The Ancient Whispers Newsletter

Welcome to the Ancient Whispers Newsletter, a multi-cultural newsletter with a little something for everyone of any creed or religion. Here you will find inspiring quotes, irreverent jokes, crafts, and most importantly, historical and/or religious scholarship. Every Wednesday a new edition should appear on this website with reminder emails sent out the night before to those who have opted to join one of the many forums and mailing lists to which I subscribe. If you wish to share this newsletter with others, please keep it intact with the original authors' names on all the articles. Any articles or sections, to which an author or URL is not affixed, were written by Candace (with the exception of the various jokes found herein).

Questions, comments, and topical requests are encouraged and should be posted to the AskCandace open forum at yahoogroups. I'd like to start a help column for the newsletter, so if you'd like to have your problem featured in a newsletter, let me know when you post.

June is the sixth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the first month of summer. It is the "door of the year," the gateway to the inner realms. The original name for this month was Junonius. It was named for the Roman goddess Juno, patron of the female sex, and so this month was considered an excellent month for marriages. As Juno Moneta, whose temple was located on the Capitoline hill in Rome, she was guardian of money and wealth. June is sacred to Juno and all gods and goddesses who preside over love, passion, and beauty.

The Irish call June Meitheamh or an t-Ogmios, the young month. The Anglo-Saxon name was Aerra Litha, "before Litha." The Franks called it Brachmanoth, "break month." June is called Fallow by the Asatru.

The first Full Moon of June is called the Hot or Strawberry Moon in parts of America. It is also referred to as the Strong Sun Moon, Lover's Moon, and Rose Moon, and it has been called the Moon of Making Fat and the Moon of Horses, and name similar to one of the names for May’s Moon. It shares the names Mead Moon and Honey Moon with July.

Cancer becomes dominant on June 21st as the sun passes from the constellation of Gemini. Roses are for those born this month. June plays host to many stones claiming to be its birthstone. Of them all, emerald is listed most, followed by agate, chalcedony, turquoise, pearl, cat’s eye, or alexandrite, in that order. Pearl and moss agate are also birthstones of Gemini, and moonstone or pearl is the birthstone of Cancer. Chrysoprase, sapphire, and topaz are also connected to Gemini, while albite, chrysoprase, emerald, green tourmaline, opal, pink tourmaline, and rhodochrosite are associated with Cancer.

Fortuna

Matralia

Ruth Montgomery

Witchcraft Act

Zeus

ancient Korean ritual to dispel bad luck

Festival of Mut

Gwyl o Epona

Gerald Gardner

William Butler Yeats

Lesser Quinquatrus

Natalis Musarum

All Souls' Day

Festival of Jagannath

Vidar

Rain means rainy weather for thirty days

the Lesser Quinquatrus

Ma´at unites as one with all the Netjeru

Vesta, Lesser Quinquatrus

Margaret Jones

Silver Chalice Day

Feast of Raet, Feast of Hathor

Nara

Eurydice

Ludi Piscatari

as Leyleten-Nuktah

Gwyl o Bardd

Anna

Church of All Worlds

Min appears

Day of All Heras

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Humor: Hole in One

Moses, Jesus, and an old, bearded man were out playing golf one day. Moses pulled up to the tee and drove a long one. It landed in the fairway but rolled directly toward a water trap. Quickly Moses raised his club, the water parted and it rolled to the other side safe and sound. Next, Jesus strolls up to the tee and hits a nice long one directly toward the same water trap. It landed directly in the center of the pond and kind of hovered over the water. Jesus casually walked out on the pond and chipped it up onto the green. The third guy gets up and sort of randomly whacks the ball. It heads out over the fence and into oncoming traffic on a nearby street. It bounces off a truck and hits a nearby tree. From there it bounces onto the roof of a nearby shack and rolls down into the gutter, down the down spout, out onto the fairway and right toward the aforementioned pond. On the way to the pond, it hits a little stone and bounces out over the water and onto a lily pad where it rested quietly. Suddenly, a very large bullfrog jumped up on the lily pad and snatched the ball into his mouth. Just then, an eagle swooped down and grabbed the frog and flew away. As they passed over the green, the frog squealed with fright and dropped the ball which bounced right into the hole for a beautiful hole in one. Moses then turned to Jesus and said, “I hate playing with your Dad.”

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Article : The Hopi Kachina Cult:
Religion and Ritual as Elements of Cultural Identity Preservation
Check out Journal of American Studies of Turkey 8 (1998) : 29-42 for images and works cited
By Meldan Tanrýsal

Introduction

The descendents of the prehistoric peoples who lived in the Southwest of the United States fifteen hundred years ago, the Pueblo Indians have to this day preserved their identity and rich culture despite the assaults of Euro-American civilization. If certain traditional forms of Pueblo life seem to have changed little from, for example, ten centuries ago, it is because, for the Pueblo, religion and ritual have been inseparable from social life. Their religion has protected them from the encroachment of outside influences.

Among the Pueblo Indians, the Hopi have changed least of all. It is generally agreed that the Hopi have been able to preserve their way of life due to their creed, known as the “Kachina cult.” While this Kachina cult on the one hand reflects the Hopi’s dependence on agriculture for survival in a dry and rugged climate, it has functioned, on the other hand, as a crucial element in the preservation and assertion of their identity and culture.

This article takes a closer look at the Kachina cult, through a discussion of its beliefs, of the artifacts such as masks and Kachina dolls, of the nature of the Kachinas as spiritual beings and as fertility providers, and of the Hopi Kachina ceremonies that make use of these artifacts and philosophies.

Kachina cult of the Hopis

The Hopi way of life survives today in thirteen villages, spread over three mesas in northeastern Arizona, and their religion constitutes the strongest bond among the populations of these villages. The Hopi religious system presents a complicated picture because, in addition to the basic and universal elements followed by all practitioners, each Hopi village has the autonomy to carry out religious practices on its own. Thus, the timing of the ceremonies, the precise rituals involved, and even the philosophical responses to the underlying concepts of the Kachina more often than not vary among the Hopi villages, as the Hopi have no written tribal language that would set a standard. Yet, the lack of writing works to the advantage of the culture: since the Hopi do not have a written language, it is the ritual performances and ceremonies that serve as a means of preserving it. Moreover, throughout the land of the Hopi, the religious mission is the same: to promote and achieve unity in the universe. In fact, as some of the oldest inhabitants of the continent, the Hopi believe they have a sacred purpose on earth as caretakers of the world.

Despite local variations in detail, certain principles of the Kachina cult emerge. Foremost is the Hopi belief that some people die and are reincarnated again in another form in another world, while others die and become spirit-beings, or kachinas, as they are referred to in Hopi tradition. As well as being the spirits of the dead, Kachinas also can represent the spirits of the animals, plants, minerals, stars and natural forces. Consequently, there is a specialized, particular Kachina for everything under the sun. The word “kachina”—derived from ka, meaning respect, and china meaning spirit (Versluis 37)—has come to embody the religious beliefs, social structure and moral values of the Pueblo people and the ceremonial rituals which have evolved over thousands of years to help these people survive the harsh environment in which they made their homes (Dockstader, “Foreword” 4). The Kachina ceremonies thus occupy an essential place in both the social and intellectual life, and this way of life is passed down to younger generations as their cultural heritage.

A Kachina exists in three forms: one, as the supernatural being of an anthropomorphic nature; two, as the masked impersonator of the supernatural being who takes on the spirits of the Kachina it represents and enacts esoteric rites and ceremonies in the kivas and plazas; and, three, as the small wooden doll carved in the same likeness through which Indian children become familiar with the Kachinas and learn about their religion and cultural history (Dutton 40). The Kachina dolls, called tihu by the Hopi, are not perceived merely as carved figurines or brightly decorated objects, but believed to be the personifications of the Kachina spirits.

Kachinas as spirits

According to the Hopi, life and death, day and night, summer and winter are counterparts in a system of alternation and continuity. Death is not an end, it is birth into a new world. This world and the world of spirits are transformations of each other. Put in another way, according to the Hopi, the spiritual world is reflected in the physical world. They believe that there is no clear division between human beings and the spiritual world. As Barton Wright explains, “The basic concept of the cult is that all things in the world have two forms, the visible object and a spiritual counterpart, a dualism that balances mass and energy. Kachinas are the spirit essence of everything in the real world” (2).

For the Hopi, the spirits of the dead return to the material world as Kachinas. As these spirit-beings can come to the human world and even leave it again, it is possible, therefore, for spirits, once they are in the physical world, to contact human beings and affect their lives. Spirits can even take possession of human beings for certain sacred times. This is the esoteric meaning of mask dances, for during these performances, dancers who wear masks are considered to become Kachinas and acquire supernatural qualities. These Kachinas are believed to be the manifestation on earth of the beings represented by the masks.

Masks

The mask, as the focal aspect of the regalia of the Kachina, holds a sacredness and power of its own. As animate objects, masks are treated with reverence and regularly fed with cornmeal and other sacred substances. The donning of a mask by an individual transforms that man into something much greater, and transports that being from the specific time and space of the village to an other-worldly dimension (Handbook of North Americans vol. 10, 764-766).

Although no actual masks survive from pre-Hispanic times, it is apparent that some form of masking existed in the Southwest during that period. Kiva paintings, petroglyphs and pottery all provide conclusive evidence. Considering the perishable nature of the materials with which contemporary masks are made, this lack of earlier evidence is not surprising. Moreover, among the present-day Hopi, masks are neither buried with their owners nor are they left behind at abandoned sites. Rather, they are used until worn out and discarded in unrecognizable condition.

The masked deities of the Southwest were most likely introduced into the area from elsewhere. The striking similarities between various aspects of the ceremonial material culture of the Pueblo area and that of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua (Mexico) point strongly to a probable connection. Although more archaeological work is necessary to determine the full story, there is a strong possibility that a kachina-like cult of masking spread into the Southwest after 900 A.D., probably from Casas Grandes, Chihuahua and most likely a nearby Pueblo became a secondary distribution center later on. Certainly, when they arrived in the Southwest, the Spaniards found masks—recognizably kachina masks—being worn by the Pueblo Indians.

Harold S. Colton (12) describes the five types of masks manufactured by the Hopi: a face mask made of leather, a half-mask for the upper half of the face; a circular mask; a spherical sack mask; and a helmet mask. This latter type, as the most characteristic kachina mask, is a cylinder formed from rawhide with a circular top piece sewn on to the top. The painting of each type is different and such various accessories as ears, noses, snouts and horns are attached. Most are ornamented with feather headresses. No attempt is made at realism when painting a mask that represents an animal or plant Kachina because the mask does not represent the object itself but the spirit of the object that is visualized as having a human form. Paint color is significant as it is symbolic and indicates the direction from which each Kachina came. Hence, Kachina masks painted yellow, green, red or white denote one of the Hopi six directions:

a. Yellow refers to the North or Northwest;
b. Blue-green refers to the West or Southwest;
c. Red refers to the South or Southeast;
d. White refers to the East or Northeast;
e. All the above colors taken together refer to the Zenith or (the direction) “up”;
f. Black refers to the Nadir or (the direction) “down.”

Furthermore, symbols serving as important distinguishing marks are often painted on the forehead or cheeks of the mask. The principle symbols can be classified as:

a. Animals and bird tracks;
b. Celestial symbols such as clouds, lightning, sun, moon, and stars;
c. Vegetable symbols: corn, flowers, cactus, etc.;
d. A pair of vertical lines under the eyes represents the footprint of a warrior;
e. An inverted “V” over the mouth indicates certain kachina officials;
f. Phallic symbols represent fertility.

Once assembled, the combination of specific features on each mask aids in the identification of the individual kachina spirit being represented.

Kachina dolls

Kachina dolls are carved from wood in the likeness of the kachina spirits. These dolls are given to children not as toys but as instructional religious items to be studied and revered so that the recipients become familiar with the worldly manifestations of these spirits. Prior to the beginning of the ceremonial season, fathers and uncles carve and paint these cottonwood miniatures which they present to the children during the ceremonies. Although early examples were less detailed than are contemporary ones carved for the tourist market, the requisite symbolic information was sufficient to teach the children about the individual kachina spirit.

Importance of rain

When they are not circulating among the Hopi villages as masked dancers, for six months from the winter solstice to the middle of July, the Kachinas are the Spirit Beings who reside in the San Francisco Peaks (near Flagstaff, Arizona) in the clouds. They are also considered to be the ancestors of the current Hopi people, for the Hopi believe that when a person dies his spirit is carried up to the clouds and falls again as rain. Therefore, they return to their descendants in the form of snow and rain, that is, as moisture for the land and crops.

When a person dies, a cotton mask or a “white cloud mask” is placed on his/her face. The Hopi believe that Kachinas take on the form of clouds and become Cloud People. Their spiritual essence, or navala, is, however, a liquid that is manifested as rainfall. This is of prime importance, as according to Kachina belief, rain, combined with Mother Earth, is the essence of everything (Handbookof North Americans vol. 9, 577).

It is this dual spirit/rain nature of the Kachinas that is the most salient feature of the cult. For Frank Waters, while they are “the invisible forces of life—not gods, but rather intermediaries,” their “chief function is to bring rain, insuring the abundance of crops and the continuation of life” (166). Indeed, “To survive in this waterless land the Hopi developed a complex religion to secure supernatural assistance in fulfilling their needs,” affirms Wright. “Through the ages rain ritual was elaborated and joined to planting ritual, the growth of corn and Hopi melded, the successful rites of neigbors were added to further compound ceremonies until the present complexity of Hopi belief was achieved” (2). Thus Kachinas are both spiritual beings and providers of water and abundance, and their identities reflect this.

Major Kachinas

Ten major Kachinas are defined in the following manner:

1. The most frequently presented of all Hopi Kachinas is Long-haired Kachina, Angak’china, bringer of gentle rains and flowers. The dancer’s long hair worn loose down the back resembles the falling rain, with the eagle breast plumes rising like clouds above it. His songs are melodic and the dance is the favorite of the Hopi (Wright 86). Waters describes the otherworldly appearance of the Long-haired Kachina and includes a song:

In the summertime we will come again. We will come as clouds from the west, the south, the east and the north to bless the Hopi people and to water their fields and crops. Then the Hopis will see their corn plants majestically growing. They will be so happy they will joyfully sing praises to the spirit-beings who brought moisture. At the edge of the cornfield a bird will sing with them in the oneness of their happiness. So they will sing together in tune with the universal power, in harmony with the creator of all things. And the bird song, and the people’s song, and the song of life will become one. (172)

As the song illustrates, the Kachinas play an important role in the regeneration and rebirth of nature by bringing water, thus enabling the Hopi to continue and preserve their way of life without any alteration.

2. Ahola is a Germ God and a Mong, or Chief Kachina, associated with corn and its abundance. Besides also being a Sun Kachina, Ahola is the Solstice or Return Kachina for the first and second Mesas. He visits each of the kivas to open it for the return of the Kachinas after their absence. Before departing he offers prayers to the Sun for a long life, happiness and health and abundant crops for the people of the village (Wright 36).

3. Crow Mother—also known as Angwusnosamtaka, Crow Bride, or Angwushahai-i—is considered by many Hopi to be the mother of all Kachinas, and appears during the Powamu or Bean Dance, one of the rituals aimed at guaranteeing abundant crops for the next season by promoting germination and fertility, in which she supervises the initiation of the children into the Kachina Cult. Later in the same ceremony, she leads other Kachinas into the village bearing in her arms a basket of corn kernels and bean sprouts to symbolically start the new growing season properly (Wright 30). The Crow Mother reflects the strong belief of the Hopi in the regenerative power of nature.

4. Children occupy an important place in the cult. Even if they are uninitiated, children receive gifts at the ceremonies and are educated in Kachina lore. Since a child’s mind is clean and pure with no inherent evil, children can carry prayers to the spirits. The children learn to respect and obey the Kachinas. In keeping with their role to help discipline children, the Kachinas frequently give them presents of bows and arrows, with feathers with which to send prayers to the spirits. In particular, the ogres are disciplinary Kachinas. The Black Ogre, Nata-aska, and the White Ogre, Wiharu, carry a saw or a knife. Children are told the ogres can swallow them whole, unless they are good little children. Finally the ogres are driven from the village. Whites would call them the “boogeymen.”

5. Koyemsi or Mudhead Kachina is a clown. He appears in most dances in multiple roles. Sometimes he is a drummer; at other times he announces dances, or just clowns around to entertain, or plays games with the people who have gathered to watch the performances (Manley 3). The clown satirizes Hopi life by acting out and exaggerating improper behavior. He plays tricks, acts out absurd pantomimes, or cleverly mimics spectators. Like the more serious Kachinas, but in a humorous way, the clown helps maintain community harmony by reminding the people of acceptable standards of behavior within the Hopi community.

6. That the Koshare Kachina is known by various names, such as Clown, Glutton, Hano Clown, or Paiyakyamu, indicates that he may be found in different Pueblos. He is both sacred and profane; and his actions, while highly amusing, prove embarrassing to the gathered people. He is often pictured with watermelons, which symbolize gluttony (Wright 82), and exaggerates everything he does.

7. Mongwu, the Great Horned Owl Kachina is a warrior who disciplines the clowns when their behavior becomes too outrageous (Manley 28). Toward the end of the ceremony, the clowns who have fallen further and further from the Hopi way are warned by the Owl, who chastens them with Kachina whips and brings them back to the true path.

8. The Zuni warrior Kachina is a Guard Kachina, as partially indicated in his yucca whips. When he appears as a group in the Powamu Procession he surrounds the more sacred Kachinas as a ferocious protector (Wright 38).

9. The White Bear Kachina, Hon, is a warrior who appears frequently in the Soyohim or Mixed Dances of springtime and is believed to possess curative powers.

10. The presence of Mickey Mouse—an icon of American popular culture—as a Kachina reveals an underlying feature of the Kachina cult. Accordingly, if the Kachina cult has remained the same for centuries, enabling the Hopi who observe it to remain the same, this has been achieved by sometimes adapting to innovations, rather than remaining static. A Kachina can lose popularity and disappear from the repertory, but it is replaced by a newly introduced one as result of individual dreams or by borrowing from other Pueblos or non-Pueblos. Bertha Dutton finds that the cow, the sheep, and the horse, introduced to the Southwest by Spaniards, have come to be represented by Kachinas; more recently, Mickey Mouse has been portrayed (51). Thus, continuity is achieved and the cult is preserved. The innovations, the subtle changes in practice, and the material adjustments that have been incorporated in the ritual and have been included in the ceremonies, have not destroyed the integrity of Kachina religion and its value.

Kachina ceremonies

The Hopi ceremonial calendar, still used today, divides the year in half, based on the visits of the Kachinas. They first arrive during Soyalwini in December, appear in greater numbers during the Powamuya ceremonial season in February, and return to their spirit world after the Niman ceremony in July. All Hopi ceremonies are held well in advance of the actual event to enable the prayers for rain to reach their destination. As mentioned above, Kachinas function as the messengers or intermediaries between men and gods for such prayers. The preparation for the coming events and the anticipation activate Hopi life. Men spend days preparing for the ceremonies in the seclusion of the kiva, while women prepare food for the ceremonies to feed the Kachina and other villagers.

During the period of preparation, the Hopi pray and perform cleansing rites each day before altars are erected in the kivas. In order to receive the benevolent action of the gods and the beneficial powers of the sun and rain, it is important to be cleansed in thought and body. Dancers wash their hair before ceremonials. As the public performance draws near, the dancers must also purify themselves spiritually. They must be pure in thought and deed, avoid women in order to be sexually continent, fast from salt and fat, and pray to ensure a “good heart” for four nights before the event. If the ceremonies do not achieve the desired result, the fact is usually attributed to the human failure of the impersonators to observe the taboos (Dockstader, The Kachina and the White Man 10).

One of the aims of the Kachina ceremonials is to achieve communal solidarity. Even though the individual may be initiated, he or she gains only secondary benefit from the rites performed; the primary good goes to the clan or tribe as a whole. Indeed, the Kachina cult is no individual matter; the Kachinas bless the whole group, not the individual. The Kachina cult is the only phase of Hopi religious life to which all belong. There is no sense of exclusiveness or limited privilege; all become members of the Kachina society through initiation and take part in the activities. A Kachina may bring gifts to a particular child or adult, but his or her major gifts—“life-giving” rain and assurances of good crops—are given to the village at large. This strengthens the bond among the people and serves to reassert tribal identity. Nevertheless, by enabling the individual to prove his devotion to the Hopi religion, the ritual helps the individual to reassert his or her Hopi identity. Dockstader states that no other Hopi ritual gives the individual the chance for personal expression of faithful dedication to the Hopi religion. This is a religious activity that enables the Hopi individual to prove his personal piety and devotion, while ostensibly working for the public good (The Kachina and the White Man 8).

Another aspect of the Kachinas that should not be underestimated, for it befits the Hopi character, is the humor involved in the ceremonies. Contrary to general belief, the Hopis are prone to laughter, which is another assertion of Hopi identity. The Hopi choose to deal with the harsh realities of life with black humor, irony and parody, rather than be vanquished by them. Clowns often provide comic relief between dances and songs. The parody and impersonations they perform enable the Hopi to strike back at their oppressors, that is, the white man, which affords a psychological release.

For the Hopi, the Kachina ceremonies provide the “regeneration” (Sando 32) of Hopi identity. Powamu is the major one, a nine-day ceremony with several functions of varying importance, including that of being a fertility ritual, as well as initiation into the Kachina cult. Another ceremony that signifies rebirth and regeneration is the Niman Dance. It is also called the Home Dance, for that is when the Kachinas appear for the last time before they return to their legendary abode in the mountains. Gifts are distributed during the Niman ceremony and the Hemiskatsinam dance on the big plaza. The Hopi spirits sing for rain, health, long life and fertility. The hope for the whole community is embodied in the long hours of singing and dancing.

During the seven-month period of constant ritual activity between the Powamu ceremony and the Niman dance, the Kachinas are the principal caretakers of the Hopi people. They appear early enough in the season to begin sending the Hopi’s prayers to the deities, and equally important, to police the Hopi themselves so that their behavior and minds are pure and honest (Washburn 44).

Conclusion

The power of the Kachina religion can be easily discerned in the assertion of the Native traditional way of life as a result of the Kachina observances. The Kachina religion involves every man, woman and child. The fact that by age ten every Hopi child is initiated into the Kachina cult creates more than merely a shared experience. All the members of different clans and religious societies are thus united. Individualism is underplayed, and the interest of the community is always placed before that of the individual among the Hopi. The ceremonies have a unifying effect on the whole community. Kachinas, being benevolent spirits, transmit a peaceful attitude; aggressive behavior is not tolerated among the people.

The Kachina ceremonies meet the spiritual needs of the Hopi. Underlying these ceremonials is the fundamental recognition that human beings have a role to play in mediating between the spirit world, the human world, and the natural world which are profoundly interrelated. Thus, the human beings who act as the masked impersonators of the supernatural beings transcend the border between the material world and the spiritual realm. They fulfill their duty as mediators between the two worlds. According to these Native traditions human beings have an obligation to recognize, revere, and even personify the spirit-beings who inform the natural realm. This enables them to renew connections to nature and to the divine realm. Joe S. Sando, from Jemez Pueblo, asserts: “Through dance and song one can realize a sense of rebirth and rejuvenation” (32).

The Kachina cult constitutes a fundamental strength within the tribe and remains a major element in the awareness and appreciation of what it means to be a Hopi while forming the cement of the Hopi way of life. Even during the early overt pressures of the Spanish to suppress Hopi religion, the Kachina cult went underground figuratively and literally (Waters 101). This tenacity and the adaptability of the Kachina cult has contributed fundamentally to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Hopi to this day and remains the strongest guarantee for their maintaining it in the future as well.

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Quote : Ali ibn-Abi-Talib
He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.

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Craft of the Week : Paper Mache Kachinas

1 (paper) half gallon sized milk container
2 cardboard cylinders from toilet paper rolls
several newspapers
1 lb. bag of flour
Large plastic bowl
Costume jewelry, Buttons, mosaic tiles, old silk scarves, feathers… in short, anything that can be added as decoration
Paints

Tear the newspaper into 1-inch strips and set aside. Mix flour with enough water to make a thin paste, usually about three-parts water to one-part flour until the mixture is smooth and creamy. (Hint: To make the paste last longer, add a few drops of oil of Wintergreen.) A combination of one-part warm water to two parts glue may be used instead of the flour/water mixture if you wish.

Dip newspaper strips into your flour mixture and run through fingers to remove excess. Wind strips onto the paper milk container and continue until completely covered. Attach the toilet paper rolls as arms, winding more wet newspaper strips over it as you go. If a round shape is desired, try using a balloon. Blow it up and attach it to your figure in whatever area you have chosen, then cover it with paper mache. When your figure is completely dry, use a pin to pop the balloon.

Using creative judgment, add more strips until satisfied with the results. The results will be a doll that stands on its own. Let dry completely over several days or weeks, removing excess “paste” from the strips before placing on the doll will influence how long it takes for your figurine to dry. When it is dry, paint in the colors of your choice and glue on your decorative pieces to resemble necklaces, belts etc.

This craft takes awhile to do but is relative inexpensive. Most of the items can be found in anyone’s home or are easily obtained. The craft is suitable for children and adults alike. See this week’s Sites of Interest for Kachina images.

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Humor : Laziness

The world's most incredibly lazy man found a magic lamp. He rubbed it and a genie appeared and granted him three wishes. He wished for a horse, a sumo wrestler and a squirrel. "They're yours, but what are they for?" the genie asked. "I'm tired of walking everywhere--I want to just ride the horse. The sumo wrestler is so that I won't have to work to get on the horse." "But the squirrel?" asked the genie. "I need something to go 'click-click' to start the horse!!!"

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Who's Who in World Mythology : Astarte
For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Who's Who Archive.

The origins of Astarte (Asherah, Asherat, Ashtart, Ashtareth, Ashtoreth, Ashtaroth. Atargatis, Athar, Attart) stretches back into antiquity. Inscriptions trace her earliest incarnation, Aserah, back to the third millennium BCE, Astarte gaining dominance around 1500 BCE. Aserah of the Sea (or Asheratian) was co-consort with Anat to El. She began as an Amorite goddess, then Canaanite and possibly Phoenician. As Aserah, she was the mother of seventy gods and goddesses, including Baal, Anat, Kathar-Wa-Hasis, and Athar. As Astarte, she was considered the consort of Baal.

Among the Semites, Ashtarte was a fertility goddess, her center of worship, the entire Middle East. She was a sea goddess of the northern Semites and was equated with Allat, Elat, and Mut. Lucian called her the Syrian Dea, or great goddess. Her animal was the sphinx which was typically depicted on either side of her throne. Among the Babylonians, she became Ishtar. The Greeks equated her with Aphrodite, and both were goddesses of the planet Venus. In fact, Astarte (and most of her other names) means “star,” though it is sometimes translated as “womb” or “that which comes from the womb.” Temple prostitution was practiced among her devotees.

As Ashtoreth, she was a goddess of war and sexual love in Egypt from 1800 BCE until the coming of Christianity. Known as the Lady of Horse and Chariots, she was depicted with the head of a lioness and mounted on a quadriga in a possible mistaken combination with Anthat. Most usually depicted in the nude, she is shown Egyptian style, with a crown of cows’ horns enclosing a sun disc. In Egyptian myth, she was given as either the daughter of Ra or Ptah through the goddess Neith. According to one story, in the early days the gods were required to pay tribute of gold, silver, and precious stones to the sea. This they did, but the sea wanted more. So they sent Ashtoreth to the sea bearing more offerings. Instead of giving these however, she proceeded to mock the waters. The sea responded by demanding her as a gift. The great gods covered her in jewels and sent her back to the sea, accompanied by Seth. Though the end of the story is missing, it is assumed that Seth fought the sea and saved her.

As Aserah, she gave her name to the hilltop shrines under the trees which were so vilified by the writers of the biblical prophetic books. Translated as “grove” in the King James Version of the Bible, the aserah seems to have been a carved wooden pillar, representing the mother goddess and forming the focal point of worship in conjunction with the stone massebah. Worship by early Israelites at the aserah became one of the major irritations of the masculine oriented Semitic groups. Many Semites viewed her as the queen of heaven and wife of Yahweh. In fact, Solomon was said to have built a temple near Jerusalem in her honor. This conflict between patriarchal worshippers and their more matriarchal tolerant brethren is possibly how she was denigrated to the male Christian demon Astaroth in later times.

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Quote: Unknown
Worry is the dark room where negatives are developed.

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The Magi's Garden: Birch
For past featured foliage and the bibliography, please go to the
The Magi's Garden Archive.

Birch (Betula alba, B. lenta)

Description: There are nearly forty species in the family Betulaceae with the common name birch. It is an ancient tree; fossil records show it dates back to the cretaceous period. The broken twigs of all birch trees have a strong wintergreen smell. Betula alba can grow from forty to ninety feet tall. It is present in the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. The slender trunk and branches are covered in a smooth, thin white bark which peels off in horizontal strips. The tree can live approximately fifty years. The flowers are tiny and without no petals on male and female catkins; Cordate ovate leaves alternate from the twigs. They are serrate with slightly hairy undersides, bright green above, and lighter below. Tiny winged nuts appear on female catkins.

Effects: gentle
Planet: Venus, Sun Zodiac: Capricorn, Sagittarius
Element: water
Associated Deities: Aino, Thor

Traditions:
Birch represents the letter B, the first letter in druid tree alphabet, corresponding with the rune beorc or berkana. The name comes possibly from the Latin bateur "to strike" or from Indo-European and Sanskrit bhurg "bright" or "shining" or even the Anglo-Saxon beorgun "to protect or shelter." It is the symbol of the bardic school and represents the 1st moon of the year, the moon of inception. Birch is one of the seven sacred trees, and is considered one of the three pillars of wisdom with Oak and Yew. Siberia shamans believe that the birch is the axis upon which the universe turns.

Birch wood may be gathered at the waxing of moon to make runes for divination. However, it is customary to only gather bark from a lightning struck tree (chosen by Thor) for magic parchment. The traditional witches’ broom is made with an ash handle, birch twigs, and tied with willow. Roman lectors carried birch rods.

In Russia on the Thursday before Whitsunday, a young tree was cut amid song and celebration. It was dressed in woman's clothes or with multi-colored ribbons, amid much feasting and garland weaving. The tree was carried home and kept as honored guest. According to Slavic lore, the leshy "genii of the forest" live in the tops of birch trees. In rural Britain, a girl would give piece to a man to show that he could begin wooing her.

The Birch is associated with Aino, a major Finnish goddess. Wainamoinen, one of three heroes of the Kalevala, desired her hand in marriage. Wainamoinen entered a contest with her brother Youkahainen, while Aino escaped, swimming away to rest safely on large rock away from the storm created by their fight. The storm became so great though, it shook the rock and she fell into the sea to become nature. Her flesh is the fish, her blood water, her hair became seaweed, and her ribs were willow trees. The animal world was so saddened by her death, cuckoos settled in a mountain forest of birch and sang song of love and sorrow.

Magic:
Birch is a purifying and cleansing herb which many modern Druids burn. In Scandinavia, switches are used for purification in saunas. Gently striking possessed people or animals with a birch twig is said to exorcize or drive out their insanity. In Britain, a rod was once used to beat criminals and cleanse the insane. Use a birch broom when sweeping the house to dispel spirits of the old year. It is also protective, banishing negativity and deflecting lightning. Many old cradles were made from birch to protect the baby. In Russia, a red ribbon is hung around a stem of birch to rid oneself of the evil eye.

Birch is first planted in virgin soil where you wish to create a wood or forest. It is often referred to as the "tree that helps birth the forest." It may also be planted in spongy ground to make it drier.

Known Combinations:
A bonfire of birch is said to bring fertility to flax harvests.

Medical Indications: Parts Used : bark, young leaves, sap
Birch is a counter irritant, analgesic, astringent, diuretic, and diaphoretic. Because it lessens inflammation, it is good for joint pain and urinary tract infections. An infusion of leaves and bark or the application of birch oil eases rheumatism. A poultice of leaves, bark, and catkins is helpful for all skin irritations, wounds, boils, and sores. The oil, added to skin lotion (for its astringent properties) treats eczema, psoriasis, acne, and may help non-hereditary baldness.

In a pinch, the twigs may be chewed for a toothbrush. Birch tea is good for mouth sores and to break up kidney or bladder stones. Black birch is also good for expelling intestinal worms. A decoction of birch acts as a mild sedative, and the inner bark for lowers fevers. The buds work on colds, stomach ulcers/pains, liver/gall problems, and kidney/bladder stones. The young shoots and leaves may be ingested as a tonic laxative, and birch charcoal counters ingested poison or indigestive bloating. Fresh summer sap is used for excess fluid or oedema.

Nutrition:
Most are familiar with birch beer, which was originally made from black birch sap or included the sap as a sweetener. Birch sap, especially from black birch, may be prepared into a syrup much like maple. Birch wine is also made from the sap. For this, the sap is collected in March and mixed with honey, cloves, lemon peel, and yeast. Sixteen to eighteen gallons of sap may be drawn from one large birch with no ill effects to the tree.

The cambium layer between the wood and the bast can be beaten and used as food. It is edible raw, dried, and ground to flour. In Scandinavia, birch sawdust was boiled, baked, and added to flour. Cut into strips, the cambium of birch was once boiled like noodles during times of famine.

Black birch makes a tea identical to Wintergreen. This is made by steeping the inner bark and twigs.

Mercantile Uses:
Birch oil makes leather more durable and acts as a natural insect repellent. The bark makes a light brown dye and the roots a red-brown. A decoction of the bark with copperas creates a wine colored dye.

Birch charcoal is used in gunpowder. Canoes were made from birch bark, and twigs were traditionally used in European thatching and wattles. Birch tar oil, mainly manufactured in Russia, is an insecticide especially useful against gnats. It is nearly identical with Wintergreen oil.

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Cartoon

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Poem : Warning
Nikolay Zabolotsky (1903-1958)

Where ancient music weaves in shapes,
Where the keyboard battles with the dead,
Where notes fight with the silence of space,
Poet, do not seek furnishings for the soul.

Uniting mindlessness with mind,
Among barren meanings we will build a house –
A school of worlds unknown until this moment.
Poetry is thought constructed in the body.

It flows invisible in the water
That we celebrate with our zealous labors.
It burns in the midnight star,
The star that rages like a flame before us.

May the troubled sleep of cattle, the shallow reason of the birds,
Gaze out from your wondering pages.
May the trees sing and the bull astound
With this dread conversation – that same bull
In whom is locked the soundlessness of worlds
Linked to us by strong ties.

Pelted with stones and mud-bespattered,
Have patience. And remember all the while:
If you listen carefully to music,
Your house will go to riun, and the schoolboy,
Thirsting for knowledge, will mock us.

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Quote : Eric Hoffer
You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

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The Power of Stones : Anthrophyllite
For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Power of Stones Archive.

Anthrophyllite, magnesium iron silicate hydroxide is a common component of some metamorphic and metasomatic rocks. Its name comes from the Latin word for clove and is an allusion to its typical and distinct clove-brown color, though it has green varieties. Anthophyllite is metamorphic and is found in magnesium rich igneous or dolomitic sedimentary rocks. It is useful in teaching that bonds, restrictions, and constraints placed upon a person are self-imposed and easily discarded. Anthrophyllite allows the heart to decide what is important.

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Humor : Moral of the story

A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd love to be six again," she replied. On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear, everything there was! Wow! Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park, her head reeling and her stomach upside down. Right to a McDonald's they went, where her husband ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake. Then it was off to a movie, the latest Star Wars epic, a hot dog, popcorn, Pepsi, and M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure! Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed. He leaned over and lovingly asked, "Well, dear, what was it like being six again?" One eye opened. "You idiot, I meant my dress size." The moral of this story: Even when the man is listening, he's still gonna get it wrong.

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A Dreamer's Guide : Jubilee to Justice
For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Dreamer's Guide Archive.

You will either marry early in life or you will participate in pleasurable enterprises if you dreamt of a Jubilee. A rich relative may leave you a fortune if you attended a jubilee.

A dream of Judas is a warning to be cautious in accepting new friends.

A Judge is a sign of trouble, trials, and thankless tasks. If you were a judge however, your troubles will only be temporary. Being summoned before a judge means trouble and sorrow, but if he took your side, things will come out well.

Full Jugs indicate good friends, and drinking from a jug is a prediction of happiness and health. A broken jug means an influential new friend or exciting romance.

You will be dubious over some easy opportunity or offer of advancement if you dreamt of Juggling, but do not hesitate. A juggler is a warning to beware of enemies, especially if he was entertaining others. Being taught tricks by a juggler means abundance will be yours.

Financial help will be forthcoming if you drank Juice, while serving it means someone will surprise you with a request for a loan.

Be cautious in accepting new offers if you dreamt it was July when it was not. You will have rapid success in your hopes if you were born in July, and you will have good earnings if children were born in july.

Jumping is a sign that you will overcome your trials and tribulations through hard work and perseverance. Jumping down from something indicates reckless speculation and disappointment in love. Jumping Jacks are an omen of trivial pursuits and pastimes which occupy your mind to the exclusion of all else.

A dream of June when it is not indicates a new romance, and if you are already taken, someone close will find someone. If you dreamt you were born in June, you should rely on your own judgment, and children born in June mean your high ambitions will be realized.

Guard your resources if you dreamed of a Jungle. Be wary of becoming entangled in someone else’s financial problems. Walking through a jungle indicates foolish romantic entanglements. Killing a wild animal in a jungle is a sign of loyal friends. Others in a jungle indicate the recovery of lost valuables.

Juniper is a symbol of danger through treachery. If you cut it down or it was in poor condition, it is an omen of good luck. Picking or eating juniper berries is an augury of undesirable companions who could cause you trouble. If you are sick, a juniper tree foretells your speedy recovery.

Junk seen in a shop or elsewhere is a prediction of perplexing choices.

Recognition and prestige from those whose opinion you value is foretold by a Jury. If you served on a jury however, you should rely more on your own intuition and less on the opinions of others in making important decisions. It also means dissatisfaction with your employers.

Seeing the goddess of Justice is a sign that though you may be forced to endure undue criticism from time to time, a successful future will ultimately be yours. If someone demanded justice from you, your conduct and reputation will be criticized, and if you demanded justice, false statements will cause you embarrassment. A jury announcing their verdict is a sing of change for the better.

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Quote : Oscar Wilde
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

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