Ian Corrigan

1. I should write a booklet on runes based on my answers to Req 5
2. A short article such as "Are the Runes a Magical Alphabet?" should be submitted to OL
3. The creation of a bind-rune I did for one reading was, and I quote, "good cunning-work." This is an awesome phrase to me
4. He and I go in completely opposite directions when it comes to public ritual, though: while you'll rarely hear me offer the names of runes, often giving only an interpretation, Ian only gives the name and translation and lets folks figure out the meanings on their own.

5. Almost like there was something wyrd going on, innit?

128. This world is full of strange behavior; every man has to be his own savior.

seamus_mcnasty

3cg_blog

The Stolen Wheel

It is said that long ago, when even the gods were young, Taranis, the Thunderer, saw Sulis, the Sun, bathing at dawn.

Each morning, Sulis would rise from the cosmic waters at the edge of the world. As she rose from the waters, she would blush deeply, and only a glimpse of her could be seen as she ascended into her chariot. No man was allowed to look upon her, for she was young and beautiful, untouched.

Once she had mounted her chariot, whose wheel is the sun, she would ride all day, the wheel shining brightly as it turned along the path, until she returned once again to her bath in the cosmic waters, the aquae sulis.

The god Taranis had heard of her beauty, and though he knew that it was not allowed, he went one morning to see her bathe. Cloaked in his stormclouds to hide his form, he went down to the waters' edge. Taranis was not subtle, however, and Sulis refused to leave the waters.

"Who is there?" she called out.

Thinking quickly, he disguised his voice. "It is I, Epona's handmaiden, come to see your horses."

"But there is nothing wrong with my horses," Sulis responded, puzzled.

"My Lady fears one may be lame. Let me check them while you prepare for your journey."

Sulis agreed, knowing now that it was no man, but a maiden who had come to visit her. As Taranis hid beneath his cloak of clouds, Sulis exited the waters. Instantly, he was struck with lust, and plotted to see more of her.

"How are my horses?" Sulis asked.

"They are fine, my dear," answered Taranis. "Now, be on your way."

And so Taranis watched in awe as she passed by him, wondering how he might see her, so beautiful and naked, again. She mounted the chariot, flicked her reins, and disappeared behind the bright, shining sun wheel.

Taranis knew he must see her again. To do this, he left and flew to the west, intent on stealing the wheel of the sun, for he could not look upon her while the wheel shone so brightly.

He set his ambush far away, placing his clouds in the sky in the west, knowing that she could only travel a fixed path. He waited until the afternoon, and then began to approach the chariot of the sun.

He cast wide his cloak of clouds, racing forth in his own thundering chariot, obscuring the light of Sulis by covering the wheel. He stole the wheel from the axle and hid it deep within the folds of his cloak, laughing peels of thunder at his cleverness.

But Sulis was no weak woman. She was far-seeing and knew things beyond earth, sea and sky. She knew her path, though the cloak of clouds was dark, and she called on the horses to follow it. As the horses pulled, she dismounted the chariot and lifted the axle on her own, carrying it forth, becoming bright herself in the process. Taranis was once again blinded, though this time it was with a beauty born of strength unexpected.

When Taranis saw this, he was in awe—so beautiful a goddess, and yet so strong in her own right. Ashamed, he averted his eyes, admitted the spying, and replaced the wheel. He set Sulis gently on her chariot, and began to ride his away.

As Sulis became once again visible in the daylight sky, and and the clouds receded, Taranis offered one final apology: he reflected the inner light of Sulis' beauty, and brought us the rainbow, the most magnificent display of fire in water.

Children of the earth, this is the story of the Wheel of the Sun, how the Thunderer stole it, and the beauty of his apology to an underestimated woman.

The air was still, cool. The scent of the earth filled my lungs. Outside, the "lifeguards" (little old ladies with whistles who sit in high places and tell people not to climb on the ruins) were blowing their whistles at overly adventurous tourists who didn't read the signs that say "No climbing" or "Do Not Touch". Men and women walked by, chattering in all manner of languages at their children.

And here I sat, alone in the darkness beneath the Temple of Apollo Pythios, with zylch outside standing watch for anyone official.


the corridor beneath
the Temple of Apollo Pythios

I made an offering of a coin to the God of the Temple, and began my meditation.

zylch had decided to do a Two Powers meditation, and I was originally planning to do the same, in order to accurately compare our experience. As I knelt down, though, and thought about where I was, I decided that simply opening in a meditative state was the ideal meditation here. So my eyes closed, my body relaxed, and I began to experience the place.

As I breathed in, I felt the cool darkness that places within the earth provide. The smell of the dirt and the dust in the air entered my lungs, and I sank deeper into the meditation. The stillness of the tunnel, so different from the chaotic outside, brought me deeper and deeper.

I expected to feel the presence of Apollo; after all, here I was below his temple, wondering if this was the tunnel to the fault where the Pythia found her inspiration. Instead, I found the earth. I found that this place might be sacred to Apollo above, but where the ground began, it was the earth, Gaea, who was truly the patron of this place.

I was no longer in the realm of the god of enlightenment, inspiration, and divination. I was at an entrance to a deity far older and far more present.

Soon, I ended my meditation and slipped out of the opening we had entered.

Later, zylch told me that she couldn't connect to the Sky Power.

I don't think the Sky Power is there. I don't think it can penetrate. I think the earth is all you will find supporting the Temple of Apollo Pythios, and all that supports Delphi.

Gaea may have been defeated here, but she was not supplanted.

| |
The Temple of Athena | Sunset over Delphi's port | Delphi's "Cafe Ichor"

ferrelux

zylch

167. So bless me Father: yes, I have sinned; given the chance, I'll prob'ly do it again.

1. Asking people to think before they speak is apparently "asking people to pretend to be something they're not."
2. I was never self-conscious of my finances until I got an email about how privileged I obviously am yesterday, and was, in fact, quite proud of how I've been handling them. I'm back to being proud, though.
3. When I started a Grove, I didn't realize how much homework I would end up assigning myself. I just don't know enough right now to write this rite. And that's a lot of homophones.
4. At some point, I would like to take a road trip to Springfield, IL. There's a mural on the wall of the Illinois Supreme Court that I want to see (you know, since Eris is on it . . . Well, Discord to be exact, but it's close enough for government work, and it is a government building). The more I think about it, the more obvious it is that I need to do this. Of course, I'll probably combine it with a very long overdue trip to Kansas to see the family, and maybe stop by the Protogroves in Urbana-Champaign and Kansas City for a rite or something. I hear there's also a Grove near East St. Louis now, too.
5. My carport is clean, my back yard is shaping up, and the front yard is next to be tackled. And, it looks like I've kept my promise of clear skies tonight, at least so far.
6. This morning, I remembered the feeling I used to have every day when I was in college, where your body feels healthy and ready to go, strong and awake. It's a wonderful feeling, and one that I sorely missed.
7. Wellspring isn't exciting me at the moment, for various reasons. Part of this has to do with a feeling of "missing out" on last year's Wellspring and being "left behind", part is a feeling that I'm going to have people demand that I "explain myself" on things (though I don't believe that I've done anything wrong to deserve that), and part is just that I have the traditional Han Solo "bad feeling about this."
8. I really, really miss some of my best friends.
9. Today's Buffett Oracle:
   
       203. What works for me might work for you.
   
   Thanks, Jimmy. I have some ideas of how I want to spend an evening this weekend.

64. I'll put on my Bob Marley tape and practice what I preach.

1. Is there some code among girls that, if a guy makes you a mixed CD or mixed tape, he's "totally into you"?
2. Why do I have no Patsy Cline in my entire music collection? How has it taken me this long to notice?

1. The 5-month journal (which should match up some with my Magic2/Trance1 journal)
2. Nine divinations done for others (for those I've done divination for, you'll get an email or note asking permission before I publish)
3. Three omens taken by me in public ritual (a clergy-only requirement for Div 2)