Letters from the Editor

Okay, as you may have noticed, this site hasn’t been updated in a while, or on anything one could call a schedule.

It’s due to a huge combination of factors. Part of it is an evolution of myself, a maturing and a changing into someone else. This does not mean that I’m changing my religion completely, but it does mean that I’m going to be withdrawing from a lot of stuff I have been doing as Druid Daven. Among those is my participation in various online forums, bunnyhunting, active teaching and article writing.

I’m taking a hiatus for a while. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but this site will remain. I might be back as Druid Daven, or Druid Erin, it depends on a lot of things that I have to work out.

I love you too Dad. Thank you for trying to force me to be a narrow minded bigot and driving me away again.

To everyone who reads this, I love you all and I hope that you will take this ride with me and come out the other side. It’s a really deep rabbit hole.

Kink Magick just arrived, by Lupa and Taylor, with a guest essay by yours truly.

Ya’ll excuse me while I disappear for a day or two to read. (although first glance shows a lot that I agree with, have participated in or had happen to me, or that I could have contributed a lot on. Not that I could have written it better, they did a fantastic job. But lots that I’m seeing are what I would have said, if not how I would have said it.)

Wow, this looks really REALLY good. Too bad I can’t review it since it’s a conflict of interest. But I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

Okay, time for a small rant.

Every year about this time you see all kinds of “return to Christ” publicity, to put the Christ back in Christmas and so on. I’m sick of those. Not because my holiday is Yule, but because Christ didn’t go anywhere.

Christmas is the name that the Christ Mass turned into. You never hear about putting the Michael back in Michalemas, do you? Christ is a religious figure, and on Christmas that religious figure is celebrated by those who honor and worship him. They have a feast day, a religious celebration and take time to remember Him and all He did for them.

But the whole “put Christ (etc.)” is silly. It is an attempt to change a secular celebration (X-Mas) into a religious celebration when most of those celebrating X-Mas are not Christian.

And that’s probably the biggest sticking point. It is an attempt of the religious right to enforce a state religion on all of us again. Not just on the “pagans” but also on the Athiests and Hindu and the other established religions. Basically it is one religious group saying that this time of the year is their celebration and ONLY their celebration, no one else can touch it.

For the truly religious, the “put the” movement is able to be ignored. For them their god didn’t go anyplace or leave their celebrations. He is still there for them to worship and honor on this day when his birth is celebrated. And that’s fine. I would never dream of asking Christians to give up that aspect of their religion and their faith. That is what they believe and what they want. But by the same token, I expect to be extended the same courtesy.

So don’t “restore” something that never left. That’s like a movement to restore the sun to the sky because there are clouds up there. The Sun is still there, just waiting for the fog to lift. No “restoration” needed.

This is a new article I just posted. I think it’s a really needed article.

Religion In The Workplace

New article, one that I’ve been writing for some time.

Non-Standard Deities in Traditional Wicca

This is an article that answers a persistant critique I keep getting from those within Seax-Wica. It’s not that I’m trying to cause problems, I’m simply posting this to dispose of the subject.

Truthfully, this is a topic I am more than willing to dispose of. I’m tired of this debate. One would think that if the Founder of Seax-Wica answers this question in the positive, that should be enough for everyone else.

This FINALLY answers the question of “Is Daven Seax-Wican”?

This transition time has been one that has really been good for me, personally. I have a job now, a temporary job, but one that fulfills me and will allow me to catch up on my financial obligations. So the Wheel turns again and it brings us back upward.

This holiday is about remembering, and therefore I will be taking time to remember what has happened for the last year.

The only honored dead I have this time is a friend who created “Museum Replicas”, Hank Reinhardt. He was a wonderful swordsman, a good person and gave all of us a place that we can go to and get quality weaponry at reasonable prices. I’ve used their blades for years, and my Coven Sword comes from their collection as well.

Last year at this time I was in a job I didn’t like, working for people I couldn’t stand, making money that was ensuring that I would remain in poverty for the rest of my life. I was always upset, stressed out, unhappy. I rarely had fights with my wife and daughter, mainly because I didn’t have energy to fight. I was writing more, I had time for myself occasionally. My wife was relatively healthy.

Now, I’m out of a job, but working in a temporary job which will allow us to catch up. I’m not stressed out anymore. I have many options open to me. I”m going back to school and learning skills which will make me more marketable. If I play my cards right, I might turn this temporary job into a permanent one. I occasionally fight with my wife, but it is because stress gets to her. She is having surgeries done on the charity insurance the state provides, mainly because she has to have them. Once she gets those done, she will be healthier than she has been in 15 years. Chronic problems will be cured. I’m on medication for my Chronic Depression, and it is letting me have a life again.

I’m doing so much better now than I was it is incalculable. Losing my job was a positive step, even if in the short term it was a disaster of unheard of proportions. It has allowed us to grow beyond what we were. And for that I’m very grateful to everyone who had a hand in it. I’ve even stopped hating my former employers.

So now, it is time for the Hunter to move into the picture. He comes and provides for the Mother and Child while they stay warm in the home. He puts his body on the line to provide and to protect Them. And that is how it should be.

If you want, go read last year’s entry too. It has a wonderful cyber ritual. Samhain ritual for the Dead.