May 2011
-
Ruminations Under an Oak
On Wednesday we visited the Angel Oak near Charleston, South Carolina. It is a vast thing, probably over a thousand years old, twisted and hoary and huge, like a cross between a live oak and an elephant. From a short distance away, it looks like a whole grove of trees; under its boughs, it is… Continue reading
-
Moss, Mire
This week we’re in Charleston, South Carolina, visiting the Angel Oak. It’s considerably sunnier and wetter here than it is back in Pittsburgh: the earth is sandier, the blue skies paler, and the waters warmer. In the morning we went out jogging past the stately homes, the gardens lush with semitropical bushes, huge magnolias, and towering… Continue reading
-
Eyrie of the Garuda: Meditation on Changing Relationships
Some time ago I was meditating on relationship and boundary-setting — specifically with a friend who threw a bit of a fit at me. She asked me to do her a big favor, trying to downplay the size of the favor in the asking. I refused (reasonably, I thought); and so she got snippy. Alison… Continue reading
-
Rain, Wind
It’s been a cold, rainy spring here in southwestern Pennsylvania, and though there are lilies blooming in the garden and birds clamoring in the yard, I’m nevertheless wrapped under two blankets, the windows are shut tight and the rain and wind are beating at the glass. 3 AM – I am awake to the downpour,… Continue reading
-
The Song of Self
A puzzle: Do you exist? Descartes famously answered this one by saying cogito, ergo sum: I think, therefore I am. Is it true, though? Does “thinking” have to be attached to a “thinker”? And what is “thinking” (cogitare) anyway? For Christians, the Self definitely exists, and is in fact eternal: after you die, your soul… Continue reading
-
Temperance, Terror, Torch, Torture
My old blog, the Word of the Day, is defunct, and I’m getting ready to take it down. Before I do, though, I’m going to repost some of the best words here over the next few weeks. Enjoy! Temperance Ultimately, temperance comes from Latin tempus, “time”. No one knows where Latin picked up tempus –… Continue reading
About Me
Word, Card, and Star – a journey through language, divination, and inspiration. A chronicle of my search for guidance, insight, and a connection to nature and the ancient world. Along the way, I hope to discover beauty, connection, groundedness, and a sense of wonder.
Recent Posts
Newsletter
Pages
categories
- Abundance
- Ancestors
- Arguments Against Religion
- Astrology
- Atheism
- Christianity
- Consciousness
- Defining Paganism
- Druidry
- Ethics
- Etymology
- Fiction
- Fire Festivals
- Futurism
- Gods
- Guides
- Health
- History
- How to Choose a Religion
- Inner Landscapes
- Language
- Literature
- Magic and Manifestation
- Meaning
- Meditation
- My Favorite Meditation
- Paganism
- Philosophy and Religion
- Politics
- Products
- Reconciling Dreams and Reality
- Relationships
- Religion
- Religion and Magic
- Ritual
- Selling Salvation
- Society
- Sun Festivals
- Tarot
- The Great Bear
- The Structure of Consciousness
- Tolkien Tarot Spread
- Trees and Nature
- Uncategorized
- Word and Spirit
- Writing
- Zen
- Zen and Tarot


