me so psychic!

Yuletide greetings, stuff and things

Best wishes for Yule! May the first rosy smile of the newborn Sun King shine like a glorious blessing of clarity, beauty, power and love apon you!
Now check this out:
You have a strong sense of responsibility toward others and a deep respect for other people, even strangers, though you are not always sure what the best course of action is. You are Lucy, the brave child who who is wise beyond her years and kind to all she meets.
Isnt that lovely? That was my test results on the Are you a Lion or a Witch quiz here . Yes I DID answer all questions honestly!
Balm to a wretched soul who is going to burn in everlasting hellfire according to the good folks here. I am idnami, and I am the hot witch on the born again Christian scene. I stumbled across this site dedicated to "Examine in the light of the Christian gospel the beliefs and spirituality of people within the cults, occults, new age and all not upholding to biblical truth." when I was looking for something else and couldnt resist. Now my thread is the most popular one in the witchcraft section of the site, and I am teaching the principles of magick to fundies! And this is where all my written energies have been going the last few days.
I went to a medieval(ish) Yule feast last night. It was a proper hedonistic pagan affair, and I brought Cory. We had roast goose and candied yams, loads of veggies, lentils and split peas and homemade hummus. There was homemeade gingerbread and apple pie and lots of chocolates. This was all devoured reclining on cushions by candlelight. I drank lots of wine and wound up bellydancing with the host and Charity for the general amusement of the party, who whooped and cheered regardless of the fact that i was wearing layers of velvet and my belly could not be seen at all. Cory still looked entranced.
Ali gave my engagement ring back also, which I gave her before she left for Africa. Less like breaking a bond than like completing a circle, and a sudden release of key energies of mine that had been bound into protecting her from the dangers of the road.
It was a night of strange magick. Beautiful, wild and everything I love in a good sabbat, with people I hardly ever see now that I am out of the kink show. An excellent debauch.
Tonight I go caroling at Zoo Lights with the church choir. What is life without balance?

The I of Ra

as promised.

Ra Ra sis boom ba Apep Sektet Ra Ra Ra

He of many names was kind enough to point me to the following Ra hymn from the Book of the Dead after reading my own. I am uncertain of how much of the echoes of judeochristianish imagery can be attributed to Wallace Budge's personal spin on his interpretation, and how much to the universalistic notions I am so fond of, but it does sound a little old testamenty at points. The fiend I recall Ra battling every night in the belly of Nut was Apep, the serpent of chaos, but whatever, every god needs a devil. its all the same to me.

A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA WHEN HE RISETH UPON THE HORIZON, AND WHEN HE SETTETH IN THE [LAND OF] LIFE. Saith Osiris, the scribe Ani: "Homage to thee, O Ra, (2) when thou risest [as] Tmu-Heru-khuti (Harmachis), Thou art adored [by me] when thy beauties are before mine eyes, and when thy shining rays (3) [fall] upon my body. Thou goest forth in peace in the Sektet boat with [fair] winds, and thy heart is glad; [thou goest forth] in the Atet boat, (4) and its heart is glad. Thou stridest over the heavens in peace, and thy foes are cast down; the never-resting stars (5) sing hymns of praise unto thee, and the stars which never set glorify thee as thou (6) sinkest in the horizon of Manu, O thou who art beautiful in the two parts of heaven, thou lord who livest and art established, O my lord! Homage to thee, O thou who art Ra when thou risest, and Tmu (7) when thou settest in beauty. Thou risest and shinest upon the back of thy mother [the sky], O thou who art crowned king (8) of the gods. Nut doth homage unto thee, and everlasting and never-changing order embraceth thee at morn and at eve. Thou stridest over the heaven, being glad of heart, and the Lake (9) Testes is at peace. The Fiend hath fallen to the ground; his arms and his hands have been hewn off, and the knife hath severed the joints of his body. Ra hath a fair wind (10); the Sektet boat goeth forth and sailing along it cometh into port. The gods of the south and of the north, of the west and of the east praise thee, (11) from whom all forms of life came into being. Thou sendest forth the word, and the earth is flooded with silence, O thou only One, who livedst in heaven before ever the earth and the mountains were made. (12) O Runner, Lord, only One, thou maker of things which are, thou hast moulded the tongue of the company of the gods, thou hast drawn forth whatsoever cometh from the waters, and thou springest up from them over the flooded land of the Lake of Horus (13). Make me to sniff the air which cometh forth from thy nostrils, and the north wind which cometh forth from thy mother [the Sky]. Make thou glorious my shining form, O Osiris, make thou (14) strong my soul. Thou art worshipped in peace, O lord of the gods, thou art exalted by reason of thy wondrous works. Shine with thy rays of light upon my body day by day, upon me, (15) Osiris, the scribe, the teller of the divine offerings it of all the gods, the overseer of the granary of the lords of Abydos, the royal it scribe in truth, who loveth him (i.e., Ra); Ani, triumphant in peace."

Sunrose

Sorry for my boringness lately, everyone. How strange that since I have been unemployed and had really nothing but time on my hands I have been thoroughly uninspired, or maybe its just I'm too busy fretting about being unemployed.

Hail to the morning,
Beauteous Ra glorified
bursts forth in a flood of crimson
blinding golden
little Kephri
races boldly
scattering the clouds before him
all bow their heads and shade their eyes
before the power of his rising light
each bird sings
they join him in his joyous, soaring flight

Ok, what just happened there is while I was writing that gloomy sounding opening bit, the sun began to rise, and I went to the window to watch, and though it certainly wasnt the most impressive sunrise I have seen lately, it was fucking lovely anyway, and that poem/hymn/invocation came just bubbling out of me.
Then, moments after I finished it and started playing with an idea for a melody, I got a phone call from a wonderful lady who wanted to give me a job as a childrens music and art instructor! Hoorah! I start training tomorow. Its only part time and doesnt pay all that well, plus its a nightmare to get to, but whatever, who doesnt think I would kick ass in a job like that?
I shall.
Now, before that phone call came I was thinking that my Hail Ra would be a good opening for some thoughts on the impending holday season.
We are approaching Yule. Longest Night. It is a time that people like myself who suffer a touch of seasonal depression look forward to, as it heralds the Returning of the Light, even as Winter deepens. For old pagans (and many modern ones) the hope of salvation involved little more than making it through the winter. Courage and optimism are needed. The birth of the Slain God is is a sign of hope.
Compare to the yearly celebration of the (re)birth of the one known as "Light of the World".
However the sunrise is not 100% appropriate, as it is the midnight of the year. Emergence and revelation are in Spring.
This imagery is used very effectively by Christians. Note how the Nativity Scene is a lovely picture of a dark stable with lanterns gathered at the center, focused on the child that glows with his own light. And above the stable hangs a radiant star driving back the Wintery darkness. It is a cozy little island of brightness and beauty in a dark, cold world.
Extremely good use of symbolism there.
That will be the star card for my biblical tarot. Its all coming together I tell you.
I'm feeling a little more optimistic myself, all of a sudden. Music and art instructor!
And the title of this piece gave me a fucking great idea for a photoshop project. Wheeeee!

quietly ideas whisper
at the edges
no container
can withstand
determinated
seeds of something
will
they squeeze through every seam
inexorable pressure
singing sometime oneday stories
dancing vivid splendid images
before the eye
that as it opens
forgets how to close

true story

Stickin' it to The Man

Thats right, your favorite diva is not only an art revolutionary, she is a social activist as well, at least where that fits in with the art revoltion.
For those of you who do not live in Calgary, the Downtown Association, which is an organization dedicated to " ...enhance Downtown's vitality by increasing the diversity and density of attractions, activities, housing and employment opportunities.", has been running anti-panhandling ads on trains and buses and various publications that show well dressed people holding cardboard signs that say stuff like "spare change for crack?" and then explaining how most panhandlers are drug addicts and mentally ill. I, and no small number of others were disgusted. I decided to do a performance art protest and get a bunch of cardboard signs and have people walk up and down Stephen ave (where the original ads were shot, also hq of the association) carrying them.
As I was trying to figure out exactly how to stage this, I met some people from an organization called Food Not Bombs, who do free outdoor meals for anyone who wants to come and eat. They told me they were having a breakfast rally and I should bring my signs.
So Cory and I made something like 50 signs that said things like;
spare change for affordable housing?
spare change for sustainable industry?
spare change for compassion?
spare change for rose colored glasses?
On the back of each one it said "you can change the world."
I biked downtown at 730 am with these things strapped to my back. There were like 5 other signs there so its really a good thing I showed up. In case I needed further evidence of the universes approval, when I opened my bag the first person to come forward was a very angry native lady I have been seeing around downtown for years. She reached in without looking and took the sign that said "spare change for cultural reparations?"
Does it get more perfect?
So because I masterminded the signage project I got my picture taken a bunch by various media people. A guy from The Calgary Journal sent me some interview questions which I answered and sent back. I post them here for your amusement. Whether all or any of what I said will get in I do not know.
***

1) What was your main goal of the protest?
I wanted to do something to wake up peoples consciousness a little. Not only the DA, but the passersby and my fellow protesters's also. Each sign said *you can change the world* on the back. I was making a statement about respect and a suggestion about priorities and appropriate ways of sending a message. Spare change for a better ad campaign?
2) Why was this your goal?
It bugs me to see ignorance and arrogance marching proudly hand in hand with the full support of people who ought to know better. I, and many others, found that campaign very bigoted and were dismayed that the publications and venues that hosted those ads did so. It seemed to propagate a dangerously negative stereotype, which I felt it necessary to publicly oppose. it was originally concieved as a live art piece. Then I met The people at food not bombs and they told me about their protest breakfast. so i showed up with a bunch of signs.
3) Did you think you accomplished what you set out to do?
I set out to speak up about something important, and to get people thinking, and to encourage and assist those most affected in speaking up for themselves. My main concern had originally been how I was going to get that many people to carry signs around. So yes, I did.
4) What was the general response to the protest?
A lot of people averted their eyes as they passed, as I guess they would with ordinary panhandlers. Occasionally one would stop and ask what was going on. Some picked up a sign after being informed.

5) How do you feel the protest went?
Very well.
6) Do you think the protest will have an significant impact on the
nullification of the campaign?
I like to hope so. It would be nice if they all looked at each other aghast and said, "We didn't realize how offensive this was!", and then in reparation donated the rest of their ad money to one of those agencies they advocate. We may at least have managed to raise some public awareness, which could encourage them to rethink their approach.
7) How do you feel the Calgary Business Association dealt with the protest?
There were quite a number of police and security considering we mostly walked around quietly eating pancakes and holding our signs. I am told that the association's representative upheld their position rather ineffectively when interviewed, but I did not hear his statements firsthand.
8) What message do you have for the Association after the protest?
Your campaign is in extremely poor taste. There are ways to encourage donating to agencies that do not promote fear and prejudice against the people those agencies are to assist. Your methods are counterproductive if your intention is to raise support for these same people. Be aware of the way you affect the real lives of others and the picture you present of your own organization in doing so. Spare change for respect?