G'day, hello,
howdy, hi, zdravstvujtye (some of my work colleagues are Russian, including an
absolutely invaluable administrator who has recently taken maternity leave -
may she and young one and family be blest), guten tag (where I have connection
owing to a recent past life), sveiki, czesc (I have friends, not just
colleagues, at work who are Polish), bonjour (colleagues at a former workplace
were French, and we practised and tried to extend my woeful and limited range
of this language), selamat pagi (one of the best junior engineers I ever worked
with was Malaysian, and she taught me a few words), annyeonghaseyo, pryvit,
bitaem, como vai (a friend of mine a few years ago, although not Brazilian, had
Portuguese ancestry), ¡Hola (a former work colleague and friend, a VERY
talented artist - with a Mexican sensibility to her artwork, particularly
around the Day of the Dead - used to teach me Mexican Spanish), Selamat pagi,
ni hao (ah, my work trips to Asia, and the many wonderful, wonderful people I
have met there - and some excellent work colleagues and friends here, as well),
bongiorno (my current home city of Melbourne has lots of Greeks and Italians,
who have made our culture far richer - and made us coffee snobs :) ),
hoschakal, hejsan, ciao, jo napolt kivanu, chào bà, chào ông, yiassou (from the
city which has, I understand, the largest collection of Greek people outside of
Greece), ceau, salam wa aleikum, sawas dee ka, dia duit, hoi, hei, namaste,
marhaba, dobry den.
First, though, congratulations to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
My first batch of links are about psychic and spiritual matters:
- this is a very good article about attitudes: http://wildhunt.org/2014/10/a-religion-or-culture-of-hate.html;
- the wonderful Galina Krasskova’s excellent first post on Polytheist.com: http://polytheist.com/wyrd-ways/2014/09/22/wyrd-ways/;
- from the also excellent Rhyd Wildermuth: http://polytheist.com/gods-and-radicals/2014/09/16/polytheism-and-the-anti-modern/, which goes well with this: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/29/neoliberalism-economic-system-ethics-personality-psychopathicsthic;
- and by Anomalous Thracian, who I think had a key role in getting the Polytheist website up and running: http://polytheist.com/featured-voices/2014/10/01/religions-of-relation-dynamics-in-modern-polytheism/;
- Rhyd Wildermuth also wrote this excellent piece about gender, which I think should be compulsory reading for everyone coming into Paganism - although I dispute that being trans has the element of choice for most trans people: some, yes, but for most, no – and it creates problems of discrimination, in my experience, to highlight the choice of a minority. Also, the rigid attitudes around gender shown in this article are one of the main reasons I moved away from Wicca: http://wildhunt.org/2014/10/multitude-and-the-myriad.html (it’s worth reading the comments, but don’t stop at the first offensive comment: there is often good elaboration later although I haven’t got all the way through it yet);
- from my home town contributor, a few thoughts about the change of seasons with a change of hemispheres. To me, this is old hat, but it wasn’t when I was starting, and others are evidently going through the same struggle to adapt so it may be worth posting. After you’ve read it, have a look at my rituals page (the link is below) and think about my attempts to truly follow the local seasons: http://polytheist.com/the-gargarean/2014/10/08/frustrations-and-identity/;
- interesting post about someone by the name of Laurie Cabot, who takes, apparently, a scientific approach to magick, spelling her version as majick to differentiate it. If so, that is great. Her website has a reasonably good set of ethics, which is a good start: http://wildhunt.org/2014/10/laurie-cabot-salems-official-witch-publishes-new-spell-book.html;
- interesting post about the early days of Gardnerian Wicca: http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usne&c=words&id=15552;
- http://www.besom.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/when-is-consensus-process-not-consensual.html;
- http://www.reclaiming.org/about/witchfaq/witch-word.html;
- http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usny&c=words&id=15743;
- http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=uspa&c=words&id=15758;
- http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usva&c=words&id=15453;
- http://www.brendanmyers.net/blog/2014/09/more-cults-you-say-really/;
- http://www.thorncoyle.com/blog/2014/10/02/teaching-life/;
- http://www.incitingariot.com/2014/08/the-beating-of-daniel-pierce.html;
- http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/sacrifice-upon-alter-of-expectation.html;
- http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/ebola-testing-our-humanity.html;
- http://aquakerwitch.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/labyrinth-pictures.html;
- a little ... fashionable in it's wording, but worth reading for newbies, perhaps: http://paganwrites.com/2014/09/03/grounding-centering-shielding-and-cleansing/;
- http://necropolisnow.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/trance-formerperformer.html.
And now, some links on news and current affairs:
- this is good! http://www.theage.com.au/world/thousands-of-russians-protest-in-moscow-over-kremlin-role-in-ukraine-20140922-10k4co.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/comment/our-values-define-us-not-our-race-or-religion-20140929-10ndch.html, and http://www.theage.com.au/nsw/skaters-leap-to-aid-of-muslim-women-lecture-public-for-ignoring-abuse-20141008-10rr98.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/comment/paying-the-price-for-ignoring-iraq-warnings-20141001-10oeup.html;
- good to read that Aussie flyers are still trying to avoid civilian casualties, as our rules state, and have for a few conflicts now: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/islamic-state-fighters-fled-into-civilian-areas-at-first-sight-of-australian-forces-defence-20141008-10rrml.html;
- the actions of this US court are appalling, and reflect an imperialistic arrogance, as does the conduct of the funds, in my view: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29387872;
- this also is unconscionable: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-30/east-west-link-cost-to-taxpayers/5778086;
- as is this: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-30/dole-wait-will-breach-human-rights-bipartisan-report-finds/5777882;
- and this: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/26/come-out-to-immigration-officials-or-be-deported-gay-asylum-seekers-will-suffer-under-morrisons-new-regime;
- http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/29/protecting-the-right-to-drink-trumps-the-safety-of-indigenous-women-in-the-nt;
- this is also concerning: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/29/australia-and-the-veil-burqa-clad-muslim-women-feel-fearful-for-their-own-safety, although this has a point of view that should be considered, perhaps: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/disentangling-the-burqa-from-national-security-20141008-10ro9g.html;
- this is utterly appalling: http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/mayang-prasetyos-murder-and-the-problem-with-domestic-violence-reporting-20141007-10r8e8.html;
- wrong sort of response to raids, needs to be addressed by government: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/we-are-the-ones-being-terrorised-muslims-say-20140920-10jdkw.html, and – with caution about the blank statements “it was not” in this article (what was it, then?), this post has a point about moderation in speech and the presumption of innocence: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/terror-scaremongering-threatens-our-democracy-20140919-10jcxq.html;
- there are some people who miss point of this - so-called “jokes” affects kids! Those supporting such so-called “jokes” are kid killers: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/heritier-lumumba-and-collingwood-set-to-part-ways-over-slur-20140904-10cmw1.html Good though that Pies allegedly warned players about homophobia: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/heritier-lumumba-must-now-realise-he-cant-change-the-world-playing-afl-football/story-fnp04d70-1227049474207. No-one published remark, so I can’t assess it, and now we’ve got this, which includes reports of security guards not stopping a homophobic chant by Hawthorn supporters: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/grease-star-rob-mills-criticised-after-posting-homophobic-grand-final-picture-20140928-10n3oi.html, and there is this: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/afl-has-a-problem-with-racism-sexism-and-homophobia-20140928-10n7pm.html, which led to this: http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/sports-journalist-erin-riley-trolled-after-commenting-on-afl-grand-final-20140929-3gvs0.html (and it all reminded me of the choke hold applied by one player during the season, which I have written to my local MP about, asking why police charges were not laid, as they were once before). Incidentally, I had a reply from someone at the AFL when I queried this which expressed concern and stated that security had been unable to find the people responsible, but wondered why they had a responsibility in social media arenas not under their control;
- I’d started thinking about mortality at six: the woman who objected to this book is an out of touch moron: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/the-fault-in-our-stars-school-ban-draws-withering-response-from-author-john-green-20140929-10nhm3.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/world/aliceann-meyers-plea-for-son-jameson-and-children-with-disabilities-goes-viral-20141001-10ogh5.html;
- yes! Good phrasing in this (“martyr mothers”): http://www.theage.com.au/comment/childfree-and-quite-content-thanks-very-much-20140919-10ira7.html;
- very inspiring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathy_Wilkes;
- get past the first third of this article, then think about the rest of it: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/19/column-change-life-empathy-oliver-burkeman;
- http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/parenting-and-families/ceo-quit-his-job-to-be-a-dad-and-the-response-is-troubling-20140928-3gt8e.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/national/girls-curb-their-ambitions-in-a-sexist-climate-20140930-10nnqe.html, and http://www.theage.com.au/comment/one-size-education-no-longer-fits-all-20141002-10oh7y.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/comment/hillary-clinton-presidency-would-spark-a-backlash-20140929-10neip.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/comment/one-size-education-no-longer-fits-all-20141002-10oh7y.html;
- another ‘no winners’ story from war: http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/news-features/hitlers-last-surviving-female-food-taster-tells-all-in-new-documentary-20140921-3g8n2.html;
- the security guards should be charged with being accessories to abuse of the baby: http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/life-style/current-affairs/mum-saves-strangers-baby-by-smashing-car-windshield-20140924-10la75.html#utm_source=FD&utm_medium=lifeandstylepuff&utm_campaign=angela;
- http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/news-features/female-russian-cosmonaut-slams-focus-on-her-hair-and-parenting-20140927-3grdw.html;
- I agree with this – and consider the rental market should be managed along the lines of a service economy (e.g., how would someone who is negative gearing afford to pay for repairs, etc?): http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/kill-negative-gearing-to-calm-housing-market-says-saul-eslake-20140930-10nr84.html;
- I have to re-read and think about this a bit more, yet, but my first response was hmmmm ….. :/ : http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/ghosts-of-mothers-sexual-past-show-up-in-fly-offspring-study-shows-20141001-10onn3.html;
- interesting: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life/australian-couple-explains-the-joy-of-sex-to-pope-francis-20141008-113553.html;
- and, finally, this sums up my concerns about the last few decades quite well: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/29/neoliberalism-economic-system-ethics-personality-psychopathicsthic;
- http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/oecd-figures-show-public-benefits-more-than-individuals-from-tertiary-education-20140928-10n6cc.html;
- this is concerning: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/protective-service-officers-accused-of-racially-profiling-melbourne-commuter-20141009-113tsl.html;
- this officer should have been convicted, and the argument about losing his job is elitist rubbish. So do many others in the real world - and they also find it upsetting! The key here is that the far greater power of the police means they should be subjected to a far greater level of scrutiny and expectation - they can kill people, directly and indirectly: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-officers-career-in-jeopardy-after-being-found-guilty-of-assaulting-commuter-20141009-113q3u.html;
- this is concerning - and entirely foreseeable: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/attacks-on-muslim-mothers-mount-20141009-113wdj.html;
- this person's experience makes his point of view worth considering: http://www.theage.com.au/world/kidnap-victim-warren-rodwell-backs-news-blackout-on-is-hostages-20141010-1142cs.html; and
- http://www.theage.com.au/comment/five-ways-to-make-victorias-election-campaign-cleaner-and-better-20141009-113jcd.html.
[2]
Please see here and my post "The
Death of Wikipedia" for the
reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. I'm also exploring use of
h2g2, although that doesn't appear to be as
extensive (h2g2 is intended - rather
engagingly - to be the Earth edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy").
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr,
Wéofodthegn
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix
Lux? … Morinehtar?
… Would-be drýicgan
... )
My "blogiography" (list of all posts and guide as to how to best use this site) is here, and my glossary/index is here.
I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ... See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "Pagans for Peace" project (and join me at 9 PM on Sunday, wherever you are, to meditate for peace), and here for my bindrune kit-bag. I also strongly recommend learning how to flame, ground and shield, do alternate nostril breathing, work with colour, and see also here and be flexible.
- One size does NOT fit all.
- Don't be mediocre - seek to excel.
- Gnwmythr's Stropping Strap: Occam's Razor only works if the simplest solution is actually recognised as being the simplest, rather than the one that best fits one's bigotries being labelled 'simplest'.
- Our entire life experience, with all the many wondrous and varied people, places and events in it, is too small a sample for statistical reliability about Life.
- May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
- Ban the dream interpretation industry!
- A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
- Being accustomed to interacting via certain rules makes those rules neither right nor universal.
- Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master.
- Expertise at intimacy and emotional happiness is generally not the same thing as spiritual growth.
- Any person, male or female, who has neither a serious health issue, dependents nor an agreement about study. yet expects their partner to work to support them, is, spiritually speaking, little more than a parasite.
- The means shape the end.
- BPLF restraint of uncooperatives is NOT an opportunity for revenge or getting even - even unconsciously.
- As words can kill, the right to freedom of speech comes with a DUTY to be as well-informed, objective and balanced as you can be.
- My favourite action movie of all time is "Gandhi", although I've recently come across "Invictus" and might put that one in to that category. However, I loathe the stereotypical action movie - and, for similar reasons, I loathe many dramas, which are often emotionally violent, more so in some cases than many war films.
- All of the above - and this blog - could be wrong, or subject to context, perspective, or state of spiritual evolution ...
Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be
stronger [people].
John F. Kennedy (who was
quoting 19th Century Episcopal Bishop Phillips Brooks)
Jesus loves you. Odin wants you to grow up.
We make our decisions. And then our decisions turn around and make us.
F.W. Boreham
Females, get over 'cute'. Get competent. Get trained. Get capable. Get over 'cute'. And those of you who are called Patty and Debby and Suzy, get over that. Because we use those names to infantalise females – we keep females in their 'little girl' state by the names we use for them. Get over it. If you want to be taken seriously, get serious.
Jane Elliott
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.
(based on
writing by) Edmund Burke
The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.
Albert Einstein
We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children
Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product ... if we should judge America by that -- counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. ... Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile."
Robert F. Kennedy 1968
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
John F. Kennedy
If we could change ourselves, the
tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so
does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see
what others do. (Often degraded to “Be
the change you want to see in the world” – see here)
Gandhi
Tags: about me, abuse of power, attitudes, children, discrimination, gender, Pagan, peace, reading, society, Wicca,
First published: Laugardagr, 11th October, 2014
Last edited (excluding fixing typo's and other minor matters): Saturday, 11th October, 2014