POEM: We Have Come To Be Danced

Raven Emrys — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 05:32:48 GMT

We Have Come To Be Danced We have come to be danced, not the pretty dance... not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance, but the claw our way back into the belly of the sacred, sensual animal dance. The unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance. The holding the precious moment in the palms of our hands and feet dance. We have come to be danced. Not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance, but the wring the sadness from our skin dance. The blow the chip off our shoulder dance, the slap the apology from our posture dance. We have come to be danced. Not the monkey see, monkey do dance, One, two dance like you One two three, dance like me dance; but the grave robber, tomb stalker tearing scabs & scars open dance. The rub the rhythm raw against our souls dance. WE have come to be danced. Not the nice invisible, self conscious shuffle, but the matted hair flying, voodoo mama shaman-shakin, ancient bones dance. The strip us from our casings, return our wings sharpen our claws & tongues dance. The shed dead cells and slip into the luminous skin of love dance. We have come to be danced. Not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow end of the floor dance, but the meeting of the Trinity: the body, breath & beat dance. The shout "Hallelujah!" from the top of our thighs dance. The mother may I? - Yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance. The Olly-Olly-Oxen Free Free Free dance. The everyone can come to our heaven dance. We have come to be danced. Where the kingdoms collide in the cathedral of flesh to burn back into the light to unravel, to play, to fly, to pray to root in skin sanctuary... We have come to be danced. WE HAVE COME. by one of G.Ross dancers

~ My Wytchy Survey ~

Raven Emrys — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 23:21:17 GMT

~ What Type Of Wytch Are You ~ What is your favorite Holy-day? Calan Gaef (Welsh name for Samhain/Halloween) Sky-clad or Robed? Robed - I like to show off my pretty robes and capes! But... there are times when one likes to go "clad in the sky"! How do you describe yourself as a Practicioner of The Craft? A Welsh Traditionalist/Reformist Wytch How long have you been an actively, practicing Wytch? Since 1975 ( or, 32 years). Do you do divinations - if so, what is your fav form or tool for doing them? Tarot, Faery Runes or Crystal Ball. Do you use spells on a regular basis? Gods yes! Do you consider yourself superstitious? Very. If you could have been born in any Age/Time, what would it have been? Bronze Age Celt. What ancient culture do you most identify with? Celt - Especially Welsh culture. Do you believe in Past Lives? Absolutely. What is the clearest past live you can remember? As a Priestess of Cybele, and a Priestess of Nuit. Do you have a familiar - if so, what is it? Yes, I have several; but my main one is a white, long haired cat, with one gold eye and one blue eye - Sebastian. Are you an "legally ordained" Priest/Priestess? Yes, I am a 'Reverend Mother' of our Pagan Sanctuary, Plant Y Ynys Afallanau. Do you belong to a Coven, or are you Solitary? I am High Priestess of a Coven. If you belong to a Coven, what is it's name? Plant Y Ynys Afallanau ("Family/Clan Of The Apple Tree Isle") Have you ever danced a May-pole? Many times! Have you ever jumped the Bale-fire? (Sky-clad?) Yes! and YES! Do you have a Spirit Guide/Totem Animal - if so, what is it? The Raven. Have you ever taken Vision Herbs or Fungi in a ritual setting? Oh yes.... Do you like to chant? Love it!!! Have you ever been Handfasted? Yes - 13 years ago this Oct. 31st Have you ever been Initiated - if so, in what Tradition and to what Degree? Yes, 3rd Degree Gardnerian. 1st Degree Alexandrian. 1st Degree Roman Trad and 5th Degree Welsh Traditionalist. Did you ever undergo a Dedication? Yes! Have you ever taken a Vision Quest? Several. Can you Astral Travel? Yes. Do you believe in Ghosts and Spirits? Absolutely. Have you ever cleansed/blessed a house? Yes - many times, for myself, friends and family. Do you ever make and use poppets? For myself and others. Do you have a Matron Goddess & Patron God? If so, Who? Arianrhod and Herne Do you attend Pagan Festivals - if so, which ones? Heartland Pagan Festival (I was one of the founding mothers of that Festival) Do you like to drum in ritual? I drum like crazy! Do you play any other musical instruments? Yes - recorder, rattles, flute, penny whistle, piano, some guitar, claranet, bass claranet, some violin. Do you openly wear a pentacle, or other symbol of your Faith? Yes! Mine is a Raven holding a pentacle. I also wear a little 'jointed' wytch-on-a-broom. Do you have Wytchy bumper-stickers on your car? If so, what do they say? My Other Car Is A Broom. (image of a wytch flying on a broom) Did you have a "Teacher" who taught you The Craft - or are you "self-taught"? Teacher. Do you have any Wytchy/Pagan Tattoos? If so, of what? Yes: My Patron God, Herne. My totem animal the Raven flying across a Full Harvest Moon. A green stone, with gold Pentacle. A Heartagram. Autumn King of The Faeries. A Monarch butterfly. My Handfasting tattoo beneath my wedding ring. Do you meditate regularly? Everyday! Do you believe in hexing if the reason is *truly* called for? If the need is 'real' and not a petty whim (like to stop a rapist in the community). Have you ever seen a faerie (or faeries)? Many times! Do you recycle? As much as I can in this tiny community! What political party do you support? Green ~ Your Altar ~ What shape of altar do you have? Circle What is your favorite incense? Nag Champa Do you have statues of your Deities - or 'symbols' to represent them? Yes, I have actual statues. Do you change your altar with the Holy-days or Seasons? I change it 8 times a year, with the Holy-days. What is your favorite scent of ritual oil? 'Herne The Hunter'. What color of altar cloth do you have on your altar right now? Green and black Celtic knotwork. Do you have a seperate Temple (or Ritual Room) in your home? Yes we have a permanent Temple in the house. Do you have seperate altars to the 4 Directions? Yes. Do you have an outdoor altar? We just moved to this new house - but I plan on creating an outdoor altar here this Spring. Do you do hold many rituals outdoors? Yes. Do you "formally" cast the Circle? Yes. Do you own a Besome? Yes. Do you own a Stang? Yes - an antique! Do you own a Cauldron? About 5 or more! Do you own a Sword? Yes, five. Do you cleanse your ritual tools often? Yes! What is your very favorite Craft tool? A tie between The Besome and The Cauldron! ~ Wytchy Media ~ Do you read many books on The Craft? I read continually on The Craft! What is your fav publishing house for Craft books? Capall Bann What is your all-time fav book on The Craft? 'Call Of The Horned Piper' by Nigel Aldcroft Jackson Who is your favorite Craft author? Doreen Valiente!!! Who is your least favorite Craft author? That's easy: Silver RavenWolf. Do you listen to Pagan music? All the time! Who is your favorite Pagan band? Oooo that's tough! Medieval Babes or Lisa Thiel. Favorite Wytchy/Pagan album? 'Enchantress' by Gypsy Favorite Wytchy/Pagan song (and artist)? 'The Burning Times' - by Rumors Of The Big Wave What was the BEST pagan concert you ever attended? Rumors Of The Big Wave & Velvet Hammer Do you listen to any Pagan Radio - if so, what station? Online - 'The Black Cauldron' - out of California. What is your very favorite Wytchy movie? The ORIGINAL classic - 'Wicker Man' What is the worst "Wytchy" movie you have ever seen? The NEW "Wicker Man"!!!! What Wytchy movie would you reccomend that every one see? The Mists Of Avalon (a made for TV mini-series) What is your favorite Wytchy TV show/series? The 1980's British 'Robin Hood' series that was on Showtime. ~ Kitchen Wytchery ~ Do you regularly work with herbs in your kitchen for healing purposes? Yes! For healing, blessing and spellwork in general. Do you focus magickal enegy into your food while preparing it? Yes! Have you ever made your own wine/mead/absinthe? Absinthe..... yum! Do you craft your own herbal tinctures or oils? Yes! For many, many years.... Do you pray before every meal? Yes - sometimes out loud, sometimes silently. Do you have a large stock of herbs? Oh yes! Do you grow your own herbs? Not currently - but I plan to this year! ~ Your Wytchy Self ~ Does your family know you are a Wytch? If so, do they approve? Yes - they allow me to follow my own Path without any problems. Your fav Wytchy quote? When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly. -- Barbara J. Winter What is your birthsign? Aquarius! (Feb. 10th) What is your full Craft name? Reverend Mother Raven Emrys Aurlineus Ambrosius

Decalogue Of The Artist

Raven Emrys — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 06:45:40 GMT

~ Decalogue Of The Artist ~ I. You shall love Beauty, which is The Shadow of The Gods over The Universe. II. There is no Godless art, and you shall bear witness to Them, The Mother and Father of All Life, creating Their Likeness, in all Their Forms. III. You shall create beauty not to excite the senses, but to give sustenance to the Soul. IV. You shall never use beauty as a pretext for luxury and vanity, but as a spiritual devotion. V. The moment the artist gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world unto itself. VI. Beauty shall rise from your heart in song, and you shall be the first to be purified. VII. The beauty you create shall be known as compassion and shall console the hearts of all humankind. VIII. You shall bring forth your work as a mother brings forth her child: out of the blood of your heart. IX. Beauty shall not be an opiate that puts you to sleep, but a strong wine that fires you to action, for if you fail to be a true man or a true woman, you will fail to be an artist. X. Each act of creation shall leave you humble, for it is never as great as your dream, and always inferior to that most marvelous dream of The Gods, which is Nature. Original version by Gabriela Mistral (with Pagan additions by Raven)

My Blog Of Shadows (BOS)

POEM: We Have Come To Be Danced

~ My Wytchy Survey ~

Decalogue Of The Artist