Too funny...

Maybe this is what happened to Larry Craig!

Clowns KKKick KKK ass!

Many thanks to dietrich for telling me about this:

Clowns Non-violently Disrupt KKK Rally in Knoxville

It's all about me! :)

Who else is love? pseudomonas me scripsit anno 2005

Oh my gay stars!

So with all the media bruhaha that has been going on lately concerning the Larry Craig scandal, one might have missed out a similar incident involving another anti-gay lawmaker, this time in Florida.

On July 11, Rep. Bob Allen (official website) was arrested in a restroom at a park in Titusville, Florida after soliciting an undercover male officer and offering to pay him $20 for oral sex. The thing that strikes me is not so much that we have yet another example of a conservative lawmaker who has made it a habit of attacking our people while engaging in secret homosexual activity (I mean, it's par for the course now for these conservative bastards, right?) but that the entire public should have seen this one coming. I mean, just take a look at his website and look under 'Recreational Interest'.

Hmmm... me thinks this one was not well thought out.

Good luck on your trial, Bob! Let's hope there'e not any restrooms on the way to the courthouse!

The Storm Report

So, lots of things have been happening over here. It was finally confirmed that our loan is going through, so Chas and I will be buying (the unfortunately named) Dolphin Dream in Walnut Creek, a brick-and-mortar metaphysical retail store that I used to manage years ago. It's a relatively successful store (est. 1989) and in a good location. We still have to jump through a bunch of hoops (meeting with the landlord, and signing contracts, and such) but we are hoping to take it over in the next couple of months. We do hope to make some changes to the store over the next few years, mostly in the area of decor, products (we will carry more Pagan items such as altar tools, specialty candles, and such), and also the general "vibe", grounding it a bit and making it somewhat more earthy. But we are committed to taking it slow, so as to not scare off too many of the current customers. We *are* planning on having some Feri people do some stuff there, though, and the classroom in the back is large enough so that I might teach some larger group classes, both Feri and non.

Speaking of Feri tradition: a few months ago, I am honored to report, I was passed the Black Wand in a rite with Cora Anderson at her home. It was arranged by my friend anaar (who I actually thought would be doing the actual passing... but when we did the rite it was mainly done by Cora, with Anaar & her husband Steve, Thorn Coyle, Michele Jackson & her husband, and my teacher Mitchell in attendance to support and witness.) It was a very simple and beautiful rite and I am more than grateful to receive this honor from so many talented witches. A couple weeks later I was passed the Black Wand again, this time by Feri priest Dominic (elemirion) who has different lore concerning the wand system. Having both traditional methods of the wands passed to me in this way I feel empowered to combine them together to make them both more accessible, and less hierarchical, than some have interpreted them in the past. I made a pact with Michele after the first rite that I would announce my wand in my bio for Feri Camp and so now that the event has been announced (and also that I have already told my own students about it) I thought I should mention it a bit more publicly, both to communicate my availability to fulfill that role, but also to give the community an opportunity to "keep me real", so to speak. I'm currently writing an article on the wands for this next issue of Witch Eye in which I talk about these two different traditional takes on the wand system, detailing the specifics of each of the three traditional wands, as well as introducing the possibility of several other wands as energetic symbols for additional schools of post-initiatory magical specialty. I'll let my article speak more about how I view the role and honor of the Black Wand, but for now suffice to say that I do not feel that holding it entitles me to any additional authority over any other Feri initiate. What it does bring me, quite simply, is additional responsibility toward the community.

And now coming back down to earth for a bit...

Last week we went to see Avenue Q at the Orpheum in San Francisco. It was a birthday present from Chas and I for Philipsouthernpm (AKA the "weekend boyfriend"). It totally rocked. I especially loved the song "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist". And the fact that one of the characters was Gary Coleman tickled me to no end.

This past weekend Philip and I went to Anaar's birthday party. It was much fun, although I had **way** too much to drink and paid for it the next day. (Philip makes a mean Pomegranate Martini, which incidentally I call a Persephone) and I stopped counting after 5. (Hey! I was there for about 8 hours! And I'm Irish. And I love me my vices.) I craved a cigarette at one point, but did not give in, even though there were several opportunities that presented themselves. I have it on good authority that I did not embarrass myself any, even though I barely remember leaving. I had a really good time. Thanks, Anaar, for inviting me. I hope I wasn't too loud or obnoxious! I do remember not being able to articulate myself as well as I would have liked toward the end. Ahh... alcohol. Good times.

I'm gearing up to go to Between the Worlds in a couple of weeks. I'm very excited. Philip and I will be going. I wish that Chas could go, but he needs to take care of his mom. Hopefully after we get the store we will have enough money to hire someone to take care of her for a day or two and then we can get away just the two of us. It's a hope, anyway...

We're still accepting registrations for the Feri Camp in October. If you are interested you should check it out ASAP! We need a few more so that we can have it at the preferred location. (It's happening no matter what, but the campground we had chosen as our preferred location is awesome! Help make it happen and sign up today!)

Well, that's all I got. Today was my day off and I spent it just wandering around the house, reading, napping, and getting some writing done. (I'm putting the finishing touches on my wand article, as well as a Feri self-dedication rite that Chas and I have penned together.) We also just watched the movie Al Franken: God Spoke, a documentary on one of my favorite left-wing comedians turned politicians. Now we just need Jon Stewart to run for something.

Wowzers...

From MoveOn.org:

Feri Camp: Mysteries of Poetry, Madness & Death

Crossposted to :

There are still spaces available for October's Feri Camp! Hurry! The window for discounted early registration is quickly running out!

Exploring the Mysteries of Poetry, Madness & Death
With Anaar, Storm Faerywolf, Michele and Karina

October 4 - 8, 2007
Camp Nawaka, East Otis, MA

Join Feri students, practitioners, initiates and four teachers from distinct lines in the Berkshire Mountains of New England for four nights and five days of intensive classes, ritual, community and magic. We will open to the darker mysteries of Feri Tradition focusing intently on the Mighty Dead, Hoodoo, Psychic Opening and Protection, Danger & Delight, Bardic Circle, the Dark Deities and the turning of the Year Wheel. The Intensive will engage the Whole Self, using a variety of methods including song, poetry, guided meditation, dance, crafts and more.

Registration
$300 before August 17, 2007 (hurry... time's running out!)
$315 until September 20th (Final deadline)

Main offerings include:

• The Death Mask with Anaar
• Walking the Bone Road: Necromancy in the Feri Tradition with Storm
• Word Magic and Poetic Madness with Karina
• Ancestor Collage with Michele
• Dia de los Muertos: Sugar Skulls with Anaar
• The Arddu: Trance Journey with the Lord of Death with Storm
• Danger & Delight: Power and Vulnerability in Feri Tradition with Karina
• Ancestor Govi with Anaar & Michele
• Foundations of Feri: Kala/Cleansing and The Iron Pentacle with Storm
• Setting a Spell with Karina
• Bone Mother: Journeys with Ana with Karina
• Tea-time with the Dead: Talkingboards and Spirit Communication with Storm
• The Mighty Dead with Anaar
• Hoodoo Graveyard Work with Michele
• Dispelling a Curse: Ancient and Modern Rites of Cleansing and Protection with Storm
• Evil Eye with Anaar
• Breath, Heart and Devotion with Karina

We will also have several events with everyone together, including:

Panel Discussion/Q & A
Bardic Circle. Bring your songs, stories and poetry!
Danse Macabre: A Ritual Masquerade
Ritual of the Mighty Dead Please bring 4.25" x 5.5" photocopied images of your Beloved Dead (these may or may not be your Blood Ancestors)

For more information and for registration, CLICK HERE

New England Feri Intensive

New England Feri Intensive:
Exploring the Mysteries of Poetry, Madness & Death
October 4-8, 2007
Camp Nawaka, East Otis, MA
With Anaar, Michele, Storm Faerywolf and Karina

Join Feri students, practitioners, initiates and four teachers from distinct lines in the Berkshire Mountains of New England for four nights and five days of intensive classes, ritual, community and magic. We will open to the darker mysteries of Feri Tradition focusing intently on the Mighty Dead, Hoodoo, Psychic Opening and Protection, Danger & Delight, Bardic Circle, the Dark Deities and the turning of the Year Wheel. The Intensive will engage the Whole Self, using a variety of methods including song, poetry, guided meditation, dance, crafts and more.

Registration

• $300 before August 17, 2007.
• $315 until September 20th (Deadline).
• Includes all workshops, meals and lodging.

Work-study/financial assistance may be available, dependent upon the generous contributions of registrants and other members of the Feri community.

For more information, please click here.

Join the New England Feri Intensive On-line Community

Stopping Hate Crimes...

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/fighthate_video

Quiz

What color is your soul painted? Grey Your soul is painted the color grey, which embodies the characteristics of elegance, humility, respect, reverence, stability, subtlety, wisdom, strong emotions, balance, and cancellation. Grey falls under the element of Water, and symbolizes the moon, tide, ebb and flow. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

Happy Birthday Greetings...

Happy 792nd Birthday to Habeas Corpus!

Though you've been missing since October... I wish you well, wherever you are!

I'm in an art show!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Black Heart Poem

I've been busily writing down all these exercises that have been dancing around in my brain for years now, as I am finally getting to a place with some of my students where I need to have them written down.

This is a portion of a Black Heart invocatory exercise that I recently wrote. Enjoy, or be reviled. Your choice. ;)

Black Heart Thrum
©2007 Storm Faerywolf

Black Heart
Primal Drum
Child’s song
Feral thrum
Passion’s kiss
Shining light
Wild bliss
Starlit night
Serpent’s skin
Second sight
Dark abyss
Shining bright
Black Heart
Pulsing free
Innocent!
Ecstasy!

New England Feri Camp

I am happy to announce that I will be participating in the following event:

Feri Intensive Camp
Exploring the Mysteries
of Poetry, Madness & Death
With Anaar, Storm Faerywolf, Michele and Karina

 

October 4 - 8, 2007
Camp Nawaka, East Otis, MA

Early Registration (before August 15) $300 per person
Late Registration (after August 15) $315 per person

Registration includes Intensive, Lodging and Meals.
Must be received via internet or mail no later than midnight September 19, 2007. No exceptions.

More information and registration available here (51K PDF).

We also created a LiveJournal Community for the Camp, , along with a MySpace Profile

A Circle Casting

I've recently been working on an alternative to the Bloodrose Feri circle that I was taught and so decided to incorporate this poem that I originally wrote back in 1998.  One of the verses borrows heavily (like three out of the four lines!) from a poem by Doreen Valiente, but it was just so perfect I couldn't help it. I have been revising this casting ever since I first wrote it, and just this past week added a new verse (so now there's seven... I love sevens), changed a couple of lines, and reordered it. Chas recently posted a previous version in his LJ when posting about the faery hounds. In the circle script I will pass on it is listed as an alternative to the (somewhat altered) Bloodrosian version that I received, and has a list of "stage directions" including different energetic instructions/visualizations for the participants to perform at different parts, but here is just the poetic invocation for your amusement. 

Invocation of the Circle
©1998-2007 Storm Faerywolf

By Forest dark and standing stone,
By rushing wind and life's first breath,
By flame that burns the flesh to bone,
By ancient sea, the land of death...

By the Mother and Her Son
Is the circle made and done
Descend the light of Moon and Sun
Our Holy Rite has now begun.

My blade has cast the circle round,
with razor's edge and bluest flame,
from earth to heavens, sky to ground,
the power comes that has no name.

We summon forth the faery hounds,
From Outer Darkness now draw near,
to prowl beyond the circle's bounds,
And put intruder's hearts in fear.

Between the worlds of flesh and Fae,
we touch the Source and form the weave,
a ward to keep the worlds at bay,
that none may enter; none may leave.

This holy ground now lies between
The realm of Gods and mortal men,
By human eye cannot be seen
the faery sight alive within.

As above and so below,
enveloped in a cobalt flame,
the stars that shine, the stones that know,
within we speak Her sacred name.

Our newest family member...

Everyone please welcome the newest member of our little family...  We've decided to call her 'Shaylee'. She's a 3 month old Labrador/Pit Bull mix. We rescued her from the pound and she came home to us today. She's a real love.



I think I'm in love.

Witch Eye #15: Call for Submissions

I think it can be agreed by all of us that Feri witches are a creative, opinionated bunch. So you'd think that we'd have *hundreds* of submissions for the next Witch Eye, right?

Well... we have a few... but it's not coming together yet, so here's what we want you to do...

Send us something. A ritual. A review. A piece of art. A story. Humor! Send us your really cool experience in trance that you feel like sharing... tell us what the Gods are inspiring in you. We're still interested in cool poetry, but keep in mind that we get mostly poetry as it is. But an essay... an article... a well mannered rant... Bring 'em on! Whatever little Feri thing you'd like to address, do it and send it in!

Or... if you just can't think of where to start, how about pondering some of these?

• The Mighty Dead: Ancestral Reverence and Practice in Feri Magic
• Love and the Craft: How has Feri impacted your relationships?
• The Dangers of Feri. What exactly are they? And why does it sound so cool?
• Art & Feri. Has Feri impacted your creative life? Are you dancing more? Making music? Are you suddenly creating art for the first time? Tell us!
• You may have aligned your Three Souls, but you still can't use the car-pool lane.
• Initiation. What it is. What it isn't. And why you may never need one. Or want one.
• Dreams... We've collected dreams from folks that involve the late Victor Anderson. Do you have one?
• Cursing. C'mon... you know you want to.
• Ethics. Lost teachings of the tradition found!
• Seeking the Black Heart. Exercises and Stories on the search for Feri's Holy Grail
• Outside Looking In: Feri from a non-Feri Perspective
• Witch Eye: The Swimsuit Issue. Send us your pictures! No, I'm not kidding...
• The Divine Twins. Cornerstone of the Feri mythos and I still can't tell them apart.
• Kala and the Pearl Pentacle: Is the community doing enough?
• Classroom vs. the Coven, or why you are wrong to practice as you do

Our next theme, if we have one, will depend on what I get a lot of. But I love diversity, so send us whatever you want to write about! You can do it. We want material from all aspects of the Feri community: initiates, teachers, students, practitioners, and even educated seekers. You have over three months. Deadline isn't until September 1st! No excuses! Flex those Pride points!

Guidelines can be found here: http://www.feritradition.org/witcheye/submissions.htm
Send all submissions and questions to: witcheye@feritradition.org

A Poem... a Spell... a Teaching... a Prayer

The Sacred Fire
©2007 Storm Faerywolf

Like a fire so it shines
Bright against the empty dark
Dividing into perfect two
And with light, so then color
A splendid texture rich with hue.

This flame it burns against the cold
Against the snapping madness of the unknown
It warms the blood and stills the mind
And calls the trance upon our kind.

A dance... around the fire
Sweat slick thick upon my skin
I take a torch and place it in.

Taking fire from the gods
I hold aloft the sacred flame
A lantern in the velvet night
And so I learn the ancient dark terrain.

Triple Will my compass true
My life a vessel for Your power
Descend with heart of coal aflame
And let me come to know this flower.

High above it blooms so bright
Like a beacon in the night
To hold at bay all shade and fright
And grant the power of the sight.

Beyond the Outer Darkness comes,
the wraith, like curled gray smoke appears
into the mirror of midnight
I scry what lies beyond our fears.

And now I dance again around
This growing fire of which we tend
That seeds a hundred little flames
As next they come with torch in hand.

And soon one day they dance away,
With lanterns set against the night
To carry then their precious flame
To share their sacred light.

And though they’ve come, and though they’ve gone
A hundred times upon and more
And though they’ve lit their darkened homes
Still we tend this sacred fire.

Wash once, rinse twice...

This is a very filtered post, only for Feri initiates, and certainly not all of them.

I just had the weirdest interaction with another Feri student/practitioner. He asked me to not "go public" with it, but dude... this is just too weird to pass up.

Last night on the Witch Eye list a certain someone who has been espousing the Tribal/Family model of Feri cryptically posted that someone very close to me was an example of someone not right for the tradition being officially a part of it. I racked my brains... Could they be talking about a student of mine? We were talking about charging money for classes, and the like, and I had mentioned having to let some students go because of their lack of work. Certainly I have a couple of students who I am currently "on the fence" about and waiting to see if I will let them go, or not, but I couldn't figure out who and so I asked them privately.

Well, I got the response today and it was... (drum roll, please)...  Chas! Apparently because Chas doesn't automatically equate the Feri priesthood with a family that means (according to this person) that Chas' initiation didn't "take". Jesus fucking Christ on a pogo-stick! I laughed out loud!

Chas is very reserved about whom he shares his most intimate insights on Feri with, so I can understand that this person might have no clue as to what Chas is really about... but it's extra weird because this person has never met Chas... And a little weirder because this person is not an initiate, although his wife is, but that's a whole other story.

I just shake my head. I know that Chas is a powerful Feri witch who has an amazing grasp of the Gods who speak to him directly. It's just weird to have my husband maligned in such a way, and then to hear that there's an entire group that apparently holds this idea to be true as well. **EDIT: In a suprising positive development I am now told that his group told him he was off base with his accusation. That's good news, right? ;)

I'm off to make Kala... not because I'm angry (I was briefly, but that moved through me) but more because I am sad; sad that this person's view of Feri is so limited that other ways of practicing/believing seem to threaten their practice, and that as such it translates into judgment, a distraction from the larger Work, I feel.

Instead of washing once, or twice, or even rinsing at all, I sometimes feel I'd rather just hold their heads under the water.

More Kala! :)

Back from Camp...

I've been back from teaching at Feri Camp for a few days now. It's taken me awhile to get back into the routine of my daily life, and thankfully Chas has been very supportive in that area. I've actually gotten a lot of work done since I returned, but I have also had a lot of my attention on all things Feri, making plans, talking to friends, and contemplating what I think is a very healthy future for the tradition.

Camp this year was an incredible experience. I was impressed by the level of sincere commitment to this path, and by the fierce openheartedness of the participants. A lot of energy was raised, and when that happens our complexes tend to arise into view. The result was a lot of cleansing work, and whole lot of sharing... of joy, of pain, of fear, and of laughter. I felt truly blessed to have the opportunity to be in such an environment where we could come together as friends, as lovers, as family, to face both our beauty and our darkness, seeing both as holy.

I learned a lot during this trip. From the beginning I felt that this was about claiming more fully my own power, and I walk away feeling powerful; alive, charged, and changed. More of who I already am. A tremendous amount of energy was raised during our few days there, through trance... through ritual... through drumming... through dance... A common theme being the quest for the Black Heart that really did shine brightly in the eyes and smiles of those present. We did serious work! But also did we laugh... sometimes to the point of tears; the kind of laughter that hurts your cheeks and your belly and reminds you just how wonderful it is to be alive. That we were able to share that, and so much more with each other, is a blessing into itself.

I led some trance work with the Guardians, which always leaves me buzzing, but it was my session with the Amethyst Pentacle that really surprised me. When Chas and I wrote it back in '02 we knew that it was powerful, but going into trance with it and running its power with the participants at camp was nothing short of astounding. I was impressed by the willingness of those present to look into the face of their own pain and --still feeling it-- claim back their power from its clutches. Certainly this is work that will need to be done repeatedly, but that first step is most often the most frightful and that so many looked into that dark mirror of the self and met its gaze so evenly, is an inspiring sight to behold. All this along with reverence, determination, and laughter made the atmosphere both casual and relaxing, as well as focused and filled with deep purpose. As I said in another forum, if this is the future of Feri, then it is something that we can all be proud of. I know I certainly am.

I am also proud to have worked with so many fabulous teachers. This was my first time working with Karina of the BlackHeart line, and it was a tremendously satisfying experience. She really knows her stuff, and has a great command of the Faery current. I am proud to call her a sister of the Craft. Anaar I worked with last year, but it was this year that showed me another facet of her own commitment to the Gods; her connection to them is deep, real, and above all, personal. You show me a Witch who can yell in anger at the Goddess, and I'll show you one who walks the walk. And finally Michele. Her attention is like a surgical instrument, cutting right to the heart of the matter. She doesn't waste time with her words, but lest you might think her harsh because of it let me tell you she is one of the kindest people I know. And one of the funniest. That final night there she and I stayed up all night long just talking about life, about Feri, and just telling each other silly stories. We finally had to leave to try and let Anaar and Karina sleep. We paid for it that final day... in the form of dropped shields and no filters at all... but it was worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Now I am home and my life is shifting. People are contacting me and asking if I might travel to their area to teach. It comes at a good time because it is something that I have contemplated for awhile, so I find myself looking into how it might work both in terms of finances, but also in terms of energy; my time here at home is important, as Chas needs to take care of his mom when I am away. But he is also very supportive of me following my bliss, so it looks like I will be traveling at least some in the future. It's a great feeling: to be exactly where you are supposed to be.

With that in mind I shall end this with a blessing to all of you reading this: May you find yourself exactly where you need to be. And may you have the presence of mind to recognize it.