Frequently Asked Question: Was x a real sign/ was x just a dream or a real communication from a god / was x a fiction story idea or a message from a god?
My answer: What you want to do is to confirm (or not) whether you have received a message. That's a yes or no question, which is the simplest type of question to divine for. If you use runes, decide in advance which ones count as yes or no and pull a rune. Or, you can use bird omens.
The long days and short nights bring a whirl of external activities. Shortly before Summer Solstice, on 18th June, was the feast of the goddess Danu, for whom I have a special devotion. I consider her the local goddess since it is said that her tribe, the Tuatha dé Danaan, landed in what became known as Erin, in the mountain bounding the parish I live in. I think of Danu as the Crone of Crones, the Grandmother Goddess over all. Over a period of spiritual discernment I perceived her as matron over what I call The Age of the Crone.
Slieve Anieran, or the Iron Mountain, overlooks Ballinagleragh and Drumshambo in County Leitrim, and it is atop this mountain it is said their ships of silver and gold landed. But they burnt their boats and stayed until they disappeared into the sídh after the Second Battle of Moytura when the Milesians defeated them. The Bronze Age had truly arrived I suppose. Perhaps this was when Danu's feast day was on the wane and Solstice celebrations came to the fore. The Grand Old Woman, the gift giver, began to be less valued. New gods and goddesses came to be worshipped.
One of the most important piece of my work as I accompany people on their spiritual journeys is companioning travelers, seekers, and retreatants through discernment.
What Do I Mean by Discernment?
Discernment may mean many things. One is simply that quality of being a "discerning" person. That is to say, being wise, knowing how to sift through the chaff of life to find the life-giving grain, and able to make good choices where there seem to be only a multitude of bad choices or only various good ones.
I often see the words “label” and “identity” used interchangeably, but to me they have rather different connotations. A label is something society thrusts on you, to organize information- keep track of possible discrimination, to access services and accommodations or medical treatment in the case of disabilities and medical conditions. It’s something that you don’t have a lot of choice over.
An identity by contrast may be chosen, or it is a choice to make a label one’s own. It is a way to connect with other people in a community. There are also some that I find are kind of in the middle- as in “I identify as X, but it’s easier to access community and explain things if I use label Y”
Pictured are some of the tools I use in my money work: a dedicated candle (with matches), another candle holder I use for a long-term money spell, my wallet, prosperity oil, and of course the money I have thus far accumulated in the Pagan savings challenge.
Perhaps more important are the non-physical tools, some of which I have touched upon before. They include the ability to lie to oneself ("I don't really have that money"), the power of visualization ("I can see that fireplace insert I'm saving for clearer every day"), and the discernment to know when or if I should deviate from this course and spend my wad prematurely (which will take a really stupendous occasion for me, both because this year has been somewhat fortunate and because I've taught myself to be tight-fisted).
For the first time since this challenge began, I didn't take a picture of the cash. I don't know what I was thinking, but I feel the touch of the hand of fate. Why wouldn't I take a picture? Maybe it's so we can talk about visualization.
Having a growing bank balance, stuffed money jar, or other visual reminder that the savings is adding up can actually be a bit risky, because the temptation to use that money can also grow. While it may be appropriate to do so, determining that requires discernment.
Twenty weeks is more than a third of the way through the Pagan savings challenge, so you're either gathering a head of steam, or you're way behind and giving up in all but name. The rewards for being on track should already be evident, so let's talk about what to do if you're on the other side of that coin. If your savings challenge needs saving, I'm here to help.
First things first: this is a no-shame zone. Not meeting your goal is not failure. The very act of setting a measurable goal is stupendous success in and of itself. Goals are measuring sticks, and if you find this one hard to meet, you now know enough to figure out if it's the goal or your effort that needs adjusting. This is just as important if hitting the goal is effortless -- maybe you're not saving enough!
Erin Lale
Fellow faculty at Harvard Divinity School posted an open letter to Wolpe in response to his article. It's available on this page, below the call for p...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. The Wild Hunt has a roundup of numerous responses on its site, but it carried this one as a separate article. It is an accoun...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. This one is by a scholar of paganism. It's unfortunately a Facebook post so this link goes to Facebook. She posted the text o...
Erin Lale
Here's another link to a pagan response to the Atlantic article. I would have included this one in my story too if I had seen it before I published it...
Janet Boyer
I love the idea of green burials! I first heard of Recompose right before it launched. I wish there were more here on the East Coast; that's how I'd l...