Buzz Coil: August 2013

A look at some posts of interest from our blogroll and sometimes beyond:

Jagadama -the Primal Goddess: is a blog that just started publishing this month. The name of the blogger is not given (at least as far as I could see). I'm not going to link to any specific posts for this first mention, but encourage you to look at all of them.  They are accompanied by wonderful art. Most this month are about Indian goddesses, including Durga (one of several has a video with hymn), Kamakhya, Saraswati, Ganga, Vak, and Adya Shakti. There are also posts about goddesses of other cultures, such as Inanna and Matar Kubileya (aka Cybele), a feature called "Images of Her," poetry, and general articles such as one on Witchcraft and an introductory post, "She Stirs in Us." 
 
Harita Meenee: In an August 20 post, Isis and Current Politics: Rediscovering the Revolution, Harita Meenee writes about the current situation in Egypt, and asks:
where Isis fits in this picture. How could she possibly be relevant to these horrors? Her images no longer lie in the looted museum, that’s for sure. But remember that Isis was identified with the fertile land of Egypt, its very heart, where people could live and create the marvels of their civilization. In a sense, Isis is Egypt, the main Kemetic goddess, the soul of this ancient country. She’s also the earth that receives the blood and bodies of those massacred.
Yet again you could say that the people of Egypt have long abandoned the worship of Isis, the archetypal Mother—or perhaps they were forced to abandon it. One way or another, I doubt that a mother would forsake her children because of their religious beliefs or their misguided politics....."

Feminism and Religion: Among this month's posts in this blog of many paths and bloggers:
Carol P. Christ's Aug. 26 post, Neo-Orthodoxy: The Apotheosis* of Power as Power Over, begins:
Recently I have been thinking about Neo-Orthodoxy, the leading Protestant theological movement of the twentieth century, as a deification of male power as power over.  In the language of the schoolyard, this translates as “mine is bigger than yours.”  Or more precisely:  “God’s is bigger than yours.” 
She goes on to give a definition and historical background of Neo-Orthodoxy, along with insights into its theology. She then asks:
 How did Neo-Orthodox theologians manage to claim all the power for themselves while asserting that God has all the power?  How did this theological sleight of hand occur?  You tell me.
Concluding with some humor, she suggests several choices.
In an Aug. 19 post, Coming Together to Honor the Mother, Carol tells of a taking part in  pilgrimage in Greece to the "Holy Rock of Petra to honor the Panagia—She Who Is All Holy." In a conversation later about bullying among the group she had come with, Carol feels a healing take place.
In an Aug. 5 post, Goddess and Sacred Cow: A Re-examination Of The Mythology Of The Sacred Bull, Carol turns a usual assumption on its head.
Carolyn Lee Boyd opens her Aug. 22 post, Matriarchal Societies of Peace Make Sound Social Policy with a quote from Carol P. Christ, and then goes to discuss how adopting views and practices from "matriarchal" societies might help us today.
Gina Messina-Dysert's Aug. 21 post, Feminism vs. Humanism: Continuing to Claim a Feminist Identity  begins by quoting Susan Sarandon's disturbing statement in which she backtracks from feminism and claims she is instead a "humanist." Messina-Dysert goes on to give a background on humanism, quoting the definition of humanism given by the World Humanist Congress.
Karen Nelson Villanueva, in an Aug. 18 post, Tibetan Buddhist Nuns Take First Round of Geshema Exams, tells of the fulfilling feeling that comes with being able to make a difference by supporting another woman's religious studies. She writes:
By supporting a nun through the Tibetan Nun’s Project, I can repay the kindness of what I have received from many Dharma teachers; I can help support my sisters as they struggle to thrive in another part of the world.
She also explains how the way was open for Tibetan Buddhist women to become Geshe.
Kile Jones explores 5 Interesting Facts About Women and Religion in an August 3 post, including "differences in 'gender' and 'sex' as they relate to religious beliefs and observances."
Orabala, writing in an Aug. 2 post, explains "Why I am an Islamic Feminist."
Barbara Ardinger tells about her "made-up goddesses," especially the triple goddess Caloria, in an Aug. 1 post, The Found Goddesses of Good Eats  .

Annelinde's World: Annelinde Metzner's July 26 post,  Magdala, Tower is a poem for Mary Magdalene. It begins:
"Magdala, Tower, queen of my days,

You are not Spirit, not Ether, not Will ‘o the Wisp.

but flesh and blood, a woman like me,

and my teacher."

Annelinde's August 2 post, Shout!, is poetry and prose about the current political situation in North Carolina, where she lives. Her August  12 post, Retreat at Owl's Nest, is a poem in response being awarded a week-long retreat to write poetry and music at Wildacres Conference Center. All posts with pics.

 
Living Inside Gaia: Blogger Stormy Seaside's Aug. 15 post, Hark, My Lady Rises, begins with a dream and goes on to describe celebrating the Nemoralia Festival, which honors the Goddess Diana. With pics, including one of the altar Stormy made for the occasion.

Alchemy of Clay: In her August 9 post, Meaningfulness, Barbara Rogers asks herself several questions, then tells of reconnecting with the Yoruban Goddess Oya.

Love of the Goddess: In her Aug. 10 post, blogger Tara writes of Nemesis, Greek Goddess of Justice and Balance. She writes that Nemesis "sees that justice is served for those who have acquired things in a malicious way."  Tara also shares some of mythology and symbolism associated with this Goddess.

The Goddess House: Blogger As't Moon delves into the mythology of the Morrighan in her Aug. 3 post, Hail to the Great Phantom Queen. At the end of the post is a link to a call for anthology submissions.

Fellowship of Isis Central: An Aug. 10 post by ArchDeaconess Minette Quick, Lugnasadh Seasonal Festival Report, describes the celebration procession to various clan homes, into the Temple and to the Gate into the Shrine of Brigid na Mara.  The post continues with details of the ritual. With beautiful pic of the high altar.

The Wild Hunt: Heather Greene's August 23, Facebook, Witch-Hunts and the Stand for Human Rights, gives an in-depth look at offensive pages on Facebook that many people and groups in the Pagan community, including Lady Liberty League and Covenant of the Goddess, have been protesting. Facebook took down the pages on August 22 but at least one reappeared on Aug. 26. 

My Village Witch: In her Aug. 19 post, I’m Being Followed by a Moon Shadow, Byron Ballard ponders the lure of  "our beloved satellite" as she waxes near full. With Earth Moony pic.

Casa della Dea: Eilantha Redspring's Italian language blog published a Lammas ritual on July 31,  and throughout August has been posting prayers, with instructions and pics, for specific crops including: orzo (barley), grano saraceno (buckwheat), frumento (wheat), segale (rye), avena (oats), mais (corn). [Translations per Google Translate.]

HecateDemeter:  On Aug. 3, in Chapter 24 of blogger Hecate's ongoing fiction series, "A Place Without a Witch," Gemmy arrives at the Courthouse Metro stop in Arlington, tucks her ID badge from the U.S. Department of Interior where it can't be seen, and enters the courthouse to take care of some personal business involving a bottle of water and during which she reveals her full name. Other chapters posted this month  (as of 8/28) are 25, on Aug. 10, in which Gemmy makes a date with Paris, a fellow who works in a garden store; 26 on Aug. 14, in which Gemmy does some magic down by the Tidal Basin and later notices "The People Who Keep Showing Up"; and 27 on Aug. 16, with Gemmy planning to check WitchVox in her search for a "new circle," and then embarking on a Beltane date with Paris.

Goddess in a Teapot: Carolyn L. Boyd invites you to take part in writing her next novel, in an Aug. 4 post, Persephone’s Bower: Prologue.   

Theapoetics: In her Aug. 27 post, Summer's Surrender, blogger talkbirth begins with a poem about "tiny flowers of summer" and then explains more in prose. She then shows us the flowers in many pics--and then they emerge on goddesses she has crafted.

Return to Mago: Some of the posts this on this Goddess-centered blog with multiple bloggers:
Hearth Moon Rising posted The Animal Mother Goddess, an excerpt from her book, Invoking Animal Magic, on Aug. 26.
Blog owner Helen Hwang's Aug. 23 post, Report of the First Mago Pilgrimage to Korea, is part 2 in a series.
On Aug. 19, Mary Saracino posted an excerpt from the first chapter of her novel, The Singing of Swans.
Leslene della Madre's Aug. 16 post, Sisterhood in OZ, is a photo-journal of her recent trip to the continent/country she calls "Awe/stralia."
In an Aug. 9 post, Donna Snyder reviews Danica Anderson's book Blood and Honey Icons.
Max Dashu's Aug. 2 post, The Midsummer Dancers, discusses ecstatic dancing that was part of midsummer observances in various European cultures in the 14th to 16th centuries CE.

Broomstick Chronicles: In her Aug. 10 post, Anniversary Reflections, Macha NightMare reflects upon the effects of disaffiliating herself from the Reclaiming tradition a year ago.  In her Aug. 15 post, Further Reflections on Altars, she shares her experience with altars, focusing on their purpose. She writes that she is planning another installment in this series, on "idols and idolatry." Macha's Aug. 16 post, The Times They Are a Changin', compares today's relatively "out" Pagan population, to bygone days "when Witches (and Wiccans) kept deep within the broom closet, for all manner of reasons."

 At Brigid's Forge: Lunaea Weatherstone announces "A New Look" for her website, as well as a new website called, "The Goddess Path," in her Aug. 21 post. With links so you can take a look. She also reveals a bit of her future plans.

Pagan Square: These are just some of the many posts by various bloggers this month in this multi-trad blog:
In an Aug. 24 SageWoman channel post, Betwixt & Between with Bee in Tuatha dé Danaan Land, Bee Smith writes of finding the Goddess Danu, with references to Brigit and William Butler Yeats.
Jen McConnel's Aug. 23 post in the SageWoman channel, Athena's American City, tells of attending a conference in Nashville, Tennessee and planning to visit the reconstructed Parthenon to visit Athena. But then....
In an Aug. 18 fiction post, Wounded to Heal, in the SageWoman channel, Paolo Suarez tells of the initiation of a woman named Anima.
Blogger Hec's Aug. 18 post, with references to the Goddess Maat, suggests A Spell for Egypt to help settle the situation there.
In an Aug. 16 post in the SageWoman channel, Goddess Body, World Body, blogger Molly begins by quoting Robin Morgan's revision of a Christian prayer, and a passage from Monica Sjoo and Barbara Mor's, The Great Cosmic Mother. Molly tells of working on a thesis about birth as a spiritual experience and gives background on "patriarchal creation myths" that gender-reverse the biological birth process.
In her Aug. 3 post, Hekate's crossroads, Elani Temperance gives her interpretation of the mythology and symbols associated with the  Goddess Hecate.
In his Aug. 2 post, The Why Of Within, Ivo Dominguez Jr. concludes a 4-part series on "meditation and contemplative practices in Paganism."
In an Aug. 1 post, Political Sacrifice, Hec contemplates the role of sacrifice "in our magical/political lives."  

Username Register Password Forgot Password?                              

Remember me