Scary doings in Windy Corners!

Not really, it is just that time of year again; And, being me I have a few tidbits to share on the holiday.

Halloween or Hallowe'en, is sometimes called Nutcrack Night and Holy Eve. Has its roots in All Hallows' Eve, which as many people know, is the night before the Christian festival of All Saints Day, or All Hallows.

Hallows is derived from the Old English word 'halig' meaning ‘a holy man’. All Hallows was first observed on the 1st of May, However in 834 the holiday was moved to the date of the 1st of November. It celebrated the desecration of the Roman Pantheon, a pagan temple dedicated to all of Rome’s gods, in 610.

The Celtic peoples considered this the end of the year. Known as Summer's End it was a festival akin to our modern New Year's Eve. To the Celts, their days ran from sundown to sundown. From this we get what the phrase 'eve,' meaning the time before, and this night was the start of that this festival.

During this time it was believed that the veil between worlds is thinnest, allowing the spirits of the dead to walk the earth. They used this time to honor their dead loved ones and for Divining into the future.

"Old Hallowe'en" Old Hallowe'en, or Hallowe'en Old Style (usually abbreviated O.S.), is the day that the sun hits 15 degrees Scorpio. This is the old Scottish Quarter Day of 11th November, also adopted by Christianity and changed to Martinmas Day. It is considered an important date in astrological terms and is sometimes called a "power point". An eagle is often used as a symbol.

The festival of the dead at this time of year is something many cultures have in common, from the Mexican Dia De los Metros (Day of the Dead) to the observances of ancient Egypt.

Many Christians erroneously believe that Witches selected the dates in which they observed their Sabbats to correlate with the times of important Christian festivals as a way to make a sacrilegious mockery of them. In reality, it was the Christian church that chose to observe their festivals on the dates of important Pagan holy days. This was a way for the Christian church, which had few members, to convert the Pagan population. As the Church grew in power it gradually erased the true meanings if the days.

Halloween today is a very different and an extremely popular holiday; evoking visions of cute tots dressed in even cuter costumes begging for treats as they go door to door caroling the familiar call “Trick or treat!” . The tradition persist despite the fact that every year the Fundamentalist Christian groups attempt to ban the celebrations.

Halloween, is observed as the chief festival in most modern witchcraft traditions. Known as Samhain (Sow-en) The Grand Sabbat, is a time for quiet reflection and remembrance of those how have passed beyond. It is also considered a good time for divination and to communicate with the spirits and ancestors

Ah yes so very familiar!

A Love Story

I will seek and find you . . .

I shall take you to bed and have my way with you .
I will make you ache, shake & sweat until you moan & groan.
I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop.
I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I'm finished with you.
And, when I am finished, you will be weak for days.

All my love,
The Flu

Now, get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot

Also a departure from the norm.

Now normally, I would not post this here, but I can t help but agree with this.

Muah
Meme

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE GOD/DESS

From: God/dess

To: Our Children of Earth

Re: Idiotic Religious Rivalries

Dear Children (and believe us, that's all of you), We consider ourselves pretty patient folks. For instance, look at the Grand Canyon. It took millions of years to get it right. And about evolution? Boy, nothing is slower than designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place, cell by cell, and gene by gene.


We' ve been patient through your fashions, civilizations, wars and schemes, and the countless ways you take Us for granted until you get yourselves into big trouble again and again. We want to let you know about some of the things that are starting to tick Us off.


First of all, your religious rivalries are driving Us up a wall. Enough already! Let's get one thing straight: These are YOUR religions, not Ours. We're the whole enchilada; We're beyond them all. Every one of your religions claims there is only one of Us (which by the way, is absolutely true). But in the very next breath, each religion claims it's Our favorite one. And each claims it's scriptures were written personally by Us, and that all the other scriptures are man-made.

Oy Vey. How do We even begin to put a stop to such complicated nonsense?

Okay, listen up now. We're your Father AND Mother, and We don't play favorites among Our children. Also, We hate to break it to you, but We don't write. Our longhand is awful, and We've always been more of doers anyway. So ALL of your books, including those Bibles, were written by men and women. They were inspired, remarkable people, but they also made mistakes here and there. We made sure of that so that you would never trust a written word more than your own living heart.


You see, one human being to Us, even a bum on the street, is worth more than all the Holy Books in the world. That's just the kind of folks we are. Our spirit is not a historical thing. It's alive right here, right now, as fresh as your next breath. Holy books and religious rites are sacred and powerful, but not more so than the least of you.


They were only meant to steer you in the right direction, not to keep you arguing with each other, and certainly not to keep you from trusting your own personal connection with Us. Which brings Us to Our next point about your nonsense.


You act like We need you and your religions to stick up for Us or "win souls" for Our sake. Please, don't do Us any favors. We can stand quite well on our own, thank you. We don't need you to defend Us, and We don't need constant credit. We just want you to be good to each other. And another thing, We don't get all worked up over money or politics, so stop dragging Our names into your dramas.


For example, We swear to Us ::::smile::::, that We never threatened Oral Roberts. We never rode in any of Rajneesh's Rolls Royces. We never told Pat Robertson to run for president, and We've never, EVER had a conversation with Jim Baker, Jerry Falwell, or Jimmy Swaggart! Of course, come Judgment Day, We certainly intend to....


The thing is, We want you to stop thinking of religion as some sort of loyalty pledge to Us. The true purpose of your religions is so that YOU can become more aware of Us, not the other way around. Believe Us, We know you already. We know what's in each of your hearts, and We love you with no strings attached. Lighten up and enjoy Us.


That's what religion is best for. What you seem to forget is how mysterious We are. You look at the petty differences in your Scriptures and say, Well, if THIS is the truth, then THAT can't be! But instead of trying to figure out Our Paradoxes and Unfathomable Nature, which by the way, you NEVER will, why not open your hearts to the simple common threads in all religions. You know what We're talking about. Love and respect everyone. Be kind, even when life is scary or confusing. Take courage and be of good cheer, for We are always with you. Learn how to be quiet, so you can hear Our still, small voice. (We don't like to shout).


Leave the world a better place by living your life with dignity and gracefulness, for you are Our Own Children. Hold back nothing from life, for the parts of you that can die surely will, and the parts that can't, won't. So don't worry, be happy. (We stole that last line from Bobby McFerrin.)


Simple stuff. Why do you keep making it so complicated? It's like you're always looking for an excuse to be upset. And We're very tired of being your main excuse. Do you think We care whether you call Us.... Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, Diana, Wakantonka, Brahma, Cerridwen, Father, Mother, God, Goddess or even the Void of Nirvana?


Do you think We care which of Our special children you feel closest to, Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Krishna, Gerald, Mohammed or any of the others? You can call Us and Our Special Ones any name you choose, if only you would go about Our business of loving one another as We love you. How can you keep neglecting something so simple?


We're not telling you to abandon your religions. Enjoy your religions, honor them, learn from them, just as you should enjoy, honor, and learn from your parents. But do you walk around telling everyone that your parents are better than theirs? Your religion, like your parents, may always have the most special place in your hearts, We don't mind that at all.


And We don't want you to combine all the Great Traditions in One Big Mess. Each religion is unique for a reason. Each has a unique style so that people can find the best path for themselves. Know that Our Special Children, the ones that your religions revolve around, all live in the same place, (Our heart), and they get along perfectly, We assure you. The clergy must stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none.


Our blessed children of Earth, the world has grown too small for your pervasive religious bigotries and confusion. The whole planet is connected by air travel, satellite dishes, telephones, fax machines, rock concerts, diseases, and mutual needs and concerns. Get with the program! If you really want to help, then commit yourselves to figuring out how to feed your hungry, clothe your naked, protect your abused, and shelter your poor. And just as importantly, make your own everyday life a shining example of kindness and good humor.


We've given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon your fear of each other and begin living, loving and laughing together. We're not really ticked off. We just wanted to grab your attention because We hate to see you suffer. You have free will to choose your own paths, and We just want you to be happy.


In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust, Us

Just a little something different

Deep peace of the running wave to you, Of water flowing, rising and falling, Sometimes advancing, sometimes receding. May the stream of your life flow unimpeded! Deep peace of the running wave to you!

Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Which fans your face on a sultry day, The air which you breathe deeply, rhythmically, Which imparts to you energy, consciousness, life. Deep peace of the flowing air to you!

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, Who, herself unmoving, harbors the movements And facilitates the life of the ten thousand creatures. While resting contented, stable, tranquil. Deep peace of the quiet earth to you!

Deep peace of the shining stars to you, Which stay invisible till darkness falls And discloses their pure and shining presence Beaming down in compassion on our turning world. Deep peace of the shining stars to you! - a Gaelic poem