This Memorial Day...

Memorial Day should be a time of solemn reflection on some of the most sacred of human ideals: faith, family, duty, commitment, heroism and honor. We are so profoundly indebted to all those Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen who have given their lives defending us.

My father fought in WWII, aiding Great Britain in defending freedom that stretched far past the English channel. My room mate Coral's father served two tours in Vietnam...the most unpopular war in American history. It is with great pride I see Memorial day as all this and more because the graves of those pagans and wiccans who fought and died for our freedoms and the choices of everyone's spirituality are now allowed to show their honor by having a pentacle on their headstones.

Freedom is not just for the mainstream, it stands for who we are, our choices and what we believe in whether it be Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Native American or of the Old Ways. Today, as a solitary and a very proud American, I stand and honor all of the men and women who gave their lives and put in their tours of duty in order to ensure every freedom we have today. Bright Blessings to all on this Memorial Day.

Fear Not The Devil

This is one of three cards in the tarot deck that have a tendency to strike fear in the hearts of those who's reading it turns up in...The Devil. This card, despite the depiction, is really not all that scary if you know a little bit more about it.

The Devil in the tarot deck has little or nothing to do with the frightening winged skeletal creature, in fact, this card is all about bondage...bondage to outmoded ideas that are no longer useful...bondage as in addictions....bondage to our weaknesses and bondage that comes from letting our boundaries be crossed without respect.

When I look at the two little figures that are chained to the pillar, one can only notice that if these little animals really wanted to, they could quite easily slip from the chains that hold them. Why do they stay...is it out of duty...is it out of fear....? Change is a life altering event but if we continue to sit in fear and remain chained to the old ways, what a sad lonely life lies ahead of us.

It takes greater courage to shed our fears and take bold new steps to improving our situation and our outlook on the world because if we can change our own world, what's to stop us from enacting that change in the world around us? Try something positive and new today and see how it affects the world around you.