August 20, 2008
Yeah, they’re coming on strong. Already I feel my focus, time and energy being stretched in a half dozen different directions. Time to pull in and hunker down.
I have Anatomy & Physiology I, Survey of Algebra, and History of American Funeral Directing lined up this semester. It should prove fun.
If you don’t hear from me often, be patient. I’m riding the wave.
~Marianne
August 5, 2008
Has anyone heard/read about a Goddess named Marianne? The book I’m reading made mention of a Sea Goddess by that name but I’m having a hard time finding any info online about Her. I found her connected to a Goddess of Liberty venerated for centuries in France but that’s as close as I’m getting…
I did find this at http://www.birthvillage.com/meaning/Marianne though. Sound like me? 
People with this name tend to be filled with the joy of life. They are quite imaginative and enthusiastic. They may fear routine and might lack self-discipline. Professionally, they can be successful as a press secretary, planner, or small business promoter.
August 2, 2008
I’ve been on a quest for the past few years, actively working to strengthen my Spirituality and find my connection. You know, that thing which inspires, encourages, and stimulates the curiosity to spur you to learn more, read more, experience more… events of Life have a way of pushing you off course from time to time, in my personal Walk I found myself WAY off course and feeling unfulfilled because of that.
I love neat little synchronicities that you can sit back and reflect upon.
I have been saying for a while that I want to work on reconciling my past in the Christian Church with my present Faith and have been taking small steps over time to do so. We started attending a UUC near our home. I was anxious at first. I had not stepped foot in a church except to attend the occasional wedding or funeral in many, many years and was unsure of what to expect. What I found was a beautiful congregation of humanitarians and liberal minded people who were just happy to have a place where they could gather together to worship and honor the Divine in their own respective and individual ways. A place where I could hear Rumi set to music; hear the pastor read from the Bible, the Koran, or from Buddhist teachings; where I could shake hands with Christians, Pagans, and Atheists alike on any given Sunday. I was impressed and we decided to become members of the Church.
A few months ago my friend, Jack Montgomery, finished his book and sent me a copy. Through its pages I was introduced to the traditions of the hexenmeister and the Pennsylvania Dutch. I had been researching my family tree for some time up to this point and had just traced one branch back to Germany. That ancestor came to America in the 1700’s and the family lived in Pennsylvania for a few generations. I was very interested to learn of a magical Tradition that evolved from an era that I could connect to through my bloodline and perhaps connect with my German-American heritage in a way that is harmonious with my chosen Path. I read Strange Experience by Lee Gandee next and I’m very glad I did. I related so well to much of what he said in that book and I felt strangely connected to him. He made me laugh and cry and I found myself wishing I had been able to know him in Life… but I am grateful to have had the chance to know him through his writing if nothing else. A few days ago I finished reading a book called Hex and Spellwork: The Magical Practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch by Karl Herr, a hexenmeister that still lives and runs his practice out of his home in Pennsylvania. I have a decent list of books to purchase on the topic as well as peripheral topics that will keep me busy for a while. The tradition is very heavily steaped in Christian beliefs and I have (happily) found myself able to read and learn and get something out of these books without tripping over my emotional hang-ups about Christianity. That makes me very happy. I believe that to be a sign of healing.
A week ago on Sunday a man walked into the sanctuary of my church and opened fire on the congregation with a 12 gauge shotgun. He managed to get off three rounds before church members tackled him and took the gun away from him. He killed two and critically wounded six more. My family was not in attendance that morning. The next evening we set up Circle in our backyard as we often do and standing there in Sacred Space with three of the people I am closest to in this Life we chatted briefly about our fear and outrage at this happening. Before Circle was closed, inspired by something I cannot pinpoint, we all held hands and I led a prayer to the God and Goddess to comfort and heal the Congregation, the Community, and our own hearts and minds.
Since then I have found myself praying a few times. Some to specific deities, some to the Divine in general. It is comforting somehow to verbalize my thoughts, desires, fears to that Divine which I know is always with me.
So, I find myself conceding the fact that the Christians did get some things right after all.
Who knew? 
