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Letting Go of Resentment

22 September 2023 at 05:00
β€œMay our hearts become large enough to recognize our own shortcomings in the ways we have treated others. May our hearts become large enough to extend sympathy to those who have hurt us. May our hearts become large enough to hold the complexity of the human spirit.” -Lane-Mairead Campbell How can you extend sympathy to … Continue reading Letting Go of Resentment

A great two days...

22 September 2023 at 18:57
I did an afternoon presentation yesterday in the U of A Sculpture studio yesterday afternoon, and today I did an all day box-making demonstration. We made two boxes, one with a hinged lid, another with a lift off lid.Β  Then I made another partial box to demonstrate the making of a mitered finger joint box. Then one of the students asked if I could demonstrate making a bandsawn box. Taking a piece of spalted maple left over from a demonstration by artist Robyn Horn, I quickly designed and made a bandsawn box. I also made a sled, and led an exploration of the principles and elements of design. These were two good days and now I get to refocus on the edits for my new book, and spend time with Rosie on the front porch. The photo shows my yo...

A Three Mile Drive

22 September 2023 at 18:39
I know what should be blooming, singing, or visiting any time, but I revel in the surprises. Over the summer, a frog moved into the front gardens. What a sweet marker of the returning health of this tiny bit of land! I adore hearing his frog songs at night, mixed in with the sounds of the night chorus. Continue reading A Three Mile Drive at The Wild Hunt.

Sunday, September 24 ~ Welcome Each Moment ~ 10:30 a.m.

22 September 2023 at 18:23
Sunday, September 24 Welcome Each Moment Led by Rev. Stephen Shick The poet William Blake wrote: Joy and woe and woven fine clothing for the soul divine…and when this we rightly know safely through the world we go.” Β Spiritual practices can help us welcome both joy and sorrow into our lives. During worship this Sunday we Β  [ … ] The post Sunday, September 24 ~ Welcome Each Moment ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

UUs Answer the Call in Atlanta: will you join us?

22 September 2023 at 11:04
Last time we wrote you, Revs. Dave Dunn and Jeff Jones were in jail after stopping construction at Cop City in Atlanta with their bodies. Β  We are happy to share that all 5 who were arrested were released from jail with misdemeanor charges.Β  Β  Β Additionally, Rev. Christina Branum-Martin, Rev. Misha Sanders, and other UUs joined others to deliver over 116,000 petition signatures collected by the Cop City Vote Coalition in support of letting Atlantans decide if they want Cop City at all. The City of Atlanta is trying a legal appeal to avoid verifying signatures, a decision that Senator Raphael Warnock and Stacey Abrams both criticized as deeply anti-democratic. Β We're grateful to be part of a movement that won't cede ground to fascism...

Tennessee Bookstore Dedicates Reading Room to Elandria Williams

22 September 2023 at 11:00
Elaine McArdle The room at Knoxville nonprofit The Bottom features books, materials that focus on racial, gender, other social justice issues

Summer’s Ghosts

22 September 2023 at 06:03
We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer’s wreckage. We will welcome summer’s ghost. Henry Rollins Recently I suffered the dreaded Covid virus, not a welcome experience. I lost a month to symptoms we … Continue reading β†’

Responsive Resources: Climate Disasters Happening in Morocco and Libya and How You Can Help

22 September 2023 at 09:14
On September 8, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the nation of Morocco with the death toll exceeding 3,000 people and injuries greater than 5,600. Scientists are reporting that the climate-induced Storm Danielβ€”which was 50 percent more intense than previous storms hitting the areaβ€”has started catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya that will inevitably lead to water […]

Ellen Church Was a Nurse, Flyer, First Stewardess, and War Hero

22 September 2023 at 07:26
Ellen Church on her first trip as a nurse/hostess for Boeing Air Transport, 1930. Sitting interminably in the crammed boarding lounge of a major airport for an overbooked flight mysteriously delayed, you can almost inevitably overhear a nostalgic conversation between older executives or retired men. Β  These frequent flyers will lament the passing of the days when stewardesses where hot babes in heels and tight skirts, who lavished them with pillows , cocktails , and TLC. Β  And if you knew just the right hotels and cocktail lounges you could hook up with the fun loving swingers and the wives need never know. Β  Those girls were virtually the Bunnies of the air. This image, whether true or wishful thinking, was constantly reinforced in t...

Read this site with a feed

21 September 2023 at 22:43
You don’t need to come here to read this site. Like most which use WordPress, this site publishes its content, or syndicates using the Atom and RSS (Real Simple Syndication) formats at revscottwells.com/feed. This makes an open web possible, rather than one where you are locked into closed systems, which seems to be winning. An … Continue reading "Read this site with a feed"

Making a List

21 September 2023 at 05:00
In order to make amends for the things we have done to hurt others, we must first be honest with ourselves about what we have done. Who have you hurt in the past year to whom you need to make amends?

Welcome to New Life

21 September 2023 at 06:04
I just found out this past month that my niece is pregnant! Our family will welcome a beautiful baby boy on December 15th. This is so amazing because there has been so much loss in our family.Β  My mind goes … Continue reading β†’

β€œAs above so below:” a cup crafted from a human skull raises question about is ritual purpose

21 September 2023 at 17:11
In cave in southern Spain, Researchers find human bones that had been converted into tools. Continue reading β€œAs above so below:” a cup crafted from a human skull raises question about is ritual purpose at The Wild Hunt.

SGCC: Second Son Concert ~ October 21 at 7:00 p.m.

21 September 2023 at 16:41
Date/Time: Saturday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. Location: UCMH Union Hall Cost: $10 (all proceeds benefit UCMH and UU Service Committee) Β  Don’t miss this engaging live performance from local musicians Brian Cousins, Brian Podesta, and Stirling Cousins as the folk/acoustic/Americana band Second Son! Tickets are only $10 and all proceeds benefit UCMH and the UU Β  [ … ] The post SGCC: Second Son Concert ~ October 21 at 7:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

In progress: Water, Biosphere 2

21 September 2023 at 16:22
Water is endlessly fascinating to paint as well as to watch.

this afternoon

21 September 2023 at 12:05
I have a presentation to deliver at the University of Arkansas Sculpture department at 5:30 this evening. It is open to the public at 687 W. Praxis Lane.Β  In the meantime, folks have been working with wood for over half a billion years, according to discoveries described in the New York Times. Ancient Logs Offer Earliest Example of Human Woodworking. I'm not surprised. Make, fix and create... Assist others in learning likewise.

Documents relating to the Ute Indians and the Unitarians

21 September 2023 at 08:52
Recently, people in the United States have been taking the month of September to reflect on the wrongs perpetrated against the indigenous peoples by the U.S. government and citizens. (And yes, the perpetrators of wrongs against Native Americans were nearly all White, which means that Ron DeSantis doesn’t want this material taught in the Florida … Continue reading "Documents relating to the Ute Indians and the Unitarians"

International Day of Peace/Autumnalβ€”Murfin Calendar Coincidence Verse Equinox

21 September 2023 at 07:35
Β  McHenry County folks can observe the International Day of Peace this evening, Thursday, September 21 from 6 to 9 pm on the Square in Woodstock sponsored by the Unity Spiritual Center.Β  Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation will be among the religious organizations participating.Β  This is another one of the calendar poems inspired by random, or not so random, coincidences of dates, usually discovered as I am in a mad scramble for a blog entry topic. Β  It first appeared in 2013 when two events fell on the same day. Β  Today, like most years, the astronomical event falls a day ahead to a proclaimed one but the calendar serendipity is still close enough. Tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox and the first day of Fall in the North...

23F Week 1. Exciting Discoveries about the Universe Enabled by New Tools

21 September 2023 at 02:00
Welcome to the 51st year of WomenExplore! This series is entitled WomenExplore ReimaginedΒ  Fall 2023 What does this mean? When covid caused the Spring 2020 lectures to be postponed, we spent our meetings learning how to use Zoom instead.Β  Thankfully every one of our wonderful speakers was able to transition to the fall and we had a very successful online lecture series. We had been expecting that everything would return to normal and we would soon be back in our old home at the Democracy Center.Β  However that was not to be, and through the succeeding series we discovered the advantages and disadvantages of operating online. The risk of disease transmission disappeared, as did our travel time and parking problems.Β  Distance now presen...

Repentance

20 September 2023 at 05:00
β€œThe challenges surrounding apologies and forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation, amends and atonement invite a lot of questions, and they’re neither simple nor theoretical. They impact the very structure of our criminal justice system. They are ever-present in our rapidly shifting conversation on sexual abuse. These questions haunt the legacies of every country touched by colonialism … Continue reading Repentance

Readings for memorial services

20 September 2023 at 14:49
Families who are planning Unitarian Universalist (UU) memorial services often want suggestions for readings. Yes, there are many websites with tons of readings for memorial services. But many of those websites are going to have material that is too religious for us Unitarian Universalists. And some of the readings you’ll find online don’t exactly fit … Continue reading "Readings for memorial services"

Defense filing in Delphi murders case draws strong responses from Heathens

20 September 2023 at 15:00
The Heathen community responds to a murder trial defense in Indiana that claims the accused are Odinists and the crimes are a form of ritual sacrifice. Continue reading Defense filing in Delphi murders case draws strong responses from Heathens at The Wild Hunt.

Inclusion in Action: An Organizational Culture Shift Tool

20 September 2023 at 09:23
Inclusion in Action: An Organizational Culture Shift Tool In November 2021, the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) committed to β€œAccountably dismantle racism and other barriers to full inclusion.” Making this decision required a lot of talking, a lot of listening, and even more self reflection. What we needed to do next was move. The Justice and […] The post Inclusion in Action: An Organizational Culture Shift Tool first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post Inclusion in Action: An Organizational Culture Shift Tool appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

Ginkgo

20 September 2023 at 12:43
6β€³x6β€³ oil pastel on board I think this is done.

Midweek Message September 20, 2023

20 September 2023 at 11:43

The Journey of Forgiveness

20 September 2023 at 06:38
Lynette Yetter I have struggled forgiving myself for not knowing how to create appropriate boundaries. Continue reading "The Journey of Forgiveness"

Blacks Spoke Up for Themselves at the First National Negro Convention in 1830

20 September 2023 at 08:02
Β  An early Negro National Convention. As ever, it was hardβ€”dangerous and hardβ€”to be Black in early 19th Century America for Freemen as well as for slaves . Β  Take the Northern state of Ohio , for instance. Β  It had entered the Union in 1803 under an 1802 constitution that abolished slavery. Β  Although technically a Free State , Ohio was culturally Southern having been settled predominantly by frontiersmen moving west from Virginia and the Carolinas through Tennessee and Kentucky before, during, and after the American Revolution and the widespread Indian wars that followed. Β  This was especially true of Cincinnati, which rapidly became the busiest port on the Ohio River . Farming in Ohio was not naturally suited to the plantation...

How Do You Say Welcome?

20 September 2023 at 06:09
On a recent visit with our son who lives in Michigan, we visited a place in a small village outside of Detroit known as the largest Christmas store in the world. If any item had anything to do with the … Continue reading β†’

5 Non-Traditional Tarot Decks

20 September 2023 at 05:00
Tarot decks can be addictive. Here are five relatively new Tarot decks I find interesting. While they’re all beautiful, some are easier to read with than others.

Wednesday Photo: An orca skeleton in the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge

19 September 2023 at 19:00
Taken with a Fuji X-T2 using Luis Costa’s Kodak Tri-X Push recipe Just click on the photo to enlarge it

Hurt Feelings

19 September 2023 at 05:00
Sometimes, our feelings are hurt by the actions of another. Sometimes, we hurt others’ feelings. How we approach repair in this situation is important–we must center the person who is hurt. How have you experienced repair when your feelings have been hurt?

Finding the Right Tools

18 September 2023 at 05:00
Sometimes, it is necessary to find the right tools for a repair. This goes as much for the tools of relationships as it does for the tools of mechanics. What are the tools you have used to repair relationships?

β€œWitch cult” in Scotland accused of child sexual abuse and attempted murder

19 September 2023 at 17:00
A trial in Scotland claims that Witches were abusing children and forcing them to participate in occult rituals. Continue reading β€œWitch cult” in Scotland accused of child sexual abuse and attempted murder at The Wild Hunt.

Let’s Build a Home!

19 September 2023 at 13:30

Saturday, September 23 ~ Women’s Red Tent ~ 12:30-4:30 p.m.

19 September 2023 at 10:48
Hudson, MA Women’s Red Tent Gatherings: Celebrating over a decade of Sharing Our Stories and Creating Community! Β  The theme for our gathering on SeptemberΒ 23, 2023: WELCOME!! 12:30pm-4:30pm Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson, 80 Main St., Hudson, MA 01749 www.ucmh.org Β  Hello, fabulous women! We hope you had an amazing summer! Yes, already, it Β  [ … ] The post Saturday, September 23 ~ Women’s Red Tent ~ 12:30-4:30 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

My BorderLinks Journey: Understanding Life for Immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border

19 September 2023 at 08:38
An eye-opening experience about the dangers at the U.S.-Mexico border and how the UU faith calls us into solidarity with those exercising their human right to migrate.

Fugitive Slave Law Divided the Nation

19 September 2023 at 08:25
A U.S. Marshall and a slave catcher attempt to capture a Black woman and child under the Fugitive Slave Act. The infamous Fugitive Slave Act was passed by Congress on September 18, 1850. Β  It was one part of a larger Compromise of 1850 meant to ease tensions between slave and free states. Β  It did not work. Β  In fact, attempts at enforcement of the law enraged many Northerners who would otherwise have been content to let slavery be out of sight and mind in the South. A Fugitive Slave Law had been in the Federal statutes since 1793. Β  It was an enforcement provision for Article 4 , Section 2 of the Constitution, which required the return of runaway slaves and was passed at a time when slavery was still legal in most states on both sid...

a video preview...

19 September 2023 at 08:18
The new Museum of Eureka Springs Art is taking shape at the Eureka Springs Community Center thanks to a team of volunteers and donors. Thank you Jim Nelson for the video.Β  We have new lighting, a polished concrete floor, rolling walls that can be arranged however we want, and plywood panels offering display areas on the concrete block walls. Art comes next. Make, fix and create... assist others in learning likewise. Β 

Hospitality A Noble Truth

19 September 2023 at 06:00
Three years ago I learned about the Nine Noble Virtues of the Asatru. I learned about them when I created a Yule journal for my fiance’s sister.Β  Asatru, believed to be the ancient religion of the Vikings, is considered the … Continue reading β†’

Why Amazon sucks, cont.

18 September 2023 at 19:33
I promised a friend that I’d buy 30 of his poetry books for a reading he’s doing in our congregation this weekend. Unfortunately, he self-published through Amazon. So I had to buy his books through Amazon. Yuck. I expect Amazon to underperform, but they outdid themselves this time. First of all, I paid extra for … Continue reading "Why Amazon sucks, cont."

Pagan Community Notes: Week of September 18, 2023

18 September 2023 at 18:15
In this week's Pagan Community Notes, The Troth leads the Pagans For Peace: A Ritual for Peace and Justice, community announcements, upcoming Pagan Pride festivals, Lights Out for the Fall migration, and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of September 18, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

U of A Lecture 9/21/2023

18 September 2023 at 14:24
On Thursday September 21, 2023 I'll be making a presentation at the University of Arkansas Sculpture Department. This poster offers the details. The Thursday afternoon presentation is open to the public. Make, fix and create... assist others in living likewise. Β 

Courageous Love Shines at Love & Light Gala

18 September 2023 at 04:00
On September 14, the All Souls community came together for our annual Love & Light Gala, and it was a night to remember. This year’s theme, β€œCourageous Love,” inspired attendees to express their unique style and make bold fashion statements in their courageous attire, and there were plenty of courageous statements made. From bold colors to daring accessories and creative twists that reflected personal journeys, everyone truly embraced their β€œcourageous attire.” It was a delight to see how everyone interpreted the theme in their own way. Selling The Shoes Off Your Feet Gala committee chair, Jeni Ellis Halliday, took this […] The post Courageous Love Shines at Love & Light Gala appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Boundaries & Buttercups

18 September 2023 at 11:49
Earlier this summer, I discovered a few lovely yellow buttercup flowers under the Honeycrisp apple tree. I didn’t think too much about it. They were so pretty. Later, when I was mowing the orchard undergrowth, I mowed those flowers along with everything else. But more recently, I realized that the buttercups had spread all over […]

Birmingham Sunday Sixty Years Ago

18 September 2023 at 08:38
Four Little Girls:Β  Ada Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley. Note β€”Somehow I let this tragic 60th anniversary slip by unnoticed the other day. Of all of the many battlegrounds for Civil Rights in the South, Birmingham , Alabama stood out for the level of sheer ferocity and brutality of opposition to change. Β  Then, on September 15, 1963 the already blood-soaked city was rocked by a Sunday morning bomb blast at the 16th Avenue Baptist Church. Β  When the dust and smoke cleared, four young girls were dead and 22 other people were injured. Β  It was a crime of such sickening brutality that it shocked the nation. Β  If it happened today, it would be called what it surely was thenβ€”an act of terrorism. Β  Bir...

I See You

18 September 2023 at 06:07
I recently watched the new Avatar movie, Way of Water. Just as the prequel it was action packed and had more than one message in it. But it had me questioning my true welcoming spirit. Just as in the previous … Continue reading β†’

Cranes

16 September 2023 at 22:37
Four Sandhill Cranes have been frequenting Arcadia Audubon Sanctuary in Holyoke. We don’t see Sandhill Cranes in Massachusetts all that often. But I had a long talk with a woman staffing the visitor center at the sanctuary, and she said these four seem to have been around all summer, and there’s some who think they … Continue reading "Cranes"

Redwoods

17 September 2023 at 05:00
β€œThe redwood is one of the few conifers that sprout from the stump and roots, and it declares itself willing to begin immediately to repair the damage of the lumberman and also that of the forest-burner.” -John Muir How can you be inspired by the regenerative forces of nature?

Horology

17 September 2023 at 17:25
I use models for what is "old enough" to consider seriously in my practice based on instinct and a vague understanding of the world "historiography," picking up and discarding things from 1000, 1300, or 1800 as either "older than anything else I’ve found" or "too new" - all while the modern Witchcraft movement can be meaningfully traced to the 1940s. Continue reading Horology at The Wild Hunt.

Hold Loosely But Practice Deeply

17 September 2023 at 14:32
What do you do when your head tells you there is only the natural world but your heart – and perhaps, your experiences – tell you there’s more? My preference is to hold my beliefs loosely, but while I hold them, to explore them as though they’re absolutely true.

A Word of Advice for a Unitarian Universalist Congregation

17 September 2023 at 15:00
Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  I saw a huge form, rounded and shadowy, and shaped like an egg… Its outer layer consisted of an atmosphere of bright fire with a kind of dark membrane beneath it… From the outer atmosphere of fire, a wind blew storms. And from the dark membrane beneath, another membrane […]

A Home for Your Beliefs (And Hers, And Mine)

17 September 2023 at 12:30
Whoever you are ... Whatever You Believe ... This week, we look at the heart of the big UU experiment - a welcome into religious community that transcends individual belief.

beyond the gift of individuality

17 September 2023 at 12:40
We are each given the gift of individuality. Some are given a greater gift of seeing beyond it.Β  I learned this morning of the death of a good friend... a talented woodworker, a student in my classes, a supporter of the Clear Spring School's woodworking program, a loving father, grandfather and husband. His physical presence will be missed. In my friend's honor I share my dad's favorite poem, that I also found in a mimeographed book of poems collected for manual arts teachers. Isn't it strange that princes and kings, And clowns that caper in sawdust rings All share this common destiny: Each is given a set of rules, A lump of stone and bag of tools, That each may carve ere life has flown A stumbling block or stepping stone. β€” Anonymous...

Weekly Bread #240

17 September 2023 at 12:08
Sometimes when you have been working hard, it shows. I was tired and sweaty after climbing a hill. The whole hike was almost 11 miles with a 1450 elevation gain. We were only a third of the way done when this picture was taken, but we’d just done the steepest section. If I look a […]

A Dutchman Spies Invisible Creatures With his Gizmo

17 September 2023 at 07:23
Β Β  Β  Β Β  Β  Β Β  Β  Β Β  Β  Β Β  Β  Antonie van Leeuwenhoek On September 17, 1683 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek wrote a letter to the Royal Society in London describing animalculesβ€”tiny one celled animals invisible to the naked eye now known as protozoa. Β  In doing so he inadvertently founded a new branch of scienceβ€”microbiology . Leeuwenhoek was an unlikely scientist. Β  At the time most scientific investigation was the sole providence of gentlemen who had the education, leisure time for investigation, and the fortune to support the cost of their work. Β  He was neither a gentleman nor particularly well educated. Β Β Β  He came from a family of tradesmen or what the English called skilled mechanics. Β  His father was a basket maker a...

All Ages Worship (17 September 2023)

17 September 2023 at 00:55
Please join us on Sunday (17 September 2023) at 11:00 AM for Artist Sunday 2023 featuring the creative performance and visual artists from among the members and friends of All Souls We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.Β  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (17 September 2023)"

No Children and Youth Religious Education Classes on 17 September 2023

17 September 2023 at 00:42
Because the Artist Sunday worship service is a celebration for all ages, there will be no children or youth religious cducation classes for this Sunday (17 September 2023). Both children and youth religious education classes will return on Sunday, 24 September 2023.

Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education Taking a Break on 17 September 2023

17 September 2023 at 00:35
Our adult religious education class will be taking a break this Sunday (17 September 2023) due to the Artist Sunday worship service celebrating the arts. This class will resume next Sunday (24 September 2023). Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class β€” meeting in person in the church social hall and also … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education Taking a Break on 17 September 2023"

Zoom (and In-Person) Lunch on Wednesday (20 September 2023)

17 September 2023 at 00:29
Please join us next Wednesday (20 September 2023) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Our weekly Zoom lunch is going dual-platform β€” join us from home using Zoom or in person in the social hall. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just catch up.

Finding Level

16 September 2023 at 05:00
Levels are such interesting tools–I have always loved that a simple bubble inside a tube of liquid can help us keep surfaces from tilting and make things line up with each other. Sometimes, I wish that our lives came with a simple tool to let us know when we’ve tipped too far in one direction. … Continue reading Finding Level

Scott Cunningham of the Rainbow Dead

16 September 2023 at 17:00
Storm Faerywolf honors the memory of Scott Cunningham and discusses the new biography, "Scott Cunningham - The Path Taken", by Christine Cunningham Ashworth from Weiser Books. Continue reading Scott Cunningham of the Rainbow Dead at The Wild Hunt.

Fresh from five days

16 September 2023 at 11:21
After a five day class at ESSA building small cabinets, I plan to spend the day putting things away, cleaning the shop, and responding to my editor on questions regarding my new book. I got a question from a reader concerning a process in my book 25 Beautiful Boxes, which is a compilation of projects drawn from my first two books, written over 20 years ago. I'll need to go back and try to refresh my memory as to what he's talking about. He wrote, that as a novice woodworker, he was trying to build the project in chapter 20, and had questions about a particular joint. In a way that's like starting Moby Dick at chapter 89, except that fiction does not require chapter by chapter growth, the way a how-to book may. I try to order my chapters ...

THEY SAID IT FIRST

16 September 2023 at 10:33
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  We think of writing as line after line, margin to margin, the kind of prose that fills today’s newspapers, books and this column. Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  But first came poetry–in song, rhythm and the engaging forms of rhyme. Early shamans used it as oral history to relate daily life and its dangers. Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  Poetry not only […]

Convergence of Two Holidays Raise Questions About Crypto-Jews of New Mexico

16 September 2023 at 09:45
What’s a blogger to do? Β  Today is the real Mexican Independence Day and it is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days. Β  These are both occasions I normally mark with blog entries. Should I repeat my almost annual entry on the Grito de Delores and Father Hidalgo and why Cinco de Mayo is an upstart pretender, a mere local celebration which became a marketing and drinking festival in the U . S . ? Β  Or should I explain today the significance and rituals of Rosh Hashanah and the peculiarities of the Jewish lunar calendar ? Β  Oh, wait, I did that yesterday. Sometimes when events like this collide or bush closely enough on the calendar, I have been known to commit poetry. Β  See Purim/International Women ...

Faith in a universal cooperative society

16 September 2023 at 07:18
Β  A shortΒ  β€œ thought for the day” was offered to the Cambridge Unitarian Church as part of theΒ Sunday Service of Mindful Β  Meditation. Β  (Click on this link to hear a recorded version of the following piece) Β  β€”o0oβ€” In my piece today, I’m going to continue to walk through the Japanese twentieth-century advocate of a creative, free religion or spirituality, Imaoka Shin’ichiro’s β€œCreed of Life,” by taking together statements 3, 4, and 5 about what he later calls a β€œuniversal cooperative society” [The previous piece, looking at his 1st and 2nd statements can be found at this link.] But in order to do this in a fashion that might help his words seem to you at all persuasive and worthy of adopting either as your ow...

Meditation with Larry Androes (16 September 2023)

15 September 2023 at 23:08
Please join us on Saturday (16 September 2023) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This group will be meeting via Zoom and not in person. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. The group … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (16 September 2023)"

A Multicultural Witch’s Practice 101

15 September 2023 at 18:30
However, when it comes to Witchcraft practice, it’s not just the language that matters. It’s the techniques we use, the tools we get, the points of view we work with, and even the people we meet and learn from. Being in Venezuela forced me to work with limited resources, sometimes even limited information, but since I came to the United States, a door opened for more of all of this. Continue reading A Multicultural Witch’s Practice 101 at The Wild Hunt.

IntroducciΓ³n a la prΓ‘ctica de un brujo multicultural

15 September 2023 at 18:29
Sin embargo, cuando se trata de la prΓ‘ctica de la brujerΓ­a, no sΓ³lo importa el idioma. Son las tΓ©cnicas que utilizas, las herramientas que obtienes, los puntos de vista con los que trabajas, incluso las personas que conoces y de las que aprendes. Estar en Venezuela me obligΓ³ a trabajar con recursos limitados, a veces incluso informaciΓ³n, pero desde que lleguΓ© aquΓ­ se abriΓ³ una puerta para mΓ‘s de todo esto. Continue reading IntroducciΓ³n a la prΓ‘ctica de un brujo multicultural at The Wild Hunt.

sale at ETSY

15 September 2023 at 18:11
ETSY.com is having a sale in which any order over $25 can receive a $5.00 discount on my products, or the products of other makers.The discount comes from ETSY not the merchant. The discount code is Get5 Β My shop is located here:Β  Β https://www.etsy.com/shop/DougStowe My students and I had a great class building small cabinets at ESSA as you can see. Make, fix and create... assist others in learning likewise.

Birthday of the Universe

15 September 2023 at 05:00
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated as the birthday of the Universe, and begins the Days of Awe, a time when Jewish people are expected to repair relationships with people and with G-d by atoning for things they’ve done wrong. Make something right and new today.

Lost Faith

15 September 2023 at 06:06
I was brought up as a Baptist. I was not an every Sunday Baptist but I was an only on holidays Baptist. Religion was basically left up to me. As a child, I had no interest in religion. As a … Continue reading β†’

Rosh Hashanahβ€”Sounding the Shofar for New Year 5784

15 September 2023 at 03:00
Tonight is the first evening of Rosh Hashanah which begins at sundown. Β  For Jews it is Yom Teruah, the Day of Shouting (or Blasting) which marks the first of the High Holy Days as well as the start of the New Year. Β  It falls on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year that began with Passover in the spring and represents the first of the civic year. Β  This year it ushers in 5784 on the Hebrew calendar. It is a joyous celebration filled with the hope of a brand new year and is celebrated at synagogue services highlighted by the blowing of the shofar, a hollowed-out ram’s horn, as proscribed in Leviticus to β€œraise a noise” on Yom Teruah. Β Β  It is also it is also a symbolic wake-up call, stirring J...

Neolithic cursus discovered on the Isle of Arran.

14 September 2023 at 18:17
The only complete Neolithic cursus to be found in the British Isles to date has been located in Isle of Arran in Northwest Scotland in the Firth of Clyde Continue reading Neolithic cursus discovered on the Isle of Arran. at The Wild Hunt.

Doors...

14 September 2023 at 18:03
My students in my small cabinet making class all have doors, so tomorrow we will finish assembly and plan on putting on hinges and hardware. The photo shows an example. Make, fix and create... assist others in learning likewise.

Reset

14 September 2023 at 05:00
When my daughter is really upset, a drink of cold water helps her calm her body and deal with complicated emotions. The coldness is like pushing a β€œreset” button. For others, this physical reset involves a cup of tea, or a bite of something crunchy. -Michael Tino (CLF) What helps you physically reset yourself?

Sunday, September 17 ~ The Gift of WELCOME ~ 10:30 a.m.

14 September 2023 at 14:06
Sunday, September 17, 10:30 a.m. The Gift of Welcome The Unitarian Church of Marlborough & Hudson invites you into a time of spiritual reflection with our Soul Matters Sharing Circle . Once a month, in lieu of a formal worship service, we will gather to create safe, sacred space together, in a sharing circle format, so Β  [ … ] The post Sunday, September 17 ~ The Gift of WELCOME ~ 10:30 a.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Wednesday, September 27 ~ Dinner Church! ~ 6:00-8:00 p.m.

14 September 2023 at 13:33
Nourish Your Body & Spirit at Dinner Church!Β  Join us for Dinner Church onΒ  Wednesday, September 27 . All are welcome to this family-friendly opportunity to share food for the spirit as we enjoy time together in community. We’ll have build-your-own burrito bowls (suggested donation $15 to cover the cost of the meal, $20 to help Β  [ … ] The post Wednesday, September 27 ~ Dinner Church! ~ 6:00-8:00 p.m. appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Welcoming the Ocean

14 September 2023 at 06:40
It was a beautiful December day in Harlingen, Texas. We left early in the morning for a day trip to the ocean. I had been dreaming of this day for months. I’d had a difficult year and this was my … Continue reading β†’

NOAH at FUUN

14 September 2023 at 09:48

Reflecting on my Gurus: Heard, Huxley, and Isherwood. A Small Appreciation.

14 September 2023 at 09:30
Β  Β  Β  Β  The other day I came across a wonderful little essay β€œThe Minimum Working Hypothesis,” It was Aldous Huxley’s attempt at providing a core to his belief in a perennial wisdom. It triggered a wave of thoughts for me. And in particular how much I owe to him and two of his […]

From a Raucous Ballad to a National Anthem

14 September 2023 at 03:00
Β  The Bombardment of Fort McHenry--the bombs bursting in air. On September 14, 1814 a young Baltimore attorney, Francis Scott Key, dashed off a long poem, The Defense of Fort McHenry after his release from a British warship on which he was detained during the bombardment of the fort in the War of 1812. Β  It was published to considerable acclaim in the Patriot on September 20. Β  Street broadsides were soon circulating with the instruction to sing the words to the tune of a popular drinking song, To Anacreon in Heaven . Β  In later decades all but the first verse would become largely forgotten and the song would become known as The Star Spangled Banner. Key had accompanied American Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner to ...

AFA plans for Stonehenge event vigorously repelled

13 September 2023 at 17:46
The Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA) announced and cancelled an event at Stonehenge after swift opposition by the Heathen and Pagan community. Continue reading AFA plans for Stonehenge event vigorously repelled at The Wild Hunt.

Holes in the Fabric

13 September 2023 at 05:00
Many holes in fabric can be repaired by people with sewing expertise. I am not one of those people. The repairs I make are obvious and usually a little crooked–they make plain that the fabric once had a hole. Sometimes, I think that repairs in the fabric of our lives are like that–there will always … Continue reading Holes in the Fabric

Body Autonomy Is the Path from Which All Others Diverge

13 September 2023 at 14:49
A Q&A with Amanda Montei | I’ll say that in both creative and academic circles, the subject of motherhood is often seen as niche and unserious, and personal struggles with caregiving and domestic work are as well. I’ve experienced some pretty outright sexism over the years, but also so many subtle dismissals of my work and my intellect as a mother writing about motherhood, or even just β€œwomen’s issues.” Alongside the very real struggle of securing affordable childcare.

Introducing the Responsibility Covenant

12 September 2023 at 09:57
Introducing the Responsibility Covenant A Tool for Inclusive Organizations In 2021, the Canadian Unitarian Council–the national organization where we work–adopted a new guiding principle. This principle affirmed our commitment to β€œindividual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions.” We were already on a path […] The post Introducing the Responsibility Covenant first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post Introducing the Responsibility Covenant appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

Midweek Message September 13, 2023

13 September 2023 at 10:49

Approaching Conflict Like a Poem

13 September 2023 at 06:35
Tania MΓ‘rquez May we remember to slow down when we find ourselves having difficult conversations. Continue reading "Approaching Conflict Like a Poem"

Today at ESSA, doors

13 September 2023 at 07:45
Today in my making small cabinets Β class at ESSA we are ready to begin making doors. I woke up early this morning to go through the process of making bridle joint doors, for both glass and raised panels, as my students will be making both. I am so lucky to have practiced such things over the years and to have skills to share and to have found a market for these skills.Β  My book on designing boxes is moving through the assembly process. A cover is being designed, marketing materials are being developed, the words and photos are going through the usual editorial processes, an illustrator has been chosen, and there again I'm lucky to have skills to share and a great team to help me share them. This will be my fourteenth how-to book, not i...

Are All Welcome Here?

13 September 2023 at 06:07
Many years ago, our congregation began a deep conversation around what it means to be a welcoming congregation and what it means to be β€œradically welcoming.” That phrase, radically welcoming, caused us some pause–as well it should have. To this … Continue reading β†’

AI in Spiritual Education: Caveat Emptor

13 September 2023 at 05:00
I encourage you to avoid AI-created spiritual education. It’s not hard to spot, but sometimes you have to do a little investigation. If you’re an author or teacher I encourage you to offer what AI can’t: your own experiences, own your thinking, and the lineages of which you’re a part.

My Labor Action Baptism Was a Teacher Strikeβ€”A Murfin Memoir of Niles West

13 September 2023 at 03:00
Niles West High School in the 1960s. I was a senior that fall at Niles Township West High School in 1966. Β  It was a good year for me. Β  I was finding myself. Β  After arriving from Cheyenne, where I was something of a pariah as a bookish kid, the year before, I had discovered that at least in some circles my interests were valued and shared. Β  I had friends. Β  I was active in drama and was cast in good parts. Β  I had my own allegedly humorous column The Wind from the West in the school newspaper and my short stories and poems had been published in the literary journal Apotheosis . Β  I competed in Forensics. Outside of school I was part of a circle of kids from all three schools in the district who were interested in things like ci...

Good Walls: Boundaries as Acts of Love

12 September 2023 at 23:28
Reading: From Prentis Hemphill, On Boundaries For me, there is a big love [that exists regardless of me].Β [Which means,] there are people I have boundaries with that I’m like, β€œI don’t know if I love you but there’s a big … Continue reading β†’

Elder God Party in 2024

12 September 2023 at 22:22
Back in the 2008 and 2012 presidential election cycles, this blog encouraged people to vote for Cthulhu for president. According to an old MIT webpage : β€œCthulhu is a large green being which resembles a human with the head of a squid, huge bat-wings, and long talons (true, that doesn’t really resemble a human, but … Continue reading "Elder God Party in 2024"

Natural dyes update

12 September 2023 at 20:23
Our experiments in early August to make natural dyes using pine cones or invasive plants weren’t very successful. Subsequently, Carol did a lot of research and experimenting. When we held Ecojustice Camp in mid-August, she was able to produce some pretty good colors using natural dyes. The most successful colors came from turmeric powder (bright … Continue reading "Natural dyes update"

The congregation is the curriculum

12 September 2023 at 15:15
I am so pleased with the plans we have for our scheduled sessions of religious education for children and youth this year. The children, youth, and their teachers will be using stories, art, service, and learning to help the children and youth develop their UU ... read more . The post The congregation is the curriculum appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.
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