Ancient Ink

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink ~ and everything in between!

My Aunt, a.k.a. Super-Snoop, snitched to my dearest Granny my desire and intention to get inked.

This, of course, sparked a huge debate between them, myself, and my dad (who, being a navy veteran, has tats himself).

My Granny was horrified…my Aunt gleeful that she got me in trouble…and my dad did his parental duty by telling me not to get them – then proceeded to share stories of how he’d gotten his own art.

None had any viable reason against getting tattoos, other than telling me repeatedly not to get a “tramp stamp.” My admonition that I am a grown woman – in my thirties – and can do what I like with my body fell on deaf ears.

*Sigh*

So, in honor of my uninformed and unimaginative family – whom I love with all of my heart – I offer this documentary from the History Channel: Ancient Ink.

You watching, Auntie?

So talk to me. What is your opinion on tattoos? How do you express yourself?

~*~ Psst…remember that Author Spotlight with James Hutchings? Well, he picked a winner! FUONLYKNEW – please send your contact info to celticsenaxi@gmail.com to receive your free copy of THE NEW DEATH and others!! Woo hoo! ~*~

Pantheon of Goddesses: Cerridwen

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays, where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world…

In honor of a good friend, our next goddess in this series is Cerridwen.

**Some of the information I’ve gathered came from The Goddess Guide by Priestess Brandi Auset ~ a must read for anyone interested in Goddesses of all flavors!**

fineartamerica.com

Cerridwen, Ceridwen, Caridwen, Kyrridwen

Cerridwen, Keeper of the Sacred Cauldron, is the goddess of rebirth, transformation and inspiration. With her magical cauldron, Cerridwen brews potions of divine wisdom and vision.

One of the five goddesses of Avalon, she is the guardian of spiritual transformation, and the dispenser of righteous council and ultimate justice.

Blodeuwedd (Maiden), Arianrhod (Mother), and Cerridwen (Crone) form the Welsh Triple Goddess triad; though Cerridwen embodies all three aspects within herself, as do many goddesses. Cerridwen is goddess of the moon and rules the gifts of prophecy and magic, as well as the powers of death and rebirth.

According to the late medieval Tale of Taliesin, Cerridwen had a son named Morfran who was hideously ugly. Out of love for her child, she brewed a potion in the Sacred Cauldron to make him wise. Cerridwen’s young servant boy, Gwion Bach, stirred the concoction. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion’s thumb as he stirred, burning him. He instinctively put his thumb in his mouth, and instantly gained great wisdom and knowledge.

Hmm…is anyone else reminded of the legend of how Fionn mac Cumhaill gained his second sight?  Interesting, no?

Cerridwen, realizing what had happened, chased Gwion. He turned himself into a hare. She became a greyhound. He became a fish and jumped into a river. She turned into an otter. He turned into a bird; she became a hawk. Finally, Gwion turned into a single grain of corn. Cerridwen then became a hen and ate him.

The Sword In The Stone, anyone?

Later, when Cerridwen became pregnant, she knew it was Gwion and resolved to kill the child when he was born. However, when he was born, he was so beautiful that she couldn’t do it. Instead, she sewed him inside a leather-skin bag, and threw him in the ocean. The baby survived and was rescued by Prince Elffin ap Gwyddno; the reborn infant grew to become the legendary bard Taliesin.

The part of this tale where Cerridwen eats Gwion and then gives birth to him reminds me of a portion of the tale, The Wooing of Etain. Is anyone familiar with that one?

Cerridwen rules over the following attributes:

Aging; Animals; Arts & Crafts; Astral Travel; Brewing (Magical); Cemeteries; Chaos; Clarity; Creation & Creativity; Crossroads; Darkness; Death; Destruction; Discipline; Disease & Illness; Divination; Dreams; Eclipse; Enchantments; Endings; Enlightenment; Exorcism; Fate; Fear; Fertility; Foresight; Gates, Caves, Portals & Doorways; Grief & Sadness; Guidance; Healing; Health (Physical); Herbs; Hindsight; Illusions; Initiation; Inspiration; Intuitive Abilities; Inventions; Judgment; Justice; Karma; Law; Learning; Longevity; Magic (Light, Dark, Lunar); Meditation; Memory; Menopause; Miracles; Moon; Mysteries; Oaths; Obstacles (Removing); Opportunities; Overcoming Negative Habits; Poetry; Power; Prophecy; Protection; Psychic Abilities; Rebirth; Regeneration; Reincarnation; Renewing; Retribution; Rituals & Ceremonies; Sciences & Alchemy; Seasons; Shapeshifting; Sky; Sorceress; Spiritual Connection & Illumination; Storms; Tarot; Time; Transformation; Truth; the Underworld; Vengeance & Revenge; Violence; Weather; Weight Loss; Wisdom; Witchcraft; Women & Femininity; Woodlands & Forests; Writing

Cerridwen’s colors are Blue, Purple, Black, Grey, White, and Silver

Cerridwen rules over the element of Water

Cerridwen is associated with the following Sabbats or festivals: Yule & Samhain

I didn’t know much about Cerridwen before I began my research ~ I can see why she’s my friend’s favorite goddess

So talk to me.  What about you? Do you connect with Cerridwen? Who is your favorite goddess?

If you have a specific goddess you would like to see featured here ~ even if she isn’t Celtic ~ let me know!

Dignity? What Dignity?

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink, and everything in between!

Like most people, I have my moments of self-consciousness.  Though, until the other evening, I thought I had grown up enough that public embarrassment wasn’t too painful anymore.

Remember high school? *shudder*

Anyway, as I was saying, I’d considered myself to be fairly level-headed, mostly composed.

Then, the other evening, my trainer at the gym had me drape myself face-down on the work out ball.

This is not the exact exercise, but you get the idea.

Even now, all I can do is close my eyes and shake my head.

The exercise was simple: work the glutes and thighs by extending the legs out and up while keeping the abs tight and balancing on the ball.

Oh. Sure. No problem.

On the one hand, I was able to do this exercise without injuring myself.  On the other hand, my dignity took a beating.  One thing I’m thankful for?  At least I was tucked away in the far corner, mostly hidden by a machine.

I’ve been working with my trainer for several weeks now, and I didn’t realize until the other night just how far out of my comfort zone she has pushed me.  What I was able to laugh and joke about then would’ve had me berating myself endlessly just months before.

So even though she’s a torture-hungry whip cracker, I’ve gotta say, I really dig that chick.

So talk to me.  What has pushed you out of your comfort zone lately?  Any embarrassing stories you’d like to share?  How do you deal with your self-consciousness?

Author Spotlight: James Hutchings!

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

Allow me to introduce the fiendishly talented, Mr. James Hutchings:

James recently released his book of stories and poems, entitled, “The New Death and others.” You have got to get this. This stuff is so great ~ dark and sarcastic, funny and morbid, morose and devilish…you won’t be able to stop turning the pages as you giggle quietly in your corner, an unholy light shining in your eyes…

Now. Let’s chat with James, shall we?

ME: Hi James! So I’ve got a pretty good take on your personality and sense of humor from reading these stories and poems, but for those that have not yet had that particular pleasure, why don’t you give a little insight into your inner-workings?

JH: I fight crime as Poetic Justice, but my day job is acting. You might know me by my stage-name ‘Brad Pitt.’

ME: Ahem…ok, Brad.. *wink* As I said earlier, this book is fantastic. I totally dig the vibe and style. What inspired you to write it?

JH: Some ideas just pop into my head, without me knowing where the idea comes from. Other ideas come from experiences in my life. For example a while ago I found three injured birds in the space of a few weeks. I took all of them to the local vet. As I was carrying one of them, I thought that the woman at reception might wonder where I was finding all these injured birds, and that was the inspiration for my story ‘Lost, Feral or Stray’.

I’ve written a lot about cats, based on having been a cat owner. But I’m a lot more cynical about them than some cat-lovers. One reviewer said he couldn’t work out whether I loved cats or hated them.

Of course other fiction is a big inspiration. In some cases it’s obvious. I’ve done poems directly based on stories by HP Lovecraft and other writers for example. In other cases it’s more subtle: for example the city of Teleleli or Telelee is partly based on Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar, partly on Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork, and partly on Port Blacksand in the Fighting Fantasy series. The dialogue in Lord of the Rings had a big influence on how my characters talk.

ME: Very cool. LOTR and others have definitely inspired me, all good stuff there.

I couldn’t imagine you getting one…well, maybe from someone without a sense of humor…but if you did receive *rolls eyes* a bad review, how would you react?

JH: Even though I know that some people aren’t going to like my work, I get upset at every bad review.

ME: We writers are definitely a sensitive bunch. I guess its best to keep tissue stocked and ready, eh?

Ok, so I’m dying to know what authors and genres you’re into. After reading this book, getting to know you through your work, I am intrigued to find out what you relax to?

JH: I mostly read fantasy. It tends to be old stories, and more short stories than novels. I’ve never read any of the Harry Potter or Game of Thrones series for example. I used to read science fiction, and found fantasy a bit pointless. I think my idea was that science fiction was stuff that could happen, whereas fantasy was stuff that couldn’t. Nowadays I feel that having ESP or super-advanced alien technology isn’t actually that different to having magic.

ME: Not only do I completely agree with you there, I’m also leaning toward imagining that those sorts of things might actually be possible…like, in real life. For real. Y’know, a hundred years ago we would have said being able to walk into a room and have it light up instantly was proof of the devil, but look at us now! Brad James, why are you snickering? Stop that!

Ugh, moving along…

For my writer friends, what advice or tips would you have to share?

JH: Nowadays anyone can self-publish. If you can make a Word document, you can have an ebook on Smashwords or Amazon. However that means that if your work is no good, no one’s going to stop you. I’d recommend that people get onto Critique Circle (www.critiquecircle.com) and/or Scribophile (www.scribophile.com), put their work up, and listen to what people tell you. Don’t ‘defend’ your work against people’s ‘attacks’. They aren’t attacks, they’re helping you. I’ve found that the people who defend their work have a strong tendency to have the worst writing, I suppose because they’re not making the changes they need to make.

My next point doesn’t matter if you’re going to self-publish, but it is important if you want to be published by a regular publisher, or if you want to submit stories to magazines. Most places won’t publish work that’s already been published. And most places count putting a story on the internet as publishing it. In my opinion that’s silly, but that’s what they do. Scribophile and Critique Circle are exceptions, because google doesn’t index them and you can’t see any stories without logging on. However there are writing group websites out there where, if you put a story on the site, that counts as the story being published. That seems like a really terrible way to set things up, but they’re out there.

I’d also say that getting a book out isn’t the final step. It’s just the start of the work of self-promotion. This is true even if you’re not self-publishing: I’m told that authors are expected to pretty much arrange their own book signings and so on (if you just want to have a book out to show family and friends then this doesn’t matter, of course).

There are a lot of sharks out there, who make their money from authors and not from readers. They will make all sorts of promises about how they’re going to promote you and help you, but these are lies. Authors do not pay publishers, ever, and if they’re asking you to pay then it’s a scam. Of course if you’re self-publishing you might end up paying someone to design a cover for you, or you might pay for internet advertising, but those are different things. You might also pay a printer to print your books if you want to get physical books rather than ebooks – but in this age of the kindle and print-on-demand I don’t know why you’d want to. Preditors and Editors (www.pred-ed.com) is a good website to look at, and you can get good advice at the forums of Critique Circle. The best-known reputable and free self-publishing venues are Amazon Kindle Direct, Smashwords.com, and for physical books Lulu.com.

Finally, I’d suggest learning to touch-type if you can’t already. You’re going to be doing a lot of typing, and every hour you spend getting faster at typing will save you ten in the long run.

ME: Excellent advice!

James…thank you so much for allowing me the absolute pleasure of reading your new book, “The New Death and others,” and for hanging out with us today. I can’t wait to check out what you have in store for us next!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

So talk to me! What did you think of the fantastic James Hutchings?  Bring on the comments boys and girls, and you could win a free copy of THE NEW DEATH AND OTHERS!

Pantheon of Goddesses: Mórrígan

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays, where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world…

Today’s post kicks off my new series on Celtic goddesses. Mórrígan, or Morrígu, is my personal favorite so of course I’ll begin with her.

You may recall my last post featuring this powerful deity. I’ve taken the bit of information there and expanded. Enjoy!

Some of the information I’ve gathered came from The Goddess Guide by Priestess Brandi Auset ~ a must read for anyone interested in Goddesses of all flavors!

The Morrígan, Mórrígan, Morrígu, Morrígna, Morríghan or Mórríoghain

The Mórrígan, or Great Queen, is the Irish warrior goddess of prophecy, battle, strife and fertility. Also called the Witch Queen of Death, she is known for being one of the most beautiful and sexual of all Goddesses, as well as being quite deadly. She has no problem using her sexuality to get what she wants, and can be ruthless in her pursuits. She can determine the outcome of wars, as well as predict when warriors will meet their end.

There is some debate over whether Mórrígan is part of a triple deity or the sum of three separate deities (Morrígna). Many believe that she, along with her sisters Macha and Anu make up the Great Goddess, or The Goddess, the Great Mother of all the land. Still others say Mórrígan is a triple goddess made by the aspects Badb, Macha, and Nemain.

Mórrígan is a shapeshifter; she can take the forms of raven, eel, cow, or wolf. The raven, or Carrion Crow, is a harbinger of death. It can frequently be seen flying above a battlefield, circling and casting spells to determine the victor. She will use the other animal forms in whatever way best benefits her agenda.

Mórrígan can also take different human forms. She can appear as a Crone, bringing news of death and destruction, or warnings of such. Less well-known is her form as a young maiden. Here, she will cast praise and love upon her chosen hero. Turns out she has a softer side…

She is the great sorceress of the Celts, her magical powers of prediction and enchantment are beyond compare. Mórrígan rules passionate love and sex, predominately affairs that tend to have negative consequences.

So maybe that side isn’t so soft.

 Mórrígan rules over the following attributes:

Addictions, Arts & Crafts, Authority, Blood, Brewing (Magical), Cemeteries, Courage, Crossroads, Darkness, Death, Deceit, Decisions, Destruction, Diplomacy, Disaster, Divination, Dreams, Enchantments, Endings, Exorcism, Fate, Fear, Fertility, Foresight, Grief & Sadness, Hindsight, Illusions, Initiation, Intuitive Abilities, Jealousy, Judgment, Justice, Love (Healing a Broken Heart), Magick (Dark), Magick (Light), Magick (Lunar), Magickal Arts, Memory, Men, Menopause, Mischief, Moon, Mysteries, Negative Habits (to Overcome), Night, Oaths, Oceans (Rivers & Bodies of Water), Pleasure, Poetry, Power, Prophecy, Protection, Regeneration, Retribution, Revenge, Seduction, Sensuality, Sexuality & Sexual Activities, Shapeshifting, Sorceress, Spirits & Ghosts, Strength, Vengeance, Victory, Violence, War & Battles, Warrior Goddesses, Wisdom, Witchcraft, Women & Femininity

Mórrígan’s colors are Red, Blue, Purple, Black, and Silver ~ All of my favorite colors

Mórrígan rules over the elements of Fire and Water.

Mórrígan is associated with the following sabbats or festivals: Midsummer & Samhain

See…don’t you just dig her?

So talk to me. What do you think of Mórrígan? If anyone knows of any symbols associated with her, please let me know…I’m researching art for my blank canvas.

If you have a specific Goddess you would like to see featured here ~ even if she isn’t Celtic ~ let me know!

And for Thursday, it’s Author Spotlight: James Hutchings. Don’t miss it!

Express Yourself

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

Tattoos and tattooing have been around for probably as long as we have walked the earth. They are part of many cultures, and can be an artistic expression of self, an expression of belief such as religion or spirituality, or a way to memorialize values, people, or events.

“…the island of Great Britain takes its name from tattooing, with Britons translating as ‘people of the designs’ and the Picts, who originally inhabited the northern part of Britain, which literally means ‘the painted people’. British people remain the most tattooed in Europe. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many parts of the world.” ~ Wikipedia

My good friend Diana Murdock blogged about tattooing and body art several months ago, and that post has stayed with me since. Definitely check it out; there are several beautiful photos, including one pretty badass triskele 

I’ve always wanted tattoos. Not one. Many. I have just never been able to figure out what I wanted to express. A tattoo is for life. My thought is, if you’re going to ink your body you’d better make sure what you choose is meaningful, and that ‘meaning’ is going to last – forever.

I’m a Sagittarius. For those who know and understand the signs, you right away see my dilemma. My thoughts, opinions, interests…they change with the wind! I’m constantly growing, learning, evolving. So for me, the decision of getting inked is a fairly monumental one.

Discovering the depth of my passion for the Celtic traditions has provided a starting point for me in this particular area. This passion (or obsession, depending on how you look at it) is soul deep. It is so much a part of me that no matter what happens in my life or how many times I change my opinions ~ this will never change.

Normally I cringe at words like “never,” “always,” “forever” because those are too confining for me. I like room to move, room to change…I’m like Baby – no one puts me in a corner

But this…saying “this will never change” is like giving myself a gift. I am free to express myself in such a way that will always bring me joy and comfort. Plus, there are SO many aspects to the Celtic tradition that there is plenty of room for me to grow and stretch and evolve.

                                       

So…I’m getting inked! I haven’t quite decided where to start or exactly what to get first ~ I have so many ideas, they’re all crowding my mind, vying to be chosen first. But I’ll share my ideas with you as I move forward…and maybe you can give me some ideas

So talk to me. What is your opinion on tattoos? How do you express yourself?

~*~ Psst…remember that Author Spotlight I hinted at several weeks ago? Well, stay tuned, it’s happening soon! ~*~

The Mists of Avalon

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays, where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world.

Recently, I watched The Mists of Avalon, a mini-series produced by TNT which is based on a book written by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

The Mists of Avalon tells the story of King Arthur through the eyes of the women in his life ~ His mother Igraine, his half-sister Morgaine, his aunt Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, and his wife Gwenwyfar.

It is a beautifully told Celtic tale of love and loss, life and death, faith and religion. I thought some of the acting a bit contrived, but on the whole, I really enjoyed the mini-series. I definitely recommend you check it out if you haven’t seen it already.

I’ve done something I would normally consider a sin…I watched the TV version before reading the book. This is a fairly large book, and rather intimidating for even a voracious reader such as myself

It has received many, many great reviews, and was recommended to me by a friend, so while I have not read it yet myself, I would still suggest you give it a go.

So talk to me. Have you read The Mists of Avalon? Did you see the mini-series? What did you think?

Finding Balance

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

Merriam-Webster defines Balance as, “mental and emotional steadiness; to bring into harmony or proportion.”

Yeah. I so don’t have that. 

Some of you may have noticed that Tuesday’s post was the first one up in over a month.  This is because I finally reached the breaking point.  The point where, if something didn’t change—immediately—then the walls holding up my sanity, that had been thus far crumbling here and there, would fall and smash into so much rubble.

While I’m busy prioritizing my life, and figuring out how to keep the balls in the air, please excuse my absences. I’ll get it together eventually. 

So talk to me. Do you have balance in your life? How do you deal with the pressures of career vs. family? What do you do to unwind?

Celtic Faeries ~ No Tinks Here

Welcome to Tursan Tuesdays, where I take you on a journey through the Celtic world.

**Before we get started, let me first provide you with a list of common spellings for the magical and mystical beings we are discussing today: faerie, fairy, fayerie, feirie, feyrie, ferie, pherie, pharie, etc.! I, personally, prefer “faerie” so we’ll go with that.

Ok, moving right along…

When we think of faeries, many of us think of the cute little fluttery beings that look like miniature humans with gossamer wings.

…and in the world of Disney, they are.

However, lurking in the shadows and hiding in plain sight are the daoine sìth, the faery people.

          

The Gaelic Celts believe the daoine sìth to be their deities lost in the mists of time, and the advent of Christianity.

          

          

The daoine sìth can be cute and sparkly, or they can be monstrous and horrifying. They can be mischievous, or evil, or they can be good and helpful. Sometimes it depends on how you treat them, sometimes it’s just ‘cause they feel like it.

They may be small, they may be the same size as human beings, or they may decide to change their shape at will.

     

Many believe the faeries are all around us. They could be your neighbor, they could live among the flowers in your backyard, or they could even appear to you in your dreams.

So talk to me. What do you think? Do you believe in faeries?

You Have GOT To See This!

Welcome to Rudan Thursdays where we talk about…things! Anything from books and movies, to blog posts and authors, to food and drink.

While I’m surrounding by boxes and chaos, I thought I’d share this bit of fun with you all… Enjoy!

So talk to me. What did you think…pretty funny eh? Gotta love his passion..

psst! Author spotlight coming soon…more information to come!