Maebius Musings

It rocks.

That is all.

Purchased thorough the following Merchant:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunaRana

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my lovely friend Nettle, for the loaning of cash since the merchant could not accept plastic.   Almost settled the tab, but it was worth the temporary debt!

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Quick blog post as there’s lots swirling in my head that needs to filter down, but for now, I wanted to post and get in the habit of posting regularly here again…

This past weekend has been interesting, and rather tiring, but all in a good way.

Saturday, I drove to Rochester for another fire-walk, which was a smaller group than the one at my own house, but was nice. More intimate, and seemed to connect better with each person, probably due to the smaller numbers.
The fire was great, and I was chuckling with the hostess about how the coals seemed “colder” as they glowed under our feet. This of course was most likely due to my own energies being much higher.

Before the walk, I also bent a 6ft length of 1/2 inch Rebar (steel rod). Similar to this video. It was absolutely scary, but so inspiring after I had done it. Truly a sense of “you can do anything if you put your mind to it.” I can simply not put into the proper words right now how frightening it was to look down the length of cold metal sticking in my throat… and again how absolutely Amazing it felt when it bent and I hugged David (the man on the other end of the rebar).

Since I was not distracted by playing host, like I had been when the walk was on my property, I was able to let go a little more, and really focus on the fire, our Intentions, and all that. Thus, the coals seemed not hot at all.

At one point, I even made an effort to walk immediately after they were re-raked, along a little trail of piled extra-glowing coals. Never felt a spot of heat, no “kisses” from the coals, and quite amazingly un-phased other than the heat revving up my Joy even further. I was In The Zone, and it felt wonderful.

After the walk, I got to spin my fire-poi a bit, with hand-drumming accompaniment, which was AWESOME! I’m finding that spinning really is a moving meditation, if I get my mind in the groove for it. Similar to drumming all night around a bonfire. It’s Prayer-on-fire. AWoo!

Pretty serious intense work, that stuff though. I was wiped out afterwards and was a tough 3-hour drive home afterwards. Whereas drummnig all night is energizing, Firewalking seems to be really “Transformative Work”, instead of “Sacred Play”. They both have their benefits, but it’s kinda neat to notice the differences and shifted focus required for each activity

* * *

As for the horses portion of the title, Sunday, after the firewalk, we stopped by to visit a nearby stable.

One of the people I know at work had mentioned to me late last week that she had a horse which needed a good home. She was well kept, and very trained, but the price of the stable had gone up, winter was coming (so more $$ for grain, etc), and she had not had time to even visit her Equine much in the past few months due to other family priorities. She knew my wife had horses on our property, and since auctions would just sell off her horse to the highest bidder, she’d rather ask around for a local place to visit and know the horse would be loved.

I, myself, am still really nervous around horses. I can feed them, and brush them, and such, but the thought of actually riding them makes me nervous and tense. Still, learning to ride a horse was something on my “bucket list” when I met my wife, which sadly is still on my list. So I offered to go meet “Jackie”.

When we arrived, she was saddled up, and My wife put the horse through the paces, trotting, running, steering around the open field, and such. Then she asked me to hop on and walk around a bit.

Surprisingly, I learned really quickly that this horse would listen to me. (I’ve never ridden a REALLY trained horse, which may contribute to my fears.) I’d drift the reigns to one side, and the horse turned to that side. No “yanking their head around” needed, like our still-in-training horses. Wow!

I’d touch my heel to her side, and the horse began to trot. I’d say “Woah” and without even pulling back, she’d slow to a walk. double-wow! (At this point, I’m sure you folks who know horses are jsut shaking your head with a smile, laughing at how silly it sounds to hear a trained riding horse actually follows instructions, but it was new to ME.)

Long story short, I actually kicked her into a fast lope. That scared me, so it didn’t last long.

However, the surprising thing, and main reason why we are taking this horse home with us soon, is that the fear I had moving fast was not directed at the Horse. All my past fears were concern that this wild animal I’m sitting on was going to hurt me, even accidentally. With Jackie, I wasn’t afraid of her at all. I was worried that my untrained riding skills would make me fall or lose my balance, but it was totally directed inward, rather than externally.

For a few second there, in the middle of “EEEK! I’m gonna fall off!” was a grinning Joy. I was riding! Same joy I felt after walking coals unscathed. This was awesome!

Click the little thumbnails for larger pictures!

…So now I’ll be learning to ride a horse properly. Firewalking really does Transform the walker.

SEA / AHO! <3

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No deep musings for this post, simply a list of links to photos and youtube videos from the recent whale watching trip, soccer game, and such…

The sharks smile as they swim past in the big tank at Boston Aquarium:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsyRTXJeEs4

Jellyfish (Pacific Sea Nettles).  The photo didn’t turn out nearly as well, which is sad, since I wanted it as a potential background for my PC.  Very relaxing to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JcKna8bnAo

A whale feeding, just off the starboard side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYBS1fJZJpw

Another whale, making the bubble net and feeding, then diving back underwater. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZAthIq3UZk

The kid, playing in the fountain near Quincy Market, Boston.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT2oVbcZ_bM

Sprogling’s first soccer game.  We were “Those parents” who yelled and cheered, and I even tried to get the others to do ‘The Wave‘.  Sadly, the other parents tended to mostly sit on their chairs watching, or chatting on cell-phones, or reading. *sigh*    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RARh3qX_tes

Kid throwing the ball back in-play after it went out-of-bounds.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75XtDRQxhg

Photos:   During the Soccer game.
The penguins at the aquarium.
A seal, at the aquarium.
Happy Kid, after playing in the fountain.
Happy Maebius, eating with a tasty brew.

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We have been cleaning up around our farm this spring. I’m talking a good thorough tear-down of old buildings, unearthing half-buried pipes and scraps in the old cistern, and other such things.

In the course of these events, we cleared out a small cement ‘pit’ approxinately 2 feet deep and 4×5 feet, which is within a few feet of the well. Our guess is this is a trough of some sort from when the well had a hand-pump. Our plan is to use it to grow worms or other compostable critters, since is is moderately self-containing.

As we cleaned out the decades of trash from this pit (which had bits of pipe, broken bottles, barbed wire fragments, and lots of rooty weeds) the kid decided to do a bit of archeology himself with the last few bits of stuff found at the bottom amongst the dirt. Since this past Monday, he has been actively pondering these artifacts and asking the grandparents, his teacher, and random strangers what these clues add up to.

There are NO wrong answers here. (I’ll post the best theories he came up with later this week, and unfortunately, our camera is broke, so no photographic evidence. you’ll have to settle for MS Paint!)

Can you solve the mystery, using these clues?!

Clues:
1) A small glass ‘tiger claw’, (actually: shard of broken window glass) approximately 1 inch in length.

2) One strangely shaped bone, approximately 4.5 inches long (broken scapula? Skull fragment?)

3) A small dark blue, 2-hole button (such as on a shirt)

4) A small length of chain, with fat 1/2 inch links, un-rusted, approx a foot long found buried in the dirt.

5) A very rusty fork, with four straight tines and a simple pattern.  (cheap flatware)  One of the middle tines has 1/4 inch missing from the end.

6) A handful of sandy dirt.

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The lovely Nydia recently gave me this award/meme, where I must answer some questions and then ask some questions of my own.    In the spirit of the meme, I’ll cheat a bit and answer ALL the questions (hers, and the ones she answered) just because.

Jen and Ollie’s questions were:
1.Have you ever been skydiving?
yes, and I have video to prove it. I would also love, love, LOVE to do it again sometime.

2.What’s the worst excuse you have ever made to get out of work?

Long long ago when I was in school still, I claimed my father was very ill and I needed to visit him, but he got better. (He was never ill. I still feel a bit guilty about such a bold lie. I blame being a 17 year old jerk at the time)

3.Skyclad or Clothed?

For ritual in a group, I prefer clothed, but have had some very wonderful rituals skyclad (sweatlodge, etc) and do not mind it at all if it’s appropriate or important to the others in group.

4.How many pairs of shoes do you own?
If you count slippers. Four (4). One pair of work shoes, one pair of sneakers, a set of sandals, and a pair of fuzzy slippers for cold nights.

5.What’s your favourite drink?
REgular everyday drinsk, I love smoothies of all sorts. Anything icy and fruity and yummy. As for alcohol, it’s a toss-up between a good single-malt Scotch or a microbrew lager beer.

6.Name the title of the book nearest to you.
The 2010 Staples office catalog! Oh, wait, you probably mean a real book…. that would be The Druid Magic Handbook.

7.What was your favourite toy as a child?
I’ve always been a big fan of LEGO and other building creative stuff. Even today, with my son, we like to spend hours making little creations and mock-battles between armies of figures and LEGO-things. Beyond that, A Stick. Sticks are awesome instruments of expression and creativity. Ask my Scout leaders, I had a penchant for collecting walking sticks and random sword-sticks, and wand-sticks even for as long as I can remember.

8.Would you ever ride a mechanical bull?

I would love to try, someday, but have never really had the opportunity. One of these days I’ll stumble into a bar with one, and give it a shot.

9.What was your favourite subject in senior/high school?
Physics, definitely. I always loved science, and the practical experiment-driven physics classes I took are some of the best memories I have in school. I was lucky that our teacher was the sort who would ask us about weird hypothesis and then stand back and let groups of us design and impliment an experiment to test out our thoughts. That really helped me learn HOW science worked, much more than simple rote memorization of kinematic equations ever did.

10.Have you ever gone to the store in your pajamas?
Yep, proudly, and probably will do it again next week. I have cool PJs though.

Wizardess Epi’s questions were:
1. What is your favorite dinosaur?
I am partial to a Stegasaurus.

2. What is your favorite gemstone?
It depends on my mood, but Loadstone, or Amethyst, or Bloodstone are probably my favorites, with Pyrite close behind.

3. Does Mercury in retrograde affect you?
Honestly, I do not know. I don’t follow the astrological signs as closely as some, and usually only hear about it in retrospect, when someone else mentions “Bah, so glad Murcury retrograde is over soon”. It might, but I do not associate added stress or such things in my life to Mercury.

4. Owl or lark?
Lark, definitely. Owls are cool, and wise, and powerful and such, but Larks are bight and creative and Merry. Much more useful energies to bring into my life lately.

5. Dogs or cats?
Dogs all the way. Cats are funny, and solitary, and I like social creatures who love you, like Dogs.

6. Hedgehogs or hamsters?
Hedgehogs because they are more unusual, but given the choice, hamsters are cheaper, and I’s much rather prefer fish or a turtle overall.

7. Daisies or roses?
Hmm, somewhat of an unfair question as I like both. I’ll stick with Daisies because they grow wild and beautiful. Roses grow wild too, but have a bad reputaiton for needing much more care and control to grow into the best blooms. Daisies are carefree and bloom in hte fields regardless of what we do. I like that.

8. Squirrels or chipmunks?
Chipmunks for cuteness factor, squirrels for being slightly less destructive to our property.

9. If you could BE a movie star, who would you be?
Natalie Portman, or Jack Black. Ms Portman for being awesome and dedicated to her work (Star Wars excluded) and an all-around good person outside of hollywood. I rspect that, and wish I could have that kind of energy and ethic. Jack Black, because he seems to have lots of fun whatever he does, and doesn’t really care what people think of his image as a “screwball”. (if that makes sense).

10. If you could DO a movie star, who would you do?
Hmm, in my younger years, I would have said Winona Ryder (from Beetlejuice, and yes, I was her age at the time, so thought she was HOT) but now I’d have to say either Jewel Staite, Natalie Portman, or Kate Winslit, or Michelle Yeoh, or maybe Morena Baccarin. (yes, this is exposing my geeky side a bit)

Now my own… hmmm…I’ll go about my favorites, curiosity killed the cat’s questions:
1. Your favorite book?
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

2. Your favorite food?
Tough call, but most rice dishes with beans. Borritos with rice, or chili with rice, or simple basmati rice with chickpeas, or… Yum!!

3. Favorite song/band?
Really hard to say, but anything by Gaia consort (particularly “Ravens“), or perhaps Loreena McKennitt’s “All Souls Night” (which still gives me goosebumps when I hear it).

4. Favorite clothes to sleep in?
My PacMan pants! If it’s colder, some random raggety t-shirt also.
5. Favorite first thing to do in the morning?
Sleep more. However, what usually happens is my second-favorite thing, which would be have breakfast and look outside at the things growing and wandering around the backyard.

6. Favorite thing to do before sleeping?
Play an hour or so of a video game if at home…. HOWEVER, (the question said favorite, and I only get to do this a few rare times a year) If out festivaling, then participate in a drum-circle until the wee hours of the morning, then crash with a joyful ache in my arms.

7. Favorite herb?Mint. Specifically the common Mentha spicata or Mentha × piperita. Great flavoring in all sorts of recipes, and grows like a weed, so can be squished underfoot in our yard or picked for tea whenever the muse strikes me in the summer.

8. Favorite Moon phase?Waxing Gibbous, definitely. Shining brightly, lighting the night sky, yet not -quite- at full power. I really like that feeling of “almost” potential.

9. Favorite piece of jewerly?

I do not wear much except my wedding band and a small copper Möbius band ring I made myself (with help from a friendly jeweler). However, My favorite would be a simple beaded ankle bracelet. I have gone through many of them, as I like to use hemp string and wear them until they fall off, then make another at a festival, or as part of a ritual. It’s a little thing, but I feel all sorts of Tribal and Spiritual when I wear one, for some reason, even though I have little “Native” blood in me.

10. Favorite quote?
Hmm, would either be “Nothing is ever what it seems but everything is exactly what it is.” – B. Banzai … or “In a single cup of earth, sings the mystery of the all-expansive universe” – Gaia Consort…. or perhaps “Dare to be naive” – R. Buckminster Fuller

Now for my questions, which is open to anyone who reads this blog. If you made it this far down the Wall-Of-Text, consider yourself a recipient of the Award as well!
1) What is your favorite colour?
2) Which direction do you sleep at night? (head pointing North? West?)
3) Given $5.00 (or equivalent currency) what would you do with it?
4) How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
5) What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
6) Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?

Blessings!

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Just a quick unfinished post while the topic bounces in my head, so I can refer back to it later with more details…  (how’s that for taunting foreshadow?!)

After seeing the recent Percy Jackson movie, which my family enjoyed, we went out and got the book series (via library and eventually local bookstore).   Currently, we are at the end of book 3, and the kid enjoys a chapter a night before bedtime.   So much so that when he slept over at his grandparent’s house this weekend, they called with a request to bring the book over to read before he would fall asleep.

Throughout the story, the character interacts with a number of mythological figures and events, which are slightly changed to match the more modern narrative and plot.

For example, Chiron is the head councilor at Camp Half-Blood, for example (the hidden place where children of the gods stay and train).  He seems well represented as a wise centaur, and a teacher. When we meet his ‘family’ in the books, they are “Party Ponies” and described similar to crazy frat boys, which is close enough to the myths in my mind.

Dionysis, however, is quite changed in the book series compared to Greek mythology, and is described here, and is essentially a rude and arrogant Staff-member who was punished by Zeus to help at Camp Half-Blood and avoid all alcohol for 100 years after cavorting with a wood-nymph. He cares little for the campers, and often calls them incorrect names, intentionally. This didn’t quite match up to the myths as I understood then, but worked as a believable character in the novels. Still, the basis of his “punishment” has been pointed out to me as essentially flawed, since Dionysis is an Olympian God and free to cavort with any Nymphs he wishes too.

My musing, is whether this light-handed introduction to the characters and place-names of Greek Mythology reenforced interest in them, or waters-down the myth by changing the details too much. I’m sure the answer is complicated, and individuals may have varied responses, as well, but the question seemed valid enough.

Your thoughts, oh readers of this blog?

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You know those shirts and posters with “you are here” and an arrow pointing to some speck in the galaxy or some-such?

Here’s a better look at the place we all live, care of NASA’s newest satellite composite images.
Animated: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4401845574/

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Interesting article from LiveScience hints at a “brain location” for spirituality.

Technically, it is more related to a personality trait called self-transcendence. Self-transcendence “reflects a decreased sense of self and an ability to identify one’s self as an integral part of the universe as a whole.“

http://www.livescience.com/health/spirituality-brain-link-100211.html

My thoughts on this study are a bit divided. On one hand, it’s always kinda interesting to me how Science keeps tapping away at the walls of our unknown in search of the hollow passages and studs behind them.

On the other hand, while the physiology is described here as a deficit, could it not be that lessened Ego is actually better, and those unspiritual types are less adapted? (like having webbed feet, which are cool, but not most efficient at perambulating around town?)

I still think there’s not enough details here to really base a potential-filled claim like “Brain Bits that cause Spirituality” so I’ll simply choose to ignore and gloss past that particular facet of the headline. The study itself holds some nugget of muse-worthiness at least.

Food for thought, but I’m not sure of there’s empty calories here, or whole grains.

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Been busy with sleep, work and seasonal decorating.   More better blog postings soon. ( bad grammer[sic]  intended)

While I recover and re-focus, here’s some holiday song lyrics to put you in the mood.    Not sure if it’s the mood youwant, after trying to say them out loud, but take it for what it’s worth. 

Oer yw’r gwr sy’n methu caru,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Hen fynyddoedd annwyl Cymru,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Iddo ef a’u câr gynhesaf
Ffa la la la la la la,
Gwyia llawen flwyddyn nesaf,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.

2. I’r helbulus oer yw’r biliau,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Sydd yn dyfod yn y gwyliau,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Gwrando bregeth mewn un pennill,
Ffa la la la la la la.
Byth na waria fwy na’th ennill,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.

3. Oer yw’r eira ar Eryri,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Er fod gwrthban gwlanen arni,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.
Oer yw’r bobol na ofalan’,
Ffa la la la la la la.
Gwrdd â’i gilydd ar Nos Galan,
Ffa la la la la, la la la la.

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I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday, and for those outside the US of A, I hope the last few days have been likewise Thankful and Blessed as well.

I’m recovering from the turkey-day feasts (we ate at our house, with Chef Maebius presiding over the bird and associated sides.) and the back to a normal day-shift schedule of work, so it’s nice to enter December with a fresh outlook on things.

In place of a real muse-worthy post, I’ll redirect you to this one from around this time in years past.
http://everthorn.net/musings/2008/12/monday-muse-countdown-to-christmasolstiyule/?p=312

We hung the ‘Advent’ tree and started filling it with treats for the kid starting tomorrow.   This tree needed soem serious repairs as mice or other furry critters found their way into the plastic storage bin it was kept in (chewed a hole through the side?!) and thus some parts of it were eaten up.   Soem deft green felt patches later, and its’ at least suitable for this year.    Sadly, this probably means I’ll be re-designing another big crafty one for next Yule.   Any suggestions, or should I keep the general festive-tree theme?

Enjoy, and I’ll see you all again shortly once I get back in the swing of things.

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