PostalPagan December, 2009

Tags: learning

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David J Mehling November, 2009

Learning in Adversity

How many of us have wished for a life that flowed smoothly, with no adversity?  At one time, I said a daily affirmation that asked for a life, “safe, secure and perfectly smooth.”  When I look back at my life, it is clear that I learned more during the rough times than the smooth ones.

While it is certainly less stressful when our lives are running smoothly, we also tend to become complacent, taking things for granted, and may even get lazy.  How many know Christians who attend church, read the Bible, or pray only when they or someone close to them are facing some crisis?  I’ve been as guilty as some other Pagans in being far more likely to work ritual and magick when faced with stress or an urgent need.  It is my opinion that this is just human nature, but we can use it to our advantage to focus on our spirituality.

If you become more spiritual in trying times, think about why this happens.  Does your faith sustain you at this time?  Do you feel that the gods are helping and protecting you?  Is the experience teaching you a spiritual lesson?  Does it cause you to turn to others who share your beliefs for comfort and/or requests for magickal assistance?  There is no reason for any of these to be restricted to times of trial; they can benefit all of us in good times as well as bad.

The loss of someone close to you is one of the most tragic experiences that a person can endure.  Some people lose their faith to their grief while others find that it sustains them when they feel that they just can’t go on.  I lost my 17 year old son in a drowning accident in 2005.  He was a spiritual seeker and we discussed Wicca/Paganism along with many other topics.  After such a loss, you can give up and die inside or find the strength to keep living.  Less than a year later, his mother and I filed for divorce.  She gave up and died three years after him, while I met a lady who brought love and joy for living to my daughter and I.  While his mother and I were driving to the spot on the Sandusky River where he was last seen, I had a vision.  In my mind’s eye, I saw a brilliant white light that would have blinded me on the physical plane.  Out of the light, I felt a sense of great wisdom, perfect love and compassion.  I heard a woman’s voice speaking firmly but with compassion, saying, “It’s OK, he’s with Me now.”  Then, it faded away and I knew that the Goddess had spoken to me, letting me know that my son had crossed over.  I had a similar experience in December 1984 when my grandmother was taken to the hospital following a heart attack, except the voice was male.  When my grief attacked my faith and I asked, “How could a just and loving god(dess) allow this to happen?” I recalled the visions and remembered how the Lady and Lord spoke to me when I lost two people so close to me.

A common obstacle among Pagans, especially youth, is having to hide their beliefs and practice in secret.  Some parents of young Pagans are understanding, accommodating and may even take the time to learn something about it themselves.  However, others forbid their children from following this path out of fear or misunderstanding.  I have read stories of youth who even in the face of parental opposition, found a way to learn and practice.  While I’m not advocating children defying their parents, this is an example of how adversity can make someone stronger in their faith and more determined to follow it.

I became Wiccan 15 years ago at age 33, but did not tell my first wife about it for ten years, which was a mistake.  Even though she thought it was “superstitious hooey”, she was upset that I hid something so important to me.  I was creative in finding ways to study and practice and once I was “out” to her, I slackened in my studies.  My second wife knew up front about my beliefs and found it was something that intrigued her.  She encourages me to learn, practice and seek out like minded people.  After a period where I was hit or miss, I took my path seriously again and attended two Pagan picnics in Indianapolis, one of them with her.  I wonder if it is just something in human nature that makes us more determined to do something when we are forbidden to do it, or at least think we are, than when we are given the green light to do it?

Pagans in prison definitely face obstacles, but are usually quite determined to learn and practice.  While by law they have the same freedom of religion as any other prisoner, getting that freedom is quite another matter.  I have read and heard news reports criticizing efforts to accommodate Pagan prisoners and know that Pagan clergy have faced obstacles and outright opposition in efforts to be prison chaplains.  There are safety concerns which cause items we take for granted such as an athame, wand, or candles to be prohibited to inmates.  It is difficult for them to obtain Pagan books and magazines and a lot of people are reluctant to donate items to prisoners or correspond with them.  About nine years ago, I had the opportunity to be a pen pal to a Pagan prisoner in California and found it to be an educational and rewarding exchange.  He was appreciative that someone on the “outside” took an interest in him and explained to me the difficulties in being allowed to participate in ritual  with other prisoners as well as the way they improvised replacements for banned items.  He told me how they were petitioning the Board of Prisons to allow Patrick McCollum to visit as a chaplain and later told me what a enthusiastic reception McCollum received once this request was granted.  We intelligently discussed topics related to our spirituality as well as his plans for a productive life once he was released.  The last letter I received from him came from a halfway house where he was out of prison but not yet released to freedom.  I certainly hope that freedom was the new life he so looked forward to.  Besides wanting a second chance at life, he always struck me as someone who was serious about his spirituality  and determined not to let anything keep him from it.  He certainly found a way in the face of adversity that most of us can only imagine.

If spirituality was something that occurred only during the good times, anyone could do it.  It is in the face of challenges that we show our true determination and in most of us they inspire us to take our faith more seriously and be more dedicated to it.  Adversity is a powerful teacher and motivator and in my opinion we should try just as hard in the easy times as the hard ones to get the most out of our spiritual path.

Tags: adversity, learning

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Blacksun September, 2009

Tags: 18, children, kids, learning, religion, teaching, teens

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David J Mehling May, 2009

The Accidental Teacher

After I wrote the last column, dreaming of a day when I could teach someone as I have been taught, it occurred to me that I have already done that.  I may not have conducted a class, lead a group or mentored someone, but I still have had teaching moments in which I helped another Pagan on their path or explained something about our ways to non Pagans.  On many occasions I have been an accidental teacher.

Soon after I started on this path, I noticed that some dictionaries included the word “devil” or “evil spirits” in their definition of the word witch.  I wrote to an organization called Pagan Educational Network when I found out they had embarked on a project to provide publishers of dictionaries and encyclopedias with accurate information on the meaning of the words “witch” and “Pagan”.  Even though they wrote back that the project had ended, I joined the group because they were involved in addressing misinformation.  This was the beginning of several years of me writing letters.

My pet project was the depiction of witches in the media. I would watch the TV listing and pore through magazines and newspapers for anything about witches, real or fictional.  At that time, witches were a popular theme in entertainment and we saw Sabrina and Charmed on TV and The Craft and Practical Magic at the movies.  (1) If a depiction struck me as particularly good or bad, I would write a letter praising, critiquing, or correcting depending on the situation.  The same reaction applied to news stories.  I was particularly pleased with a TV segment from Toledo where a high priestess talked about a dispute with neighbors over a backyard fire pit then answered questions from callers and an article in the Toledo Blade about two Pagan groups in nearby Ottawa County.  Someone from the Blade called to thank me for my comments and asked if I wanted my letter published as a letter to the editor.  Hopefully letters such as this encouraged the media to report on and depict us fairly and accurately.  Despite the growing acceptance of our ways, their were negative depictions.

I would of course point out the error of those who claimed we worshipped Satan or performed blood sacrifices.  I saw an article in a newspaper from Mississippi that matter of factly talked about African based Paganism, but next to it was an article that condemned Wicca as Satanic.  Undoubtedly the worst news story was in a weekly newspaper in suburban Toledo that used one of those “satanic cult experts” who Kerr Cuhulain used to write about in his column Exposing The Lies on www.witchvox.com as its source for information on Paganism.  It depicted our faith as a haven for psychotic teens bent on violence and destroying society.  I laughed at a quote from this supposed expert, “One minute they are rolling around on the ground naked, the next they are trying to kill someone,”  because a few weeks earlier on the spur of the moment during a late night Mabon ritual, I removed my clothes and lay skyclad on the dewy grass.  Killing someone was the last thing on my mind as I experienced spiritual bliss.  The letters I wrote to attack such lies at least let those responsible know we would not take it in silence.  I wrote to Pagan Educational Network as well so they could include my efforts in their newsletter so hopefully I inspired other Pagans.

I saw every letter I wrote as a learning experience both for the recipient and myself.  Also, I could be a voice for change.  Back in 1998, Camel cigarettes ran a magazine ad depicting three women around a table casting a revenge spell on the ex-boyfriend of one of them, with a poppet used as a pincushion and several books lying around, with the titles of two of them, both Pagan books, at least partially visible.  (2) I wrote a letter of protest joining about 5000 other Pagans which resulted in letters of apology from the company and the ad being pulled after only two weeks.  After a few years though, I became tired of letter writing and when I wrote to Nintendo complaining about a wicked witch in the game Banjo Kazooie, I knew I was taking this too seriously.  Who among us does not delight in the over the top portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West by Margaret Hamilton in the Wizard of Oz?

Not all my letters were concerning entertainment and news.  Before I had internet access, I wanted to communicate with other Pagans in other places, so I did it the old fashioned way, exchanging handwritten letters with pen pals.  I placed an ad in Circle Network News (now Circle Magazine) describing what areas interested me at the time.  I received almost a dozen responses, replying to every one.  Most never wrote me back, but I corresponded with three of them for a while.  As with each Pagan friendship, it was both a matter of teaching and learning.

There was a woman in Mississippi who went by the name Silver with whom I exchanged letters with ideas and stories of experiences for about a year.  I don’t remember much of what we talked about but she told me that when she used internet access at the local library, she was told that Pagan websites were inappropriate.  I encouraged her to find another way, and she was able to go to an Atheist friend’s home to use his computer.  The longest running pen pal was Deb from Virginia with whom I corresponded for about two years.  Besides exchanging ideas, we also taped Pagan music for each other, introducing each other to new bands.  Kurt was a Californian with whom I exchanged letters for about a year and a half.  When I met him, he was in prison, so I heard firsthand the difficulties that Pagan prisoners face trying to hold ritual, celebrate sabbats, obtain books, tools and supplies and receive visits from high priests.  A lot of people are wary of contact with prisoners, but my experience was rewarding and he was eager to learn and make a fresh start in life.  Just to be safe, I used a PO box, but I did that with all my pen pals.  The last time he wrote me, he was on parole in a halfway house and excited about the future.  We had intelligent discussions and I want to share an excerpt from a letter I wrote him.

“Your letter raised some interesting points and certainly has me thinking.  One of the challenging things about being Pagan is that it requires one to think and examine personal beliefs in the light of reality and experience, rather than memorize the “party line”.  The points you touch upon remind me of those who ponder what relevance a “fertility religion” can have in a day when family planning is the norm.  The problem lies in a literal definition of the concepts of harvest and fertility.  As you explained, in the past, a sufficient harvest was essential to the survival of the tribe, as well as having children and both farm and hunted animals having young.  No amount of technology will ever negate the fact that we still depend on the Earth for survival and what we do to the Earth eventually returns to us.  In 1988, we saw crops wither and die in the fields when it didn’t rain for about ten weeks and a few years ago, fields along Lake Erie and the nearby Sandusky River were flooded by sudden heavy rains.  While it is true that nobody starved because of these events, as would have happened in the past, Mother Nature will always have the last word.  It could even be argued that the marinas, resorts, condos, and Cedar Point amusement park in this area are dependant on a good annual “crop” of tourists.”

I have sadly forgotten what I discussed with Pagans I met via the mail or online, but I remember one well.  Deb from Tennessee posted a message on a board saying that she had been told that a witch had to buy all their magickal tools before attempting ritual and spend a lot on them.  She was asking if this was true.  I posted a reply that this was not true as it was not necessary to have all tools up front and the price had nothing to do with their effectiveness.  My chalice was a glass goblet I bought one Yuletide at a fast food restaurant for 99 cents, my wand a stick from my yard, and I had several items that I found or had been given to me.  I summed it up by saying,  “Your tools are merely the means, props as it were; the magick is in you, not them.”  She thanked me for my help and we have remained in contact, although infrequently now, ever since.  She returned the favor by offering my son and I advice when he informed me he was gay, as she is a lesbian.  She also gave me a shoulder to cry on when my son passed away and when my first marriage fell apart.  Pay attention in your day to day life and I bet that you too will find that you are an accidental teacher.

Footnotes

(2) Pagan Passion http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.03.98/pagans-9835.html

Tags: how to, learning, mentor, New, teaching

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ShyOwl January, 2009

The first thing you need to do once you begin your journey with the Fool is be certain that you want to. There is a great deal of responsibility that comes with the path of the reader regardless of the tool you use for it. Whether you are reading for yourself or others, you must be flexible and willing to listen to your intuition. There must be an understanding that the meaning of the cards can change as you feel it. Listening to your inner voice is the first step in learning to be an effective reader.

Secondly, you must realize that as you read for others, you are unintentionally counseling them. You are responsible to ensure that the person you are reading for understands that they maintain power over their lives no matter what it says in the reading. For example, if the reading shows illness through addiction (7 of swords in combination with the Devil card) “You would then say to them, the devil card is self doubt, self destruction and often it shows addictions, coming with the 7 of swords, this is illness resulting from that addiction, but you can control that by changing your choices and taking control of your lower energies.”  As a psychicbitch.com reader, I am not a fan of sugar coating and fully support telling it like it is, however, giving harsh information in plain terms is not the same as stripping someone of their power.  Ultimately, your goal should be to plant seeds of healing to your client, not seeds of further dependence and fear.

Thirdly, I think it is really crappy when a reader ends a session deliberately with unanswered questions, to ensure a return visit. Abide by the time, yes, but don’t bait your client. A reading is also good for about 3 months so encouraging weekly readings is also, in my opinion, unethical. When people are in a space of fear or grief, they are going to look for any comfort they can find and if your gift is mediumship, connection to their lost loved one is the ultimate comfort. To exploit this for your profit is wrong and it is the kind of action that gives all readers a bad name.

Which leads me into my final soap box point for this article, making the choice to charge for readings should not be taken lightly. There are many spaces that do not allow it so be sure that it is legal to charge for a reading where you are. You also need to be certain that you know your craft before you begin public work. Think about that, how would you feel if you paid 20 or 30 bucks for a reading and the reader was dependant upon the little book that comes with the deck? I would be highly upset myself. If you have a client who is too broke to smile, bartering is a wonderful tool, use it. Bartering is a great way to bring things into your life you might not otherwise have. I have a client that is a massage therapist and we trade Reiki for massage. That is a wonderful gift that I would not otherwise afford for myself. The amount that you charge is between you and your guides.

For a long time I was opposed to the clock, but I am now finding that it is a necessary tool to prevent you from being taken advantage of. It also ensures that all of your clients receive the same amount of time, leaving no one to feel slighted.

If you have a deck then you already know that it is divided into two sections. The Major Arcana, which is the Fools journey through life and the Minor Arcana which covers the many emotions and situations that the Fool will encounter during that journey.  To understand this journey, you must first understand the symbolism that comes with the tarot and to support this a bit of its history.

When and where did tarot develop? That is a great question on which no one seems to be able to agree. In this instance the distant history, in my opinion, is not as important as the contemporary history. Most every deck that you pick up today carries the influence of two men. hur Edward Waite and Aleister Crowley.  A.E. Waite initiated the drift of tarot symbolism from a deep Christian influence to a more approachable one. The artistry of Pamela Coleman provides the framework for most artistry in all decks. Here we see the addition of many of the symbols that we will discuss later on. The Waite deck also places more emphasis on the details in the minor Arcana and brought us the basic numbering system we use today. Aleister Crowley, being a twisted but darkly brilliant man, incorporated Egyptian symbolism as well as blatant subconscious dream like references into tarot. The Thoth tarot is brimming with Egyptian references which should come of no surprise since Thoth is an Egyptian God.

Finding the deck that will resonate with you is a very personal act. I do not aspire to the thought that the only way a deck will speak to you is if it is gifted to you. Your friends energies will be different from yours so there is no one better to choose for you than you. For me, picking a deck to work with is much like choosing a new stone for your energy work. It not only has to feel right but also needs to be asthetically appealing, allowing you to connect with the symbolism of the card.

Storing your deck is also up to you. You will find advice from the very formal and ritualistic, to the laid back and non challant. I am more of the second variety. I keep all my cards jammed into the same wooden box with a few sage leaves and a moonstone. My guides know that I just don’t have it in me to be planned and organized so they work with me. You need to trust that your guides will work with you as well. No worries. The trick to Tarot as well as any divination path is to find what works for you, not what someone tells you should work for you.

If you would like to learn more about tarot please drop by my website where workbooks and mini workshops are available. www.shyowl.net

Tags: Divination, learning, reading, tarot

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Witch1979 November, 2008

A Green Religion

One of the main aspects that drew me to learning about Wicca is that is an earth-based spiritual practice.  Honor and respect for our planet is now more important than ever as we hurtle ever faster towards a worldwide environmental crisis.  Though of course it is not impossible to both care for the environment and follow a traditional Western religion or other path, earth-based practices differ in that they shift the focus of what constitutes the sacred.  Wicca does not view the earth as a mere residence or a set of resources.  To many she is the very Goddess herself: Gaia.  Her green limbs extend upward to mingle with the light of the God as sun.  Together their forces combine to produce and support all forms of life as we know them.  Within the kingdoms of life are the plants and animals.  As Starhawk details beautifully in her book The Earth Path, “the green things give off oxygen, which the breathers use in burning food. Gaia [begins] to breathe, passing her breath back and forth from red to green….”  In the interdependent dance of our planet Wiccans see the revealing of the divine.

This alignment of the sacred with nature has a number of repercussions for our place in the world.  When you see the environment as sacred it becomes impossible to rationalize earth-destructive behaviors.  The question changes from “why should I recycle?” to “why wouldn’t I recycle?”  It also relieves the feeling of alienation that comes from seeing the world around us as a collection of inanimate objects.  We suddenly realize that the earth speaks to us constantly if we have the ears to listen.  We do not have to be separate; our very bodies cry to us that we are as much a part of nature as the trees and the birds.  The illusion that we are somehow separate or above our physical being is part of the teachings of mainstream Western religion and Platonic philosophy.  Wicca instead embraces the idea that mind, body and soul are united, and as such our spiritual self is no higher than our physical self.  Physicality is celebrated and sex held as sacred.  It ends the war between our rational minds and our sometimes irrational bodies that can refuse to conform to our wills.  Following the lessons of the elements health is achieved through balance, without stigma for allowing our natural needs their place.

Tied into this sacredness of the earth is a core idea that distinguishes Wicca from many other paths: immanence.  Many of us grew up with the idea that God is a being above common existence and separate from it.  This is the definition of a transcendent deity.  At first this makes sense since we usually distinguish between things we hold sacred versus the common everyday.  Yet immanence does not conflict with what is sacred, it implies that what is here and present in the physical world is the sacred.  This is radically different from more traditional conceptions of what God may be.  This re-thinking of the world around us allows us to care about and show reverence towards our planet and all forms of life.  We are never alone; rather we are a part of a world much larger than ourselves, where we play out our lives and affect all of those around us as cells in a greater organism.  Earth-centered paths allow us to embrace what makes us part of this world, and hold that world up as something worthy of our devotion.

Journal for the Month of October:

When I sat down to write an article on nature the first thing that struck me was the realization that I hardly ever get outside.  I mean yes I go outside to get into my car to drive to work in the morning.  I’m outside on the walk in to the building.  I reverse that at the end of the day, and you know what?  I am sad to say that is pretty much it!  I have a nice view of local trees from my office window, but stale recycled air is no competition for a fresh breeze.  I realized I hardly even open my car windows when I’m driving.  It’s like living in a strange, artificial world with glimpses of a beautiful, green natural landscape on the other side.

So in keeping with the theme of the environment, I took the opportunity to go on a guided nature walk at a local park.  It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend tours by Wild Man Steve Brill (for those in the North East U.S.).  He teaches basic foraging skills and knowledge of local plants and their uses.  Being outside for a lengthy period of time for the first time in years I was ecstatic.  I was also pooped by the end of it.  Yet I would do it again in a heartbeat, and I relish the time I spent re-learning to enjoy being in nature.  Eating raspberries fresh off the stem, and finding that wood sorrel tastes like lemonade…  Not to mention learning to distinguish one green plant from another, or enjoying lunch in a field under a clear blue sky…  Such simple pleasures really, but ones that if we only took the time we could enjoy freely.

Caring about the planet and the environment is an important first step, but it is also important to re-engage with the natural world many of us left behind in childhood.  To truly value and fight for something it helps to know it in more than an intellectual way.  This month taught me to remember to get myself back outside when I can, and connect with the God and Goddess in the natural world.

Until next month, blessed be! )O(

Tags: Advice, intro, learning, New

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Administrator June, 2006

(Author’s Note: Read this only if you consider laughter a sincere form of worship!)



     I looked in the yellow pages for a Pagan public school. I didn’t find any. Not one. But I did find a variety of metaphysical bookstores and magical supply shops. I went to a few of these stores. And there on the book shelf, I found all the secrets of the universe. Soft-cover, only $9.99.      

     So now I can do it by the book! I tried calling the four directions, but it took me so long to memorize the exact words verbatim. I tried purifying my sacred space, but I couldn’t pronounce all those ceremonial words. (It was some kinda foreign language; it sounded like what my Uncle Irving and Aunt Sadie used to yell when the old station wagon wouldn’t start.) I tried meditating too, but by the time I got comfortable enough, it was time to flip the cassette tape over. I’d like to just say a simple prayer to the Goddess, but I didn’t get to that chapter in the book yet, so I guess I’ll have to wait.      

     I went back to the store and the person there said that I wasn’t using the right color candle. In fact, I needed not just one candle — but 72 candles! (This is to balance the numerological energy between my magical name, the phase of the Moon, the exact weight in grams of my silver jewelry, as well as the last four digits on my Visa card.) And incense. I needed incense. And charcoal. "Don’t forget to have extra charcoal," they all warned me.      

     So when I did my ritual, I lit all my 72 candles and filled my hibachi FULL of charcoal. 91 packages. (13 for each chakra.) And incense too. I lit the whole pack! Purple Moonbeam Aquarian Sage Ritual Incense. (This is just a code name. I can’t find out the REAL ingredients until after a year and a day.) And oil. I poured in a whole bottle of Peace-Giving Psychic Wisdom Oil. (It’s lower in cholesterol than even Canola Oil!)      

     Well, in a past life, I must’ve blown out a candle instead of snuffing it — because the Fire Elementals got REAL mad. Whooof!!! Between all my candles and all the fumes from my charcoal and incense and oil and stuff, I barely had enough breath to dial 911. The ambulance driver said I had smoke inhalation and was lucky to be alive. (Gee, my first healing spell!)      

     After all of this, I looked at things a bit differently. I used my books as ONE way to learn from the ideas of others. Many of the authors were very thought-provoking and understanding several different view points helped me form my own opinions. I decided that I could learn from the books AND still do what felt right, for me, and for the moment. While I am very lucky to have freedom of the press, I realized that the greatest book of all is NOT for sale. It is written deep within us all, by a very special Author, and every day we turn a new page. I also found that the Old ways would speak to me through Nature, the birds singing, or the thunderstorms, or even that big ol’ tree behind the Post Office.      

     And now when I shop for the few things I use in rituals, I do it very carefully. I realized that SOME of the people selling me stuff, were just that — people selling me stuff! But others were more sincere about their vocation. They seemed more like teachers and mentors, rather than Retail Clergy. After a while, it was easy to tell the difference.      

     I stopped worrying about saying all the RIGHT words to call the Elements or to purify the Circle, and just spoke from my heart instead. I also discovered that once I stopped trying to use the exact verbatim words, that I could actually THINK about what I was saying, and WHY it was being said. I like that much better!      I even tried new things, like facing the Lake out back, or the maybe the Ocean, instead of always facing West for Water. It just feels right, like politely facing somebody when you speak to them in person. I guess facing West made sense for folks back in England, but where I live Water is someplace else! And instead of burning a green candle for Earth, I used a little cup of soil from my garden. Any candle — even a green one — is still Fire. But there are lots of stuff that, to me, FEEL more like Earth.      

     And when I think about the Goddess, I just call Her "The Goddess." That’s it. No elaborate names that I don’t fully understand, no historical baggage from all the wars and stuff in the mythology books. Just "The Goddess." And when I think about the God, He’s just "The God." I know They both love me, no matter what phase of the Moon, and even if I’m not dressed in black.      

     I’m not exactly sure how to do magic, but I did find that there are PLENTY of stuff I do every day, without all the hocus-pocus, that are very magical already. Today I sent my sick friend a Get Well card. (Gee, is that a healing spell too?) And last night, I said a simple thank you before eating dinner. And the night before that, when I took a hot shower, I visualized myself washing away all my tension and stress. Ahhh. Now THAT was magic!

     Maybe someday, I’ll even write these ideas in my own book. Soft-cover, only $9.99.

     

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.     

Tags: anthony, Author Interviews & Reviews, learning, link

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