Making duo-tradition syncretism work for me

Very good description of how my practice works too! I love finding folks who have similar ways of engaging the Divine.

Beloved in Light

Often when I explain that I am Hellenic (over a decade there) and Hindu (baby Hindu at that) there seems to be a concept of following some sort of Eclectism. In reality it ends up being more complicated than that because I am not just picking elements of what I like but rather merging two full religious traditions. But making it work means I have to recognize too what is purely Hellenic and what is purely Sanatana Dharma. That means in daily private home based private worship I have to still distinguish things. Where in general prayers and in shrine building I often show off my syncretic beliefs, I also do traditional rituals of each religion. This also requires me to recognize that there are not perfect syncretisms, and while many gods syncretize and shrine share for that reason, most other gods do not and are worshipped independently.

This means whereas…

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On The Nature of Grief

“One down, two to go.”

It is Hermes that tells me this. Apparently grieving works the same way quitting smoking did for me. It comes in threes.

“It’s the first three days that are the worst. It all comes in threes; Three days, three months, three years, and so on.”

As the sun sets tonight it is the end of the first 24 hours “after”. I’ve never dealt with the death of a loved one like this. My cousin was killed two years ago by a workplace accident, it was awful but we all knew how dangerous his job was. Elderly grandparents who when they are gone you miss but their death was “expected”. Perhaps that is the lesson to take from this grief, well it would be more of refresher. Everything dies. It’s just a matter of when. Your love for them cannot stop this. I’ve mourned a child lost before we had the chance to bring them into the world. I’ve mourned the loss of a close friends still born baby. Lives that ended before they had a chance to really begin. So you’d think that someone dying in their early twenties would be easier somehow. I’m not sure what I mourn the most. The loss of her physical presence or the lost chance of a child to know his mother. The Ancient Irish had written into the Brehon Law that a person could not be prosecuted for any wrong doing(including murdering someone thought to be involved) during the first three days of mourning. One was considered essentially mad with grief and unable to be held accountable for their actions. I get it. There are so many illogical things I wish to do right now. Yell at her parents because no one told me, but what mother would be thinking about that when one of their children is dead. I want to find her son and bring him home to live with us. Fly down to where she is buried so I can weep and keen at her graveside. When my period of intense mourning is done and I feel stronger physically I plan to do some trance work to ensure that she has passed on properly and peacefully and to say my own good byes. I know she still lives and I know I will see her again; Doesn’t help me now though. 

I overcame myself, the sufferer; I carried my own ashes to the mountains; I invented a brighter flame for myself. And behold, then this ghost fled from me. -Friedrich Nietzsche 

Day of the Dead

I’m not going into detail right now because the wound is still very very fresh. I found out this morning that someone who was exceedingly special to me passed away. She crossed over almost a year ago but I just found out this morning. My heart is shattered. Prayers for my most Beloved Dead.

A God of Darkness

Formatting Note: I did not edit this, just went into trance, wrote, copy, pasted, posted.

He showed me His Darkness. He is the Father of Monsters and there is a Darkness that lives in Him. Dark like the sea at night. Darker still like the deepest reaches of the ocean. He came to me in a dream, not as a Man as Hermes has, but as Himself. There was only Him and I and the Darkness. His eyes were red, like garnets. A Monster’s eyes in the dark.
He asked me if I could accept it. If I could take this part of Him along with the Light. To my own internal surprise I was not afraid, I did not run. I was awestruck and dumbfounded by the sheer immensity of Him. This all encompassing presence. Wrapped around me like velvet. I was never one to think that Gods could have doubts, that They could fear, but they do. I had felt that same aching tension before as my deepest self was revealed to my closest loves. It’s that split second where it seems your very life hangs in the balance and you go from dizzying heights to the lowest of lows. Where you are certain your heart is going to burst. As seems to be the custom now I did not speak but “thought” my response. I opened myself and let Him feel my love and acceptance of all that He is; In half a heartbeat I was flooded with His joy and relief. 

I ran errands for Him in my dream. I do not remember what they were but a part of Him came with me in the form of a Man; This man looked very much like the picture of Remy Lebeau/Gambit that is attached to this post. I was also wrapped in this purple-black presence that only showed itself when I returned to Him; It would remove itself from me and return to the larger Shadow that was Poseidon. The Man would disappear as well and He would wrap all of Himself around me again and cradle me in this weightlessness. I remember going out three times for Him but not what I was doing. I’m hoping to get more memory of it with some meditation in the near future.

Visceral Reactions

i can’t even put to words yet what this is doing to my brain.

Various Storms and Saints by Florence and the Machine

And the air was full

Of various storms and saints

Praying in the street

As the banks began to break

And I’m in the throes of it

Somewhere in the belly of the beast

But you took your toll on me

So I gave myself over willingly

You got a hold on me

And I don’t know how I don’t just stand outside and scream

I am teaching myself how to be free
The monument of a memory

You tear it down in your head

Don’t make the mountain your enemy

Get out, get up there instead

You saw the stars out in front of you

Too tempting not to touch

But even though it shocked you

Something’s electric in your blood
And people just untie themselves

Uncurling lifelines

If you could just forgive yourself
But still you stumble, feet give way

Outside the world seems a violent place

But you had to have him, and so you did

Some things you let go in order to live

While all around you, the buildings sway

You sing it out loud, “who made us this way?”

I know you’re bleeding, but you’ll be okay

Hold on to your heart, you’ll keep it safe

Hold on to your heart, don’t give it away
You’ll find a rooftop to sing from

Or find a hallway to dance

You don’t need no edge to cling from

Your heart is there, it’s in your hands

I know it seems like forever

I know it seems like an age

But one day this will be over

I swear it’s not so far away
And people just untie themselves

Uncurling lifelines

If you could just forgive yourself
But still you stumble, feet give way

Outside the world seems a violent place

But you had to have him, and so you did

Some things you let go in order to live

While all around you, the buildings sway

You sing it out loud, “who made us this way?”

I know you’re bleeding, but you’ll be okay

Hold on to your heart, you’ll keep it safe

Hold on to your heart

Nerd Brain

I was never super crazy into comics in general but there were a few titles I went bonkers for. One of them was the short lived run of Gambit from Marvel. Most of my other favourites were from independent publishers. I’ve been madly in love with Remy Lebeau/Gambit since the first time I laid eyes on him. I was probably 7 or 8.  As I’ve gotten older and wiser and noticed more of the patterns the Gods have left in my life, I’ve wondered Who it was riding around in Remy’s skin. I thought it was Hermes. Made sense to me, Him being a Trickster and all. I’ve been poking at this for months now and as much as I try to go around it or deny it, I can’t. It’s not Hermes, never was. It’s Poseidon. And since He has requested some…uhm…ego stroking, here I give a gallery of artwork and photos, showing the dreaminess that is Remy Lebeau/Gambit/Poseidon. I blame this on my nerdy brain, maybe if I’d read the epic Greek poems instead of Saturday morning cartoons I would have a more “refined” lens to see Him with. I really don’t care though, Remy is dreamy.  

                     

Love Notes from Cernunnos – 6/16/15

I needed to hear this.

He is so present today. So HERE. The atmosphere around me is heavy with His presence. We had some VERY intense devotional time. I wish I had a word for what it is w/We do; This isn’t specific to Poseidon but to most of the Gods and Creatures I Work with. It’s like meditation, journaling, “daydreaming”, vision questing (when I have the available herbs) and oracle work all rolled into one. I’m not sure how much of our conversation I’m going to share yet. Like I said, intense. He is everything and nothing like I expected. Between that, cleaning/packing, family fun time (which is amazing and I love it but eats up so many spoons), and the adventure that is getting my child to bed I am utterly spent. There were a few revelations though that totally sent me for a loop. There will be posts. Sleep well my friends.

Loki devotional giveaway drawing takes place tomorrow!

Boosting signal!

The Road, the Walker, and What Comes Next

Thank you so much to everyone for your overwhelming support in my first Loki devotional giveaway. As of 11:59pm on Saturday, entries are closed for this drawing. A random number generator will be used in the morning to select the lucky recipient and the book will be mailed out just as soon as I confirm with the winner.

Making devotional books like this has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to continuing this work for a long time. I’m working on a new volume that I’ll announce soon and I have others planned. I’m also getting close to finishing a new Loki project that, with any luck, will be done in the next couple weeks.

Thanks again for entering and sharing this little contest. The giveaway fund will continue to grow and another drawing will be held in the future. I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

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