FRUSTRATION! I had everything ready to go for an episode of "The Secrets In Plain Sight", and suddenly the mixer quit on me! A new one is on order, and so help me, that episode is going to be out as soon as I can put it out! I think folks will see what I am suggesting when they hear it.

I accepted my own challenge, and have taken on the task of learning what I can about Glastonbury and its legends, beginning with Joseph of Arimathea and expanding toward Arthur.  As with any expedition, I have some idea of where I'm going and I have some idea of what I am looking for, but I know to keep my eyes open as doors may open along the way. This is my journey, and yours is the one which you choose.  But, many of the principles are the same, and we all seek knowledge.  Glastonbury has been attracting me for some time because of certain legends which, if proven, would force at least some of us to shift our perspectives! And with this, we can explore the secrets in plain sight which have been waiting for us. Blessed Be!

We're back, after hopefully winning some battles concerning health and hired help.  Some aspects of being a "senior citizen" are not fun!  And we're starting off this new round with something that everyone can get into! As weapons go, perhaps none is more powerful than truth.  Even the worst fanatics get forced to face some truth!  And we have an opportunity to uncover a lot of truth through our studies!  Did you ever notice how much "history" has a very narrow focus?  Even in the most ancient of times when many might have believed that their little world was the entire world, others were reaching out and learning! It's a nice thought to think that if we can find out how much our ancestors knew about each other, perhaps it might encourage our ancestors' descendants into getting along with each other! Blessed Be!

Unless you happen to be a monk or nun living in highly cloistered isolation, dealing with the world can be a real challenge.  The divisiveness being created among people for various reasons makes it even more so.  And, such challenges in daily life are among the basic reasons for needing religion and spirituality.  Regardless of their name, nature or number, they do care about us.  And they have inspired us to find ways to find help. The breaking of bread is a component of more rituals in more traditions than anyone wishes to list, and you can even find variations within traditions which use the breaking of bread for its primary purpose.  When we come together at a table or altar, we share the brad and more.  And therein lays the magick which we need at this time.   Blessed Be!

A comedy stunt by comedienne Kathy Griffin brought out a point worth sharing.  Many people, including myself, did not like the supposed humor in a skit using what was supposedly the severed head of Donald Trunp.  And this is in spite of some of the supposed humor aimed at us. I also could not stomach the fact that Donald Trump invited Ted Nugent to the White House after a performance which included a suggestion that Barak Obama be shot and Hillary Clinton be hanged.  If President Trump is worried about the trauma his son might suffer from the sight of a supposedly severed head, does he have any appreciation of what President Obama's daughters endured seeing images of their father being lynched or burned?   We simply cannot afford to stoop to the level of stupid people.  Taking the "high road" has its advantages.  The people at Seekers' Temple set an example for us, and we will do well to follow, Blessed Be!

Like in secular education, your spiritual learning begins with learning a broad and general range of topics.  As you grow, you become more focused in certain areas, especially those where you've discovered interest or ability.  Eventually, you might become known for particular abilities in certain areas. Everyone has particular talents, and so do you!  Everyone has particular interests, and so do you.  Some you might only share with a deity, but others you might want to share with anyone who wishes to listen.   And with this, we bring blessings on ourselves! Blessed Be!

You may have noticed lately the collection of "alternative facts" which some politicians are using in place of actual history.  While claims made by politicians about historical figures can muddle up our mundane lives, similar claims can have an even worse effect in our spiritual lives.   It can be said that at the heart of any legend is a kernel of truth.  And, it is amazing how much archaeology has done to show legends and revered writings to be accurate history.  And, the internet makes more available in the way of documentation and distance exploration than has ever existed!  This means that most people will be able to read literature of history and/or legends, experience the places where they happened, and also have a more fulfilling spiritual experience.   While many people have been exposed to Biblical Archaeology, other traditions have their ancient times and their tales, writings, sites and ways waiting to be explored and learned.  Heorot, the mead-hall made famous in the tale of Beowulf, for instance, has been located.  The Celtic lands have many sites, and more waiting discovery.  I could go on and on. The result will not only help your journey, but it will also put your spiritual feet on firmer ground due to your adding knowledge to experience! Blessed Be!

Is something coming?  Or is it here?  Do we wait for it, do we enjoy it, or do we enjoy what we have and anticipate even more?   There is much anticipation in most spiritual traditions, looking forward to what is coming.  Or is it already here?  Some among the followers of the Norse tradition feel that Ragnarok and Baldur's return have happened, while others are waiting.  There are those among the Christians who will tell us that we are supposed to wait for the coming of the Kingdom of God, but would Jesus agree? The answer might surprise many, and give us a clue as to our own actions which we need to take. Blessed Be!

If you see or hear something that others do not, or if you have a significant dream, who are the ones who are communicating with you, and what does it mean?  It's a question which most of us have at times in our lives and for some of us, it nags us almost constantly. Following the death of a loved one, a series of very vivid dreams concerning that loved one or what that loved one knows about you.  Lying in bed late at night, depressed and not quite asleep, and suddenly a voice calls your name.  Someone you love and miss appears in a dream to show you something.  The possibilities are limitless, but sometimes a dream is only a dream. The task for each of us is to gain understanding of what we are seeing   Blessed Be!

What is the difference between your friend who has a vision of a goddess or an angel, and the TV preacher who claims that his god tolls him to tell you to support a particular politician?  Quite a lot, probably, beginning with the fact that real visions do not come to support partisan agendas. People can and do see, hear and feel things from the spiritual.  And, if it happens to you, you probably do not need the services of a psychiatrist.  But you should use common sense in making use of what you are given. If you are entrusted with something, you are intrusted to use it with wisdom.  Knowledge is power, but wisdom is what gives that power strength and credibility. Blessed Be!

Prayer is just possibly the most powerful thing you can do in working with your deities.  No matter the name, number, or gender, deities like to receive prayer, and they do respond.   Prayer can be corporate, such as in a group.  But it can also be alone, sometimes solitary and sometimes even absolutely secret.  And, of course, what you pray is between you and your deity, and nobody else. The only thing left to consider is what you are praying for or about.  There are indeed some lines you don't want to cross.  But, there are ways to bring about what you need.  Never forget that your deity's will is your happiness and well-being. Blessed Be!

Some of our best spiritual teachers are around us most of the day, and many of them have four feet.  There are exceptions, of course, such as those who have wings.  And the trick is to put their teaching to use without convincing your secular/ mundane neighbor that you're crazy! They come to you in any number of ways, but often with impeccable timing.  And, nurturing the learning they offer will bring you much joy.  And eventually, you'll have a confidante and partner. Watch, and you'll be amazed.  And you will also grow. Blessed Be!

Sorry for my absence last week, but my wife and I were terribly sick.  Hopefully, that's over and now we can make some progress. Nothing bothers me so much in what passes for news these days as the number of examples of hate I see, especially when it appears to be organized.  And most especially, when it appears to be orchestrated and managed by people who have enough education to know better!  Did they cut class that day in Sunday school?        A solution offers itself which will create a situation which might well be a hate-monger's worst nightmare.  Let's go for it! Blessed Be!

Religion and spirituality need to work.  That is an absolute.  There are some people who might follow a religion even if it didn't accomplish anything and there are others who would not follow any religious or spiritual path even if it would guarantee to make them rich, but most of us want religion and spirituality to work. And that means more than Pollyanna-style appreciation of flowers and butterflies or thoughts of someone watching to keep score on our sins.   It begins with an active spiritual life, and it will grow.  Your spiritual life is your own, and more personal even than your underwear.  And nobody gets to mess with it! Equally important is to be able to recognize the results, and give appropriate thanks for them.  Some might not be as obvious as others, but you can learn how to see them!        Blessed Be!

Imagine that a spiritual path which you might know for its history of hate, bigotry and violence had another, less known, path which is known for just the opposite.  Of course, that other path is not known by many, nor recognized by some who see it, but it is there.  And, that other path mixes well with every other path which it encounters, allowing it to survive and thrive in spite of persecutions and so-called "reforms". While the more major, well-known path with its infamous history has as the main author of its doctrine a person who learned second-hand from others who had known the actual founder, the founder of the branch less evident is someone who learned directly from the actual founder, and apparently knew that founder very well.  And the difference shows in the fruits each path bore.  And the fact that the less-known path survived and thrived quietly might be for the reason of that teaching. Let us look at Glastonbury and what it can offer us.  Many of us know Glastonbury, but who knows what all there is to Glastonbury?        Blessed Be!

When various groups are confronted by hate and ignorance, one of the first things people call for is unity.  Unfortunately, the concept of unity carries with it connotations of uniformity, conformity, organization and structure.  And, in the same manner that we won't see every African-American marching in step with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, you won't see groups of Pagans, Wiccan, or other minorities merging together, because they do not want to lose the individuality which they cherish. There was a time when traditional unity was deemed necessary.  An example was the early Christian church even during persecution.  Church leaders such as Iranaeus of Lyon enforced doctrine, dogma and hierarchy to insure uniformity.  When other group spit away, they did likewise, with the added occasional use of armies to add to the persuasion. Let us not forget that in those days, since ancient times and until less than 200 years ago, people and messages could not travel faster than the fastest horse available.  Things changed in the 20th century, to the point that a meat boycott came to be because of angry retail customers who had no organization, and a comedian's monologue sparked a nationwide toilet paper shortage!   In the early 1990's, someone wrote that while it was once said that freedom of the press once belonged to those who owned a press, "If you own a computer, welcome to the fourth estate".  And we are only beginning to experience what can be, and no politician or anyone else will be able to force that genie back into the bottle!      Blessed Be!

Even though "Faith Crime" is not a term you can find in a law book, they do happen.  Faith Crimes are those acts which a reasonable person should be able to see might destroy another person's faith.  This goes beyond any question of religion, denomination, or deity.   One form of faith crime is interference with a person's free exercise of their faith, especially if the perpetrator could reasonably see that it might damage the person's faith.  Routinely interrupting someone's prayers might be an example, as would a base chaplain prohibiting a particular faith's services in the absence of a military chaplain of that faith.   Another form of faith crime is putting words in the mouths of deities, especially when there is no legitimate basis for such a statement.  Telling a three-year-old girl that her beloved daddy died because of "God's will" is as wrong as claiming that Jesus wants a particular candidate elected! Yes, there is some overlap between the two types of faith crimes.  Nevertheless, they are crimes against people.      Blessed Be!

Why not?  Wiccans and Pagan have no problem with any number of gods and goddesses, and it is apparent that Yahweh does not mind.  He does want "top billing" from those who followed Moses out of Egypt and their descendants, but are you one of them?  And the tenth chapter of Acts gives some further exemptions!  And I am not about to abandon Allfather Odin! The fact that certain early church missionaries followed by others demanded abandonment of other deities does not make it right!  And, there were other Christian traditions, rooted in places like Glastonbury and Alexandria which were different from the Roman.  Some say they "disappeared", but did they? Before he ascended, Jesus told his followers that he still had many things to tell them, "but ye cannot bear them now" "John 16:12).  What happened to them?  Since the Bible was closed to any additions, where are those things he wanted to tell us?  Many of the people who think they follow Jesus are following several strange routes, but for the rest of us, there is a quest with eternal rewards!   Blessed Be!

Imbolc has a powerful gift which we can put to good use throughout the year, but especially during the time which spans from Imbolc itself to the following Sabbat.  While the celebration of a particular day is important, we need to be aware of what the Sabbat brings to us.  And Imbolc has something which can be highly relevant. Think of our most ancient ancestors, still learning how the world works.  Some will have figured out the cycle of seasons, but there might be doom-sayers among them who claim that winter has come to stay.  But when the first shoots poke up through the snow, they accepted the fact that they are seeing the fulfillment of the promise made at Samhain and repeated at Yule. And we can harness this power to meet our needs!   Blessed Be!

I really did not want to bring up the subject of hate again, but current events make it unavoidable.  And those of us who are not totally in the mainstream have cause for concern.  President Trump's so-called "Muslim ban" might be just the first of several acts which will become historically infamous.  There is talk of another measure in the offing concerning the LGBT communities, and that's cause for more concern. History proves how wasteful hate invariably is, and how the consequences are usually more than expected and often tragic.  And people do not seem to learn from the mistakes of past hate campaigns.  All that, and it distracts effort from more worthwhile causes.  As an example, where is the federal disaster aid for the tornado victims in Mississippi? My basic feeling can be summed up if I might please adapt from the masterful words of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  He once said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  I say "The only thing we have to hate is hate itself!"   Blessed Be!

The most important thing about prayer is that it needs to work.  Unfortunately, some people's introduction to prayer is such that it doesn't get much of a chance to show itself working.  In my own case, I had to learn the difference between what I was taught and truth. There's a basic principle which some seem to want to avoid: if you want something, ask for it.  That is as it should be.  What few legitimate restrictions there are fall under the basic heading of common sense. From there, proceed to bring what you wish into being, maintaining a focus of the results.   Blessed Be!

My own spirituality has been under fire almost since I considered myself old enough to take responsibility for it.  Whether it was in college where any religion was suspect, to the Air Force where "such stuff" was sup-posed to be confined to the base chapel, to later when it seemed so many spiritual paths seemed to forget tradition in favor of bending with the social/political winds.  And now, we face some groups who seem to think that their way is the only valid way! It is possible to confront such groups publicly and often it is necessary.  But, it is necessary to maintain control over the situation and to insure that we do in fact get the right attention.   But, in addition to what we do in the open, our private spiritual lives are the backbone of what we do and what we accomplish.  All the more reason to jealously guard your prayer life and never lose sight of the fact that your spiritual life is your business.   Blessed Be!

Benchmarks and yardsticks are as useful in spiritual matters as they are in other tasks.  The term "benchmark" comes from the measuring marks which artisan and craftspeople would make on their workbenches.  A yardstick is, of course, a measurement tool most often associated with dressmakers and tailors because of cloth being sold by the yard. Most of us probably have the basis for making similar measurements because of the books and other literature we've collected.  It is sometimes said that a spiritual "real one" can sometimes be identified by their collection of literature.  If you recognize what kind of writings your personal library includes, you'll see how they can be used to measure what people say in the name of deities or spirituality. Armed with that, you might be able to tell if someone is following the path they claim, if they are diverting for a valid reason, or if they are simply doing their own thing while using a label that does not belong!   Blessed Be!

While it might seem strange to begin the New Year with discussing infinity, for me it seems logical.  In a society where 8% of Americans believe that the sun revolves around the earth, and it took some eminent meteorologists armed with documentation to show that "polar vortex" was not some newly-created piece of propaganda, it's easy to see how people's viewpoints can become too limited.  And that does include The Divine. While most people of most faiths will agree that The Divine is infinite, many seem to adjust infinity to the point that it fits their own understanding and experience, and nothing more!  In some cases, notably the Christians, one group might not even recognize another group as being their fellow believers! What's really hard about this is how much might be being revealed to us, and how much we might be able to share and perhaps even see together! Blessed Be!

One of the regular features of the mundane New Year celebration is the annual offering of New Year's resolutions, those promises to do better in one thing or another, or to achieve something.  They can cover any number of subjects or wishes including losing weight, stopping smoking, pursuing education, getting a new job, or anything else you can imagine.   Some are reasonable and realistic.  Others could be, but they need some additional power to actually come to be.  Let’s look at them and see what can be done! With some thought and effort, you might surprise yourself and others.   Blessed Be!

If you explore a calendar that embraces a number of spiritual paths and traditions, you'll find that this time of year is full of celebrations.  Many of these celebrations are celebration of beginning and/or renewal.  Central to most of the celebrations is the birth of a divine child. Even the Jewish Hanukah celebration, although it does not include a divine birth, does celebrate the Jerusalem Temple coming "back to life" and staying that way because one day's supply of lamp oil lasted for the eight days needed to make more oil. The implications of a divine child being born are tremendous, and we certainly might expect the local religious and/or political powers-that-be to possibly see this as a challenge to their authority.  And who knows what else might be going on! Blessed Be!

The complaints about the so-called "war on Christmas" seem absent this year during the holiday season.  It's not that the supposed war is over or settled.  It simply has been overshadowed by the rhetoric, bullying and other after-effects of the elections!  And, it is not over yet and is not likely to be over for some time.  But it does give us all the more reason to appreciate not only knowing the facts, but knowing enough of the facts to maintain our mental and spiritual strength.  And note that I speak of strength. We get confronted with a lot of words and stories, some of which is good information.  Others might be garbage.  And still others were perfectly valid at one time or in a particular situation, but they do not apply any longer.  It is a very good thing to be able to tell the difference. There is no substitute for the right information. Blessed Be!

Regardless of your spiritual path, or even lack of one, there will be those who oppose you.  The fact that your spirituality and your religion are your business will not stop certain people from trying to make it their business.  I recall one of my first Wiccan teachers impressing on me the importance of knowing the Bible, and it quickly became apparent.  The fact of the matter is that many Christians who wanted to "save" me did not know their own scripture.   Christianity is not the only religion with such problems, but you’re more likely to be confronted by them than by any others.  But I've found similar issues among Buddhists, Hindus, Norse and Wiccans.   You probably won't have any problem with people whose own faith is solid.  The problem comes from people whose zealotry and fanaticism come from insecurity.      Blessed Be!

Tuesday morning, Lady Stormy and I were presented with a surprise.  We found a reminder of someone we loved, who had passed away.  It was something that most folks would not even notice, but that we would know why it was special.  Of course, we remembered and of course we put it with other keepsakes.  It was unexpected and we didn't even think it was in the house.  But there is was. I was so glad that we recognized it.  It helps with the pain of loss.  It might even be someone reaching across the veil to let us know that he still cares. The point here is not what happened this time, but that these things can and do happen.  And it is wonderful to be able to recognize and receive such blessings.  It would be sad to think that some people might be missing blessings which are there for them.      Blessed Be!

At some time in your life, someone or something will have you so upset that you'll want to take action.  And, if you have a strong spiritual life, you'll want to do something spiritually about it!  It's not only natural, it's expected.  And, there are ways to do it. The first thing you need is a good understanding of the situation, which will mean doing more than scanning a social media post.  Is this situation someone proposing something, or is it happening?  What exactly is the situation?  What should you call for?  Are you ready for any "fallout"? Done well, this can do much!      Blessed Be!

The events of the last few weeks have some folks wondering if there is a need for more spiritual protection, especially for those in the so-called "other religions".  Actually, the need has always been there and is no greater than it has been for a while.  The same people are who they have always been, especially spiritually.  The only difference is that some who felt part of the extremist fringe consider themselves as having been invited to join the so-called religious mainstream. The need has always been there, and extra paranoia will not help anyone.  But, the need is indeed there and in a couple of places we can help ourselves.  Experience has shown two places where protection is especially appropriate.  And note that some protective measures can become the best kind of defensive weapons when needed.      Blessed Be!

This is a religious show, aimed primarily at those of "alternative faiths", but the fact is that we have to deal with the realities of life, including politics.  And the election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States is something which we all will need to deal with. It is apparent what certain people are trying to do.  And if it is apparent, then it is possible to defeat such an effort.  People do not have to be divided against each other, and especially not by bigotry, prejudice, racism, or any of the various phobias which seem to be currently in "fashion", such as Islamophobia or homophobia.  It can be defeated. There is a way to do it, and we can do it if we try.  It begins by taking each other’s hands.   Blessed Be!

I keep saying that your spiritual path is your business, as is your spiritual growth and learning.  The problem is that on the way to enlightenment, so many of us are confronted by what seems to be an army of nitpickers and self-appointed prophets as well as actual teachers and mentors to the point that it can be overwhelming.  And many of them will try to convince you that your way is wrong.  If that is what they claim, then they are wrong.  And that is one of the few times when I'll say that someone's way is wrong - if they say that your way is wrong because it's not theirs. In choosing a teacher or mentor, there are certain factors to consider.  There are also certain things to look for that will show you how much of a teacher that teacher really is. But above all else, it's your spiritual path.  Also bear in mind that we're dealing with the infinite, so nobody knows everything about anything, and only The Divine has any chance of having all of the answers! Blessed Be!

Samhain is here!  Don't worry about the date when you hear this, because Samhaintide lasts a while.  The veil thins, and then it thickens.  It is not like a door that opens and then slams shut, which is the impression some have of Christmas season, especially on December 26th. Samhain marks beginnings and endings, and more.  It is interesting to note that while Samhain is a seasonal festival governed by the seasons (and different in the northern and southern hemispheres, There are other holidays and festivities which perfectly mark six months and therefore give one of Samhsain's main functions a firm place.   Above all else, this is a wonderful opportunity. Blessed Be!

With Samhain coming, we need to look at beginnings, and see what beginnings we want to begin.  This is the right time for that.  And we have clues about what we can do all around us! I've said before, often enough that some of you think I'm repeating myself, that if we put our prejudices and biases aside, we might be able to do some great stuff.  We're not talking about "pay it forward" as much as we are talking about "keep the ball rolling". Amazing, the things which have been done.  Imagine, then, what can be.  Let's look for opportunities! Blessed Be!

With Samhain approaching and the veil between the worlds being at its thinnest, we do well to remember that not only might we want to reach out to them, but they might want to reach out to us.  After all, it works both ways. If you miss someone who has crossed over, then it follows that someone might miss you, too!  And, there might be others, such as ancestors or those with whom you share some other connection.  And some happen along as a result of what someone is doing. Learning who they are and why they show up can be important in our quest.  And, it can go a long way to help in many issues.   Blessed Be!

We are approaching the time when it is easiest to reach across the veil to those on the other side.  It is also the time when it is easiest for them to reach out to us.  And, there are times when we feel the need or desire to reach out to someone in particular for any of a number of possible reasons.   They miss us as much as we miss them.  Also some of our ancestors and others might be interested in knowing us for any number of reasons, such as shared interests.   The key is focus, and how to get that focus working for us.   Blessed Be!

Like with any Sabbat, holiday or other special occasion, Samhain has its preparation.  Along with all of the other preparations going on, how about preparing yourself spiritually for Samhain?  It is perhaps the most spiritual of all Sabbats, and those on the other side of the veil miss us as much as we miss them. We have the advantage over some in that we know of the spiritual, but there is always the question of knowing what we see when we see it.   Here are some things you can do to increase your awareness, and perhaps be more aware.   Blessed Be!

I am grateful that while I have been going through the grieving process for my best friend, I have mercifully been spared the gratuitous advice of the useless variety such as I have been subjected to in times past.  It's bad enough to hear about something like "God's will" enough times that for a while I considered him an enemy.  The worst of all was the advice that I was supposed to "let go".   I was beginning to wonder if I had to keep "letting go", does that mean that there is nothing that I get to keep?  And if that is true, then should I live my life accordingly and simply see what I can gain for me?  I'm glad that I didn't try that path. There really is a better way, and it balances the need to hold on with the need to avoid living in the past or clinging to a past that no longer exists. And a good balance is possible.  And an active spiritual life really helps!   Blessed Be!

I had to say goodbye to Yuengling this past Monday.  The day started like any other happy day in his life, and we were having a great time together until just about dinnertime.  He sounded like he was trying to catch his breath, and he couldn't get up.  I carried him up the stairs and into the car while Lady Stormy called the vet.  The people who met us at the vet were people he'd known and liked for the 12 years we'd been going there.  He tried to sit up, but couldn't.  Not long after they got him into the procedure room, his heart stopped and CPR didn't help re-start it.  Only about an hour from everything being normal to his having passed. My best friend and constant companion.  My office (before I retired) and shopping were the only places he didn't go with me.  He was my partner in everything I did, including this podcast.  This is the first episode without him next to me.  All that he accomplished, from a life that started as an abandoned, abused dog wandering the streets of Philadelphia! I know that, at the very least, I will see him again at the Rainbow Bridge, and we'll be together from then on.  Experience shows that other times before then might be.  And I thought I should share my thoughts with you as I miss that wonderful guy!   Blessed Be!

Working for a company that produced consumer goods, I was amazed to find the same actual product being sold at different prices, with different reviews, based on the label and the pricing.  And it can be the same in our spiritual lives. In the most ancient of times, each community or cluster of communities considered themselves to be the world.  Is it no surprise that The Divine would present itself to them in that context?  Especially so considering that each group would have special needs which needed to be addressed, such as dietary laws in order to eat safely. As we come together, we have opportunities to learn from each other.   Blessed Be!

Guilt-tripping is a popular activity among certain people, especially for those inclined to mess with other people's spiritual lives.  And they claim to be so caring and concerned while they are doing it! Let's begin by sharing what some people consider to be a big secret:  Your spiritual life, including the religious aspects are your business and yours alone.  Others might teach you or influence you, but in the final analysis, it's yours and yours alone.  That applies to your thoughts and opinions on just about any other matter. This also applies to issues from the past.  In fact, it especially applies there.  And once you realize what the basis of your spiritual journey is, it will be all the more clear! Blessed Be!

Once you have a relationship going with your deity or deities, certain people will want to "help" you.  Some might be offering genuine help, but you need to beware of the others.  There will be those who do not have what you have already gained, and envy and jealousy has taken over them.  And they will want to "set you right".  Some of them have not even tried.  As you walk through a door, they haven't even tried the knob! There are also those who will not agree with what you are doing because it does not precisely match their own path, it does not match with the words of their favorite TV preacher, or they simply don't know any better.  One particular movement in parts of one particular path is evidence of people acting out of ignorance, or having an agenda. If you wonder why some of us harp so much on the basics, this is why!  You need to be grounded in the basics so that you don't get mis-guided.   Blessed Be!

If you want to open communication with your deities (or deity), here's a good starting point.  And, it can be the start of building something substantial. No deity needs anything from us.  They were here before us, and they will be here long after anyone here remembers any of our names!  But, that does not stop them from caring about us.  And, they do like it when they see that we know them and when we thank them for something that they have done for us.  In fact, they outright enjoy it! Thanking them for what they do, as well as celebrating what they have done, can go a long way toward opening lines of communication.   Blessed Be!

One of the most hilarious happenings in life comes when you discover that two people who are arguing passionately against each other are actually for the same thing.  They simply don't want to admit it!  Not only does it happen in schoolyards, it also happens when religion is being debated! Looking at a variety of scriptures and revered writings, I am amazed at how similar so many stories are.  How many gods had sons who died from treachery?  How many of those sons will return during the end times?  And nothing is more interesting than comparing flood/ark stories.  Can you actually picture penguins from Antarctica and kangaroos from Australia walking all the way to wherever Noah had his ark?  And then they would have to walk back home afterward?  More credible would be the idea that they would have been saved from a more local flood by a more local hero. But it also gives us cause to wonder if perhaps there is good reason to respect other mythologies and lore.  Especially if they might actually interface with our own!   Blessed Be!

One of the decisions which nag at each of us is how much "in" or "out" we intend to be about various aspects of our lives.  And even in this supposed era of religious freedom, in the United States at least, there are those who seriously question whether they can afford to be open ("out") about their religious faith, or whether they will have to be secretive about it.  Some Wiccans and Pagans refer to that as being "in the broom closet". There are many factors that can come to bear on such a decision, and sometimes it can seem to force a decision.  But one truth remains.     Blessed Be!

Each one had stood in the way of something which I considered important, even vital, at the time.  Each one was so far in the wrong direction at the time that I considered them to be disgusting.  This isn't just about politics, and it isn't just about religion.  It has to do with how we regard each other.   A President of the United States who inspired me to no longer pursue a military career.  A Speaker of the House whose actions were so contrary to his claimed religious views that I considered him an apostate.  A senator whose antics made me ask questions about him.  Each of them had a confrontation with reality, and the result was worth noting! I can only hope that they will continue to do so well, and follow Former President Carter's example.     Blessed Be!

Most of us have had the need at some time to turn up the volume of a television, radio or stereo player to be able to hear what was being offered in spite of the distracting noises and talking around you.  Some of those distractions might not be within your control.  And, you are not trying to drown out those other sounds, so much as you are trying to focus and concentrate on what you do indeed wish to hear!  Similar can and does happen in prayer and meditation. So, how do you focus on something spiritual with the mundane world all around you?  By focusing on something that resonates and allows the spiritual to respond!  By using whatever combination you need of visual, sound, aroma and whatever else needed to let that happen. The trick, as usual, is finding what works for you, individually! Blessed Be!

Once you have a grasp of what prayer is, does and can do for you, the next logical step in the growth of your spiritual life probably is meditation.  Please understand that you don't have to wait until you've mastered prayer, because very few mortals have ever actually mastered prayer, even if a few might claim to do so.   The number of methods, books and tools available for learning meditation is too great for me to list them here.  I don't have the time, and you don't have the disk space.  Even limiting to your own single spiritual path, much is offered. Meditation is one of the most individual things you can do spiritually.  It is also a process of growth.  Don't let initial disappointment slow you down!   Blessed Be!

Before you drive your car, do you have a man walk in front of it carrying a red flag?  It used to be the law in several places, and one US city has it still on the books for women who drive!  It was within the time of my adulthood that a certain city required inter-racial couples to have a copy of their marriage certificate with them at all times.  In our spiritual lives, it is not uncommon to find people with similar hang-ups based on teachings. Many of us have heard of people using the trappings and regalia of Norse and Germanic traditions as a pretext for racism.  The truth is that the Aesir and Vanir tried to get along with each other and everyone else, with there being ample proof of that in the Havamal and other written lore.   Similarly, some Christians keep citing scripture which Jesus specifically said went out with the coming of John The Baptist.  As we do when we deal with issues such as the "guru" who claims to have a "spiritual herb", we need to know the truth about our own path, and each other's path.   Blessed Be!

Prayer is the primary of the three means to open a door to The Divine, and it is certainly the most significant way of communicating with your deities.  The other two are meditation and contemplation and just about anything else falls within the definition of one of those three.  The main problem with prayer is how much wrong information we've been given and the personal agendas of some who would be teachers. From rote recitation of prayers without learning their meaning to list of things that you are not supposed to pray for to such barriers as "God's will" and "God's time", there is much standing in the way of the full truth about what prayer can do.  But if you can still see and feel the truth beyond that, then you are ready for the full wonder and power of what prayer can do!   Blessed Be!

Much has been said about forgiveness, but little seems really understood.  Forgiveness is a key element in the process of healing, because it assigns the hurt its proper place in the past, and makes it stay in the past.  This can involve individuals, nations, or any size of distinguishable groups of people in between. The course forgiveness takes will depend on the situation and those involved.  It is possible to cite numerous cases in which the result was not just reconciliation, but the building of something better and stronger than before.  I have also known cases in which the person forgiven became part of someone's past and remained there out of sheer necessity. As much hurt and division as has been created, as well as excuses and pretexts for even more, we need to look to forgiveness as a way to get ourselves to move forward. Blessed Be!

We have a unique problem right now.  Until now, the big-name, high-publicity shootings could be simply identified by its location, such as the Columbine shooting, the Thurston shooting, or the Sandy Hook shooting.  Now, we have two big-name shootings, both in Orlando, Florida, and within less than three days of each other.  Singer Christina Grimmie was gunned down on June 10th, and a whole lot more people were gunned down at a nightclub known as The Pulse, an establishment well-known for catering to the LGBT community.  It was also popular with teens that couldn't go elsewhere. As of recording time, it appears that 49 people dies and another 50 were wounded in the Pulse shooting.  In both cases, the shooter died in the shooting, so there will not be anything with the finality of a trial.  Official investigations are going on, of course, but the door is wide open for speculation. And what can we do?  We can do what we've always done!  They don't sell "Witches Heal" bumper stickers for nothing, you know!  And let's see what we can bring about! Blessed Be!

My dad kept a small rubber ball on his desk, half red and half yellow, to get people to understand one of the basic facts of a dispute.  If he held up the ball and asked what color it was, his reply would not be the same as the person responded because each was looking at a different color.  That is the nature of many of the disputes we have today, and religion is one of the areas where such disputes happen. If we look beyond the proper names of deities and people, we might find that our paths have more in command than they have differences.  And if that is true, then it might follow that there might be little substantive reason for dispute.  If that is true, then we should be able to keep differences in perspective so that we can work together. And if we can work together, some great things might be waiting for us! Blessed Be!

One of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life was a gathering called Witchstock 97, put on by the Serpentstone Family.  The absolute high point of that gathering was the main ritual.  As I entered, I was smudged and I stated that I was entering in perfect love and perfect trust.  And in the years since then, I have been grasping just how much that meant. Perfect love and perfect trust are not two separate things, but two expressions of one.  After all, love cannot grow beyond a superficial level without trust.  And once that fact settles in on us, we notice that love is the natural state for all sentient beings, human or animal.   Whether we are talking about Odin hanging from the World Tree, the Shinto goddess installing her grandson Jimmu as the first emperor and custodian of Japan, or any other lore, we can see how much our deities do for all of us.  And if we can get the point in our own lives and our dealings with each other, there is no limit to what can be!   Blessed Be!

Memorial Day being May 30th this year has some significance.  Before Memorial Day became a "Monday holiday", it was regularly celebrated on May 30th.  And this gives us an opportunity to think about what Memorial Day is about.  If you are not in the United States, I imagine that you have a similar holiday and what I say here should apply. It began as "Decoration Day", when people would decorate the graves of fallen Union Soldiers from the Civil War.  As Civil War veterans began dying, a veterans' group began adding them to the honorees on Decoration Day, although the primary emphasis remains to this day on those who died fighting for our country.  And it developed into Memorial Day, a day for remembering the fallen from all wars. These were people who interrupted their lives for the sake of their country.  Whether recruited or drafted, they stepped forward.  They left behind schools, jobs, and families with the hope of returning when it was over.  And so, we honor them.  And in honoring, we can heal.     Blessed Be!

One of my favorite buttons in the late 80's and early 90's was one that said "Born Again Pagan".  Not only did it say where I was at during that point of my life, it insured that the more obnoxious of the Christian Fundamentalists would avoid me so that they didn't have to hear how I had something which they thought was their exclusive! As my path developed into what it is now, I saw how many ways there were to be born again, and how many paths shared this concept - whether or not they would admit it!  But if it doesn't happen with burning bushes are apparitions as if we were in the movies, how does it happen?  Might it be that sometimes we have to recognize what we've been given? Blessed Be!

We've heard of "red flags" before, those indicators that we need to stop and look because something is probably not right.  I've found five flags that might be found on any kind of path: spiritual, political, professional, or just about anything else.  And there are plenty to be seen every day. One thing these red flags have in common is that they distract you from your path, even though the manipulators behind them want you to think that you are on your path.  See what I mean and then see what you see! Blessed Be!

Death is inevitable; no matter how badly some wish to ignore it.  Those who don't ignore it seem forced into either speculating, or buying into someone else's speculation.  So much of the latter, unfortunately, seems to be spiritual blackmail by people who want their followers to comply.   A quick examination will reveal more paths in agreement than disagreement on the broad details.  And only one path has branches which teach an either/or between blissful reward and eternal punishment.  Then again, look at the teaching at the root, and you'll see reason to doubt the speculations of some "teachers".   And the final analysis might not be so bad. Blessed Be!

Your best helpers in your spiritual life might well be your four-footed friends with whom you share a home.  It certainly is true for me!  People often talk about Wiccans and Witches with their familiars as if it were something mysterious and perhaps sinister, when the only thing that actually happens is that the dog or cat is allowed to reach toward his or her potential. You will come to understand much as you grow together! Blessed Be!

In the last episode, I spoke about having sacred space, now I need to talk about claiming it!  That word "claim" has a powerful significance, from a spiritual point of view.  It means that it is yours when you use it.  Even if it's a place which has to be shared with others at other times, it is yours when you use it for sacred purposes.There might be some people who might try to interfere with your use of your sacred space, but a few polite words will stop all but the most obstinate.  For those not stopped by politeness, there are some ways that don't involve retaliation which have proven effective.If you're an adult, if nobody can claim that you're trespassing, you're doing it on your own time and you're not interfering with other people's rights, you should be able to make use of that sacred space.Blessed Be!

Of all of the obstacles that you might face in growing your spirituality and making something of your spiritual life, one of the first might well be the question of a place where you can actually exercise your spirituality.  In other words, a sacred space of your own.  It might seem a simple matter, but it can become complicated as the time I had a room set aside, but it seemed as if someone was always busting in.  Or, it might seem difficult when it is not, such as a place where other people are, but they respect what you are doing.And as you advance and grow, you'll see what I mean!Blessed Be!

Ten years ago, I created the first episode of this podcast.  Its title was "Can We Please Get Along?".  It seemed then (and still does) that we have more to share than we will ever have differences, and many of those differences don't even really exist!  So, then, why not?There's bad news and good news.  There are people who are working together today who would have never thought of doing so ten years ago.  And, people are making the discovery that some differences don't matter as much as they once thought.The problem is the folks who not only don't want to get along, but want to force division, controversy, and even raise issues to divert attention from real issues.  Blessed Be!

Some basic ideas that have been drummed into your head can become tools, and even weapons, in dealing with the words and actions we see from politicians, candidates, business executives, and various forms of bureaucrats as well as religious leaders.  Look at the "Golden Rule" that every Christian child learns in Sunday school, and the "Threefold Law" well known to every Wiccan.  After all, if someone bullies you, does that mean that the bully really wants you to bully him/her?Given the broad-brush statements about certain groups of people, how would someone feel if the same broad-brush were applied to them?  Not only is there a question of whether or not we can afford that kind of prejudiced thinking, it might keep us from seeing greater issues.  The Oklahoma City bombing and several other terrorist-type actions since then, for instance, had nothing to do with minority religions such as Islam.  We have a weapon immediately available which will let each of us know what a person is advocating.  Add a little to that, and you can get an idea of what we might have to expect from that person.  We might even be able to stop a snake before it strikes!  Blessed Be!

If there is one challenge facing us that is greater than any other, it is the challenge presented by hate.  Hate is no stranger to our history, even the history of the United States.  At least one early synagogue was equipped with an escape tunnel found necessary in European synagogues, and the Philadelphia cathedral's stained glass windows were set high enough to be out of reach of a mob's rocks.  The problem today, however, is that many of the preachers of hate are in positions which would ordinarily deserve great respect!  If there is anything more wasteful than hate, I can't think of what it would be.  And hate is so wasteful that it can lead to the downfall of an entire country.  While some might say that if there were no hate, there would have been no war against Hitler's Germany, the fact is that enforcing and administering their policies of hate caused Germany to divert vast resources and thousands of people for the sake of enforcing their hate.What can we do?  Much can be done and much has been discussed.  But a thought occurred to me which might work if a direct confrontation happens!Blessed Be!

Three holidays are celebrated within days of each other, depending on a person's spiritual path.  Each is associated with a particular spiritual path, each has its own unique set of roots, yet all three are celebrating the same thing!  And why not?  It gives us all something not only to celebrate, but also to cherish!To those who insist upon being totally mundane and secular, nothing is more final and absolute than death.  And, there is more than one way of dying.  If a person dies and is buried, if an entire people disappear into the mists of slavery, or if the world is plunged into the death known as winter, those of us who know and appreciate the spiritual see how that can and will be overcome! Blessed Be!

Meditation has many definitions, mostly depending on the person's teacher, the person's experience, and what the person gets from it.  For me, meditation is the next logical step from prayer.  I see it as the weapon which I use to bring my spirituality to bear on a subject.The various methods and teaching of various traditions about meditation might seem diverse, but they are very similar at the core.  And, as with anything that brings reward through effort, regular use improves the experience and the power.    Blessed Be!

While a military land mine can end someone's physical life, a spiritual land mine can end your spiritual life.  While a military land mine is buried in the ground by soldiers during an armed conflict, a spiritual land mine is often offered in public in what appears to be polite company.The three kinds of spiritual land mines are divine arbitrariness, nitpicking and guilt.  I've seen some wonderful people be spiritually ruined by them.  But by recognizing them for what they are and the lies at their root, you have a remedy!   Blessed Be!  

There are some words I call "F-words".  They are proper and can be used in polite company.  Unfortunately, they begin with that letter, and have been so misused that, to some folks, their real meaning has been totally obscured!  Today, I introduce you to the 5-letter F-word "faith".Some seem to think of it as some sort of commodity, as if you might be able to buy it at a supermarket.  Many others seem to take pride in pointing out its apparent absence in some people.  It is my considered opinion that such thinking actually avoids the real definition of faith.Once you understand it and use it, it will surprise you!      Blessed Be!

February 20th is Tempest Smith Day.  On February 20, 2001, Tempest Kayne Smith died by her own hand.  She was twelve years old.  She had been tormented by her classmates for some years because she was shy, because she liked to wear black clothing, and especially because she chose to follow Wicca as her religious path.  At that age, time goes very slowly.  At that age, well-intentioned advice to confide in teachers, counselors and parents meet with trust issues.  Besides, how was it possible that the teachers and staff at her school would not have known, as blatant as some of the abuse was?I have been promoting Tempest Smith Day since the day I first heard of her.  I see her as a martyr, and as a patron of victims of bullying, especially religious bullying.In spite of hopes that things would get better, they have gotten worse.  We now have public officials and candidates for office who claim they want to deport people based on their religion.  What are we going to do?  Blessed Be!

It is amazing, the number of people who seem to need to hate.  And when they hate us, it might seem that the only two options to escape their venom are to either capitulate to their slogans or keep your beliefs to yourself.  And neither of those actually works, and in fact it will only increase their hate!  Fortunately, they have a vulnerability which they share with the schoolyard bullies we knew in childhood.You are strong where the haters are weak.  I know that I sometimes have to remind myself of both facts.  Those who hate have a weakness which can be their downfall.  Meanwhile, we have strength which we can depend on.  It begins not merely with maturity, but with growth that lets us avoid immaturity!  Blessed Be!

Have you been receiving harassment lately, especially religious harassment?  It happens a lot lately, and social media only added to the potential ways for it to happen.  On the internet, they are often referred to as "trolls", for their obsessive behavior.  It's even worse when it's someone you thought you knew.  In my case, one was someone I had known since high school and another was someone I had served with in the Air Force.  And past friendship does not curb their obsession or their verbal venom.There is much that can be said about them, but often not much that can be done about them except perhaps reporting and blocking.  But one factor about those "trolls" and other harassers actually works against them and for your benefit!Blessed Be!

Some might find Imbolc to be a Sabbat which is easy to skip-over, but those who really grasp what Imbolc is about find it to be one of the most powerful.  As with Yule and Samhain having their corresponding Yuletide and Samhaintide to mark the days and other celebrations surrounding them, it would not be wrong to speak of Imbolctide for all of the related celebrations.From ancient Pagan celebrations to Christian holidays and even to the American folklore celebration of Groundhog Day, All of the celebrations tie in together with a basic fact which can give us much encouragement.Regardless of deity or denomination, Imbolc offers us something special!Blessed Be!

Christians and atheists appear to be missing the same point! I don't mean all of both groups, but a sizeable number indeed.  A group known for atheism recently posted a graphic containing several pictures of starving, suffering people, especially children.  Along with the pictures was the taunt: "Where is your god?" The answer applies to both groups, both the Christians and the atheists.  And please don't think that the answer lets the atheists off the hook, either!Blessed Be!

Most people think of Lent as a Christian tradition, but it has its parallels in many other spiritual paths.  Used well, it functions nicely as a "course correction maneuver" to give each of us an opportunity to see where we are on our journey compared to where we could be.  Unfortunately, many Christians have made Lent a negative experience.  There may be those who picture Santa Claus or the Nativity when they think of Christmas, but when I think of Lent, I picture an old lady waving her finger at a child while trying to live in the 19th century.  That's the problem.Blessed Be!

Nothing irritates me quite as much as when a tragedy happens, such as the recent mass shootings, and people in a position to offer solutions instead prefer to say how the victims and their families are in their "thoughts and prayers."  I found it irritating enough that at one time I left Christianity as I then had known it because of how many purported Christians seemed to be using prayer as a means to avoid dealing with issues.The current wave of mass shootings makes it more direct and personal for me.  I know what it is like to hear on the news that an old friend was shot and killed, and I have seen the look on a co-worker's face as she tried to find out if her child was all right after a shooting in a school.  But the issue I raise here goes beyond that.  Deities must be very displeased with empty prayers and empty promises of prayers.Blessed Be!

Those of us who are Pagan and/or Wiccan are fortunate: Some of our most important holidays have mundane equivalents on different days, and it means we have two chances at some things.  The mundane New Year's Day is like that because of its parallels to Samhain.  Not only do both celebrate endings and beginnings, it is an opportunity to help beginnings with resolutions.  One resolution that I am making is to strengthen my spiritual life.Your spiritual life is your own and private, with the only exceptions being if you have a teacher for that area, and for those activities done in a group, such as group rituals.  Other than ant, it's yours and your business.  And on that note, we can explore.Blessed Be!

To begin with, a basic point: you are a priest/ priestess.  You have an absolute right and indeed a responsibility to be a priest or priestess for the sake of your own needs.  You might need a stock broker to buy shares of corporate stock and you might need a commodities broker to buy agricultural commodities, but there are no "blessing brokers".  There are times, of course, when you will need the services of someone functioning as clergy, such as a wedding or for a specialized need.And there are those called to be clergy.  Such a call can be very forceful, and can even cross supposed boundaries of denomination and even deity.  The force can be so compelling that it almost makes death seem optional by comparison!  And if it is real, it is never just a job.So, let's explore priesthood and see what it is all about.  It will be a good beginning to some exploration of your own spiritual life!Blessed Be!

Once upon a time, I was a total cynic about this time of year.  If I went to a church, it seemed to be permeated by gossip, people who led soap-opera lives, and folks who used prayer as a way to avoid doing anything tangible for people.  And, in the mundane world, there was the usual seasonal hype, centered around a seasonal tree holding the objects of seasonal blackmail and bribery.  Let's not forget the annual one-upping the neighbor when it comes time to decorate the house.  It's gotten to the point that a situation which was included in a comedy some years back has actually become a daily problem in some cities!Things changed for me when I learned how to tune in certain aspect and tune out certain others.  It's not difficult, nobody has to give up anything important, and we'll have our holidays back, regardless of the name of the holiday we're celebrating!Blessed Be!

There is an epidemic in this country.  It is an epidemic of a disease that has brought down nations before, and has brought disaster to many more.  This is not the first time that this disease hadinfested the United States.  We need to stop it!The disease spreads among people, leaving plants and animals innocently non-involved.  Parents can easily pass the disease to their children.  Worse yet, the disease can spread among children in places like schools, with the result being that a child can be seriously infected before a parent even notices.  And, of course, adults have ample opportunity to catch the disease.The disease can often cause fortunes to be consumed in meeting the demands that the disease brings on, and more than one war has been lost by a country where this disease is especially rampant.Can you tell that the disease is none other than hate?  Explore further, and see how we might fight it and win! Blessed Be!

Once again, some Christians are claiming that there is a "war on Christmas" going on, and in the past I have stated a claim that I did not believe there was a "war on Christmas."  I was mistaken.  I do believe that there is a "war on Christmas", but it is not the one that so many, particularly Evangelical Protestants, claim exists.The nature of the real war on Christmas goes beyond made-up issues as a coffee shop's cups being red without additional decoration, and it goes beyond non-issues such as a store clerk saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".The real war on Christmas is worse than that.  And what scares me is that it could happen to the special days of any spiritual path.  What would a Wiccan or other Pagan do if Beltane became an excuse for one-night stands, or if Ostara or Samhain became nothing more than occasions to gorge yourself on candy?  Blessed Be!

This is the 500th episode of "The Secrets In Plain Sight".  The first episode was titled "Can We Please Get Along?"  Each episode since then has touched on this issue in one way or another.  And at the 500th episode, I am convinced that we can, and that we must!With all of the controversies going on, it might not seem possible, but it is!  Here at home, we are dealing with radicals claiming to be Christian, and in other parts of the world, extremists labeling themselves as Muslim have our attention.  Which of either gets attention of the mass media depends, of course, on what sells and who won't be offended.  In the Norse, the Aesir made peace with the Vanir.  And even Christian scripture shows a path not to conciliation or consolidation, but to respect and working together.  We do that, and there will be no limit to what we can accomplish! Blessed Be!

We've discussed this subject before, but some subjects demand further exploration, especially those which can be part of our daily life.  Every spiritual path and every society has some version of ghosts.  The noun used might differ, but it's quite possible to come up with a definition which encompasses all of them, from the soldiers still fighting at Gettysburg to your recently departed relative to the spirits at Yasukuni Shrine in Japan.  Once realize who they can be, it is easy enough to see how important they are.  And from there, we can learn to deal with them.  And what we learn here can apply elsewhere, too!NOTE: I see that there is question in Snopes about one item I featured in comment.  I go with the best information I have at the time, and anyone who would call for walls might call for special ID.Blessed Be!

"The greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think".  I don't know who said it, but I find it too true too often!It begins as soon as we become aware of other people, and it continues throughout your life!  From putting your toys away to whether you're one of the "better" kids on the playground to judgements passed based on your career choice, it continues.Do you suddenly realize that the nice house, nice car and fancy job do not fill hollowness within you?  Or, do you do you wonder if all you have is all you're going to have because you simply cannot do better?  This is one of the biggest challenges to face in life, and it is at the gateway to your fulfillment!Blessed Be!

In the US, Veterans' Day is November 11th.  If you are not in the US, I hope that you have a similar celebration sometime in the year.  All veterans deserve to be honored, even former enemies.In the US and in many other countries, military service was once considered to be a virtual rite of passage for young men.  Indeed, at one time a young man who did not choose when and how he would serve would have the choice made for him by his draft board.  We put our lives on hold for a while to serve our country.  And eventually, the time came when we took off our uniforms and resumed the lives we had left behind.  Coming back home to a regular life was not as easy for some.In The Craft, there is much that we can do about this.  In fact, for those of you who know the Arthurian tradition, there is one particular knight to emulate and perhaps even evoke!  Sir Bors accomplished the wish of every veteran!Blessed Be!

How do we keep Samhain going?  Quite a lot can happen at Samhain, and quite a lot more can begin to happen.  The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest at Samhain, and some people seem to worry about what might happen after Samhain.  This is not unusual or unfamiliar.  Some Christians seem to see December 26th as the day when the Christmas spirit is replaced by the cold hostility of winter.  Neither has to be the case.The trick is to make maximum use of the veil at its thinnest, keep it as thin as possible for as long as possible, and to be able to reach through when needed.  After all, needs do not always arise at convenient times.The answer to all of this is closer than some people might believe!Blessed Be!

This is the perfect time to discuss Samhain, because it is precisely a week away from when this publishes!  Samhain is a time of opposites working together.  It is also a great time for combining a fun celebration with some really great spiritual experiences.There are some wonderful family, friends and others whom I miss greatly.  With the veil between the worlds being at its thinnest, this is the time for communication.  In the same manner as some might consider the invitation list to a celebration such as the Thanksgiving as practiced in the US, I try to make sure of the list of those I want to call on at Samhain.  And, we cannot forget the more mundane part of the celebration.Samhain is also a great time to have some fun.  And we cannot lose sight of the need for some occasional fun.Blessed Be!

Dreams and visions can be spiritual or mundane, but they have one thing in common: some of the best-intentioned of your friends and family will try to talk you out of your dreams.  And the people who listen to that are the folks who keep psychiatrists and priests busy in their own careers.  Look back at yourself when you were perhaps five or six years old, and look at how you envisioned what your life would be like today.  Compare that with the reality of your life today, and you might see what I mean.There are some factors that are begging for consideration here.  And, we might as well admit the fact that some visions do not simply go away because your parents or others disapprove.  Let's scratch the surface of what we might be able to do!Blessed Be!

When I was beginning, I once asked a teacher what the most and least important parts of magick and spellwork were.  Her answer molded my path from that day on. And, remarks about what I said concerning a recent incident make me know that point even more.That one element can change so much!  It's so powerful that some people seem to deliberately try to sabotage it.  And in other cases, the well-meaning seem to try to undermine it.It's there for you to use, preferably with wisdom.     Blessed Be!

For people living in the United Sates, everyone was affected by the Pope's visit, with the possible exception of someone who might be living under a rock on some mountaintop.  Of course, the spin-makers were at it too, trying to put their own spin on things.  Self-appointed martyr-makers arranged for the infamous Kim Davis to meet the Pope, while others forgot to mention that the Pope also met with an old friend who is gay and his friend's long-time partner.It quickly became apparent that Pope Francis has not yet introduced anything new, but he is bringing back the example of his faith's founder who had no problem with associating with social outcasts.  He also seems interested in keeping various issues in their proper perspective.  People are hungry, people are being killed for their faith, wars are being fought for the benefit of arms manufacturers, and someone wants to talk about....The visit has the potential of being a game-changer.  I'm looking forward to it!Blessed Be!

It doesn't take much to figure out what the title is talking about.  Many will talk about having a goal, but how many are willing to do the work to get there?  Here in the US, it's easy enough to see men walking around in what appear to be Army battle uniforms, but they aren't soldiers and never have been!  Some, in fact, would probably not survive a genuine drill sergeant!  Where religion and the spiritual are concerned, the matter is complicated by the fact that not all paths have well-defined paths of training and formation.For some, this means concern over finding themselves under the guidance of a wanna-be or worse.  For those who do intend to function as priest, priestess or other clergy, the question is how to avoid being perceived as "self-styled". Blessed Be!

No Sabbat or other holiday is as personally spiritual as Samhain.  By that I mean spiritual in a personal way to each individual one of us!  The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and those on the other side of the veil have people here that they care about and love.  Someone could very well want to communicate with YOU.The challenge is to recognize what you are seeing, and interpret the message.  Even the most blatant may require interpretation, and some details might be personal to the recipient.  They're here.  Can we hear?Blessed Be!

For most of us, "Freedom of Religion" is a topic that was mentioned in school as one of the freedoms we have, and that was about it.  Unless, of course, you were a member of a faith that was not in local fashion.  But lately, some folks have been trying to claim another "Freedom of Religion", only this time it's their "freedom" to impose their religion upon others.We have a case of a county clerk whose job includes issuing marriage licenses to all qualified applicants.  But, because of the version of Christianity which she follows, she refuses to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  We have another case in which a young woman who works as a flight attendant on airliners discovered that her new religious faith prohibits her from serving alcohol.  We've also heard cases of Somali refugees working as grocery clerks refusing to deal with pork.    We need to respect each other's faith and all it entails, but how do we accommodate, get the job done, and maintain fairness?Blessed Be!

The revelations from the Ashley Madison scandal remind me of a line from the movie "Braveheart" in which Patrick McGoohan as King Edward I advised his son: "You'll be a king one day, at least try to act like one!"  People who are in positions of trust, visibility, leadership and accountability might do well to remember that!Given the nature of the "Ashley Madison" web site, it can be assumed that anyone who paid for membership had one thing in mind, and not in a wholesome way.  Those who were caught who were in positions where they were supposed to set an example in such areas as "family values" are going to be in trouble for a very long time.  This not only tells us what we need to do, it shows us what we can do to meet the challenges of those who would criticize us.Blessed Be!

Three young American men became heroes when they stopped an alleged terrorist attack.  They were three young men vacationing together on a train from Amsterdam to Paris.  They were ordinary people who became heroes by doing extraordinary things.There are all kinds of heroes, living and otherwise.  There are astronauts, aviators, war heroes, inventors, people who demonstrated what an invention could do, and people who stepped up to other challenges, including Rosa Parks who sat in the front of a bus and refused to give up her seat.  Charles Lindbergh and Rosa Parks each saw a challenge and faced the challenge.  Flying across an ocean and sitting where you choose on a bus are things which happen daily now, but only because they faced the challenge and succeeded.We need to know who our heroes are.  Each of us needs to define who our heroes are, and look for heroes.  Life can be dull and directionless without heroes we can emulate.  Blessed Be!

The other day in the supermarket I noticed a sign asking people to not use their cell phones at the deli counter.  The problem wasn't unfortunate husbands needing more specifics on which kind of salami to buy, but people talking to who-knows-who about who-knows-what.  In days before cell phones, any such "side conversation" would have been with a person standing nearby, and that conversation would have been put "on hold" when business was being transacted.  By the age of three, my mommy had already impressed this on me when we went to the store.  It was a part of being polite and having good manners.It occurred to me the old rules need to apply to technology, and for those of us who are Wiccan, Pagan, or of other spiritual paths can put this concept to good use.  While some covens remain hidden and oathbound, the days when such isolation was either necessary or assumed are gone.  Especially because of the internet, there is more interaction, learning and availability than our spiritual ancestors would have imagined.  And, there are many more of us than we knew about.  But, the same rules of good manners and courtesy apply in the newer media as they did in face-to-face meetings.   Blessed Be!

Ghosts are an interesting subject, and one that nobody is neutral about.  What is especially funny is when a non-believer struggles to justify their non-belief when an encounter with a ghost is their first personal encounter with the spiritual!Defining what a ghost is not only clarifies what we are talking about; it also shows the pure logic in the fact of their existence.  Learning how to deal with them is an essential part of spiritual growth.This is a subject in which many people have devoted years of research, experience and debate.  And we'll dust off some of the surface here. Blessed Be!

The mere mention of spiritual awareness can cause controversy. Yes, some people are comfortable with the subject and others can in fact be too comfortable with it. Some are so over-comfortable that they have discussions with deities while I'm trying to hear a still, small voice. Some others don't want to think it exists. Others know that there is something there and want to experience more. Meditation, like prayer, has problems in that people can be given some really rote beginnings but need to know how to transition to something beyond the rote. This is a problem in any spiritual path. And with this, we can make use of everything else of the spiritual that we learn! Blessed Be!  

For me, it's harder when an animal passes away than when most humans pass away. A dog or cat doesn't worry about someone's income, attractiveness or social status. They love unconditionally. That means that they already know something which most of the rest of us struggle our entire lives to learn! And when they pass, do they leave us? No! The existence of their souls is obvious to those willing to look, and those who deny it might be following the same path as those who once claimed that women did not have souls! With that knowledge, we know what to look for daily! Blessed Be!

If you've read any of the news lately, especially about government and business, you know how much effort some people put into doing the right thing, or at least appearing to do so. But when a person or organization makes an effort that appears to be an attempt to do the right thing, are they really doing the right thing? Most of us know of efforts which were thought to do the right thing which actually were not. A school which admits a new student who has little chance of graduating, a graduate with a diploma but no real preparation for applying it, or people unprepared for their new jobs are only a few examples. And, of course, there is the other problem of over-scrutinizing the credentials of someone who "doesn't look like the rest of us". The question is simple: how can we do the right thing and be sure of being right in how we do it? Blessed Be!

Those who understand spiritual imagery understand what icons are for, and most of us use icons in our daily lives, whether we want to admit to it or not. When a person, place or event comes to stand for something higher or greater than itself, it's referred to as iconic because we've made it into an icon. The problem with humans who become icons is that they come from the same human race as the rest of us! An icon often gives us a goal to emulate. A child who sees a football player's picture on a box of cereal and might become inspired to follow in that player's footsteps is a perfect example. So, what do we do when the icon is tarnished, or even crumbles? Each of us needs to examine this situation. Blessed Be!  

I find spiritual blackmail to be repulsive. I can think of some things that are more offensive to me, but most of them are crimes. Spiritual blackmail happens every day, with impunity. It has its roots in concepts that claim that rewards in the next life. What's worse, the one path which is most infamous for that approach also claims that their god loves us! That a loving god would cast most of us into eternal punishment is beyond being illogical. In fact, if that god were human, such threats would be the basis of a restraining order! Let's look at what we do know and find an answer that contains some truth! Blessed Be!  

About a week ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to another part of the state, where Lady Stormy and I presided over a wedding. It was outdoors, away from town; in a place that reminded me of my grandfather's summer cabin when I was a little boy. It seemed so ideal, but it was unique. One of the first things I noticed when we arrived was that the guests had not divided into the usual "Bride's side" and "Groom's side" cliques looking at strangers. Instead, it was one group of people enjoying the occasion. Then again, there wouldn't have been a "Bride's side" because there was no bride. Two grooms were getting married in that county's first same-sex wedding. It's one thing to sit around and discuss some subject, it's another to have your feet "on the ground" where it is happening. And I would like to offer my observations on what I found and learned. And the recent Supreme Court ruling makes it relevant to today's discussion. Blessed Be!

Seekers' Temple is leaving Beebe, Arkansas. They have a new place, located elsewhere. While they had originally chosen Beebe because of it being so central to their members, Seekers' temple was not just a mission or a "church plant". It included a family who looked forward to calling Beebe their home.   Unfortunately, all welcomes stopped when the people of Beebe discovered that Seekers' Temple was not Christian! Then began the harassment and bullying including dubious legal actions, vandalism of lawn statues, bright lights shining into windows at night, and much more. Simply put, they became victims of a hate campaign, all because they were a church which was not Christian!  It does not take much research effort to see how wasteful hate always is! Nations have fallen because of hate, after all! I refuse to be like a stereotypical street-corner preacher and claim that some plague, drought or invading army was coming their way. Their fate is, in some ways, even worse. Blessed Be!

Deities like to party! No matter how somber and sober the followers of some spiritual paths behave (at list publicly), look into the history, legends and lore and you'll probably see that the deities and their initial followers knew how to party! And, they knew how to celebrate in a religious context, too! So, our own celebrations can be in a religious context and many of them are, and are familiar to many of us. And the lesson here is not only is that okay, we might look for more celebrations! Some of the examples you'll find, in fact, probably will not be anything you were taught in Mrs Broadbeam's Sunday school class! Blessed Be!  

This episode carries within it a challenge for each and every one, regardless of denomination, spiritual path or affiliation. The challenge is quite simple: get the point of an admonition you'll find expressed one way or another in every path. I chose to express it using the Christian version of it for several reasons. One is that it is so widely published that many people think that they are familiar with it. Another reason is that it is one of those examples of a secret in plain sight that so many people miss! Those who get the point will receive a blessing that's good for any spiritual path! Blessed Be!  

There can me many reasons why you might feel the need to spice-up your prayer life. It's easy to get into a rut. Also, the way some of us are taught, we need to find where the spice is. After all, what we got taught in Sunday school about prayer was not usually exciting. Of course, there are those who have never had a prayer life before. But then, others will want to explore to see what can be. All of this, plus being able to enjoy the fact that this is your own private prayer life and therefore your own business and nobody else's. Public prayer and the prayer you might do because of a ministry you perform or a group you join is another matter. We're talking here about your personal prayer life that nobody gets to mess with. This is where you get to develop your spiritual muscle! Blessed Be!  

Memorial Day is the day set aside in the United States to honor those who died in service to their country. Those still in active service have Armed Forces Day, and those who have fought and are still living have Veterans' Day. I do not believe it wrong to include deceased veterans among the honored on Memorial Day, but the basic fact is that Memorial Day is the day to remember those who served their country and have died. I am old enough to have friends, including a close friend, among those honored on Memorial Day. Ironic, too, in that he was chosen for a program that my glasses kept me out of, and he died flying a helicopter in Vietnam. He and I both stepped forward. He got chosen to be an Army chopper pilot, and I got chosen to do something else in the Air Force. I could name others, but this one was special. And this is a good time to give thanks for those men and women and what they gave for us. Enjoy the picnic, the barbecue or the ball game. But remember who made them possible! Blessed Be!  

I remember as a very young lieutenant in the Air Force having to work with a senior captain who considered it his mission to tell everyone what our colonel wanted. Imagine what happened when the colonel heard about what he supposedly wanted, and he never wanted that! I remember well the reaction concerning the captain who spoke out of turn claiming to be on the colonel's behalf. If the colonel had been a deity instead of a mortal, it might have been more complicated. From Allah to Zarathustra, from Brigid to Yahweh, my heart goes out to deities who have to hear their names batted about in ways which they never had in mind! And I pity the mortals involved when it catches up to them! And on the other end, we have others who go too far in another direction. I recall a party planning in which someone wanted to make the Friday night get-together meatless because some of those attending might be Catholic. And then there is the human rights complaint which claims that Catholic University in Washington, DC does not sufficiently accommodate the needs of Muslim students, like they named it "Catholic University" because it sounded "cool". When is the next shipment of common sense due? Blessed Be!  

Something scares me worse than any conspiracy theory that the far-outers of either side of the spectrum could ever produce. What scares me more than even the military exercise in Texas is what is happening in the name of "Religious Freedom." To me, "Religious Freedom" means the freedom to exercise my religion. It means that nobody can tell me which church I must attend or which faith I must not practice. It means that I may wear special clothing if my faith dictates. It means that my religion is my business.  To some, unfortunately, "Religious Freedom" means the freedom to discriminate or even act out against anyone whom they feel does not conform to their own religion's rules. It even seems to permit some of the same discrimination which other laws prohibit, provided that a bigot can show a religious reason for their act! Blessed Be!  

At some point in your spiritual journey, you might find yourself searching for a new or improved deity. While atheists and agnostics might be looking to fill a void, some others might like their current deity well enough, but would like that deity to have a more active role in daily life. Then, there are those who have a particular want or need, and want a deity to help with that issue. And now and then, someone will feel the need for a new pantheon. There are some good ways to go about such a search, and there are indeed some precautions. But, it can be done successfully. For many, this is a part of the growth process. It also becomes an essential part of the learning process. Blessed Be!

I recall in college in the late 1960's and early 1970's, the followers of Dr. Timothy Leary and others wanted to get everyone "high" and venture "farther out" in their drug-induced pseudo-heaven. Some of them tried to convince me that it would benefit my spirituality. Oh, really? Someone I knew was studying Buddhist meditation and a few Anglican monks of my acquaintance who did a lot of meditation were in agreement that they didn't need any help from such stuff, and in fact were concerned that it would get in their way! And, their reason was valid and obvious to those with even a little experience. Look at where you are going, and you'll see that you are going in a new direction, one which pop-culture folks probably don't know much about. Go there, and find the treasure you're looking for! Blessed Be!  

Of all of the religions, denominations, cults and spiritual movements that I have encountered, none has raised as many "red flags" in my mind as Christianity! Few seem to go further from the original teaching imparted by Yeshua Bar-Joseph! This issue is a good reason to explore it, especially as a Wiccan. We encounter layers upon layers of dogma and orthodoxy, some written to keep people "in line", much written to fight the dogmas of other orthodoxies. So many of them will tell you of a need for a "personal relationship", but so little provision is made for an individual relationship. And so, it's time to explore what else might be there that we have not been shown. There is where my own exploration begins. The people who knock on your door and the folks at the church down the street might not be doing what Yeshua Bar-Joseph had in mind! Blessed Be!  

The very first episode of "The Secrets In Plain Sight" was released on April 5, 2006. That's nine years ago, and nine years of weekly episodes with the exception of a couple of trips to the hospital. In that first episode, I asked why we can't learn to get along with each other. I'm still asking that question. Some progress has been made, but always at a greater price than should have been. Then again, human rights and mutual respect really ought to come at no charge. Other problems remain, including a group which might not be as big as they think, but they have managed to get some hate-based legislation passed. In the meantime, we have something special going for us. Our own understanding of our individual relationships to The Divine reveal much! Blessed Be!  

What would be the greatest logical disconnect of all time? Perhaps the one which millions of people of many faiths buy into on a daily basis! On one hand, we get told that a deity loves us. On the other hand, we are told that the deity will punish us, eternally and severely, for the slightest infraction. Worse yet, the question of eternal salvation might be subject to either arbitrariness or just a numeric quota. How can anyone NOT see the disconnect? The answer is hidden in plain sight. Name a spiritual path, and you'll find a god, goddess, or other deity who did great things for us. In fact, you might find several of them hard at work for us. While Jesus died on the cross, Allfather Odin hung himself from the World Tree for nine days to learn what he needed to know for our sake. I could go on and on. Many of us have been subjected to the words of some fat, bald guy in a pulpit, but did he offer the answers? In the very nature of what the deities did, we find a hint of what we can look forward to! Blessed Be!  

Did you ever find yourself in a situation in which a couple of people were talking in what they thought was plain language, but to you it was beyond understanding? It happened the other day at the tax advisor's office! And if it happens in "technical" subjects, what is it like in dealing with spirituality, theology, or religion? In some ways, it helps. Some things don't need explanation when they can be presumed to be mutually understood. Of course, it also helps in defending against phonies and wanna-be's as well, since people who claim certain qualification and experience will know certain things! This can also be an opportunity. Look there to see what areas of knowledge are calling you to explore. And, one added benefit will aid you on your journey! Blessed Be!  

Some of the greatest lessons I've learned have come from four-legged teachers. As a very young child, nobody bothered much with the fact that I saw animals as fellow beings with whom I could relate to and communicate with. This in spite of the fact that most of my thoughts were supposed to be centered on the mundane world. From sharing secrets with a four-legged "brother" named Bonton to what I learned from military working dogs, the cat of a lady I was dating, on to my current group of nannies/ babysitters/ teachers, the learning process had been constant and rewarding. What I am exploring is some skills and knowledge that our ancient ancestors knew well, but our more recent ancestors have either forgotten or ignored. And I am having the greatest fun, re-discovering this long-lost knowledge and putting it to use. And my four-foot "children" are enjoying it, too! Blessed Be!  

I get scared when I read a parody article which sounds too much like something I've experienced in life. Recently, a parody "news" article claimed that an Air Force wing commander got disgusted with hearing other services refer to the Air Force as "The Chair Force" and so he decreed that chairs will no longer be authorized in his command. I recall an incident that seemed too similar in my Air Force days. And there was a reason we called them "colonelisms". They had one thing in common: a decision made without considering some relevant facts. While the story here might be easy to see in relation to our mundane lives, what about our magickal and spritirual lives? Even more so. You'll see! Blessed Be!  

Of all of the "objections" I hear about one form or another of religion, one of my "favorite" is the one that claims that sacred writings have so many contradictions! Well, since most collections of sacred texts are compilations from many number of original authors, do you expect anything else. It's true that Islam and Mormonism each have a book that was given, intact and complete, to their prophet - but that's about all. So, how do you confront a contradiction and get a real understanding of what is being said? Here is an idea of how to go about that. And, you might discover some truth in the process! Blessed Be!  

Imagine a religious/ theological version of a science fair. I remember science fairs in school as a time when instead of dealing with the usual science stuff, I got to explore something that interested me, and exhibit the results. Imagine that with the subjects we deal with here! All things considered, it might be the opening to a revolution of truth! Regardless of our spiritual path, most of us find ourselves forced into recognizing how much we do not know. Those who do think that they know all that they need to know are in for an awakening. Even Christians face this, since most of them don't know that what they call "scripture" is only one of four such bodies of scripture, and they are not even agreed on what's in that one! As a Baptist about the Book of Tobit and you'll see - but a well-studied Catholic or Anglican will know immediately! For those of the Norse/Germanic persuasions, the Havamal and Heimskringla provide some interesting contrasts, don't they? And what is waiting to be found? And what might have been found that someone is afraid to let us know about? Blessed Be!  

I keep suggesting that February 20th be set aside as Tempest Smith Day. It's appropriate for a day to honor those who are or have been victims of bullying, particularly religious bullying. Tempest Kayne Smith was a young lady with an amazing intellect and some major talents. That and the fact that she was pursuing Wicca were some of the reasons bullies targeted her. On February 20, 2001 she could not take it anymore. Religious bullying is especially wrong due to how individual religion must be for it to work for an individual. Also, there is no form of religion that hasn't gotten someone bullied, especially in the United States. And even Christian scripture itself gives reasons why religious bullying should not happen. Religious bullying needs to be confronted. Blessed Be!  

As we approach the anniversary of Tempest Smith's death, I'd like to discuss some of the aspects of the isolation which victims of bullying experience and what can be done spiritually to overcome that. Spiritual measures might not be enough, because physical isolation also happens. But, thanks to the Internet, it's much easier to find folks with like issues and like mind. Spiritual isolation can be another matter. I've known more than one who felt abandoned by his or her deities. But, spiritual isolation can be overcome, and the result can be amazing! Blessed Be!  

Some of the most popular ways of putting an end to someone's spiritual life are subtle and sometimes seem downright popular. We're not talking about "biggies" here, such as how some folks claim that someone is somehow following some kind of "devil". Instead, we're talking about something more subtle that can be disguised as proper teaching! Four techniques are especially infamous. Each has its roots and methods, but most can be traced to greed and the agendas which greed creates. Here is yet another case in which truth becomes a weapon. Never forget that pure, genuine truth is absolute, regardless of the list of "facts" someone might collect. And with truth, we have the means to transform that into empowerment. Blessed Be!  

We need to say farewell to a friend of ours. I say "ours" because he welcomed you to the podcast every week for a many years. His purr followed Yuengling's bark at the opening of the show. His name is Thor. He came into our lives by the simple fact that he chose me. He jumped into the car, jumped onto my lap, looked me in the eye and I told him that he has a home. My wife knew him, and knew he had no home. That was July 4, 2001 and he was barely a year old. He was the perfect combination of friend and familiar. He also had a talent for healing, as I discovered when I was recovering from some rather nasty cancer surgery. It was at that time that the other cats fully realized who he was and made him a family member, not just a tolerated newcomer. After fourteen years, I'm missing him. But I've found absolute truth in some promises which were made. I tend to be hard on those who insist on waiting for something that's already here, or who ask for something that they already have. And there is a promise. Blessed Be!       　  

I feel the need to preface my remarks with the assurance that there is no such thing as a "dumb question", except for the one that someone is afraid to ask. That said, there are those questions which reveal how much the person asking needs to learn. This can be scary when the question reveals a substantial gap between what might be needed to do something at all, and what might be necessary to do it successfully and safely. The Walt Disney cartoon "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" illustrates what I mean, with a flawless performance by Mickey Mouse as the over-ambitious apprentice! And by looking at the situation, and the context of the original question someone posed, we can see what we need! Blessed Be!  

What can I do? That question is asked in a number of ways. Sometimes, it is an actual question. Sometimes, it is a challenge to be offered an opportunity for action. At other times, it attempts to serve as an excuse for those who want to claim to be weak and powerless. Here, I'll try to offer genuine answers to a serious asking of the question. I am often criticized as being too political, but the fact is that the political has gotten to the point that it even permeates some of our prayer lives! So, we need to do something. There are indeed those who would mess with our basic civil and human rights, and some will do so in the name of what they think are their own rights. Can we see where we might find things to do in the face of this? Blessed Be!  

Most of us will agree that ignorance and prejudice have too high a cost. Unfortunately, ignorance and prejudice are so often disguised as knowledge. Worse yet, the ignorant and the prejudiced see themselves as being privy to such "special knowledge" and that their duty is to insure that they impart that "knowledge" to the rest of us. History is full of examples. They include ethnic groups of people who were said to present a danger to national security, a political candidate who supposedly had a secret tunnel to the world headquarters of his church, and on and on. Most of them sound ridiculous in retrospect, but most of us a probably guilty of falling for at least one of them. And we need to see how to combat this problem, preferably before it gets tragically out of hand. Blessed Be!       　  

Can we learn something from archaeology that might stop us from being stupid? I enjoy reading about archaeological discoveries, because there is so much to learn from them! Recently, a very large ancient city was discovered in Turkey - all underground! Not a cave dwelling either, but a well-developed city with all of a city's amenities, including sanitiation according to some reports. We also know that our Roman ancestors enjoyed hot and cold running water and indoor plumbing. So, how did our ancestors in more recent centuries fall off the cleanliness bandwagon? Quite a lot disappeared when a certain religious order was suppressed. All because of a combination of greed, envy, and gossip? It might be! If we dig into this stuff, can we learn something? Might we be able to save ourselves from making the same mistakes, perhaps on a larger scale? Wouldn't that be nice? Blessed Be!  

This time of year, we face the annual round of New Year's resolutions, whether we want to or not. Some are made in jest, some are made to get people who can't mind their own business to shut up, but some are real and meant sincerely. The problem with those is the fact that they might be difficult to maintain. There are some basic principles in making and keeping resolutions, and they are very similar to the principles of Magick which we already know. In fact, they complement each other so well that it using Magick to help them along is logical! So, how do we bring it off? Blessed Be!  

Look at a calendar that shows all of the celebrations for this time of year, and you'll see that it is quite literally stuffed with holidays. Not only is Yule/ Solstice on the calendar, but so is Christmas, Hanukah, the birthdays of Mithras and Horus, and I can go on and on and on! That the Solstice might be at the root of all this might be debated, but there is no debate that a mundane/secular event such as the movement of the sun might have spiritual implications, or spiritual results. And why not? Add to that the meaning of Hanukah and its origins, as well as Kwanza, and there's a pattern of one basic concept which we will do well to remember, as it is one of the cornerstones of our spiritual health, regardless of your spiritual path or denomination. Blessed Be!  

This is the time of year when some people make a point of looking at how blessed they are. And, it makes sense, especially compared to those who seem to concentrate on an apparent lack of blessings. Our only concern about such negative people is that they do not mess with us and what we need to do. If you look at who gives thanks for blessings and who does not, you might get some insight into not only what's important, but also what can be used to really build yourself something great. And the differences can be amazing! And wait until you see what it is that you can build with this, beginning with an old saying that maybe didn't register much with you! Blessed Be!  

And now we have the time of the annual greetings controversy. Some folks will make a stink about how someone like a store clerk didn't wish them "Merry Christmas". But then, there are others who will make a stink if someone like a store clerk does wish them "Merry Christmas"! So, what do we do? We can begin by looking at what it is that is being done. Contrary to the opinion of a few paranoids, what is being done is not an act of evangelism, but a blessing in which someone wishes another the best of a day that is important to them. The only controversy emerges from the fact that many different people celebrate many different holidays this time of year, and Christmas is but one of them. And if we realize the implications of that little fact, we might be able to find a way to bring people together! Blessed Be!  

Unless you are living under a better rock than the one I have, there is something going on in the world that has you feeling frustrated. I "pick on" Ferguson MO because I lived near there in the third quarter of the previous century, and the problems I saw festering then are still there, accompanied by the same useless rhetoric. But don't worry, between endless wars, religious persecutions, veterans more shunned by former neighbors than they were by the enemy, and so forth, there has to be an issue that has you frustrated. That is, unless your address is somewhere in Pollyanna-Land. This isn't political; this is dealing with the world we live in. More to the point, it is confronting the world we live in. And if we do not confront the world, it will confront us! So, what can we do, as magickal folk, to confront the world that is making us so frustrated? Blessed Be!  

Thanksgiving Day is soon upon us in the USA, and for those of us who are not in the United States, giving of thanks is a worthwhile habit to get into. If you're reading this, it is reasonable to assume that you know to whom you will be giving thanks. The riddle for some folks seems to be understanding what to give thanks for! Once we get beyond such questions as why people who have much give little thanks but people who have little give much thanks, then we can see how we can make the giving of thanks even more powerful and positive than it already is! And with that, we can harness some really powerful Magick! Blessed Be!  

What are we to do about the situations we face in the world? Elections, school bullies and corrupt corporations give us daily proof of the fact that evil triumphs when good people do nothing, or if they convince themselves that there is nothing that they can do! We certainly have some examples of people pushing the distasteful on us, from cities where feeding the homeless is a crime to politicians wanting to make your medical choices for you to people who turn their backs on people who've served their country. But we're here, too! What can we do? A combination of factual knowledge, ethical behavior, deep spirituality and a good dose of creativity, and we might have something! Blessed Be!  

I am a veteran of military service. November 11th is Veterans' Day in the United States. If you are not a United States citizen or resident, I would hope that your country has a similar holiday to honor those who have served in the armed forces of your country. Veterans share much in common, even if their individual military experiences can vary widely. Nevertheless, they have some things in common which those who never served did not experience and might not really understand. And what has this to do with The Craft or anything spiritual? Because any form of theology or religion has much to do with how people deal with their fellow human beings! Blessed Be!

Here we are in Samhaintide, and what an opportunity! The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and here is an opportunity to communicate with those who have passed over the bridge. Very few who have matured to the point of understanding this would not have someone there whom they love and miss. And if we care about them, they would still be caring about us! It's only logical and sensible! And to bring that to be is simpler than most people realize. Blessed Be!  

For a number of people, perhaps including you, a spiritual path is not an easy journey. This is especially true is people who claim to care about you mess with your spiritual path for the sake of their own greed, agenda, or personal power trip.  Defending yourself from spiritual booby traps sounds simple and it can be, but it can also be a challenge in recognizing the need and applying the right measures. Let's see what the booby-traps are and how to deal with them. Blessed Be!  

Spiritual blackmail, especially in the form of rules to blindly follow, is a popular means of keeping religious followers under control. And why?  If we look at all forms of religion and spirituality, especially under an assumption that all come together, we will find some underlying points of agreement. But there are also those who insist on rules. Is there a way to examine such roles and see if they actually belong? I think so. Blessed Be!  

The series "Resurrection" begins its second season with far more questions than answers even than the prior season. What bothers me more than anything else is wondering what would happen if such an event happened for real? More to the point, if anything considered being of the spiritual was to happen in a way that it becomes obvious to all? Would we be able to deal with it? Blessed Be!  

It has been said that nothing can destroy or strengthen faith more than going through a time of major need. In my book, going through my beloved wife's health emergency qualifies as one of those times. And, in my past there was another such time. Comparing then with now gives me some opportunities to make observations. By recognizing the type of assaults you might face, you can recognize who might be assaulting you. And they might not always admit to being your enemies! Blessed Be!      

I often wondered what some people who gave me "advice" during a very bad time in my life some years ago would do if the shoe were on their foot. Well, the shoe is now on my foot. And I don't see much choice other than to follow my own advice. Some nasty ups and downs, but right now she seems to be improving. And I'm looking forward to the day I can bring her home to our "children" who have been waiting for her. Blessed Be!      

And today I need to talk a bit about what some would describe as "where the rubber meets the road". A week ago today (as I am speaking into the mike), an ambulance took Lady Stormy Windwalker, my beloved and beautiful wife of all these years, to the hospital. She was in a room for a while, appearing to get better, and suddenly she was out into Intensive Care. I often wondered, in my years as a spiritual cynic, how Mrs. Broadbeam or Pastor Passplate would do following their own advice if they had to face something. And now, I'm having to follow what I've been telling others. And I've been doing a lot of praying. And interacting with prayer groups. Et cetera. Blessed Be!  

What about the basic work of writing a ritual? We've spoken of such things as your sacred space, seeing when something happens and more. But what about the basic act of putting together a ritual. Here, we're talking about a "one-subject" rite to fulfill a specific want or need. We begin with that as our focus, and see what we can build. It might seem simple, but attention to detail can produce some spectacular results. With "So mote it be" or its equivalents, you're saying that you really want it, after all! Blessed Be!  

With all I have talked about doing in the last few weeks, I need to answer the question about a place to do it. Even if you don't have access to a place like Glastonbury or Sedona, you can still have a sacred place of your own - just as powerful and minus the tourists. There are some considerations, of course. I own my own house, so I can care less about what others think. But some years ago, I had to be concerned about college dorm-mates who wanted to either make fun of me or convert me. What's in that special space can be almost anything, or nothing. It needs to do the job you set it up for, and that's all. One thing you do not have to worry about: The Divine is anywhere and everywhere. And you might be surprised at how much you can do! Blessed Be!  

A friend of mine noticed a miracle last week. Nothing that anyone else might notice, but he did. And, he understood that it was a message from someone. And, he celebrated it among friends. I'm glad he did. He made a point which some of us forget when trying to make sense of the mundane and secular. Miracles come in many forms, but always in response to a need. Establishing that need can be simple, provided that you have an active spiritual life. And here is one reason why it can be wise to keep parts of your prayer life very private. And, of course, be watching for a reply! Blessed Be!  

It's obvious that we need to be well-informed to function as citizens of the mundane world. But it's also necessary if we are citizens of the spiritual world and want to make our spiritual work effective. After all, what we do spiritually so often has to do with what we are experiencing in the mundane world. The problem is not so much in finding news and information, but how to deal with the deluge. And, of course, whether we are talking about highly-focused news outlets such as Pagan Newswire, or if we are talking more generalized sources such as major daily newspapers, we must remember the implications of the fact that someone is paying the bills which allow those to operate. And how do we wade through the mess of information being tossed at us? Blessed Be!  

Samhain is a couple of months away, but why shouldn't we get ourselves ready now? The crassest of commercial businesses are preparing for Christmas now because of their desire for profit. So, why shouldn't we be preparing for the most spiritual of all Sabbats? The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest at Samhain, but we're not talking of a wall with windows. The veil is getting gradually thinner even as we speak. There is no time when it is impossible to reach through the veil, but at Samhain it is easier than at any other time. Taking the last few episodes in mind and looking forward, we can look forward to a spiritually powerful Samhain, especially if we prepare! Blessed Be!  

Spirituality does not come easily these days. And in so many cases, what people claim to be spirituality is actually the spiritual equivalent of a frozen TV dinner: created, cooked and even dished-up somewhere else by someone else, with nothing left for you to do but heat it and eat it. But you want something more than that. The real thing is highly individual, and some people are very uncomfortable with that idea - especially that it be individual for you and not always matching with them! But if it's real, it's as personal as your toothbrush or your soul. And let's see how we might build that! Blessed Be!  

Weapons get things done, not always in a harmful, hurtful, or destructive way - but they do get things done. And you might find yourself needing a spiritual weapon. Sometimes you can buy ready-made parts, sometimes you might do it all yourself, but the real building is your job. It's that personal. Prayer is your ammunition. The normal rules apply as with spellwork, but more so because you are more open to The Divine, regardless of the name, gender or number of your deities. You would not be the first to be granted a wish that you hadn't dare to express! But what I am suggesting here will do well for standing your spiritual ground! Blessed Be!  

Some of you are considering becoming a priest, priestess, or whatever your spiritual path calls its clergy. Some of you already are, and more. Actually, I see each of you already being your own priest or priestess for your own needs. But there will always be a need for clergy who, among other things, help others. It would be simple enough to talk about lengths of time and types of training and experience to become clergy, but there are a couple of problems there. One problem is that the ordination processes vary from one body or tradition to another. The other problem concerns what you'll need through your training and after your training so long as you are active clergy. Some of them are so basic that your teacher might assume that you have them, but they are so important that I cannot avoid them. Regardless of path, tradition or denomination, from Anabaptist to Zoroastrian, I've seen most successes and failures based on the issues I list here. Blessed Be!  

Please don't call me Christian! Someone recently referred to me as "a Christian with issues", which shows me how little that person knows about me, Christianity, or Wicca! I certainly don't advocate snatching lunch trays from schoolchildren, legislation prohibiting feeding the homeless, or opposition to affordable healthcare, or any of the other things some self-described "Christians" are doing these days. I was a Christian once, but that was long ago. When several self-appointed spokespeople for their pantheon told me that the bad times I was enduring was because of "God's Will", I decided to look elsewhere. Later, Jerome Birnbaum, a name many of you might associate with the Veteran Pentacle Quest (his headstone was one of the very first) trained and ordained me. He was also a wonderful teacher and mentor, and he had me look at the ruins of my prior spiritual path, and I discovered something wonderful at the core which had been obscured by two millennia of crap generated by people on their own agendas! Jesus would have fit in well with us Wiccans before others put words in his mouth. And for those thumping the Old Testament, Cornelius got you off the hook unless your family tree indicates that you belong in a synagogue. Let's look and see what's inside!  

I've sometimes said that I've found that people whose faith is really solid have no problem with people of other faiths. Why? Let me tell you of an old friend of mine. More years ago than I want to admit, he and I were the most misfit of misfits at that elementary school. We became friends partly because nobody else wanted to play with or be friends with either of us. Some years later, I find that his job makes some that didn't want him on their softball team want him to give them a job interview. The problem was that as children, they did not have access to the full set of facts of who he was and what he would be able to do! Of course, eventually truth reveals itself. Sometimes it is revealed soon enough that we can put this knowledge to use. An example is when we discover that babies do not come from a stork or cabbage leaf. In other cases, such as questions about The Divine, including gods and pantheons, we spend our whole lives being told what someone else was told with little chance to actually experience The Divine. So, what to do? Blessed Be!  

The title addresses one group, but the message is actually for all groups of all faiths, and any groups of no faith. Seekers Temple is a wonderful group of people, headed by a HP and HPS who are some of the most conventional, normal folks you'll find. As their temple grew, they felt the need to move their church to a location more central to the people who are attending, and Beebe, Arkansas seemed ideal. And, they were welcomed and helped in setting up, until it was discovered that the town's newest church was not a Christian church. And so, a circus begins with town officials trying to pretend that they're working with Seekers Temple (shades of the VA Pentacle quest), but not really. A bunch of requirements to spend money to be eligible to apply for something that might not be approved, which might mean improvements for the next group of Pentecostals!  Now, we all know that in the United States, there is the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights (First Amendment), and a number of civil rights laws that are supposed to apply in Arkansas the same way they apply in New York, Oregon, or anywhere else the US flag flies. But somehow, it isn't working that way right now. But wait! There's more! The people of Beebe who are causing all of this problem claim to be Christians, but have they read what their Bible says about that? Jesus healed the servant of a Roman centurion (doubtless a Mithraist) and spent time among Samaritans. If he was willing to sleepover in Samaria, what would a few Pagans be to him? And what did Jesus say that might apply to people who stand in the way of other faiths? Blessed Be!  

It happened again, a school shooting. And for me, this was the second school shooting in which I found reason to take it personally. But a question nags at me, and it should be nagging at all of us: What can we do? It's a simple enough question, and many would say they would like to if there were something that could be made to work. And for those of us who want to offer more than excuses, there is the question of where and how to target our efforts to be effective. I see two ways to channel efforts, and neither is being used sufficiently right now. Blessed Be!  

This is a question which has pestered theologians, mystics and philosophers since the beginning of time. But then, why is it that it is so easy to find people who want to impart unto us their version of absolute truth? If one of them has a private mountaintop where they receive such wisdom, could one of them sub-let me their mountaintop while they are busy blessing the rest of us with their truth? And what is this thing that we call "truth"? We certainly should have some idea of what it is so that we might recognize it when we see it, especially when we are confronted with so many versions of "truth"! Blessed Be! 

There are times when forgiveness does not appear to be the answer. What to do then? There are folks who claim that it's unwise to discuss this, but the fact is that it happens to almost every one of us. Add some knowledge to the wisdom we need to already have, and it might work! There are some things that can be done. There are cautions. More than anything else, there are reasons to be careful. None of these actions is to be taken lightly or acted upon in a hurry. But this is something that most of us face, and many of us have to deal with it alone, because few others will really understand. Blessed Be!  

I have not spoken directly about forgiveness until now, because it is a very difficult subject. The Pollyanna-types and people who have never felt a major hurt can make it sound so simple, but the rest of us know otherwise. In fact, that is why one related ritual is such a subject of discussion and debate, even if the discussion is only allowed in terms of hypothetical situations. But the subject is also unavoidable, and so here we venture into this subject. Even if we don't get very deep this time, you may see more depth than most folks allow themselves! Blessed Be!  

I said it last time, and I felt the need to devote this episode to the reality of your spirituality. It's a major part of what all of this is for and about, and it's what other people with over-done egos and agendas get upset about. What's special about this is that you can build with this to the point that none of the negative folks might want to mess with you anymore! Blessed Be!  

If you need to see better from your two biological eyes, you can always get glasses. What about your third eye, the one that looks beyond the physical?  Some people don't even know that they have a third eye, but for others, their third eye might be stronger than their biological eyes. And it's amazing what the third eye can see after some practice. So, how to we get the third eye to see? Blessed Be!  

This time, I'm doing something different. I'm known for comparing Sabbats to Jewish rites of passage. I find that useful because the Jewish rites of passage parallel the Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year very nicely. Not only that, it's a system of rites that most of us know about, at least slightly. But this time, I've chosen to compare Beltane to the starting grid of a world-class auto race like Le Mans or the Indianapolis 500. Preparation is done, and when the wedding takes place, like when the flag drops, the real journey begins. And there's something at the starting grid to be learned and applied at Mabon. Blessed Be!