Anaka's Stories

Meet me on Myspace!

anakathesage — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:48:57 GMT

Add me to your personal Network at: http://www.myspace.com/anakathesage

Part 2 - "The Secret"

anakathesage — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 05:46:54 GMT

…Continuation… So your back to read more about "Law of Attraction." Great! Welcome and make yourselves comfortable. So now that you have a general idea of what I am talking about I want you to start making yourself a journal called "My manifestations" this book will be of all the things you wish to bring into reality. Clip out photos or write your desires down. Make sure to date them and make sure that your INTENT is CLEAR AND WHAT YOU WANT. If you are unclear then you get unclear results. If you want to gain a new prosperous job then tell the universe in detail what kind of job you want. I will give an example: EX #1: I am thankful for the new love in my life. I am thankful for his unconditional love, of how he is attentive to all my needs and I to his. I am grateful for our compassionate and deep erotic sexual contact and yet for our pure love for one another. I am thankful for his wonderful, luring green eyes that make me melt when I see him. I am thankful for his solid, muscular, firm body that desires me when ever I am around him. I am thankful and grateful for his soft, ivory skin that feels like velvet to the touch. I am thankful for his dedication and monogamy to our solid, faithful and secure relationship. This is just an example of what I desire. I am descriptive and clear of what I want in my desire. I could go on such as what I want him to like, what we have in common and etc… Remember be very DESCRIPTIVE. If you do not ask for it then you get what ever is available. The universe says, "Your wish is my command." Ask for things as if they are already in your life because once you start to believe that they are yours they ARE. You make your universe so you hold the power. Another KEY factor in the "Law of Attraction" is VISUALATION! Not only ask it in writing but ask it with your heart and mind. Let it form in your psyche and then release it. Do not detain your thoughts. Create them and RELEASE YOUR DESIRE. Now back to the 3 major steps to "LOA." #2. Answer – to what you are asking for. What does this mean? Well if you call for something and when it answers to you answer back with a response and a confirmation that this is what you want. "Take the first step in faith; you do not have see the whole staircase, just take the first step." You be the solution to YOU! You must not wait for things to come to you, you must ACT! Once you know that you have the power and ability to manifest all things you desire you will attract everything that you require to be successful. You must have a vision, form it in your mind then you must ANSWER TO IT. Repeat after me: "YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND!" This should be your daily mantra or prayer when you wake up. Let it be a reminder that all the things that you let affect you is results of your current and past actions and thoughts. You bring what you desire. This includes people, your daily emotions, finances, habits, personal traits that we develop. So we will now do a fire ritual that will help you out. Write all the negative things you dislike. This will be a long list. It's ok. If you need a notebook go buy one now. Write all over the pages in complete or short sentences of what you dislike in yourself and in the world. Put your emotions into it. Then when you are done BURN IT! You are NOT ALLOWED to think of these things anymore. This will take work on doing as we are only human in body. So when you think of something negative write what you just thought of and burn it! Release it from your mind, body and spirit. Negativity is poison to the mind, body and the soul. RELEASE THE POSION. Will it and you WILL be FREE of it. Stay tuned as there is more to come… To be continued…

Part 1 - "The Secret"

anakathesage — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 05:45:09 GMT

Part 1 - "The Secret" If you are wondering what the secret to the universe and all its glory, well I'm going to tell you... If you follow what I am about to tell you with conviction, dedication and sincerity you will get what you want out of life. This is a simple universal truth. For this knowledge as simple or complex as it may seem is the truth and you must treat it as so. So you're already wondering well what it is! What is the secret to the universe...? The universe is inside of you. If you don't know that then now you know. Don't try to analyze anything you read as it will get you more confused and then get you down the wrong path. I want you to think about what you are currently thankful for in your present time. Do not list anything negative just what you currently have that you are truly thankful for. Now why are you thankful for it? What makes it so special? Ever heard the phrase that "God only gives to those who help themselves?" Why do you think it is that people always want things to come to them and not the other way around? You must sometimes work at somethings to get something in return. Which would involve you actually getting your butts up and DOING SOMETHING! Which leads us to another thought. Why would God give you something more if you are not thankful for what you already have? Why would anyone give you anything more than you already have if you are not thankful for it? Again let's go back to your list. It can be very long to very short, you can decide. What is it that you already have that you are thankful for? Now I want you to write ALL the things you are thankful for that you will be getting. This means all those things you have been wanting. A lover, money, new job, car or what have you...All those things you wish you had; write that you are thankful for those things that will be coming into your life. And live your life from here on out as if you had those things. Like attracts like... Be as descriptive as possible when writing these down. Each day that you wake up for the next 30 days I want you to chant right when you wake up. Praise yourself and all the things you have accoplished and will accoplish. Be thankful for things you already have and the THINGS YOU WILL HAVE. I say you WILL have because if you will it you will attract it. This is the Law of Attraction. Here is the definition of what "Law of Attraction" means: The law of attraction is a New (Dark) Age belief that one's mental disposition attracts similar external circumstances and events. In other words, your mental intentions and attitudes draw people and things of like intention and attitude to yourself. Now that you know what we are talking about lets move on. There are 3 major steps to "Law of Attraction." #1. You must ASK for what you desire... Keep this in mind: "What ever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is the process of becoming." "What you think and what you feel and what you manifest is always a match." This means that what you send out with your thoughts and emotions and actions you send it back to yourself. So if you are always negative about all things, guess what...? You get all that back and you keep attraction it because you put all your focus and energy experiencing your own self-pity and doubt. You must always create your own universe as you go along. When the universe hears your emotions, thoughts the universe always replies as: "Your wish is my command!" By sending out those negative or positive thoughts you get what you just deserve because you make these actions into motion and will them to come to you. I must get to bed for now I will continue with the rest later.... Keep posted please!

My Horoscope

anakathesage — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:18:43 GMT

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20) Your moods are a bit uncontrollable today and this can inspire you to react without thinking. More often, you are the one who cleverly motivates others, but the tables are turned for the next few weeks as your associates push you into action. You won't be able to get away without cooperating, so use this phase to act in a forward-thinking manner instead of waiting until it's too late.

BACK!

anakathesage — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:22:42 GMT

IM BACK! Yeah its been awhile since i have been on tribe. I have been working and well living life. You all know how that goes. So just wanted to say hi to those who read my blog. I hope to hear from you all soon! Mean while take a look at a mask i made. Its called the "Blue Hydra." What do you all think?

San Antonio Pagan Pride

anakathesage — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 05:35:44 GMT

Just a reminder that San Antonio Pagan Pride Day is this Sunday, 17 Sept. Check their web site for times, location and activities: http://www.sacredwell.org/PPD/PPD.html

my space pagans

anakathesage — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:55:18 GMT

http://groups.myspace.com/sanantoniotexaspagans

Wind Horses

anakathesage — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 22:01:04 GMT

This is a must see clip! Yes it is an hour long but it is worth seeing. Its sad, beautiful and inspirational. Its a MUST SEE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AldFr6ncgg

Ganesha Banishing Ritual

anakathesage — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:10:53 GMT

By: Anaka Ganesha Banishing Ritual 5/06 Today I felt the need for removing obstacles, SO; naturally you must turn to Ganesha, Lord of Paths. Here is a ritual that I have made. Incase anyone else feels the need to remove any obstacles in their life use it today or another day that’s comes ahead. REQUIREMENTS: for ritual (if you don’t have any of this make due with what you have and what feels right).Perform this ritual outside at a four way road, river and or crossway where you won’t be disturbed: Picture of Ganesha image (such as a small statuette of Ganesha, a picture, or an image created for the rite) 3 Small bowls - one contains water, the other 2 are empty Incense (Sandalwood) Perfume (Lilly of the valley) Freshly cut red flowers (any red flowers) Red Candle Food Offering (rice, fruits and candies) Instrument for making music (i.e. drum, rattle, bells) Bowl containing fire (special herbs are need) Red string (3 strings a foot long each) Yantra of Ganesha *you can see picture here: http://www.frappr.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=502265 * Write your desires in and around this Yantra, What ever feels good put inside. Once you are done writing your desires Yantra under Ganesha. 1. LIGHTING SACRED FLAMES: In a contained heat proof bowl gather natural small twigs adding equal parts of the following and light, add every so often till rituals done. Place twigs on bottom and herbs on top: Curry (Protection) Alfalfa (Prosperity) Hyssop (Purification) Heather (Luck) Elder (Healing) Lavender (Happiness) Start off by meditation on what you feel is blocking your way while saying (repeat as many times as needed): Ganesha Mantra Text + GAHANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM KAPITTHAY JAMBOO PHALCHARU BHAKSHANAM UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM AUM Translation: Elephant-faced, worshipped by the existing beings, of all living beings, tasting the elephant apple (Kaith) and jambolana (jamun), the sun of Uma, destroyer of grief, I bow to the lotus of Ganesha who is lord of all. + http://www.sanatansociety.org/indian_music_and_mantras/ganesha_mantra_invocation.htm Once you have a general idea of what must be done proceed forward. If you still don’t have a clear grasp of what’s blocking you consult other forms of divinations such as tarot, runes, sticks, the skies and most important yourself. You must always listen to what your consciousness tells you. It’s usually right! 2. Acknowledgement of self: Light Red Candle in acknowledgement of the Self within and as an offering to Ganesha; “The eternal flame of SELF is lit. As it burns so do I. My awareness is lit as it is lit. Burn bright in the darkest of times and bring back the light to all who see your flame.” 3. Call Guardians * North is Maha-Visnu, East is Rama-Sita, South is Shiva-Parvata and West is Rati-Puspabana. Thus: “Hail Rama and Sita in the east The beautiful Sita was once abducted by demons Until the hero Rama chased them to the eastern border Then incited by the gods who guard the directions you hurl the demons ten heads to the skies Hail Shiva and Parvati in the south, Parvati is a match for the god in all austerities She rouses Lord Shiva from his yogic trance he would walk through burning coals to be with her excited by her presence his third eye opens and all illusion is destroyed Hail Rati and his goddess in the west the god of love is attracted by her presence From the union of lovers flows an elixir of immortality Hail Mahi and Vishnu in the north the goddess who was once lost in the chaotic waters Until he lifted her up on his giant boar's tusk There she clung to its tip, like a speck of dust on the crescent moon For tearing the demons asunder For destroying illusion For making the divine elixir For raising the earth Homage to thee , guardians of the temple. “ * http://www.cix.co.uk/~ganesh/ganesha3.htm 4. Sacrifice of the SELF: Sacrifice the self you do not need anymore. What has broken away does not need to be taken up once again. It has broken away for a reason. Realize that and accept that. Are you willing to let go of your insecurities? Acknowledge the Self. What has been and what WILL be. On a piece of paper write all blocks on single pieces of torn paper. Concentrate on each one and as you do place all fears and doubts into each and everyone. Once you have done that throw each one into the flames of Ganesha. Visualize them being eaten away. Ex: Hatred, selfishness, closed mindedness, etc… 5. Offerings to Ganesha Image: The next phase of the puja is to make offerings to the form which contains the power of Ganesha. Gam, Obeisance to Ganapati (pour water from 1st bowl into other two) Gam this water. Gam Gam Gam Hum Hum Om Gam Ganapati Namah [Offer first bowl to Ganesha, take a sip after offering to Ganesha] - Gam, this is for sipping [Offer second bowl to Ganesha by pouring on him, then pour oneself] - Gam, this is for bathing [Dab perfume on head of Ganesha, anoint self] - Gam, this is perfume [Cense Image around Ganesha, censer self] - Gam, this is incense, this is for prayer [Offer Candle to Ganesha] - Gam, this is flame, this is for sacrifice [Offer Food to Ganesha; accept a small portion of food into body] - Gam, this is food, this is for sustenance [Offer Flower to Ganesha] - Gam, this is flower, this is for experience [Make music to Ganesha, dance and sing from the soul] - Gam, this is music, this is for enjoyment Take these offerings O Sri Mahaganapati, bestow siddhi upon us! 6. Thanks and Farewell: Make sure to thank Ganesha for his help. Leave milks, rice, all fruits and candies as a thank you after working with him. Make sure that the fire has died down does not pose a threat to burning dried grass. When ever you want to start any new ventures ask Ganesha to guide and protect you. In hindu he is the first god you must go thru before you start anything in life. Other wise all roads you try to cross will remain blocked. So make sure to tell him hi once in a while and give offerings not to receive but our of respect. Let me know how this ritual turns out for you: ayinainsoph@yahoo.com You many copy and print this ritual and use for yourself but please make sure to keep ritual as is when printing and using any content in it. Thanks for your understanding. Blessings! Cool Picture of Ganesha incase you need to print out a picture of him: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dganesha%26toggle%3D1%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3DFP-tab-img-t%26b%3D81&w=413&h=550&imgurl=www.psychoactivity.com%2Fimages%2Fnepal2001_2%2Fimages%2FGanesha.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.psychoactivity.com%2Fimages%2Fnepal2001_2%2Fpages%2FGanesha.htm&size=50.0kB&name=Ganesha.jpg&p=ganesha&type=jpeg&no=85&tt=53,201&ei=UTF-8

Talk about Balance

anakathesage — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 06:38:10 GMT

This year alone I think i have known of 6-7 deaths alone this year of people that are really close to me. What is up with that? Is this a year of transformation or what. It really sucks but at the same time I know in my heart they are all in better places. It just seems really weird that so many people around us are dropping like flies. I dont mean to be so graphic but this year has be a very very strange one. Is it just me and my friends or does everyone feel the same way?

Bellydancers-Firedancers and Drummers

anakathesage — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 05:13:42 GMT

Attention if your in the San Antonio area or plan to come to San Antonio your invited. Just a reminder to everyone we are having our event on Sept. 14th at 7pm. Its not far away so please make sure to come join us and rsvp. Event it 100% free. Come shake your shimmy, practice your fire dancing and strike those drums. We are family oriented so come out and bring the kids too. Hope to see everyone out there. If you have friends who are interested or love to dance and or drum bring them out. Blessings ~Anaka~ More information: http://bellydance.meetup.com/260/events/

un-named Poem

anakathesage — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 18:07:37 GMT

writen by: Fox Owl Each crack I trip over , each fall I take... Feelings Like a endless abyss of misery Am I weak? Am I Beautiful? Am I reflection of everyone around me? Are all the things I hate just things I hate about myself? Self loathing, self pity, just how much of a pathic site am I ? But in their eyes I see my own misery looking back at me. So all their ego, all their hate, all their decatedness, the walls, the lies, the fake mask, their unwillingness to bend or to see. They are all these things and more. And so am I. In this want is there to learn. what is the next step to growth?

Balance

anakathesage — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 17:49:59 GMT

Balance Balance by Earths Keeper Age Group: Adult Within each soul there is a light But with the light comes darkness Light and dark intertwine with each other Making perfect harmony When people form together they make life Life is everything As the soul goes it can flow It grows And then it will bestow upon its self power The power is wisdom All souls know everything But knowing with out experience is nothing For all of that, people fight Darkness covers the world The light the goddess made no more Creatures on earth with all their might They call out to the divine There is no answer There is no hope Because darkness shrouded it along time ago Within each life there is a song A tone if you will that brings hopes together With out the light there is no peace With out the darkness there cannot be Both together within each Entwined forever in holy meet The goddess and the god unite They make all souls right For all souls are different Not one is the same But that puts others to shame The light and dark within our selves shows Nothing can stop that flow For with out light and dark we cannot learn That is our goal To learn as we are with out perfection Nothing is to far It all seems so bizarre But without that spark of light Nothing will burn very bright For darkness takes all Just as light lets you see all Everything that ever was is now nothing With out love in the world of both sides Nothing can go by We are the souls of the ONENESS The perfect god-force that makes us all alive We are each other We are our selves We have nothing to gain from fights or cells With out hope there is no light With out love there is no shine Darkness has already begun Nothing can stop its run Its consumed all of us Nothing can stop it because it is us With out light there cannot be darkness With out darkness there cannot be light People shove everything aside for money and business When they forget life is about friends The love and the caring The good and the bad The power in the bond makes life worth living With out light and dark we are nothing With it we are something The next time your alone at night Think of the world and all its wondrous divine Nothing is more beautiful then nature its self Because we are it and all its wealth With out her we cannot survive We have no food or way to live our lives The trees provide the air The soil provides us footing And the atmosphere provides us a home to live upon When darkness sprouts out of mans hole Nothing can stop it from taking control Only light can counter act darkness But the both together are one forever Dark with out light Light with out dark The world would be nothing Everything has a balance Nothing can stop that Light and dark are together forever The good and the bad The pure and bane Balance is the key No wars No fights Just serenity Light and dark are always together and never apart Work to achieve the ultimate goal Balance and its key The door to harmony is a long road But at least we learn while were here on planet earth The harmony will come just you wait It takes time for things to change Humans and other animals alike Will make harmony possible within each day and night Just remember getting along is half the battle But becoming friends is more Love is forever just as light and dark So never forget All souls are apart They are divine in their own special way But their choices make them become them anyway From all the learning in the universe The balance is there Its time we think about it before it comes to late to bare www.witchvox.com/poetry/dt_po2.html

KATRINA DINNER 2006:

anakathesage — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 08:03:42 GMT

You can find out more if you follow this link: http://www.katrinadinner2006.com/ KATRINA DINNER 2006: This August 29th the Lost Tribe of New Orleans is Invited to Participate in a Ritual Meal Commemorating the One Year Anniversary of Katrina 100_4432 Welcome All New Orleanians, no matter where you are!! I always used to tell friends that “New Orleans is a state of mind”. That sentiment is truer now than ever. The wind and water of Katrina fractured our beloved town. It tore our community apart. And despite our varying individual circumstances, I believe that most of us yearn for wholeness. For reunion. A few months ago, the idea of a ritual came to me. How powerful would it be if every New Orleanian currently living in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and every other town across the country, sat down at the same time to recognize the losses of the last year and to reaffirm their connection to the city? And how great would it be if this ritual centered around the favorite activity of every homegrown New Orleanian, eating? The entire New Orleans diaspora could sit down simultaneously, fork in hand, to tell the world that this was a special place, a special community, one worth fighting to restore. And so, with that in mind, I humbly offer a basic outline of the first ever “Katrina Dinner” to be held on the one year anniversary of this momentous event. The outline does not have to be acted out literally, although you’re certainly welcome to follow it word for word. My hope is that it will be fun and delicious with only a smidgen of hokiness. Like everything in New Orleans, feel free to improvise. Make up your own blessings, your own questions, your own ritual food plate. Invent your own way of celebrating the city that connects us all. This August 29th, 2006, only a portion of the city will be where it’s supposed to be: HOME. But we can still eat together. Justin Lundgren (lundgrenjm@hotmail.com www.greetingsfromneworleans.typepad.com/) _____________________________________________________________________________ Katrina Dinner 2006 The following six rituals are to be performed before the meal begins and can easily be completed in about 20-25 minutes. Supplies needed for all the following rituals include: 1. A few candles to be lit as part of the "Candle Blessing". 2. A bag, preferably red, to hold the elements of the "Katrina Gris-Gris". 3. Everyone should bring a small New Orleans offering - something teeny enough to fit in the palm of your hand - to be used for the Gris-Gris. 4. Enough copies of the ritual so that everyone can follow along. 5. Music. Every great feast needs a soundtrack, no? Either make a New Orleans-centric CD of your own design or use the suggestions listed at the very bottom of this page. 6. For the ritual food plate, you will need very small portions of the following: cane syrup, dill pickles, oysters(canned is fine), small chocolates, grits, corn kernels. And very large portions of wine. And one last thing: use the comment links at the end of each section on this blog to tell me what you'd do differently. Maybe you have a good quote you want to use as one of the readings: share it. Maybe there's a recipe you can't wait to try: let me hear about it. Maybe there's an entirely separate ritual that you're going to do: I'm all ears. If you use a Mac, the "comment" link is in easy-to-see red. Unfortunately, for reasons that I can't seem to figure out, the link is in hard-to-see yellow for Windows users. June 27, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (5) Candle Blessing Dsc_1665_1 (to be recited in unison as the candles are lit) Let these candles bring the light of peace to this struggling world and to the people of New Orleans, many of whom have spent the last year in exile Let these candles light a fire inside ourselves so that we might act with heart and perseverence in rebuilding our beloved city Let the light of these candles renew our spirit and give us the strength and imagination to improve both ourselves and our city Let the light inspire us to honor Katrina’s dead by refusing to allow this to ever happen again. July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2) Five Questions Img002_2 (the youngest at the table reads the questions, the oldest gives the answers) Youngest: Why are we gathered here tonight? Oldest (improvise or use the following answer): We’re here tonight because we’re New Orleanians. Some of us are living in the city, and a great number of us are spread out around the country. But we all have a link to a small piece of land at the Southernmost point of the Mississippi River. It’s a fragile and extraordinary patch of land that has served as the cradle of American architecture, food, and music. The winds of Katrina and the Corps of Engineers conspired to break us apart, but no matter where we are now as individuals, we’re all still part of a very special club. Youngest:Why did this happen to us? Oldest (improvise or use the following answer): One could ask: Why does anything bad happen to anyone? Some say that we deserved the devastation of Katrina, that God is full of wrath and vengeance and that we’re being punished. We must reject this line of thought. Children don’t get cancer because God is offended by their innocence. And teenagers don’t get killed in car wrecks because God is offended by their immaturity. The truth is that for the last 50 years we did not insist on the type of leadership and resources needed to create a safe city. For too long, we settled for too little. The good news is that we get another chance to make it right. Youngest: Should we live somewhere else? Oldest (improvise or use the following answer): It takes a special kind of person to choose New Orleans over most of America. You have to be the kind of person that favors a crawfish boil over the Dennys buffet line. The kind of person that can dance at a funeral and spend thousands of dollars on plastic trinkets just for the privilege of throwing them off a tractor-driven float to complete strangers. The kind of person that can spend a lifetime rooting for a football team that has never been a winner. The list goes on and on. There are many who aren’t cut out for the New Orleans life, and we wish them the best of luck. Youngest: Will the city ever be the same? Oldest: (improvise or use the following answer): The city will never be exactly the same, but this is not the time to get overly nostalgic. One year out from Katrina, we can still unite in making the city better than it was before the storm. That means pushing for higher standards of both our leaders and ourselves. It’s not as if we have to make a trade. We can have parades and good schools at the same time. We can have Mardi Gras Indians and jazz and gumbo and still expect a solid police force and accessible healthcare. Youngest: What can I do? Oldest (improvise or use the following answer): For those who aren’t back home, keep trying. Don’t give up yet on a city that needs you desperately. For those who are home, get involved in your neighborhood. Go visit your councilmember. Write letters to the editor. Help a neighbor rebuild their house. Make an effort to keep your street clean. Each day when you walk out your front door, there’s a thousand opportunities to do a good deed. Don’t become so jaded and self-focused that you fail to recognize those opportunities. July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) Readings 100_2387_1 (adults take turns) Lafcadio Hearn, New Orleanian and author, writing to a friend in Cincinnati in 1870: Times are not good here. The city is crumbling into ashes. It has been buried under a lava flood of taxes and frauds and maladministrations so that it has become only a study for archaeologists. Its condition is so bad that when I write about it, as I intend to do soon, nobody will believe I am telling the truth. But it is better to live here in sackcloth and ashes, than to own the whole state of Ohio. Ignatius J. Reilly, from John Kennedy Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces": Twilight was settling around the Night of Joy bar. Outside, Bourbon Street was beginning to light up. Neon signs flashed off and on, reflecting in the streets dampened by the light mist that had been falling steadily for some time. The taxis bringing the evening's first customers, midwestern tourists and conventioneers, made slight splashing sounds in the cold dusk. A few other customers were in the Night of Joy, a man who ran his finger along a racing form, a depressed blonde who seemed connected with the bar in some capacity, and an elegantly dressed young man who chainsmoked Salems and drank frozen daiquiris in gulps. "Ignatius, we better go," Mrs Reilly said and belched. "What?" Ignatius bellowed. "We must stay to watch the corruption. It's really beginning to set in". The elegant young man spilled his daiquiri on his bottle-green velvet jacket. "Hey bartender," Mrs Reilly called. "Get a rag. One of your customers just spilled they drink". "That's quite all right, darling," the young man said angrily. He arched an eyebrow at Ignatius and his mother. "I think I'm in the wrong bar anyway." Louis Armstrong, from his autobiography "Satchmo:My Life In New Orleans": It's a funny thing how life can be such a drag one minute and a solid sender the next. The day I got out of jail Mardi Gras was being celebrated. It is a great day for all of New Orleans, and particularly for the Zulu Aid Pleasure and Social Club. Every member of the Club masquerades in a costume burlesquing some famous person. The King of the Zulus, also in masquerade costume, rides with six other Zulus on a float giving away coconuts as souvenirs. The members march to the good jumping music of the brass bands while the King on his throne scrapes and bows to the cheering crowds. When I ran into this celebration and the good music I forgot all about the Parish Prison. Most of the members of the Zulu Club then lived around Liberty and Perdido Streets, but now Mardi Gras has become so famous—people come from all over America to see its parade—that it includes doctors, lawyers and other important people from all over the city. It has been my lifelong dream to be the King of the Zulus, as it was the dream of every kid in my neighborhood. Charles Dudley Warner, from "Sui Generis" I liked it all from the first: I lingered long in that morning walk, liking it more and more, in spite of its shabbiness, but utterly unable to say then or ever since wherein its charm lies. I suppose we are all wrongly made up and have a fallen nature; else why is it that while the most thrifty and neat and orderly city wins only our approval - and perhaps gratifies us intellectually - such a thriftless, battered and starved and lazy old place as New Orleans takes our hearts? Andrei Codrescu, from "The Muse is Always Half-Dressed in New Orleans" When we were seated before the large window in the upstairs room, Wodycko said that he felt very privileged indeed. A huge live oak stood outside, big enough to live in. He had the turtle soup. The turtle soup at Commander's is said to be over one hundred years old. They say that the turtle-soup pot has never gone out since the restaurant opened on these premises in 1888. One time there was a fire and the first thing the cooks did was to take the turtle-soup pot outside. Then the building burned down. There is something indescribably comforting in knowing that you're eating from the same pot with your dead ancestors. The secret charm of old restaurants is precisely this sense of continuity: You sit down where someone sat one hundred years before you. They sat down, told a story, and died. Life goes on. Old cities soothe and ease the pain of living because wherever you are, someone else was there before, had troubles worse than yours, and passed on. I don't see how people can inhabit spanking new suburbs without succumbing to terminal anxiety. We need the dead to make us feel alive. In New Orleans they're at it full-time. Jed Horne, from "Breach of Faith" Ford then headed out again, this time along Alabo Street, which is where he encountered Shug, clinging to the limb of a tree. Shug, short for Sugar Boy - his Christian name long since retired from service - was a test of Ford's own faith. More bluntly, Ford despised Shug and all young men like him. "This dude, he's a hustler, up to no good in his life," Ford said. One glance at the roof of Shug's house - or rather, the lack of one - explained how he had happened to fetch up in a tree. Shug had been there for six or eight hours, he said, and at one point, as someone else's house floated past, a corner of the splintered structure had snagged on his clothing. Shug had been pulled out into the still raging water, and after breaking free of the house had fought his way back to the tree. Something about Shug's ordeal opened Ford's eyes. "I used to think he was a piece of tissue paper doing nothing to help the community," Ford said. The shared experience of the storm had altered Ford and his view of people like Shug. "He was a man; he was surviving." "God opened my eyes to many things during the storm," Ford went on. "He allowed me to see the humanness of everybody and what I needed to do and how I needed to be - at least a snapshot of how I should be." What Ford first needed to do was get Shug out of the tree and into the pirogue without tipping it over. Martin Luther King Jr: Life is hard, at times as hard as crucible steel. It has its bleak and difficult moments. Like the ever-flowing waters of the river, life has its moments of drought and its moments of flood. Like the ever-changing cycle of the seasons, life has the soothing warmth of its summers and the piercing chill of its winters. And if one will hold on, he will discover that God walks with him, and that God is able to lift you from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope, and transform dark and desolate valleys into sunlit paths of inner peace. July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3) Ritual Food Plate Thoth_parader The items listed here should be served as very small, bite-sized portions to avoid spoiling everyone's appetite for the real meal. The text should be read by the person who has attended the most Mardi Gras parades. If this ritual is performed correctly, everyone should be a tad drunk by the end. We taste this Cane Syrup to remind us of the sweetness of life Clear palate with a sip of wine We taste this slice of pickle to remind us of the bitterness of life Clear palate with a sip of wine We eat this oyster (canned is okay) to remind us of our close connection to the sea and the wetlands Clear palate with a sip of wine We savor this small chocolate to remind us that in New Orleans it’s sometimes okay to eat dessert first Clear palate with a sip of wine We eat these grits to remind us of the grit and determination of regular people all along the Gulf Coast as they rebuild their lives Clear palate with a sip of wine And lastly, borrow your neighbors spoon and feed him or her a few kernels of corn : this is to remind us of one of Katrina’s greatest lessons, that we depend on each other. July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) Katrina Gris-Gris Voodoo_men A small bag is needed for this quasi-Voodoo ritual. Traditionally, a gris-gris consists of a small red velvet bag containing spices and tiny objects thought to have magical powers. To complete this ritual, everyone at the table should bring a small object of personal value, preferably something that relates to New Orleans or to the year of Katrina. One by one, the objects are placed in the bag and the meaning of the individual objects is revealed. Once all the objects are in the bag, recite in unison the following prayer: For New Orleans sake, I invoke the Goddess of Protection, I invoke my ancestor's spirits. Three times around, three times about The world within, the world without. In home and possessions, may good spirits abound Evil and problems will not stay around. Place the bag under the table while you eat July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) A Moment of Silence For Those Who Died Mayann_1 July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT Jeannette Be sure to have plenty of bread at the table, an apt symbol of the eventual rise and return of the city. If you don't have the time on a Tuesday to prepare a huge meal, then don't. Order out or perform the ritual at your favorite Cajun/Creole restaurant. But if you do have the time and the will, here are some menus to ponder: (Click each link for recipes from Emerils.com) MENU #1 - Soup: Louisiana Corn and Crab Bisque Salad: Kicked Up Tomato Salad Main Course: Grillades and Grits Dessert: Bread Pudding with Strawberry Raspberry Preserves and White Chocolate Sauce MENU #2 Soup: Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo Salad: Mixed Greens with Roasted Walnuts and Blue Cheese Main Course: Andouille Stuffed Double Cut Pork Chops Dessert: Bananas Foster July 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) Katrina Dinner Soundtrack Lil_freddie_king Again, feel free to improvise on the music. But if you'd rather follow directions, I'd recommend the following songs as an accompaniment to the meal. Most of these can be found on ITunes or at the Louisiana Music Factory(210 Decatur St.,Nola http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/): 1. John Boutte - At the Foot of Canal Street, from the CD "At the Foot of Canal Street" 2. Dr. Michael White - Algiers Hoodoo Woman, from the CD "Dancing in the Sky" 3. Johnny Adams - Life is a Struggle, from the CD "I Won't Cry" 4. Danny Barker - Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, from the CD "Save the Bones" 5. Henry Butler - Down Home Livin', from the CD "Vu-Du" 6. Kermit Ruffins - Can't Take My Baby Nowhere, from the CD "Swing This" 7. Champion Jack Dupree - Strollin, from the CD "Blues from the Gutter" 8. Joe Liggins - Going Back to New Orleans, from the CD "Creole Kings of New Orleans" 9. Earl King - Medeival Days, from the CD "Hard River to Cross" 10. Dr.John - Such a Night, from the CD "the Ultimate Dr.John" 11. Wild Tchoupitoulas - Indian Red, from the CD "the Wild Thoupitoulas" 12. Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon, from the CD "Uptown Rulin'" 13. Treme Brass Band - I Got a Big Fat Woman, from the CD "Gimme My Money Back" 14. Louis Armstrong - It Don't Mean a Thing, from the CD "Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington" 15. New Birth Brass Band - Smoke that Fire, from the CD "D-Boy" 16. James Booker - Goodnight Irene, from the CD "The Lost Paramount Tapes" 17. The Meters - Cissy Strut, from the CD "Best of the Meters" 18. Professor Longhair - She Ain't Got no Hair, from the CD "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" 19. Allen Toussaint - Yes We Can, from the CD "Our New Orleans" 20. Dirty Dozen brass Band, Feet Don't Fail Me Now, from the CD "This is Jazz" 21. Fats Domino - Going Home, from the CD "The Fat Man" 22. Louis and Ella - Isn't this a Lovely Day, from the CD "Ella and Louis" Or if you just want to buy a couple of great compilation CDs check out the following: Creole Kings of New Orleans, Vol.I, classic R&B Creole Kings of New Orleans, Vol.II, classic R&B Gumbo Ya-Ya, Vol.I, classic 50s/60s Gumbo Ya-Ya, Vol.II, classic 50s/60s New Orleans Soul 60s Louisiana Spice, mix of zydeco, blues, R&B Our New Orleans, post-Katrina tribute CD Mardi Gras in New Orleans, classics of Mardi Gras Putamayo's New Orleans, more classics

Dance of Darkness

anakathesage — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:18:46 GMT

Dance of Darkness story by Usha Wennerstrand [IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i308/anakathesage/ButohA.jpg[/IMG] “We shake hands with the dead, who send us encouragement from beyond our body; this is the unlimited power of Butoh...something is hiding in our subconscious, collected in our unconscious body, which will appear in each detail of our expression...something can be born, can appear, living and dying in a moment.” Born out of the reconstruction of postwar Japan, the avant-garde dance form, Butoh, originated in the late 1950s. Concerned with exploring truth in the inner strata of the subconscious, Butoh’s raw art broke the traditional western dance ideals where youth and beauty were celebrated. This dance was a rebellion of the body, where freedom was cherished over beauty. For Butoh pioneer, Tatsumi Hijikata (1928 – 1986), the expression of the inner soul and the exploration of taboos were paramount. His 1959 dance debut scandalized Tokyo. The performance, based on Yukio Mishima’s Forbidden Colours, involved a young boy mimicking sex with a chicken by strangling it between his thighs and then succumbing to the homosexual advances of Hijikata. The performance was outrageous—shocking to both audience members and the event organizers, the All Japan Artistic Dance Association. Hijikata ended up being banned by the association which labelled him a “dangerous dancer.” Hijikata’s dance form became known as Ankoku Butoh, or “dance of darkness,” later shortened to Butoh, literally “dance step” or “stomp.” Used during the Meiji era to refer to western-style, ballroom dancing being introduced to Japan, the word Butoh actually harks back to ancient Japan when it was used as a name for ritualized dancing. The term had fallen into disuse when choreographer Hijikata resurrected it. This time Butoh was given a completely different, primordial meaning, denoting dance rooted to the earth. As Hijikata explained, “It is not grand jumps and leaps as in ballet…I would never jump or leave the ground; it is on the ground that I dance.” In spite of its earth-bound roots, Butoh liberates within the confines of society while imposing extreme discipline on its dancers. Bent knees, bowed backs and turned-in feet are common characteristics, as well as white painted bodies, shaved heads and slow movements. Like any art straying from the mainstream, Butoh has received harsh criticism, with the dance said to have no aesthetic harmony and to employ a vocabulary of ugliness. A better description of modern Butoh is an eclectic mixture of traditional Japanese dance and theatre, mime, ballet and European dance. Like modern dance, Butoh is abstract and improvisational, yet it differs significantly from other modern forms. Modern dance often deals with gender issues; Butoh tries to neutralize the body, focusing instead on the human spirit. Transformation is its essence. The dancers stop being themselves. Former Butoh dancer, Yoko Ashikawa, explains: “Hijikata choreographed dances for me that were based on puppets or babies. Looking back, I understand that this training was not designed to mimic puppets or babies, but to enable the dancers to really experience…their bodies like a baby through touching, feeling or exploring.” The dance also awakens emotion. Barbara Bourget, Artistic Director for Kokoro Dance Company, says, “Butoh is trying to express the feelings that everyone has. It can be happiness; it can be sadness; it can be any depth of emotion that we feel as human beings. The importance is that it comes from the inside and not the outside.” Just as Hijikata has been compared to the trunk of the tree with other dancers being the branches, Butoh has split into multiple forms and disciplines. Currently, there are Butoh groups in Japan, Europe and North and South America. In Canada, Butoh is performed in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, which has the Kokoro Dance Company, a post-Butoh dance company that performs a hybrid of Butoh and modern dance. The group was founded by Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi in 1986. Their first encounter with Butoh was in 1980 when they watched a 15 minute performance by Tamano, a former student of Hijikata’s. Tamano metamorphosed from a plastic-swathed cocoon on the floor to an upright butterfly. The piece was timeless— encompassing silence and movement. For Jay and Barbara, the mesmerizing performance had a lasting influence. Following the old master Hijikata, Vancouver’s Kokoro dancers use white body paint and a loincloth when performing. This use of white paint began when Hijikata’s wife, a ballerina, did not want to perform naked in front of an audience. Hijikata threw paint on her and said, “Now no one can recognize you.” Kokoro’s Barbara Bourget says that applying body paint before a performance has a ritual feeling: “It would be hard to perform without it. I would feel naked without it—even when wearing clothes.” Butoh dancer, Kazuo Ohni, agrees, “The Butoh costume is like throwing the cosmos onto one’s shoulders. And for Butoh, while the costume covers the body, it is the body that is the costume of the soul.” n photographs by Vincent Wong

Call out for bellydancers and drummers

anakathesage — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:28:01 GMT

Details aren’t quite in full detail as of yet. But what I do know is that the event is sometime in October. This is to raise awareness of the need of the arts in schools. This particularly is needed at Woodlawn Elementary. As they don’t not have art classes available for them. This one day event will help bring the community together and let them know the importance of the arts in our children’s lives and in our community. If you can spare your time and volunteer an hour of your time please let me know ASAP. I will keep you updated as the event gets closer as what is needed. Thank you to any future responses. Anaka

New Moon

anakathesage — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 05:08:51 GMT

KALI NEW MOON RITUAL ------------------------------------ Circle is cast by the priestess... ------------------------------------- Priestess: INVOCATION TO THE HINDU GODDESSES OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS In the East we call in Ushas, Goddess of the Dawn, to begin this new cycle and help us see through our illusions and seek the truth. In the South we call in Parvati to bring us the fires of purification so we may be cleansed. In the West we invoke Durga to teach us to look into the dark places in our beings to that we may not be afraid. In the North we call in Sarasvati to bring us the wisdom of India, her music and dance, so we may be wise in the traditions of the Goddess. And now, we call in Kali-Ma, Dark Mother and Goddess, Creatress of all there is... (_The_Dark_Goddesss_ by Marcia Starke) ---------------------------------- INVOCATION TO THE NEW MOON Greetings to you, New Moon, Kindly jewel of guidance! I bend my knees to you, I offer you my love, I bend my knees to you, I raise my hands to you, I lift my eye to you, New Moon of the seasons! Greetings to you New Moon, Darling of my love, Greetings to you New Moon, Darling of the Graces, You journey on your course, You steer the flood-tides, You lift up your face for us, New Moon of the seasons! Queen of Guidance, Queen of Good Luck, Queen of my love, New Moon of the seasons! (-Ed Fitch) --------------------------------------------- The New Moon is when we remember the black Hindu Goddess, Kali. Although she is known for her ferocity, she is also recognized for her motherly qualities. While the Full Moon is a time of manifestation of desires, the New Moon is a time of removal of negativity in our lives. Let's contemplate the negative influences in our lives and visualize Kali cutting away the negativity with her mighty swords. Meditate on this image for a few moments. As you do this, I will annoint your Third Eye with musk oil -- the sacred oil of Kali. Pay special attention to the smell of the incense -- Sandalwood -- the sacred incense of this Hindu Goddess. ------------------------------------------------- KALI POEM by Ramprasad Sen Wht is Mother Kali so radiantly black? Because she is so powerful. even mentioning her name destroys delusion. Because she is so beautiful, Lord Shiva, conqueror of Death, lies blissfully vanquished beneath her red-soled feet. There are subtle hues of blackness, but her bright complexion is the mystery tht is utterly black, overwhelmingly black, wonderfully black. When she awakens in the lotus shrine within the heart’s secret cave, her blackness becomes the mystic illumination that causes the twelve-petal blossom there to glow more intensely than golden embres. Her lovely form is the incomparable Kali-black, blacker than the Kind of Death. Whoever gazes upon this radiant blackness falls eternally in love and feels no attraction to any other, discovering everywhere only her. This poets sighs deeply: “Where is this brilliant Lady, This Black Ligh beyond luminosity? Tough I have never seen her, Simply hearing her name the mind becomes absorbed completely in her astonishing reality. Om Kali! Om Kali! Om Kali! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Moon also represents a dark time, a time of spiritual rest, a time of planting new seeds to incubate and grow as the moon grows towards fullness. Spend a few moments in this stillness thinking about what seeds or desires or goals you wish to sow this evening. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sarasvati, Goddess of the North, we bless thee and release thee. Durga, Goddess of the West, we bless thee and release thee. Parvati, Goddess of the South, we bless thee and release thee. Ushas, Goddess of the East, we bless thee and release thee. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The circle is open yet unbroken, may the love of the Goddess go in our hearts. Merry meet, merry part, and may we merry meet again.

Prayer Needed

anakathesage — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 20:48:34 GMT

Prayer Needed Please pray for the fast recovery of Ernest Perz, he is having an operation as we speak for gall stone removal. At his state of being this is very dangerous and can be fatel please send prayers and blessings to him and his family in their time in need. Thank you! Anaka

HOT LIKE HELL

anakathesage — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 01:34:54 GMT

Today was hot like hell! Dont you agree? Well if your in Texas, san antonio you know what i mean. Its HOT year round. I hate it here sometimes. The scenery is great but its so hot. If you go out towards the country its breath taking. Great place for hikes. Plenty of trails and camping sites. Its too bad with all the hikes in gas prices that we cant just head out for scenery drives. *Sad* Makes you wanna cry. I want to move out to the country but I dont know the cost of living. Anyways I just wanted to let you know its HOT AS HELL!!! Anaka

my first blog on tribe

anakathesage — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:01:32 GMT

Hmmm what should i post, *thinks some* ....................................................hmmmmm still nothing........Oh wait. No i cant post that *thinks some more*. Cant think of anything but if you know any dancers who want to dance or fire dancers i guess direct them here: http://bellydance.meetup.com/260/