the Duggars

Update: due to new informed, I have added corrections next the original text.

I've chosen to write about the Duggar family, who are essentially today's modern puritans, are going through a sex scandal of mass proportion. In fact they are even more oppressive in regards to sex than their puritan counterparts, because the puritans did allow young people, in the pursuit of marriage, to kiss and fondle one another, through a sewed up sheet or wooden board across the bed. This method was called bundling. I find it appropriate that this little part of Josh Duggars past, has reared its head during this time of year. The date of Beltane a time of sexual fever, may have past, it's fires still burn bright, but should we allow it to burn up Joshua James Duggar? (Update: it was confirmed he molested his five-year old sister at the time)

Now don't get me wrong, it's very tempting to want to destroy a lobbyists from the Family Research Council, who support values like forced birth, discrimination towards the LGBTQ community, young earth creationism and essentially to turn the United States into their theocracy. Josh prides his and his parents family as role models that every family should strive to be. He and his family have been down right insulting. Asserting LGBTQ individuals of being sexual predators,  comparing evolution to the holocaust and utter denial of over population. Yes he and his family are tempting kindle for the fire of irony and public shame, when Josh is accused of molesting five underage girls, four being his own sister's. However from reading the 33 page police report and having familiarize myself with the show and their religion, I don't at all blame Josh (I do now, but his parents and their religious fanaticism are the direct cause). He is a victim of his parents and more importantly the unhealthy mentality of extreme forced absence. (Even more grossest that their up bring created a predator.)

Even when I was young, growing up in the real world, during the 1980s and 90s, adults would pressure young people to suppress normal urges of sexual desires, in place for the unnatural mentality of absence only. Ideally until marriage. I remember watching a talk show in the early 90s, chastising sexually active teenage girls. One brave teenager asked the audience in the studio, when did they first had sex. All the women who answered, claimed to be virgins, have waited until marriage or that they married their first sex partner. None of the men stood up.

 Josh and his siblings lived under much more extreme conditions. For example, they were all home schooled, but in an oppressive manner. I'm a supporter of homeschooling, but for its educational purposes, not to shelter. My family and I are active in socializing our child with other children of all backgrounds and beliefs. The Duggars children were denied access to people who differed from the oppressive religious regime they lived with everyday. They are not only forced to live this way, but they are forced to like it. They were not allowed to express any opinion that differ from their parents. The teaching methods the parents use to force their mentality, include being hit with a "rod" (how biblical) according to one of the four sisters Josh allegedly molested, forced submission, shame, forced mental, and physical obedience. If a grown child rejects this lifestyle, they are shunned by the community that has always been their world.

Even as adults, until marriage the Duggar children are constantly supervised. Their second son John-David, who is a firefighter, police officer, tree cutter, plus many other extremely viewed masculine jobs, has to be accompanied by a sibling, parent or church member to just go to work.

 Joy-anna, in an interview, along with the other older Duggar girl's, openly stated she wanted to live in a city. She was quickly put in her place by her sisters and later her mom doing damage control, stated her daughter only meant she wanted to live closer to stores. That's called living in town, Joy-anna clearly said and described the desire to live in a city. The simple fact, she isn't allowed.(Sadly due to the article stating one of the victims who is still a minor asked that the records be destroyed. She is the only Duggar daughter who fits this time frame and was five years old at the time.)

Duggar's aren't alone in this cruel abuse, the Westbaro Baptist church apply similar methods of abuse, except their children go to public schools. They both apply extreme religious views, social isolation, cruel punishment like beatings and being completely shunned if they reject even some of the lifestyle.

Under such oppression, teenagers are forced hide any normal sexual experimentation. I even suspect that in least of some of the sexual contact between Josh and the girls involved, was consensual. (This I felt was more probable with the oldest girl Jana, who is only two years younger than Josh.) I think it's sexist to assume only Josh and men in general are the only ones seeking sexual contact. If this is the case, Josh is taking a very cruel punishment to protect his counterpart. It is also very possible that Josh himself may have been an unwilling participant in sex acts with others, possibly with adults. (Even more likely, because he molested a small child) Even if it wasn't consensual, Christian extremists tend to extremely look down on natural sexual releases like masturbation and God's forbid any same-sex sexual curiosity. This leads to sexual desires being viewed as a level of weakness and shame. Imagine growing up like this, not only with the constant supervision of people, but the belief of being supervised at all times by their supreme authority, the Christian God. (Apparently the fear of God isn't enough to make him leave a five year old alone.)


I can imagine the overwhelming fear, guilt and shame, the Duggar children had to endure just to go to third base. Josh's behavior with his sister's, to those who weren't close to his age (he was 14 (confirmed youngest was five years old)) and anyone who wasn't willing to participate, is abhorrent. However so is the entire mentality of this lifestyle! (Clearly) Josh's ordeal is not unlike many closeted homosexual religious leaders. Afraid of natural human sexual desires and overwhelmed with guilt and shame for having them. Over and over, we find the most extreme have much to hide. Sex outside their order, to them is a shameful, dirty, sinful and condemning pleasure. It's what leads to incest, sibling incest is the most common form of incest,  sexual assaults, peeping, along with self destructive behavior like alcohol and drug abuse, recklessness and even suicide. This self hatred is a sickness.

I don't believe Josh will be a repeat offender,(I no longer agree with the first half of this sentence) but he, his wife Anna and the other now married Duggar children, will continue the same methods their parents did to them, causing the pattern to repeat itself (still true). The Duggars, including Josh are celebrities. Celebrities are visual, aiming as high as they can in social media. Celebrities help wheel power in societies, which the Duggars certainly did. Celebrities are also convenient scapegoats. While the left side calls Josh a child molester and the right sides claim the left are making a mountain out of an ant hill, the fact is both sides are wrong. (In this case the left ended up being correct in its prediction, however) Both are distractions of the serious issues that are bigger than the Duggars, the Family Research Council, left and right views, but the entire puritanical mentality. We need to expose the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.

The fact is, the Duggars are not living a healthy lifestyle. It's a very limiting lifestyle, stealing from children their own identity and forcing them to regurgitate it to their own children. Their view of sexual oppression before marriage and then sexual submission to the women when married. The Duggars subscribe to the mentality that women aren't as sexually needful as men and that they must allow their husband to have full, unprotected sexual intercourse, risking pregnancy, whenever their husband insist. Giving men a sense of entitlement and women the lack of control over their own body, including reproduction.

Was this lifestyle ever useful? Yes. Along time ago when 30 was considered old age and a 14 year old was considered an adult. When it was common to bury some of your children, before they reached adulthood. Before DNA or blood test could establish paternity.

 As a society we forget that thirty years ago being married right out of high school was common. My mother was just 19 years old when she got married. Further back to the early 1900 century, marriage as young as fourteen was not unheard of. During biblical times, a girl could be married off as soon as they developed their menstruation. There really wasn't much time for one to abstinen from sex. Then there was the reality people died much younger, hence living to age fifty was an accomplishment, let alone fifty years of marriage. 


Our society has longed changed since these time periods. Men and women pursue higher education. Both genders work, often outside the home. Marriage isn't about family obligation any more, but the pursuit of love, hopefully. This isn't the society the biblical principles were meant for. In this society, these methods are disastrous. They are too oppressive and conflicts with the modern reality our society has evolved too. We no longer need to marry young and make as many babies as possible to ensure family lines survive. This is progress and should be embraced, or you end up with the same mistakes the Duggars refuse to learn from.



I would like to press that the Duggars should not receive special treatment. If they were  any other family, Children's Services would have had a full investigation into the matter. There are still minors present in the family. 

Mother's Day and the Divine Feminine

Dedicated to

 my Mother

Long ago, my mothers Mother's Day, was a day we celebrated our mom. We picked her flowers, decorated her a card, made her breakfast in bed with coffee including the grinds in the cup. It was the day we automatically made offering to our divine feminine, our mother. Times have changed and the modern family is no longer viewed in just the 1950s black and white ideals. 

Via Australian Marriage Equality

Statue of a mother at the
Yasukuni shrine,
dedicated to
 war widows
who raised their children alone.

Children now grow up in variety of different homes. Some have two parents, some only have one, while others may have four or more. Some live with grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, same sex parents and many other varieties in between. 




Some times the child has a mother, other times aunts, grandmothers or one or two dads filling this role. The reality is the divine feminine is not limited to just our mothers, but to all that is feminine, bring out this energy, which Hinduism refers to as Shakti.

Goddesses 

Hera: Symbolizes loyal spouse, home, domestics, motherhood, child birth. However Hera also reflects those jealously, betrayed by partner or suffered from an unhappy relationship.

Isis: Symbolizes single parents and widow/ers. Those whom are or have grieved over the loss of a partner and parents who must battle the task of two roles. This can apply to single fathers as well.

Gaia: Symbolizes pregnant mothers  people trying to conceive, those awaiting to adopt or require a surrogate. She is life, for she is the earth that inhabits us. We are forever embraced in Gaias womb.

Demeter: Symbolizes parents who lost a child to death or has placed up for adoption. With the loss comes hope of seeing the lost child, either in the next life or when the child is legally an adult reuniting with their biological parent.

Venus: Symbolizes the virgin or the inexperienced mother, such as a first time mother or even a bride hoping for a honeymoon baby.

Brigid the Triple Goddesses: Symbolizes universal feminine, the maiden, mother and crone. She can symbols your daughter, mother and grandmother all in one. Convenient if you have limited ritual space. 

Ninhursag: Symbolizes pregnant women, breastfeeding women, surrogate mother's, step parents, nurtures, care takers, parent/s of a newborn. This can apply to the child primary caregiver, nannies and nurses, especially midwives and ob gyns.

Frigg: Symbolizes parents of older children and military families. Often strong and wise. She is the parent who has seen it all. She represents military personnel/ parents, parents of military personnel and their spouses.

The Virgin Mary: Symbolizes pregnant girls or parents in trouble. Very commonly teenager parents, but parents who are out cast among society, such as those with criminal records, unpopular religion or political views or even age old racism and bigotry. During the time of Mary pregnancy, she risked being stone to death. Mary may symbols your Christian relatives, but she also represents those on the opposite side of societies stones.

Sarah: Symbolizes women of upper status. This could be a career like legislator, a marriage such as the cliche of marrying a doctor or the family matriarch. She also represents parents who had children later in life. If you have Jewish relatives or wish to embrace Jewish mysticism, Sarah wife of Abraham is the feminine root.

Amman: Symbolizes protectors and those who cure disease. This Hindu goddess represents doctors, nurses and caregivers, both professional and personal.

Guanyin: Symbolizes mercy, mother's or those who care for a child/ren as their own. Guanyin literally translates to perceiving the sounds of the world. She is a great listener and those who embody her traits, like forgiving parents, devoted foster parents, loving adopted parents and all the good listener's of the world.

Theses are but a few of the deities that express the feminine point of view. There are many more and even my examples come in many names.

You may wish to invoke these deities for guidance, draw in their qualities or uses this figures to represent the divine feminine in yourself or those you love. 

May the divine feminine in your life 

bless you 

& 

Happy Mother's Day!

Beltane and the Sex Talk

There is much to be said about Beltane, and I could have gone with this subject in many ways. There was the obvious child inspired article, with crafts and recipes. Or I could have gone the adult way, going into the passion of which is Beltane. However, many of us over step this time of year, an opportunity of educating our children about sex.



Just as in Autumn we focus on concepts like death and change, the wheel of the year spins around to to Spring, that draws out passion and life. Sex for us mammals is the the root of life. It is how life is created and it's a constant thrive for most of our adult life. Past generations, due to monotheist influence, have been very oppressive on this issue. It is something we as modern adults, regardless of believes, should overcome. If not for our own sake, than for our children's.

When it comes to sex, keep it age appropriate of course. It's best to start as early as they are born. Referring to the genitals in correct medical terminology, i.e. penis or vagina. Talk to your baby when you change him or her. Tell them what you are doing as you clean them. This teaches the child to identify their own anatomy and it encourages a healthy outlook on their body.

When they become older, don't shy them away from seeing a baby being changed, bathed or dressed, even the opposite gender. In fact use the opportunity to tell them the name of the genital and how people are usually identified as male and female. This shouldn't be shameful or a secret. It's simply identifying reproductive anatomy.

You may want to bring up good and bad touching. A frightening subject, one that must be battled with knowledge. Children who are comfortable about their bodies will be more likely to identify if someone is doing something wrong and are less likely to be intimidated from fighting or telling. If you yourself have are a survivor of such an ordeal, you may want to wait until your child is mature enough to handle such information, if you wish to share it.

 I of course encourage people to seek help if needed, whether because of abuse or simply trying to find a healthy way to explain this difficult subject to your child. This may be the right time to sign your child up for self defense lessons. Predators rely on children's trust, fears and ignorance, the first line of defense is knowledge.

Now as parents, it is completely up to you to decide when your child should be to have the full reproductive talking and the physical changes of puberty. I suggest, before the onset of puberty. Little girls don't need to fear death because they found blood in their undies. No boy should feel ashamed about his wet dreams. Don't let your children's bodies developed before you explain to them what is naturally happening to them.

If you find you are having trouble with this subject, look to nature. Nature is unapologetic about sex. Pointing out to your younger child baby animals or your child might point out one dog trying to jump over another, that might make the subject easier to begin with. Depending on your own personal issues on the subject, you may want to even take this time to help break away some of your own inhibitions. See article here.

When it comes to teenagers or preteens, summer is coming and they will have much more free time. To avoid trouble, you may want to talk about protection, birth control or just a reminder they aren't ready to be parents. If you need help in convincing a young person they aren't ready to become a parent, have a friend or family member bring their toddler over to reek havoc.

Supervise the teen, but make them care for the toddler. Younger siblings work the best btw, because they don't leave. If you child surprises you and thrives caring for children,  work out a deal where they can be parent helpers or baby sitters. Even if they don't get paid, it's experience, a future reference, educational, time consuming and will likely give your teen their baby fix, without the grandchildren. 

Remember, as pagans we should not hold any ill regards toward a healthy sex lives for ourselves and we shouldn't guide our children down a negative direction on the subject. Beltane is a time to embrace your wild side, responsibly. Make sure your children grow up with the knowledge, the inner strength and the ability to be responsible as well. 

May your Beltane fires burn bright!

The Spoiled Brat

 During a holiday season, a package arrived from family out of town for my child. It was filled with clothes, toys, treats galore. My little one immediately put on one of the dresses and began playing with the toys. I told my daughter, she had to call theses thoughtful givers to thank them. Yet at that moment, it wasn't what she wanted to do. I reminded her they love her very much and would love to hear from her. That didn't convince her. I then explained, they didn't have to buy her any of this and that they work hard to be so generous. Yet the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and I saw my own stubbornness in her face. So I took the box and all the toys minus the dress she was wearing, away. She threw a fit. I was adamant, she call and at very least say thank you. She finally agreed. We called out of state and when I handed my daughter the phone, all she said was thank you and ran off to play with the toys, dropping the phone to the floor. I was then told I shouldn't have forced the gratitude. Yet, if I don't instill a sense of reasonable gratitude, the consequence will lead to sense of self entitlement. 

As a parent who supports free thinking, it's hard for me to make my child do things against her will.Telling her no she can't have junk food, insisting she hold my hand in the parking lot or occasionally a time out, can be stressful for all of those involved. My daughter is fighting for her boundaries and I'm trying to enforce mine. I have no desire to mold my child into an imagine. I won't choose my children personal beliefs, who they marry, what career path they choose, their taste in fashion, political standing, etc...

I'm trying to let her be who she wants to be,

however I there is one mentality I will not tolerate, 

the self-entitled spoiled brat.

"Oh I don't want to have children, until I can afford to spoil them!

 They will be soo spoiled!" 

Said a gleeful former coworker.

 

I literally cringe when someone tells me they intend to spoil their children. They envision designer clothes, mountain of toys and anything their child's heart desire.

The parents mind set often ranges, but a reoccurring mentality has risen its ugly head enough, the belief materialism will somehow instill work ethic and cause the spoiled brat to become a financially independent adult.


 However raising in luxury, without an understanding how that luxury came to be, leads to the image as the parent as a Santa Claus. A Santa who have given into naughty behavior. Even if your child becomes successful and powerful, what kind of person will they be to others?

Another example is the parent reenacting their childhood, vicariously through their children.

They wanted a pony, so Damn it, their children shall have ponies! Have you ever wondered that maybe the reason you are successful is because you had less growing up?  By denying your child the experience of want, you deny them ambition and ethics towards those who do struggle. Including the parents.

Spoil brats are often the worst example of children and often become even worst adults. They usually lack empathy, hold little respect for others and will either be a bully or be shunned. In the end, everyone suffers. The child suffers an inability to appreciate life, leading to boredom. The boredom could result to a disgruntled personality to violence. Those who do not over come their self entitled mentality often associate emotions of pleasure with getting their way.

Remember when they are little, 

you are strong.  

However they don't remain little  

&   

you won't remain strong.

This also harms the parent/s later in life. Having worked nearly fifteen years caring for seniors, I've seen the result of adult children feeling entitled to their parents estates. Hiding DNRs (Do Not Resutate order,) setting patience up to appear to have serious memory issues, mental and even some cases of physical abuse are common enough. Many parents of these adult spoil children feel neglected and often ignored by their children. For many parents, they were a never ending wallet to their children, in old age, the parent now needs both time and money. Depending on the conditions of the free ride, parents are either worth more alive or dead. Neither results are pretty.

You are not the only who will suffer as a consequence of spoiled adult child. Your child will interact with others. A college roommate in a dorm room, co-workers, employees, children, spouses and labor's who have the ill fortune of working for them, will suffer from the destructive behavior of the self-entitled mentality of the spoiled adult child.

Tip avoid the Spoiled Brat

1. Don't over indulge your child. Over indulgence nullifies the pleasure, whatever it may be. Giving gifts, expensive trips, money, etc... are always nice, but shouldn't be taken for granted. Put away your wallet and put some of that time earning money, with your family. 
2. Don't over indulge yourself. Lead by example. If you are working double time on a regular bases, just pay off the two cars, the mortgage, the utilities, your kids pony, maybe it's time to down size. Ask yourself, you really need a new car? How many dresses just like the one you're about to buy are hanging in your closet right now? Does your kid really deserve that new toy? If all these things are consuming your life, try to take away. Sometimes less is more. Like more time in your smaller house with your family, than at work. 
3. Don't go the opposite extreme, with extreme measures, like hitting or running your home like a prison. Going in this direction leads two ways, you'll raise a bully or a victim. This idea back fires and remember as you age, you will be at their mercy. 
4. Give your children chores and responsibilities, early on. Make it a part if every daily life. Show them appreciation, for their role in the family system. You don't always have give money. A roof over their head is worth doing dishes. However, try to give them means to earn some extra cash. Or if you can't, when you can spare, throw them some pocket chain. Also take school work into consideration and make sure you kid has some personal time.  If it's finals time, maybe you can give them a break and wash the dinner dishes. Just as if you're doing double shifts, they can vacuum the living room. Help each other!
5. Requiring a level of gratitude for special gifts. I'm not saying, have your kids drop to ground and kiss your feet. However, let your child understand hard work you do for them. When they receive a gift, reward, treat, whatever, make sure they say thank you. 
6. A job early on. Summer time and weekend are great time for kids to take on a little responsibility and capable. I'm not suggesting children support their family, but some time out in the sun mowing lawns or babysitting the neighbors kids will give children appreciation for money and maybe you.
7. Volunteering. Sometimes we are all guilty of not appreciating what we have. You and your kids can both be guilty of this, at the same time. Try volunteering together and make it hands on. Remind yourselves, no matter how little you have, there is always something of yourself to give. With that, you will always be rich where it counts, humanity.
8. Making birthdays about their birth and the person they are becoming. Make holidays about family. Give gifts and by all means have parties. Just don't lose the significance of the celebration to materialism.

Most importantly, your children may not live up to your expectations. 

Remember it is better to raise a good person over a rich one. 

Sex and the Spring Equinox

Just when you thought this time of year was about chocolate rabbits and hiding eggs, along comes an idea that changes your preconception. Right now you have felt urge to bring out the softer colors of spring and store up the dark colors of the cold. Talks of spring activities, be they gardening or baseball start spreading throughout the house. Along with these new ideas comes the passion of spring. The desire to start anew.

To most pagans this is not a time of year of repentance, of guilt and forgiveness. No human sacrifice for sins. This is not a time we celebrate survival of near extinction either. This is a time of life. A time to appreciate what you have, but to seek pleasure and joy for the year.

The Spring Equinox is on a new moon.this year. The timing perfect to bring a new life. Sex being as natural as spring itself, it's deeply tired to the rituals this time of year. It's a time to renew life, which sex symbolizes. As trees bud their leaves, birds build nest, all signs that baby animals will appear.

Baby Fever!!!

You may be feeling the urge to have a child, you maybe trying, this may be the right time to try. If you go to full term, your baby will be born around the Winter Solstice. Even if your cycle isn't ready, make love on the Spring equinox and again when you are fertile. Nothing is guaranteed.



If you have fertility issues and are seeking treatment or adoption, a sexual ritual to symbolize the love that will help raise and create the person the children you adopt shall be.

This applies to all couples, including same sex couples seeking to adopt, a surrogate or sperm donar. Those who can not or even choose not to produce naturally have to endure a great deal to have their children. It is much to overcome, but when you do, you have truly earned it.

Sex

Now don't panic, this may be a good time for fertility, but it doesn't mean you are obligated to have a child (just use birth control). This ritual can be renewal of anything in life. Your relationship, in celebration of what you have overcome during the autumn and winter rituals. It can be a renewal of your relationship, whether new or old. You could be in the honeymoon phase or celebrating your first year of the kids out of the house. It's a time to rediscover the lover in you and if you have one, your partner.

Dating

If you are single or not in a serious relationship, but seek a new love, this may be a good time to look for someone. The depressing darkness of Christmas and Valentine's day are over. You may find yourself and potential partners to be in better spirits as the daylight grows longer.

Relationship Sex

If you are in a relationship and you are both seeking to spice things up, ritual sex may enhance your inmate experience as well as draw each other closer. If you have been together for while, you may want to add some play that can spicen things up together. Of course brush up on Tantra and the Kama Sutra for some help. Though don't underestimate the more obvious items, like sex toys, pornographic videos, alcohol, chocolate, etc...

                

Swinging

If you aren't in a relationship or you are polyamorus, you may want to explore orgies or bring an extra person or more into the bedroom. You may find another partner can lead you to appreciating your current partner. You also might discover you like to watch. If you are bisexual, this may give you play with a partner of another sex, if you so desire. Make sure this is something your partner equally wants. Don't try this if your relationship is having serious issues of course and most importantly, practice safe sex!!!

Masturbation

Of course sex with partners is always fun, but self love is important too. Regardless if you are in a relationship or not, this also a good time for self love, i.e. masturbation. Don't let monotheistic hang ups on this subject stop you from enjoying your own body. This can even lead to a spiritual sexual encounter with an entity you choose to embrace. The gods are very much in tune with sex and can increase the energy levels in the ritual area.

The Spring Equinox is a time of passion and joy. It brings new hopes of what's to come. Life is forever changing and what we have today, we may not have tomorrow. This Ostara, welcome the new, by trying something new in the bedroom.

Blessings to you all!

Happy Spring Equinox!

 

Altars

Altars can come in many forms and fashions, especially today. A personal altar is a space which is both personal and sacred. This space can be an area you preserve or an item/s you use for spiritual enhancement. Altars can be communal or individual, to reflect your entire family or just yourself. An altar should be as unique as the person or persons it represents.

Often when altars are brought up, it's often for a ritual or meditation. When in reality, altars can posses practical purposes in daily life. Many people use them to set the mood for each month, based off of the season, holidays and personal days that pertain month, such as birthdays. They don't just provide for your spiritual needs, but will help you with your organizational skills, especially for children. Taking the time to set up and maintain an alter will you focus on your goals, while giving you the discipline of its up keep. 

 Altars

The Traditional Altar: it is often what a we envision when we think of altars. A table or shelf of some kind, that we set up for group or individual spiritual and or ritual needs. Most people have some kind of traditional altar in their home.

Some are even unintended. It could be a small table in a corner somewhere with your candles, crystals and whatever you use for your intended purposes. It can also be that table in you living room with a pictures of your family and a few items that hold significants.

The Home as an Altar: It helps set the energy of the home. One very religious Christian women I know personally keeps her windowpaine has her altar. Every month she goes all out and decorated this section reflecting each month. She unaware the depth of her actions, but through her domestics she has mad several little alters throughout her home. In doing this the house too turns with wheel of the year. This enhance the holidays and the energy flow of the house.

Nature's Altar: can be out doors if you have a safe and private location or you could bring nature into your home. For those blessed with green thumbs, are able to produce garden altars that are a testament of time and patience. Gardening truly allow you to tap into energy from its source. The soil, the water, the creepy crawlers and animals that come, are your tools and insight.

The Portable Altar: are a part of our daily lives. There is no avoiding them. Whether it is a silk bag you carry your tarot cards in, a shoe box with your ritual items, a brief case you take to work, a back pack for school, gym bag for your work out, even your car. Each of these items server a duty to you and your families life. They If things seem overwhelming, look to these alters, for they may be neglected, making your life difficult.

The Electronic Altar: these are modern times and by all means, our modern instruments such as computers, cell phones, game consoles, tablets, etc... are very much an alter. Whether you are embodying a warrior in a game of call of duty, zoning out to your favorite song from your phone or simply looking up anything on the world wide web. These devices, like any altar, is simply a tool, for both practical and spiritual purposes.