Rev. Crystal's Full Moon Blessings

I think of the rain this year as a welcomed cleansing of the year so far.  So much pain and sadness this year that the mother is crying for the pain of her children.  And in her pain, her tears have the power to wash away the hurt.... to see to a renewed spring that is to come.  

Call for Writers– Shades of Faith; minority voices within Paganism

Email for inquiries and submissions: 

Megalithica Books, an imprint of Immanion Press (Stafford, U.K./Portland, OR, U.S.A) is seeking submissions for an anthology on people of color working in magical communities.  This anthology will be an opportunity to get the voices and experiences of minorities within the Pagan community out to the world and address some of the challenges, stereotyping, frustrations and the beauty of being different within the racial construct of typical Pagan or Wiccan groups. These communities include (but are not limited to) groups and individuals working in Wicca, Voodoo, Umbanda, Shaman, and other Pagan paths.

Many of the roots of Paganism have come from the lands of people of color yet the mainstreaming of Wicca has elevated images of worship and deity that connect with Celtic, Greek or Roman cultures.  This can have an exclusive effect on those who's culture or ancestry fall outside of those categories.  Interestingly enough people of color within Paganism are often walking between the worlds of their birth ancestry and culture and that of their spiritual culture.  This anthology is an opportunity to share your stories and experiences with others around being a minority in our spiritual community.

Here are some suggested topics to give you an idea of the focus of this anthology.

Your experience of integration into the Pagan community

Magical work 

Ancestor work

Integrating your birth culture with your spiritual workings

Personal experiences and thoughts around how being of color within the Pagan community was significant.
What magical work are you doing now? How do you describe it? Do you work alone, in a group, or in several settings? 

Your birth culture and spiritual workings

Stereotypes and prejudice
Being the only person of color in a coven, group or community

Sharing your culture and history with other Pagans

Cultural history

Sub-culture of African Americans, Hispanics or other minority groups within Wicca or Paganism.

Is there a sense of acceptance within the magical community you work in? Do you encounter resistance in your magical community or acceptance? 

What do you feel is needed to be more inclusive of racial diversity in Pagan communities

Rough drafts are due July 15, 2010. These drafts will be edited in a back-and-forth process with the editor. Essays should be 1500-4000 words, although if your work falls outside those limits, do submit it – we can discuss this during the editing process. Drop us an email if you are unsure whether your idea fits into the content. The sooner you start the communication process the better, as after the deadline we won't be considering additional ideas.

Essay requirements:
• Citations for all quoted, paraphrased, or otherwise unoriginal material
• Bibliography of works cited
• Prefer APA format

Do write in your voice! If you're academically inclined or trained, feel free to be as intelligent and technical as you like. If your work entirely talks in the first person about your own experience, please include this also. There is a wide range of voices, and we are interested in being as inclusive of style as possible.

Accepted contributors will receive a free copy of the anthology when it is published and additional copies sold at 40% off the cover price to contributors. All contributors will be provided with a contract upon final acceptance of their essays, not when they are accepted for editing. If your essay is not accepted for the anthology, we will tell you after the first round of edits.

The anthology will be edited by Crystal Blanton. She is the author of an upcoming pagan/occult nonfiction book called Bridging the Gap; Working Within the Dynamics of Pagan Groups and Society. She may be found online at http://www.crystalblanton.org and her email address for this anthology is crystal@crystalblanton.com .

Immanion Press is a small independent press based in the United Kingdom. Founded by author Storm Constantine, it expanded into occult nonfiction in 2004 with the publication of Taylor Ellwood's Pop Culture Magick. Today, Immanion's nonfiction line, under the Megalithica Books imprint, has a growing reputation for edgy, experimental texts on primarily intermediate and advanced pagan and occult topics. Find out more at http://www.immanion-press.com.

I am reading a book right now called Pop Culture Magick by Taylor Ellwood and there have been some interesting thoughts that I have had in this journey.  For those who do not know, my mom and I watched all the seasons of Buffy together in a short period of time.  I had always avoided watching Buffy because it seemed cheesy but one day I thought...... I wanna see.

It is so interesting how words can be the catalyst to connection or the hammer of destruction.  It is so much easier to find the words to express anger than to express fear, concern, sadness, confusion or any other emotion that can feel so vulnerable.  I am sure there are many reasons why this is like this but I think one of the main reasons from a spiritual sense is that anger responses are reactionary in nature.  When we are angry we are not filtering other information, we are responding to the anger.

So often we get into the habit of wanting things from the God and Goddess.  Things come up, a need or desire, and it is almost automatic that a call goes out to the Gods and the Universe.  It is not as automatic to think about what we are doing in exchange for the support and blessings in which we are asking for.  As we are considering all the blessings that come our way, we need to remember that the connection of all things will dictate that something else sacrifices in order to fulfill our desires.  Honoring that sacrifice can be just as important as honoring the things that we receive. 

I am in the process of grieving and needing divine support to enhance the support I am getting from my loved ones.  I have not always thought about the shifting of balance that happens when I am asking for my needs to be met by the universe.  As things continue to occur I am reminded of this factor in the balance of life and remembering that those things are just as important to me as the things I need.  The exchange that happens in the ultimate balance is praise worthy.  Our relationships with Deity are like those we have with our family and friends.  It is an exchange and nothing is free.... nothing is without sacrifice.

When we honor the Gods, lets honor the totality of the things that they encompass.  We cannot have one side without the other.  Honor the giving as you are taking and support the continuous shift within the universe.  Say a prayer for those things that are without so that you can be with.

It is important to acknowledge the feelings that you have, it is the energy that you are radiating to the universe whether you acknowledge that or not.  Going into the spring is a perfect time to pay attention to what is coming up for you and find ways to cope with those things we cannot control.  Many of us are coming out of the dark half of this past year with scars and bruises.

I have been thinking for a while of what to write and what to say.  I have resigned myself to the fact that there are no words to express what I have seen or gone through in the last month since my mother's accident.  The world as I have known it has gone away in a blaze of flames that consumed my mother's life and my sense of security.  My mother has always been my rock, she was consistent in her love for me and always supported me in finding the layers of my being.  I cannot remember a time when she told me she would disown me for my thoughts or actions.  She wanted me to find myself and be who I am, live my life with honesty and integrity.  I honor her sheer ability to pass that on to me.

I am not sure how to continue to move throughout my life without her by my side, she was such a part of me..... and I was such a part of her.    My son completed her.  It has been so strange to hear everyone's tales of how she adored me so much.  I always knew she loved me, a lot, but never all the other things.   I saw her do that over Robert and never knew that she did that to me as a child too.  She had such love.  She was so beautiful.

I am ashamed at how much I took her for granted.  She was always such s trooper that I just adapted to her being super woman.  I told her I loved her everyday but now it just doesn't seem like it was enough.  I wish I could have said it more.  I wish I could tell her thank you for every single thing she did for my family, every value she taught, every meal she cooked, every pick up from school, every diaper she changed, every page of homework she helped with, every hug she gave, every floor she mopped, every smile she smiled and every load of laundry she did.  There just isn't enough time to say enough thank yous. 

I believe in the powers of the universe to make things right and to take care of her.  I just have to believe that she is ok and that I will live to my fullest potential, that my family will live to it's fullest potential. 

May the Gods love and protect us all.

I knew that this moment would forever change my life. I got that phone call and it was in that moment that I realized life would never be the same, much like when I got that phone call in 1996 or when I saw her in 2001. I always knew that life was full of the unexpected, the events that build character and stories to write about but not like this, not now and definatly not her.

My mother has always been the soul behind my life. She has been the one constant in a sea of chaos within this world that always has been the source of so much of my pain. Watching her on the bed with her swollen face, burned skin and lifeless body; I realize that once again my life is about to forever change.

My son's face tells the story of the painful event; one full of fear and terror. With swollen eyes and dripping tears he says to me, "when I saw her, it was like my heart broke into a million pieces and fell to my stomach". I looked into the eyes of this broken hero standing before me; feeling guilty in the knowledge that I was grateful he saved my mother's life despite the trauma it has caused him. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his head, knowing the memory of that moment would forever change his life.

How do you tell a hero that the pictures in his head that continue to cause so much pain is a story of bravery, the markings of a true warrior? The images don't fade after everyone forgets and walks away. The imaginary memories I hold of my mom's suffering will forever haunt my thoughts but my son's memories are real and etched into his mind, holding that moment like a bookmark in time; constantly reminding him of how everything in his world was now different; tarnished and forever changed.

The days blend into one another and the clock continues to tick without realization of it's impact. Every moment that passes holds a delicate hope, a wishful conclusion, a dream. I sit in the purple chair within the white sterile room with green gloves on my hands dreaming of a time when I might hear her voice, hold her in my arms or kiss her face. Looking over her body I just see pain and sadness; eyes that cannot focus on my face, a mouth that cannot smile, tubes that prevent her from speaking my name and a wrinkle in her forehead that shows her worry and fear. As the tears leak from her confused eyes I know she is afraid and must be thinking about how one moment, one task, one meal, one shirt, one day, one moment, one action.... has drastically changed her life.

What do you say when you can't take away the pain, remove the fear, wind back the clock or step into her shoes to relieve her from this moment? I can say nothing. I can do nothing. I can only hope that the next moment is her choice, that she can chose to forever change her life again …...and live.

As the wheel turns and 2009 fades in the dust, 2010 shows us an open road.... another opportunity to move forward.  The road blocks of the previous year vanish and miraculously the road is clearer and the path allows for turns that were not open before. 

I am working towards setting a course for the next decade, one of abundance and love.  If I am working towards in setting my intentions then I must believe that I am the key in setting this into manifestation.  It is the simple rituals our energy performs that can set the course before we are conscious enough to know ourselves.  If I cannot believe that I have the power to set my course then my energy will continuously send out that message to the universe. 

Instead I am going to push a new energy this year that is full of possibilities and see where it may lead.  May you do the same.
Blessed Be!

Interestingly I find that I get sucked into the darker side of thinking through a situation when something happens.  I sometimes find it hard to remember the good when the bad seems to be what is evoking a emotional reaction from me in the moment.  It takes processing on my part to transition out of that position and to a position of the balancing light that makes all things worth the effort.  This is something that I have had since being a child and something that I have worked on and continue to work on.  Although I see improvements, most of the time it is like a knee jerk reaction..... transition and processing time is much less though as I grow.

Life is forever changing and growing to new places and what seems like the unattainable goals.  In reality all goals are attainable but.they feel so far from grasp, so out of reach.  This year has been the ongoing challenge of maintaining balance in a world that is so far beyond the concept of it.  Right when things seem to even out, another swing of the pendulum puts things out of balance and only time will allow for the pendulum to slow.

Gratefully we are going into a new year in less than a month and this allows for new hope, new opportunities and renewed thoughts.  I have been set on another adventure and I am grateful that I have the resources to follow through with what is needed of me and this family.  Two pairs of eyes are added to the fold of the Blanton family and spirit will guide us all in meeting their needs. 

So in concepts of balance it is not always as we think it will be.  Maybe we are meant to deal with one side of the pendulum in order to help others avoid it.  If this is correct then I happily will stand in to do what is asked of me and then some.

Well, life has it's way of getting busy when you want to slow down, doesn't it?  I am in the process of preparing for my National Novel Writing Month challenge (nanowrimo) that starts November 1st and I am waiting for the second editing revision from the editor.  Once I get the edits back, I will have about a month to turn it around, maybe less.  As things get closer it feels like the pressure just increases.  I do not have a release date yet but can imagine that I might have some more answers after this next part of the process.

School is going good.  I am currently taking Child and Adolescent Psychology and Sociology.  I am on the Dean's list for the second semester but amazingly that just adds more pressure as well.  it is exciting to get that acknowledgment since I have always felt I missed out on a traditional higher learning experience when I was younger but now as an adult who is already established in her career, these types of events make me feel like I "have" to get a good grade or else it puts my experience in question.  Silly, I know but it is just thoughts that come up.  After this next semester is over..... in like 9 weeks, I will officially be a Junior in College.  LOL!!

Things are shifting in other areas too.  I am transitioning out of my position as the Clergy Weaver in FWTI so I can focus more on being the "Second" of the Board of Directors and acting Director of the Board right now.  I am excited to hand that position over to a very well deserving and talented person!  I am also getting ready to do my first ritual elevating someone to third degree.  This is a huge experience for me and I am very excited.  I am trying to plan it right now and look forward to the process.

other than that..... I am preparing for coming events.  I am looking forward to closing the year and beginning anew.  I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.  Last Saturday night I went to my monthly tarot group (Berkane Babes) and had a great reading done for me.  part of what the reading was saying was to feel confident that I could do this and also to step up to the plate and not be so concerned with others..... just do it.  In the words of the reader, "man up!".  So that is my mission over the next transition.






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"When you become aware of silence, immediately there is a state of inner still alertness.  You are present.  You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective conditioning" - Eckhart Tolle.   "Blessed Be oh Yemaya!! Yey Omo Eja" - "Mother Whose Children are the Fish"

The click of the wheel descends into a darkening spiral as we move into another phase, the shadow side of our land and of our lives.  With Samhain quickly approaching, it is the visual reminder that fall is here and death is coming.  I am not talking of physical death but of the death of the old to make way for the new beginning that will come when the land is ready to receive. 

For those who know me or have been reading my blog for a while, you know that although fall is my favorite time of year, the dark half of the year is always a hard time.  I have worked very hard to take the anxiety out of that time and am somewhat successful but I keep it a conscious thought that the coin flips over and I better be prepared. 

The inner reflection of the dark half is always hardest, looking inside at the emotions that are triggerd by the chain of events.  And although we all know that these events stretch us and help us grow, that does not take the sting out at the time.  Like with a tattoo, you know the ending will make a stronger and more beautiful you but the tattoo itself still hurts like hell. 

I have already seen the dark half working it's magic and shifting shadows where things are now revealed.  I already know that this will be a brilliant year for growth and pray it is not too painful for us all in the process but I feel the shift this year.  I feel the shift, not only in the earth but also in the energy of the human spirit and the struggle. 

As times are already hard while in the light, the anticipation of the dark is ever looming.  This has already been a challenging year for so many. 

As we prepare for the holidays, the death of the god, the dying sun.... let us remember that those things that keep us whole are the shields of love we build inside of ourselves and around us.  All things start from within and yet cultivating and recognizing the love and strength we have built within with our families and friends is also essential.  Take no one and nothing for granted, not even yourself and do whatever keeps you connected in love and joy.  And if patience is the key to all things then let love, compassion, acceptance, honor and peace be the door we get to open.

May you be blessed this coming season.

One of two times a year when the alignment of the world is in line with the things I am aspiring for in my own life.  Everyday that passes is another chance to achieve the goals set before me and each day I continue to strive for just that.  Finding the internal balance between what I expect of myself and what the world expects of me has been key in navigating what I need to do for my family and for those who depend on my sanity.  (those poor souls)

In reality I think 2009 has shown me that balance is not something you achieve and then you are set.  Balance is something that requires constant work and, like with a see-saw, it is a fragile act of give and take.  Without the flexibility of empathy, understanding, forgiveness, acceptance and accountability, the tipping of the scale to either side could be a permanent shift that doesn't recover.  the real art to balance is knowing that there is no such real thing.  Balance is what we create, it is not a set pattern that exists the same for everyone.

My scale has been altered this year because of unforeseen circumstances and now the skill of redefining "balance" is what I am working towards.  Each day I am closer, each day it makes more sense why I am in this battle to begin with. 



--
"When you become aware of silence, immediately there is a state of inner still alertness.  You are present.  You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective conditioning" - Eckhart Tolle.   "Blessed Be oh Yemaya!! Yey Omo Eja" - "Mother Whose Children are the Fish"

Priestessing is a hard job.  No one tells you the amount of responsibility that comes with becoming a High Priest or Priestess until it is far enough down the road that you know there is no turning back.  and in reality, there is no way to possibly understand what that responsibility means until it is yours.

Walking in the role many times puts you at odds with people you love and can give you some sadness as well.  It can also be a rewarding place to be when someone is fulfilling their destiny and you have the opportunity to watch.  Regardless of the ups and downs of priestessing, the reality is that it is a hard job and one that can leave you feeling awfully isolated at times.

I think it is important for us all to remember that the Gods reasoning is not always ours and we will not always understand the road that lays ahead for ourselves or for those we support.  It is the road with many beginnings and a myriad of possible endings but none the less it will be filled with the necessary lessons that need to be acquired.  I may not understand those lessons but they are ever present and we all have to learn them; whether willingly or by being brought to our knees.

May we all learn the lessons without too many bruises.

The business of family life, being a full time counselor, High Priestess, mentor and author is a hectic and crazy balancing act.  I don't know how I got here but it has morphed into one of the most challenging of positions.  I enjoy the challenge but know that the energy I spend fulfilling these obligations have to be replenished somehow.

The past two weekends have been doing just that for me.  I went to a dreaded work retreat and was pleasantly surprised at the role this retreat played in helping me self care.  I got put in a condo on the beach with a view of the ocean in a room to myself.  I stayed up late eating cheetos and listening to the silence while I played on the computer.  I slept soundly to the sounds of nature and the rolling waves while I was suppose to be preparing for the upcoming work schedule.  The reality was that this moment of solitude was one of the most important reminders I could have gotten on how to take care of myself.

The next weekend was full of adventures that filled the driving force i have as a Pagan to connect with nature and with the Gods.  My mom, melissa and two of the kids went to the Egyptian Museum in San Jose.  it was beautiful and I promise to post some pictures in the near future.  it was a great day of reflection, sights, bonding and relaxing.  Seeing some of the images served as gentle reminders of what I do and what I am.  I felt wonderful in the atmosphere of history and deities.  On Sunday we went to Muir woods and sat in the woods listening to nature and seeing the wonders.  My mom, Jon, Kev, Robbie, melissa and Nayeli went and had a ball.  i bought a walking stick made of redwood to use as a staff and my mother got one too.  Being in the redwoods always reminds me of my spiritual core and coming to a place of balance.  it was beautiful.  Thursdays fullmoon was celebrated on the labyrinth surrounded by candlelight.  I walked the labyrinth and thoughts of all the accomplishments I have manifested this year and allowed the stress to roll away under Yemaya's moon. 

this weekend is beginning to be in the same theme as the priors.  Today was a tour of two metaphysical shops for Melissa, a nice lunch and spending time with the family.  Tomorrow is Roberts Bday so we are planning on relaxing in the sun and spending time with my boy.

Take the time out to enjoy all the wonderful things that may seem small but hold so much weight in the grand picture of life.  We all deserve happiness and balance in order to continue the road to fulfilling our highest good.  I am trying to remember mine, do you remember yours?

--
"When you become aware of silence, immediately there is a state of inner still alertness.  You are present.  You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective conditioning" - Eckhart Tolle.   "Blessed Be oh Yemaya!! Yey Omo Eja" - "Mother Whose Children are the Fish"

It is interesting how we all naturally question what is happening in our lives, especially when something comes up that we don't want to do.  A recent work retreat has been such a hard event for me to come to terms with for various reasons and because of this, it felt like I was being forced to do something I couldn't do.  After releasing that feeling and surrendering to the fact that I was going on this trip, I went and am glad i did.

This trip turned out to be in the belly of Yemaya, right on the beach with visions of the beach everywhere.  after fearing having to share a room with people I didn't know, I ended up with my own room full of peace and inner reflection.  What I realized once I was here was that I needed this.  I needed to get away from the chaos and allow myself to just spend time with me.  In the process, I am connecting to the Yemaya within and out in the oceans.  I have missed her constant influence in my life since I have allowed my stress to block a lot of the messages she normally sends.

I went to the store and bought a spirit candle since I left mine at home.  I am now sitting with the ocean at my back and peace in my mind.  How exciting it is to have enjoyed and experienced this.  I truely need it and will try to remember not to doubt my blessings in the future.



--
"When you become aware of silence, immediately there is a state of inner still alertness.  You are present.  You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective conditioning" - Eckhart Tolle.   "Blessed Be oh Yemaya!! Yey Omo Eja" - "Mother Whose Children are the Fish"

Interesting how life just seems to shift without giving you a chance to catch up.  It is like a wind that happens; pushing past the structures you have built, whizzing through your goals and stirring up your dreams.  In one moment you find that you have to reassess where you are and where you thought you wanted to go.  Interesting how life seems to shift you into another state of contemplation on your life and your journey.

In one year it my life has shift has been continuous and drastic and for a lot of people that I know.  I am not alone in this re-shifting of the universe.  Some people may attribute the changes to categories of good or bad but I am just trying to grasp the changes themselves, not judge them.  As I am a firm believer that the Gods put you in a place to constantly revisit your needs and your commitment to your path; I know this is where I am in my life.  I have, in many ways, taken on parts of the qualities of my Goddess.... becoming the mother figure to many inside and outside of my household.  I never fully understood how taking on the vow to a deity could open that door.  And as I am learning to adjust to this new found role, this new existence, the new expectations;  I am also learning more about myself and who I really am at the core.

Learning to release to the will of my personal higher power is trying in many ways since it goes against my nature of needing to control the variables in my life; helping me to avoid being hurt.  For this reason, I know I am being challenged to grow again and to become more of what I look to my Gods for. 

Knowing that acceptance is the Key to Growth, I will honor this ever turning wheel of unexpected leaps in faith as I continue on this journey.  With less than a year before the release of my book, I feel I a getting the opportunity to jump to yet another place that will increase my ability to be empathetic with my community and with those I might have the pleasure to support.

May you be blessed as I am learning to accept my blessings.
 "Blessed Be oh Yemaya!! Yey Omo Eja" - "Mother Whose Children are the Fish"

Crystal

There is a new fan page on facebook for all you facebook users, new twitter page that is now linked to the website on the side panel AND blogs have been updated from previous entries.  There is a link to the facebook page on the front page of the crystalblanton.com website if you would like to participate.  The older blogs that have been added give some insight into my process and achievements that have helped me become a High Priestess and helped to fashion some of the writing in my upcoming book.

Blessed be!

I am testing me new ability to post via phone....