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White light folded, sheathed about her, folded.
The new years walk, restoring
Through a bright cloud of tears, the years, restoring
With a new verse the ancient rhyme. Redeem
The time. Redeem
The unread vision in the higher dream
White jeweled unicorns draw by the gilded hearse.
— T.S. Eliot, "Ash Wednesday."
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
If the women don't get ya
The whiskey must.
— Old folk rhyme.
I remember several years ago Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live talking
about Ash Wednesday and getting the ashes placed on one's forehead.
"This week marked Ash Wednesday" she said. "The day when you come
back from lunch and freak out your co-workers, who think you've
joined some strange religious cult."
Today my mom had a visit from Sister Sharon, who came over to do an in-
house due to the fact that my mom can't get out right now. She was going
to give the ashes on the forehead and give Holy Communion. When she got
here, my mom asked me if I wanted to receive ashes. Perhaps more to
please my mom than anything else, or perhaps out of nostalgia for my
Catholic youth, I said that I would. And so I did. Concluding the little
service Sister Sharon led us in the Lord's Prayer, which I recited also
inasmuch as there is nothing much in it that I disagree with anyway.
When we got to the "lead us not into temptation" phrase, I remember
thinking to myself that there certainly wasn't much temptation in my
life anymore; but hoped that if there would be that I would do the right
thing.
The service concluded and Sister left. Nothing like participating in a
bizarre Catholic ritual to pick up your afternoon. Afterward I grabbed
my hat and jacket and went over to the grocery store to pick up a few
things for dinner. As I walked across the grocery parking lot, I passed
by a young, very nice looking little redhead heading in the opposite
direction.
Definitely a source of temptation. Even if only in my imagination.
"Already got that one covered!" I said to myself.
My hat covered the ashes. Nobody at the store gave me any strange looks.
This Insubstantial Pageant Faded 
""lead us not into temptation" phrase, I rememberthinking to myself that there certainly wasn't much temptation in mylife anymore; but hoped that if there would be that I would do the rightthing"I don;t know what is with "temptation" today!it is like the time Melissa, Richard, You, Matt and me did the same post on music!creepy if you ask me!today I was working on a post and had this song in ithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUA7F9j_xzswhich another friend did add in another link… I removed it and posted on "tempted" with "the temptations" song instead..http://my.opera.com/ellinidata/blog/show.dml/3010380here I am and what I read? about temptations! how odd it this???we never used this word beforewe felt itbut did not use it!:devil:
PSthanks for sharing the special moments of your day with us Eddie,I hope Mrs Piercy is blessed always:heart:
thank you for telling Mrs Piercy 🙂
the picture you left at my post on temptation was lovely,I wonderif you will appreciate mine as much as I appreciated yours 😀
Thanks! And I will tell my mom.Was just over at your place with the new post. I think I left an appropriate comment. And there's a photo.
It's a lattice of coincidence.When I lived near Tacoma, I could go to Latin Mass every week. I find Catholic ritual far more comforting than the dominant Catholic theology.
Tattoos aren't my thing, though I have one. I sure don't have the urge to get another. Or another dozen, like some people seem to.Lattice of coincidence isn't my phrase, but I like it a lot. Miller said it to Otto in "Repo Man"
I didn't come across any decent rituals in grad school. Maybe I should try again…
Ah, Repo Man. Was that from the same speech where he says, "the more you drive, the less intelligent you become." — ??? :lol:Well if you do grad work in anth you just find other people's rituals. Like the ritual in northern Greenland of sitting around the table drinking tea and eating cookies and having conversation — for 5 frigging months, in the dark.As far as school goes, I'm sure you know that end-of-the-year department party. Which ritual consists of how drunk can I get before I screw up and tell one of my professors exactly what I think of them?
@ Angeliki. Hmmm. No, I think I'll stick with blonde with tongue. But that's just me. :lol:@ Matt.Lattice of coincidence. That's a nice phrase.I guess that if things had gone better that I would probably be in grad school now and I would have had the opportunity to participate in at least a couple of interesting rituals. I think rituals are interesting and often instructive — intructive in the cultural sense but sometimes in a bigger, cosmological sense.No tattoos, though. That's one thing I've never been too big on going through.
no surprise ther Ed :lol:for a moment I thought it would be the iJustine ,but it seems you got over her…I have no tatoos and only my ears pierced (my mother did pierce them when I was a child ,and I have no memory of it).I hope people do realize how dangerous tattooing is for infections andthey will be more careful on where they take that tattoo.HIV and hepatitis are so much spread beacuse of tatoos
imagination keeps me happy so far! :lol:oy!too much informationin an cool, breeze, tempting night :pGood Night Eddie
Oh I would still do iJustine in a hot Dallas minute. And Drew has tattoos. And Fairuza. I'd hop on board the love train with them, too.In my imagination, of course. :devil:
Ah… Temptation… Experts on the subject will tell you that the most dangerous temptations are the ones you don't recognize as temptations before you have already submitted to them. I quit drinking alcohol several years ago, but I'm still tempted. When I walk past the exibition of bottles in the local super market – in my mind I call it 'The Wall of Spirits' 😉 – my mind travels back to all the stupid fun I had when I was drinking. I've stopped blaming myself for the hard times I gave myself and others during my period of active alcoholism, it's history now, and started looking at the fun parts instead. For some reasons, and I can not explain how, it gives me a reason to stay abstinent. Consolamentum…
@ Angeliki.Well I don't hink I'm going to go to sleep to fast after that one. By the time you read this, it will probably be tomorrow.@ Martin.I was just commenting over at Angeliki's blog, with her post on the same topic of temptation, that I have trouble limiting myself when I go out and drink, I want to stay too long. But, since I don't go out all that often, it's not that much of a problem. There were periods of my life when I drank far more than I do now.I congratulate you on your will-power. And I'm glad your life has benefited.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,If the women don't get yaThe whiskey must."This reminded me of Irish drinking songs :lol:"There's some takes delight in the carriages and rollin',Some takes delight in the hurley or the bollin',But I takes delight in the juice of the barley,Courtin' pretty maids in the mornin', o so early!"
Eddie,I just wanted to "round up" your day before I went to bed last night..:DGood Morning 🙂
I am glad you had some warm and fuzzy thoughts Ed :lol:I feel less guilty now since I was too lazy to send more iJustine photos to you from my personal collection…:D photos that were taken in Pennsylvania… You know she is from Pa , no?Have a great day,I hope you make a post on tattoos,I have some amazing pictures from Europe to add (if you do…) *hugs*
@ A.In fact I didn't think about iJustine last night. I've spent the entire night (so far) thinking about Kathryn Morris.She has a tattoo, I discovered. I think she's also the palest girl on television. As well as the most beautiful.@ Darko.I like that! :cheers:
I don't go to church nor was I raised with any particular religion but I do know about rituals. There was a class at ASU called Ritual, Symbol and Myth and for our final, we had to give a fifteen minutes presentation on something in our lives that we've made into a ritual. It was amazing really because there were 30 people in the class and 30 totally different presentations. One guy had been a bull rider and he told the process he went through in his mind, how he got dressed, and how he talked to the bull to prepare himself before actually getting up on the bull. He also told us he didn't do it anymore because over time, he had broken almost every bone in his body, except his neck. Another person talked about how she does the exact same things every morning when she prepares for a cup of tea. I was petrified about this presentation but had three months to think about what I had turned into a ritual. Very soon I had the answer. I'd talk about my art and the process I go through before starting a painting. Once I got up in front of the class and had a piece of artwork in my hands, I felt quite at home.
attending church avery weekend ,plus holidays ,made me feel so bored in churchthat I had to do some people watching, art on walls studying or priest behavior analyzing 😆 I knew even then I had to chance for a place in heaven(not that I even believe in it).On the Priest behavior/mass execution, I found out that the mass is very much like a play, different stages but very much the same.All moves, the scripts,the outfits needed to be in order,the same most of the time , and both to be believable.The difference was only thatthe mass was for free, the play in a theater it was costly. Many attended the church get together , a social event (like a play), others because the wanted to forget their reality(like in a play). Many wanted to feel more pure because they have done something bad… Among all I could always see my dad with his hands interlaced, I knew he was there because he believed. Yes, he is a great believer.I was feeling then that I was failling him with all my wild thought,but I had no desire to change anything.My desire instead ,it was to stay in bed more on Sundays. :DNow that I am a grown up woman and I visit him,when I see him going to churchin the morning on Sunday ,I know he wouldn't be happy without his ritual and I am glad for him.It is very much like I couldn't have been happy if I did not spendat least an hour a day talking to my kids and finding outhow their day went,what bothers them and what they do to change it. To many this is justparenting, I did not have it with my parents.:( They thought I should learn from example ,and I did.But to me it family time it is a ritual and parenting at the same time,something that I treasure and know one day my family willrealize that rituals (if they are healthy ones) are not only good for a person, or a familyand they can bring the extra happiness we all need. 🙂
@ Pam. Sounds like an interesting class. In fact it sounds like it would be an anthropology class. :DI think we certainly do have our little rituals, sometimes multiple ones. For me, for an example, I have a particular order I wash things in when I wash dishes. First silverware, then utensils, then cups, then glasses, then saucers etc. I know the world wouldn't come to an end if I didn't do it that way. But I do it anyway.Back when I was in the normal work-world, the act of getting up and shaving, showering, then putting on my tie (especially the tie) was a ritual. Putting on the tie got me mentally geared up far more than a cup of coffee would. Maybe there's a little OCR in all of us. But I think that perhaps it is the comfort factor, we feel comfortable when we can face life's changes of fortune with something fixed.@ Angeliki.The rituals of church bring a certain amount of standard orthodoxy to religion. But they also funtion in much the same way that I was speaking to Pam of above. They bring stability and reassurance. Which is one of the chief functions of religion, of course. To comfort us in an unkown world, or as Eliade said to define for us North, South, East, and West.I take it your father is Greek Orthodox.Thank you both for your great supplements. :up: :up:
In the US, some of the most evangelical Christians are Protestants of one type or another.
yes, he is a Greek Orthodox, an 93% of Greeks are.I was baptized and my son Orthodox as well.My daughter is a Greek Catholic, which is btwn the two religions…a long story for her chistening, but that will be told when we have that Joack Daniels together :cheers:
"Still, I have often considered the study of theology and becoming a vicar. Recently this idea has been messing around a lot in my head. It's not uncommon to start that particular education at about 40"I am a believer too,I don't go to an Orthodox Church, it is not my desire any longer.I am attending Universal Church at least 3 times a month.It is a great place to be the acceptance of all religions and the conversations are the majot reason I feel bad if I don't attend.Studying other religionsand trying to see what each religion offers and what makes it so special to it's followers it is not only fascinating but very educational too.It brings you closer to people and leaves hate based in differences totally out of the equation. :heart:
Like the majority of Danes I am a Lutheran Protestant, an I believe. Not in a higher power or something like that but in The Lord. Oh, yes I truely believe in the existence of God. I have my reasons. I'm not sure about Jesus being Christ, though, but it is okay for a Protestant to doubt in dogmas. I probably should go to church more often than I do, but my wife sings in a gospel choir which means I go there more often than I did before I met her.Still, I have often considered the study of theology and becoming a vicar. Recently this idea has been messing around a lot in my head. It's not uncommon to start that particular education at about 40.However, I am waiting for The Calling… If I hear it, I know what to do. If I don't hear it… I'd probably find something else to do.
@ Martin.I know that you are a lover of Scandinavian mythology. How do you blend that with your Lutheran beliefs?I realize this is personal, you don't have to answer that question if you don't want to, of course.
I know, Noah. Protestants come in many colours, I guess. Evagelista is the original word for a Lutheran. In fact the term 'protestant' was applied to the followers of Martin Luther by their opponents. The Lutheran Church in Denmark and Germany is orthodoks Lutheran. Nothing much has changed for the past 500 years. It's a State Church. All members pay monthly taxes. As a citizen you have to apply for non-membership. It is hard to explain and difficult to understand for outsiders, but that's how we do it in Scandinavia. State religion. Orthodox and very outdated.As a Protestant it is the depth and strength of your personal faith that is the point. Not participating in rituals (or the size of your donations).
@ Martin."As a citizen you have to apply for non-membership"That's just amazing. At least for an American. Not that I mind it or would think ill of it in your country. @ Matt + Martin.Yes, and here we believe in the "separation of Church and State." And yet religion here influences politics all the time. We're still going round and round on the issues of pro-choice and gay rights.It makes me sad. @ Angeliki.I'm sort of an ancient Egyptian transplanted into the 18th century Enlightenment and Deism. If that makes any sense.Which it probably doesn't.You are welcome to come out and have that JD with me any time! :cheers:
Blending. A good concept! :up:
Fair question, Ed. It's another Scandinavian tradition. Blending. After all, the Scandinavian church traditions is pretty much based on pagan traditions. Norse iron age traditions was common in medieval Europe and people would wear the Thor's hammer along with the cross. To many it is still that way. After all, the norse tradition and the Christian message of love and compassion are pretty much compatible.
Zaphira has some amazing entries on Norse,if one wants a very enjoyable read I recomend them strongly,actually that's how I got to know her, by reading her Norse tags :)the rest is history :p
A lot of Norse mythology has it's roots in Hinduism. More blending.
Must be that whole Indo-European thing they always talk about, huh.
😆
It's certainly one of them. 🙂
Modern Asatro is not as much a religion as it is a celebration of our cultural roots. Both the myths and the sagas are a source of wisdom to the understanding of the Scandinavian Character; what we are, who we are, or, more important, who we used to be. Some theories state that Odin, Thor, Tyr and all the other Gods were simply just great men and women of a time before history, the founders of Scandinavia, who later became legends, and the veneration of these ancient ancestors developed into a religion and legend became myth.Basicly it is all about fire and ice. The Scandinavian soul is forged in the synergy between these forces of nature. When outlanders meet Scandinavians for the first time, they are often puzzled by the duality of our personality. We are hotheaded (and some of us even red headed), passionate and agressive – we take no crap from anyone and stand up for what we believe. This is the fire aspect. On the other hand we are easily depressed and disillusionated, have cynical tendencies, thrive in silence and solitude. This is the ice aspect.Like the nature up here: spring and summertime is green, sunny and filled with life, but autumn and winter is cold and dark. Takes stamina to cope with that.Philosophically speaking, the tradition of the Forefathers is basicly a tradition of hospitality and social awareness. The strong protects the weak. In Ed's Dharma Post I put a link to an english translation of Havamaal – the centerpiece of the Norse Tradition. I strongly recommend you take five minutes to explore this.I, myself, am a student of The Runes. That is true wisdom and magic, if I ever knew any…Thanks for the interest. I think I'll stop now.:cool:
"outlanders" — wasn't there a Sci-Fi story that used that? It seems familiar for some reason.I guess I'm more of a winter person myself.
'Outlander' comes from Danish 'udlænding' – the ancient word for people who don't live in Scandinavia. There's a film – science fiction meets viking romance – called Outlander, but thats an entirely different story.
I *nod*.:heart:
:banana: By the light of the moon.
Lovely poem, that. I might have to pull out my copy of 'Collected Poems'.
It's not one of my favorites, but that particular section does grab me.redeem the time…
A little Eliot goes a long way, I find. I can never read more than one of his poems at one time, and sometimes only a few verses.