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Post by lugdag on Jan 21, 2015 15:31:57 GMT -5
Week 1 Earth Path Reflection: Meaning of Awen
1. What places in nature inspire you?
I live in the city but am lucky to live in the suburbs around my house there are many trees, the sound of birds inspires me a lot, but my favorite place is at home in the mountains of Panama, in a place that Altos del Maria, this place inspires me a lot has beautiful rivers, the sound of rivers is something magical, this place has a lot of wildlife, unlike the city’s cold is a totally different environment, I like centarme on a hill with my shamanic drum and meditate, is beautiful inspiration from that place.
2. Do you have a favorite outdoor place? Why?
My favorite place in nature when I am in town is a place near my house called Cause Way is a road that connects three islands where one can run, bike, run or walk, but it is beautiful because you can sit on a bench and feel the sea breeze and watch the far smaller islands covered with vegetation.
I have another favorite place is a large park that is in the city called Omar Park is a place to walk very tranquillo, has beautiful trees to sit under them and make a picnik, I like this place because it reminds me of my childhood my father I always llevava to that place and now it’s become my place to do my rituals
3. How does nature inspire you??
I’m a nature lover in every way. I love the serenity of the landscape, cool breezes, icy lakes, sunny beaches… Seen it all and love every bit of it… I’m also an aspiring environmental scientist. I love wild life and I’m very enthusiastic about it.
Nature calms me down and picks me up too… When I’m down, I’ll go for a long walk in the park, I’d like to sit by a pond and stare into it and everything that is there and just appreciate it for being there. Going hiking all things to do to enjoy nature that are really gets the adrenaline pumping.
The mechanisms that drives everything in our ecosystems and the earth as a whole are very fascinating and some, very unique. It makes me think about my actions and how each of them impacts the earth and the way I’d like for future generations to enjoy the same aesthetic benefits of beautiful nature.
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Post by rlt123 on Feb 4, 2015 16:50:53 GMT -5
Month 6 week 1 The virtues I live with are trocar, fialainech (for the most part, I am polite, but i curse like a sailor)( an update, I plan on taking an art class in march at a paint gallery).I feel firbrethach is challenging to me because in some ways my republican values blinds my judgment. The same with forusta. having a career would bring me closer to the values.
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Post by rlt123 on Feb 4, 2015 17:20:36 GMT -5
Month 6 week 2 I was a "friend to pity" by liking and sharing photos of animals from my county's humane society. Someday, when I have a place on my own I'm going to adopt a two cats. For an environmental issue and this my day 7 essay, I chose the Keystone Pipeline. (I apologize in advance, if I offend anyone). This issue conflicts me. As a Republican, I support it. We need the jobs and it would be nice if we got oil from the part of the world that doesn't hate us. But I do wonder what environmental impact this will have, even though scientists have said the impact would be minimal. Don't get me wrong, I would love to live in a world where we didn't have to use fossil fuels, but transforming cars to use alternative fuels takes time and money. I honor the Goddess and help the environment everyday by recycling and cleaning trash from my yard. I signed a online petition to urge congress to pass a law that would ban certain insecticides that are killing bees. I think it is www.change.org, but I'm not 100% sure (although the mentioned website is doing the same). As I said before, I am taking drawing class in march. I would like to use my skill to draw nature.
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Post by rlt123 on Feb 4, 2015 19:50:38 GMT -5
month 6 week 3 For my healing goddess, I chose Brighid who is also the goddess of horses and inspiration. She is the daughter of the Dagda and was so popular among pagans that the Catholic Church christianized her into a saint rather than try to eradicate her completely. The pagan holiday Imbolc, celebrated every February, is devoted to her. Because Imbolc is a fertility holiday, Brighid is associated with cows and milk. An interesting fact I learned, Brighid is associated with the hazel tree because the tree itself is used for healing. I learned this in a book called "Celtic Tree Mysteries" by Steve Blamires for anyone who is interested. For the goddess of justice, I chose the Egyptian Goddess Ma'at who is also the goddess of truth, law, the stars, the seasons, and deities. Her duty is to prevent the universe from returning to chaos. In the afterlife, Ma'at judges souls by weighing their hearts. If the hearts were lighter than or the same size as the feather, the soul went to Aaru, the Egyptian Heaven. However, if the heart was heavier than the feather then the heart was eaten by Ammit the lioness and the soul was sent to Duat, the Egyptian Hell. Here is my Alban Elved ritual (forgive me if my ritual is short): First, I light a candle, brush the altar with flowers, and fill a bowl with some water. Me: "Dear God and Goddess I stand here to honor Mabon for autumn. 'On one side the light, on the other the dark, we stand in this moment of balance. I would prefer the light, but the earth begs to differ, and, turning about the sun, turns her half on which I live away, away into the dark. I can't help but grant you the power, what use would it be to resist? I will go with you then, complaining as little as i can, into the dark period of the year, believing your promise that your turning will go on, and return my half of the world to the light.'" Me: "I give you this offering of bread and bear to you Mabon, the shining ones, and any gods, goddesses present."(This is when I leave bread outside and dump the beer into the yard). Me: "With this I end the ritual" "On one side of light...the world to the light" is taken from "A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book" by Ceisiwr Serith
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Post by rlt123 on Feb 4, 2015 22:16:16 GMT -5
Month 6 week 4 Because I am low on money, I didn't indulge myself. My plans of taking an drawing class is itself an indulgence because I love to learn new things. Of I were to spend something on myself, I would often buy myself a book. For my meditation, my favorite is the tree of life mediation. It calms me, helps me relax and concentrate. If I am asked to focus on something that brings me joy, I think of kittens and the color blue.
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Hazel
New Member
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Post by Hazel on Feb 7, 2015 11:49:16 GMT -5
Month 1 Week 1 Assignment Hi everyone. I didn't know whether to post here or create a new thread. Are there rules about that?
1. What places in nature inspire you?
I am inspired most by woods. I love to go walking in woods and I always feel at peace among trees. I also need to be near water and I love looking at water. Being on or in water is not very inspiring for me, but I love seeing how the water meets the sky and they reflect each other.
2. Do you have a favorite outdoor place? Why?
I do. There is a place in Acadia National Park in Maine called Jordan Pond. It is situated between two mountains, so there is a confluence of woods, and water, and sky all in one place. It is the most beautiful place to me. I go every year and I always, even on cloudy days, am awestruck by how beautiful it is and I always feel so relaxed and happy while I'm there.
3. How does nature inspire you??
I feel happier when I am out in nature. It calms my mind and helps me to think more clearly. If I am having a problem, I find walking through the woods helps me to find a solution quickly, thoroughly, and calmly.
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Post by lugdag on Feb 9, 2015 18:54:30 GMT -5
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Post by joeyntn on Feb 11, 2015 13:05:40 GMT -5
So, for the first weeks assignment I was asked to reflect on three questions. 1. What places in nature inspire you? 2. Do you have a favorite outdoor place? Why? 3. How does nature inspire you??
The forests of Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas are without a doubt some of the most beautiful. The Black forest in Germany is also very awe inspiring. I absolutely love every minute I can spend there. However, my favorite outdoor place is just the opposite of those. The Mojave desert is without a doubt my favorite place to go. I can walk into any part of the desert and immediately feel at home. I'm able to rant, vent, or just talk out my thoughts or problems and never feel as though I'm being judged. As for inspiration, a sense of calm. For me, that in itself is inspiration.
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Post by lugdag on Feb 15, 2015 2:22:22 GMT -5
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Hazel
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by Hazel on Feb 15, 2015 14:13:02 GMT -5
Month 1 Week 2
I am most inspired by nature when the seasons are changing. The air getting more crisp in October, the first snowfall in December, the first buds April and the scent of flowers in May, and the gentle heat and long days of June, all give me a sense of rejuvination. I feel more alive. My favorite seasons are autumn and spring because those seasons are very short where I live and I feel inspired by nature throughout. Where I am now, we have just experienced our third blizzard of the season and we are expecting more snow on Tuesday and I do not feel terribly inspired, although there are few things I enjoy more than watching light reflect off of snow, so there is some joy. Summer is similar in that it's a long season that is mostly uncomfortable. So, my favorite High Days are ones that I feel fit into my favorite times when I feel most connected to the earth: Ostara, Midsummer, Mabon, and Yule. I've heard these called the lesser High Days in other places, but they really resonate with me.
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Post by Month 2 Week 1 on Feb 21, 2015 20:48:07 GMT -5
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Post by lugdag on Feb 21, 2015 20:49:42 GMT -5
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Post by lugdag on Feb 28, 2015 22:50:48 GMT -5
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Post by rlt123 on Mar 6, 2015 15:40:50 GMT -5
Month 7 week 1 I am most familiar with the Otherworld. I am very interested in the Supernatural, hence the subject of the Otherworld always comes up. I am a reincarnationist. My father believes in reincarnation, and I got most of my beliefs from him. Magic is the most strange to me, and by strange I mean interesting. I try to perform a ritual at least once a week. I would like to learn more about rituals because I have never witnessed one and I am not sure I am performing rituals correctly.
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Post by rlt123 on Mar 6, 2015 15:48:34 GMT -5
Month 7 week 2 I do not think this is an archetype, but I often dream school, both High School and elementary school. Sometimes I dream about classmates, both bullies and friends. I think this is my mind's way of getting over things that have happened to me in school. I also think this is the Goddess's and the God's way of urging me to keep learning. After all, it was Ghandi who said "Live as if you are going to die tomorrow, learn as if you are going to live forever."
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