Magia Bella: bella-magic.com

Spouse had made the cream-cheese fruit dip. I was cutting strawberries into halves, and arranging the berries and snippets of grapes on the outer edges of a platter, with space in the middle for the dip. Finished the arranging, placed the dip… ahhh, lovely!

*tap-tap-tap*

I could almost see the eyes of the gods and land spirits looking hungrily at the platter. Obligingly, I set aside some of the goodies into a small painted bowl, and included a side of cornmeal and bird seed (the land spirits here love that, too). Brought it out to the porch, spoke the offering, and set it down. If it wasn’t breezy already, I probably would have felt a whoosh! from those partaking.

I have found that the gods/spirits prefer offerings that are creatively handled in some way. I used to try to offer a plain piece of fruit (because I can be lazy like that), but the fruit would just sit there, as if the gods/spirits shrugged their shoulders and said “Meh, you have it.” But if I sectioned the orange, maybe sprinkle a little coconut and rosewater over the top… they’re all over it. Perhaps as expressing creativity can feed us, it feeds the gods/spirits as well.

photo credit: LexnGer

Spiritual Cowgirl is a new site I’ve fallen in love with, and the latest article is a wonderful mishmash of righteous from various religions and secular wisdoms:

Excerpt from “Red Rebirthin’”

“A word to the wise: When the Divine Feminine pays you a personal visit, listen to her, no matter how love drunk she may appear or how sexy she moves under her robes or what crazy wise information she decides to throw your way. I mean really.” Read the entire article…

photo credit: iwishmynamewasmarsha

Going through a fallow period. Or maybe Spring fever’s got me all bound up? Now that I’m mentioning it, whatever “it” is will probably break within the next few days…

photo credit: Grimboy

“We want the world in our image.”

It popped into my head, almost like an answer to a koan, on the drive home this afternoon. I was thinking of politics, and how angry people can become over the different candidates and their supporters, even if it’s within the same political party.

“We want the world in our image.”

The phrase kept repeating itself on the remainder of the drive. I chased it around in a bit in my head, didn’t get anywhere, decided “eh, fuck it”, and once I got home, went for a run. Afterwards, when I was about to get into the shower, the phrase “God made the world in His image” came ringing. There’s no Biblical equivalent to that exact saying (unless you believe Stephen King’s “The Skeleton Crew”* is the Bible), but this came close:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27

Another take on creation, this time, Feri-style:

“As She looked into the curved mirror of black space, She saw by her own light her radiant reflection, and fell in love with it. She drew it forth by the power that was in Her and made love to Herself, [...] She gave birth to a rain of bright spirits that filled the worlds and became all beings.” - Starhawk

So now I wonder: do we look in a fun-house mirror when we “see” our own image? Do we see pain, from which we must quickly look away? Disgust at ourselves, our bodies? Anger at our losses, etched by the furrows in our brow? Denial? Suppression? Or do we strive to see ourselves in love and compassion? What do we really see - or project - when we look in that mirror? In what image do we want the world to become?

photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik

* “Let me tell you something,” Garrish told Bogie. “God got mad at Cain because Cain had an idea God was a vegetarian. His brother knew better. God made the world in His image, and if you don’t eat the world, the world eats you. [...]” Garrish to Bogie, “The Skeleton Crew”, by Stephen King

“If you prefer smoke over fire then get up now and leave. For I do not intend to perfume your mind’s clothing with more sooty knowledge. No, I have something else in mind. Today I hold a flame in my left hand and a sword in my right. There will be no damage control today. For the real you is in a mood to plunder your riches and fling you nakedly into such breathtaking poverty that all that will be left of you will be a tendency to shine. So don’t just sit around this flame choking on your mind. For this is no campfire song to mindlessly mantra yourself to sleep with. Jump now into the space between thoughts and exit this dream before I burn the damn place down.” - Adyashanti

photo credit: Zeroset