Friday, December 21, 2012

Bri's Caldron 2 (Winter Solstice 2012)

Today's recipes are all wonderful winter drinks!

Mead
Spring Water
Organic Filtered Honey (I use my uncle's black honey)
Yeast (1 packet of fast rise is good enough for a gallon of wort)

You need a 7:1 water:honey ratio for proper fermentation with bread yeast. If you're using wine yeasts, you can make it stronger up to a 5:1 ratio. You need a fermentation lock too. I suggest buying one online or at a brew shop, but failing that; you can make your own.

 Here's how you do it:
Measure and boil your water, add the measured honey, and stir to dissolve. This mixture is called wort. Pour the wort into a sterile fermentation vessel. Food-safe ceramic and glass vessels are the best. Allow to cool and add yeast. Seal and add fermentation lock. Allow to ferment in a closet or under the counter where it won't be disturbed. It's done when it stops bubbling and all the yeast settles to the bottom. If you want it to be beer-like, pour mead into sterile 1 pint jars with a teaspoon or two of honey and seal it up. Wait 2 weeks to let the beer-mead age. Wine mead is ready after fermentation is complete. Can be served warm or cold. The sediments are quite gross, be careful to only pour off the golden elixir for drinking. The sediments can be added to the garden or orchard for better soil health.
 
Hippocras and Bochet

Hippocras is mead that has been spiced with cinnamon sticks and cardamon. You add it at the same time as you dissolve the honey, and remove it after the wort cools. Bochet is mead that is heated after fermentation with a bundle of spices in the pot. It's served warm in a mug. Don't serve warm mead in a horn or it will taste like glue.

Brianna's Famous Spiced Hot Chocolate
 Per cup:
8 oz scalded whole milk

1 tbs mix
whipped cream and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg for the top

Warm mugs by putting them into a pan of hot water. (you dry them off before pouring in the chocolate) Whisk scalded milk and mix together until frothy, ladle into warmed mugs, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Spiced Hot Chocolate Mix
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 cup fine sugar (put granulated in the blender if you can't find it)

Hot Nog
 1/2 gallon of apple cider

2 cinnamon sticks
4-6 cloves
3 allspice berries
4 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger 
2 cups whiskey


Bring the cider and spices to a boil  turn the burner down to warm. Add the whiskey right before your guests arrive. Stir it well 


Chai Masala
 Chai means "tea" in Hindi. Masala means "spice". Chai Masala is Spiced Tea. I kind of cringe when I hear Americans say "chai tea" because it's redundant. Here are 2 recipes, 1 is from India, and the other is my own spiced tea.

Bri's Yuletide Chai Masala
bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 dried orange peel, 1/2 stick of indonesian or mexican cinnamon, a drop of vanilla, 2 cloves, and 6 tea bags (orange pekoe from Sri Lanka is the best)*. Brew until a bit darker than golden, strain out spices and teabags but don't press the tea bags. Add 1/2 cup of raw sugar (you can change this to your liking). Pour into tea cups and give a little splash of half-and-half. 


Indian Chai Masala
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cardamon pod, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 1 pod of star anise, a slice of fresh ginger,and 6 tea bags of any black tea. Brew until dark, strain out spices and teabags but don't press the tea bags. Add 1/2 cup of raw sugar (you can change this to your liking). Pour into tea cups and give a little splash of half-and-half.

 Mocha Latte

 Make strong coffee. Heat milk until it begins to froth in the microwave. You gotta watch it or it will end up everywhere. Add coffee to a mug, stir in a tbs of hot cocoa mix (my spiced one works), and pour in the milk. The foam on top of the milk goes on top of the latte.

Wassail
 My Wassail is a 1:1 ratio of hard cider to virgin cider with no spices. This is oldschool.
Make the hard cider below, combine it 50/50 with a good cider with no additives of any kind (the same cider you used for the hard cider). You now have an old Saxon classic. Enjoy warm or chilled.

Hard Cider
 Buy a good cider with no additives of any kind. Boil it for 2 minutes. This is now a wort. Pour the wort into a sterile fermentation vessel. Food-safe ceramic and glass vessels are the best. Allow to cool and add yeast. Seal and add fermentation lock. Allow to ferment in a closet or under the counter where it won't be disturbed. It's done when it stops bubbling and all the yeast settles to the bottom. The sediments are quite gross, be careful to only pour off the golden elixir for drinking. The sediments can be added to the garden or orchard for better soil health.


Heating and Drinking Hot Sake: A Brief Tutorial
heat a small saucepan half-full of water, pour the sake or other alcoholic beverage into a ceramic tokkuri (it's a type of small Japanese decanter which can be heated in this manner). Place the tokkuri into the hot water. Put a chef's thermometer into the top of the tokkuri and heat until the sake is 140 degrees F. Remove the Tokkuri from the water and dry the outside. Serve immediately in small sake cups or fill shot glasses halfway.



* I'm kind of a tea aficionado. I collect a wide variety of single source teas. Sri Lanka produces orange pekoe tea of the highest quality. Though in this recipe, it doesn't really matter how much it cost, it matters more the location it was grown and the variety of the tea. The Chinese orange pekoe isn't nearly as good in my opinion. Though Huo Yuan Jia is rumored to have said that "No one tea is better than any other, but every man has their preference." I tend to agree.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Forgivness


I am a different person today than I was yesterday. I will be a different person tomorrow than I am today. You are a different person today than you were yesterday. You will be a different person tomorrow than you are today. Why is this so? People are constantly adapting to new conditions and ideas. We are always learning new things and coming to new conclusions. So, we should forgive the sins of yesterday, because the person that committed them isn't here anymore.

In the past; I've had a LOT of anger, hatred, and bitterness. I admit that I'm not perfect. In fact, I'm quite far from it. Recently, I've resolved myself to strive fora better me by adopting Guanshiyin / Kanzeon into my personal Pantheon.

Altar to Kanzeon, Goddess of Mercy and Compassion


This is my first indoor altar and my first statue of a Goddess... Kanzeon-sama. The mirror represents truth and sincerity, the magatama (comma-shaped bead in front of the mirror) represents benevolence. The rice, salt, tea leaves, sake, and incense are all offerings. The fan and suzu bells are ritual items used in kagura (sacred dance). The nusa (wand with paper streamers) is used to drive away negative essences in purification rituals. The sword on the left is a Yorishiro (item which attracts divine essences and can act as a place for them to rest). 

Wikipedia article on Kanzeon-sama 


Kanzeon-sama is a very powerful deity. I already feel a difference in my mood though I've just begun using her mantra and praying to her. I began doing this because I want to cultivate in myself, the qualities which she exhibits. I want to be at peace, hating no one, loving all, and to be free from bitterness, anger, and aggressiveness. 

Kanzeon's 8 sylable mantra (in Japanese): Namu Kanzeon botatsu.
The English translation is: Hail, Regard the World’s Cries, Bodhisattva.

Friday, November 23, 2012

A Witch and Two Miko, in Teacups

I just had to share this picture... IT'S SOOOO CUUUTE!!!! On the left is Kirisame Marisa (a witch), on the right is Hakurei Reimu (a Miko), and in the middle is Kochiya Sanae (Miko and descendent of a Kami). They're from the Touhou series of games by Team Shanghai Alice (Zun being the primary and sometimes only member of that Doujinshi circle). Due to the obsessive tendencies of Touhou fandom (We're called Touhoufags); there is now a massive Shared Universe of Touhou themed Media by thousands of artists, writers, and musicians. Zun might as well be an Arahitogami as far as the Touhoufags are concerned...

Thursday, November 22, 2012

The Christians and The Pagans....

So . . .  I went over to Mum's house for Thanksgiving . . .  And she didn't figure out that I was pagan when I failed to say "Amen" at the meal's grace. Good. I can save it for later. She and her husband are Evangelical Christians. They flipped out really bad when they found out I was Transgender. I don't want that event to repeat itself. They made a huge deal out of it and were saying I was an "idolator" and stuff just because I want a sex change. Brianna isn't my legal or birth name. It's what I go by. When I stayed the night, they had me sleep on a separate floor of their house so my queerness wouldn't infect anyone. Nevermind that I'm also Pansexual. That part went right over their heads. I'd rather them not know that I'm not Christian anymore. They'll find out eventually, but I'd like it to be in a few years rather than soon.


Bri's Cauldron I

Being an Eastern style Pagan, I only use my cauldron for cooking... So um. The sections entitled "Bri's Cauldron" will be cooking stuff... Here's a few things for Thanksgiving:

The Fire God's Green Beans

fry 1/4 lb chopped bacon until crisp, remove from oil, saute 3 cans of drained french-style green beans in the bacon grease, add 3 tbs shiracha chili paste and 2 tbs minced fresh garlic, saute until the beans are well blended and hot, serve with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds


Bri's Blackeyed Peas

cube and fry 1 cup lean ham in a little bacon grease until browned, add 2 lbs of frozen or fresh blackeyed peas, saute for 5 minutes on medium heat, add 2 cups of beef stock and simmer on low for an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with a little chili vinegar (recipe below)


Calcifer's Chili Vinegar
(Yes, I did just name a condiment after a fictional Fire Demon from Welsh literature...)

in a 8 oz bottle combine 3" (skinny) or 1" (thick) of lemon grass, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 pepper corns or 1/4 tsp green pepper (Sansho), a sprog of rosemary, 2 basil leaves, 20 or so each of Japones (aka Yatsufusa) peppers and d'Arbol peppers, add vinegar slowly so that it trickles down. when the bottle is full, put the lid on tightly and give it a thorough shaking and let rest until it's time to use it. The loger it sits, the better it gets. good on greens, beans, salads, seafood, fries, and roast pork. You can just top off the vinegar after each use for years of herbal vinegar awesomeness.





Last Year's Thanksgiving Dinner: Hot German Potato Salad, Tea Roll, The Fire God's Green Beans, and Roast' Turkey.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Origins of the Shinto Pantheon

I'd like to explain something about the Shinto Pantheon. There were 3 genderless Gods. One was the first and always existed. The other two came from the first. These two created the Earth. They also created the first male deity. From the first male deity, the first female was born. The Male was Izanagi no Mikoto, the Female was Izanami no Mikoto. Together, they created the first humans and the first Kami. Izanami died in childbirth when giving birth to the fire Kami. Izanagi killed the Fire Kami and went to the underworld (Yomi no Kuni) to retrieve his wife. However, she had rotted considerably and he was frightened away and closed the entry to the underworld with a large stone. She was hurt emotionally by this and cursed humans to die. Before then, we had been immortal. Izanagi then declared that for every 1000 that die, he will see that 1500 are birthed.

As Izanagi washed himself free of impurities from the underworld, the water and scrubbing also released 8 million Kami. The Sun Kami, Amaterasu Omikami came from his right eye. The Moon Kami, Tsukiyomi no Mikoto came from his left eye. The Kami of Storms, Susano'o no Mikoto came from his nose.

Thus, the vast myriads of divine essences came into being. The Kami from the body if Izanagi washed down the river into every part of the world... And more are created in the natural world and by human actions of propagation (Bunrei) all the time.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Cool Things and a Yule Mixtape

Alrighty, cool things first. 

I found out that I have clairsentience powers yesterday. Yeah, cool huh. That means I'm an Empath. It freaked me the crap out. It was like a gut feeling... I resonated with this lady and could feel her emotions. It was kinda crazy. I really shouldn't be surprised. I already have prophetic dreams and can see ghosts and talk to gods and spirits... but I've never read someone's mood on purpose before...  That was just so.... Incredible. 

Yule Mixtape

My great-grandparents were the last in my family to celebrate Yule, but I'm gonna restart the tradition. We're planning a yuletide dinner of German Pork Stew with seared pork, crispy bacon, potatoes, onions, cream, turmeric, and garlic... Also gonna have homemade mead, English Ale, cheese, homemade bread, and probably my garlicky pickles (cucumbers, salt, and garlic in the fridge in a baggy overnight). Probably with Apple pie or cobbler for dessert.

So, I was thinking I'd make a Mixtape (on CD though) for Yule with a bunch of awesome Western Pagan music...


...and you can see where this is going...

There's something so awesome I have to put it in though. The Dragonborn Comes from Skyrm... Yeah. 



but there's another version I've considered...


either way, it's gonna be awesome...

Monday, November 19, 2012

Poetry in the Morning~


 A Tree Song
by Sir Rudyard Kipling

OF all the trees that grow so fair,
Old England to adorn,
Greater are none beneath the Sun,
Than Oak, and Ash, and Thorn.
Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs,
(All of a Midsummer morn!)
Surely we sing no little thing,
In Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

Oak of the Clay lived many a day,
Or ever AEneas began.
Ash of the Loam was a lady at home,
When Brut was an outlaw man.
Thorn of the Down saw New Troy Town
(From which was London born);
Witness hereby the ancientry
Of Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

Yew that is old in churchyard-mould,
He breedeth a mighty bow.
Alder for shoes do wise men choose,
And beech for cups also.
But when ye have killed, and your bowl is spilled,
And your shoes are clean outworn,
Back ye must speed for all that ye need,
To Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

Ellum she hateth mankind, and waiteth
Till every gust be laid,
To drop a limb on the head of him
That anyway trusts her shade:
But whether a lad be sober or sad,
Or mellow with ale from the horn,
He will take no wrong when he lieth along
'Neath Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!

Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight,
Or he would call it a sin;
But - we have been out in the woods all night,
A-conjuring Summer in!
And we bring you news by word of mouth

Good news for cattle and corn-
Now is the Sun come up from the South,
With Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!
Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs
(All of a Midsummer morn):
England shall bide ti11 Judgment Tide,
By Oak, and Ash, and Thorn!



Return of the Sun
by Brianna Lynne

She hid in the cave.
In Hiding from her brother,
The World grew dark.

There was fear at first.
Jewels, Mirror, on a tree,
Dancing and Laughter,

Interest Piqued,
The Kami came from the cave,
The Jewels sparkled.

Mirror gleaming bright,
And she saw her reflection,
Solar Radiance.

The cave was sealed.
Storm's deed had put her away,
but now she shined.

Returned into the sky;
Amaterasu-sama.
======
This poem is about Amaterasu Omikami,, but it's dedicated to two Kami. Amaterasu Omikami, and Ama no Uzume no Mikoto, whose cleaver idea and improvisation resulted in the dawn we enjoy each morning. Although the Latter Kami is not mentioned by name in the poem, she is the one who hung the jewels and mirror and then danced the first Kagura. This interested the Sun Kami and enticed her to come out of hiding.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

On mornings like this, when I' up early... or late as it were... As Amaterasu Omikami comes from the East and brings light to the world... I bow twice at the waist at a nearly 90 degree angle clap twice, holding my hands together on the last one, I bow a third time and thank the Sun goddess for her warmth and light in my life. Often with a tear of joy, I return to my morning business feeling refreshed and content.

Here's why We have a Sun Kami(Femmale) and a Moon Kami(Male) in Shinto: "Formerly it was the female luminary that came out at night. But she was so greatly shocked at the immoralities which she saw going on out of doors among the grass, that she exchanged with the male luminary, who, being a man, did not care so much. So now the sun is a female deity, and the moon is a male deity. But surely the sun must be often shocked at what she sees going on even in the daytime, when the young people are in the open among the grass."—Written down from memory by Basil Hall Chamberlain. Told by Ishanashte (an Ainu), November, 1886.

*sigh of contentment*

Alright, back to business: The best way to encrypt written data (Like your Magick journal or a Grimoire for example) is to write it in a language or script you've created... My Grimoire is written in 3 different scripts and several languages to guard it from misuse by the uninitiated and to protect me from people who might hurt me if they knew I was pagan...

This is an excellent example of how you can encrypt data that's written: http://www.frathwiki.com/Altherkin_Itak

 I've made my own too. Here's a sample of one of my seriously cryptic writing:

A zodiac and a few personality quizzes just for fun...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdminAngelsnSpirits/doc/10151029744162730/

W007! I'm an Otter. LOL It's actually a pretty good assessment of my personality.


Otter: Jan 20 - Feb 18A little quirky, and unorthodox, the Otter is a hard one to figure sometimes. Perceived as unconventional, the Otter methods aren't the first ones chosen to get the job done. This is a big mistake on the part of others – because although unconventional, the Otter's methods are usually quite effective. Yes, the Otter has unusual way of looking at things, but he/she is equipped with a brilliant imagination and intelligence, allowing him/her an edge over every one else. Often very perceptive and intuitive, the Otter makes a very good friend, and can be very attentive. In a nurturing environment the Otter is sensitive, sympathetic, courageous, and honest. Left to his/her own devices, the Otter can be unscrupulous, lewd, rebellious, and isolated.


Here's another one...

You Are Banana Nut Pancakes
You prefer complex and interesting foods.
You shy away from anything that's ordinary or tired.

It's not likely that someone would find white sandwich bread or boxed mac n' cheese in your kitchen.
Instead, someone might find an original recipe of yours cooking up - or some interesting ethnic food.
Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!


(I'll have to share my curry macaroni and cheese recipe some time... ) 


You Are Dumplings
You are cute, polite, and considerate. You are well known for your generosity, and you truly love to share.
You have a real style and presence about you. You know how to take the simplest thing and make it look chic.

You tend to order carefully and conservatively off the menu of life. Simplicity is your motto, and you don't like to take on too much at once.
You are the type of person who does one thing at a time, really immersing yourself in the moment. You detest multitasking.
Your Ideal Weather is Heavy Rain
You don't mind being around others, but you prefer to spend the bulk of your time by yourself.
You don't mind spending a little more to indulge your cravings. You like to pamper yourself.

You like to think everything through throughly and carefully. You don't make snap decisions.
You don't dislike alone time... in fact, you savor it. You grow and learn the most when you're by yourself.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Some Awesome Quotes

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions simply because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." ~Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

"The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter — it is the Art of Peace, the power of love." ~ Ueshiba Morihei

"Having no destination, I am never lost." ~Ikkyuu Soujun


"The Dark Lord does not share power..." ~Gandalf the Grey speaking to Saruman the Confused 
 
"The nature of the universe could be described as indescribable. It's one thing to see it, one thing to say it, one thing to believe in it; but another thing entirely to understand the oneness of all. It is even more difficult to live by the principle. The elimination of strife is of first importance." ~ Brianna Lynne

"You have noticed that everything the Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves." ~ Black Elk

"Studying texts and stiff meditation can make you lose your Original Mind. A solitary tune by a fisherman, though, can be an invaluable treasure." ~Ikkyuu Soujun
 
"We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world." ~Buddha
 
“When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know, the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.” ~Robert A. Heinlein

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." ~Lao Tzu

"You can't blame gravity for falling in love." ~ Albert Einstein

"The scope of some people is a circle with a radius of zero - and that's what they call their point of view" ~ Albert Einstein

"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O  Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.'
And he granted it." - Voltaire


"Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary." ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Satyagraha Leaflet No. 13 (3rd of May, 1919)

"It is beyond my power to induce in you a belief in God. There are certain things which are self proved and certain which are not proved at all. The existence of God is like a geometrical axiom. It may be beyond our heart grasp. I shall not talk of an intellectual grasp. Intellectual attempts are more or less failures, as a rational explanation cannot give you the faith in a living God. For it is a thing beyond the grasp of reason. It transcends reason. There are numerous phenomena from which you can reason out the existence of God, but I shall not insult your intelligence by offering you a rational explanation of that type. I would have you brush aside all rational explanations and begin with a simple childlike faith in God. If I exist, God exists. With me it is a necessity of my being as it is with millions. They may not be able to talk about it, but from their life you can see that it is a part of their life. I am only asking you to restore the belief that has been undermined. In order to do so, you have to unlearn a lot of literature that dazzles your intelligence and throws you off your feet. Start with the faith which is also a token of humility and an admission that we know nothing, that we are less than atoms in this universe. We are less than atoms, I say, because the atom obeys the law of its being, whereas we in the insolence of our ignorance deny the law of nature. But I have no argument to address to those who have no faith." ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,Young India (24 September 1931)

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi




Wards for the Home (1Christian, 2 Shinto)

Wards for protecting spaces from malicious influences seem to be among the most prolific sort of Magick. So I'll start by explaining a few kinds that I know of.

First is a Folk Christian ward to keep demons out of the home. I learned it as a child from an exorcist. (Mom wanted me to be one.)
The ward is simple. After long prayer and meditation, the person making the ward allows the holy spirit to enter into their body in a similar manner to a spirit medium. When they feel the power rising from the belly, they write "YHWH" in Hebrew on the lintel and posts of the doors of the house, or else anoint the doors with olive oil in the shape of a cross. My mother used to do this a lot.

In Okinawa, there is a practice of sacrificing a young bull in the spring and draining its blood. The blood is spread on the lintel and posts of the doors and windows of the home, as well as the corners of the house on the outside. Sakaki or other evergreen branches are used to spread the blood like a paintbrush. The entrails are hung from the village gates and the meat is cooked and eaten before midnight. It's supposed to keep the gods' wrath at bay and exclude evil forces from the village. (Not dissimilar to the Jewish festival of Pesah.)

In Shinto, there are Shimenawa and Torii. The Shimenawa is a sacred rope festooned with zig-zag paper streamers. They surround sacred spaces and objects that attract divinity to prevent impure essences from entering the space or sitting on the object. Torii is a gateway to separate sacred from mundane spaces. In the home, it works a little differently; There is a talisman made of paper or wood and inscribed with a blessing or protector deity and stamped with the seal of the Shinto Shrine that made it. It's called a "Gofu". The Gofu is not dissimilar from the Jewish Mezuzah.

The Nature of the Human Perception of Divinity

Religion is an expression of faith, not the faith itself. By religion, I mean the rituals, observances, prayers, hymns, etc... But your faith isn't something that can be quantified or described by your religion. Religion is merely the symbolic expression of faith. Religion is probably inconsequential in the grand scheme, but faith is everything.
I don't mean faith as it is commonly defined; not faith in something. That's the same as a belief. I'm talking about an intangible and undescribable feeling of contact with or perception of the divine. The enlightenment of Buddhists is one way to describe it, but I feel that any description of the feeling is inadequate.
 That's why we have religions. Others have felt this same thing, and failing to describe it, have created religions to express their experience. I'm working on a unified theory of the essence of faith... Basically, I'm showing that all religions are trying to express the same thing through the eyes and experiences of many different people. Ultimately, I don't think there are right and wrong religions as long as they exert a positive influence...
That some happen to best be able to describe their own faith using a pagan belief system is no different than the christian who tries to express the same thing using the teachings of the Bible. They felt something very much the same, but are describing this thing differently. Native Americans call it "The Great Mystery". Shintoists call it "Kami" (Divine Essence). It is the Indescribable Tao, the Buddha Nature, the Great I AM, the very life-force that permeates the entirety of creation.
We are all a part of it, and we all worship it. It is a part of us and we came from it. Our own spirits have the same nature. We cannot comprehend it, so we create religions in a futile attempt to communicate our own experiences to ourselves, others, and this mysterious force itself. What all of us seek to achieve is understanding. We want to know this force. Ultimately, our wish is fulfilled, for when our bodies die, we return to the great life force from whence we came. This is Nirvana, Heaven, and the nature of existence. 

Inaw

Inaw/Inau, important ritual items of the Ainu faith which perform a similar function to the Onusa/Nusa in Japanese Shinto. These are thought to be the predecessors of the Nusa. With spirally folded paper standing in for the curled wood shavings. Both items are used like Bessoms in western Pagan traditions, to sweep away the negative energies or essences... except that the Eastern variants are waved in the air rather than actually swept against the floor or an altar...
A few things about me...


This blog is just my space to muse about Philosophy, Religion, or whatever. I'm also into Cooking and Art, so that stuff will show up periodically.

Philosophically speaking, I detest human authority. I see myself to be politically, an Anarcho-PLURalist... both in the sense that PLUR is Peace, Love Unity, Respect; and in that I think there is more than one way to skin the coercion cat. (I actually like cats, btw. This is just a figure of speech.)

As for Religion, I'm a shaman. The Shinto/Ainu/Native American/Druid/Germanic Pantheon meets Buddha type of Shaman. I know, that's quite a mix. If it's any comfort though, I'm mostly of the Shinto/Ainu/Native American beliefs, but I see Njord of the Vanir as a personal protector deity and (according to our genealogy) he's an ancestor from approx 1400 years ago. I have a Ko-Shinto base and see noting wrong with mixing different traditions. (I will say though that incantations and prayers should be used in their original language to preserve the magick inherent in the words themselves.)

Let's get one thing straight.... I'm not. I'm transgender and attracted to the sex that matches my gender identity. If you're pagan too, this shouldn't be a problem.

If you're Catholic, Christian, Muslim, Jehovah's witness, or Morman; I'm okay with that until you try to convert me. You're better off not even trying. I'll happily discuss many things with you, just don't tell me I'm going to receive eternal punishment for not being your kind of religious. I gave monotheism a solid try for years. I'm NOT interested.