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Angels are mentioned roughly three hundred times in the bible. Let's test at who these fashioned beings are and what they do for God. This record essence be divided here three sections. Real thing, we'll bring a very offhand sweeping statement in looking at what angels do and who they are, from scripture. I say very offhand in the same way as the deal out is so deep that one record, or even a dozen essays, can't do it rectitude.
In the thorough spot put on essence be some fast facts and head.
In the third spot at the end I'll test at some huge matters voguish angels.
section 1
The bible says that "In the beginning, God fashioned the manner and the earth"." (Emerge 1:1) In the function of God has consistently existed, 'the beginning means the beginning of what He requests to reveal to us. Job 38:4-7 says that since God did that work, the angels praised Him by words with joy. So the angels in the past were fashioned by God.
"Anywhere were you since I laid the center of the earth? Lecture me, if you bring understanding. Who determined its measurements-surely you know! Or who stretched out the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, since the daylight stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7)
"Sons of God" is a appellation sometimes used to identify angels. (Job 1:6, Emerge 6:2). Angels for that reason, were fashioned forward the center of the world was laid, but the side is, they are fashioned beings. They bring head, essence, and emotions. They are a supervisor order than humans. (Hebrews 2:7). They are spirit beings that sometimes vote for on a vastness air since they come to earth. And they do come to earth. (Emerge 32:24, Hebrews 13:2).
In Emerge 18:2, Abraham saw three 'men' come close to him but in the future verse Abraham swift malformed and called one of them Lord. Still they were in the form of men, Abraham knew they were not of this world. Sometimes an angel appears and they do not test in imitation of men but they do test in imitation of they are from majesty. (Matthew 28:2-4). Wholly in persons cases anyplace even their full total and confront is understood, the men and women screening them peaceful fall down.
They run us by obeying God. They appreciation and style God in His temple (Revelation 4:8; Hebrews 12:22) bring messages, (Luke 1:19, Daniel 10:11), minister to us, (Hebrews 1:14), clash for God neighboring the forces of evil, (2 Kings 6:17).
Or not, as the accomplishment may be. Angels rebelled in paradise and a third of the angels sided with satan. (Revelation 12:4). These became the demons. They doorway to oppose God and His population. They may seem to be temporarily delighted but of course they are not in any appraisal triumphant director God. His action reigns supreme. All that happens to persons who love God He turns to the good for His majesty.
EASTON\'S BIBLE Word list EXPLAINS stuck-up calculatingly. Snap on the correspond FMI
"But its unique training is to self-confident adorable intelligences whom God employs in thrill on his course of the world. The name does not be a sign of their form but their aspect as messengers. The appearances to Abraham at Mamre (Emerge 18:2, 22. Comp. 19:1), to Jacob at Peniel (Emerge 32:24, 30), to Joshua at Gilgal (Joshua 5:13, 15), of the Angel of the Lord, were in all probability manifestations of the Prefigure image, "foreshadowings of the byword," revelations forward the "fulness of the time" of the Son of God."
"(1.) The core and transitory of blissful beings can unmarried be discovered from the Scriptures. Although the Bible does not fancy of this deal out mega, yet put on are plentiful contingent take notes that furnish us with good information. Their right core is completely unspoken in such passages as Emerge 16:7, 10, 11; Judges 13:1-21; Matthew 28:2-5; Hebrews 1:4, etc."
"These better beings are very plentiful. "Thousand thousands," etc. (Dan. 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Luke 2:13; Hebrews 12:22, 23). They are moreover articulated of as of narrative defenses in affirm and power (Zechariah 1:9, 11; Dan. 10:13; 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 1:9; Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 1:16)."
"(2.) As to their form, they are spirits (Hebrews 1:14), in imitation of the soul of man, but not spiritual. Such language as "in imitation of the angels" (Luke 20:36), and the fact that whenever angels appeared to man it was consistently in a worldly form (Emerge 18:2; 19:1, 10; Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10), and the titles that are handy to them ("sons of God, " Job 1:6; 38:7; Dan. 3:25; Comp. 28) and to men (Luke 3:38), seem all to intention some uniformity among them and the worldly zoom. Stain is credited to them as creatures (Job 4:18; Matthew 24:36; 1 Peter 1:12). As finite creatures they may fall under temptation; and therefore we read of "fallen angels."
FMI: Instruct by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Mutual AND Weird Good taste, Ephesians 6:10-13, "The Suspend of man; man cannot revivify himself; the history of redemption; God is troubled about the release of man; God is shifty His own character; God predetermined course to rule the equipment of the Fall; man's urge of discipline; recurrent technique and special grace; examples of special technique in Scripture; the ministry of angels."
FMI: Instruct by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Personal ANGELS, "The appellation seraph defined; do angels bring bodies? the archangels Michael and Gabriel; two groups of angels; the work of the angels as messengers; in release and deliverance; as revealers of God's purpose; examples of the negotiation of angels. NOTE: Pitifully put on is no reputation of the important chat titled 'The Evil spirit and the Fallen Angels'."
Note: Even nevertheless the auditory is lost, for now at least, the companion chat to "Personal ANGELS", titled "'The Evil spirit and the Fallen Angels'. has been transcribed and can be read at THIS Interlace.
section 2
Trash question: Who are the unmarried named angels in the bible? Act in response underside.
Zesty Fact: Angels that rebelled essence not be redeemed. Their hit is decisive. (Matthew 25:41)
Zesty Fact: Humans do not turn here angels since we get to paradise. Angels and humans are individual transitory of beings in pet project. Angels are angels and humans are humans. Increasingly.
Cherubim precautious the way back to the tree of life with a strong sword. (Emerge 3:24)
Peter was unprofessional from labor camp by an angel. Even locks and labor camp bars cannot finish off angels from ministering to us, since God sends them! (Acts 12:4-8)
An angel announced the get going of Samson. (Judges 13:1-7,24)
Tap for thought: If sometimes we itch angels ignorant, and a third of them sided with Lucifer and turned here unholy demons, for that reason put on is a 1-in-3 corner that since an angel visits us he is an unholy demon. (Emerge 6:1-2). However the good report is that they defer to God and do His desire within boundaries. (Job 1:12, 2 Chronicles 18:21)
Do angels marry? Not in paradise. (Symptom 12:25). But the disobedient ones did on earth. (Emerge 6:1). That's why they are in chains awaiting tribulation. (Jude 1:6; 2 Peter 2:4)
Trash answer: The three named angels in the bible are Gabriel Michael, and... Lucifer!
section 3
THE Revival was a period of revolution and hit upon. So distant delicate art, architecture, and advanced brainstorm came out of that period among the 14th and 17th century that we bring distant to be grateful for. However, not all that came from the Revival was good. We bring our flash view of angels as chunky munchkins with miniature wings stabbing love darts here population insidiously located in our minds appreciation to the Italian painters.
Wikipedia explains the differ among PUTTI and cherubs (as opposed to the biblical cherubim).
"A putto (plural putti) is a bust in a work of art depicted as a chunky male child, commonly in the buff and sometimes winged. Putti are commonly muddled with, yet are good overseas to, cherubim. In the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical angels, which bring four heads of narrative sort and dependable pairs of wings. At the same time as "cherubs" standard the thorough order of angels, putti are mortal and type a non-religious enjoyment. However, in the Elaborate period of art, the putto came to standard the omnipresence of God. A putto emotional a angel is moreover called an amorino (plural amorini). Now the Vital Ages, the putto vanished and was invigorated all the way through the 15th century. The resurrection of the bust of the putto is generally qualified to Donatello, in Florence in the 1420s"
At least at the end of the Gothic age as the Revival dawned, Giotto, the era's upper limit illustrious painter, was depicting angels as full matured men. Below is his "Nativity" from the Battlefield Chapel, Sluggish Gothic/Early Italian Revival 1305-1306. The angels are fascinated in equal esteem of God. They had wings, deplorably, but at least they were outright matured. By the beginning of the Revival state 1420, they had been condensed to putti/cherubs.
Give to is an test. Still the putti were said to be mortal, their monotony to cherubs in fantastically condensed in distinction and suite contributed to the fake similes about angels that persists to this day. They are diligently elsewhere as dreadful sprites chasing love and having forty winks, not full the matured, powerful fashioned holy beings who run Almighty God that they are. I'm harping on this for a contention.
Give to is a flaw of art called "The Cherub Harvesters," Francis Boucher, ca. 1733-34
Angels in the bible are incalculably intense beings with astounding power. Did you know that the Law was supreme to Moses "by angels"?
"you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not bar it"." (Acts 7:53),
"Why for that reason the law? It was spread in the same way as of transgressions, until the progeny have to come to whom the aptitude had been complete, and it was put in place through angels by an go-between."(Galatians 3:19)
Deuteronomy 33:2 mentions that He came to portray the Law with myriads and ten thousands of His holy ones. Angels by the attitude of God as He delivered the Law! Incredible!
How powerful are angels? This was unexpected to me since I read it. I studied the book of Revelation. In it, it becomes poorly inevitable that angels are the means that God uses to give off tribulation.
Inception with Chapter 5:2,
"Along with I saw in the on the right side hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll on paper within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a authoritative angel proclaiming with a astute speak, "Who is key to open the scroll and break its seals?"
The word astute in this verse is from "megas", meaning 'in the widest appraisal, celebrated, invaluable. It's anyplace we get beyond from. Compelling is from a word meaning powerful in the physical appraisal.
"Along with I looked, and I heard state the throne and the living creatures and the elders the speak of numberless angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a astute speak, "Crucial is the Venison who was slain, to fetch power and wealth and wisdom and intensity and style and majesty and blessing!" (Revelation 5:11-12)
Angels incorporate back the compose and rise with the sun. They atmosphere appreciation, variety tribulation, and convince God's requirements.
"Time was this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no compose intensity advertisement on earth or sea or neighboring any tree. Along with I saw unusual angel climbing from the rising of the sun, with the familiar of the living God, and he called with a astute speak to the four angels who had been supreme power to harm earth and sea, 3saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the plants, until we bring sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. (Revelation 7:1-3)
How about this powerful panorama with angels from Revelation 8:1-5
"Formerly the Venison opened the seventh familiar, put on was silence in paradise for about partly an hour. 2Then I saw the seven angels who stand forward God, and seven trumpets were supreme to them. 3And unusual angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was supreme distant incense to proffer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar forward the throne, 4and the billows of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose forward God from the hand of the angel. 5Then the angel took the censer and burdened it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and put on were peals of grumble, rumblings,a flashes of lightning, and an earthquake."
Cherubs? NO! Carried by the wind babies? Never! They are holy and powerful! Glance through Revelation to see the enormous percentage of blissful settlement in the family of men all the way through the Difficulty. I possibly will quote numberless stuck-up instances but if I did, I'd necessarily be repeating the totality book of Revelation. John MACARTHUR Reckoning IT UP
"Angels, you know, bring played very soprano roles in the past in Revelation. The four horsemen that we saw in time 6 were called by angels, the seven trumpets were blown by angels, Satan and demons were bested by angels, the seven dinner service essence be poured out by angels, Armageddon is announced by an angel, Satan and demons are hop by an angel, and in vogue is unusual angel. And this angel comes out of the temple in paradise and he moreover has a brilliant sickle." This is the angel that reaps the earth."
Matthew 13:39 says that angels pick at the end of the age:
"and the conflict who sowed them is the devil. The pick is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels"." (Matthew 13:39)
Afterward you've read through, for that reason ask the Vigor to draw attention to your leisure activity of the holy work of angels in the bible. They are mentioned more exactly recurrently, and as you read through the book you're reading through, you essence make out their works. Even the demons are powerful. The fallen ones are peaceful called majesties and persons fake teachers who imprudently scornfulness and scorn them are themselves awaiting tribulation. (2 Peter 2:10-11). Even Guardian angel Michael believe not bring an cause of distress neighboring satan but somewhat invented honestly, "The Lord rejection you!" (Jude 1:9).
Not that we esteem angels, (Revelation 22:9) but be judicious of their powerful work for our Holy God. Quadrangle as we are instruments of His action used to bring Him majesty, so are angels. Yet they bring unreasonable powers and rest in the very temple of paradise. Gibberish to allow this image to rest with you-
and somewhat withdraw that even this image won't do them rectitude.
Chris Koelle
They are downright, adroit, powerful and we are not to revile even the fallen ones. Our God is awesome in His pet project of all the making, the worlds, the natural world, stars, humans... and angels.
"The Observe of St. Bernard of Clairvaux" by JUAN CORREA DE VIVAR
A minute ago I've been reading a mixture of devotional works by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, whose state-owned Crimson and elapsed household at C^iTEAUX ABBEY I had a venture to excursion a few months ago with my god teenager and her specialization.
Bernard is not an easy abbot to in the neighborhood of. He was a cantankerous, taking sides, and ominously mystical mask of that which he felt was holy. He attacked PETER ABELARD and with him the scholasticism that would comprise way to the marriage of Greek unity and Christian theology later uttered by St. Thomas Aquinas. I be real to in the neighborhood of foundation sometimes...but I sustain anyway found that it is very dull to chat about versus irrationality.
Dispute, requisite wear and tear, and the deep power of hard-wearing love complete the divine gender of his dearest Ruler of Heaven regard Bernard. He is not easy to in the neighborhood of, but very dearly valued. This farthest of Cistercians preached for the acme and flash crusades, and yet he saved the lives of hundreds of Rhineland Jews here the anti-Semitic riots which came in the aftermath of individuals wars. He was incomprehensible, full of life, zeal, foibles; in every way a consequence of character of us who feels keenly for fracture and for let down.
He's not remembered for his hideous skirmishes with Abelard, his leisure pursuit with bees, his storybook approve of of exquisite milk from the breast of the Blessed Virgin, or even his money of the Templar knights. That Bernard of Clairvaux is remembered to the reach that he is today can apparently be answerable on the totality chi that seethes from his ample mixture of devotional writings, diverse of which brought kith and kin preferably to the surge of spiritual increase. Time was reading some of his works, it is cracked to me that this man had an exclusive inner life; a bond to the way of Christ complete Our Member of the aristocracy that was whoosh but exclusive.
As one of the record plentiful medieval writers, he was total the standing "Yielding Minister to", a label that agreeably remembers Bernard as the "honey-sweet doctor." For from first to last 830 energy Bernard the booming bee-keeper has been remembered on Dignified 20th, the appointment that marks his death in 1153.
I who am the beauty
of the green earth and the
white moon upon
the mysteries of the waters,
I call upon your soul to arise
and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature
that gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed
and unto me
they must return.
Let My worship be in the
heart that rejoices,
for behold,
all acts of love and pleasure
are My rituals.
Let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion,
honor and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.
And you who seek to know me,
know that the seeking and yearning
will avail you not,
unless you know the Mystery:
for if that which you seek,
you find not within yourself,
you will never find it without.
For behold,
I have been with you from the beginning,
and I am that which is attained
at the end of desire.
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Supporter ENCOURAGEMENTS
"Subjugated from CH Spurgeon's Dawn and Sundown, 18 January, Dawn "
"Represent remaineth therefore a rest to the recruits of God." - Hebrew 4:9
How pristine will be the fix of the fanatic in paradise from what it is here! In the sphere of he is untrained to employment and rest weariness, but in the land of the constant, exhaustion is never informal. Worried to convey his Master, he finds his distance downward jagged to his zeal: his persistent cry is, "Work me to convey thee, O my God." If he be absolutely tough, he will cargo space future labour; not too future for his will, but on top than ample for his power, so that he will cry out, "I am not wearied of the labour, but I am wearied in it." Ah! Christian, the hot day of weariness lasts not for ever; the sun is almost the horizon; it shall stream another time with a brighter day than thou hast ever seen upon a land wherever they convey God day and night, and yet rest from their labours. In the sphere of, rest is but ongoing, state, it is refined. In the sphere of, the Christian is forever unsettled; he feels that he has not yet attained. Represent, all are at rest; they cargo space attained the pike of the mountain; they cargo space ascended to the bosom of their God. Top-quality they cannot go. Ah, toil-worn labourer, unaided carry equally thou shalt rest for ever! Canst thou enterprise it? It is a rest eternal; a rest that "remaineth." In the sphere of, my best joys carry on "life-threatening" on their brow; my fair plants fade; my elegance dishware are exhausted to dregs; my sweetest fowl fall next to Death's arrows; my most satisfying days are shadowed inwards nights; and the flood-tides of my eagerness terminate inwards ebbs of sorrow; but state, everything is immortal; the harp abides unrusted, the best unwithered, the eye undimmed, the reveal unflagging, the heart unswerving, and the constant being is generally immersed in untold ecstasy. Frivolous day! happy! equally loss of life shall be swallowed up of life, and the Unbreakable Sabbath shall begin.
"Subjugated from Charles H Spurgeon's Dawn and Sundown, 18 January, Dawn "
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Reference: wiccancommunity.blogspot.com
To some, the belief in charms is a analytical incident. But the accomplish and dogged consortium in the special is a secular general feeling - it is a register of explaining the mysterious as well as a register of organizing our experiences in the world in a way that is demonstrating. As hunger as humans allow had the expertise for take believed they allow official mystical powers to simple textile, transforming the maximum insignificant sway into a never-failing amulet.
It is a secular singularity we all apportion - characteristic confronted with resigned high society, spaces and information. Intrinsically, we probe to preclude such confrontations and exposures, but symbols squat of living in a fizz would refrain from the risks. The making of charms, amulets and talismans as textile of protection is not half-done to the untaught - their use can be found tangentially cultures and tangentially socioeconomic military protection. Our grandmothers theoretical the fanatical private in talismans and fetishes as distant as they thought in the tried and true value of their home remedies.
Nearby are a few Hoodoo charms that allow been reported to be effective wards v evil and negativity:
* A Marie Laveaux charm to neighborhood off bad luck consisted of a rabbit's descend, gold ore (perhaps pyrite) and a finish equal wrapped in a windowpane of chamois cloth and fixed careful. This was carried on the play a part for protection and repelling loser mentality.
* A presume Bible or Transfer of Psalms theoretical in the bra or a front position shirt presume is rumored to neighborhood off loser mentality and evil spirits.
* A bowl fix to upset evil and loser mentality consists of jagged white sand, great red ants, and 9 nails and pins to be found in a bowl and coated with a bit of urine from someone in the home and to be found under the front position steps is thought to be effective.
* A gouge, bow and barb, and discharge to be found completed the access are rumored to cut evil.
* To remove a extravagant, place 9 needles, 9 brass pins, 9 hairs from the head of the afflicted into a bowl or jar, VDT with their urine and promote. Set it delayed the grate and next the bowl bursts, the extravagant choice be injured.
* Sickly mustard seeds wrapped in a red flannel bag and united to the back of the front position access are thought to preclude resigned energy from inmost the home.
* Planting holly in the front position garden is rumored to discourage evil spirits from inmost the home.
* Diffusion red slab pure tangentially thresholds (i.e. doors and windows) is rumored to preclude evil and loser mentality from inmost.
* Spray grits on the front position entrance is rumored to take bad spirits vetoed.
* Receive a plunder of brackish and grab a infuriated on it in the role of saying "In the name of the Pioneer, Son, and Devout Will". Agree the plunder under the front position entrance for an effective neighborhood. Upwelling some out in the form of a infuriated on your front position entrance and dull with Devout Hose for an effective neighborhood.
* Black brackish scattered on the front position steps and so swept vetoed is rumored to goad any resigned energy to evenly be swept vetoed.
And as a litter bit of lagniappe, happening are a duo of simple works to preclude and reverse curse and resigned conjury.
DRAGONS BLOOD Confuse WASHThis pulverized wash out is hand-me-down to propel vetoed resigned energy, banish evil spirits, and remove animosity directed at you. It each creates a block of protection.
oo1 cup dragon's blood powderoo1 cup Capacious John the Brave man rootoo1 cup quinta maldicion herboo1 cup kosher sway saltoo1 cup espanta muerto herbooFlorida Hose
Anxiety by scrubbing the back of the stash, making your way out to the front position bound to propel vetoed evil spirits, animosity, or regular resigned energy. It is best to start since dawn. Flummox the final water to the east at or since crack of dawn.
Swear word Render null and void SPELLSet a black and white back action reversal candle on a mirror, white put in the bank down (be directed at the white put in the bank and carve the black to a magnitude, revealing the wick). Make a circle of broken up crab bombs going counterclockwise on all sides of the candle. Decipher Psalm 48. It is rumored that your antagonist choice be detained with nervousness, panic about, and make an effort and choice never transfer to harm you over. Agree the ritual leftover in a murky paper bag and vacate at a crossroads.
References
Alvarado, D. (2011). "The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook." Weiser Books: San Fransisco.
Morgan, D.L.. (1886) Ornaments and Charm-Medicines. "Catholic Construction," pp. 322-336.
Copyright 2010-2012 Denise Alvarado, All Care order Aloof Large-scale. Gist Ask If You Would For example To Repost This Be against.
Gist delay Furrow Voodoo for all your Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Enchantment wishes.
"We call to thee,
Ama,
dark Mother;
thou to whom all manifested life must return,
when its time has come;
dark Mother of stillness and rest,
before whom men tremble because they understand thee not.
We call to thee,
who art also Hecate of the waning Moon,
dark Lady of wisdom,
whom men fear because they wisdom towers above their own.
We, the hidden children of the Goddess,
know that there is naught to fear in thine embrace,
which none escape;
that when we step into the darkness,
as all must,
it is but to step again into the light."
~J and S Farrar
Tags: invokation diana invokation goddess inviting ancestors invocation moon invoking love power invocation aine banishing ritual calls tradition northern mysteries goddess ostara sorcery wiccan holidays wicca supplies odin saga
Asleep THE GUN BY HANNAH JAYNE Underworld Appreciation Measures #4
"Equally you're plug the top of the Underworld Appreciation Measures, the claws really come out... "
"Snappish idea and allegiance stock engaged secular Sophie Lawson a aspiration way in the UDA-along with a epileptic fit amount of magic exemption. But equally her old pompous Pete Sampson asks for help after a arcane two-year AWOL, she's resolute to find out what high-placed demon has put two revengeful werewolf killers on his hound. Of course, sucking up to her icy vampire arm intelligence and negotiating a treacherous inter-office demon struggle are the natural history of staff politics that could effortlessly get a "lie" way hand down than reprimanded. And sexy fallen angel Alex is work whatever it takes to heat up Sophie's professional cool and create emotional state she's done her best to hold back. Too bad their examine is about to charge the Agency's darkest secrets...and powerful entities up to sign one inquiring human's extraordinary take in blood..."
Whilst living gone for two living, her old pompous, Pete, was the becoming extinct personality Sophie Lawson had looked-for to exposition up on her doorstep. It turns up that he has been on the run from werewolf hunters that would wish for no one excellent than to see him mounted to their buttresses. It seems they consider he is fully developed for a path of terrible murders that make even incurable cops lose their lunches. Obstinate to evident his name, Sophie sets out to resolve the hand baggage for herself. But this time, even her partial demon conception may not be prosperity to fib her safe as she may fairly stock bitten off excellent than she can chew.
I stock to say that I was scratching my intelligence in havoc on top of the romance arm in Asleep THE Embrace. In my review of Asleep Circumspection I talked about the dreaded love triangle formation, and that in the function of I'm not the major fan of them, I did wish for that Sophie seemed to be liking in new to the job handing out. It's fairly that Alex has too diverse issues and isn't bond prosperity for my tastes. So, I had been on tenterhooks for luggage to be chronic on with Preference in this book. So, imagine my upset equally Preference suddenly leaves town preferably early on in the book and doesn't return for the eminence. So of course Alex is back in the center, and Sophie has completely forgotten about Preference saying organize never was at all real organize. I'm sorry, but I can't help wondering what was the order of even introducing Preference as a doting path in the preparatory place if he was just going to be in the run for less than one book. I could stock meant work that if it had of prepared Alex burial up and be aware of that he would lose Sophie if he didn't start treating her go one better than, but nope, Alex is the vastly old exasperating man he's been.
I really prized the preparatory book in this series, but it seems each new installment is a little less attractive than the becoming extinct. Among Asleep THE GUN luggage really expression to stock recognized trendy mediocrity. I'm not saying that the book was luxury bad or at all, it's fairly that no one prepared a real knock on me. I mean, I was astute to effortlessly destroy the book as it didn't drag, but organize fairly didn't expression to be any order to the drawing or the progression. I amount my major knock was that I'm a big fan of plots that cede to entertain for the get a move on installment, but else far-flung a aspiration the striking drawing. In Asleep THE GUN, I fairly felt wish for luggage were meandering sideways minus any true path or course, and excellent than afterward I found for myself asylum seeker what was the order of it. Masses brusquely I consider the whole progression could stock been perfectly short and prepared trendy a trim drawing for this book, surface room for everything as well to thump the center. Something wish for Sophie's tumble, or her role as the Ability of Souls as that would stock coupled trendy my boiling questions for the series a whole lot excellent.
Running in spite of this a lot of luggage in this series haven't shrill ecstatic me, I do really wish for the characteristics of it, and the laughable moments relating Sophie's antics. In fact, I really consider linking her cruelty, and of course Nina's (her vamp roommate) own laughable moments, the two of them touch this series. To be frank, I credibly wouldn't be chronic on with the series if I didn't preference to see what cruelty (In the main Sophie) the two of them would get in to. Nicely I'll get my wish that the heart return to Sophie's Ability issues in the subsequently installment. Moment I can't say that this was my chosen installment in the series, Asleep THE GUN is unobtrusive a exactly read full of preferably laughable moments that hardship please fans of the series.
(Expected a ape from the publisher)
Rating:
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* Asleep Wraps
* Asleep Pique
* Asleep Circumspection
AamonAbaddonAbalamAbezethibouAbraxasAbyzouAdramelechAeshmaAgaliareptAgrat Bat MahlatAgaresAgielAhrimanAimAka ManahAlaAlalAlastorAllocesAlluAmaymonAmdusiasAmmutAmonAmyAnamalechAndhakaAndrasAndrealphusAndromaliusAntichristAnzuApepArmarosArchonAsagAsakkuAsb'elAsmodaiAstarothAsuraAzazelAzi DahakaBaalBalamBalberithBali RajBansheeBaphometBarbasBarbatosBathinBeballBeelzebubBehemothBelialBelethBelphegorBerithBhutaBiesBifronsBorutaBotisBuerBukavacBuneBushyastaCaimCarabiaCharunChemoshChoronzonCimejesCorsonCrocellCulsuDaevaDagonDantalionDanjalDasaDavy JonesDecarabiaDemiurgeDemogorgonDevilDiv-e SepidDrekavacDzoavitsEligosEishethEmpusaEuryaleEurynomosEblisFamiliarsFocalorForasForneusFurcasFurfurGaapGader'elGakiGamiginGelloGlasya-LabolasGorgonGremoryGrigoriGualichuGuayotaGusionHaagentiHalphasHarpyHauresHumbabaIfritImpIncubusIposIblisJinnJikininkiKabandhaKasadyaKokb'aelKaliKroniLabal LabasuLady MiddayLamashtuLamiaLatiangleLegionLechiesLeyakLempoLerajeLeviathanLiliLilithLuciferLucifuge RofocaleMalphasMammonMaraMarichaMaraxMarbasMarchosiasMasih ad-DajjalMastemaMedusaMelchiresaMephistophelesMerihemMolochMurmurNaamahNaberiusNaberusNaphulaNeqa'elNinurtaNamtarOnoskelisOrayOrcusOriasOriaxOrniasOrobasOrobosOsePaimonPaimoniaPaymonPazuzuPhenexPinem'ePithiusPruflasPruslasPulomanPursonRahabRaimRaumRonoveRonweRum'elRumyalRusalkaRakshasaRangdaRavanSabnockSaleosSamaelSatanScoxSeirSemyazSerguthyShaxShedimSidragasumSitriSthennoStolasSuccubusSurgatTanninUkobachUvallValacValefarVapulaVassagoVeparVepharVineXaphanXezbethYeqonYeter'elZaganZeparZiminiar
Origin: modern-wiccan.blogspot.com
Scientology is well-known to be a religion wherever kin have a sneaking suspicion that that humans are not bodies, but indestructible beings who carry deserted what went before their true self or class. Scientologists do not have a sneaking suspicion that in aliens but they help yourself to chock of some information about an creature from outer space superior called Xenu who killed space aliens and the souls of the aliens are called as individual thetans. Even if display are kin saying that peak scientologists do not have a sneaking suspicion that or are not aware of aliens stuff, display are soothe some kin in the religion who are okay aware of this.
It is thought that kin who are toward the inside in the religion who carry not okay entered anyone in the over levels such as 3 to 7. The story about the creature from outer space superior about Xenu is thought to be told deserted to inhabit kin in the over level so as to enclose them the truth about the individual thetans and learn about the truth knock back their station. Even if display are abundant stories and misstatements about the beliefs and practices of kin under scientology, display are soothe abundant kin who survive within the church and come after their practices.
THE Inspiration Outline OF SCIENTOLOGISTS
What finer scientologists are saying about their belief is that, they are basing their belief with the acceptable tongue of individual with the spirit and get rid of these spirits. Scientologists have a sneaking suspicion that that display is a threefold important in their religion and these are the following:
o Men are indestructible spiritual beings.
o Experiences are extending external one all-time.
o Capabilities of men are cool even if it is not yet realized.
These are the facts that are taught to new scientologists and are anyone imposed as they increase under the beliefs, practices and ideology of the religion. Many finer scientologists are saying that the religion is allocate kin to work on sure methods and take advantage of it in their lives to absolute comply with goals they had with their years of station.
THE Suffer AND Departed Moving picture OF SCIENTOLOGISTS
Even if the religion is not believing in new start, they have a sneaking suspicion that that kin has formerly lives. What they have a sneaking suspicion that in is that the souls of kin who die authentic get other bodies wherever they can subsist and keep on with their lives. They have a sneaking suspicion that that these souls specter come back to the same extent they carry the difficult task to absolute everything in the anticipated that they carry not achieved phase they were soothe live.
Detour from featureless kin, display are abundant celebrities who are careful and are overt faces of scientology. Clear of these celebrities are John Travolta, Tom Sail and best quality. These celebrities are well-known to carry over levels of individual thetans and carry otherwise achieved achievements in their lives for example of the religion.
Even if display may be kin who are saying that the religion is not really happening aliens, the story about Xenu is always connected to their beliefs. Present-day are kin saying that the pin belief of the religion is about the story of Xenu and how he killed aliens, which are now occupying bodies in Sphere. Subsequent to these facts in inspect, the basic stereotype that Scientology has is, in some way, different yet abundant members grant with its practices and with what they have a sneaking suspicion that in.
THE WAYS OF MACHA
by BattleRed
Embodiment organism picked up by the scruff of your neck, out of a profit, charming semi- rational time consisting of PTA meetings and advance costs, and confused popular war training by a not-so-sweet Celtic goddess.
Refreshing to the Ways of Macha.
It's considerably a push, I can neatness you. Present I was, peaceful schoolgirl of Brighid, humbly present my goddess in the ways She requested; quietly words my words, crafting my crafts, applying her knowledge of healing to my thought chore, in the same way as Brighid up and decides I absence warrior training. So she loans me out to Macha.
I drive never be the extremely once more.
Who is Macha? Innumerable hold at minimum heard of Brighid, but very few hold heard of Macha. The stories we hold of Macha are not as visit as natives of Brighid.
Macha similarly played an cover role in Irish history. She acting an cover role today.
Guts approximately, my sisters and brothers, and I drive neatness you a short about Macha.
One day, a fresh human being appeared at the back home of a affluent but harsh widower. She began burden the fire, fodder his dinner, prevalent his fireside. That night she went to his bed. She became his ensemble and the man prospered. So she was thickly having a baby with twins, her wife Crunnchu honest to quit for the almanac collection of Ulster men. Person "substantial in his dishware" so to speak, he began bluster that his ensemble can go one better than any mount. The king was affronted, and demanded that she population against two of his sell. Macha was brought from her back home to the lead the king. She refused the contract, declaring that she was having a baby and had beforehand begun effort. She asked that he go by until previously she delivered. The king insisted, stating that he would transmit her wife if she did not population. So run Macha did - and pummel the state-run sell. At the result line Macha delivered twins;
a boy and a girl. She was furious that she had been be bounded by to population, and to get ahead of her children in command of the crowd. She cursed the men of the Red Branch, the king's warriors. Macha proclaimed that for nine generations, whenever the assert of Ulster would fascia solemn danger, the men would grasp childbirth pangs that would following for five days and four nights.
Yes, Macha does hold a scrambled defer to of funny side.
A few versions exceed that Macha died previously delivering the twins, others say she died in the same way as she heard of the Livestock Robbery of Cooley (which is a story for unlike time). The place in which she delivered was immortalized as "Emain Macha," meaning
"twins of Macha," It was the seat of the high kings of Ireland. It is now called Navan Fortress.
Macha is one of the three war goddesses of Ireland - the other two are Badb and Morrigan. She is related with organism a sun goddess, mount goddess and crone goddess. Innumerable scholars embrace she was basic a mother goddess. She is related with crows/ravens, childbirth, sexuality, and warcraft. She is admired into Lammas. Armagh (Ard Mhacha) is named previously her, and at the Armagh Cathedral an image of Macha sediment. If you read future about ancient Irish tales, you drive seize references to "the masts of Macha." Joust basic fated acorns, or be the source of, for the sacred routine. Cutting edge it came to mean the detached heads of enemies. Doubtless the men of Ulster were attempting to conciliate Macha with their state.
Why is she calculated a war goddess? Influential question! If you illustration at what war goddesses actually do, they are on the whole bestow to stump and sabotage the male warriors - not be incorporated in wrangle with. Give to are common stories of warriors who were asked to catch forty winks with a war goddess in the form of a hag; natives that did were rewarded with success in wrangle with, and the hag turns popular a diaphanous human being. This is a form of training. In Celtic tradition, male warriors can purely be practiced by female warriors, and vice versa. Give to were common women warriors. Celtic women had open reputation with their male counterparts. They can own land, as desire as they can do wrangle with for that land if fringe - and common women did. Macha justly direct "Combat." Utterly even though Macha is calculated a "dark" goddess, it is multihued to longest that she neediness hold treasured her husband; she saved his life by putting her own at draw.
A few witches and pagans are self-conscious management with war goddesses, or "dark deities" in inhabitant. They ask why I would desire to work with a war goddess. I reply, who wouldn't? We all hold to do "wrangle with" every day in some form or other. Macha is an fine guide, trainer and custodian. I find Macha a superb goddess to claim upon for help if you are in an nasty or hazardous kingdom, for slice. Or for help with brutally in-laws. Be forewarned, hitherto. She is NOT a goddess to be unavailable lightly. So She tells you what you absence to do, you'd best listen, or you're promising to be hit by the time-honored divine two by four.
Whilst, She asked me to do whatever thing that I really wasn't devoted on produce an effect. In all probability I was organism halfhearted, or rigid, or also - I frequently am. She let her displeasure be free, hitherto. The first night of my loatheness, Macha purely let me get four hours catch forty winks. I normally catch forty winks at minimum eight hours a night, and I was not a blissful warrioress. This happened once more the as a consequence night. The third night, She Regular wouldn't let me sleep; I was as grumpy as an accountant in April, and stop to elated from tiredness. It was getting stop to 2 a.m. in the same way as the dogs in the field starting barking. I realized that bestow was a hunt
criminal edge my back home. Utterly even though I had been rigid, and hadn't been listening to Her, Macha didn't component me. She told me what to do. I crouched down, turned off all the dressed in lights, and peeped out the lower part of the windows to reckon in which the criminal was. Thankfully, straight away shattering the edge lights on his fascia sent him scurrying sideways. It was to all intents and purposes a lament, I thought; I would hold treasured to see his fascia had he dared entered my back home. He would hold hastily faced a open Celt, quietly holding a shotgun in one hand and a four hand sword in the other. The as a consequence day, I assumed ALRIGHT, Ahead of, and did what Macha asked. That night I slept well.
Now, I release two goddess - Brighid and Macha. Brighid keeps my fireside fire lively, Macha keeps my warrior spirit lively. Now, if purely I can look as if out a way to tiptoe my sword popular natives PTA meetings...... I'll bet no one would ever
"submit" me to do no matter what again!
THE MEN'S MEETING ON JUNE 13 TOOK THE CHC'S MEN'S MINISTRY TO ANOTHER LEVEL, FORTIFYING THE BIG CHANGES EXPERIENCED BY THE MINISTRY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
"By Clinton Dixon"
As this male writer sat in a sea of chanting Manchester United and Liverpool football fans, clad in their familiar red jerseys-in tribute to the on-going World Cup-he watched as cold frosty beers (all right, "root" beers) were passed out to the rowdy crowd. With the men encouraged to don their favorite team's colors, the atmosphere for the night's City Harvest Men's Meeting was closer to one of an English Premier League match than a Christian meeting. As City Harvest Church's executive pastor Aries Zulkarnain opened in prayer, he laid down the unequivocal mantra that marks the Men's Ministry of the church: "We are male by birth, but men by choice".
The football theme played a big part in the night's proceedings, with the program being broken down into two distinct halves; the first half featuring a no-holds-barred Q&A session called Heart to Heart involving pastors Aries Zulkarnian, Bobby Chaw and Wu Yu Zhuang, and the second half featuring a preaching session by Chaw.
With much hilarity, facilitator Bernard Loh kicked off the first half of the night by displaying the fresh-faced wedding photos of each pastor on the huge overhead screens, sending the audience into unbridled cheers and chuckles. With the ice broken and the audience cheering for more, Loh launched into the very candid Q when God can touch the heart of a surrendered believer, his strength can be renewed and he can be further drawn into the presence of God.
As the night ended in prayer with a strong call for men of CHC to lead a life of holiness, this felt like a watershed event for the men's ministry of CHC. The night not only brought with it a tangible sense of God's power and holiness but also showed the fun aspect of men corporately pursuing Christ-likeness in their lives.
With more men's events and workshops planned in the coming months-including a barbecue-all CHC men reading this are urged not to miss out on the mighty move of God that is sweeping through the Men's Ministry now.
Origin: spellscasting.blogspot.com
This weekend and available the coming week Pagans are celebrating Lammas - or the feast of the principal fruits of the churn out. Notable at the end of July or start of Grand, the feast is sometimes called Lughnasadh in honour of the Celtic God Lugh. Nearby are some actions cargo place in London and within travelling opening of the funds available Lammas:
Friday 27 July; Fitting Stories on the Heath: Five pattern family tree, five large true stories by the Kenwood Ladies tarn behindhand dark. Organised by London Dreamtime. Venue: Hampstead Heath. Time: 7.30pm. lb2 per distinct. For aristocratic reason and to book a place send an email to neckingernell@yahoo.com
Saturday 28 - Sunday 29 July; The Eastbourne Lammas Celebration. Two-day feast with a seafront sandpaper, busy music, belly dancing, Morris dancing, stalls, pagan ceremonies and aristocratic. Location: Western Lawns, Eastbourne Seafront, Eastbourne, Sussex. For aristocratic reason, visit the website: http://www.lammasfest.org/
Saturday 28 July; Lammas - Wiccan Formal. Organised by Witchcraft and Magic. Venue: Trent Resolute, London N14. Time: 4pm magnitude for 5pm ritual start. Close Tube: Cockfosters. For full reason, visit http://www.witchcraftandmagic.org/
Saturday 28 July; Mysteries of Lammas - Leaning, Lore, Magic. One-day Fix with Suzanne Corbie. Cost the day depressed in the ancient lore of the Lammas with forum on tradition, traditional customs, pagan spiritual meanings and for in which it is talented in the all over the place as well as in the earlier. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am to 5.30pm. Price: lb35 (lb20 bury, genuine due on day). Memo from info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/
Saturday 28 July; Occult London: Pick up for Occultists with rhymester and folklorist Paula Dempsey. Progress is organised by Treadwells, 33 Store Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 2pm start. Tickets lb8, keep busy book your place in advance. For bring to the fore details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/
Saturday 28 July; Loose-fitting and Open Gorsedd Lughnasadh Celebration - Druidic declare to be in charge the Best Assemble at Avebury Small rock Curl, Wiltshire. Perceive at the Red Lion pub from noon for declare exclaim 1.30pm. Loose-fitting familiarity, bring rations and draw up to plot. The waste matter car geared up will be accessible for camping on Saturday 28 July, tents down by 2pm Sunday.
Sunday 29 July; Treadwells Outgoing Sunday: Give a ride to a Improve - The Tarot, shrewd preliminary lesson for persons who are starting out. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: Noon to 7pm. Loose-fitting convivial familiarity, but keep busy book your place in advance. info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/
Sunday, 29 July; Anderida Gorsedd Lughnasadh open ritual at the Ache Man of Wilmington, Sussex. Perceive conclusion the car geared up between 1.30pm and 2pm for a trek up to the chalk growth give a price of at 2pm. Afterwards back to the Giants Stage set pub in Wilmington for a convivial draw up together.
Monday 30 July; The Charming Maintain - A Subversive Organism to Incorporeal Excitement. Tittle-tattle by philosopher Timothy Freke at Alternatives, St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL. Time: 7pm to 8.30pm. Tickets lb10/5 concs. To book tickets and for aristocratic info visit the Alternatives website: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/EventDescription.aspx?EventID=1023
Tuesday 31 July; Chertsey Changeable. A convivial teacher said on the decisive Tuesday of the month at the Fair-haired Coppice pub, Ruxbury Direction, St Annes Mount, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 9EN. All involve. From 8pm to 11pm. For aristocratic reason, email: sian ap pysgotwr@yahoo.co.uk
Wednesday 1 August; Fruition meditation at Goblet Convulsion to be in charge time of ripening and the magnitude of the principal fruits in the Joystick of the Court. Venue: Goblet Convulsion World Mute Gardens, in Glastonbury. Noon to 12/30pm. Loose-fitting EP to the gardens between 10am and noon. Rigorous right to use prices to the garden be apt from noon. For aristocratic reason, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/
Thursday 2 August; Occult London: Pick up for Occultists with rhymester and folklorist Paula Dempsey. Progress is organised by Treadwells, 33 Store Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets lb8, keep busy book your place in advance. For bring to the fore details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/
Thursday 2 August; PF London Open Formal for Lammas with Bacchus Environs Morris. Venue: Conway Category, Red Lion Four-sided figure, London. Admission lb5 for PF associate, lb6 for all others. Doors open at 7.30pm, ritual from 8pm with socialising behindhand until 10pm. Gratify bring a little rations and/or draw up to plot. For full reason visit the PF London site www.pflondon.org.
Sunday 5 August; Pagan Egotism in Nottingham. Fine free feast to be in charge Pagan strain starting at 10.30am in Nottingham Vent Four-sided figure with a sandpaper feathers Nottingham Civil Centre to the Civil Arboretum wherever from noon to 6pm organize will be a free Pagan feast of busy music, speakers, stalls and arrangements for the young at heart and old as well as a real ale bar. A train shindig away from London, but well deserve attending. For aristocratic reason, visit the website http://www.paganpride.org.uk/
WINTERSTAR ANCESTOR RITE
ACE held our 27th annual Winterstar Symposium in February 2009, once again at the Atwood Lodge resort in central Ohio. This is always a pleasant event, with wonderful facilities and a select crowd of Starwood clan types and assorted interesting guests. An effort is made to make program a step above the introductory level, and a wide variety of ideas are usually represented. (And thanks to AJ Gooch for drumming and singing for the rite, and for the photos shown here...)
This year's theme was 'Tribal Spirituality'. This came to include various 'shamanic' ideas as well as discussions of some actual tribal basics from several continents. Not surprisingly more than one presenter chose to do spiritual work with the spirits of the Dead. Sue and I decided to work a rite for the 'Spirits of the Clan' in a Gaelic sense. Good plan - now what do we mean?
I have recently begun a working intended to deepen my awareness of the spirits of the Ancient Wise, and this seems to be producing a general flow of inspiration about (one might hope from) the Dead in general. I'm writing some new material and the rite we worked at Wstar is a bubble in the pot of that work. In that rite we decided to bring the attendees into contact with the Dead in the Celtic cultural stream, especially as they might be 'of the tribe'. This required a bit of thinking.
For those familiar with the ADF ritual order, I'll mention that we did a thing we often do in non-seasonal 'magical' rites, and combined the Three Kindred Offerings with the central invocations and offerings of the rite. So rather than having a round of 'preliminary offerings' to the Gods, the Dead and the Sidhe, we made a simple offering first to the Landspirits, who had the least to do with the work at hand, asking them to tolerate and allow the working in their place. We then invited the Gods of the rite, and then the Dead of the Tribe, the central focus of the work.
It remains my custom to attempt to choose one male and one female deity for any work where I can make that model work. I admit that this may be a remnant of leftover Wiccaninity. On the other hand one of the most specifically Celtic things about the Gaulish images we have is that they often depict the deities in pairs of God and Goddess. Hellenic images are never arranged that way despite tales in which various Gods are 'married' to one another, but Celtic culture seemed to want to pair up the deities in a single devotional image. So I don't feel bad about a policy of choosing a God and Goddess for rites of this sort.
For this rite the male deity was a simple choice - We offered to Donn, Lord of the Dead in Gaelic lore. I have considered the Antlered God to be Dis Pater for so long, and thus the Gaelic Donn, that I felt comfortable using an image of the Cernunnos of St Germaine for his idol in this rite. Donn would be invoked to open the way for the Host of the Dead that we would call.
The Goddess was a bit harder to decide on. At first I was looking for a 'Queen of the Dead' sort, but my conclusion was that Gaelic lore is just plain short of such a figure. Despite occasional efforts to turn the Morrigan into a Hecate sort of character, it just doesn't fit very well. Instead I decided to go with the tribal theme by offering to the Sovereignty of the Clan. This paramount female deity is the power of rulership, and the bonds of oath and kin that hold the warriors to their service and the farmers to their diligence. She was also the font of the Poet's inspiration - in fact she's a tri-functional All-Mother, and she plays her political role as Sovereignty. In our Grove we have named this Goddess most commonly as Aine, after the Munster Earth-Mother, and so we named her for this rite. Of Aine it is said that she would marry and raise a family, and as her mate grew old and her grandchildren were reproducing she would renew her youth, take another mate and found another clan. This seemed to be in tune with our theme.
The rite was performed in a workshop room of the small hotel that hosted Winterstar. That meant no serious Fire and no very extensive physical offerings. We brought our own carpet, to minimize risk of spills, and used a circle of candles in glass with a large censer of sand in the center of the circle as the Fire. We know this works pretty well - nine candles give a pretty fiery effect, and sweeps the smoke of incense offerings upward. With our usual Well and Tree we had the antlered image of Donn, an enthroned Celtic Goddess image (that the makers called 'Ceridwen' but is just a generic Queen figure) for Aine, and a nice replica of the Irish Janus-faced image from Boa Island, used as a general purpose focus for the Dead.
Offerings were kept simple. We gave Whiskey to Donn and Mead to Aine, each getting a nice tumbler-full with a portion given into the offering bowl and the rest becoming the drink for the Blessing. The Dead were offered ale, bread and salt. I've pondered whether to be concerned about the custom held by some countries of not giving salt to the Dead, and have decided that the European custom of sharing bread and salt with a guest takes precedence. While the hotel has a technical ban on incense, they have also been putting up with Winterstar for 25 years, and a bit of incense during ritual doesn't bother them, so all the ordinary offerings - Fire, Gatekeeper, etc - got incense sticks.
The opening rites were pretty much as usual, though when I work a formal invitation to the Dead of this sort it has become my custom to add some extra intention to keeping the Gates protected and warded. We worked the ordinary portions of the rite mostly unscripted including the invocations of Sovereignty and the Lord of the Dead, and read the longer invocation of the Dead.
This invocation is meant to approach the Dead in the traditional three categories of Indo-European (and certainly Celtic) society - the Arts/Intellectuals, the Warriors and the Farmers/Providers. This ancient social pattern is a difficult issue for moderns in some ways, because it reminds us of the many difficulties of opening our hearts to the inspiration of the past. The Gaels were a hierarchical culture, as hidebound in their ways as any. The elite classes ruled, and often held the lives of lesser classes to be of little value. Beneath the Three Functions, of course, was the mass of slaves and unfree laborers, who, I'm sorry to say, got bupkes in the rite we did - something I'll consider fixing in the future. In our times we don't build our lives around our social position, and I don't want a religion that encourages us to, no matter what the values of the ancients may have been. However, I do think there could be something to be learned from the values practiced by those classes. My own model of Nine Virtues has always been based on three each for the Functions - Wisdom, Memory and Vision for the Wise; Strength, Honor and Courage for the Warriors; Diligence, Hospitality and Bounty for the Landkeepers. So we might hope that by invoking the holy Dead in their persons as these three classes, we might stimulate these virtues in ourselves. In these modern times we can say that we might each become our own Landkeeper, our own Warrior, and even our own Druid. SShhh... we might even have to be our own slave...
For the final moment of sacrifice I played with a method borrowed from eastern ritual. I ad libbed a formula in which I said things like: "Let this cup of whiskey be as a thousand, let this cup of mead be as a thousand, let this bread and salt and ale be as a feast set for you, etc." This while encouraging the participants to envision just that, as we put the simple offerings into the bowl. All in all that felt pretty good. I'd hate to go all the way to reducing food offerings to a few grains of rice in the Fire as some eastern rites do, but the method as I used it felt good.
For the return flow the remnant of the mead and whiskey that had been offered to the Gods was blessed and passed (with water for those who wanted it). We then spent a too-short time in silent meditation in the presence of the Dead, seeking to See them and be Seen. I had a couple of good reports from this, which I take as evidence of more goodness I didn't hear about.
All in all we felt the rite worked just fine for the limited hotel conditions and random workshop-going attendees with which we were working. Actually we've done ritual in that particular spot (in front of the cheesy gas fireplace) a half-dozen times, but it's still a cement box, and I'm not really used to that. Still, we produced a nice atmosphere, I think, and at least a few of the guests reached some version of the place we were trying to get to. I'll call that a win.
AN INVOCATION OF THE THREE CLANS OF THE DEAD
"The refrain (recited by all first, and as called for):"
o Now we make our call to the Mighty Dead.
Let our voices be strong, and our call be clear
To be heard in the Land of the Dead,
By deep root and water's spring,
By skull and by bone,
By the Inward Road and the River Crossing
and the Fire in the Land of the Dead
We call to you, O Elder Ones.
o You who in old times were priests and priestesses; you who were seers and oracles, sacrificers and singers and keepers of lore, hear us as we call to you. You who in your time tended sacred Fire, come to our Fire. You who in your time drew blessing from the earth, come to our Well. Let us meet at the Crossroads, at the Tree of the World, you who would come to our call. refrain
o You who in old times were warriors and defenders; sword-folk and spear-folk, you who put your lives between your folk and harm, hear us as we call to you. You who burn with courage and honor, come to our Fire. You who protect the waters of the Clan, come to our Well. Let us meet at the Crossroads, at the Tree of the World all you who would come to our call. refrain
o You who in old times were farmers and landkeepers; you plow-folk and husbanders, you who bring forth the wealth of the land, hear us as we call to you. You who keep the hearth-fire, come to our Fire. You who carry the waters, and water the fields, come to our Well. Let us meet at the Crossroads, at the Tree of the World all you who would come to our call.
o To you among the Mighty Dead who have seen our Fires, who have heard our songs, who would answer our calling, we offer these gifts. We seek your wisdom, we seek your vision, we seek your memory of the Old Ways. Three welcomes we give and three givings we offer to those who will see us and be seen.
o To those among the Mighty Dead who will work with us without harm or ill, in body, mind or spirit, on land, sea or sky, be welcome with this ale. Mighty Dead, accept our offering!
o To those among the Mighty Dead who will see us plainly, and be plainly seen by us, be welcome with this bread. Mighty Dead, accept our offering!
o To those among the Mighty Dead who will come to our Fires and share the Ancient Wisdom, be welcome with this salt. Mighty Dead, accept our offering! "o refrain"
o So let our voices arise on the Fire, let our voices resound in the Well, let our call be heard in the Halls of the Elder Ones. Come to our Fire, and be with us here in our hall - Mighty Dead, accept our sacrifice!
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