information, and his family happened to be caught up in the matter. There are other plausible reasons aside from a deranged killer who decided to ritualistically kill a family.

My message to the "News" Media Outlets, it is your job to give the facts, not just the opinions. It is your job to do the research and inform the public, not spread false claims and fear. You have every opportunity to include research and factual information done along with sharing the comments from those being interviewed. News is supposed to be unbiased, it is allowed to share more than one side of what is being reported. I, as a viewer and reader of your News Reports, request and demand that proper Journalism is followed; that facts are reported along with opinions; and that the News remains unbiased and shares both sides.

What it means to live in Harmony with Nature

So many people constantly get the wrong idea when they hear or read the phrase "living harmoniously with nature" or "live in harmony with nature". They think that in order to do such things you HAVE to be vegetarian or vegan, that everything you HAVE to use is vegan and isn't of any animal product or byproduct.

For some reason, people have this idea that Nature is some happy fairytale place where everything lives in happy harmony. Or that, we must put ourselves above our natural instincts in order to better live in harmony with nature. Its this thought about putting ourselves above our instincts and the natural world that has lead us to the issues we have now.

Nature is anything but happy harmony. It is harmonious, but in a chaotic sense. Nature yes is loving, but also very cruel and harsh. Animals kill other animals, mostly for food, but sometimes sport or to just teach their offspring how to kill. Predators are NEEDED for the survival and health of an environment, of an ecosystem. Sometimes they fight, either to take charge and become the leader, or to gain new territories to better serve their pack/family.

If there were no predators, the animals that only eat vegetation would grow in numbers, eating more and more of the grass and other plants. It would become a world barren, with no vegetation what so ever. The earth would wash away due to there not being any roots to hold the soil in place, or be blown away when it hasn't rained and the soil is dry. The planet would become a wasteland with maybe only sea life surviving, and even then there would be issues.

Predators keep the plant eating population low, letting grass and other vegetation to grow back. Predators pick off the sick, which could be carrying an illness that could affect other animals, and the weak, which would allow the strong to pass on their genetics and make the species even stronger. Its like pruning a bush or a tree; you aren't doing it because you want control over it, you are doing it because it is healthy for the plant and makes it stronger.

As I stated in my blog To Be An Earth Warrior, I said that eating meat is a very natural thing to do. As humans, we are omnivores, like some bear species, we eat both vegetation and meat. If someone choose to be vegetarian or vegan that is their decision.

To live in harmony with nature means you have to be a part of nature. This means you also follow the laws of Nature. And the laws of nature are chaotic but necessary. Never take more than you can give, never take more than what is needed, never allow the negative impact on the ecosystem be greater than the positive impact.

If there are predators hunting too well, their numbers increase and the number prey shrink, which then would lead to the predators starving and shrink until the number of prey increases. If there are too many prey or predators, it could lead to the extinction of a or of many species. There is a delicate balance needed in order to keep species alive.

In order for nature to be as beautiful and as wondrous as it is, it must have these chaotic laws. So, if you wish to claim to live in harmony with nature, to be a part of nature, you cannot put yourself above nature and you must follow its laws. Otherwise, you are simply just living in nature.

What is in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet" - Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.

It is true, if we took a rose and gave it a new name it would smell all the same, but names have power, there is a reason we feel we must name things and give our newborn children names. It is so we may protect ourselves and our children for there is a name that holds such power it is dangerous to reveal to anyone else. For every one of us, we typically will have three names (maybe more) in our life times (I am specifically speaking about people who follow some sort of Spiritual path). There are reasons as to why this is the case, it is to protect us, to protect our very essence of being, to protect our souls/spirit. The three names we have in a life are as follows, Our Birth Name, Our Given Name, and Our True Name.

Everyone has the first and the third, we really don't have a choice in the matter, the second one sometimes we don't have a choice and sometimes we do.

Our birth name is obvious, its the one given to us typically at the time of our birth, it is the name we grow up with, it is the name we recognize the moment it is called out, it is a name close to our hearts and spirit. It is a name that both protects us and makes us vulnerable all in one fell swoop. The reason for this is because whether we like it or not we have attachment to the name, so when used in spell work, it is somewhat easy to be targeted when dealing with those who have a tendency to use more negative magicks. But it is also the first shield that is put up to hide our true selves, so in a way, its the barrier given to us with love so we still have our free will.

The second name is our Given Name, usually magick practitioners will choose a name to use in rituals, or sometimes it is given to us by spirit/gods/goddesses. This name can change from time to time depending on how our life changes or sometimes it will stay the same for the entire life. It is a name we identify with and holds power of pure protection, it allows us to work and stay shielded from outside influences. Sometimes when doing a ritual for taking a name, some may weave a spell around the name so no one can use it for harm against the name holder. It is our shield, our mask, our cloaks, it hides and protects us, and envelopes our being so our true name is truly hidden to the outside.

And lastly, there is our third name, our True Name (also known as a Soul Name or a Spirit Name or a Divine Name). This name is everything we were, are, and will become, it is our very essence of being, it is the heart of our souls/spirits. It is a very potent but also very dangerous tool, while it aids in empowering us, if ever heard by another, be it spirit or mortal, it could be used against us. To know your true name is usually found through feeling, it may take time or sometimes you might hear it at random, but what you will feel will tell you that it is you, it is your true name. If said by accident by another typically won't have effects aside from making us feel weird, due to them not focusing any intent on the name. But if someone where to use it against us, they could pretty much do what they want with us and bypass all barriers and shields, because they are attacking straight at the heart of our very being.

The true name never really changes from life to life, if something drastically changes us to such a depth then yes its possible, but otherwise that name will stick with your being till the end of time. If ever found you must guard it with everything you have, never tell it to another even if you think you can trust them, because people are unpredictable and we never know their true intentions or if they can truly keep a secret. If you ever find your life mate/soul mate, one may feel compelled to tell them, but even then use caution, and truly think about it. In the end it is your name and you will choose who you share it with, but you must always be careful. And if you do decide to share it, do it in a way no ears may eavesdrop and no eyes can pry, if you write it down burn it immediately after sharing, leave no physical record of the name.

So in the end, be careful with the names you pick, because if it feels a little too right, it may very well be a name not meant for the ears of others.