August 2005 Appalachian Pagan Alliance newsletter

Editress Ginger Strivelli

Happy Lammas to everyone..hope y’all baked some bread and 
cakes to celebrate the first harvest!


FROM OUR BOOK OF SHADOWS:


A Hymn to the Sun God
(By Lord Byron-
From His play Curse of Minerva)

Slow sinks, more lovely ere his race be run, 
Along Morea's hills the setting sun; 
Not, as in northern climes, obscurely bright, 
But one unclouded blaze of living light; 
O'er the hush'd deep the yellow beam he throws, 
Gilds the green wave that trembles as it glows; 
On old Aegina's rock and Hydra's isle 
The god of gladness shed his parting smile' 
O'er his own regions lingering loves to shine, 
Though there his altars are no more divine. 
Descending fast, the mountain-shadows kiss 
Thy glorious gulf, unconquer'd Salamis! 
Their azure arches through the long expanse 
More deeply purpled, meet his mellowing glance, 
And tenderest tints, along their summits driven, 
Mark his gay course, and own the hues of heaven; 
Till darkly shaded from the land and deep, 
Behind his Delphian rock he sinks to sleep.

---


Prayer to Pan 
By Socrates:

“Dear Pan and ye other Gods who inhabit here grant that 
I may become fair within, and that my external circumstances 
may be such as to further my inward health. 
May I esteem the wise man rich… and allow me no more wealth 
than a man of moderation can bear and manage.”


---


An old Cherokee legend;

A Cherokee wise man once told his grandson about a fight that 
was going on within himself. He told his grandson that the 
fight was between two wolves. He says;
“One wolf is evil: 
anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, 
guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, 
superiority and ego. 
The other is good: 
joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, 
benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion 
and faith.”
His grandson listens then asks; 
"But which wolf wins, grandfather?" 

The old Cherokee wise man
sighs and replies, "The one I feed."

---

SACRED SITES SECTION:

Judaculla Rock 

Judaculla Rock is on Caney Fork Road, off N.C. 107 between 
Cullowhee and Glenville in Jackson County. The area is an 
ancient Cherokee magical site. The large soapstone rock is 
carved with crop circle like designs and odd stick figure 
drawn beings of some sort.
The name Judaculla is after the slant-eyed Cherokee giant 
who was said to have lived in a cave at “Devil’s Courthouse” 
rock near Balsam Mountain.

The rock was the site of Cherokee ceremonies well up into the 
19th century…but the meaning of the markings have been 
forgotten. Sadly the markings are eroding away and have 
been mistreated by modern sightseers, as well.

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