Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Toni Morrison Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Toni Morrison:


All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.




There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Galina Krasskova

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Courtney for her wonderful interview of last week. I very much enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith.
Thanks so much for sharing with us Courtney!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Galina Krasskova.
Galina is a Heathen and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Galina Krasskova's Introduction:


Galina Krasskova is a Heathen priest and Northern Tradition shaman. She holds a Masters in Religious Studies from New York University, and is currently pursuing a second MA in Classics. She also has certification in interfaith ministry through The New Seminary. As both a shaman, a devotee of Odin, and a fervent ancestor worker, Ms. Krasskova’s primary focus is on reclaiming Northern indigenous spiritual traditions and furthering devotional practice within her community. She is the author of several books, including “Exploring the Northern Tradition,” and “Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner.” She may be contacted at krasskova@gmail.com.
my blog is http://krasskova.weebly.com/blog.html.

1) What religion do you practice?
I am Heathen. That means I practice the polytheistic and animist religion of my Northern European ancestors.


2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised Catholic but I left the Church at 12. Then I read and studied and worked hard at extricating myself from monotheism. When I was 19 I had an intense personal experience – out of the blue- with the Goddess Sekhmet. She took me in hand and eventually, through very roundabout means, this led to my being given over to Loki and eventually Odin, who owns me.
There was no ritual necessary for conversion. It was only a matter of learning the discipline of devotion and of working hard to rid myself of the filters of monotheism with which I had been raised. That’s really the hardest part about returning to one’s indigenous practices.
3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
I believe there are. Contemporary Heathenry has a number of different denominations, none of whom agree on the proper way to do things. But even within each denomination you see folks who just want to do the occasional ritual and have as little to do with the Gods as possible, and those who throw themselves into devotion. We even have our shamans, spiritworkers, mystics and God-owned, though this is highly controversial.
4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am a shaman and godslave owned by Odin and in serve to several Gods. I’m about as observant as one can get. I didn’t choose it. It was chosen for me. It’s part and parcel of being owned by a God. I chose to love Odin and to serve Him and the other Gods. The depth and degree of my observance flowed from that and, in order to serve well, is a necessary component to it.
5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
We have several options within Heathenry. Most people who do not die in battle will go to Helheim, the realm of the Goddess Hela who nourishes and nurtures the dead. Those who die in battle are divided between the Goddess Freya and the God Odin. Those who serve a specific God may go to that Deity’s hall. And then there’s reincarnation. I think that the soul has options after death but I don’t pretend to understand how that works. I know that some people stay around to look after their descendants, some reincarnate…how and why, I don’t *need* to know. My job, my option if you will is to honor the dead.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Um, I can’t answer this question because we don’t have a concept of heaven or paradise in the way I think you mean.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
That makes it sound far too much as though it is a matter of convenience. It isn’t. Convenience has nothing to do with spiritual engagement. However, Heathenry is a good fit for me because I love Odin with every breath of my being. He is my all. I love the Gods and Goddesses and to serve Them is a joy.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We have roughly eight holy days: Winternights, to honor our ancestors, Winter solstice/Yule, Charming of the Plough in February to bless the land and our creative endeavors, Ostara/Eostre/Spring Equinox, Walpurgisnacht in May, , Litha/Summer Solstice, Lammas, a harvest holiday, Mabon/autumnal Equinox.

Sometimes I will gather with friends and co-religionists and we will hold a ritual in honor of the Gods that rule over a particular holiday. Often we will make special offerings to the Gods, the land spirits, and our ancestors. We celebrate, usually with ritual, always with devotion. It varies from kindred to kindred, person to person, house to house.


9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
That really depends on the individual person. I wouldn’t exclude someone from becoming a friend because of their faith.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, provided my Gods had no problem with it. In fact, I have done so before. This is the beauty of polytheism: we have many Gods and it’s no “sin” if you will, to be respectful to one outside of one’s personal devotional practices. Sometimes, it is a matter of hospitality: if I am invited by a colleague to attend a ritual that is important to them, I usually will. Sometimes it is a matter of a particular life event, like a funeral or wedding of someone outside of my faith. If I am invited then it is appropriate to attend. I may not participate in prayers that advocate monotheism, but I will be respectful in my behavior.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
It is yet one more example of the poison of monotheism in action. It’s sad and misguided.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it? Yes, of course they are. I think that gender is largely irrelevant to religious competency.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, not that I have ever heard of. Nor do I see why one would. There is nothing in what survives of our sacred stories to advocate racism.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My religion, and the fact that I am owned by a God and in service to Others impacts every single moment of every day. I live and breath that service. My having returned to my indigenous ways affects every aspect of my life. Indigenous connection is the filter through which I see the world and that certainly impacts such issues as abortion or marriage equality. I have worked long and hard with the help of my Gods and ancestors, to strip away the filter of post modernism and monotheism. I think I’ve been relatively successful.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
That would depend on what religion his/her spouse was. If it was another polytheist, I would have no problem with that. If it was a monotheism, I’d be incredibly angry. I would view it as an offense to the Gods, spitting in the eye of the ancestors, all those ancestors who fought the destruction of their indigenous ways against the spread of monotheism. I do not believe I would be able to welcome my child into my house again. I would grieve.
“but I don’t have or plan to have children so for me, this question is really moot.”
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. we do not have any concept of ‘hell’ as there is in Christianity.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
We do not have any one person who is qualified to speak for our religion publicly. There is no centralized authority---thank the Gods. Each devotee may speak from his or her heart about the nature of our faith. We may not all agree of course, but there’s no one authority. In my religion, there are people who would like to silence me and my colleagues because the concept of engaged devotional practice is very frightening to them. it challenges their worldview. It challenges their idea of themselves as the center of their devotional universe. There is no religious authority however by which they might condemn us. We are free, bound only to our Gods, not the egotism of any human being in power.
And while not everyone may have the level of devotion (or indeed any devotional consciousness at all) that doesn’t mean that they are not Heathen. We learn and grow every day in our faith, hopefully. The only person who can tell someone that he or she is not Heathen would be the Gods Themselves. That doesn’t mean that people in the community won’t *try*, but they have no legitimate right or recognized religious authority to do so.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes. Right now I am the recipient of a campaign of hate and slander throughout large swaths of the Heathen community because I advocate engaged spirituality and because I believe that there is a place for shamans and mystics. Lies have been told about me and my colleagues. We’ve received death threats. We are targeted in private and public online groups and our reputations have been smeared and slandered. So it goes. It’s nothing that the visionaries of every faith haven’t encountered one way or another in the past. It is, however, a hate crime.
On a purely mundane level, I was once walking arm in arm with my adopted mother and we were targeted by three thugs, who assumed we were gay and started yelling homophobic slurs at us. I informed them they were about to have a *very* bad day and they backed off. Once, when I worked at Barnes and Noble, my office was vandalized by another employee and a small image of one of my Gods that I had there destroyed, and bibles left piled up on my chair. Those are the only examples I can think of right now.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Those within the religion who are hostile to the idea of engaged spirituality devalue me, my Gods: never.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. Being in service to the Gods is a joy.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes. It makes sense.
Besides, I have strong memories of other lives and, as a diviner, one who can read the threads of wyrd: causality/consequence/being/fate, I can sometimes see connections to other lives.


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

C.S. Lewis

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by C.S. Lewis:


You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.



There is a new interview coming up Saturday so be sure to check back!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Courtney


Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Ian Crossland for his wonderful interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us all Ian!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Courtney. Courtney is a Buddhist and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Courtney's Introduction:


I am thirty-one years old and live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was raised in a Christian environment and have been generally encouraged to think for myself. I’ve enjoyed talking about religion since I was twelve years old, and have often felt like an outsider because of that! After high school, I was a nanny for a family that practiced Judaism. During that time I went to meetings about theosophy. I also explored existentialism and atheism during this time. Later in college and afterwards, I practiced Christianity, following along with my then-husband’s religion. Afterwards, I explored Buddhism and practiced meditation. I spent last year teaching in a private Islamic school. So I like to think that these experiences have exposed me to many different religions and perspectives on life; I’m so grateful to have had the opportunities to explore these different outlooks on life! I blog at http://tosomeonelikeminded.blogspot.com.



1) What religion do you practice?
I’m not sure I would say I practice a religion—I’m a very lazy religious practicioner—but I consider my religion to be a mix of Buddhism, Christianity, and atheism. I would probably say that I’m a practicing Buddhist because I meditate and try to bring myself to the present moment whenever I notice that I’ve lost that moment. Buddhism probably encompasses my viewpoint, but I feel very uncomfortable calling myself a Buddhist because then I either feel pretentious or ignorant.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised in a Christian church and I converted to existentialism in high school. After high school, I spent some time studying theosophy. Then I went back to believing in Christianity. That period lasted a while and then I began practicing meditation and Buddhist principals in my late twenties. Right now I find a lot of reassurance through Buddhism, and I go to a Methodist church when the mood strikes. I also have fun believing that it’s all absurd (most of the art I love arises from thinking about life’s absurdity). I’ve done a lot of sifting through ideas that I once loved and came to reject and then loving ideas I used to reject (oftentimes over and over again). I think, in all, I’ve converted to allowing myself to let religion take the role I want it to take (and not the role I think it should take, based on my background, beliefs, etc.). So, I do think religion is important because, to me, religion is how we are framing our worldview.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Oh, you have to be a radical observer if you’re going to do religion this way! Pema Chodron writes that you should stick with one boat (one religion) because you’re going to find what you need no matter what you observe. I’ve decided that my boat is my own boat; and if you’re going to stick with your own thing, then you need to be critical and heartfelt about everything that comes your way. I think that’s a radical and liberal process.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I chose this radical observance because I think it’s the only way that makes sense to me. I tend to think that Orthodox and conservative views stick to what a book says or what clergy say. I can’t put a lot of belief in books or people because meaning is so slippery and both, in my opinion, are fallible. So I choose to be liberal because I think it’s a way to think for myself and agree or disagree with things that come my way.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I have no idea what happens. I know that our body particles will find their way into the Earth again; I know my body is made up of various other particles. As for the spirit, I just simply don’t know. I love the idea of reincarnation. I don’t really believe in a reward/punishment system, other than the concept of reaping what one sows. But I haven’t really found a direct relationship between reaping and sowing—usually things are more complex.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
When I was young, I heard the phrase that we make our own heaven and we make our own hell. As a kid, I took this to mean that my heaven didn’t have to be a boring place, like church made it out to be. As I’ve gotten older, I see that we don’t have to wait until we die to have a heaven or hell. So I do think everyone makes it into heaven here on Earth; or they don’t and they make their own existence a hell. In such cases, I think this makes someone closer to heaven because you learn (eventually, I believe) another way to exist in your world. I do believe that everyone makes their own world however they want it to be. And I don’t believe that any form of afterlife is going to exclude some people.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Well, I need a religion that is smart because there are religions that ask its adherents to take certain texts literally. A literal view of many religious tracts mean that women, for one, are subservient—I refuse that position. A literal view frequently means, too, that there are loads of contradictions that people don’t know how to sift through and they do so without logic. I don’t think religion is a logical thing, but I do think logic is a type of religion. So I need a religion that can support all aspects of my rational and emotional sides; I need a religion that promotes curiosity and values the material world without taking that world too seriously.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I really like Lent and the idea of doing without in order to prepare for a rebirth. I try giving up something little so I can observe my patterns of responding to the world. I love Easter for its symbolism, but I don’t do much to celebrate—maybe cook a nice meal. I enjoy celebrating Christmas with my family; everyone has his/her own views and we’ll read the Bible before opening presents. Now that I’m taking time thinking of this, pretty much any holy day involves eating an involved meal. Maybe food is my first religion?!

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I would have to or I would have no friends!

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, and I think it’s very exciting to do so. I’ve had the privilege to nanny for a Jewish family, and I enjoyed celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah with them. While teaching at an Islamic school, and I tried my hand at fasting during Ramadan and then celebrating during Eid. I celebrate Christmas, and I don’t generally feel like an insider during that holiday. I like when others are excited about something, so in this sense it’s fun to be around different faiths during holy days. I like learning why others would do things.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think the burqa is different from the hijab, which covers a woman’s hair, but not the face, like the burqa does. Even before war in Afghanistan began, a fellow undergrad wore a burqa to raise awareness about the Taliban and what women in Afghanistan faced. During one talk, she let us take turns wearing the burka, and I was horrified by how it felt. It was heavy and I felt invisible. I know I have a Western perspective, but I think burqas are repressive and I think they should be discouraged.

Where I worked, all Muslim girls/women needed to veil once they were in the fifth grade. I think if the goal is to promote female modesty, then this is (frankly) a poor practice because women still look beautiful in a hijab and there are still ways to decorate your garments to distinguish yourself from other women. I don’t think it should be mandatory for girls or women to wear the veil; I think it should be a choice. I see some girls who struggle with their hijab—they hate it! And I know plenty of women who embrace the veil. I just think putting choice at the forefront of the issue is what’s important.

In America, I think fretting over Shariah Law is asinine. I think it’s pure fear of Islam and Middle Eastern cultures. Oklahoma, where I live, had a vote on outlawing Shariah Law; I found this embarrassing and a waste of money, which is always on the forefront of political conservatives’ lips, but not their practices (in my opinion). I’m not knowledgeable about Shariah Law, but I know it’s not going to supersede any local, state, or federal laws.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
I don’t think we should trust systems that discriminate on the basis of gender. It’s real hard to believe a system that tells me and/or shows me that men can do things I can’t. From my own experience I see that men are no more special than women—I honestly don’t think this should have to be said in 2012! While I was married, I was part of a Christian denomination that had just, in the ‘70s, allowed women to hold office. It was interesting to see these arguments in comparison to their discussion on whether openly gay individuals should hold office.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
There is gender segregation where I worked, and I didn’t like it. That’s just my opinion, though, and I understand arguments for and against gender segregation. I think segregation doesn’t allow those in positions of power to learn as much as they otherwise could. And this ignorance affects everyone, sometimes to a very detrimental end.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I have long been for abortion and gay marriage, and I couldn’t understand my Christian friends telling me that I was wrong for believing in these things. This is partly what turns me against Christianity. Religion very much affects my everyday life. I try to approach everything with a sense of gratitude. I try to worship by smiling and by being in the moment. I try to end my own suffering and to promote happiness and joy. I very much feel that there is something larger than myself at work in the world, and I feel comforted by this thought. But I know that even if there was nothing larger than me that I would still want to live my life the way I’m living it now. It’s difficult for me to make decisions and so when I put happiness first, things become easier. That’s how my religion works in my life.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I would be bummed if I had a child who was a conservative adherent to a religion. And if s/he was marrying into a conservative faith, I would worry that s/he wasn’t making her/his own decisions. Similarly, if I had a child who didn’t have some thoughts about religion, I might worry that I raised a selfish person.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I think heaven and hell is what we make of it. I’m less concerned about what might happen in the future compared to what is actually happening right now. And, right now, many people are suffering, and I think that’s a hellish existence. There are many ways out of that type of existence, and I believe everyone should have the right to find out what works for them.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I think a whole bunch of Christians aren’t practicing in loving each other or in turning the other cheek. I don’t think there are a whole lot of people speaking up for mixing together a bunch of religious practices. I see many atheists who profess to not believe in anything, but then pursue that idea with some vigor . . . I tend to think that their denial of a god becomes their religion. I also see some Buddhists who talk a good talk, but don’t put into practice what they say, either. But I don’t really hear Buddhists talking about how others should live their lives, and I respect that fact. I look up to religious thinkers like Pema Chodron and Thich Naht Han. And I look up to good writers and musicians—that’s probably where I draw my main source of religious fulfillment!

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
I have had people not talk to me because they disagreed with my views. But I haven’t had crimes committed against me. Unless ignorance could be classified as a crime--I’ve had a lot of that thrown my way (but probably not intentionally)!

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?

When it does, then I change my views. I can’t believe in some things Paul has said about women, for example. When something feels bad or dumb to me, then I am learning to devalue it and find something that feels better and promotes my true nature.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes and no. I think it’s important to find peace of mind and I think the pursuit of that is a religious pursuit. I think not having peace of mind is a good place from which to seek out some peace. I don’t ever feel content or that I know all aspects of my religion, but I find that comforting because it’s a sign I’m still growing.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I do believe in reincarnation partly because it’s a fun belief to hold. Sometimes I imagine what other lives I may have lived in order to explain the life I have now. This helps me learn why I do some things I do. It helps me make some sense out of what is, really, either a completely absurd or absolutely lucky life! I like to think of doing my best now so that I can get even more out of my next life. I’d hate to screw things up for me in the future! Basically I think reincarnation is a fun mind game and it promotes a positive morality. I don’t really think it matters a whole lot whether or not we can prove reincarnation exists. It doesn’t hurt me to believe in reincarnation—in fact, I think it helps a lot.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Emily Carr Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Emily Carr:


Perfectly ordered disorder designed with a helter-skelter magnificence.


There's a new interview coming on Saturday so be sure to check back!



Saturday, February 11, 2012

Ian Crossland

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Emberlyn Rayne for her very interesting and enjoyable interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Emberlyn!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Ian Crossland. Ian is a Mathematics and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Ian Crossland's Introduction:


I've been in the entertainment industry for 11 years or so, having gone to college for theatre before that and doing theatre since I was about 15. I'm mainly in to science, but seem to constantly be drawn to the entertainment media. I do believe all faiths are connected, at this point at least, through science. String theory fascinates me. I'm from Ohio, moved to and lived in New York, Chicago and LA (where I am currently based).

http://www.iancrossland.net
http://www.youtube.com/iancrossland



1) What religion do you practice?
No religion, body health. Mathematics, I suppose.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was "baptized" at a Christian church camp awkwardly in 5th grade. More coerced in to saying I took Jesus in to my heart than anything. My mother was raised Catholic and my father was raised Lutheran but we never (maybe once, but I don't think so) went to church as a family. They sent me to a Methodist youth group from 6th grade to 8th grade.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
If science is a religion. I still have a feeling in some years people will look at modern day science as archaic. I try not to act violently but there is a time and a place for everything it seems.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am very liberal and open to other view points. I suppose I choose to be liberal with my views because it makes sense that what other people believe is real to them and so real to me.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I think the energy leaves the body, like a swarm of insects dissipating. I'm not sure if there is intelligence within the energy field after the body dies.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I think heaven is a state of mind that exists while we are alive and that everyone is touched in to it.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Science makes sense literally. Numbers are reliable, no matter what religion you are.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I think celebration should happen to reflect on something good that happened. Not for arbitrary dates. Especially when the world is as fucked up as it is now. It sickens me to watch people celebrate and not know why.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
If they are cool.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yeah. A party's a party.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I'm not familiar with it.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes, women are as important and intelligent as men.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Not consciously, there are men/women issues throughout society though and probably many of them deep rooted and unseen.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I think math speaks for itself. It affects everything I do. Sometimes I let emotions take over because I've found that math works in two ways.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
That would be fine.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. I think hell is a state of mind that everyone experiences on earth.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Scientists. Ed Witten formed M-Theory and seems to know what he is talking about. Though admittedly, no one knows for sure.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
I have been verbally abused for speaking my opinion on Youtube for years.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No. People seem to listen in awe when I explain that math is my religion.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. Then I go insane with all the possibilities.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I think the energy field animates matter. The energy in you is always passing through and changing though. Your physical matter degrades in to the ground and probably ends up in other creatures. I don't know if the mind reactivates.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale aka Big Edie:

The cat’s going to the bathroom right in back of my portrait. I’m glad he is. I’m glad somebody’s doing something they want to do.



There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Huge Thanks!

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

I wish to thank ymr participants:

Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy, Christopher Darren Horn, Heather Cardin, Manuel Araujo, Helio Pires, H. Jeremiah Lewis and Emberlyn Rayne.


Thank you all for your wonderful contributions to this blog! Your interviews were insightful and interesting and I loved learning and reading each of your answers. Thank you so much for participating! You are all very much appreciated.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Emberlyn Rayne

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank H. Jeremiah Lewis for his wonderful and interesting interview of last week. It was great to learn more of your faith. Thanks so much for sharing with us!

This week we have a new interview so please welcome Emberlyn Rayne. Emberlyn is a Wiccan and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Emberlyn Rayne's Introduction:


Merry meet!!
My name is Emberlyn Rayne and I am a 30-something stay-at-home mother of 3 witchlets living with my husband in Ontario, Canada.
I am Wiccan - a solitary eclectic domestic Witch would be the best way to describe my path.
I can be found on line at:
http://momsawitch.blogspot.com
http://practicalmagick.net
http://www.facebook.com/thepracticalmagick


1) What religion do you practice?

Wicca. I am an Eclectic Wiccan - which simply means I incorporate both traditional and newer Wiccan practices into my beliefs. I am a solitary Wiccan - meaning I am not part of a coven and I would also classify myself as a Kitchen/Domestic Witch. This is a unique term in Wicca and focuses on honouring the mundane in life.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?

I self-dedicated to this path after more than 10 years of casual study. I really don't think of this as conversion though, it is simply a realization as to what makes me feel more close to the Divine. I was raised Baptist, although we did not actively practice.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?

I'm not sure I know how to answer this question... I don't feel these terms really apply to Wicca. Wicca is a religion that can be molded to the individual - so the degree of observance depends on the person.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?

n/a

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)

I believe in the Summerlands, a resting place for souls - this is the Wiccan equivalent of Heaven. This is a natural place of beauty where we go after death to reflect on the lessons learned in this life and to meet with our ancestors. If there are more lessons to be learned, we will be re-incarnated and returned to Earth. Once all lessons have been learned, the Divine will allow you to remain in the Summerland. This is not a place of judgement - but rather a place of reflection.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?

Yes, I believe they do. However if they have inflicted pain and suffering on others, they will be made aware of their wrong-doings and must rectify it in future lives.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?

It just feels right.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?

There are 8 holy days - called Sabbats. Which reflect the changing of the season and the points in between. We also celebrate the lunar phases. A meeting or ritual done on the full moon is called an Esbat.

We (my family and I) celebrate a little differently with each Sabbat. But there is usually a delicious meal followed by a ritual. Sometimes the ritual will be a very casual one, and other times (like at Samhain, Oct 31 - the Witches' New Year), we do a complete ritual.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?

Of course.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?

Yes, because my parents are not Wiccan. We celebrate Christmas and Easter with them because it is important to their beliefs. Similarly, my mother has joined us once for a Samhain ritual.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?

I do not know enough to comment on this.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?

Yes and I think it's wonderful. In Wicca, everyone has the possibility to be a preist or preistess.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel? Although it is not a set rule - there are covens that consist of only females. To be honest, it really doesn't bother me either way - as long as you are able to find your path to the divine no one can tell you it's the wrong path.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?

As a domestic witch, it effects everything I do.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion? I would not have a problem with that. In all honesty, I would likely expect them to marry outside of our religion because we are from such a small community - there are very few pagans here. I only hope that they find someone who is understanding and does not try to convert them or steer them away from their beliefs.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?

Wiccans do not believe in Hell. That is a Christian concept.

17) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.

No I have not.

18) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?

Not at all.

19) Does your religion give you peace of mind?

Oh yes.


20) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not? Yes. {see above #5}

Thursday, February 2, 2012

March Interviews

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Here's what ymr will have in store for you for the March Interviews:

we'll hear from H. Kaur who is a Sikh, Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon who is a Pagan, Kristine McGee who is Non-denominational, Christian Mengele who is a Christian and Ed Grainger who is an ex-Jehovah's Witness.

All excellent interviews you're not going to want to miss!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Frank Sinatra Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Frank Sinatra:


Fear is the enemy of logic. There is no more debilitating, crushing, self-defeating, sickening thing in the world--to an individual or to a nation.


There's a new interview coming up Saturday so be sure to check back!