On the encountering of a witch who thinks they have a racial pass

There is no racial pass. There is no racial pass. There is no racial pass. One more time, there is no racial pass. There is no racial pass given to magickal practitioners who move in the the spaces of the urban magician to form their lips to say the word "nigg--" or "nigga". Whether you put any prefix in front of it, it does not negate the filth that follows. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. No amount of branding or fictive kinship exists to endow the right of any person to take license to use that word as part of their identity. It does not matter that another of diasporic identity may use it casually, like a fool, to describe themselves or their comrades. There is no magickal reality to the  existence of a racial pass being given to anyone to use a racially insulting, derogatory, bigoted, or degrading terminology. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass that anyone with any emotional intelligence or cultural awareness of the history of this hemisphere may use to excuse the use of that nasty and horrid verbal lash. There are no "cool point" levels to attain that lead to a super sacred status that allows it. There is no person of any worth to themselves, or to the diaspora, that deserves to not be checked about its use.There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass given to celebrity or fame or rank. There is no racial pass. There is no racial pass that exists that would excuse me betraying my conscience and staying silent on this matter. There is nothing that would wipe the stain of it from the reflection I see, no solvent that would clean my confession.

 By Frerieke from The Hague, The Netherlands

There is no bond of friendship, peerage, or membership in the modern wave of urban folk spirituality practitioners that would override my honor in this matter. It is out of love that I write this. The only way for there to be no gap in our grasps of each others hands is that we remove the feel of the filth between them that this word and its derivatives pour over everything like slime from the spiritual charnel pits it created. There is no racial pass.


There is no racial pass that says that if a single person, or group of persons, tells you that the usage of a slur is acceptable by them that has any validity. There is no universal pass that states because segments of a historically murdered, persecuted, oppressed, and hated group use a vile term in conversation to refer to themselves of others that exempts ANYONE from recognizing that its usage is wicked and evil.

There is no racial pass. There is in reality, no "card", black or otherwise, that is a license to use it for anything - especially as a brand. The pain and suffering and deaths of my ancestors, parents, grandparents, and descendants is not a charm bracelet sparkle that one can put on their hashtag wrists. My familial historical outrage is not for sale, it is not a fashion statement. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. The need to be raw, edgy, to refer to your street authenticity is what you say is truth, but it should taste a lie. There is no equivalent linguistic contortionist's justification for any other people's magick being so casually linked to the language of those that would destroy them. There is no correlation to the synaptic reactions experienced in the terms for other Traditions of magick and folk lore that feel the same. Granny magic, Hex magic, Celtic magick, do not fire the same responses. Calling yourself a "witchnigga" is not the damned same. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. Creativity is not an excuse for outrage for outrage's sake. There is no room for misunderstanding on matters of this gravity. There is no corner shadowed enough for me to hide in that would hide my villainy for not writing on this.This is about more than a hashtag and your right to craft it.

I do not believe in censorship. Artistic freedom is essential in a democracy. There would be no Eugene O'Neill, Laurie Anderson or Tupac Shakur if we had censorship. But I do believe artists have a responsibility for what they say and do. - Dr. Cornel West

There is no racial pass. There is no racial pass that states that because you put a "ga" on the end of the word nigg-- instead of an "er" that is somehow transforms into a wondrous term of universally acceptable colloquial speech. There is no excuse or rationalization for proliferating that term as anything other than a hate-filled, malicious weapon. That word is a servitor of the basest rank that has risen to the heights of murder and even attempted genocide in this nation. The LIE of semantic inversion being applied to it means NOTHING. It is NEVER acceptable. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. It does not matter that I think you are otherwise a good person. When you refuse to see anything wrong when someone plainly explains what is very wrong, then you have chosen to cling to wickedness. Willful defiance in the face of reality in this case is not insanity, it is the practice of the privilege of the so-called "racial pass holder", and it is odious and offensive to everyone. There is no justification. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. The fact that this term lives in a place of power, in a set of society of witchcraft and magick. The fact that the term "hood" is loose enough to use, but you took it to another step and publicly put that word "nigga" your brand. I do not care how many times that word has been used around, about, or to you, it is not ok. It is not the next logical step in cutting edge urban identity as a witch. It is not the tongue in cheek, it is the fist in face. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. By using the "ga" you seek to take it to a different place. That word is a weapon. There is no place to take it that leads to anything good and upright. Words have power, and that word is a weapon. As far as taking it to a different place in the conversation of urban practice, a quote from a writer comes to mind.

The rule is that if they have a weapon and want to take you someplace else, it is so they can kill you slower" - Laurell K. Hamilton, The Harlequin

That is what is happening to the diasporic peoples with the powers in their hands. That is what is happening to the witches and conjurers and others who are entrusted with these traditions as the people who are visitors in these spaces have begun to mine them. They who would destroy us use these terms. If you are not among them, then why use their weapons. WE are not your magickal Patrice Lumumba's, and we will not stand by while our collective traditions are belittled and assassinated by those words. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass. To the self hating proliferating people who continue to push forth the notion that this word is ever good in any sense, I say to you the same. There is no racial pass. To use this term on our friend, or enemy, is to align with the strap, the lash, the blade, and the club used to bash our people. You are no different than the slave who would turn in their fellow as he escaped. You are the other half of the tumor that grows in this practice. You will not be forgotten, and if you are lucky, you one day will abhor that which you do now. If not, we shall cut you from us like a rotten wound's tissue and leave you on the bloody floor of our past. For you, too, there is no racial pass.


There is no racial pass. No one has the ability to grant clemency or privilege to use that word to any other person, especially any person who is not of the lineage of those who have inherited the legacy and continued reality of all that it means. It is decidedly one of the most vulgar abuses of privilege I may have witnessed by anyone in my movements through the local magickal societies, and I am shocked. There is no racial pass.

There is no racial pass.

That pesky first amendment and why it matters right now

So many of the issues in this election year of 2016 CE are hot buttons of emotion that one of the major rights that we have as a people being ignored is a travesty. It seems that the requisite action of any organized corporate or governmental organization engaged in controversial situations is to gag, deter, and arrest (usually unlawfully) the press. The citizenry’s rights to freedom of the press are in the United States Constitution. This is the truth, despite the odious creep and overreach of the forces that are hellbent on destroying that right with spurious interpretations under the color of law that seek to suppress the reporting that gives us the truth, without bias, from the front lines.
The journalist, the reporter, the press in its many forms, not the entertainers, are the “fourth estate”. They are the watchmen at the gate, the ear in the chamber, the eye on the arena, and the flow of information to the people. The press keep us honest, they find truth, they give facts, and yes sometimes they give opinions. Some of those opinions challenge what many would wish to hear, especially those in power, those in scandal, and those engaged in illegal, unethical, or egregious behavior. Money talks, and it buys the strong arms and stoic silence of those in the places of power who bear the duty of protecting the reporters.
With  the major news organizations being owned by very few entities, the flow of information finds itself colored, curtailed, and forced to find independent media sources that offer multiple outlets. Alex Jones, a media personality with a provocative brand that endears him to some, and outrages others, coined the term “dinosaur media” when referring to the traditional large name print and network media. In some ways, the hierarchy of the pay-your-dues brand of journalism has become the very crushing walls that are destroying many of the generational divided future news writers. In others, it is that very system that produces quality journalism relied upon to serve.

Image: Hector Martinez

However, the medium and the messages have expanded, and those on the front lines are under fire at all levels. Unless they become the talking head of delivering prepackaged news copy for our digestion from channels branded now as entertainment, it is more difficult to find the courageous photojournalists and writers who embed themselves in the news sites that matter physically. The threat, and implementation, of coercive and legally questionable tactics create a climate of fear and apprehension that has direct influence on what stories and facts you, the public, get to see.

One example is the situation at the Standing Rock Sioux and the DAPL parties. Smoky rooms and smoke and mirrors are at full steam in this situation, intimidating, arresting, and barring the free press from doing their constitutionally protected coverage of this event. From the groundbreaking small media company Unicorn Riot, to the esteemed Democracy Now, reporters are under politically motivated attack. Readers, there is something very  wrong going on here, when our government is using these tactics to hide what they are doing, and we should watch them closely because  What we are seeing is the encroaching death of the right to a free press.

To give some history on the events referred to here, let us first look at what befell the reporters from Unicorn Riot while covering a news stories. So far, four journalists were arrested while providing coverage of stories related to this news event. Two were arrested on September 13th, and two on October 7th, all clearly displaying press badges and self identifying.

During a September 13th direct action at a DAPL construction site, two Unicorn Riot journalists were targeted and arrested while reporting during a live broadcast. Our reporters were both wearing their press passes and stating “I’m press” at the time of their arrests…..
On October 7th, in Lee County, Iowa, after live streaming an action (from a tree perch outside DAPL property) during which two women locked themselves to a horizontal directional drill, another Unicorn Riot journalist was arrested and taken into custody. They have been charged with criminal trespass…  the same day as court was happening for one Unicorn Riot journalist, another was getting arrested by a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy for once again, allegedly trespassing while documenting a non-violent direct action that stopped pipeline construction. – “Four Unicorn Riot Journalists Face Charges for Covering #NoDAPL”, Unicorn Riot

Next, the story of Amy Goodman, world respected and known journalist. She, too, dared to commit the crime of press coverage at the site of the contested pipeline, and the actions of the authorities and gathered water protectors. She took photographs, and broadcast live on social media, the uncensored events that took place there with the mantle of the reporter on her shoulders. The now infamous footage of the dog attacks at the site did not sit well with the silent and tacit agreement to not cover this story by major media outlets.


This footage led to an arrest warrant being issued for criminal trespass, which has been changed to charges for participating in a riot. This fictive narrative by the powers that be seeks to now levy charges that could, if convicted, place this writer behind bars for up to 45 years. A transcript of her report can be found here at Democracy Now.

This morning, she broadcasted live regarding this case. Find the video at Democracy Now by following this link.

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/10/17/amy_goodman_broadcasts_from_north_dakota

Citizen journalists, investigative journalists,  and documentary filmmakers face difficult decisions and potential consequences for their work. They are on the front line. The protections afforded to big name media are not always recognized in their cases and anti SLAPP laws are not universal throughout the nation.  When the constitution was framed, it protected even the pamphlet maker. Now it would come into question whether live streams of content are equivalent in their protection.

Near v. Minnesota, ratified the Blackstonian proposition that a prior restraint — a legal prohibition on the press’s ability to publish information in its possession — will almost always violate the First Amendment. Near is a landmark, not just because it was the Court’s first decision to invoke the press clause, but because it established a fundamental precept of constitutional law — that once the press has gotten its hands on information that it deems to be newsworthy, the government can seldom, if ever, prevent that information from being published. –

On October 11, Deia Schlosberg, documentary filmmaker, arrested  in Walhalla, North Dakota, covered a story on a climate change protest which shut down four states where pipelines were carrying tar-sands oil from Alberta, Canada, into the United States. The film, “How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change” was to include the direct actions of these activists. However the film footage was confiscated, she was held for two days without access to counsel, and she three felony counts of conspiracy have been charged against her for covering this story.
We need more investigative journalists, and we need to defend them. We need more news, not less. We need more stories and those to write them. Locally, here in Michigan, there is an opportunity to learn more about this on Sunday, October 30th at the “2016 Detroit Watchdog Workshop” by Investigative Reporters and Editors. Hosted by Wayne State’s Dept of Communication.  The irony of this is not lost on this writer, as this same institution has gone to certain lengths to silence award-winning columnist Steve Neavling’s Motor City Muckraker site’s ongoing reporting regarding the institution.
Suppression, intimidation, and the color of law are all being used to cut our press to minimalist writers fed their information after approved by the very persons that might stand the most to lose. This wave of censorship and stonewalling will only lead to the further erosion of our First Amendment right to have a free press. If you are not afraid of that this will mean yet, you haven’t been paying attention.

Damn Right there is something in the water: a personal salon

The air is brisk, and the sun is shining against an artic blue sky on an autumn day here in Michigan. The corn is in the kitchen hanging on racks to dry as I open my finish setting my table for a salon. There is plenty of room for you at the table. I have made elderberry muffins and lemon fantasy tea. It is my own blend of lemongrass, orange mint, lemon balm, and lemon verbena. Things may get a bit tart today.

Image: Shruthi Gowda

The placemats are cerulean blue and there is a beautiful arrangement of rosemary, cedar, lavender, flowers, and hyssop sprigs in the centerpiece. The tea is hot and the scent of orange thyme is filling the room.

*sits at table with pot in her lap to shell beans. This is an informal affair*

Right now, there are unprecedented milestones and miracles happening at Standing Rock and in Michigan. The stories that come from these times will be whispered and retold for many generations. We are the new ancestors, you know. What we do during these times will help to nurture the coming ones who will learn.

Being from Michigan, the water and I have a deep relationship. I can no more breathe the scent of the lakes as a non-spiritual experience than I could not openly laugh when someone tells me that all conjure comes from Ireland and Chicago. That relationship has fed my soul, aided my  works, and healed my spirit. Water is life. It has been my life, and will always sustain my life.

It is for that cause that I feel compelled to host this little salon today on the fifth of October. This is the day before the birthday of my deceased Dad, and I believe that the tears that fall as I type this are just as connected to the “over-spirits” of all Waters as the most expensive Evian, or the cheapest bottle from the dollar store down the street. All of it has me buoyed up in my emotions, and all of it can heal and sustain.

*shells a speckled butterbean pod, and drops three in the pot*

Mistress Belladonna

Right now, the forces of destruction in this world are intensifying their assaults against humanity by poisoning and imperiling one of the most intimate connections we have to the soul of creation.

Water.

Image Kenya Coviak, all rights reserved

In Flint, Michigan, a sort of evil epic saga of greed, corruption, and vicious opportunism led to the destruction of the systems that conveyed life giving waters to the people of this state. In another area, under our lakes, there is a great pipeline that sleeps like a beast waiting to strike. It’s ancient stays and bonds awaiting release and failure so that it can lay waste and destruction to the life above and below those freshwater waves unchecked. Wells of radioactive waste lie in wells inland, and on shoreline of our freshwater seas, catastrophes ticking away like bombs of devastation. In the the lands of the Standing Rock Sioux, a monster of a pipeline is threatening to transport possible death through sacred soils and under water bodies that have sustained them for generations.

What do each of these things have in common? They are all outrages against us as humans, and against every plant, animal, and spirit in the areas in which they take place. They threaten not only the physical landscapes, but the psychic energy and systems of the spiritual essences that these flows and bodies contain and share with us. In other words, they are violent attacks against the very souls of creation that we live in harmony (we wish) with as we survive and pray to our respective systems of belief.

*Teapot sends up a bubble from nowhere*

I think often of my daughter and her future these days. Will she live in a world that has the first generation of young adults that cannot trust the seeds they plant or the water that grows them? Exactly how long of a timetable does she have before every drop is privatized. Will there be a world in which her gathering water in a bowl for her aloe plant will lead to a knock on the door by police for illegal collection of rainwater? Will she have to pay for the safe water not contaminated by heavy metals to water her seedlings? Hell, will there even BE seedlings to plant? Will there still be Michigan Okra?

Image:  Kenya Coviak, all rights reserved

I look at the sky, and know that somewhere, right now, there are Water Protectors fighting for my future. I look at the sky and know that here in Michigan, there are brave folks who are petitioning, holding rallies, and are on the front line to remedy Flint and keep it from happening again. I see the sun and feel the wind on my face and smell the rain and the scent of poplar and know that no matter what they do, they will face opposition in the name of greed and ambition.

Image: Kenya Coviak, all rights reserved

People have many relationships with water that we take for granted as always being there. The rite of baptism, ritual washing, and purification. All these rely on water. What happens when all the water is defiled? What happens when it is not a living thing anymore?

When we sing water songs, or when certain cultures sing Water Songs, almost universally there is an awareness of the majesty of it. The mysteries of the deep and the faint babbling of the brooks seem to sing to us of faraway places and the times when we were not so distant from our beginnings. We recharge in those places. We tell myths and creation stories about it in many cultures. And some of us have familial stories about our animal that we are related to that lives in the water and the land. (I am not allowed to further into this publicly)

*Looks at photo of Dad and remembers he needs a cup of McDonald’s coffee by his picture. Pours you another cup of tea and offers you a peach tart now that your muffin is gone*

I mean, really. This has gotten way out of the land of basic business chicanery and ventured into the obscene. It is an absurd drama to watch, as politicians bargain with corporations as they both condemn the pools, rivers, and lakes to destruction. Fracking, drilling, subsidized theft by large conglomerates that obtain water rights of small communities over the residents, the list of infractions is endless. What do they think is going to happen here?

*Teapot has now cracked, sending one long tear of golden fluid down the side*

What exactly do they propose we do when all the waters are dead and dying in the future?

When it comes time to wash the babies in the waters to bless them, what shall we use? Shall we use Gatorade? Shall we use some sort of lotion? Will we have to call the “Culligan Man” to bring over a special delivery?

When the Dead have their sacred rites performed, what then? Will we try to consecrate hand sanitizer? Or will we use frack polluted waters for purification? When there are water initiations by the other faiths in their waters, what shall they do, put on wet suits?

There is no magic purifier pill. There is no magic additive that will restore the fish and the frogs and the shellfish to their ancient states once they have been poisoned. It takes generations for them to recover, if they do. GENERATIONS.

Which begs the question.

How many generations do we have left to restore what has already been lost?

*throws bean husks in compost plate to put into garden. Gives you a small paper bag of pecan/lavender cookies to go, and puts a small bottle of Potawatomi beans in your hand*

Thank you for coming today. It is not often that I open my salon for just you and me. So I hope you enjoyed it. Do come again. Be sure remember to scatter those seeds. You never know where they will take root.

Bookies Bar co-owner and the incredible amor fati of social media respectability tap dancing

The population of Detroit consists of those who smell of church oils, vesta powder, and clean pressed shirts with just a hint of the scent of transmission fluid, and a large percentage of African American peoples. Mark Jerant, the co-owner of Bookies Bar & Grille in downtown, seemed to forget the power of that population once it mobilizes. Why does this matter in a column devoted to Paganism? Because Mark Jerant's cyclical fall from grace, apology, and ultimate fate are tied to the collective focused energetic will (see egregore) of the people that arose from post-Young Detroit's populace. In other words, there is punitive spiritual action afoot.

Image: Michigan Municipal League

The clicking nails that denote the keystrokes of offended patrons are no doubt resounding loudly in his consciousness. The Detroiter's who may or may not involved themselves with racial and socioeconomic activism on a daily public basis, are the same ones that have decided as a body to engage in modern-day "witchcraft of the mouth" through social media to punish Mark Jerant for his commentary on the outrageous killing of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher. The components for this work are the personal concerns that consist of his wrongheaded and loose talk revealing his true level of regard for the diasporic clientage he serves.


Let us take a look, shall we, at the good Mr. Jerant's comments juxtapose Mr. Crutcher being gunned down.

Do you mean the unarmed man Who didn't listen to police....... Again.

The one who continued to resist by waking away from the police .... Again.

The one who continued to walk away with his hands up, and proceeded to disobey more orders all the way back to his vehicle.

Tthen put his hands down continued to disobey orders and then reached into the open widow of car? That unarmed man? That one that simply didn't listen ....... Again.

Get ready for the liberal media frenzy of BS. Then the audio will come out, then everyone will say he didn't listen, then after a false narrative for 3 months by BLM and "rioting peaceful protests" everyone will say ohhh I guess he was wrong, and the police were right? Then after a real investigation the truth comes out?

Simple story never changes. Listen to police who have guns pointed at you and don't get shot. It isn't hard.

Here we go again. "Hands up" until they aren't anymore. The media will cut video then, just wait until mainstream plays the clip. CNN we are ready for your half story !!! They will ignore everything else. Clicks and ads it's always about money not the truth. watch and see.

Of course, now the obligatory apology has been rendered unto the public via a public relations screen in order to soothe those shocked and outraged by the above statements.  Indeed, his candor on his personal insights has led to these statements going viral to the point where there was no other choice except to hire a professional "fixer". Alas, it is a case of letting the cat out of the bag on a person's true beliefs, parading the cat around, letting it spray the Ethan Allen chaise (shout out to a Michigan company), and then trying to spray it all down with Febreze. The stain, and the stink, are not hidden.

Well isn't that special? I am sure that it does not escape the readers' attention what the word "candid" means. According to the MacMillan Dictionary, it means  honest and direct, even when the truth is not pleasant. So, then, it is clear that it was precisely his intent to convey his true feelings, using the words he did,  when he made that earlier post on his social media. Sometimes, the fox gets his tail wet when crossing by trying to be too clever. Feeling a little soggy, Mark?

Maybe Detroit business owners need to take a lesson from Populux. Oops, I mean the Magic Stick. After all, Populux learned the hard way about popping off that incendiary trash about humanity. Especially when the population of his locale is over 80% African American. Money is powerful, nobody wields the ritual tool of it like the Motor City. 

Oh, and in case you didn't know, I don't believe him or his apology via public relations hired gun. The old trope of the "African American friend pass" is over and tired. Just like your business may be soon if you don't watch your mouth.

The Michigan Midwest Witches Bazaar will rock your stripey sox for 2016

The Midwest Witches Bazaar: A Magickal Marketplace Shopping Experience will be celebrating its 6th year with a blast this time around with swag bags, new vendors, and wares that are sure to dazzle the eye and make light the purse. A part of an overall day of celebration, it is held as the morning event for the Michigan-Midwest Witches Ball.  

The ball has been the top social and charitable event in Michigan, and one heck of a party, for 20 years. And as usual, it has been sold out yet again. OH, and this is happening! Dorothy Morrison is doing something splendid.

As a sponsor of the ball, she was given four tickets. Since she cannot attend, she wants to give back to the Michigan community who has been so loving to her. In an effort to support both the local community and local vendors, Candle Wick Shop will be working with Dorothy to select the two couples who will receive free tickets to Midwest Witches’ Ball.

All you have to do is send an email message to fundraiser@candlewickshoppe.com and nominate the couple of your choice.  You have to give a quick summary of why you think they should win these tickets in the email. Make sure to include their contact information and ages, because this is a 21 and over event due to alcohol.  Nominations will be accepted between Sept 1st and Sept 30th 2016.

But you don't have to be over 21 to shop at the bazaar. It is the perfect place to pick up some adornments and charms from folks that come all the way here just to be at this event. It is free and open to the public on October 8th, 2016 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.. You don't have to have a ball ticket to enter.
 
A select and lucky few got the spots to be in the Bazaar. To make the cut, they had to be the tops at professionalism, standing, and public demand. Meeting and networking at the Bazaar is one of the biggest Pagan shopping days of the year.

And did you know, that something special is happening at the BAZAAR this year? Something marvelous! There will be Swag Bags for the first 200 people through the door. From what I have been told, and gotten a sneak peak to see, these are amazing.Wares from vendors and artisans from all over are stuffed into these little lovelies. For a list of sponsors, visit this link.http://midwestwitchesball.com/2016-sponsors/


If you want a tiny cheater's chance at getting one, try to win one at Ancient Faiths Alliance's All Hands Together Harvest Festival this weekend. The Midwest Witches Bazaar donated one of them as a prize. To find out what's inside, you've got to win.

See ya there. Shop til you bop. Here is some theme music from a hometown girl.

 

Heathens, Pagans, and Burners put ethos before egos in Detroit

On August 14th, Detroit was again the site of the powerful Street Store phenomenon. In the shadow of the Masonic Temple, volunteers from various areas of  Southeastern Michigan came together to put forth their hearts and hands in providing good clothing and material needs in service to the homeless residents of Detroit. This time, the event was at Cass Park, 600 Ledyard Street.

Matt Orlando and Kyle Coviak added their hands and hearts to the Street Store Image: Kenya Coviak, all rights reserved

Matt Orlando, of Ancient Faiths Alliance and Northern Mist Kindred pitched in to lend an arm. A busy man, he found time to come in and put feet to the street to get to know the people who may not get to speak to candidates up “close and personal”. He is running for Representative to U.S. Congress under the Libertarian ticket this election. And though the folks who live in this district are not his constituents, he expressed his belief that people don’t stop having needs at the edge of a voting boundary.
The good Reverend Gerrybrete Leonard-Whitcomb, of Universal Society of Ancient Ministry dashed off before I could get an image of her dropping off a fresh batch of clothing. She put out a call on the Pagans In Need Facebook page for men’s clothing in larger sizes in the week leading up to the event. Though sick, she still made it a priority to drop and dash back for some needed recovery time.

Modest beginnings lead to big things. These racks below look like they are very thin. However, within minutes they were groaning under the weight of hundreds of donated, clean garments. Bins and boxes waited in readiness as they were continuously emptied by all who came.

Burners Without Borders set up the store across from the Wobbly Kitchen Image: Kenya Coviak, All Rights Reserved

Kyle Coviak, of the GLWC of Michigan, and Ancient Faiths Alliance, also hit the park site with strength and energy. He is known as one of the faces of volunteerism in the local spiritual communities. Working in tandem with a system of constant flow, he kept the clients happy and the lines stocked with clothing and home wares. Neat and tidy is his watchword and it showed.

Lifting and loading. Image: Kenya Coviak, All Rights Reserved

*Full disclosure: He is my husband, and at this time we shall all ask for prayers, as I am definitely NOT neat and tidy. His struggle continues.*

In addition to these items, hygiene kits were available as well.  Food items were on hand and ready to go. This seemed to work hand in hand with the mission of the good folks across the green.
The Wobbly kitchen, as a gathering and an institution, is all about good feelings, good folks, and food. The smells coming from the buffet were mouth-watering, and the music was jamming. If you want to see more, catch them the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
The Burners Without Borders Detroit chapter plans to do this again. If you want to volunteer, you can go to their WordPress to keep yourself in the loop. The place may change, but the mission remains the same. Be a part of a growing momentum and give of yourself. It feels good. And you might just get to share ice cream at the end.

Burners Without Borders Detroit, Matt Orlando, Kyle Coviak Image: Kenya Coviak, All Rights Reserved

 

 

This article, and more like it, can be found at www.pbnnewsnetwork.com

My path of peaceful war

So the topic came up today, talking to one of my closest friends here in Michigan. The question of me, and why I did not pursue my career in the military.

The fact is, I wonder how life would have been had I not walked away from that candidacy board that night and decided "no".

What would my life be like if I had not decided that I did not want to fight upstream? With the grade scandal that surrounded my school because of the Marine Corps students, should I have really tried to pursue my naval career anyway?

I turned away for a number of reasons, primarily due to questioning of my test scores being in their minds. I had a proven record of excellence, but that doubt would have followed me. It was not worth a 15 year stretch of that. 

But the biggest reason was that the Goddess, or God, or Both, reached out to me and touched my heart through encounters with other people. I have told Kyle, my husband, many times that week was the first time I really understood that what I would do would be done to people who had souls. And that changed my mind.

For the record. I was going into a special service area. My files would have been "Black". For those who know what that means, you know that means my true self is a certain kind of way.

For those who do not, let me make it brief. I was going into the service to be an interrogator and an assassin for my nation. When I was a small girl, I wrote an essay that sums up my belief systems.

When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said either a nun or an assassin. They asked me why. I said I wanted to either help people suffering in the world by being a spiritual person, or as an assassin who would kill the people making them suffer.

I chose a different path than what lay before me. I chose the path of peace, yet I still claim the warrior. Because what I did not choose to do in flesh, I do in spiritual warfare.

Make no mistake. I am always who I am. But for some of you, you have never seen me...the real me.

Here I stand.