Archive for May, 2012

Newer Entries »

News & Submissions 5/10/2012

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Arts & Entertainment:

‘With this broom, I thee wed’: offbeat family inspires play
‘I now pronounce you wife and wife.”

Canadian singer-songwriter David Hein, 36, heard those words about 18 years ago when his divorced mom married her lesbian partner. At the time, same-sex marriage wasn’t legal, but the pair have since made it official.

Hein’s mom came out as a lesbian when he was a teenager. Around the same time, she recommitted to her Jewish faith. Her bride, though, was a Wiccan — a modern-day pagan.

So the non-traditional ceremony in the musical romantic comedy My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is straight from life, says Hein. He co-wrote the warm-hearted show with his wife, Irene Sankoff, to salute his offbeat family and celebrate the idea that love knows no gender or religion.

“There were Jewish elements of the wedding, and Wiccan elements,” he says. “They stood under a chuppah and they smashed a glass, but they also had their hands bound… and jumped over a broom and a cauldron of water.” Read full story from winnipegfreepress.com

News:

More ways social issues and religion will shape 2012 election (besides same-sex marriage)

(CNN) – Everyone knows the 2012 presidential race is about jobs and the economy. As likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney said a couple weeks ago: “It’s still about the economy, and we’re not stupid.”

But have you noticed how the culture wars keep intruding into this it’s-all-about-the-economy election?

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama voiced personal support for same-sex marriage, launching a new wave of national debate around the issue. A day earlier, North Carolinians voted to amend their constitution to ban gay marriage and other legal arrangements for gay couples.

It’s a one-two punch of reminders that social issues with deep religious reverberations still matter. Read full story from cnn.com

Legalizing gay marriage is good for public health, studies show
President Obama said Wednesday that he now supports gay marriage. In an interview with Robin Roberts of ABC News, he explained that for him, it’s an issue of fairness: “It’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.”

But studies show there’s another reason to favor gay marriage – it’s good for public health.

A study published in February by the American Journal of Public Health found that gay men in Massachusetts were in better physical and mental health after that state became the first to recognize same-sex marriage in 2003. Researchers examined the medical records of 1,211 gay and bisexual men who went to “a large, community-based health clinic” in a “large metropolitan city” and compared the patients’ use of medical services before and after the law went into effect. Read full story from latimes.com

How the Olympics were born
Approximately 28 centuries ago, a festival emerged in the ancient Greek district of Elis (the northwestern area of the Peloponnesian peninsula). Quite how it developed is not entirely clear. It may have had something to do with funeral ceremonies; or perhaps it was the result of increasing political competitiveness (and a touch of neighbour envy) among early Greek city-states.

The ancient author Pindar assures us that Hercules himself started the whole thing as a gift to his father Zeus. Be as it may, this Greek festival was given the name of Olympic Games, and you could say it grew to become a big hit.
The ancient Olympics were held in Olympia, a site controlled by Elis, every four years. Like today’s Games, they were considered a pretty special event. Ancient Greeks travelled from all over the known world to watch or take part in them. The atmosphere was riotous. Thousands-strong crowds cheered, heckled and gasped as they followed the competitions. Read full story from sport.uk.msn.com

Media:

Obama: Christ and the Golden Rule informed support of same-sex marriage (Source: washingtonpost.com)
President Obama threw his support behind same-sex marriage Wednesday after years of “evolution” on the issue, and invoked Christ and the Golden Rule in detailing how he has changed.In an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, the president painted his endorsement of same-sex marriage as an outgrowth of his Christian beliefs:

Teresa MacBain on CNN ‘Faces of Faith’ with Randi Kaye (Source: YouTube – TheClergyProject)

Paranormal spirits put twist on Boston pole dancer’s classes (Source: bostonherald.com)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 5/8/2012

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

News:

US should return stolen land to Indian tribes, says United Nations
A United Nations investigator probing discrimination against Native Americans has called on the US government to return some of the land stolen from Indian tribes as a step toward combatting continuing and systemic racial discrimination.

James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said no member of the US Congress would meet him as he investigated the part played by the government in the considerable difficulties faced by Indian tribes.

Anaya said that in nearly two weeks of visiting Indian reservations, indigenous communities in Alaska and Hawaii, and Native Americans now living in cities, he encountered people who suffered a history of dispossession of their lands and resources, the breakdown of their societies and “numerous instances of outright brutality, all grounded on racial discrimination”. Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Why shouldn’t paganism have a place in RE lessons?
Last month it was suggested that Cornish schools should study paganism in religious education. This modest proposal provoked a splenetic and histrionic reaction from Cristina Odone, in the Daily Telegraph. She seems to be under the impression that the schools’ new remit is to “teach witchcraft and druidry”. For an exciting moment, I had a vision of Hogwarts’ latest Ofsted inspection proving inspirational to Cornish educational authorities, with parents in Truro and Penzance being sent appropriate memos for their children’s latest classes (“Please supply: cauldron x 1, athame x 1, candles x 4. Child must bring own goat.”)

“How long,” Odone asks, working herself up to a tirade which one can only hope is tongue-in-cheek, “before the end of term is marked by a black mass, with only health and safety preventing a human sacrifice?” Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Paranormal:

Ghost Box Paranormal Tool Reveals Compelling Ghost Evidence
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — There’s a paranormal tool that’s been used by ghost hunters for the past couple years, known as the ghost box. A paranormal investigator from Massachusetts has used the ghost box in his own home, and shared a video that reveals some compelling paranormal evidence, with possible proof that ghosts may actually exist.

Phillip Brunelle has been interested in the paranormal since his youth, and recently he founded ATF Paranormal Investigations and shares ghost videos and paranormal evidence on his YouTube channel, Mass Most Haunted. Read full story from technorati.com

‘Alien Abduction’ Research Suggests Episodes Are Actually Lucid Dreams
Hundreds of thousands or millions of Americans believe they have been abducted by aliens. In a typical case, an abductee recounts lying in bed one night when an eerie feeling overcomes him, and alien beings appear out of nowhere. The extraterrestrials transport him to a spacecraft and subject him to a battery of physical and psychological tests. After what seems like hours, he is returned to his bedroom unharmed, and finds that the whole ordeal transpired in minutes.

Abductees think their traumatic experiences were real. However, most psychologists think abductions are lucid dreams or hallucinations, triggered by an awareness of other people’s similar experiences. One recent experiment, in which participants trained in lucid dreaming techniques were able to dream up vivid alien encounters, supports this hypothesis. But if each perceived abduction is just the latest in a series of hallucinations, what was it that triggered that first dream or delusion? How was the alien abduction story born? Read full story from huffingtonpost.com

Media:

North Carolina votes on marriage amendement Tuesday (Source: CNN)

Pastor who sparked outrage over hitting gay children speaks out (Source: CNN)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

Medicinal Monday – Herbs & Spices

Monday, May 7th, 2012

Borage

Botanical Name: Borago Officinalis


Photo by madlyinlovewithlife

In the late Middle Ages, Physicians recommended Borage; they believed it supplied courage, confidence, cheerfulness and restoring life. Today, we know that it stimulates the production of adrenaline, which prepares the body to handle stress (the medieval beliefs were well founded). Other names for Borage: “good cheer”, “dear friend” and “sparkling eyes”. This reflects borage’s ability to brighten the mood. Rich in a polyunsaturated fatty acid, Borage seed oil is used to address metabolic problems from obesity to premenstrual complaints. It also promotes lactation, helps break a fever by inducing a sweat and breaks up phlegm while easing sore throats and coughs.

Help for viral infections:

  • A Borage and Echinacea tea have a calming effect.
  • Reduces fever and induces sweating.
  • Helps combat measles, mumps, chicken pox, colds and flus.
  • Mix equal amounts of fresh borage leaves and powdered Echinacea root. Brew in hot water, steep for 10 min. and sweeten with honey. Drink 1 cup 3 times per day.

Therapeutic Effect:

  • Borage leaves are diuretic, it increase sweat and urine.
  • It acts as an adrenal stimulant, useful for countering stress and lingering effects of steroid therapy.
  • Tea made from Borage soothes sore throats and irritated coughs.

Components:

  • The seed oil contains gamma linoleic acid. Found primarily in vegetable oils and used as a dietary supplement for treating problems with inflammation and auto-immune diseases.
  • The acid is used to to treat metabolic disturbances, including obesity, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, high blood pressure and alcoholism.
  • Recent evidence suggests Borage may be useful for treating heart disease and cancer.
  • The leaves are a good source of vitamin C, organic calcium and potassium, essential oils, tannins and mucilages. It’s also has saponins that strengthen resistance and flavonoids that prevent infection.
  • The silicic acid in Borage stimulates hormone production and balances mood swings.

For lactation:

  • A Borage tea will help promote healthy milk flow while you’re nursing.
  • Add a generous handful of fresh Borage leaves to ½ gal. of lemonade, or to the same amount of a mild hot tea, which ever flavor you enjoy – chamomile, fennel, nettle and violet blossoms are Excellent choices.
  • Let steep for at least 20 minutes, then strain through a paper filter. Drink a cup 3-4 times a day for best results.

From your garden

  • Borage is hard to find commercially. If you plan to make it a regular part of your diet, plant it in your garden. It attracts honeybees, ensuring pollination of other plants.
  • Plant the herb in sandy soil in which water drains rapidly. Sow in mid-or late spring, in full sun or partial shade, and again in early and midsummer.
  • Borage is an annual, it will die at the end of the season, but self sown seedlings germinate for replacement plants.
  • For medicinal use, the leaves are best gathered before the flower buds appear. The plant is easily bruised, so handle gently and use right away. The young leaves have a prickly texture that are edible.

Kitchen Hints

  • Preserve Borage in vinegar or in an alcohol tincture. It does not dry or freeze well.
  • Capture the flavor of Borage over the long term by making a blue vinegar from the blossoms or an emerald green vinegar from the leaves. These vinegars make wonderful gifts in decorative bottles.
  • “Cucumber herb” is another name for borage, and complement plain and pickled cucumbers. It adds flavor to salads, soups and summer stews. Try with eggs and fish.
  • The pretty blue blossoms are also edible. Remove the green sepals on the undersides before using, then sprinkle the flowers over soups and salads.
  • Freeze the flowers in ice for a garnish for punches and other summer drinks.
  • For cooking, use young leaves that are no larger than a half dollar. For teas, the bigger leaves are fine.
  • Borage is an essential ingredient to many Italian dishes. Borage risotto is very popular, as is ravioli stuffed with borage.
  • To enhance the flavor of dishes, sprinkle Borage leaves or stir them in before serving. It loses much of it’s flavor and aroma, once cooked.

Tip: Cut borage leaves into thin strips and mix into strawberry punch. Strain the punch through a paper filter before serving.

References:

  • The Complete Guide to Natural Healing
  • Note: Consult with a Physician or certified herbologist if you are seeking medical remedies. The information is not intended as medical advice. PagansWorld.org is not liable for the misuse of the herb listed above.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , ,
Posted in Site Updates | Comments Off

Beltane Blessings!

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

A Thanks to the Earth Mother
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

Great earth mother!
We give you praise today
and ask for your blessing upon us.
As seeds spring forth
and grass grows green
and winds blow gently
and the rivers flow
and the sun shines down
upon our land,
we offer thanks to you for your blessings
and your gifts of life each spring.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have wonderful Beltane!

Lisa

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Newer Entries »