Mothman and More

New posts at Mothman Flutterings,  Orange Orb Tarot, and the Orange Orb!

Speaking of Wicca/Witches and Definitions. . .

See link below to great article on wiccans, er, witches . . .

Which inspired me to note, that here at Women of Esoterica, where there are many women (we've  been dormant but that doesn't mean we're not here and won't awaken very shortly) who contribute to this blog, that is not to say we're all about wicca, wiccan, witchery, etc.

Some of us here. Some of us aren't.

I am. But that's me.

So this isn't a witchcraft blog, or magick blog, or pagan place or goddess moon dancing site. Some of us indulge in these things, and may post about them, but it is not our focus.

All Wiccans Are Witches. Period. | gardnerians

I do so love this. The entire article is funny, well written, and, in my opinion, right on:

All Wiccans Are Witches. Period. | gardnerians: very day online, people are being bombarded with misinformation. From the Westboro Baptist Church to Fox News to ex-gay reparative therapy success stories like Michelle Bachman’s husband, the world is full of people who will lie to you because they desperately want to believe in the bullshit they’re spouting. It’s just a part of human nature, and it’s something that we, as witches, need to remain aware of. Sometimes people say untrue things to your face, and don’t even know that they are lying

Professor Says Elf On The Shelf Is Preparing Your Child To Live In A Dystopian Police State

Professor Says Elf On The Shelf Is Preparing Your Child To Live In A Dystopian Police State: Philosopher and cultural theorist Michel Foucault warned of a future in which society is under constant surveillance. He used the "panopticon" -- a model prison watch system designed by 18th century political philosopher Jeremy Bentham -- as a symbol of modern societies that use surveillance as a form of disciplinary control.

That future may be here, in the form of a sprightly little elf telling children that they better not pout and they better not cry, because Santa is coming to town -- and his little helpers are always watching. (Huffington Post)

At first, this seems like overblown conspiracy stuff -- hysterical, silly even, and full of bah humbug anti-Christmas sentiment.



But look at the retro image of the little red elf. Very 1950s, 1960s. Pleasantville all around. Our little elf isn't helping Santa make toys; he's watching you. Me. Us. Always, watching. Not protecting -- watching.



Huffington Post has an article about the "Elf on a Shelf" who watches us all, especially children of course. Watching to report back on the naughty ones. Watching us whether we're good or bad, just always … watching.



Professor Laura Pinto thinks this is preparing children for the police state.

"When a family adopts the elf and gives him a name, the elf takes to his watchtower in various parts of the house and monitors the children's behavior. During the Christmas season, children are told that they must play by not only their parents' or teachers' rules, but also by the elf's rules.
In Bentham's panopticon, the inmates never knew exactly when the watchers were watching, so they were forced to behave at all times as if this were a possibility. " (Huffington Post)

And it gets down to this:

"If the children are the subjects, then Santa is Big Brother, and his elves are the Ministry of Truth. Pinto's concern with the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon is that the children see the surveillance not as play, but instead accept it as real." (Huffington Post, Pinto) 

On the surface, sure, this is fun and cute and no doubt on the conscious level sinister aspects never entered the minds of authors, parents and teachers. But swirling beneath the surface those sinister elements do the work in parallel eso metaphysical ways.

 

Orange Orb Tarot : 7 Steps to Developing Your Intuition With Tarot Meditation | Biddy Tarot Blog

Linked at my tarot blog Orange Orb Tarot, "7 Steps to Developing Your Inutition with Tarot Meditation" by Biddy at Biddy Tarot:

Orange Orb Tarot : 7 Steps to Developing Your Intuition With Tarot Meditation | Biddy Tarot Blog: From Biddy Tarot, one of my favorite tarot people on the web (Lisa Frideborg being another) on developing one's intuition using the tarot:

7 Steps to Developing Your Intuition With Tarot Meditation | Biddy Tarot Blog: A Tarot meditation typically begins with a general relaxation of the body and the mind, before going deeper into the image of the selected Tarot card and exploring the messages of the imagery.

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Speaking of Orange Orb Tarot, it's been revamped a little; clearer to follow, I think. Plus, reviews from satisfied clients!

Orange Orb Tarot : The UFO Tarot

Orange Orb Tarot : The UFO Tarot: The Magician: UFO Tarot

I haven’t seen this deck yet in person -- haven’t held it or worked with it -- and, while I am of course, all about UFOs, aliens/entities and all that goes with the phenomena, I’m not sure about using this deck. More specifically, I don’t know what I think about using this deck to directly address one’s UFO/entity/abduction/missing time experience. That might sound contradictory, I realize. But, I haven’t actually handled this deck -- it’s just the overall impression I have. It seems to me too trite and too easy. An interesting artistic deck, but to use in a serious way to get at these experiences? Not sure.

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Day Three: Tarot Essence Meditation

 On my blog Orange Orb Tarot:

Orange Orb Tarot : Day Three: Tarot Card Essence: Last night I decided to choose a glass to use just for this purpose. I got a pretty vintage cocktail glass that I had stored in my cupboard down from the top shelf, washed and cleansed it, and that is what I used last night. I also used the violet cloth I use for spreads with the Angel Tarot deck. I’ve been doing this little ritual close to bedtime, using filtered water and letting the glass sit for at least fifteen minutes -- last night it was about forty five minutes.

Orange Orb Tarot

New posts, including one about my days as a telephone psychic, on my blog Orange Orb Tarot.

Einstein’s letter defending Marie Curie shows just how long trolls have been slut-shaming women

Einstein’s letter defending Marie Curie shows just how long trolls have been slut-shaming women:

In 1911, nearly a decade after winning a Nobel Prize for her pioneering work on radiation, Marie Curie received a letter from Albert Einstein in which he urged her not to be beaten down by people who would, today, be called trolls.

The letter is among the thousand of Einstein’s documents released last week — which are being called “the Dead Sea Scrolls of physics” — and it begins by Einstein asking Curie “not [to] laugh at me for writing you without having anything sensible to say.”

“But I am so enraged by the base manner in which the public is presently daring to concern itself with you,” he continued, “that I absolutely must give vent to this feeling.”

What Aging Women Want Most That Money Can't Buy?Iris Krasnow

What Aging Women Want Most That Money Can't Buy Iris Krasnow: This is the definition of my brand of feminism -- to gain independence and self-esteem from decisions that make a woman feel her most powerful and most real, and not allow others to shape or define her. The word "feminist" is not scary; it means "let me be" and many men claim to be feminists too.

What women don't want is to be judged on any front.

I like it.



There's a whole other area here that isn't being addressed, and many women just past menopause know exactly what I'm talking about. But that's for another day.



I'd also add: to be left alone. Just leave me alone. Don't tell me, give me a list of shoulds and expectations, treat me like I'm a child when I'm old enough to be your mother, if not your grandmother, or treat me as if I'm invisible because I'm over fifty.

Wiccan Inmate Suing Massachusetts Department of Corrections | The Wild Hunt

A great pagan blog, The Wild Hunt, reports on the following case involving a prisoner's rights who is a practicing wiccan:

Wiccan Inmate Suing Massachusetts Department of Corrections | The Wild Hunt: A Wiccan man serving time at MCI-Norfolk since 1987 for a  triple murder  is suing the Massachusetts Department of Corrections for allegedly infringing on his religious rights. Daniel LaPlante says prison officials are interfering with his ability to practice the Wiccan religion by preventing him from obtaining specific ritual oils, herbs, teas, medallions, and a variety of cakes for his faith. He also says they are preventing him from practicing his faith in the “time, place and manner” that the Wiccan religion requires. (The Wild Hunt)

Tessa Dick Presents: It's a Philip K. Dick World!

Writer Tessa Dick's site; also links to her other places on the web.

Tessa Dick Presents: It's a Philip K. Dick World!