Author Archives: Terrie Brookins

The Blog Is Back

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The Blog Is Back

After a year and a half, I’m back. Things got bad. Then things got real bad. Then things got weird.

That’s when I got angry and sh-t got real.

 The rest of the backstory is boring. Let’s skip it for now. Let’s focus on when I got mad and things started happening. Since summer 2016, I learned a lot of things. There’s no divisive line of good or bad in those things. Just the truth I found for myself.  Funny thing is? When I spoke those truths, when I acted on those truths… Life changed for me.  Here are a few things I learned. I’ll go into depth in future posts.
1. Unlearn the modern hip maxim “don’t hate the playa, hate the game.”  Don’t bother hating unless you’re going to use that energy to get things done.
2. No one is under any obligation to help you out of any situation or teach you skills for free. #NotSorry
3. Humans are ultimately self serving. Each and every time, they will choose themselves over you. Deal with it.
4. When things go wrong, go back to the basics. Remember one of the lines in the Princess Bride: when things go wrong go back to the beginning.
5. There are no shortcuts to success or enlightenment.  #StillNotSorry
6. You will make mistakes. Once you’re done beating yourself up, go back to the number 4 entry.
7. It’s not your job to fix anyone else. Give them all the tools and encouragement… And walk away.
8. Your job is to fix you. If others learn from your example, great. If not? Move along.
9. The advice about hanging around successful people only works if you all have similar goals and you actually learn from the others and do the work.
10. You can’t be a spiritual leader in a vacuum. No tribe? No flock? No f-cks given by the gods.
11.  Whatever title you choose, unless your prayers or magick gets reliable results? You are wasting your time.
12. Drama will always go down. Mind your business and let it go down.
 Oh yeah, y’all. It’s gonna be like that. Happy New Year
Rev. Terrie

Enlightenment Ain’t For Everyone

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Here’s a sneak peek at how 2018 is going to go for this blog.

2017 was a year full of folks seeing “the light.” Many of you, your friends or family saw: injustice happen and fight against it; communities rally together in times of crises; and saw through the daily bullshit that happens on a regular basis around them.  Some of these folks are claiming to be “woke” or spiritual “AF.” That’s a whole ‘nother blog post.

What’s more? Many of these same people like to post their findings and “awakenings” on social media. From all the posts I’ve seen? This “sharing” comes with a version of  “I’m just trying to help”  message. I hate to break it to ya’ll who are doing these things……:

Enlightenment Ain’t For Everyone

Just because you feel “Woke” (or whatever appropriated term is trending) doesn’t mean you should “share” your opinions, findings and truths with people who don’t care and will ALWAYS choose to ignore you. Ya’ll know who I’m talking about. Those people who are still doing the same lame ass things that they always do.

For those who have actually reached enlightenment in its many stages, ya’ll know that silence is golden. Keep your mouth shut unless you’re being directly asked for help. This is the hardest thing next to actually reaching any stage enlightenment (even if it’s realizing that sometimes you make bad decisions), is actively letting others reach that stage themselves.

Let me be clear. If people honestly want to change, they will pay attention; try to change; and most of all, ask for help.  Until then? Here are some wise words that should be trending:

STAY AWAY FROM STILL PEOPLE

  1. STILL BROKE
  2. STILL COMPLAINING
  3. STILL BORROWING
  4. STILL HATING
  5. STILL CHILDISH
  6. STILL INSECURE
  7. STILL STUPID
  8. STILL NOT MAKING A CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES ……….. STILL

Moving on ~ Show me the Magick

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Yes. I haven’t updated since May. Why? Life changes. People change. Spiritual practices change – whether we are paying attention or not.

I discovered a thing. My personal patron gods? They don’t give a crap about devotion, altars or offerings.   What do they want? For me to do some goddamn magic

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And that’s pretty much how it happened. Once I stopped trying to be a witch/magician/whatever – and just did the damn thing? Well, life got interesting and I stopped posting. It’s kinda hard to write a slice of life piece when you have three major spiritual experiences in one day.

By the way, if the Goddess Bridget even talks to you, even if it’s snark? You are truly blessed.

I have to hand it to Taylor Ellwood, his book Pop Culture Magick and his Facebook group with the same name. Why? Because I struggled for years with self doubt. I thought I wasn’t a real “witch” unless I understood how things were done “back in the day.”

Not anymore.

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Yeah, that’s what it was like that first few weeks. Now I don’t pat myself on the back. I don’t look to get my photo taken. I don’t make the “Look at my magic work!” posts (Unless it’s for business). I’m too busy showing the gods that I am not wasting my talents.

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What about you? What magic are you making? What are you showing the gods? Me? I got work to do.

Beltane – A New Definition ~ Pray ~ Love

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Beltane – A New Definition ~ Pray ~ Love

May Pole

For those who know me, you remember why I love Beltane so much. For those who don’t know me? Beltane is my birthday.  Since choosing the pagan path, I’ve enjoyed and reveled in the spiritual celebration for renewing life that just happened to coincide with the anniversary of my birth. My father passed away on May 1, 2012 and all of that changed.

I didn’t feel much like celebrating after that. I canceled all birthday parties.  I declined going to Beltane celebrations.  I smiled and said thank you to birthday wishes and received cards and small presents with grace. Then I quickly made my exit to go bawl my eyes out in private.  Continue reading →

Mardi Gras 2016 ~ Pray

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Mardi Gras 2016

No secret that I’m from New Orleans.  Part of my soul is purple, green and gold! As this year’s Mardi Gras rolls through my hometown, I’m missing it something fierce.

The Mardi Gras is the last day of the Carnival season that began on The Twelfth night to some as the last day of Christmas. The celebrations and balls begin on the Christian holy day known as Epiphany or “Three King’s Day.”

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.”  The name comes from the Christian practice of eating as much rich and fatty foods – as well as indulging in other vices – for one more day.  On Ash Wednesday, those who follow the practice, give these foods and vices up for the Lenten season of forty days and nights (the weekends don’t count. I checked!).   From this practice is why the word “carnival”  is used for the season.  The loose Latin translation from the word definition is “caro, carn-“  meaning ‘flesh’  and “levare” meaning  ‘put away.’

Why do these Christian things even fall on my radar as a pagan? The voluntary abstinence of these foods and vices and that the practice ends on Easter.

Know how the date Easter is determined?  Get this:

“*Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox. This particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular lunation (new moon). And the vernal equinox is fixed as March 21. As a result, Easter can never occur before March 22 or later than April 25. If the full moon falls on a Sunday, Easter falls on the next Sunday. Therefore, Easter may fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25.”

http://blog.al.com/press-register-entertainment/2009/02/easter_is_the_key_to_determini.html

How is the date of Mardi Gras chosen? Glad you asked:

“Mardi Gras is usually set 47 days before Easter. For example, in 2008, Easter fell on March 23. Therefore, Mardi Gras was Feb. 5. In any given year, Mardi Gras will fall on any Tuesday between Feb. 3 and March 9.”

http://blog.al.com/press-register-entertainment/2009/02/easter_is_the_key_to_determini.html

Ah yes, the Vernal Equinox, or as the pagans and Wiccans call it Ostara! This year Ostara will fall on March 20th with Easter, seven days later on March 27th.  Neat, eh?

So here we go.

The practice of abstinence as a spiritual tool is not new. It goes hand in hand with the practice of indulgence. The main foci for both these practices are conscious discipline – spiritual or not-  and balance.  Within the pagan Wheel of the Year, the dark half of the year begins at Samhain (Halloween).  We notice that the daylight hours get shorter. I notice that the wind gets colder.  I sometimes notice that I haven’t quite prepared for the winter months that are coming.

The true test of my will to survive happens at Winter Solstice (near Christmas), where the longest night falls. Can I make it to Imbolc? I decide that I have to survive – somehow. To lift my spirits, I have celebrations, reminding myself of the light that is to come if I just hold on. Yes, I purposely celebrate a little too much to remind of me that the light that will return.

When Imbolc comes, I see the stirring of life in the land again, despite that occasional snowstorm or flood. I celebrate and dance. I see that there’s still food leftover from parties and preparations. Got to eat it before it goes bad!

Then the realization sets in. Time for partying will be over once the spring arrives. I’ll have to get back to work, back to traveling, and back to taking care of the tribe. This is the time to get balance out the partying.  I put away the celebration decorations and get ready. Spring is coming.  While I indulged myself before, now it’s the time to abstain. As much as I want to keep partying until the summer, I won’t have anything prepared to actually do the partying.  I gotta find a way to pay for fest and food right?

Before I know it? I look up to see the daylight is longer. The trees are beginning to bud again. I’ve made it! I made it to spring!    This is the time to clean out the cupboards. Spring cleaning anyone? I’m ready. I’ve spent six weeks getting myself together and I’m prepared.

I’m prepared for Beltane  – my birthday!

mardigras2016

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