Hello All
My daughters are learning to make balloon animals. They found a set with the
balloons and pump to make them and spent yesterday busily pumping up
balloons and making dogs, swords and hats. They already have a gig to make
balloon animals if they decide they want it also. The offer got a big grin
and the comment they needed to buy more balloons, so I think they re
interested. So they get to terrorize one of the cats with balloon animals
for the next couple of months. (I think the pouncing on the balloon
yesterday scared him.)

They had a blast (as did I) at the Pagan Picnic last weekend it was even
better due to the fact that a couple of friends brought an extra tent when
they found out the girls and I were going to be crammed into one tent. Coons
did get my salt, sugar and bread without dislodging the weight I had on top
of the recycling bin mind you. I got to spend a lot of time talking to
other pagan adults too in person, which was very nice. Sometimes out here
it gets to where you forget what it is like to talk to others with similar
beliefs face to face.

Anyway my husband is coming home today and I have several things I want to
get done before he arrives so I am going to wrap this up

So until next time,
Sheila K. Watkins
Editor: Whispers of a Stone Circle
See last page of this newsletter for submission guidelines, forwarding
guidelines, where you can subscribe to Whispers and copyright information.
~*~*~*~
These are all by Moonchilde

Haiku 1

Caressing rosebuds,
The wind whispers promises -
"Blossoms, tomorrow!"

Haiku 2

Cool blue lookingglass...z
Wind shatters the Sun's image -
Trout snap at bright shards.

Haiku 3

Evening shadows fall...
The sun's a red skipping stone -
Plink! Plink! Plunk! It's gone...

Haiku 4

I grasp a snowflake.
Briefly, a glistening gem -
a drop of water.

Haiku 5

Eaves drip icy tears...
Gaia laments Summer's loss -
our love keeps us warm.

This is an Irish form - Cethramtu rannaigechta moire. Celtic haiku, anyone?

Timeless sea,
ageless stone;
mankind's pride
ends in bone.


~*~*~*~
Cool Link(s) of the week:
http://SoYouWanna.com - Topical articles include: How to get a pilot's
license, how to start an antique doll collection and how to plan a trip to
Australia (as well as many other topics.) You can also learn how to speak
with an Irish accent and how to cook a Chinese dinner.

The skies above:
http://www.sky-watch.com/headlines.html
Free e-mail service Non-technical and points out major events (they also
have more in depth ones for a fee)

Virtual Planetarium ~ Looks sort of neat
http://www.chabotspace.org/vsc/planetarium/thesky/default.asp

Amateur Astronomy links
http://cavern.nmsu.edu/Library/netfirst/space/amateur_astronomy.htm

~*~*~*~
The Shaman's Path
Part 1 of 4

By Jodi Wetherup (ierne)
Published on: October 24, 2000
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/women_healing_methods/51045

I have often been interested in the differences in methods employed by the
shamanic healers. Perhaps the fascination stems from their strong ability to
focus while "journeying," or perhaps it's the methods to achieve the altered
state required for "journeying." Whatever the reasons, my ears perk up, or
my eyes wander during conversations where the topic is brought up.

In my younger years, I always assumed "shaman" was a Native American term
for medicine man. Once I was introduced to a broader spectrum of natural
healing, earth based religion books, I discovered that many cultures use the
term shaman to describe men and women who heal through contact with the
spirit world, or "journeying." And although I am meaning this first article
to be an introduction of sorts, I'd also like to comment on a few of the
books which I have kept over the past while. Each one has added a little
something to my research, be it good or not so good.

"The Healing Craft" by Janet & Stewart Farrar and Gaving Bone. As I said in
my review, this is an excellent work, and the section on shamanic practice
is superb.

"The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom" by John and Caitlin Matthews. A truly
stunning work. Another book by the same authors is "A Celtic Shaman's
Handbook".

"By Oak, Ash, and Thorn" by DJ Conway. A great piece for the beginner
seeking knowledge from various sources. This one is another from the Celtic
perspective.

"Celtic Women's Spirituality" by Edain McCoy. I always take this author's
works with a grain of salt. Although this book adds a little clarity to the
waters, it's not worth purchasing new.

Between these books, talking to others, and various web sites, I've found a
fairly common description of shamanic healing practice - healing through
ecstasy (trance - like state, or "journeying") with the use of spirit or
animal guides. Often, people refer to being called to the shaman's path via
a near death experience (in this reality or in alternate realities), serious
illness, or dreams in which he/she has died. Also, one may dream an
initiatory-like ritual, in which his/her organs are removed and replaced
with others.

The shamanism practice is largely that of exploration of alternate realities
(as stated in 'Shamanism FAQ's' - "...non-material worlds and states of
mind."). Through these explorations, shamans learn ways to help others
through various methods of healing - Power Animal / Spirit Guide Connection
or Retrieval, Soul Retrieval and Extraction. I will go further into each of
these methods in the next Shaman's Path article.

Some believe that shamanic healing is simply helping one to connect with the
subconscious desire to be healthy, therefore attaining health by the "mind
over matter" ideal. Others view it as a manipulation of energies - pushing
out negative energies while infusing positive energies into the etheric
body.

Either way, this is achieved in two stages. Attaining an altered state of
mind (ecstasy) and maintaining the purpose for which one manifests the
desired result.

More to come on the methods of shamanic healing in "Shaman's Path - Methods
of Healing"

~*~*~*~

Announcement(s):
For those in Iowa:
There will be a public Mabon Celebration held at the Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship in Ames, IA on Saturday, September 14 (to allow solitaires and
covens to celebrate the following weekend). Gather starts at 6:30 PM; Ritual
at 7. Email amesmabon@... for directions or if you have any
questions...

Miriad

~*~*~*~
Writer's Biographies:
Moonchilde says about himself: I'm male, 47, married for 21+ years. My wife
and I rent a house in South Florida from 6 cats. I found the Wiccan path
about 8 years ago.

Jodi Wetherup (ierne) is the editor of more newsletters and publications
then I even want to count. Fortunately editing this many newsletters has not
been declared a form of insanity. (Hehe she’s going to kill me.)

Sheila K. Watkins knew from the time she was 15 that she wanted to be a
writer but did not really start writing until she entered college where she
worked on her college newspaper and also worked as the editor of the feature
section for one semester. She was also introduced to the love of writing
poetry at this time. Fortunately for all of us most of the poems have been
lost to the world of men. After college she worked several jobs during the
next few years but none included writing. It wasn’t until after both of her
children had started school in 1998 that she went back to her love of
putting words on a computer screen. Her first submission was accepted by
publication by the Iowa Witch and Pagan newsletter and it started her on
the path of truly honing her work. In October of 2000, she founded and
became editor of Whispers of a Stone Circle.

~*~*~*~
Submissions are always welcomed and can be made to: Zeliziw@...
In submitting materials writers are agreeing that if accepted I may post
them in the newsletter and on the web page (whenever I finally get back to
work on it.) Works submitted must be the writer’s own work and they must
still retain the copyright OR it must be verifiably public domain. Works can
have been published before but please nothing that has been around over and
over again. Copyright remains in the author’s possession. The Author also
realizes that they will not be paid. (If I had money I would be hosting this
on something other then Yahoo.) If a submission is accepted, I will check
for punctuation, capitalization and spelling in submitted articles. I will
fix minor errors if they are present. I will NOT reword things (except for
an occasional “an” for “a” and vice versa.) Poems are published as
submitted.

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All articles, poems, etc, except where noted are copyrighted by the writers
and are used with permission. They are not to be republished without the
express permission of the writers. Contact information may be obtained by
contacting the editor of Whispers of A Stone Circle at Zeliziw@...