The Demon and the Hermit

The winds speak to me of a raising storm, boiling with hatred and anger, building upon ignorance and fear. Gently I kindle, this sacred fire, and share to all the wisdom it whispers, in hopes that it warms our gentle hearts and keep us strong against the coming storm.

There was once a Demon, gifted with the secrets of illusions, who enjoyed the torment of saintly men. One after another, he found and crushed, with doubts, illusions and fears of their own believes. Yet his desire only grew stronger, as his own doubts and fears of losing his illusions grew.

One day, the Demon learned of a Hermit, whose gift of the Secret Arts were unmatched. Quickly he found this Hermit, and weaved his terrible enchantments upon the elderly man. But the Hermit simply smiled, and offered the Demon some tea. Enraged, the Demon raised his darkest powers, sending wave after wave of curses and illusions. Still the Hermit was unmoved, his quiet smile unchanged.

Finally, the Demon fell to the floor in exhaustion, his eyes wide and his body trembling in awe and terror of the Hermit. The Hermit came forward slowly, helped the Demon into a chair, and once again offered him some tea.

"Great master," whispered the Demon, "why is it that your faith is unmoved? Countless have fallen before my Art, but you were unmoved to the illusions which haunts even me!" A sparkle lit up in the Hermit's eyes as he said, "can you hear the birds sing, and the trees whispering?" Suddenly, a quiet smile grew upon the face of the Demon, and you could hardly tell the glowing faces apart.

There are those who's doubts and fears of their believes can only be silenced by the torment of others who do not share their pain. By keeping our hearts open to the Great Truth, we can remain unmoved by doubts, fears and illusions.

May that which you hold divine, be with you always.

Healing Ritual

This ritual poem was written for a friend (lecanis) in hopes that it will make her and her son healthier and happier. May the Goddess smile on them, always.

A clap, a spark, a flame started
drawing to us the Healing Goddess
her eyes burning with love and passion
Piercing all our ills and sadness

A step, a flame, a glowing fire
ringing songs of The Exalted One
her fiery hair dancing wild and free
brushing away the cold and darkness

A dance, a fire, a raging bonfire
chanting tales of our beloved Brighid
her gentle blessing of warmth and healing
Curing us of sicknesses and troubles

A night, a bonfire, an eternal light
warming our hearts, our Fairest Lady
her embrace ever so strong and loving
Protecting us from all harm and worries

An Imbolc calling to Goddess Brighid

Goddess Brighid, my lady of the radiant flame
I thank you for days passed, your blessings done
The lessons learned, the paths crossed
Be with me great mother, as I call to you this Imbolc

Hear me as I speak these words of thanks and gratitude
Be with me on my journey to that which has yet become
On this holiest of days, I call to you in love and wonder
Light my path with your wisdom, guide me with your light

Bless these hands I spread before you, my fairest lady
Let them forge your tender blessings upon the world
May my heart be the wick to hold your flame, fair maiden
The light of your flames, shine eternally bright

Desiree

Desiree, I whispered into the winds watching the twisted paths in the air marked by the trail of the fallen tattered and broken How long has it been since we danced through the night our laughters fluttering between the stars fearless and merry Strange how we loved and vowed to be together for all eternity yet now threading different paths and lives lost and forgotten Perhaps as much as we loved each other we loved ourselves much more and seek freedom more then eternity distant and proud Here I blow a kiss into the winds a small gift in remembrance to a stranger I once knew and loved hello and goodbye

I am

Dreams of Dreams, different, entwined
Of pasted illusions I cannot remember
Of paths before yet to be revealed
I dance upon shifting sands, releasing, becoming

A fool on a path of fools, seeking, stirring
The promise of something great, I yet to comprehend
Something I once was and will be
A truth shining through illusions of reality

Sometimes I remember and hence divine
Sometimes I forget and hence alone
But for now, between two breaths
I sense, I feel, I am

The politically incorrect Amercian Sign Language (ASL)

The first time I had the chance to learn ASL was when I started working in a company with a hearing impaired colleague and another who was very well versed in the language. It took me a while to pick up the alphabets and a few words, but it was a pretty joyous experience. Though I still suck at it, I know enough to understand that ASL was not designed to be politically correct.

Why you ask? Try looking up the ASL dictionary for the sign for 'Goddess' or 'pagan'. You won't find any. The closest you will get is a sign for 'witch', which, not surprisingly, implies someone with a classical hawk nose.

That raises an interesting question for me. Since there hasn't been any created in the years ASL has been in use, does it mean that we pagans haven't really been doing enough to help out the community? Surely, if there were enough of us out there actively helping out, someone would have to add to the dictionary, just so that signing is easier.

My volunteer consent form is in the mail, how about yours?

Truth

I originally posted this on mylot, but it felt important enough for me to duplicate this post here as well. Your comments are warmly welcomed.

It took a long time for "upper management" to beat this into me, and honestly, sometimes I still choose (wrongfully) to ignore my hard earned lessons and let it affect it.

Fear, Deception, Lies, Anger and Violence. These are the weapons of those who chose to hide from the light of truth. They use them because they are afraid of what they do not understand, what they cannot understand.

I was, and sometimes still is, angry at people like that. There were those who mistreated me because of my believes. The resentment built up and so did the anger. So much so that "upper management" stepped in*censored* slapped me to my senses.

I would leave the*cough* joy of discovering that experience to the parties who need it. But I'll share what little this numb skull had learn from it all.

They WANT you to be angry. It just feeds them with the hatred that they are so hungry for. They mistake it for passion, and dread the day it leaves them. The emptiness left is more torturous then damnation. As twisted as it is, this is the only way they know how to survive.

They are in all religions, all faiths, all believes. The Lost who would worship anything just to get a false sense of peace. Serenity parts not her grace to them. And I know them well. It's hard not to know a past you are not proud of.

Open your heart and listen. Truth calls. It will not be the truth under a brick or on a page. It will be truth without Good or Evil, without Merit or Sin. It will be Truth as it is. Let not the ones who hide from it sway you, or risk joining them.

Open your arms, step up and receive.

May that which you hold divine, be with you always.