A Stance on Stangs

I have always thought a stang to be just a representation of the Lord of Beasts. Yes, of course, there is the concept of travelling between worlds when one does that properly though trances, but as a point for 'jumping' into another realm that I find interesting as this article The World Tree In Your Backyard: Building a Stang puts it. The stang on that site bears little resemble to the one on Nigel Jackson's book yet it has all the semblances of the real reason of its use. With that, I can concur that simplistically put, the stang not only represents the Godhead, but also the House of the Twisted Lord. As such, it becomes the emblem of His majesty, hence the tribute that all crafters pay to it. Kind of like the way people would go visit a shrine, for it is basically a portal to the gods.

In fact, the site itself is interesting, with a plethora of insights, practices and even minor revelations, where the Anglo-Saxon Àsatrù has been borrowed into the Trad. Craft. To me the Craft is more of a shamanistic experience than some Wiccans would want it to be, though lifting by drumming is something that I find very difficult to pick up. But I like the writer of the site's distinguishing explanation of the two types of shamanism, core and classic.

If this is not the way to find my way to the driveway of the Grand Magister then perhaps I should put away my 'stang' and give thoughts to other things like CSS!

13/05/05, 07:35

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As an update, here's another article I found on stangs... heh. C'est interessant...

A Passing... Then Some Thoughts....

I wonder why I couldn't just break down and burst into tears like my parents and my sis. Even her friends cried during the funeral. I got a few wet moments in me eyes but that was just it. A bit disappointed with myself being uncle to Ian and all.

Don't get me wrong, I think he is a great kid and will be sorely missed even by me- though I never had the good luck of being with him much, even when I am back home in Penang as he usually goes to his paternal grandparents place in PJ.

It is a real loss that he has to make this passage perilous at such an innocent age, for I thought to myself... is there an actual reason that Fate has decreed such? It may be very well the hand of Fate that called Ian Lim back to the Glass Castle. Perhaps he is among the Watchers now, who knows... My sadness for him stem mainly because he was cut off from the blossom of a life that he seemed promised to have and the physical and mental suffering he had to endure-- sufferings that a minor unschooled in the malicious and mendacious knowledge of adulthood should never have experience.

Above all, I cannot help but think how this is affecting my parents and my aunt, those who also took care of him, invested their time and love in bringing up a star that flared into a sun but quickly turned supernova. For they, along with my sister, were burnt badly and in Ian's absence, a blackhole has welled... an emptiness that they have to live with now.

Isn't Fate cruel then? She is. But kind as well. Perhaps what the other family predicted is true- that Ian is originally a divine being sent to Earth to touch the lives of a luckless few just to brighten up our lives and make things easier as we all pass into our elder days. In that, we become less unfortunate, for now we see the glimmer that he brought to each of our lives.

Perhaps it was time that Fate said "We want him back, to ride with our Fairy Rade- be the succour of our eyes. Time for others living to learn that survival comes with a heartbreak." It is a tough lesson. But lives MUST go on. One must learn to adapt, in body, spirit and soul. And therein lies the mystery in death.

My Absence Has Ended! Long Live My Absence!

Big deal, some would say. Actually they be right- very little has progressed in the Old Ways but of course there are new things that fell into my way, as Fate would allow it.

Robin Artisson's book has stated categorically the way to travel within sans the use of hallucinogenic medium, which makes things much simpler. Yet it is harder, for it is like meditation to me- and my sense of patience is usually sorely lacking.

Then there was the antiquated book which saw reprint- the book by Skeat, which reveals the beliefs and practises of lore from old Malaya. Lovely actually... it was interesting to note now divergent their definition of the pontianak with our current perception today, which is more of the langsuir.

I think from now on, more articles should be concentrating on The Craft rather than mindless dribble about everyday nonsense.

I should attempt to post my findings not so much for people to read 'em, but to serve as a reminder for me.

Environmental Deprivation

Just when what you think is, isn't and how sometimes even the party with the best intent can be as foul. The environment has been a cause of much anxiety since the last decade. In fact, it has become alarmingly so. But what is involved in the whole issue are more lobbying and even more concerns about financing and policies; and disgustingly, perpetrated by the environmentalists themselves. US senator of Oklahoma, James M. Inhofe says this in his speech.

Here are some articles concerning the Kyoto Protocol of 1997: the framework as well as a Wikipedia entry. Of interest is also a list of events that marked the Kyoto Protocol's entry into force. Best check out the UN website for more information.

Come to think of it, I'm going to take time out to read up on this issue. There is too much disinformation concerning it to be befuddled by too many sides.

Loopy Lunar

Noticed the moon phase? It's going to be a dark moon soon. In fact, according to my calculation, it will be on the 8; two more days, bunchkins. Great time for some to 'go within' and seek and destroy their inner demons. Some, like the Balinese will produce an offering appropriate for the phase. It is a bulan tilem to them. 15 Kadasa 1927 according to their calendar on Babad Bali, which I find so complex that it managed to revive all my Additional Maths anxieties whenever I try to figure out its cryptic meaning. Of course, A. has managed not only to understand the bloody things [there are two calendars, you know] but also memorised the important festivals. Wonder what he'll say about this tilem... Anyhow, it is Mendangkundang, and guarded over by Sanghyang Basuki. Could I offer an explanation of that? No, of course not! I just said it too resembled Additional Maths!

It is now the morning of my favourite day, Freyja's Day. A woman's day, as some God will say, and the skies are all but grey. I am feeling somewhat peckish, last night's supper of my home-made Aglia Olio [sic.] seemed to have burnt itself out. So Murni calleth, with its half-heartedly cooked noodles and vermicelli...

Anyway, back to the Old Ways — after food of course...

CSS Crazy

It's coffee, cigarettes and CSS these past few nights. It's virtually a crash course in HTML and CSS for me, particularly CSS, seeing that is the designing part and I somehow aspire to design. Hence so much for keeping with the Old Ways... or the Old Ones, for that matter, but I should not be so disrespectful.

Again, today was another wait for things to come. As well as tending to various animals with their particular moods. The ferals seem to know to take their fights away from the compound to the back alley, where they know my control holds no sway. I'm sure it's the Shit Monster, well, his spots are the colour of shit anyway. I wonder if one could put a curse on a cat.

I should endeavour to make a banten for the Hidden Ones, seeing it's Wednesday. More coconut leaves to cut and weave and blossoms to harvest. Then, make note: a spell for breaking barriers, of sorts. And another note to do research on Philosophy, seeing I never had a class on that one. Especially Empedocles, seeing that Robin and Oengus had been going on about him in isolation of others... Which means starting on a wonderful research in Philosophy... Eastern or Western, or both.

Gods, I am weary now, CSS has really beaten my brain into bits.

I think I will have more cigs and more café:

"laisse-moi boire mon café
laisse-moi boire mon café, yeah
let me drink my coffee
let me drink my coffee, yeah"

Then I have to restrain Slops from doing a handstand on the stairs — sigh — cats...