The Jax Pagan Newsletter Volume I, Issue 2 Table of Contents

Cookies While You Sleep From the Kitchen

of Jamie Keller's Oma ................................... 1

Winter Solstice Meditation By: Melanie

Crump ............................................................ 2

Egyptian Creation Myth As Told By:

Azurous .......................................................... 3

There’s More Than One Way to Celebrate

By: Spider Sage ............................................. 4

Local Artist Spotlight: Matthew Nelson ....... 5

The Power of Voice By: Jayne Wolfe ........... 5

My Path? By: Stormy Okoto Sirene…..……6

Local Artist Spotlight: Kay Floyd……...…...7 Local Pagan Covens and Groups……........ .8

Coven Lia Fail ........................................... 8

Dark Waters Grove .................................... 8

Jacksonville CUUPS ................................. 8

Walking Moon Witan Shrine .................... 8

Sanctuary ................................................... 8

Cookies While You Sleep

From the Kitchen of Jamie Keller's Oma

2 egg whites

Pinch of salt

2 large pinches (less than ¼ teaspoon)

cream of tartar

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1/4 c. chocolate chips

1/4 c. maraschino cherries, diced

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat the egg whites on medium-

low speed for 1-2 minutes until foamy.

Add the pinch of salt and the 2 pinches of

cream of tartar. Slowly add the sugar

while beating the egg whites on medium-

high speed. Add the vanilla.

Whip the egg whites for a few

more minutes until they become firm and

glossy. When they are ready, the mixture

will hold a point on the beaters or a spatula

lifted out of the mixture.

Add the chocolate chips and

cherries by gently folding them into the

now glossy and thick mixture.

Put the cookies on cookie sheets

using 2 teaspoons, 1 to dip into the

mixture and the second to push the

mixture off the first and onto the cookie

sheet. Leave at least a few inches between

the cookies on the sheet.

Place the cookie sheets in the oven

and immediately turn the oven off. The

cookies are done after a few hours, but you

can leave them as long as overnight.

Edited by Michelle Campbell

& Jamie Marie Keller

Contact us at newsletter@jaxpagan.org

Winter Solstice Meditation

By: Melanie Crump

You and your friends are in a log

cabin, nestled in the forest. The warm

glow of the Yule log illuminates the cabin

as it burns in the stone fireplace.

Evergreens and other seasonal adornments

fill the cabin with a joyful spirit. The last

gift has been opened and feasting has

ended, but the sun has yet to break the

horizon. You decide to brave the cold and

go for a Yuletide hike in the forest to greet

the reborn Sun. Bundled up in your warm

winter gear, everyone heads outside into

the forest.

The air is cool, crisp, and clean as

you breathe in it. Everyone grabs a lantern

to guide the journey through the darkness.

The ground is covered in dry, brown oak

leaves that make a soothing swishing

sound as you walk. The only greenery in

the forest comes from the large, towering

evergreens. The Holly trees are alive and

you can hear them whisper in the cool

breeze of your struggles and tribulations.

Think upon the challenges and hardships

you have faced this past year and how you

dealt with each situation. See these

moments as learning experiences to help

you spiritually grow, become stronger, and

improve your decision making for the

future.

As you continue walking, the

ground starts to slope gently upward and

the holly trees start to thin and give way to

large oak trees. The barren oak trees

around you are silent in their deep

hibernation and appear to be reaching up

to the sky like hands reaching desperately

from the grave. You can see the sky more

and more through the leafless canopy and

it is starting to brighten. As dawn

approaches, you turn inward to focus on

your successes and revel in your good

choices. Contemplate why you yielded

positive results in these situations. See

roads and actions you can take to continue

to be successful in the future.

As you near the top, the sun breaks

on the horizon and fills the sky with

radiant colors. The air starts to warm as

the world is once again filled with the

loving embrace of the reborn Sun God.

You see with your mind's eye, the mighty

oaks growing green and rise up to reign

again during the light half of the year. Feel

yourself become strengthened by the

lessons you have learned this past year and

look forward to the coming year with

renewal and purpose!

As winter cradles the sleeping fields,

nourish your soul with gentle calm in the

dark months. This is a time for inner

reflection and making peace with your

heart. As Spring appears and warms the

earth, your fields of dreams will awaken

too. ~ A Celtic Inspiration

Egyptian Creation Myth

As Told By: Azurous

There is no sky, no light, there is

only water that goes on and on forever. It

rushes and crashes against itself and it has

been like this forever.

Now, at this very moment,

something will change; something is

waking. In the depths, a beacon of light

shoots forth like a flaming star. There, out

of the watery darkness is born a creature

of light; like a man afire; the one god, Ra

Atum.

Ra Atum thinks; he does not want

to be thrown around in this black water

and out of his thought the first land

emerges and the black waters roll back. He

sighs and surges on to the first beach to sit

on the hard ground.

Ra Atum looks about and realizes

he is all alone and is lonely. He begins to

think about a son and daughter. His

thoughts become sounds and he sneezes,

“Shu.” And there before him stands his

first son Shu. He coughs and spits water

from his mouth, “Tefnut.” And before him

stands his daughter Tefnut. They stand in

wonder and awe of their fiery father. They

step back, slip into the water, and are

immediately swept away. Ra Atum cries

out for his children, but they are lost in the

black churning of the water.

So, Ra Atum plucks one of his

fiery eyes from his head and it turns into a

goddess of light. Ra Atum sends her out

into the dark wastes to find Shu and

Tefnut. The eye flares into the dark and

quickly finds the children of Ra Atum and

brings them back. Oh then the great god

crys tears of joy.

But then the goddess sees he has

already regrown his eye. She begins to

weep with rage and jealousy. When Ra

Atum sees this, he turns her into a serpent

and she is happy with her new shape. She

loves her scales and sharp teeth; she

writhes and coils around Ra Atum's brow

like a shining crown. He lets her stay there

for she will guard him in times to come.

He names her Hathor the serpent who spits

fire.

As Ra Atum's love for his children

grows in his heart. so does the land around

them grow. Until the waters are pushed

further and further back. Thus the world is

born and time itself begins to run.

Kissing another underneath a spray of

mistletoe is not just a casual tradition of

modern times but also a continuation of

ancient folklore. Mistletoe was said to

have been used on an arrow to slain

Balder, the God of Peace. When his death

was avenged and his life restored, he gave

the mistletoe to the goddess of love; thus

it became a symbol of love and not hate.

Should another hesitate regarding your

intended gesture during the holiday season

when mistletoe is commonly used as

decoration, simply state that your

intention is only to honor the Goddess of

Love with a kiss for sparing the life of

Balder, the God of Peace

There’s More Than One Way to

Celebrate

By: Spider Sage

My family is all about celebrating

holidays. This time of year is especially

special to us because it is the only time

that the entire extended family is able to

get together in one place. Family comes in

from all over the country to gather and

spend time with one another. Each year we

have four generations under one roof. But

before we celebrate Christmas, my

immediate family first celebrates Yule.

To my family, Yule is a special

time to celebrate and enjoy together time.

Each year we put up a live tree with an

aroma so strong and beautiful that it fills

the entire house. We decorate with pine

cones, ornaments of suns and moons in

silver and gold, and homemade treasures

that remind us of family.

We make a homemade Yule log

that tastes even better than it looks and

make homemade wassail that cooks all

day in the slow cooker and leaves a

mouthwatering fragrance in your mouth in

anticipation of the evening festivities.

When it finally gets dark, we make

a fire and burn a Yule log. Then comes my

children’s favorite part….getting to open

presents four days before all of their

friends! Oh yes, they always brag to their

friends that because we celebrate Yule,

they get presents before anyone else. What

kid wouldn’t want that!

Once the Yule festivities are

complete, the extended family comes

together. It doesn’t matter how far away

they are living or how busy they are,

everyone makes it a point to get together

for Christmas. The extended family is not

religious, so we do not celebrate in the

traditional sense as the Christians do,

instead we use it as a time to be together

and catch up and share stories and food.

Beginning weeks before, everyone

takes advantage of the technological age to

email back and forth about who will bring

what food. And let me tell you, there is

plenty of food to feed the

neighborhood…literally! A few years back

several of the neighbor’s children who

weren’t having a special dinner joined our

family. It was extra special to share that

time with them.

To me, the holidays are all about

family and being together with loved ones.

I have watched cousins go from little

children not even in school yet, go through

school, and into college. I have watched

family go through wonderful times and

heartbreaking times. It is a special time to

be together, regardless of what each

person believes.

And oh yes, the children love

getting a second set of presents on

Christmas. What better way to celebrate

the holidays than by celebrating twice!

The whole land, every dale and glen,

weeps its long sorrow after the graceful

summer; no tree-top can do more, nor

weep leaves after that.

~ "Autumn," Thomas Nicholson, 19th

Century

Local Artist Spotlight

Matthew Nelson

The Power of Voice

By: Jayne Wolfe

Take a moment to reflect on how

you have used your voice today. Which

emotions did you use it to express? Did

you give someone reassurance or validate

a belief? Maybe a provoking question or

disapproving comment, maybe to impart a

valuable piece of information? Or maybe

you gave yourself joy by singing as loud

as you could in the car? And how much

did you laugh today?

Our voices can be our strongest

tool if we choose. As parents, a voice can

be the main line of communicating with

your child. The praise given for a beautiful

picture with a happy bouncy tone, or that

sound will all remember as your full name

is called out in tone that could only be

described as ominous?

I have worked with young people

in a number of different settings. In the

classroom, my voice was the most

valuable item. I could use it call attention

of a rowdy group of chatterbox’s. As I

explained the impact of prisoner of war

camps I made sure my words were very

deliberate and slow, trying to allow these

young minds to grasp onto the facts and

absorb the things that humans sometimes

choose to do to one another. In the

children’s home my voice became a tool to

give encouragement, praise, and discipline

and understanding that the young people

just didn’t get from the family home.

Nothing has touched me more than being

told by 15 year old resident, who was 8

months pregnant at the time, that she

missed the old way her mum used to be,

and then in the most honest and vulnerable

tone of voice there is, asked me could I

tuck her into bed tonight.

As Pagans we use our voices so

much! We sing and chant at ritual, giving

praise to the Goddess and the God, using

that moment, and those sounds to express

and connect. We so often are the voice of

nature, trying to stand up and stop

destruction. So many of my friends in the

UK are connecting their voices right now

and giving the badgers a voice, to try to

stop unnecessary culls. We spread the

word of the joy the world has to offer,

share stories and folklores, and expand

traditions for many years to come.

We also understand the importance

of silence. Taking 15 minutes to use our

inner voices, to talk kindly to ourselves

and focus on your inner self. Or to listen to

someone so intently they feel comfort in

your silence.

Our voices are an expression of

ourselves. As you go around today, try to

pay attention to how you use your voice,

how are you choosing to use it. Do you

use it shout, nag or complain? Do you use

it harshly to cause discomfort in others?

Do you show your passion as you share

information? Do you show love and

compassion in your tone?

Your voice is your reflection.

My Path?

By Stormy Okoto Sirene

I am new to this “formalized” craft.

And I use that term loosely for no better

explanation as you will see. Through

wonderful friends and teachers, I have

learned that it was and is my intentions

that count. So now I am learning the

rituals and protections to help me. (That's

the formalized part.) Ah, but I am getting

ahead of myself. One of the questions

always posed among pagans is “What is

your Path?” And that my friends, is what I

want to share with you …the journey to

the path to self-realization.

To better understand where we are

today, we must look at our past. So I will

give you a brief history. I grew up

Christian but always questioned the

“rules” and the Bible and thought there

was more to Jesus. I also have always been

in tune with nature and intrigued with the

ocean. As a young girl, my Dad instilled a

love and respect for nature and especially

the waters of this world. Our family

always had boats, were fishing or

crabbing, or at the beach. My Dad even

owned a marina.

I learned of a Great Great

Grandmother who was Native American.

As a young girl, I gained the name of

“Snake” because I learned to be so quiet in

the woods ….Duh, the better to watch and

hear the creatures of the forest. As I “grew

up”, I camped, did Girls Scouts as a girl,

and became a 4-H and Girl Scout Leader. I

had dogs, cats, chickens, goats and horses.

I loved the freedom of riding and

especially trail riding. I learned to scuba

dive and became a scuba instructor and led

trips to dive and share my underwater

world. I always had a boat and time on or

in the water and I live on a boat.

As a girl and teen, I also had

visions and spoke to spirits and loved to

play on the Ouija Board. This continued

through the birth of my children. Then it

seems that the physical life took over and I

pushed the spiritual life back. Although, I

did pay attention to my intuition … most

of the time.

But through it all, I stayed

connected to my Ocean, carried on my

fascination with mermaids, dolphins,

seahorses, Atlantis, and more. My most

peaceful times were walking on the beach

and collecting seashells or sitting in the

surf, feeling the pull and push tug of the

sea. Most of all I love to don my scuba

gear and go diving.

As I write this, I close my eyes and

see myself sitting on the Ocean floor in the

sand next to a huge coral head. I am

listening to the sounds of the reef and

watching the sea creatures going about

their lives. I am at total peace with myself

and my underwater world. Then to my

disappointment, I feel someone tap my

shoulder, point to his watch and then to the

boat overhead ...Darn, back to reality!

Then in the 90's, I started

performing my “sea ceremonies.” I did

weddings on the beach and on boats, did

boat denaming, and I did children and boat

namings, and blessings and a funeral ash

scattering on a dock. In these ceremonies,

I called upon Mother Ocean and Poseidon

and the four winds and on occasion

Grandmother Earth for their help and

blessing. Ok, Ok, I hear you saying

“Those are pagan rituals” …. yes, but I

didn't realize it then. Remember, Christian

and then …. Pagans equal devil

worshiping.

In the past two years, I began listen

to myself and felt something was missing.

I felt lost, not in touch with myself. A little

over a year ago, my nephew passed away

but I heard him at his funeral. He came to

me again this past summer and told me I

needed to give a message to his mom and

little sister. But before he left he said I

needed to “open up.” That confused me.

Then a couple of nights later, I dreamt of

my horse but this time she became a

unicorn and took me for a ride to the

ocean's edge. I knew of animal totems but

never applied to myself or thought about

the meanings of dreams. So the next day, I

got on the internet and looked up the

meanings of unicorns. This is what I felt

the unicorn was telling me …. I need to

travel to spiritual healing through self-

knowledge. I then had my epiphany. I

needed to find my spirituality and bring it

back into my life! That night my nephew

came to me again. He said nothing to me;

he just smiled and kissed me on the cheek.

So I decided to explore and found

out what I was doing was part of

paganism. I found out I was one of the

misinformed. I had learned the term

“Pagan” from Christian teaching and TV.

Wow, was I ever wrong and to think I was

practicing the craft for all these years. So

anyway, I kept on reading and reading. I

started with the internet. I bought a couple

books. One day when I was on Meet-Up, I

found a discussion group and joined. As I

was jumping around the internet like a

flittering butterfly, I read about mediation

and the benefits. I then found a place to

learn how to meditate and clear my mind

chatter.

But the more I read about

Paganism, the more confused I became

and not sure what was the right path for

me. Or even what is the right or wrong

way to do something. Where did I fit in?

I have met some fantastic people

on my journey so far. I've learned to

meditate, clear the mind chatter and even

to surround myself with a white light. I've

learned there is no right or wrong as long

as no harm is done. And mainly, it is the

intent that counts. I've been told to keep

reading and learning and when that way or

even that “Path” is right for you…. you

will feel it and know it.

In Part 2, I will continue to explore

the journey further and to reveal “The

Path” for me.

Blessed Be!

Local Artist Spotlight

Kay Floyd

Local Pagan Covens and Groups

Dark Waters Grove Senior Druid: Cuchulain ~ rafuseo@bellsouth.net

A grove of Neo-Pagan Druids promoting the Indo-

European traditions of our ancestors as part of the

Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF).

ADF is an international fellowship devoted to

creating a public tradition of Neopagan Druidry.

Group meetings are open to anyone, no matter

what your tradition or belief, pagan or not. We

hope to gain a better understanding about Druidry,

and facilitate an understanding that although we are

different, we are still equal. In our grove, every

member is equal and has an equal voice.

www.thedarkwaters.com

facebook.com/pages/Dark-Waters-Grove-

ADF/221124791241455

Coven Lia Fail High Priestess: Lady Rae Blackhood (Boca Raton)

High Priest: Fiann Beorn (Orange Park)

(904) 813-2599

Coven Lia Fail is a Gardnerian Coven co-located in

Boca Raton and Orange Park. The Coven is

currently interested in new members who desire to

learn Traditional Wiccan teachings. Prospective

students should be serious about their beliefs and

desire to learn. Only those 18 years of age or older

will be considered. Students meet weekly for

instruction and must be willing to participate fully

in a year and a day course. Only those successfully

completing the course of instruction will be

considered for initiation into the Coven.

facebook.com/coven.liafail

Jacksonville CUUPS Coordinators: Cuchulain & Nikki

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

(CUUPS) is an open organization dedicated to

networking Pagan-identified Unitarian

Universalists (UUs), educating people about

Paganism, promoting interfaith dialogue,

developing Pagan liturgies and theologies, and

supporting Pagan-identified UU religious

professionals. We are located at the Buckman

Bridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

www.bbuuc.org

meetup.com/Jacksonville-CUUPS/

facebook.com/JacksonvilleFlCuups

South East Kindred Godhi ~ Justin “Magnus” Robson

info@sekindred.org

We are a Folkish Kindred in the Jacksonville area

looking to not only grow the Folk around us, but

also be a service to the general community by

providing networking and information to those

who request it. We are a full member Kindred of

the Asatru Alliance and hold multiple events (both

open and private) in the local area.

http://www.sekindred.org/

https://www.facebook.com/SEKindred

Walking Moon Witan Shrine Eva Cummings – Priestess

David Cummings – High Priest

pantherrose@gmail.com

We are a Witan Shrine in the Correllian Tradition.

Please visit our website for more information. Our

open classes are post in our Meetup Group.

http://walkingmoon.com/

meetup.com/Walking-Moon-Witan-Shrine-

Correllian-Tradition/

Sanctuary: Realms of Spiritual Growth Keeper & Pagan Minister: Azurous -

ashriakok@gmail.com

We are an eclectic Pagan group that focuses on the

education and practice of Paganism and

Metaphysics. Throughout the year, we host

spiritual discussions, classes, Reiki shares, and

rituals. For those needing Pagan ministry services,

we offer handfasting, counseling, death rites, house

cleansings, and more! To support the greater

community, education, charity, and activism, we

developed Jacksonville’s Pagan Pride Alliance,

Inc. and host the annual Jacksonville’s Pagan Pride

Day!

http://www.meetup.com/SanctuaryRSG/

facebook.com/groups/313227025433322/

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