Rev. Crystal's Full Moon Blessings

For those who know me well, you know that I have always called myself a closet revolutionary. I believe in the power of change and the many methods we as a people have had to go through to obtain equality. Whether this refers to race or religion or general human rights. While the media (rightfully so) has focused on the positive change happening right before our eyes with the presidency of Obama, I have also been reminded of the continued need for change. It is easy to think that since we have a black President (woohoo) that the world or the United States has reached the level of equality between our races. this could not be more wrong.

The positive strides towards equality and change does not take away from the continuous injustices that happen. Although it is a damned good start.

For us Californians, we have watched the Bart shooting of Oscar Grant over and over on the news and for me it still doesn't seem like enough. The sheer brutality of these types of situations came to us in an undeniable way, even though these injustices have continued to happen repeatedly in urbanized areas and is not new. It is easy for those who are not around this type of community to assume that these things don't happen and in reality, they happen too much.

The newest development of another officer punching Oscar Grant in the face, just prior to him being shot in the back by the Bart officer has me enraged. Watching a video of this young man being assaulted and then shot by those who are in a uniform feels like one of the biggest violations of our human rights within this country. What do we have if the very people who are to protect us are the ones who we have to fear.

Now, let me be clear.... This is nothing new for those who have to live in this type of environment and live this life everyday. I am lucky and have had the opportunity to remove myself and family from living within the energy of the inner city, to a certain extent.

The voice of the people came out when they rioted and protested the streets of Oakland two weeks ago. Riding down the streets of Oakland to work and seeing the destruction can be disheartening. But at the same time, seeing the pictures of Oscar Grant, memorials painted in his name and a call for justice gives me hope. Signs stating "no justice no peace" are posted all around the city. In a community so devastated by crime, drugs, poverty, unemployment and sadness.... we still have a sense of pride and a knowing that we must be heard.

In the days and weeks after the riots, we have seen a large response from the people in charge. The officer was arrested, Bart finally (after more than 10 days) reponded to the shooting, now the other officer is being investigated for assault and attention is being put into a broken system.

We have also seen the FBI come into Oakland and start an investigation of the Oakland Police Department, sparked by several different things. One of those things was a man who was kicked to death by an Oakland Police officer, who is now the head of the Police internal affairs department. He is also suspected of getting other officers to cover this up.

And let's not forget the Oakland Riders, those 3-4 officers (maybe more). Here is a clip from an SF Gate article by Chip Johnson in 2005, "After two criminal trials, a lawsuit that the city settled by paying $10. 5 million in damages to 119 victims, and a court order that has placed the Oakland Police Department under the supervision of a federal judge, the Riders have walked away again."

As black people, we are not oblivious to the sacrifice we have had to make to seek justice. And it is easy to think now that there is no need for us to continue to fight. Things are different right? Things have changed..... Prejudice, police brutality, racism, racial profiling.... all those things are in the past, right?

Please, open your eyes. I am not calling for rioting and destruction but I am saying that the time is too crucial to think that we are not still in a state of inequality. Let us not be fooled to think that because something is one way for us that is like that for all others. Let us not think that just because we have a black president that we no longer have grave racism in this country. Thank goodness we don't all have to riot but I respect those who have sacrificed their freedoms and done the things I can't or won't do in order to get attention where needed.

If it were not for those people we would not have had a civil rights movement, a Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X, Huey P Newton and Bobby Seal, Little Bobby Hutton, Angela Davis, Cesar Chavez, Nelson Mandela, and the list goes on. We must continue to seek justice. We must continue to lead the path to equality.

Or else it might be my child, your child, your brother, your father, your mother, your friend or you who is beat and killed by the cops, shot at the BART station, framed for a crime, scared to call for help, prisoner in your community and potentially lose your future.

As frustrating as life and raising a family can be, sitting here and watching them play the new Wii while ham and yams are cooking in the kitchen..... I know I am blessed. there is nothing like spending time with those you love and knowing they love you too. Even those who I am not able to be with in person are on my mind today and I know they are thinking about me too... I know I am blessed.

It is good to keep that in the front of our minds as we walk through the rest of the year. There are those who are not as fortunate as I; who don't have money right now, or a job, or people to call them on the phone, or presents, or a tree or food or a home to sleep in. I wish for those people they could have what I have today. I don't have much but it is just enough to make me a happy girl.

The spiritual new year has already brought about change for me and those I know. With the rebirth of the son/sun and the calender new year approaching, I find I am excited yet anxious for things to come.

I have felt the anxiety in the air over the last several months between the elections, economy and changes everyone has been going thru. So the new year has a lot of things unknown and that too magnifies the anxiety..........

So I am planning wisely for the upcoming time of change. I am trying hard to prioritize my life and put things into a positive order. I am thinking ahead and planing my future.

Yule has been good for me. It has reminded me that things work out they way they should and life is full of unexpected pleasures. (a good thing to remember going into a new year)

The coven did Yule this year, breaking tradition from the last 3 years, and doing it differently. The ritual was awesome and beautifully written. The sisters and family were present and it was a lot of fun. We were able to invite three guests to come and participate with us and it was unexpectedly super fun. Although I was nervous with the new forming tradition and with new people, it turned out to be very fun and great memories.

So I am going to approach the new year with the same outlook and allow myself to enjoy every minute of it.

Blessed Yule everyone and enjoy every minute.

As time passes I become more and more aware of what I have achieved and how far I have come in my spiritual life. I am a high priestess and it is amazing to know that others look at me as such. I don't know that I ever really saw this happening or anticipated that it would be like this.

Within the next year I will see two of my students come into their own power as High Priestesses, one priestess elevated to 2nd degree and four maybe five more elevated to first degree. Oh my!!!!!

I will have spiritual grandchildren and Dia will have spiritual great grandchildren. Who would have thought.

I am anxious to see what will come next.

With the upcoming anniversary of Katrina I am reminded of many things that evoke emotions within me. Seeing the devestation of a community and the disregard for life as we watched them die and float on the waters trying to survive, I am still so saddened by the disregard for the lives of our own....those of my people. So I posted this poem before but feel it is time to post it again to honor the anniversary of the water that changed many peoples lives....

And the Water Said....By Ifalade Ta'Shia Asanti
A Poem For the 2005 Hurricane Katrina Survivors, All Rights Reserved @August 2005


And the water said, "listen!"
I am coming to show you truth,
I am coming to shake the grains of sands beneath you
Show you that which is hidden but in plain view
And the water told us why she had come--
I have come to stroke the skin tones of America
To comb the roots of racism
Expose the scalp of discrimination
Make it bare like the parts of newly plaited hair
"Can you hear me," the water asked?
I'm here to purify these nations
To wash the streets clean of their denial
To reveal faulty foundations and forked tongues
And I shall not be ignored
And her rain created cities of tears
Waves of brutal reality
Demanding transformation
Commanding our world undone
She woke us early
When the white house phone line was busy
About a quarter to one she woke us
Before our comfort arrived in monthly envelopes
Made us remember the unity of a million maafas
Showed us how genocides join sons

She carried our vision to rooftops
Where the shepherd revoked our salvation
FEMA dollars transformed into tombstones
Homeland Security became a funeral home
And the water returned to her garden
An ailing levee beckoned her backwards
Back to the streets
Back to our homes
She wasn't sure we had remembered
She was sure that we had forgotten

And the water rose
She embraced our memories
Ran up our steps to our doorbells
She knocked but we didn't answer
She stretched higher and higher
Found us waiting in the sunlight
Waving to strangers in electronic birds
Whose wings made us invisible beneath the sleeping sun
Do you remember now she asked?
Do you remember Rwanda & Benin?
Do you remember the captive passage?

And she beckons us to forward
To new land
Under new realities
She calls us to independence
Not theirs, but our own
She turns our eyes inward
She moves our hands together
And the water said: "seek one another!"
Hear as you've never heard
Understand how you've never understood
I am parting my tide for your safe journey
So you may discover what I already know

You have survived
Let this message wash your ears alive
I am here with your salvation
I have delivered it on the words flowing from my tongue
And She retreated from their doorsteps and porches
Let the son return

She sent them into the wilderness
With prayers already done
Daughters of the ocean
Sons of the storm
Our God has not forsaken you
But come to reshape your love..

So, as you know, I started training with NROOGD. Well after a couple of months I have decided that my attention and energy needs to go elsewhere. I have decided that the timing is not right for me to add another tradition to my plate right now and for many reasons I am not able to do it right now.

As soon as the decision was made FWTI answered the call. The work coming down the line is a lot and I am back to working overtime for the tradition of my training.

Last night I went to the fullmoon labyrinth walk with Kat. We went to the last full moon candlelit labyrinth moon walk for 2007 and last night was the first one of the year for the 2008 season.

The night was cold with the kind of chill that makes your bones shiver and the anticipation of the cold was trying to convince me that tonight was not a good night to go. But I knew there were things I needed from the full moon walk and I knew I needed to go.

The labyrinth was darker than I remembered it from last years walk. There were three ladies on the maze as we walked up and they were talking while walking. I immediatley got irritated at their disrespect and said "Shhhh" before I started. They did stop talking but for the first section of the walk I couldn't pull my focus from them to me.

I then started thinking about recent choices I have made and why things have seemed so hard in this recent process. While doing that I grabbed my pentacle (which was the one that Kathryn and Ariana gave me when I got my third degree) and I thought "I love this pendant". And I questioned why I haven't been wearing it. I remembered when I first took it off and I remembered a statement that was made to me about the necklace from someone about how others "might have a problem with it" and at the time I didn't think they were related or affected me but they did. That realization hit me like a ton of bricks while walking.

Right after that I asked myself "why do I care?" About two steps after that I almost fell completely off the path. Not step off the path but fall completely over. I rebalanced and thought "god damn it takes hard work to stay on the path." AHA!!!!!!!

I think I am falling off the path. I don't think I allowed myself the time to become stable and secure in my place on my path before throwing a curve ball towards me. And at what point can someones statement or others views contribute to me pulling back from what I have worked towards for almost 6 years. If it was a master's degree in college, would I allow others thoughts to invalidate my degree? I am responsible for how I allow others to affect me and that is something I need to remember.

This is what I got on the trip inward on my journey. Interestingly when I got to the middle I felt relieved. I felt like I got some answers. I have rushed myself, I have not stayed true to my path, I have allowed outside interference to affect me and have not stood as proudly in my accomplishments.

On the way out there were two things that were profound to me. One was that there was a lady who was walking also and was at a faster pace. In my mind I knew she needed to pass us but I had to start reminding myself "don't look back, don't look back". I realized how I concentrated on someone elses path instead of staying focused on my own. With the exception of those whom I am responsible for like my kids, or those whom have entrusted me to be their spiritual mentor, I should not be worried about other people's path.

And there was this part of the path that I couldn't really see and I found myself getting anxious. And then I had to think in this maze, I will just catch my balance. What is the worse that can happen. I just have to find the path when it is unclear and catch my balance when it is off.

This has been an interesting week. Isn't it amazing how a week can start off one way and drastically change direction within the course of several days? Or sometimes minutes?

This week has been full of disappointments, interesting dynamics, crazy work schedules, strange decisions and unanswered questions. As I finish off the week part of me is saying, "woohoo!!!" and the other part is reminding me to soak in the lessons of this week and not take them for granted.

Here is a short yet interesting list of some of the things I have learned or reminded of in the past 6 days:

* own your power
* clear communication is good communication
* don't over extend yourself
* trust your answers
* don't assume that things are ok
* relationships take work
* sometimes being fair takes conscious thought
* speaking your mind doesn't mean that it will be heard
* everyone sees life through a different set of lenses
* When you miss someone, call them
* trust my instincts
* Personal boundaries are some of the hardest to enforce

I am sure this list could go on and on. I am glad I am getting something out of the week of strange experiences, it makes it all worth it. I think my goal for this year will be to remember my own integrity and personal power so I can use it is a supportive and responsible way.

Blessed be!

This may be one of those blogs that turn into the oh so famous crystal articles.......... so interesting how that happens. I don't know where to start with this thought so I will just jump in anywhere. For those of us who practice the craft we always here the discussions about training or opinions on the "traditional" people versus the eclectic people. I gotta say I can't stand those conversations.

I am so irritated with hearing opinions of who thinks who is really trained or "what tradition is real witchcraft" versus the eclectics. Here is what i don't understand, who cares? Don't people get tired of being so worried about how other people's training add up to their ideals?

Let me be the first to say that I am a trained eclectic Wiccan practitioner who is proud to have trained in the manner in which I did. I have been trained in a tradition that is founded on respect, tolerance and differences. Because of this I find it so hard to understand when others think they hold the keys to the "right way" of practicing the craft. As I embark on continuing and branching out I am caught off guard at how often I am hearing comments speaking against eclectic paths. It is frustrating and amazing at the same time. I am amazed that people do not consider how offensive they might be. What community do we create when we can justify those types of divides within the community? What is the real purpose of doing such? Do people really think that they are the only ones who can measure others practice or training styles?

Here is how I view the eclectic versus the traditional saga. I see such strengths on both sides of training and practice. Being eclectic can be wonderful because it teaches you to be creative with your concepts of deity and worship. It gives a big enough box to work inside of so that one can explore different sides and angles of the craft. It takes a strong person to truly train in an eclectic tradition because it requires that someone be disciplined enough to learn in a tradition where there are many options and variables. More "traditional" paths have strengths too. There is a history of practice and knowledge. There is a uniformity to practice that can lend to a common expectation of the followers of that path which can lend to the power of the work.

There are disadvantages to both sides too but I think that defeats the point of where I am going here. For those who are busy making judgments of the eclectics of the craft I think it is a strong possibility that you need to go back to your training guides and review the sections on working with others, creating community, tolerance, humility, respect, being open minded to differences and whatever else you may or may not have received the first time. If those things are not a part of your training then now is a perfect time to create them. They can be passed down to those who come after us.

This is not coming from a place of anger but rather a place of sincere concern at the state of a community that so harshly judges each other instead of finding ways to bridge the gap among our own. I hope this continues to change as the pagan world progresses to higher places in our development as a community.

I chose not to stand on one side or the other but if I felt I had to, the choice is already made...............there is no choice. My foundation is that of a Wiccan High Priestess of two traditions that are based in love, balance, understanding, tolerance and honoring of the differences that make this community of talented people so great. Won't you join me?

I feel it is important to clarify my intentions and make a couple of things clear for those who I respect and love. I have been blessed with wonderful friends and coven mates for a long time now. I have been blessed to work in two traditions that trusted me enough to grant me to opportunity to train and become a High Priestess thru both of them.

I have recently made a decision to begin training with NROOGD. This is a huge thing for me, like all the other training decisions I have made. But it is important to say that I am not looking to replace the coven or either of the traditions I Priestess with. I am looking to add onto my training. To fill gaps so that I may be a better priestess for myself and anyone who comes to me.

I am adding to, not replacing. Solitaries of the Second Circle, Dance of the Spirit Moon tradition and Family Wiccan Tradition International are my foundations. I am excited about adding NROOGD to those other things that mean so much to me because I will have more knowledge and be able to be an even more productive member for everything else.

Thank you to everyone who continue to be supporters to me throughout the years. I love you.

This weekend was another pillar in my spiritual building. I got the chance to do three things that are inside of my passion. I have been working all week with another priestess of DSM to prepare a ritual for the SSC. In one weekend I got to have a dedication ritual with NROOGD, circle with the sisters of the SSC and perform a DSM ritual for people I love.

I went showed up at our elders place for the ritual on Saturday and had many different thoughts going in my head. I was not sure what to expect but had a calming sense that I was doing the right thing and that things were going to be as they were suppose to be. After getting there we went to get some food, which was good. It gave me a minute to ground and prepare myself emotionally.

After returning, we did the dedication ritual and I was honored to have some of the people I highly respect from three of the bay NROOGD covens come out to support this process for me. I know that they came out to support this process for Sacred Serpent but I also know that they came for me and that meant a lot to me.

Interestingly enough after Saturday morning, I sat there and processed going skyclad in ritual. I took my cleansing bath and during that I feel like I was finally able to wash those insecurities and fears down the drain. After that process I wasn't nervous anymore. I was going to do what I knew I had to do for myself. Being skyclad after that moment wasn't a fear that kept me bound and the ritual was not a source of uncomfortableness. I feel like I grew in that respect alone by being able to go thru with it and not allowing fear to take me over and make my choices for me.

On Sunday the SSC coven came to my house and Ariana and I led a DSM ritual. It was great to show the others who were here some of what DSM has been doing over the last 3 years. DSM has grown so much and the ritual showed that for me. I was excited to show it and share it. I think the only thing missing was Jody.

We dyed eggs with everyone and sat around on this beautiful spring day enjoying eachothers company. How amazing the connection is between all of us. Time has created that for us and it is wonderful.

It was also great to have the kids and my mom there with us. It was great. Gives me a lot of hope for what is to come. Embarking on a new journey and being able to honor the one that is my foundation.

Blessed Be!

So, for what seems like the 80th time, I watched What the Bleep last night with a friend. It never cease to amaze me how much one can learn by repeating the same thing over and over again.

I heard the same things tonight but in a different way. I guess I needed to hear it. In light of some recent life events, came to the conclusion tonight that (once again) I have some rewiring to do with my neuronet. I have done this several times before but now it is on a different side of the coin. It is rewiring some of the connections about some of the unwanted energies that I call into my life and the associations I create with them. How I need to change my reality and perseptions of certain things.

Interesting how life is, isn't it? So starting today I have a whole new set of things I will be working on. Wish me luck......

Some of you may already know what I am referring to but in the interest of the spirit of rewiring, I don't see the point in detailing it out.

Blessed Be!

This week has been one that cannot really be described in one blog or in words at all really. I am going to try to find a place to start and begin to talk about a process that has changed many things about how I have looked at the world until now.

After over two years of working with my spiritual mentor and High Priestess I was finally able to pick her up at the airport and look her in the eyes. There was that brief moment of questioning if I knew this woman at all but within moments I knew that this would change my life. Over the next couple of days we went to several pagan shops as she did seminars there, we took a trip to the Redwoods and San Francisco with two of my students and did a series of remarkable rituals.

I received my Third degree ritual to become the second High Priestess of the Family Wiccan Tradition International. Because the ritual itself is oath bound, I can just say that it was a moving experience full of fears, anxiety and triumph.

I was then privileged to work with Dia to do the second degree rituals for Ariana and Obsidian with her. That in and of itself was also an incredible and remarkable experience to stand side by side with her and do the elevation rituals.

We were able to spend some quality time together as family and it was a great and bonding experience. And this led us to PantheaCon!!

After years of working with Dia towards my third degree for FWTI, it is finally here and I will be getting my elevation this week. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. The universe always answers the call.
Thank you.

So on the day before the New Years I pulled my usual two Goddess cards for the day to reflect on. Interestingly today I pulled the Butterfly Maiden and Freyja.

Here is what the butterfly Maiden says “You are experiencing enormous change right now, which brings great blessings.” Her card talks of transformation, “don’t be concerned about the endings because they’re bringing in the new for you. Let go of the old. Don’t worry about these changes – they’re truly for the best”.

Freyja’s card says “Unleash your adventurous side! Take risks and be daring.” Her card talks about not playing it safe, being bold, taking risks and making a bold life change.

So here ya go. This is what I want and NEED to leave behind going into the New Year. Names are not necessary. Let this message get to the universe and aid in being able to finally close that door and walk forward.

You hurt me but I love you. You abandoned me and I don’t understand but I don’t have to. I honor what you gave me and the hard lessons you have taught me, I am stronger.

At first I thought I would never trust people as much as I trusted you guys but now I know that isn’t true. Instead I have learned how to love more and know that sometimes when we love people we have to release them. Both of you taught me how to release and I value that lesson.

I will love harder, be a better friend, hug more, laugh more, release when I need to and enjoy this moment in ways I couldn’t before. Because today I am moving to a place you can’t go and that is my own raised vibration of spiritual being that has been enhanced by your lessons.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I release you. I release you. I release you both.

I am in current negotiations (for lack of a better term) to do some work in a new metaphysical shop in the area. Looks like I will be doing tarot readings, doing workshops and helping to coordinate the schedule for the shop.

I am really excited at this potential opportunity and will keep you posted when things are firmed up a little.

Blessed Yule everyone. I want to first start this blog by saying I am grateful for the family and friends that I have. I have so much abundance in my life and I try to remember everyday to be grateful for those things. Sometimes it is easier to remember my blessings than others but I am not one of those people that believes that the holiday season is a time to be nice. I believe that everyday is as important and the other and everyday is full of magic and blessings.

I got some awesome presents this year including lots of clothes and DVD's that I have wanted, including the new Harry and the final season of Charmed.

Within the last several weeks I have been on Yule and holiday overload. I have attended or hosted 6 rituals since the 9th of December, 3 in the last week.

I can honestly say that I have felt more of a solid connection to my tradition the more that I am in ritual space. Interestingly enough, Yule is not one of my favorite of Holy days but the Goddess obviously has another plan for me, even if I don't know what it is yet. I distinctly have felt like the Goddess is trying to orient me for being able to let go of my biases for this Sabbat and to be able to feel ok during the dark half. (for those who know me, you know that the dark half of the year is always super hard for me).

Since going thru all of the rituals, traditions and practices of this season, although it was one of the nicest Holiday seasons for me, I am glad it is over. AND on to the coming of the new year, 2008.

Thank the Goddess.

My Goddess Guidance Oracle card today is Brigit, "Don't back down". It says, Be assertive, don't worry about what others think, trust that your actions will work out fine, Speak your truth, stick to your opinions, put your foot down.

Ok, so I am sitting here on my lunch break thinking, that is what I am going to do today. I am going to make sure to speak my truth and not allow others to silence it. I am tired of feeling like speaking my truth will cause problems because others are unable to respect the viewpoints of others. Today I will speak my truth. And I am going to find a way to do that in those situations that I have worked hard to pull back on.

I am grateful for:
Life and health. For the most part I am healthy and able to enjoy
life in ways that others can't
My family. I am grateful everyday that I am able to have them in my life.
My husband. I know I am lucky to have found him and have him support
me in every way.
A job. Even though I am struggling with this, I am grateful to still
have a job and be making enough money to live a wonderful life.
My home. Jon and I have been talking a lot about his job and some of
the homeless situations he deals with and I am so grateful to have
what I do.
The Coven. No matter what I am soooo grateful for the sisters in the
coven and being able to have such solid connections with others of
this faith.
This tradition. I am so grateful that Jody and I decided to kick
start it and that now there are others to help develop and carry this
tradition on.
My spirituality. Without this I am just a shell.
Friends. I am grateful to have a support base and people to share my
life with.
The present. I am so grateful that I understand that no matter what
has happened in the past, I only have the present. And it I honor the
present, I can create the future.

Life is amazing, isn't it? There has been a series of recent incidents that have really stretched me and made me think outside of the normal box for me.

More recent incidents have really pushed me to not being able to deny the power of my own intuition. Many times I have thoughts and dismiss them quickly afterwards. But amazingly most of those "thoughts" are then confirmed and I am left thinking "why didn't I listen to myself before" or "I saw this coming". It is like the ultimate Godsmack, don't you just love that.

So, this year has been the year of so much change that it is hard to keep up with sometimes. I know that this year has made me stronger and given me more resources to cope with life and support others with life.....so I guess it is worth it in the end.

If my lessons can help me give to someone else then they are very valuable to me. It will also help to prepare me for future situations where I have to rely on either my knowledge of life or my instincts or intuition.

I am excited for the new year to come. I welcome a change in energy that will allow myself and those whom I care about to stabilize with the energy of the coming year. With a time period packed full of lessons, many of them the hard kind, a period of rest and reprieve is necessary. I feel like 2008 is going to be that year that brings about some rest and some much needed new beginnings for many people. 2008 will bring about the year of 10, or more commonly 1 (depending on the number system you use) which has a lot to do with rebirth. So still more active then balance but in the upward motion of creating the balance from this year.

I am looking forward to it. I am grateful for it. I know that I had to go through the lessons of this year to get to where I needed to go but I am glad it is coming to a end. I am ready to move past completion and onto renewal. I hope that everyone is able to get what they need out of the changes and energies this year. I hope everyone is actively working towards finding their center.

Blessed Be.