Greetings to all Full Circle friends and members,
In this January edition of our newsletter we have:
Happy New Year 2005
Here we are, halfway through the first decade of a new millennium! (Yikes! Shocking, isn’t it?) We’ve had so much heartbreak in these past five years: 9/11, two contentious elections at home and one abroad, at least two wars, genocide in Africa, and now a devastating loss of life in the Indian Ocean.
May this new year bring us clarity and direction as well as compassion and connection, so that we can spend the rest of the decade making life better for all of us, everywhere.
Those of us who are dry and safe had good reason lately to add to our gratitude list and hug our loved ones. If you would like to help those in need in Asia consider contributing to one of the agencies helping with TSUNAMI RELIEF for both adults and children. Animal lovers might care to contribute to the United Animal Nations fund or to a new food drive set up to help feed the bomb sniffing dogs in Iraq.
SnakeMoon, Sia & staff
In our continuing efforts to share the fun and opportunities that come as happy by-products to the creation of this newsletter, we’re looking for a part time Editor-in-Chief to share the job with me, SnakeMoon. I’m in the midst of writing a book with a co-worker, and this year that project seems likely to demand a lot of my writing energy.
Currently, this newsletter is read by over 1,200 FCE members who live all over the U.S. and abroad.
I’d like to find someone who:
· is familiar with the FCE newsletter
· has writing and editing experience
· can meet deadlines
· can replicate our tone and style (while making unique contributions)
· can support our contributing writers in producing consistent content
· is available to dedicate a few hours at least every other month (usually in the 3rd week) to this project
· is not offended when her/his work is edited
Could this be you? Send a resume and writing samples to: Snakemoon at snakemoon@comcast.net
Books, Movies, Television, and Popular Culture
On the Pagan Bookshelf:
Owl Moon by Jane Yolan. This story, from the winner of the Caldecott Medal in 1988 for children’s books, follows a girl and her father as they go owling on a moonlit winter night near the farm where they live. In harmony with the art, the melodious text brings to life an unusual countryside adventure.
The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life by Deborah Lipp asks “What is the dominant element in your life—Earth, Air, Fire or Water?” It matters, says Wiccan high priestess Lipp, because the dominant element has ramifications for work, love and other aspects of daily life. Lipp explores the meaning of the elements and offers easy-to-do quizzes, exercises, and rituals to determine your dominant element and create the elemental balance needed for self-actualization.
How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperouslyby Jerrold Mundis. Millions of consumers are trapped in a spiral of debt, but there is hope. If you want to free yourself from the shackles of debt, this book is for you.
Creating True Prosperity by Shakti Gawain. True prosperity is not something we create overnight. In fact, it is not a fixed goal, but an ongoing process of finding fulfillment that continues to unfold and deepen throughout our lives. You can read a detailed article on this subject at InnerSelf.
The Energy of Moneyby Maria Nemeth, Ph.D.
This book outlines a unique approach to one of the most dominant yet forbidden topics in modern society: money, and how we deal with it. Quoting relevant wisdom espoused by those ranging from Joseph Campbell and Ram Dass to Mark Twain and Dorothy Parker, Nemeth sets out "12 principles for personal fulfillment" designed to help readers "uncover the hidden landscape of beliefs, behavior patterns, and habits that underlie and sometimes subvert how we use money and other forms of energy.” The result is a refreshing, useful, and surprisingly accessible mixture of universal financial advice and the much rarer--but no less important--ethereal side of fiscal self-management.
The Receiving: Reclaiming Jewish Women's Wisdom by Tirzah Firestone tells the stories of seven remarkable, but almost unknown, Jewish women. Firestone, a rabbi and psychotherapist, chose the women based on their abilities to bring life into balance, unite opposites, and achieve wholeness.
Lord of the Rings:In various stages over a period of three years, Jackson, Walsh, and co-writer Philippa Boyens adapted what has been called the Book of the Century, and it is difficult to imagine a more difficult screenwriting prospect. What can you learn from The Lord of the Rings which can be applied to the scripts which you may be writing?
By the way, the incredible level of popular support for the films has spawned a documentary called Ringers: Lord of the Fans about LOTR fandom.
Thanks in large part to Jackson and his furry-toed hobbits, New Zealand has become the tourism world's darling. No place exudes the optimism and enchantment of the moment more than Wellington, the formerly frumpy capital at the bottom of the North Island.
Earthsea: Speaking of adaptations, Ursula K. Le Guin is less than happy about the recent television miniseries based on her Earthsea trilogy.
SciFi Museum: at long last, a museum where you can explore and experience your favorite genre, science fiction: the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle.
Use Your Brain: Scientists have come up with yet more evidence to suggest that keeping the brain active can ward off senile dementia. Researchers in the United States have found that dancing, playing musical instruments, reading, and playing board games can all reduce the risks of developing the condition. Further findings from Canada suggest that those who were fluent in two languages were more mentally sharp than those with just one language.
Watch Me, Mommy! Scientists have uncovered clues about how the brain learns from watching the actions of others. A University College London research team asked ballet dancers and experts in capoeira—a Brazilian martial art—to watch videos of ballet and capoeira movements while their brain activity was measured in an MRI scanner.
Fit as a Fiddle: Trying to lose weight? According to an article in Good Housekeeping, keeping a journal might help.
Tai Chi: Doctors in the United States analyzed 47 studies looking at the impact Tai Chi had on people with chronic health problems like heart disease or MS. They found that it could improve balance control, flexibility, and even the health of their heart.
What a Jerk! Genetic factors may play a major role in sleep disorders such as severe snoring and involuntary leg jerking.
Speaking of involuntary movements, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may have had Tourettes Syndrome.
Furry, Finny, and Feathered Folk
Horses in the Wild: Surreptitiously, over the Thanksgiving holiday, a rider (#142) to the omnibus federal Appropriation Bill introduced by Senator Mark Burns of Montana dismantles the protections of the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act and will allow for thousands of wild horses to be shipped to slaughter. If you’re saddened to this, contact Karen A. Sussman at 605-964-6866 or 605-365-6991, or support the American Wild Horse Sanctuary run by Neda DeMayo.
… and on Canvas: In an unusual bid to bridge the gap between countries and continents, the Hungarian Cultural Centre in New Delhi has brought the works of two artists who have chosen horses as their subject.
Name That Tune: Sparrows can piece together a complete song by only hearing parts of it, scientists have found. The findings could help researchers establish how memory works in humans, especially in relation to how we learn languages. Scientists are also learning that birds are capable of recognizing warning calls from other species. According to scientists at
University of St Andrews, certain species are able to tell one warning call from another, ignoring those which do not concern them.
Talk to Me: Diana monkeys possess a complex vocal tract whose shape can articulate sophisticated sounds, just as humans do. This study may shed light on how and when human speech evolved.
Cloud Rats: The first ever Panay cloud rat bred outside the Philippines has been produced at the UK's London Zoo. Scientists say it is an important step for the endangered squirrel-like animal that was discovered in the late 1980s.
Tracking Tiger Cubs:Tiny endangered tiger cubs from Siberia have been kitted out with radio collars so that scientists can track them.
Cats in the Hermitage: Cats have been part of the Hermitage’s security system since its founding days. Today's crew of felines are barred from the exhibit halls lest they leap onto a canvas or display pedestal—but, Vaska, the oldest of the cats, has figured out how to sneak in.
Humans Help Animals in So Many Ways:
The Rescue Facts Emergency Information Pack provides a method of communicating crucial information to EMS in the event that you are unable to, and now they have a strap for your pet.
In southwest Florida, rescue workers assisted some of the storm's forgotten victims, including a large and grumpy lizard.
The San Jose Animal Care Center has recently opened; it’s a state of the art shelter. Go visit or look for a new pet on-line.
In October, Japanese ornamental fish fanciers airlifted 450 koi carp from breeding grounds damaged by an earthquake in Niigata prefecture.
Madagascar has moved to protect its priceless wildlife (three-quarters of the estimated 200,000 plant and animal species are found nowhere else) and has identified the additional forests and wetlands that will more than triple the area of nature reserves from 1.7 million hectares to 6 million by 2008.
. . . and Are Helped in Return:
Love on a Leash offers “Pet-provided therapy” to people in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, memory-care facilities, schools, and hospitals.
The condition of many animals serves as a form of “Canary in the gold mine” warning for the environment. Changes in crab urine and in snails' sex hormones are helping UK scientists to monitor the health of the environment.
Green-ness is next to Godliness: Religion can be used to mobilize people to protect the environment because spirituality is closely linked to nature, members of a panel on faith-based conservation said last week. Some "earth-keeping churches" in Africa hold services outdoors and baptize their members in running rivers, to strengthen their respect for the environment, said Solomon Zvanaka, director of the Zimbabwean Institute of Religious Research and Ecological Conservation.
To celebrate all those resolutions we made for 2005 and to honor the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection, Full Circle is offering a variety of healthy, real world support to our members.
First: Get Inspired & Start Moving!
Full Circle has partnered with the America On The Move Program To encourage us all to move more in 2005.
The America On The Move Program is designed to help you develop a healthier, more energetic lifestyle by making 2 minor changes: moving 2000 more steps and eating 100 fewer calories each day. You can log your activity (via steps or by noting exercise, like gardening or walking the dog), track your progress, learn from news and informative articles, and find healthy recipes.
This website also lets you virtually “walk” a famous American trail using a pedometer to count your daily steps along the route. I am currently walking the Appalachian Trial and friend of mine is traveling in the shoes of Lewis and Clark. It’s fun and it’s easy to do, especially if you have a friend or a partner doing it too.
Full Circle is now listed as Civic Group in the American On The Move Program. This program is free and available to all. You can visit the website and take a tour before you decide if you want to join.
Once you are a member you can use the Pace Setters page to see how others at Full Circle are doing. We hope that this will further inspire you to get on the move. You can also use the Match Mates page to email friends with encouragement.
The Full Circle Registration Code is: RFU18067
To join, complete the following instructions:
1. Go to www.americaonthemove.org
2. Click “Join now”
3. Select “individual” registration
4. Use the Full Circle registration code: RFU18067
5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete your registration.
You can use your real name or a Craft name if you prefer and you do not have to give out your phone number or address. Also, you do not have to identify as a Pagan to join this group. We’ve signed on as a Civic Group and all are welcome.
Second: Find Some Hiking & Walking Clubs:
We also suggest that you visit Meet Up and arrange to host and/or join some Walking Clubs in your area. All sorts of other clubs are listed here, including Pagan ones. Do a keyword search and see what’s out there.
Third: Track Your Food Intake (with notes on Calories and Nutrition) and Your Daily Exercise On-line (for free!) & Learn How These Can Affect Your Health, Brain function & Moods:
We recommend that our members visit Dr. Weil’s website for information on healthy eating, vitamins, alternative health care information, and inspiration.
You might also want to check out FitDay and sign up for your free web account and join the growing number of FitDay members who are tracking their foods, exercises, weight loss, and goals online. FitDay provides you with the feedback and analysis you need to stay on track towards your diet and fitness goals.
Becoming conscious of what we eat and how it affects our health and our moods is half the battle, and we think that these sites can help. I get the daily newsletter from Dr. Weil, and I’ve found that it helps me keep motivated to eat right and reduce my level of daily stress.
Fourth: Deal with Stress and Other Life Issues that Might Keep You Stuck In Place:
Everyone has issues. These can include:
* Issues in relationships * fighting fair & dealing with anger * addictions * issues around food and spending * a need for empowerment * a desire for better, stronger boundaries * dealing with fear * job loss * stress and time management * feeling grief and letting go * depression * overcoming betrayal or rejections * codependency * a dysfunctional family history * problems at work * forgiving ourselves and others * issues of self esteem
If your issues keep you stuck in place, you might want to visit the Spiral Steps Support Groups website. These meetings are for people in the Earthwise Community, in particular, but all are welcome.
If you think that an Earthwise Support Group might be right for you, please contact these folks at info@spiralsteps.org and see if there is a meeting in your area. If not, they can help you start one.
Lastly: Money is Energy. Learn How To Use It:
If you are dealing specifically with debt, spending, and money issues (and after the holidays, who isn’t?) you might want to check out some of the books mentioned in our Pagan Bookshelf (see section titled “Dreamtime”).
Isn’t it about time that each of us took as good care of ourselves as we do of other people? Choosing a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to be a huge, stressful endeavor. We can make small changes over time that will have a huge impact on our health and prosperity in the long haul. So why not honor yourself this year? Find a way to take good care of yourself every day, and then commit to that. “Calendar” yourself for a change?! Websites like those listed above can help you do that.
Here’s to a healthy, happy, prosperous year ahead,
Sia
Please note: FCE does not receive any gain (monetary or otherwise) from using or featuring these websites. We provide this information to our members as part of our public education mandate.
Radical Librarian: Jessmyn West is a 36-year-old librarian living in central Vermont. Not your stereotypical bespectacled research maven toiling behind a reference desk, she's a "radical librarian" who has embraced the hacker credo that "information wants to be free." As a result, West and many of her colleagues are on the front lines in battling the USA Patriot Act.
Who are the San Diego Pagans? Find out by visiting their website and learn more about this community group that subscribes to a variety of traditions.
History’s Heroes: As the BBC notes: It does not detract from the relief operation in Asia to question the title almost routinely given to it as the "world's largest relief operation ever". In fact, the huge American undertakings that fed millions of people during and after the World War I rescued not sections of populations but whole peoples and are largely forgotten today.
Women on the Verge: A new art exhibit at Stanford explores how women were perceived and portrayed in the 19th century, and how certain types of representations were linked to a national preoccupation with nervous illness.
Midwife for the Soul: Terra Wise offers workshops on (among other topics) women dealing with Womb Loss from miscarriage, abortion, infertility, or early menopause.
Know Who Your Friends Are: Sia recently wrote a plea (OK,
it’s really a demand) for tolerance on both sides of the aisle. This article, titled The
Christians and the Pagans, appeared in the Yule Edition of The Witches’ Voice. The title comes from the Dar William’s song
of the same name. Sia has since
received emails from Pagan-friendly Christians and Christian-friendly
Pagans. Both sides say that they are
often appalled by what is said and done in the name of their religion, belief
system, or path by those who talk the talk, but do not walk the walk.
We have hundreds of events listed on our California Community Calendar.
Here is just a handful:
· Fungus Tour
· Pendulum workshop
· Painting from the Wild Heart Weekend
· Film Noir Festival
· Firewalk
· Concert Tribute to Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
· Collage workshop
· The Mendocino Crab and Wine Festival
· The Napa Mustard Festival
· Snow Goose Festival
· Lots of Brigit and Lunar New Year celebrations
· Evening with Starhawk
· Introductory course in Bach Flower remedies
There are lots more, and new events are added every day. Click on the Full Circle California Community Calendar to access the list. If you want your event listed, please go to our calendar page and click on the link that says “Submit Event.” The on-line form is simple and very easy to use. Questions? Please contact our Networking Coordinator ScoutGhost at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.
The dust has settled on the November elections, yet many of us are still reeling with the knowledge—no longer theoretical—that this country is very polarized. Those in the blue states (and “blue souls” in red states) must contend with the uncomfortable realization that many of our fellow citizens have a very different vision of our country, its future, and a strikingly different set of values from our own. While we contemplate this, the red staters among us may be asking, “What’s all the whining about?”
I recently came back from a visit with red-state relatives and noticed differences in television advertising, news coverage, and (of course) personal interaction. My mother, for example, gave me a really lovely calendar … filled with Biblical scripture. Mind you, they’re aware that I’m a Pagan. Goddess knows, they have a few fairly non-traditional beliefs themselves (for example, reincarnation, and karma have long been a part of my family’s spiritual philosophy), but like many people who self-identify as Christians, they just assume that I embrace their larger religious culture. While this presumption is understandable, since many of us on what may be termed “alternative paths” such as Paganism, Buddhism, etc. were actually raised as Christians or Jews, it can be annoying. More importantly, many in the more traditional spiritual paths know little (if anything) about the beliefs and practices of the rest of us, though they occasionally air some very unfortunate assumptions that require a bit of refutation:
Actually, most of us don’t practice animal—or human—sacrifice …
Uh, no, we don’t all think we’re vampires or werewolves …
Hum, well, most Pagans don’t hate Jesus and many actually honor him (and his mother) as manifestations of the Divine …
Well, yes, some Pagans do include nudity in their rituals, but group marriage isn’t really a requirement …
Now more than ever, education is needed. In a climate of intolerance, it can be quite scary to stand outside what is held to be “normal,” but we must consider how to diffuse the misconceptions and replace them with reality. We must learn how to open up discussion about what non-Christians do believe and feel, and we must discover a way across the chasm between red and blue spirits to find, if not a common ground, then at least the ability to respect our separate grounds.
One way to accomplish this is what I call “out and about.” Shortly after the election, the Witches’ Voice published an article by Heidi Gleber titled Fighting the Good Fight: Living as a Pagan Activist … Every Day. In it, she describes the challenges she faced organizing a Pagan Pride Day parade, but she also talks about the need for Pagans to publicly model Pagan values, to embody our beliefs in a casual, day-to-day way that allows others around us to experience and appreciate those values.
To me, this seems to be a good job for the Ordinary Pagans among us. In July of last year, I wrote about OPs—those of us that didn’t fit the Hollywood clichés (witches wear black, Buddhists wear orange, Hindus wear bindis …). OPs look like the person-next-door, and that very “ordinariness” is a great natural camouflage that allows us to slip past fears and misinformation to a place where real exchange can happen. Many people are more open to something new if it’s surrounded by familiar, un-intimidating packaging. (The proverbial “spoonful of sugar …”)
Now, what do I mean by being “out?” Well, I’m not suggesting that you stand up in the middle of Safeway and shout, “I’m a witch and if you don’t like it, bite me!” (Though that could be interesting to watch …) I’m looking for something subtler here …
“Hey, what’d you do this weekend?”
“Oh, we got together with some friends and celebrated the solstice. We do it every year—it’s a way some of us keep connected with the natural cycle of life …”
—Or—
“What’s that pendant supposed to be?”
“Oh this? This is the ‘Little Goddess of the Serpents’ from Crete. Her snakes are a symbol of transformation and rebirth.”
—Or—
“What church do you go to?” (Trust me, there are places where this is a very common question.)
“Actually, my spiritual community meets outdoors when possible, so we can experience the beauty and sacredness of nature.”
You get the idea. Honor your spiritual practices with the gift of integrity. Without being pushy or demanding, and without offering more information than is needed (less is always more, people!), be straightforward about your personal path. Don’t try to convert anyone, don’t force them to listen to a college level course on Wicca, and remember that you’re not being asked to teach them meditation or Sufi dancing or soul retrieval. Just be yourself—a parent, a child, a partner, a colleague, an employee, an employer, a patient, a person in the checkout line, a neighbor, a professional—and in the process, be an ambassador for all of us. As Heidi says in her article:
“And what is the benefit of this? It is simply that the people you interact with will come away with a new perception of what a Pagan is. Suddenly a Pagan is neither mysterious nor frightening. Suddenly a Pagan is the "cookie mom" for the Girl Scout troop. Suddenly a Witch is the man that they have worked with in the same office for years. Now, suddenly, Paganism has a face and it is a face that they know, trust, and respect.”
There will be benefits to you as well. You may find unexpected pockets of tolerance, surprising support, and a lot of plain, garden-variety curiosity. You may also find like-minded individuals in the most unlikely places. Years ago, when I lived in a very conservative area of Southern California, I had an unmistakably Pagan bumper sticker on my car. While driving around one day, I noticed I was being followed by a cop, and fretted over whether my tails lights were out and I was about to get ticketed for it. Eventually, he swung around me into the adjacent lane. At the next stoplight, we sat parallel to one another, waiting for the light to turn, our windows down. He leaned across his seat, smiled, and said “Like your bumper sticker.” I smiled back and we exchanged a moment of recognition before the light changed.
Blessed be, Officer.
FCE Newsletter Staff:
SnakeMoon is the Editor-in-Chief of the Full Circle Newsletter. She can be reached for comment at snakemoon@comcast.net.
Sia is the Publisher of the Full Circle Newsletter and the Council Leader for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at info@fullcircleevents.org.
Arianna G. is our Copyeditor. Thank you, Arianna!
Once again we enjoyed the assistance of contributing writers Arianna G and Juliaki. Thank you!
ScoutGhost is the Networking Coordinator for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.