Finally another sign of life from the overloaded Pagan Pundit. Between the looming advent of tax time, house guests, and assorted challenges I won't detail here, I haven't been able to think of anything but my book manuscript, continuing house repairs, and being a supportive spouse. But, just in the nick of time, I want to pass on something I heard on the Rachel Maddow Show (9 p.m., MSNBC, Monday through Friday) a few days ago.
One of her guests, comedian Kate Clinton, spread the word that she, a rabbi and a shaman, and whoever else wants to join them, will be gathering at 6 p.m. tonight at Dupont Circle in Washington D.C., which is as close as security precautions will allow them to get to the White House, to burn sage and other cleansing herbs and do a cleaning and banishing on all the bad intentions, bad vibes, bad actions and bad ju-ju dumped upon our nation these past eight years.
There's no way I can get to D.C., but I intend to be out in my yard at 6 p.m. Eastern time burning whatever my intuition tells me to burn and doing a banishing and cleansing ritual of my own. Probably walking counter-clockwise around the house, at least! For the few, the enduring, the proud who follow my blog, may I suggest you do the same, either at 6 p.m. Eastern time or at whatever time suits your schedules before the inauguration of President Obama (doesn't that sound great?) at 11:56 a.m. tomorrow, January 20th.
Of course, the key is not only to smudge and cleanse for all we're worth, but to rally our best energies to do our part, each where and when we can, to turn this country around and move it toward its greatest potential, not its worst. I think it's possible.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Baltic Bee God -- and Goddess
Some unexpected free time for a quick post. I did a lightning Internet search and discovered that the Baltic region, and specifically Lithuania, have a tradition of tall, hollowed-out tree stumps carved into the likeness of a grotesque, bearded man and lidded with a thatch roof, with an opening in the mouth through which bees can access a hive within (and a door in the back for the beekeepers to extract the honey). The grotesques honor the bee god Babilas, a Pan-like figure associated with fertility.
There is also a Baltic bee Goddess, Austeja or Austheia. Information on her can be found in the most recent issue of The Beltane Papers (Late Summer 2008 edition, in an article by Goddess historian Patricia Monaghan), at thebeegoddess.com, and in Miriam Dexter Robbins' book The Living Goddesses. The name Austeja appears to blend the word for "weaving" and the word for "flying." (Just an aside: the Sanskrit word "Babila" means "swift." An obscure link between the two bee deities?)
A fascinating beekeeper's museum some 60 kilometers north of Vilnius in Lithuania features a number of Babilas beehives. Open from May to October in Aukstatija National Park, near the town of Ignalina, this museum celebrates an annual Honey Festival in August (which is also the month of Austeja's old feast day). The bee is a symbol of friendship in Lithuanian culture and the term "biciulis," derived from their word for bee, is an affectionate form of address for another person. When bee colonies became over-large and part of a parent hive's population "hived off" to another location, moving from one farm to the next, it established a ritual kinship between the two farm families, "biciulyste" or bee-kinship.
The museum's website is www.muziejai.lt/ignalina/biciu_mus.en.htm
More if I can find it!
There is also a Baltic bee Goddess, Austeja or Austheia. Information on her can be found in the most recent issue of The Beltane Papers (Late Summer 2008 edition, in an article by Goddess historian Patricia Monaghan), at thebeegoddess.com, and in Miriam Dexter Robbins' book The Living Goddesses. The name Austeja appears to blend the word for "weaving" and the word for "flying." (Just an aside: the Sanskrit word "Babila" means "swift." An obscure link between the two bee deities?)
A fascinating beekeeper's museum some 60 kilometers north of Vilnius in Lithuania features a number of Babilas beehives. Open from May to October in Aukstatija National Park, near the town of Ignalina, this museum celebrates an annual Honey Festival in August (which is also the month of Austeja's old feast day). The bee is a symbol of friendship in Lithuanian culture and the term "biciulis," derived from their word for bee, is an affectionate form of address for another person. When bee colonies became over-large and part of a parent hive's population "hived off" to another location, moving from one farm to the next, it established a ritual kinship between the two farm families, "biciulyste" or bee-kinship.
The museum's website is www.muziejai.lt/ignalina/biciu_mus.en.htm
More if I can find it!
Baltic Candles
Back in the U.S. since December 28th, but despite warm weather, snowed under in work of various kinds. We hosted a dozen people for New Year's Eve, then had the painter/carpenter in for more touch-up work on the house, and now I have house guests for a week. But I did want to convey some moments from the Frankfurt Sacred Night Market (Weihnachtsmarkt).
The weather was none too clement, mizzling rain and accompanying cold, but the three of us: my spouse, his brother and I: sallied forth in good humor nonetheless. The brightly lit booths illuminated the night, and the curtains of chilly precipitation. Two carousels were in full operation, with cheerful tunes and happy ranks of riders. And our mood was soon lifted further by hot mugs of Gluehwein (mulled wine)!
What really lifted my spirits most were the many craft booths. Almost no mass-produced Chinese or equivalent throw-away stuff. Gloves, wooden ornaments and toys, artwork, sculpture, blown glass -- even a booth heavy with witch dolls, dressed in cloaks of many colors, full of glitter, with knowing eyes.
We hadn't managed to get there until almost 7 p.m. and everything closed down at 9, so we hurried along, stopping again for what we thought would be egg nog but what turned out to be a hot egg drink (fortunately just as potently laced with alcohol), and then again for sausages grilled on the spot, and then again for Belgian fries with curry sauce. Yum!
Just as things were starting to shut down, I spotted a small booth selling honey and hand-made candles. Sometimes my gut instinct tells me exactly where to go. I left the men and started talking to the couple, who were from East Prussia.
East Prussia and the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) are one region where their long-time adherence to the Old Religion i.e. Paganism is concerned. In parts of this geographical area, Paganism persisted well into the 19th century, and in some families it never really vanished. I studied the candles and found several I was immediately drawn to, particularly one honoring the queen bee. But then I spotted a particular image:
A head, as archaic as those on Easter Island, which had obviously been carved out of a monumental tree stump, a wood and perhaps thatch "hat" on its head. The man of the forest, the Green Man. With bees crawling from the base toward his mouth.
The couple explained that these carvings are still made in rural East Prussia. The carved tree stump contains the bee hive, and is believed to protect the farmstead.
We managed to discover a second one in the booth. I bought them both, wrapped them carefully, and brought them safely back here, where they sit on my altar.
One of those magical incidents that make a trip instantly memorable, Goddess-blessed. I'll do a little more research on this figure and share anything I find with you!
The weather was none too clement, mizzling rain and accompanying cold, but the three of us: my spouse, his brother and I: sallied forth in good humor nonetheless. The brightly lit booths illuminated the night, and the curtains of chilly precipitation. Two carousels were in full operation, with cheerful tunes and happy ranks of riders. And our mood was soon lifted further by hot mugs of Gluehwein (mulled wine)!
What really lifted my spirits most were the many craft booths. Almost no mass-produced Chinese or equivalent throw-away stuff. Gloves, wooden ornaments and toys, artwork, sculpture, blown glass -- even a booth heavy with witch dolls, dressed in cloaks of many colors, full of glitter, with knowing eyes.
We hadn't managed to get there until almost 7 p.m. and everything closed down at 9, so we hurried along, stopping again for what we thought would be egg nog but what turned out to be a hot egg drink (fortunately just as potently laced with alcohol), and then again for sausages grilled on the spot, and then again for Belgian fries with curry sauce. Yum!
Just as things were starting to shut down, I spotted a small booth selling honey and hand-made candles. Sometimes my gut instinct tells me exactly where to go. I left the men and started talking to the couple, who were from East Prussia.
East Prussia and the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) are one region where their long-time adherence to the Old Religion i.e. Paganism is concerned. In parts of this geographical area, Paganism persisted well into the 19th century, and in some families it never really vanished. I studied the candles and found several I was immediately drawn to, particularly one honoring the queen bee. But then I spotted a particular image:
A head, as archaic as those on Easter Island, which had obviously been carved out of a monumental tree stump, a wood and perhaps thatch "hat" on its head. The man of the forest, the Green Man. With bees crawling from the base toward his mouth.
The couple explained that these carvings are still made in rural East Prussia. The carved tree stump contains the bee hive, and is believed to protect the farmstead.
We managed to discover a second one in the booth. I bought them both, wrapped them carefully, and brought them safely back here, where they sit on my altar.
One of those magical incidents that make a trip instantly memorable, Goddess-blessed. I'll do a little more research on this figure and share anything I find with you!
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