Passing it along: call for submissions for Morrígan anthology

 This upcoming anthology has a new publisher with Bibliotheca Alexandrina and looking for more submissions. If you want to participate go to the website to see all the info and contact Nicole Ross.

By Blood, Bone and Blade: A Tribute to the Morrígan

 Call for Submissions! Bibliotheca Alexandrina is seeking submissions for a devotional anthology in honor of The Morrigan: she who is the Battle Queen, the Phantom Queen, the Bloody Raven, the Wolf of War, the White Heifer, The Old Crow, the Black Eel, the Washerwoman at the Ford, Goddess of strife, power, and sovereignty. This anthology is being edited by Nicole Ross. 

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 Submissions open 15 March and close 15 October 2013, with a projected release date of December 2013.  Read the rest

[I] cast [my] lot with the Fianna: to have rivers, wastes and wilds, and woods, and precipices, and estuaries

The title comes from a passage in Standish Hayes O'Grady's translation of The Colloquy of the Ancients, "Verily the younger son elected to cast in his lot with the Fianna: to have rivers, wastes and wilds, and woods, and precipices, and estuaries." (it is on pg. 69, The Irish "Rue do roga in mac ba só . beith ré Féind, ní himargó, foithri, fássaigi, feda . aibhne is alia is indbera." can be found Whitley Stokes ed., Acallamh na Senórach I,  Irische Texte vol 4, part 1, 1900  pg. 71)

The passage tells of brothers dividing Ireland, the elder's share were the houses, domestic herds, riches and civilized men. After the elder's murder, the younger avenged him and took all of Ireland back, giving the leadership of the Fianna to Morna, eventually to pass to Finn MacCumhail, of course. It's a phrase that struck a cord for me, the indication is that the younger son preferred the wilderness, for he chose it, and that this was seen as an equable division. For the wilderness always seems preferable to me and I have come to see it as the best place to cast my own lot, while so many have turned their backs on it.

I have lived in urban areas, but at one point even then I identified as the Outlaw, one of the wilderness, acting as an Outsider in a couple of Druid groves to which I never actually belonged. One became a very formal role. However, when this arrangement ceased to be, mostly due to my acting on behalf of the members as I should and becoming scapegoated by them (which too may be fitting for for that role), I made the mistake of trying to go Inside. As many others do, I became interested in trying to create some sort of community, broadly based with many roles. A focus on culture. It burned me out. It wasn't my place.

It seems that for most Gaelic Polytheists there is a strong focus on the civilized culture of the Gaels and finding ways to recreate it or even who claim that they live in some form of Gaelic community (I'm referring to those who are here in the US). Some are very focused on recreating what they see as Pre-Christian society, although most of our information is actually well into the Christian period. They are trying to reconstruct the concept of the túath, often complete with the class system. Others look to the later and modern Gàidhealtachd/Gaeltacht. In both cases there is often a lot of, rather necessary, adaptations which I found I am not comfortable with.

I don't live in the Gàidhealtachd, I do not live anywhere where it once existed; I simply live where some from those lands, with those languages, immigrated. And gave up their language and culture to assimilate because that was the option they saw best at the time.  I can't pretend that I am truly part of a living culture nor can I create a childhood of "Gaelic traditions" despite having both Scottish and Irish ancestry (along with French). There is a generation between myself and my last Gàidhlig speaking ancestor, two generations between myself and my last Gaeilge speaking one. Like my father who was Québécois they saw assimilation into "America culture" very important for survival and the survival of their children, especially in light of the discrimination that they experienced first hand.  I might see this as sadly short-sighted, but I can't pretend it wasn't what happened.

 This is not to dismiss the importance of the cultures, then or now. We must learn about them to understand them. We must support the living cultures so that they can grow and continue, including keeping the languages going. But this is different than claiming we are living in them, unless we are actually living in the Gàidhealtachd, something which is not an option for most of us.

But would I fit in these cultures if I were born to them? Outside of what we must now accept are Victorian fantasies of multitudes of women warriors fighting as equal to the men, um, not so much.  I've already noted that accounts of female warriors in the literature are predominantly Outlaws, aside from Medb and her sisters and Macha Mongruadh, who were instead Queens. Not common, everyday, in the community soldiers.

The more I read and reread the writings of McCone, Nagy and Sharp as well as sections of the literture, the more I am convinced that these warbands constituted more than just a way-station for young men between fosterage and gaining inheritance and adult status.The the Fianna/díberga were fully a counterculture, albeit one of the wild, to the more civilized culture that they protected. And a very Pagan one possibly well into the Christian period. I believe we must try to understand this wild culture too, as much as the civilized one we know more of. We might never be able to know enough about it, but this is the situation we have with all Pagan Gaelic culture...we have no direct information from those living it, our "myths" are not actually myths but Christian literature. This, as I keep noting, why we "Reconstruct," because we do have to.

This also brings to mind the popular debate about whether CR is a nature religion or not. Many other cultural Reconstructionists are much clearer that they are not, as some are very urban religions often in conflict with nature. There does seem to be some of that in the more Gaelic ways which are more mainstream and focused on the culture. The romanticism that all of Celtic religion is based in nature, rather than a defense from nature, is, well, romantic. But the Outlaws were of nature, so I can keep that romanticism all I want. Even while actually living with it, understanding why there is often a hostility to it from those who didn't and don't have the luxury of seeing it from afar while in their safe houses or apartments, eating food they picked up from a grocery they traveled paved roads to go to and really being separate from that nature they claim to love. Of course, some of us get very romantic about hardship even as we're in it....some of us cal ourselves homesteaders.

This is the land I belong to now, although my people are late comers. I don't own it, it owns me. I can't tame it, it wilds me. It feeds me, it homes me, it both protects and challenges me and I care for it as best I can. I am of the rivers, well brooks anyway, "wastes" and wilds and woods, although the closest precipices are a bit of a hike and I'm rather far from any estuaries. But lots of fresh water swamp. We share it with the deer, the coywolves, the fox, the bear, the stouts, the squirrels, the beaver and countless birds. This is my religion and if not culture then it is my community.

copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

But what about Her/Them?

It has been pointed out to me that in my last post about rebuilding the Cult(s) I neglected to say what we're doing for Her or Them in this. I mention what such cults might provide for members and the community, but I seem to neglect the Goddesses Themselves. I can see that it appears that way, but I I guess for me it's so much all about Them that it didn't really occur to me during the writing process to note it.

From the moment She grabbed me by the hair and said "you work for me!" it's been about Her. Two things were made very clear at the beginning 1) I was to walk the warrior path, in a serious and physical way, despite health problems and despite my convictions of pacifism. 2) I was not to continue practicing Wicca, which I had just been initiated into. I was going to find ways that She wanted me to worship Her based on learning about the actual culture.  I might not be able to learn how She was worshiped in pre-Christian or by those who continued honoring Her when many others had become Christian, but I was going to figure out ways that She appreciated more. Not because She was unable to understand other ways, as some accuse Reconstructionists of saying, but because it's what She wanted. For me to work to understand Her and Her culture. (and it's more respectful to the culture)

So, for Her, I changed my focus in college to Celtic studies, started training in a martial art, changed my fitness plans and left my coven. For Her, for Them, I have over the years given up comfort, relationships, friendships and even safety. Because They really are "like that."  They don't remove obstacles, They challenge us to show what we'll do to go through the obstacles. They may even be the ones planting those obstacles in our path. None of us are Cú Chulainn, but most of us end up being thankful when we realize that at least what we get thrown into is still a cake walk in comparison.

So, yes, I talk about what the cults do to serve those who are part of them and the greater community. Because the warrior does serve the community, for some of us that's part of the service we give the Deity we follow (but, obviously, not all follow any at all), and we sometimes need the support of each other. We don't always get that, that's often one of the obstacles, but part of the idea of developing an actual cult practice would be work try to fix that. But it all comes back to serving Them. Always.

copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

Rebuilding Her (Their) Cult(s)

Recently Morpheus Ravenna, of Banshee Arts and Coru Cathubodua, wrote that she is Not Rebuilding Her Cult in response to others who called for reviving ancient Deity cults and one mentioning that she was doing so for an Morrígan. I'm carrying on the blog cycle, for my first reaction to the title was "Well, I am!"

But that's not really accurate, either.  I have no desire to build a cult and lead it, if that's what that sounds like. It's more I feel She or They are trying to rebuild it, that They are seeking people out to follow Them in a manner that is related to the old cult I believed existed. I wouldn't mind helping to incite Her cult back into existence, however,and  to offer evidence of it and ways it might happen today. Although, of course, I may not always like what others do with the information I share, I have learned it's better to live with that than be control freak (although I might have rants on it, of course). And I'm finding certain pressures to reveal my work despite any concerns that I might have.

The difference in my thinking might be explained in her second paragraph and my own take on the issues she brings up there. One being a different take on what the fact that there was no continuation and no documentation from practitioners of what such a cult was like means for rebuilding. We don't even know if there ever was a cult to the War Goddesses. But that's an overall problem with Pagan Gaelic traditions, we have to work with what we got, which is a combination of archaeology, Christian literature and law and some Classical observations (which were fewer for Gaelic cultures), as well as some cross-Indo-European speculations. Which is, of course, where Reconstructionist methodology comes in, we wouldn't need to reconstruct if this problem wasn't substantial.

Coming from this methodology also leads to a different take on what such a rebuilt, or reconstructed, cult might look like, today. Despite some "definitions" I've seen given that often makes it sound like we intend to practice exactly as our ancestors did (something which is impossible if we can never actually know and need to reconstruct to begin with, as well as living under different laws), "Reconstruction" means that we are using research of the past to reconstruct what such things might look like today, in a culturally related fashion. Neither recreating out of cultural context nor trying to live in a past that is gone. This means that even when we have evidence, not all things will be revived. Just as modern Druids, even Reconstructionist ones, manage to practice without human sacrifice,except symbolically, I believe we can reconstruct the war band cults without actually taking heads. At least until the Revenant Cataclysm finally comes.

Panel Gundestrup cauldron, likely showing a warrior initiation

I do believe that such a cult or cults very likely existed, and I am focused on the war bands as evidence of them. I follow Epstein's speculation that Cú Chulainn* is a representation of what the Christian scribes interpreted it might have been like.(Epstein, Ch 3). Following her thoughts that there would be similarities to the berserkr (“bear coats”) and ulfheðnar (“wolf coats”) practices of the likely very cultic Germanic warbands, I also extrapolate that we find hints in the stories of the Fíanna, despite actual Goddess connection lacking (although perhaps some hints to it with the female teachers, one named Bodbmall who Epstein notes may connect to the name Badb and she and Nagy have related to Buannan (Nagy, Wisdom of the Outlaw, pg. 102, Epstein, Ch. 2). From there, of course, to the díberga and their relationship to fáelad (wolfing). I find them interesting in their "unsavory" Paganism and withhold bias against them for the general brigand traits the clerics also attributed to them.(see Sharpe for díberga/Fíanna and McCone and West for that and the wolf speculations) I have also been doing a good bit of writing in regards to the canine aspects and how Cú Chulainn actually fits as more of an Outlaw than a tribal warrior, but these are not yet published. (I will, of course, be letting you know in this blog when they are available somewhere)

Although I want to point out that I'm not trying to create conflict between Morpheus's vision and my own, only to note how we might be viewing particular's differently as well as may have different focuses on thie history. Regarding the points Morpheus makes in her post. With location I am, as long time readers have likely figured out, focused on the War Goddesses in Gaelic culture only.  I do however look for relevant similarities found not only in the other Celtic cultures, but, also Germanic ones as there do seem to be many correlations between the war band cults of these cultures, although the Germanic are often to male Deities.  I do agree that the title an Morrígan may well have been held by many regional Goddesses, although I follow Stokes, Epstein and others regarding the title "Morrígan" as more common and older than "Mórrígan" and therefore means "Phantom Queen" rather than "Great (or Big) Queen" which is a later folk etymology  (Stokes, pg. 128, Epstein Ch. 1 "etymologies," I also go into this a good bit in some upcoming work) and may not bear relation to the "Great Queens" of Brythonic cultures which. Therefore my focus is with working within a Gaelic framework, although I would hope to network with those who might revive war band cults from other cultures. It does, however, lead to a certain flexibility and understanding that more than one actual cult is likely, should any start up again or not.

As for seasons, there is a preponderance of focus on Samain† in the tales an Morrígan is strongly featured in. However, this does seem to have been a time relating to Otherworldly and special events. While wars in the tales often start at this time, we also have later Fenian tales that note that warfare ceased from Samain to Beltene,. Other accounts, and archaeology, does seem to point that warfare and raiding did seem to quiet, if not cease, at Samain, but raiding started up around Imbolc.(Patterson pg. 123, 132-133) Given the link with the warbands and wolves, as well as this return to raiding, I also link Imbolc, or the period between Imbolc and Beltene, with specific work on Awakening the Wolf. Lugnasad, a time of festivals involving horse racing, has been linked specifically to the sister War Goddess Macha. Therefore there is no specific season for me in regard, there may just be difference in focus, devotions of a modern cult might turn inwards more during the winter months, and outward during the summer, in keeping with the tales or might alter depending on seasonal changes in location. Modernizing this doesn't seem to be a large issue for me.

Incidental or temporal worship already seems carried over by many us anyway, again, within the bounds of legality. Taking omens, making offerings (even if subtly) for specific reasons in specific places is not a large issue. It would, undoubtedly, be an issue for those professional warriors upon battlefields, but this is where we adapt to the situations we are in. And, after all, incidental worship is about adapting.

It is devotional practice is what gets to the meat of it. That which was done, that which we can do now based on the evidence. It might also be where difference in seeing a rebuilding or a new tradition might come in. I already noted, that if in general CRs have had to forgo human sacrifice or adopt symbolic practices (many of which are later folk practices such as the Bealtuinn "sacrifice") I think we can manage to refrain from piling actual heads. A few modern Gaels I know are quite into they symbolism all the same. Of course, "war spoils" and other related votive offerings can be easily retranslated to modern context of what we find symbolic.

But as I noted, I relate the cult to the Outlaw war bands, what may well have been a Pagan subculture of the early Christian culture. (see McCone, Sharpe, West) Therefore my focus is on the practices which we can interpret about these bands, even in the face of the rather negative reputations the díberga might have, especially in some saint tales. Devotion to me may not be that far off from the non-battle things these warriors offered. Their bodies, their effort into training and preparing. Whether one becomes a full, literally blooded, warrior or not, the training part is there for all of us who do walk the warrior path.

But, again, as I noted above, I also see this as ecstatic practice "shape-shifting" ...for me it's canine, for others I've talked to there may be corvid. This may be about out-of-body travel or about an embodied fugue state, strengthening the trained body. (I will eventually have an announcement on something on this). While I am often focused, especially in this blog, on the practical, I feel it's important to have the ecstatic aspect as well, at least for those so inclined. (No one said every member of a cult would necessarily do the exact same things)

So for me rebuilding Her/Their Cult/s is about the devotional practices, often very embodied ones. And in a modern context. These things would vary by whether one is a professional soldier or a, well, amateur walking the warrior path, of course, as well as on ability and talents. But it would involved fitness, practical martial arts training (which may not always be traditionally Gaelic and could include firearms training), culturally traditional Gaelic martial arts training (which may not always be practical), ecstatic shape-shifting, Seership, poetry and other arts. Not all in the cult might be warriors, we have in the Fenian material druids who helped train Finn in the Sight, after all. But it would be the key focus. I also see an importance on preparedness for a variety of situations, as well....after all, many of us amateur path walkers seem to be preppers. For some of us, hunting, foraging and deep wilderness exploration might connect  us to the Outlaw role as well. Again, we must adapt for hunting seasons are almost the opposite now as they were in early Irish law. (Patterson)

There is, of course, what a cult provides, both members and community, as I believe that service is a key role. The war bands may not have been in the society, but they did serve it.  This is not necessarily focused on our "religious" or cultural communities, but should probably include or physical neighbors of all cultural and religious backgrounds. The professional, soldier, LEO or related, serves a broad community in obvious ways. Others might volunteer for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team),  help organize the local community to deal with disaster and long-term preparedness, teach martial arts and/or self-defense, become victims' advocates, do volunteer escort in dangerous areas (working with a proper community organization and within their guidelines). And, of course, providing appropriate rituals for those who do worship our Gods when they have need of the War Goddesses.

Needs for members would vary for the professional warrior who has seen combat and is returning to her family, but also for the rape survivor who is moving from victim to hero in her own story. Rituals can be developed for such transitions based on literary references. Makings sure cult members are served by the cult, creating a support system for each other, is a part of the reason to have such a cult, after all. Because it is true, this is not an easy worship, not even for those of us just on the path who might never be blooded as full warriors. For those who are blooded, it is often traumatic so support within a cult would be vital. Ritual, counseling, intervention, just having the right people to connect with and help each other connect to the Goddess we serve. ETA: Perhaps even a good hurling team can be a part of that healing. How long a cult member might be in the cult may vary individually and by need as well. A soldier may find her/himself drawn to service of a War Goddess, but wish cleansing and to move away from the cult when returning to civilian life while others may be, as Nagy put it, "chronic Outlaws."

I feel that cults based on what we know of the culture, kept in cultural perspective but adapted for the laws we live under, is fully possible using Reconstructionist methodology. I also believe it's something They want and I hope to see more cultic development in my lifetime. In fact, I'm smelling things on the wind which I think might become very interesting. 

*This relationship seems problematic as most see conflict and rejection between Cú Chulainn and the Morrígan. However, looked at from from the warrior path apparent antagonism begins to make sense that She challenges and goads him, he comes back with the arrogance She expects and he rejects the easy victory as he is also expected to do. No one said serving a War Goddess was simple, straightforward or painless.

†I am using the older spellings here, rather than the Scottish Gaelic ones which are my preference as this is relating literature and history. 

Angelique Gulermovich Epstein, “War Goddess: the Morrígan and her Germano-Celtic Counterparts” dissertation for UCLA, 1998

Kim McCone, "Varia II” Ériu 36, 1985

Kim McCone “Werewolves, Cyclopes, Díberga and Fíanna: Juvenile Delinquency in Early Ireland” Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies, issue 12, 1986

Joseph Falaky Nagy. The Wisdom of the Outlaw: The Boyhood Deeds of Finn in Gaelic Narrative Tradition, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985

Nerys Patterson. Cattle Lords & Clansmen: The Social Structure of Early Ireland, Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame, 1994

Richard Sharpe, “Laicus, Irish Láech and the Devil's Men,” Ériu

Whitley Stokes, trans. “The Second Battle of Moytura” Revue Celtique 12

Máire West, “Aspects of díberg in the tale TogailBruidne Da Derga,”Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie (ZcP) , Volume 49-50, 1997

 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

On Being a Horse Warrior

I have written elsewhere that my thing is not about living in the past, whether it's the homesteading thing, the Gaelic Heathen thing or the warrior thing. There are elements of the past which I do wish to bring into what I would hope would be a more sustainable future, however.

 Centurion's idea of a Pictish horse warrior -my review

When it comes to the horse thing, especially when connected to the warrior thing, I do have to admit to loving certain romantic notions. But I'm also clear that I"m not likely to be charging off fighting others with sword and spear from the back of my might mare. I'm certainly not going to be fighting with a bow anymore than it was likely the Picts or Celts did, for all it's a popular Hollywood image; forested land makes the bow/horse combination problematic for all that both might exist there. It's far more useful to combine the two on open Steppes or plains, which tends to be where it is evident.

So I was recently inspired by a call for submissions to write an article on what the reality of the term is today. Now, I'm not one who usually considers activism to be a major part of the warrior path, if you've read this you know I do believe it's about being ready for physical fights first. However, "horse warrior" is a term that has been used in the anti-horse-slaughter world for at least two decades and I'm going to stick to it. It fits that animals whose ancestors who fought with us and for us for so long,and still some do in various ways, gets to have people fighting for their lives.

 As someone dedicated to a War Goddess who is also associated with horses, it's become an important part of what I do, both activism and taking care of them for Her. It's a major part of my spiritual practice, in fact, and at least in spirit is tied to the warrior part.  Sure, I have fantasies of what it might be like to ride a true war horse. Someday I might even do some sort of reenactment games with my mare just for the fun of it....although I might be more inclined to Mounted Cowboy Shooting than to the SCA sort of thing (although the SCA stuff is closer to home, I haven't found a sign of mounted shooting around here). But that's just play.

As I note in the article, if Saorsa, my mare, ever becomes a bit more sociable in dealing with strangers, we might see about getting into a more realistic role of Search and Rescue. Right now she's likely to want to eat anyone she fines, although she does love looking for us and I think that her curiosity would probably make her a potential for a scent horse rather than just a horse I ride while I search.

The publication didn't happen (this is a different anthology than the one I've mentioned before which I have submitted a much larger article to) and I was left with this article that combines my story with Macha calling me back to take care of horses so I decided to throw it up on Flying With the Hooded Crow so please go to the link below:

Warriors for the Horse Goddess

 

 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

Getting ready for the big Revenant Cataclysm

 Everyone's talking about the Zombie Apocalypse*. Okay, not everyone, a friend recently asked what was meant by that, but a lot of people are. Sometime between the release of The Night of the Living Dead in October of 1968 and Joss Whedon's recent reason some might want to vote for Romney, as in he'll finally bring the fun to us, this has been code for what is otherwise known as the Shit Hitting the Fan (SHTF) or The End Of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) among many preppers and just gory geekery among the geeks. As someone who falls into both catagories, yes a geeky prepper, I have often used the term, despite the fact both words are wrong. And the first is both inaccurate and culturally appropriative. 


The actual term, in my not so humble opinion, should be "Revenant Cataclysm."

First, let's get "apocalypse" out of the way. Until recently, and it is given as a definition now, it didn't mean a horrible event, it just means "revelation."  You know, like in the Biblical book Revelations. It means the revealing of the cataclysm, not the cataclysm itself. Okay, got that? That's easy.  We really could ditch the religiously-tied-in modern meaning and instead just say what we mean. "Cataclysm." 

"Zombie" was never used in Night of the Living Dead. No, not once. It appears, however, to come to the current usage through fans of the movie somewhere along the way. But it is a grossly inaccurate term and culturally insulting. I'd been trying to figure a way to really get into this, but felt it was beyond my scope. However, Amy Welintz broaches what a real zombie is, and reasons the term may be so prevalent, in "A Zombie Is a Slave Forever." I have yet, but there is also a collection of essays called Race, Oppression and the Zombie: Essays on Cross-Cultural Appropriations of the Caribbean Tradition edited by Christopher M. Moreman and Cory James Rushton for those interested in exploring the issues further. And I think it needs exploring.

"Revenant" which means "returned" is any of a number of types of animated corpses. In most European lore, these are solitary appearances and usually only visit loved ones. However, the term is actually broad enough I feel it fits better. You know, if you need something besides "undead" or "living dead" ...the original movie term.

Of course, I have failed in my attempts to get "Zombie Apocalypse" replaced with "Revenant Cataclysm."

And, so, here I have to admit I do hang with those who do use "zombie" on a regular basis. I have friends who do Zombie Kickball, who do Zombie Walks and Zombie Races. I am considering doing one of the races myself, because I like to run but competition bores me unless there is some fun added. I have even recommended a phone app for runners. I love a plethora of "zombie" movies....from the very good to the very, very bad. I also am friends with several fiction authors, almost all of whom have at least one zombie story of some length published or being shopped.  No one in this group is taking my suggestion of Revenant very seriously. *sigh*

As a prepper, I also admit to using it as a code for SHTF and to talk about preparedness. Of course, for the most part my homesteading blog is where the build of prepping comes up, like the food issues. Using the ZA or, rather RC, concept makes it sound more fun. You know, more shooting, guilt free shooting as your targets are already dead, that sort of thing. In the real world after SHTF it's likely to be far less fun in that way.


Even the CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response jumped aboard the idea a couple of years ago, although they seemed to get nervous about it when we had some weird cannibalistic crimes earlier this year. But the general idea is that if you're prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, you're prepared for anything. Of course, they don't get into the fact that in the RC you'll need weapons and in general seem to miss the fun parts of it. However, when I took a bit of a breather from writing this I happened upon a story today that the U.S Marines and Navy are using the Zombie Apocalypse scenario for training.  So there you go.

Of course, the CDS's advice is what most "prepping" looks like, at least the prepping done by the non-preppers. This is just everyday stuff you should have set if you do not identify as a prepper.  Preparing go-bags, preparing food, water, clothing and sanitation for hunkering in. Things like that. Things that you should already have had before Sandy hit this week, so that you were either ready to evacuate or stay put with the possibility of no electricity for awhile.

When it comes to the long term, preppers or survivalists, go rather beyond this all. Food storage, which can be anything from the "bunker-style" MRE collecting to the "homestead-style" production and traditional preserving (we're on this end) but for many there is the in between mode using canned and dry goods from warehouse stores being very common, is a key factor. Never mind getting through a week-long crisis, what if it's years? And, of course, weapons. Because if it is years how are you going to defend what you do have from those willing to take it by force? Weapons are not brought up in the short-term preparation because so much of it is about leaving the home and going to shelters...shelters which generally won't allow you to bring weapons. And for those hunkering in, instead, these are situations that most believe will not last long enough for looting and raiding.  But, of course, we know that they often do. I do, personally, recommend learning to defend your home, which means don't just go out and buy weapons but know how to use them and know how to secure your premises so that you are less likely to have to.

As the Revenant Cataclysm is actually not the most likely scenario, then what are we preparing for. This, of course, varies from prepper to prepper, often very widely. And, yeah, there may well be some that actually are preparing for the undead coming to eat their brains, but we won't discuss the nutritional value that those particular organs might have nor not have. Some are preparing for nuclear destruction, those are the folks with the hardcore bunkers, but some of us more homesteady types figure that's not really worth surviving because it would just be surviving. Not living. I want to survive something I can live in after. And nuclear war is bad for the horses, which don't fit in bunkers like dogs might, if there are no horses then I see little point. Which is also why, despite my serious (obsessive) fandom, I don't discuss Terminator Cataclysm.

There are those who expect some sort of cosmic cataclysm, such as was expected due to computer failure on Y2K and now most are waiting for the "Mayan Apocalypse" December 21, 2012. The problem with that is that the Mayans say it won't happen and, frankly, I'm going to believe them rather than the rather odd combinations of folks who are convinced it's the end of the world. Again, there's that cultural appropriation thing. 

There are certainly an awful lot of preppers, some proudly using the term "survivalist," which most of us find uncomfortable due to it's identity with such types, who are expecting the government to turn on us at any moment. This scenario went totally over the edge when Obama took office. You know he took all our guns away, right? Oh, wait. No, actually he has since signed two laws expanding concealed carry. It must be a trick, however, as these folks are still claiming that's what is in store for us if he wins again. However, I've never been that type (but that might change if Romney gets in, because I think Whedon is on to something even if he's using That Term *pointsbackuptovideo*).

A lot of us homesteading types, many of whom are far left of the "gov'ments gonna come take our guns" (ggctog) types actually figure The End Of The World As We Know it has come already. The economic systems we've had foisted upon us of global economy and factory food production is utterly failing, as is our dependence on unsustainable energy which also has led to Climate Change (which led to Superstorm Sandy and will to others). We're fighting back by eating locally and even growing our own food and looking for better sustainable ways of commerce when we do go outside our locals. We are working to fix our petroleum habits and, over all, lower our carbon footprints. This, again, isn't as exciting as fighting Revenants trying to eat our brains, and is far more for the homesteading blog. For the most part, these efforts are actually to try to make these transition into what follows less violent and less cataclysmic. Some folks don't even own guns. However, others of us see that there is likely to be some upheaval; if for no other reason that we know some of the ggctog types who make I wish for them not to have all the guns.

So, no, I'm not expecting the Revenant Cataclysm, but I do believe that being prepared, in all ways, for it does indeed mean being prepared for anything that will come. Except nuclear annihilation but that's why it's called "annihilation."  As it probably won't really be as fun as having walking dead people to shoot at, we can at least have fun with the preparations. But, seriously, I'm asking you, let's work on this term. Revenant Cataclysm really needs to replace Zombie Apocalypse. Go forth, prepare and fucking push this term! Alrighty!


Meanwhile, you probably don't want to get me on what Pop Culture has done to werewolves.

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*yes, I know, Wikipedia is a lazy citation, but almost everything else does seem to be advertising someone's ZA product and I have a cold so I don't care. Also, WP does seem to do okay on Pop Culture stuff...being a Pop Culture medium that those heavily into Pop Culture seem to get serious about.


 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

Dancing in chaos

Dancing in chaos is what it feels like right now when I try to organize my thoughts and try to write. So many things coming together and other things seeming to explode.

You may, or may not, have noticed that I changed the name of the blog to the same title I have for the online War Goddesses shrine. I'm not even sure right now what the point of having both is. But that page was, of course, going to house Musings on the Irish War Goddesses, which I intended to be publishing online by now. Probably earlier than now. However, that's on hold as it may be going in a devotional anthology (it was accepted, but I have yet to get the contract so it's difficult for me to as yet say it is going in). (EDIT: and indeed a realization about publishing has come up, so things are in flux right now) I do still intend to post in on the web, I do retain the rights, but it seems only fair to wait at least a few months after publication. Of course, I'll post about the anthology when I do have news to post.This summer I also put together another article for another anthology but I've not yet heard back about it. This all "got in the way" of blogging or figuring out how to "dress up" the online shrine better.

But I have some topics which will be coming up soon here, I hope. Still not sure about the shrine.

I still intend to keep the various warrior path material going here, but I may get more and more on the Gaelic culture and focused on Badb, Macha and the Morrígan. Hence the name change. But it might not change that much. Hard to say, I need to corral some of my thoughts for posts first so we can see.

I have been toying with the idea of doing workshops, which I haven't done for over a decade now. Being isolated geographically is an issue. Doing stuff that seems, well, scary and "violent" to some who might have venues I could do it at has always been a problem. That I don't offer fluffy fantasies and will tell people things like "no, going into the Otherworld with good intentions will not actually protect you from harm" (last time I was invited to that store to do a workshop and I didn't even say that "just going into the Otherworld probably indicates your intentions are questionable, anyway").   Shit like that. I'm considering online workshops but don't have the internet access that would allow it yet and when that changes, well, I really have no clue how to work in that way. But, it's stuff I'm looking into.

So, hopefully there will be new material here and on the other blogs soon.

 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

Fat and the Pagan Community

The first real blog post I wrote here was The Abuse of Thin=Fat. Some readers may know I am again a Personal Fitness Trainer and I work from a Health At Every Size paradigm. My concern in fitness is about helping people find their strength, not reduce their size. This is in part because I don't like to lie to people and the idea of permanent weight loss is a total lie for 95% of all who lose weight. And this is when they are maintaining the actions that worked for them to lose weight, although everyone from fitness instructors to doctors love to make accusations of "cheating" or "being unable to comprehend how much they are eating." There is also, in fact, no actual evidence that being "obese" is itself a health hazard (there are just too many studies listed here for me to pick one). But another reason, coupled with these, is that I simply believe that being strong and powerful is more important than being tiny, and you really can not get smaller and not lose strength (without abusing dangerous drugs and totally screwing your health for life, so let's leave it at you can't do it).

This morning it came to my attention that much loved Pagan media personality (who I admit that I never heard of but there is a lot going on in Paganism I don't pay attention to and the whole podcast thing somehow I just don't get) David Grega died apparently from cardiac arrest at the young age of 27. Grega was also fat,* this prompted a blogger to write a post A Pagan Taboo, Obesity which gives a great deal of common misinformation regarding the correlation of fat and health. For every single one of his unsubstantiated claims at the end there are links disproving them at Truth Behind Fat: References.

This got a lot of other Pagans going, some of which is brought up in A Tragedy Creates Potential for a National Pagan Discussion on Health. This involves a lot more misinformation, a lot of "we should discuss other health matters but, of course, obesity is a major health issue" type of stuff. Well, no, not in the way they mean.

As is brought up at the beginning of Jane Raeburn's post Pagans Discover Fat Hate, she points out that we really do not know what caused Grega's heart failure. As far as I can tell we don't know. It is just assumed that it was because he was fat. However, the post on Patheos points out that Grega had started a group known as Pagans promoting Healthy Active Tendencies (PHAT) and there it appears that he had actually lost 100 lbs. It would be just as easy for me, as a HAES advocate, to say that his death was caused by that weight loss, by his dieting, by over exercising, by emotional distress from self-shaming. But I'm not actually saying that, because I don't know what caused his death and it would be just as wrong to assume that the weight loss had anything to do with it as it is for those claiming it was because he was fat. Either way, it's 1) victim blaming and 2) based on absolute ignorance of the facts.

Keep in mind that several years ago a guy only about 10 years older than Grega, which is still young for heart disease, who was a very physically active outdoorsman also died of cardiac arrest. This probably surprised everyone, due to the fact he wasn't fat. It turned out he had an undiagnosed heart defect. People of all sizes and all over the apparent health spectrum do, in fact, just drop dead from their heart stopping. A lot of things can stop the heart. It's consider shocking news when a marathon runner does so, although some will blame overexercising for that (the same overexercising the same might demand fat people do, btw), most are just shocked.


This is, like all victim blaming, in part because people want a magic formula to keep it from happening to them. "Well, she was just asking to be raped, look at that dress!" really means "I'll be safe, because I don't dress like that." "He died because he was fat" means "I won't die because I'm thin" or "I won't die because I"m going to lose the weight, I am."  It's not really an excuse for doing it, it's not the whole reason everyone does it, but it is a big part of why people think this way.

But it doesn't work. Remember one very important thing. We all die. And thin people get all the diseases that are considered "obesity related." I know this, I'm thin and I was pre-diabetic...and getting diagnosed was almost impossible. Lifestyle can affect health, but lifestyle does not always affect size. There are skinny people who eat crap and don't exercise, there are fat people who eat healthy food and exercise regularly. And even "lifestyle" related illnesses are not always linked to unhealthy lifestyles. Again, I ate what standard diet guidelines would claim was a healthy diet, but for my own needs it was too high in carbs and too low so it was spiking and dropping my blood sugar, I was not as active at the time this came up because of another illness which prevented me from exercising at the level I had been use to.

The truth is, we just never know. There are ways most of us can be healthy. However, this has to be separate from thoughts of weight.

Let me say that I do not believe anyone owes anyone to be healthy. If you do not want to eat a certain way or exercise or what ever, that's your right. You do not owe me, the Pagan community or society at large any commitment to change your health or fitness levels. And, as Jane said, the path to health is a personal choice. If you feel that involves dieting, then I'm probably not going to change your mind anyway, but it's also just your choice. Now, however, I'm going to talk as a HAES personal trainer. If you listen to me, it's your choice, but I am going to be opinionated here.

Fitness is not about size, it's about what you can do. We all differ in both size and capability, but except in extreme cases, most people can build their fitness levels up. They can become stronger, more flexible and gain more endurance than they had before exercising. They can improve their chances of getting certain diseases, through exercise and diet, although there are many illnesses that are not remotely affected. But all this comes regardless of weight loss.

In fact, striving to lose weight can be greatly detrimental to health for several reasons. Dieting can have adverse affects on health. Then there is simply the fact that self-hatred is just not healthy. And the weight-loss paradigm does not and cannot build self-esteem.

I believe in promoting health for those who want it. I want to see the Pagan community do more to promote real health. I do not want to see fat shaming and hatred and common lies to be a part of it. We should be healthy because, IMNSHO, it's funner to have our bodies at their best. Fitness should be fun , not punishment and not torture. And what is fun for one Pagan isn't going to be fun for another. The way I  train on the warrior path is likely going to seem horrible to someone who might be a priest/ess or a filidh. If health is the path we choose it should be a celebration without shame, without blame.

Here are some links for those interested in the HAES approach:
Health At Every Size Community
Dances with Fat so many great posts, you might want to start with 11 Reasons to Stop Focusing on Weight
The HAES Files
Big Liberty home of Truth Behind Fat: References

*note as a HAES trainer and Size Diversity advocate I use the preferred reclaiemd term "fat" rather than the misguided medical term "obese" or the common term "overweight" which falsely indicates that there is a particular weight one should be and to "over" that means something.

 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert

Movie Review: Brave

While all around me went *squee* upon first hearing about this Pixar/Disney film set in Scotland with a feisty redheaded lead, I just sat back and waited. I try not to get my hopes up when it comes to movies with either strong female characters or set in Gaelic culture, let alone both. But all the hype had a certain charm.

There seem to be many feminists who take it to task for two things, often both. One the "why does the heroine have to be a princess?"  Of course, marketing is the answer, and culture programs the populace for certain marketing codes to work. And in our society "princess" is a strong marketing tool when aiming at young girls. Of course, Disney is largely responsible for the programming to begin with.

I have no problem with it though, largely because if you're going to subvert a concept you need to use the concept, and this does twist the concept quite impressively. In fact, even more than I had hoped. Certainly the concept of rebelling against social norms and gender expectations could be done in a story of a young peasant girl, these issues certainly bridged all classes, unfortunately. However, "princess" does sell and it allowed for certain story devices which would have been much different otherwise. We'll get to the peasant girls' stories at some point. (and I'm not talking the peasant girl who becomes a princess standard).  In fact, we have that this year as well in The Hunger Games.

This actually brings us to a second complaint I have seen made by other feminists: Why in order to be seen as strong must female characters have to just be rebelling against societal expectations of women?  To me this the answer is pretty self-evident ....because we do have to! Still, today.  So why should we have a story set in Medieval Scotland where it's not a problem. I've already discussed my belief that pretending that we had equality in the past that we, in fact, did not have such equality doesn't really do anything to move us forward.  I do believe that as girls growing up today are still getting horrible messages about their role in life, it helps for them to have heroines who actively fight such convention. This is not to say it doesn't also help to have role models who live in worlds where such conventions do not exist, but I do not believe we can set those in a past which, in fact, very much did. Again, this year we got another young archer (don't you wish you owned an archery shop right now?) who lived in such a world in The Hunger Games.

One of the things we need, in general, are more stories with strong young female warriors, that way all these issues can get covered. And stories with more strong female characters in them. But we can't complain when sometimes these things don't happen in all movies because we'll always find it falling short somewhere.

I think the important part is while we have a princess, she's not pining for her prince to come, in fact, that is exactly what she doesn't want to happen. When the princes to come-a-courting, none are anything to pine for (although one thinks he is and we'll come back to an issue with him and his father). But while the depiction adds humor, perhaps having one truly dashing who she still didn't want would have worked just a bit better for me. She wants her own freedom, she challenges for her own hand.

But the real story isn't about romance or denying romance, but rather on subversion of another Disney Princess story trope...the Mommy Issues. There is no Wicked Stepmother who must be thwarted here, there is a loving mother who is suffering in her own ways over the battle with her willful daughter. This isn't about a family torn asunder by the death of the loving parents, but rather by the issues at hand. And this is a story about healing those tears. With literal use of symbolism of it. I see this as a rather touching subversion.

And this too is another reason I see the rebelling against convention aspect important. Because this isn't just about giving a role model to girls but also I believe it speaks to parents. Because today many are still pushing unhealthy gender conventions. Conventions which are neither good for the future women girls are becoming but also often get in the way of them being the daughters they should be with the kind of parents they need. 

I have a couple of quibbles. Okay, there could probably be more, as any movie set in a culture I care about but really the ones that stuck out were the woad and the horse. I think I already say enough about The Question of the Woad already, but I have to say here, whether you believe it was ever used or not, it's just an annoying anachronistic Scottish trope now (thank you Mel Gibson).

Okay, so the horse, Angus, was cute. And I realize that Clydesdales are the most recognizable Scottish horse now. But it's a very modern breed, as Clydesdale originates only to the early 1800s. Yes, that source claims that they derived from knights' chargers, as this is a common myth that the film and so many others take to heart. The problem it, it's not remotely true.

"As for the large draft breeds. Most people who read this will know that the Belgians, Shires, Percherons and other really large draft breeds were bred as beasts of burden and not to be knight's great horses, but I'll repeat that fact anyway. The Great Horse of the middle ages was not a draft animal. Heavy draft horses are not intended to run fast, or carry big men in armor. They are bred to be steady and pull heavy objects such as a plow through thick clay to turn a field, or heavy dray wagons. They have a plodding gait and simply are not fast enough."  Medieval Horse Guild

The draft horse is derived from the Medieval rouncey type horse, the farm horse owned by farmers not nobles. A fine animal, smaller at that time (likely much like current draft ponies than the big guys) but not a charger. The charger was usually a clean legged horse, such as Andalusians, as can be seen in the art of the period. The exception is the feather-legged Friesian which is not a draft type at all despite the hairy feet. And there were a lot of different horses in Medieval Europe, including Scotland, most likely the type of horse ridden by Angus would have been different than he would have provided for Merida. Yes, Angus is cute. But so are Highland Ponies (which are, actually, probably also mostly from the rouncey) and the Icelandic which was possibly a very popular type throughout much of Europe before the gaited horse lost favor (and despite the link above, is actually the classic palfrey type). Or a fine charger if we wanted the horse to show her rebelling by riding one not deemed proper for a lady as a palfrey would have been (although "palfrey" does not mean "slow" or "unspirited").

So yeah, I went off on a tangent that most probably see as trivial because horses are kind of a big deal for me and I'm often annoyed. I managed to avoid going into it too much in the Centurion review because there was so many other things to complain about.

On the other hand, the hounds delighted me. I also loved seeing the Pictish stones this time around, as much as they annoyed me in Centurion. That is about anachronisms too, they wouldn't have existed in the time period of that movie, while some would have dotted the landscape in Merida's time (although others would already have been buried from sight). It just seemed touching to me.

The modern, but cute, draft horses and woaded MacIntoshes aside, I utterly loved this movie and if I had a daughter would be thrilled if she loved it. I think there's some reminders here for those who are raising daughters about control and conventions that still exist, as well. And it's fun, which is an important bit if it's going to convey all the lessons it strives to.

And, yeah, I really kinda wish I owned an archery shop right now. I hear there's a sales boom going on.

 copyright © Saigh Kym Lambert