VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2

POTMCS

MO O NWI SE
SPRING 2012

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSBY: LAUREN P.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

UPCOMING EVENTS

REINCARNATION

TAROT ADVICE

RECIPE

This spring has seen some interesting weather. In fact it has been cooler than usual, and we have had less severe weather than normal. 2011 was a record year for severe storms and tornadoes in North Carolina and the Piedmont Triad. I want to make sure the community is prepared to handle a disaster at any time of the year, but especially as we prepare for summer storms and hurricane season that we do not forget the basics.

Twitter pages for immediate updates. Make sure you check the weather forecast before planning outdoor activities.

Make a Plan. Make an emergency plan and practice it with your family. Make sure you have cell phone numbers of extended family and you plan for pets. Always evacuate with your pet! Some county and city human shelters take pets, but Red Cross shelters do not. Make sure you know what to do in case of bad weather, fires, earthquakes, or a chemical hazard.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Be informed! Get a NOAA weather radio available almost everywhere, from CVS and Walmart to home improvement stores. Subscribe to FEMAs Twitter page and Forsyth Countys

emergency care kit for everyone in your household, including your pets. Make sure you have 3 days worth of water and food at minimum, including pet food. Pack extra medications, all medications, flashlights, blankets, and other items such as important papers. Make sure you add cash just in case. Check your kit every 3 months to check for expired food and to update any information or paperwork as needed. For additional information, go to www.ready.org www.readyforsyth.org www.fema.gov

Prepare a Kit. Prepare an all year round use of an

DID YOU KNOW? We have a coupon box! Take or leave a coupon before and after each event. We would also appreciate coupon donations as well. We have brought back the Free Cycle. Bring your unwanted items and give them away!

UPCOMING EVENTS
June 29 Lauren P. is hosting a Color Therapy Ritual and Healing Session. There will be a mini briefing of colors and their importance to your health. The handout from her previous workshop is on the document page of the POTMC website, potmc.weebly.com Children welcome! July 27 Sacred Sexuality hosted by Josh. Explore the controversial topic as it relates to Magick and Pagan religions in history and modern day. More information is on our website. 18 and up only please. August 31 Spirit of Albion movie screening hosted by Eric S.

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REINCARNATIONBY: SANDRA DUPREE

Ask someone their thoughts on death and you'll get varied answers. However, if you look closely at the answers, especially those from non-Pagans, more than likely you'll find one theme that seems to overshadow all else. Fear. Fear of death, of what will happen to them after death, and of the process itself. This is a fear that is the product of a million years of conditioning. For thousands of years, most of the world has lived under religions that are essentially feardriven. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism. A basic tenet of them all being if you are sinful, you will be punished. If you do not obey the laws, you'll pay. If you behave "evilly" in this life, you will suffer the consequences when life is over. Now, if you're living in a hut or a tent, and have no food to eat, the teachings of these religions might be a comfort to you. They offer a prospect of "heaven", a reward, even if it is after death. There's something to hope for, as long as you live without what the church deems as sin. If you are "god-fearing", you'll obey the religious laws and reap your reward. And so, amidst all the misery of your condition, you live with fear as well. This, in my opinion, was one of the original concepts behind the organized, patriarchal religions. Today, most of us do not live such squalid lives. We have food to eat, good homes, luxury even. We have the opportunity for "heaven" in our everyday lives. But the fear is still with many. There is continuous worry over living right and avoiding sin. And it is this fear that keeps so many from enjoying their lives right now. It holds them back from their true potential in this life. Unfortunately, humans are like that. We tend to keep on under conditions that are less than ideal, because we cannot conceive of, or because we fear, something different. We grow attached to our neuroses, clinging to the familiar life of fear and misery. So what does all of this have to do with reincarnation? The belief in reincarnation frees us from the fear. Believing that this life is only one in a series, and knowing that not punishment, but rest and reflection await us upon death, gives one an incredible sense of freedom. Once you discover that life is eternal, nothing can stop you from being joyful now. We do not need to fear death, as it is only another life transition. If we do not fear death then there is no need to worry about what tomorrow will bring. The Pagan belief in reincarnation is the crux of all the other beliefs. We are able to love, to learn, practice tolerance, and find harmony. We are free to pursue our own path, striving for the enlightenment that will continue in our next life and our next. We travel the path from mundane to divine without fear. The encompassing symbol of our faith is that of life renewed through the Mother, that of birth and rebirth. Contrast this with a religion whose symbol is one of death and it is like day and night. Embrace your life, take from it all the joy you can. See each day as a chance to learn and to grow and to love. And when the time comes, there is no need to fear death. For it is but another path that opens up to us and another step toward the divine.

Fear...in my opinion, was one of the original concepts behind the organized, patriarchal religions.

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TAROT ADVICEBY: ETHONY DAWN

Even though I have been working with the Tarot for over 10 years I still often wonder why certain people get Tarot readings. There are as many different ways of reading the cards as there are Tarot Readers. There are those readers who are not psychic at all and will not carry out predictive readings and use the Tarot as more of a self reflective and counselling tool. Then there are the readers who are very intuitive and use their developed psychic abilities to conduct their readings, as well as utilizing their knowledge of the Tarot Cards. Some readers never learn the 'traditional' meanings of the cards and only use their intuition to read with them and others will only use what they have learnt about the cards, opting not to colour outside the lines. So with the myriad of Tarot Readers out there with their own styles, and peoples own preconceived ideas of the Tarot, it can be a little hard at times to find a good match of reader and Client. Try and get recommended to a reader if you can; that is usually a good way of finding a genuine person. There is nothing wrong with asking a reader how they read the cards and what methods they use. I have been asked out right if I am psychic or if I am able to connect with people who have passed away and I would much rather have things all out in the open before hand. Here are some of my regular Clients I have had over the years who have left me wondering why they have even bothered to come to me for a reading. The people who want to be entertained by hidden messages or want you to prove in five seconds that you are psychic are the CRITICS and why they are even bothering coming to a Tarot Reader is beyond me. I am NOT a carnival entertainer and anyone who says something along the lines of 'You are "psychic" you tell me' I have no interest in entertaining even if I can knock their socks off with information. Now CRITICS are different to people who are just trying to suss you out, if someone is a little unsure, more often than not a great reading outcome can be achieved. CRITICS are unmovable and closed off completely. Then there is the Client I like to call PRINCESS. PRINCESS wants you to tell her EXACTLY what she/he wants to hear and that is all. 'Sure the married man you are having an affair with is going to leave his wife and ride off with you into the sunset. Of course he won't cheat on you in the future. Yes, you will be married within the next 2 years and pregnant with your first child with your dream man' are all lines that the PRINCESSES of the world want and expect to be told, even if it is not in the cards. We all like to hear words of positive reinforcement and to receive good news but the PRINCESS only wants to have their vision of the future told to them. The BILL MURRAY (get it, Lost in Translation!) Client is someone who pretends to be listening to what you are saying and then gives you the information right back all WRONG. BILL has been listening to the pieces that they only want to hear and then quickly discards the rest. A lot of BILL's only want to know the outcome and are not interested in what they may have to do to achieve it. BILL wants to know that they are going to find the person and job of their dreams, but they don't want to know about the self development they may need to undertake to get those things. Other times it can be just as plain that they have not understood the message of the reading at all. The TALKER comes to you and does just that, talks. They seem more interested in telling you all about their issues than really having you help them at all. Talking can be very cathartic so I can understand this completely. Most Tarot readers are not counselors or psychiatrists, but I guess just sometimes people need a stranger to talk to. The PEANUT GALLERY is the person who comes to a reading, looks at the cards and starts to interoperate them in their own way. While this can work to some degree it can also be completely counter productive. If The Lovers appears in a reading it doesn't always mean a romantic relationship and it can really mess up a persons mojo if they are using their intuitive and psychic talents to receive messages when the person opposite is giving you their own reading.

Then there is the Client I like to call PRINCESS. PRINCESS wants you to tell her EXACTLY what she/he wants to hear and that is all.

What gets me about some people is that they have come to a Tarot reader and paid money only to walk out of the reading pretty much where they came in. When this happens I can only hope that for the brief period of time I have been with them their higher selves may have been listening. The people that I have mentioned above are actually the minority and most of the time readings are a great experience. For all of those people who are reading this and thinking about getting a reading at some point in their lives by a Tarot reader, I ask you to be open, really listen, take some time to consider what you want out of the reading and enjoy the experience. Ethony Dawn is an Australian tarot and New-Age blogger who writes about Tarot and Wicca. She is willing to take any questions or clients at ethony.tarot@gmail.com

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Need to contact us? Want to be a part of the community? Have questions, comments or concerns? Look no further than our suggestion box at potmc.weebly.com Were on Twitter and were on Facebook! Look for us!

Experts wanted! THAT MEANS YOU! We are currently looking for experts in areas of Astrology, Animal Communication, the Paranormal, and many more! Send articles to moonwisenewsletter@yahoo.com

VEGAN BANANA BREADPHILLIP MAYES

In March, the POTMC sampled this delicious bread. Ingredients: 2 Cups all purpose flour 3/4 Cup pure cane sugar 1/2 Cup dark brown sugar 1/2 Cup soy or almond milk 2 Cups mashed banana 1/4 Cup canola oil 3/4 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl sift together flour, cane sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl mix soy milk and vinegar and let stand for 2 minutes. Then add mashed banana, canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add the first bowl (dry ingredients) to the second bowl (wet ingredients) and mix until combined. Do not over mix just need ingredients combined. Bake in a greased loaf pan for 1 hour or until a knife/toothpick comes out clean. Turn out immediately and let cool on a rack.

Our Mission: Path of the Moon Collective is a networking organization founded in 1996 by Triad area Pagans. Our goal is to serve the Triad area Pagan community by coordinating opportunities for fellowship, education, and celebration. We are not a Tradition, Coven, Grove, etc We are a cooperative association of celebratory circles, covens and solitary practitioners from a variety of Earth Spirited traditions coming together for the mutual benefit of all Pagans of the Triad area by sharing experience. It is not the intent of Path of the Moon Collective to be anyone's primary spiritual home, but rather to be place for like -minded people to connect and find their own Paths more easily.