(no subject)
Sorry to update twice, but I completely went off on a tangent with that last post. I never even touched upon the things I initially intended to write about. What were those, you cautiously ask? Hell if I know. But here is what I do now: autumn is coming. And Ceiswr Serith is officially my hero. There is a lot to say.
I had a very rough day today. I did not expect it to turn out that way, but my ethics were twice rubbed the wrong way. I also felt unusually stressed out and tired and could not seem to find a moment of peace. Finally I decided it was time to get out -- to anywhere. I heard the siren song of the dusky back-roads and answered with a smile.
I was reminded today that autumn truly is approaching. I've been excited about that since the last one ended, but I've also grown used to waiting. It feels like autumn is miles away because school has not yet started, and school has traditionally marked the end of summer in my life. But it IS already September and I am STILL not in school, and thus I am constantly startled (and delighted) to stumble across symbols of autumn.
I went into Super Wal-mart desperate for fresh food, since my parents apparently do not eat bread, fruit, pasta, cheese, or fish. I went straight to the produce, intending to find myself an avocado, a mango, or something else fulfilling, and saw a sign that brought a smile to my face. "POMEGRANATES!" it read. Just in time! I have always held pomegranates as particularly sacred and symbolic, and so I have been waiting to offer one to our Teutates for a long time. I don't know why, exactly -- it always just seemed appropriate to me to offer pomegranates at an autumn harvest. I would like one for Esus, too, although I am thinking that in our case Esus IS our Teutates. But more on that later. The point is, I got all giddy about hoarding a bunch of pomegranates... and then immediately realized that there was only one left. And not only was it small and sickly, but it was drastically over-priced. I hung my head for a moment, but I was not sad -- it was a start. Pomegranates are back on the market now and I'll be able to find some elsewhere. Mmm mmm, what wonderful things! Pomegranates mean it is autumn!
And if that wasn't exciting enough (yours truly is easily pleased), I turned the corner and discovered a bin full of PUMPKINS -- huge, round, dark orange pumpkins just shouting of a bountiful harvest. :) I can't believe there are pumpkins out already! When I went to B&N later, I noticed that they had pumpkin spice drinks and hot apple cider again, and it simply blew my mind that it is time for that already. Things are starting to get exciting already! And I am not yet trapped in school!
Hehe, but enough of my enthusiastic discourse on produce... it is now time to talk about Mr. Serith and why he's my hero.
When I headed out to Border's this evening, I did so both from a need to escape and from a burning desire to work on some prayers / brainstorming for the coming harvest. I have ideas for a Katrina rite/prayer dancing through my head, as well as a need to research the Equinox for my DP homework, as well as a number of half-formed ideas about a lot of things our grove could use. And, of course, this general and undirected inspiration for writing prayer in general, which is frustrating to me because I want to do all of this at once and hence get confused. Anyway, I immediately hunted down Cei-guy's book (which was obnoxiously hard to find), and then sat down with my notebook intent on copying the prayers which inspired me further. I ganked everything involving Cernunnos, something on the Equinox, and also a prayer for moving into a new home. The intent was not to USE these prayers word for word, but rather to take the amazing ideas in them and weave them into something more meaningful to me on a personal level.
Cei's new-land prayer really inspired me and gave me the direction I needed as far as what to do ritually when I move into Oakland. It brought up points I had not considered and ended up being far more compatible to my Gaulish slant than all the Irish suggestions thrown out on the ADF list. It's also more practical than trying to summon a brownie to my ghetto old stove and making excuses for weird things left as offerings on my "hearth" all year. :) Essentially, it's a "Here I am, let's be friends" statement to the land spirits and ancestors of the place, an extending of the hand and welcoming to the powers native to the land.
I also want to call to specific dieties for more specific purposes -- for example, Brighid for my heart(h), Cernunnos for thresholds, and Rhiannon for my bedroom (dreams.) Does anyone have any good suggestions here? Obviously I want to call the gods of protection and of health, and of merriment and hospitality, and of creativity and growth... and all the gods will be welcome, even those yet unknown to me. But as for specific invocations, Teutates will be important, and perhaps the Daghda could do great good... who else? Sulis or Sirona or Sequana or Mannanan for my sources of water? Esus? Esus will definitely be there, but I wonder who I might be missing. How about Artio? Of course her. That one won't have a specific either, though. Who do I need?
For some reason, I also feel like I ought to ask for blessings from Janus for all my doorways, despite the fact that I don't even know who the heck Janus is. He just seems right. Perhaps I will have to get to know this non-Gaulish god! It's always exciting to explore... :)
Anyway, beyond all that coolness, I was also given beautiful ideas about the Equinox, and hence have been experimenting with all sorts of half-finished prayers and invocations involving it. I have also been thinking about Esus and Teutates. Too shy to share it all yet, but hopefully good will come of it.
Finally, I need to say that the real reason Cei is my hero is even better than all of that... it's this.
"In the center of the storm, there is calm.
In the center of confusion, there is peace.
In the center of exhaustion, there is rest.
Cernunnos, sitting in the midst of the world,
Lead me to the center
And grant me the calm and peace and rest that is found there."
I had a very rough day today. I did not expect it to turn out that way, but my ethics were twice rubbed the wrong way. I also felt unusually stressed out and tired and could not seem to find a moment of peace. Finally I decided it was time to get out -- to anywhere. I heard the siren song of the dusky back-roads and answered with a smile.
I was reminded today that autumn truly is approaching. I've been excited about that since the last one ended, but I've also grown used to waiting. It feels like autumn is miles away because school has not yet started, and school has traditionally marked the end of summer in my life. But it IS already September and I am STILL not in school, and thus I am constantly startled (and delighted) to stumble across symbols of autumn.
I went into Super Wal-mart desperate for fresh food, since my parents apparently do not eat bread, fruit, pasta, cheese, or fish. I went straight to the produce, intending to find myself an avocado, a mango, or something else fulfilling, and saw a sign that brought a smile to my face. "POMEGRANATES!" it read. Just in time! I have always held pomegranates as particularly sacred and symbolic, and so I have been waiting to offer one to our Teutates for a long time. I don't know why, exactly -- it always just seemed appropriate to me to offer pomegranates at an autumn harvest. I would like one for Esus, too, although I am thinking that in our case Esus IS our Teutates. But more on that later. The point is, I got all giddy about hoarding a bunch of pomegranates... and then immediately realized that there was only one left. And not only was it small and sickly, but it was drastically over-priced. I hung my head for a moment, but I was not sad -- it was a start. Pomegranates are back on the market now and I'll be able to find some elsewhere. Mmm mmm, what wonderful things! Pomegranates mean it is autumn!
And if that wasn't exciting enough (yours truly is easily pleased), I turned the corner and discovered a bin full of PUMPKINS -- huge, round, dark orange pumpkins just shouting of a bountiful harvest. :) I can't believe there are pumpkins out already! When I went to B&N later, I noticed that they had pumpkin spice drinks and hot apple cider again, and it simply blew my mind that it is time for that already. Things are starting to get exciting already! And I am not yet trapped in school!
Hehe, but enough of my enthusiastic discourse on produce... it is now time to talk about Mr. Serith and why he's my hero.
When I headed out to Border's this evening, I did so both from a need to escape and from a burning desire to work on some prayers / brainstorming for the coming harvest. I have ideas for a Katrina rite/prayer dancing through my head, as well as a need to research the Equinox for my DP homework, as well as a number of half-formed ideas about a lot of things our grove could use. And, of course, this general and undirected inspiration for writing prayer in general, which is frustrating to me because I want to do all of this at once and hence get confused. Anyway, I immediately hunted down Cei-guy's book (which was obnoxiously hard to find), and then sat down with my notebook intent on copying the prayers which inspired me further. I ganked everything involving Cernunnos, something on the Equinox, and also a prayer for moving into a new home. The intent was not to USE these prayers word for word, but rather to take the amazing ideas in them and weave them into something more meaningful to me on a personal level.
Cei's new-land prayer really inspired me and gave me the direction I needed as far as what to do ritually when I move into Oakland. It brought up points I had not considered and ended up being far more compatible to my Gaulish slant than all the Irish suggestions thrown out on the ADF list. It's also more practical than trying to summon a brownie to my ghetto old stove and making excuses for weird things left as offerings on my "hearth" all year. :) Essentially, it's a "Here I am, let's be friends" statement to the land spirits and ancestors of the place, an extending of the hand and welcoming to the powers native to the land.
I also want to call to specific dieties for more specific purposes -- for example, Brighid for my heart(h), Cernunnos for thresholds, and Rhiannon for my bedroom (dreams.) Does anyone have any good suggestions here? Obviously I want to call the gods of protection and of health, and of merriment and hospitality, and of creativity and growth... and all the gods will be welcome, even those yet unknown to me. But as for specific invocations, Teutates will be important, and perhaps the Daghda could do great good... who else? Sulis or Sirona or Sequana or Mannanan for my sources of water? Esus? Esus will definitely be there, but I wonder who I might be missing. How about Artio? Of course her. That one won't have a specific either, though. Who do I need?
For some reason, I also feel like I ought to ask for blessings from Janus for all my doorways, despite the fact that I don't even know who the heck Janus is. He just seems right. Perhaps I will have to get to know this non-Gaulish god! It's always exciting to explore... :)
Anyway, beyond all that coolness, I was also given beautiful ideas about the Equinox, and hence have been experimenting with all sorts of half-finished prayers and invocations involving it. I have also been thinking about Esus and Teutates. Too shy to share it all yet, but hopefully good will come of it.
Finally, I need to say that the real reason Cei is my hero is even better than all of that... it's this.
"In the center of the storm, there is calm.
In the center of confusion, there is peace.
In the center of exhaustion, there is rest.
Cernunnos, sitting in the midst of the world,
Lead me to the center
And grant me the calm and peace and rest that is found there."