Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking on SBS1 tomorrow night (8.30pm)

Time Travel - The promise of time travel has long been one of the world's favourite scientific 'what-ifs?'. With the aid of stunning CGI, Stephen Hawking explores all the possibilities, warping the very fabric of time and space as he goes. From killing your grandfather to riding a black hole, we learn the pitfalls and the prospects for a technology that could quite literally, change everything we have ever known. (From the UK) (Documentary Series) (Part 2 of 4) G CC


I believe you can still watch the episode several days after it has aired here

Come to my exhibition on June 15 in Melbourne

I'm being followed by a Moonshadow...

Witchy Outfit of the Week XXIII

Another masterpiece by Alexander McQueen

via Coll:Set

Desired Home XI

via Cosmic Eye in the Heart of the Sun

Witchy Outfit of the Week XXII

Sisters of the Black Moon are having another amazing sale tonight.  Keep an eye on their products here.

To add to Bird of the Week II - The Hummingbird & How they Feed (new discovery)

 


New high-speed videos of hummingbirds overturn nearly two centuries of conventional wisdom on how they drink.
Researchers previously thought tube-like channels in their tongues sucked up fluid by capillary action. But the new analysis shows that their tongues actually trap nectar by curling around it.
Via Derren Brown Blog
Original Source: Wired

Recent thoughts & things I believe that Wiccans ought to consider

A lot of people might not like this particular post, but I am constantly questioning Wicca.  Whilst there are parts of Wicca which I love, I think I have become particularly jaded of late from having experienced a variety of circles where it only takes one character to mess with everyone else's heads in what usually turns out to be a petty power game.  I do have close sisters whom I cherish and love, and I wouldn't take any of it back.

Within every religion I've found that there are several kinds of people: the empowered who actually want to create positive change rather than being obsessed with power over others; the cowards who stand behind their religion to excuse their messed up games and bizarre actions and of course the pathetic power-hungry people who are compensating for the hole in their heart, never satisfied with healthy empowerment alone - they are greedy for more, more and more power and love to play with your sense of self worth.  Then often when you have problems with one another you can either choose to talk about them partly in Wiccan/New Age terms or like normal people - and the conversations are rarely 'normal' and as mentioned before, some people love to stand behind their faith & twist their intentions.  It's a difficult game.

You might have previously read my post about why a hierarchy doesn't work & why you ought to avoid it at all costs.   If you do choose to enter a circle, I'd highly recommend that you read up on the Buddhist concept of attachment so that you are able to retain a sense of reality & realistic distance from any situations which arise.  I'd highly recommend that - if you can all manage to be organised enough - that you have a mediation process set up in advance for when things start to fall apart.

Issues I believe that other Wiccans ought to consider:

• Materialism, altruism and true spirituality: Other religions are setting up charities such as The Salvation Army & The Red Cross - are you donating to a cause or (if you have no money) actively making a difference within society?  Being spiritual ought to always inherently involve some altruism outside of its own faith.  Put back to the earth, clean up your streets and get involved in your community.  I get sick of seeing neophytes feeling like they can't practice magick and hence be a spiritual person because they need to buy 'stuff' for their altar - props which are beautiful (and I can't talk, I own so many!) but you can do without.  Do you think that the gods will punish you for not buying the $50 bottle of liquor to put on your altar as an offering?  Isn't your love and dedication enough?  This is something I fail to understand - it's beautiful when someone gives an offering, but it's hard when you judge others because they can't afford it or just don't really see that it's that necessary.  I like to offer incense, fruit & prayers if I can (depending on who it is) but would I get hit by lightning & have the Threefold Law beat me down with an iron hammer if I didn't do that?  I don't think so.  Clearly not everyone would agree with me on that.  It's more important to make a contribution to society than it is to make sure that you can somehow obtain a rare ornament/talisman within two weeks of an upcoming ritual then feel like a failure for not having obtained it.  I have started to meet gods and goddesses during deep meditations, see whether I can work with them (upon asking their name), work with them and then have another ritual especially to thank them.  
• Honesty gains respect:  Reassess your values regularly and be honest about them - so many people hide behind their faith & its dogma.  What do you truly believe and what would you like the world to be like?  They are often two separate things.  What can you do as a Wiccan to obtain the world that you desire?  Remember that light & darkness, negativity & positivity and the rest make up for the natural balance of life - so would you really change all that much?  Just as Thelemites attempt to find their True Will by being completely and unabashedly honest about who they are - who are you outside of your faith?  Would you have more respect for a bluntly spoken Thelemite or the Wiccan who insists that everything is beautiful and amazing 100% of the time?  There needs to be a balance of who you are along with your beliefs or you have lost yourself.

I hope that wasn't too painful for anyone - it was almost like me venting some things which get on my nerves!

)O( Elspeth