Relax. Breathe deep. Feel your breath move in and out. Feel your heart beating in your chest. Feel your eyes move behind your eyelids. Feel the weight of your head. Flex your fingers and toes. Relax.

Many of us know how to leave our bodies for the astral planes where the Akashic Hall awaits, among other places.

We sometimes forget that we are spiritual beings who are having a physical experience. Even though we can and do leave our bodies behind for the astral, we forget. We get so caught up in the body, its functions, feelings, and limitations that it is easy to forget.

Death is a physical, body-based experience. If we "look" beyond the limits of the body to the non-limits of the spirit, the universe looks very different. True death is the forgetting that we are spiritual beings. For many, being born into a body is death in that it "cuts off" the spirit from "God". Many of us have experienced the lack of connectedness, the inability to feel or move energy, or something similar. This is death in its truest sense.

How does one move beyond the limitations of the body to remember the spiritual life? Learning to go astral at will is one of many ways. Meditation can also help. Learning to "shower" the spiritual body with the spirit of water after washing your physical body also helps. There are many other ways to remember that you are indeed a spiritual being having a physical experience.

Releasing the spirit from its earthly, physical bonds is an incredible experience. It is the true meaning of "enlightenment".

Brightest of Blessings,

Lady Damorea

Outside News

A war on the Summer Solstice

By Christian Trejbal

www.roanoke.com/editorials/trejbal/wb/165854

I ran into one of my Wiccan friends this morning.

* * *

Are you going to Blacksburg's Summer Solstice Fest on Saturday?

"No way."

I figured you would be all over it.

"That display of out-of-control political correctness? No thank you."

What are you talking about?

"I'm talking about an event that ignores the reason for the season. The Summer Solstice has been a sacred day for millennia, but people think it's just an excuse to party."

Well, it's not like there are that many pagans around anymore.

"There are more of us than you think. Wicca is the fastest growing faith in America. Besides, Western civilization was founded on pagan ideals. We live in a pagan culture, even if you and your friends in the conservative media try to whitewash it. When was the last time a newspaper ran a serious story about Beltane? Never. It's all insipid stories about church choirs."

Now you're just being silly.

"Am I? The ancient Greeks were pagans. And all they did was spin their beliefs into democracy and the foundations for modern philosophy, literature, mathematics, physics and more. Yet modern secularists with no sense of history ignore the gods and goddesses. 'Solstice.' The word itself embodies faith. Sól was a Norse sun goddess."

You're not saying ...

"That's right. We need to put the Sól back in solstice. It's 'Have a stellar solstice,' not 'a great summer.' I'm boycotting any store that insults my faith like that."

But ...

"There's a war on the solstice. People who preach tolerance never show any for traditional faiths. This Blacksburg thing is just the latest insult."

There's a solstice ceremony the night before. The Womenspirit group at Blacksburg's Unitarian Universalist Congregation is organizing it. They're going to do a circle, dancing, singing, maybe a fire. It won't be Stonehenge, but it will give Wiccans and such a chance to celebrate.

"That's great, but that's a private ceremony. If downtown Blacksburg wants a public solstice event, it shouldn't cleanse it of all sacred significance. That sort of secularization is responsible for the rapid moral decay in America. We need to get back in touch with the pagan values at the core of our culture."

You know that the woman organizing the downtown event is one of the leaders of the Womenspirit group, right?

"She is?"

Yep. Laureen Blakemore is an event planner for Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg. They're sponsoring the festival to compliment Steppin' Out, which doesn't come until later in the summer. She's not about to forget the significance of the day.

"She's sold out to the secularists."

Not really. She recognizes that the pagan ideals embodied in the solstice appeal to a wide audience. "It's certainly not something we'd want to scare people off and say it's a pagan festival," she told me. "It's more than that. It's a celebration of the season."

The solstice is about ideals, not any particular ceremony, god or goddess.

"Which solstice ideals do 20 tons of white sand, a tiki bar/beer garden, flea circus and oyster slurping contest embody?"

For starters, they embody the joy of the solstice. It's a day for celebration, the longest day of the year when we enjoy the sun's warmth as the long winter shadows are in full retreat.

Blakemore put it well, "It's a time to do something good for the Earth and thank the Earth for everything it does."

The celebration of life will include groups presenting information on sustainability, the farmers market, a sundown 5k race with proceeds going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and a cooking competition with a $1,000 award provided by Bollo's and Gillie's restaurants to the charity of the winner's choice.

And there might still be some pagan elements. Blakemore is looking into a drum circle at the festival to go along with all of the other live music and performances.

"Well that all ... that all sounds pretty good. All right, I'm in."

Great! Let's go celebrate some nature and enjoy 15 hours of sunlight.

"I guess we'll always have the Winter Solstice, anyway. There's nothing to conflict with that pagan holiday."

Oh, when is it?

"Right around Dec. 25 every year."

Christian Trejbal is an editorial writer for The Roanoke Times based in the New River Valley bureau in Christiansburg.

A response to the above article:

Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 9:41 AM
To: Christian Trejbal
Subject: A war on the Summer Solstice

Dear Mr. Trejbal,

Just got done reading you latest piece A war on the Summer Solstice. As a Wiccan I thought I would get a good word in before someone gets all insulted and sends you a complaint or two. [Grin] Yes some of the New Wiccans take a while to develop a sense of humor.

Obviously this is a play on the silliness of the alleged war on Christmas, by flopping it over to the Summer solstice. Often the best way to get people to think is put things on the other foot so people can look over the silliness of the idea before their defenses kick in.

By the way I could imagine a Wiccan saying exactly some of the things your "friend" says. One minor nit pick, it has been a few centuries since the Winter Solstice came on December 25. [Grin] Though it was when the Christians picked December 25 for their Christmas.

I have a rule of thumb that any religion without humor about itself is probably dangerous not only to its own believe, but to everybody else as well. Meanwhile I will work on our newer Wiccans.

Blessed Be,
Christopher

(response first published on Witchvox.com)

Pagan sect at Pakistan border lives amid militant Islam

Isolation has preserved this culture, but tourism is coming

By Saeed Shah

www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-relig-pagan.6443794jun07,0,4724500.story

MCT News Service

June 7, 2008

| On the northwest tip of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan's Nuristan province, the inaccessible Chitral district has long been thought to be a possible refuge for Osama bin Laden. With the high peaks of the Hindu Kush range and its narrow valleys, it's easy to dodge through secret mountain routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Chitral is also the home of the Kalasha, a unique pagan civilization that's lived in the area for 2,000 years or more, now boxed in by an increasingly militant Islam. Thinly populated, Chitral covers 5,800 square miles, with war-torn Afghanistan to the north and west and the extremist strongholds of Swat and Dir to the south.

According to locals, bin Laden lived with a Kalasha family in Chitral for some time during his first Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. With his now much more severe ideology, the al-Qaida leader wouldn't be able to easily live among these polytheistic people, whose men and women mix freely.

Last month, the Kalasha celebrated their spring festival, Joshi, with a verve and passion that few cultures could match, ancient or modern. Men and women danced tirelessly to a pounding, primeval drumbeat, haunting singing and rituals so old that their meaning is almost lost.

The Kalasha women wear long black dresses with vividly colored embroidery, their hair in long plaits and regal headdresses decorated with shells.

Garish belts and layers of brightly colored necklaces add to their exotic appearance. This isn't a special costume for Joshi; it's what they wear every day.

Dots and tattoos are painted on their cheeks. With improbably pale skin and piercing light eyes, a dozen girls at each festival gathering could adorn the cover of National Geographical magazine like the famous photo of the Afghan girl from 1985.

The Kalasha men are losing their customs more quickly. They no longer wear their age-old clothing of tight trousers and heavy knee-length coats. Instead they've adopted Pakistan's male uniform of the shalwar kameez, a loose-fitting long shirt and baggy trousers.

There are only about 3,000 Kalasha left now, pushed into three tiny valleys within Chitral by the advancing tide of settlers and spread of Islam. There, they struggle to keep their faith and way of life alive.

But May's Joshi showed that Kalasha traditions remain strong and utterly unlike anything in the rest of Pakistan, perhaps unlike any in the world.

''This is a religious ceremony; it celebrates spring. It is not a festival; it is much more than that. There is a spiritual meaning behind it,'' said Tach Sharakat, a Kalasha man who's one of the only members of his community to receive a foreign university education.

One legend has it that these are the descendants of the army of Alexander the Great, which invaded India in the third century B.C. No one really knows their origins. Their religion may be one of the early beliefs of the Indo-Persian area, embodying an early Hinduism and pre-Zoroastrian faith. They are known as the Kafirs -- ''infidels'' -- to most Pakistanis, but call themselves Kalasha or Kalash.

Sharakat thinks he's in his late 20s, but as the Kalasha don't record birth years, he and other members of his race can only guess at their ages.

They don't have a written language, so all knowledge has been handed down by word of mouth. That's why celebrations such as Joshi are so important to the Kalasha.

They're a way of passing on their culture to younger generations. While it's easy to be mesmerized by the joyous dancing, the important message of the dance is coming from within the circle, where old men in long golden coats sing and chant the Kalasha beliefs and narrate their history. The dancers then take up the song.

These are a people who love drinking wine -- banned in Islam -- and who can choose their husbands or wives freely, whereas arranged marriages are the norm in Pakistan. The women make no attempt to hide their faces and dance with gaiety in public, a sight now so rare in increasingly conservative Pakistan that it's shocking for most of their countrymen.

Bewildered Muslim tourists from other parts of the country, typically groups of men, stared at the recent Kalasha festivities, seemingly unable to fathom that this too is a religion. Islamic culture dominates Pakistan and religious minorities are few. It seemed that it was lurid tales of the Kalasha women that had brought them here, confusing the women's freedom for free love.

''We marry who we like,'' said Gul Shaheen, a young teacher. ''And there are no class distinctions in the marriage match. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. If a girl is ill-treated, she can leave for another man.''

The Kalasha dance is a curious sidestep, performed by groups of men or women who stand shoulder to shoulder, arms linked. They skip in a large circle around the storytellers.

Loud catcalls and whistles punctuate the singing, as does a theatrical ha-ha-ha laughter. All the time, the hypnotic drums pound, the sound carrying across the valley and into the surrounding peaks of the Hindu Kush.

According to one account, the dance is meant to frighten away snow leopards; the mountains of Chitral are one of their last remaining habitats. The whistles chase off snakes, while the laughter is for keeping away bears.

Said an elderly Kalasha woman, Jansabi, who has only one name: ''Before it (the dancing) was very beautiful. Now everyone just runs around.''

The three-day festival moved from valley to valley, with the Kalasha gathering in one place each day for the singing and dancing. One reason the culture has been preserved is its geographical isolation.

This year, for the first time, Pakistan's tourism authority promoted Joshi, drawing unprecedented crowds. Although no more than a few hundred outsiders were present at any one time, the peering, leering crowd clearly made the Kalasha uneasy.

Much more serious disruption is to follow, from the opening of a simple land route into Chitral through the Lowari Tunnel, which should be complete by the end by next year.

''It would be a great pity to lose one more ancient tribe,'' said Athanasios Lerounis, a Greek aid worker whose nongovernmental organization has set up a museum for the Kalasha in Bumboret valley. ''People must behave like visitors to an open, living museum. This is not just a place to have fun.''

Book Reviews

Memoirs of a Spiritual Outsider

239 pages $23.95

Suzanne Clores is a young professional in New York City. She eloquently shares her sense of spiritual yearning. She takes the reader along on her exploration of various alternative paths as she searches for "the essence of one's inner being". The book is both personal and a good introduction to Buddhism, Wicca, Sufism, Shamanism, and Voodoo.

Reviewed by Janine

The Real Witches' Craft by Kate West © 2008 Llewellyn Worldwide ISBN
0-978-0-7387-1374-8 288 pages Paperback $18.95 (U.S.) $21.95 (Canada)

While this is, in essence, a "Wicca 101" book, it also contains a lot of
information that the typical "101" book doesn't. It is an expansion of The Real
Witches' Handbook (see my previous review), and it gives a great deal more
substance to work with. There are plenty of practical exercises (ones where you
can actually judge your success rate). There is also a lot of encouragement to
persevere. Our Western society appears fixated on quick solutions, but it takes
practice and determination to learn a new skill. Ms. West reminds the reader
frequently of that fact.

As I have mentioned previously, Ms. West's use of "The Real Witches'." if the
title of her books does not indicate that they are the "only" or "right" ways to
do something, simply that they are the way people who live in the real world of
crying babies, overdue bills, and homes to clean accomplish things. These books
are written for the "average" magick-worker (all of you ceremonial magicians,
public "look at me" Witches, and teens trying to upset your parents will find
this information either boring, useless, or incomprehensible).

This book, according to a statement made by Ms. West (on page 180) ".is intended
for Witches who have already been practicing a while." and as such tends to skim
over some topics. But even that skimming does not make this a light-weight
book. There are plenty of ideas, and more than a little guidance along the way.
Although she points out the path and calls attention to some of the pitfalls
along the way, she does not coddle the reader. She sets targets and goals, and
suggests ways to get there, then gives the reader a pat (or is it a shove?) on
the back and says "Get on with it!"

I've always been impressed by the writing style of Ms. West. She makes it seem
as if you are sitting across the table from a friend and talking about things
that interest you. She sets a tone which is relaxed and positive. It is not
lightweight or "fluffy" in any way. Her attitude is predominantly upbeat,
although she does deal with the darker aspects of magickal workings, without
dwelling upon them or making seem more common-place than they are. She covers
them as the unusual things they are, without being dismissive of the fact that
they do, in fact, occur once in a while.

Reviewed by Mike Gleason

Llewellyn's 2009 Witches' Calendar

This calendar boasts monthly articles with original illustrations and longer, more in-depth articles in the back. The contributors both well-known and up-and-coming authors. The calendar has pagan events, astrological data, colors of the day, lunar gardening tips, and Moon signs for ritual planning. In my humble opinion, the best part is the articles.

One article is about Hestia and the hearth of the home. The article clearly explains Hestia's place in the home and how to create an altar or shrine to honor Her.

The next article is about candles and candle making. The steps for making candles are well covered, as are the precautions that need to be taken for the candle maker's safety. This article is very appropriately placed on the February part of the calendar.

Each article is well-written and appropriate for the month in which it appears. The articles in the back of the calendar are more in-depth. They cover the topics of romance, witchy words, magical vacations, banishing spells, your daily energy, Bast, solar festivals and Pagan Pride.

For many, this calendar is a must have item, and I can understand why.

Reviewed by

Lady Damorea

EAN 978-0-7387-1303-8

333 pages Paperback $29.95 (U.S.) $34.95 (Canada)

This is the third, and final, "degree" book in this series. There remains one more book to come (devoted to "Ritual, Theory and Practice") and, as such it makes certain assumptions. These assumptions are: First, that the reader is dedicated to the path of service which is implied by aspiring to a leadership position; second, that you are capable of sustained study; and third, that you have completed the study of the first two books in the series.

Although their approach may seem very simplistic in some ways (defining things in positive terms instead of negative ones), but this does not make them simple or easy to accomplish. It requires a change in attitude and thought patterns. As anyone who has ever tried to break a bad habit can tell you, this is far easier said than done. However, once it is accomplished personal rewards and insight are sure to follow. And each accomplishment makes the next attempt easier.

There are some aspects of this book which may cause even experienced members of
the Wiccan community to doubt the sanity of the author. Lesson VI, on "time", is one of those aspects. The idea that people can relive portions of their lives without being aware of it, or others being aware of it seems to push the boundaries of acceptable thought.

These books are written for two reasons, and they succeed in at least one of them. The first reason they exist is to provide training for Correllian priesthood, and I can't evaluate that since I am not in that program. The second reason is to make the wider Wiccan/Pagan community aware of the beliefs and actions of the Correllian Tradition and how they interact with the wider community. In that they succeed admirably. That is not to say that everyone
will agree with everything put forth in these books, but at least they can't say they don't understand where the tradition stands.

The subjects covered in this book are some that are not normally discussed in
print, since many (if not most) of the books currently being written are at an extremely basic level. There is a need for more advanced materials. While some of the comments are sure to rankle some individuals they will, or should, stimulate discussions and further thoughts.

Obviously, merely reading this material, and doing the exercises, cannot make one a member of the high priesthood of the Correllian Tradition. You need personal contact, instruction and interaction to achieve that goal. Fortunately, the tradition is in an expansive mode, and the number of temples, shrines, and individual practitioners is on the rise, so this contact is becoming easier.

While I cannot say that this system WILL work for you (every individual reacts
differently to the same stimuli), I can say several things. First, the system appears to be consistent. Second, it incorporates - for the most part - ideas which have stood the test of time. And, most importantly, it is based on experience, not merely dogma and pronouncements from "on high."

If you are willing to put in the time and effort to do the exercises and study the teachings, you will find yourself well-rewarded even if you decide not to pursue membership in the Correllian Tradition. This book (and series) while not NECESSARY, can certainly aid in spiritual and magical development. There is a wealth of material herein, which can be of benefit to all.

Reviewed by Mike Gleason

Lessons

Learn Runes

Thurisaz: (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst. A tendency toward change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.) Thurisaz Reversed or Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?

Learn Tarot

THE EMPEROR

Basic Tarot Symbols

Throne, ram's heads, orb and sceptre. Sometimes an eagle.

Basic Tarot Story

The Fool was given options by the Magician, and decided on one with help from the High Priestess. He learned how to develop it, thanks to the Empress. Now he must manage it. How to do this? He approaches a great Emperor seated on a stone throne. The Fool is amazed by the way the Emperor is instantly, eagerly obeyed in every particular, at how well his Empire is run. Respectfully, he asks the Emperor how it is he does this. And the Emperor answers: "Strong will and a solid foundation. It's all very well," he explains to the Fool, "to be dreamy, creative, instinctual, patient; but to control one must be alert, brave and aggressive."

Ready now to lead rather than be led, the Fool heads out with new purpose and direction.

Basic Tarot Meaning

As Aries, the Ram, the Emperor naturally follows the pregnant Empress. Aries is the infant, the first sign of the Zodiac. Like an infant, he is filled with enthusiasm, energy, aggression. He is direct, guileless and all too often irresistible. Unfortunately, like a baby he can also be a tyrant and be impatient, demanding, controlling. In the best of circumstances, he signifies the leader that everyone wants to follow, sitting on a throne that indicates the solid foundation of an Empire he created, loves and rules with intelligence and enthusiasm. But that throne can also be a trap, a responsibility that has the Emperor feeling restless, bored and discontent.

Thirteen's Observations

The Emperor card is the "Who's the boss?" card. It is an important question. The meaning of the card includes being in control over your environment, your body, your temper, your instincts, your love life. This is not the time to give into the unconscious, not the time to let yourself be controlled by the wants and needs of others. It is a card that gives the Querent permission to be aggressive, brave, bold and in command. The Emperor could be a father or father figure, leader or employer, either a demanding tyrant or a charismatic king. If the card stands for the Querent, he/she should think about whether their Empire has become an unwelcome chore and if it has, are they now a bad leader, demanding, unreasonable, unhappy. It might be time to abdicate the throne.

2008 Important Dates

June

3: New moon at 3:22
18: Full moon (Strong Sun Moon) at 1:30 pm
20: Litha
20: Yule (Southern Hemisphere)

July

2: New moon at 10:18 pm
4: Independence Day
18: Full moon (Blessing Moon) at 3:59 am
19: Rebecca Nurse is hanged in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692

August

1: Lammas or Lughnasadh
1: Imbolc (Southern Hemisphere)
1: New moon at 6:12 am
1: Total solar eclipse
1 - 2: Shreveport Pagan Pride Day (Shreveport, LA)
16: Full Moon (Corn Moon) at 5:16 pm
16: Partial lunar eclipse
30: New moon at 3:58 pm

September

13: Arkansas Pagan Pride Day (Little Rock, AR)
15: Full Moon (Harvest Moon) at 5:13 am
22: Fall Equinox or Mabon
22: Ostara (Southern Hemisphere)
29: New moon at 4:12 am

October

14: Full moon (Blood Moon) at 4:02 pm
28: New moon at 7:14 pm
31: Samhain
31: Bealtaine (Southern Hemisphere)

November

14: Full moon (Mourning Moon) at 1:17 am)
27: New moon at 11:54 am

December

12: Full moon (Long Nights Moon) at 11:37
21: Winter Solstice or Yule
21: Litha (Southern Hemisphere)
27: New moon at 7:22 am

Upcoming Events

Midsummer Gathering

This gathering is for Merry Meet Temple members and their guests. It will be held on June 20 - 22, 2008.

Earth Conservation Day

April 2009

This event may include 5 or 6 seminar and hands-on classes in recycling, conservation techniques, solar systems, and electric vehicles. We will accept a minimum of ten registrations (10 people). Registration fee will be $50/person, $85/couple, and $20/child under 13. We need people who are willing to assist with registration, security, first aid, cooking, and set up/clean up. If you would like to assist with these event, please contact Lady Damorea.

Warrior Weekend

In May or June of 2009

More planning is required before dates and registration will be announced. We need people who are willing to assist with registration, security, first aid, cooking, and set up/clean up. If you would like to assist with these event, please contact Lady Damorea.

Divination Weekend

In May or June of 2009

Lughnasadh Gathering

Friday thru Sunday, August 1 - 3, 2009

Camping, drumming circle, bonfire, feast and Ritual. We need people who are willing to assist with registration, security, first aid, cooking, and set up/clean up. If you would like to assist with these event, please contact Lady Damorea.

If you would like to assist with these events, please contact Lady Damorea.

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Llewellyn Publications

Publishers of many excellent pagan books.

Website

deo's Shadow

Excellent pagan podcast that covers a variety of topics.

Website

AREN

Alternative Religion Education Network

AREN now issues a call to all Religious Freedom Advocates, and Elders within Our Community…we must join together to insure Our birthright for the generations to come!!

http://www.aren.org/

LinkTV

Excellent news program from an independent source. Click on the image below to go to their site.