Laura Perry's Blog, page 12

Taking a Deep Breath

It's been an unsettling year. Many people are reeling from the Brexit vote, the American presidential election, the various natural and human upheavals around the world, even the sudden cluster of celebrity deaths. In my household this year, we ran through a spate of very unusual computer problems followed by serious health issues that culminated in major surgery.And of course, the weather's being weird: Here in Georgia, our first frost is over two weeks late and half the trees still have all their leaves on them. There are over 10,000 acres of wildfires still smoldering in north Georgia, western North Carolina, and east Tennessee, with the smoke drifting all the way down to Atlanta where we're under a Code Red for air quality today. Not your typical year.Even people who aren't normally sensitive to the energy around them are feeling the totality of it all. But for those of us who are sensitive, it's positively overwhelming. So what am I doing to keep an even keel in this storm?That photo up top is my set of runes. I made them from a branch I cut off one of our hazel trees, and they serve me well. But I'm not using them for divination. All the eddies in the quantum foam (apologies to Michael Crichton) are making divination a little dicey for me right now. Even my trusty Tarot cards are telling me to just take a deep breath and quit trying to see where it's all going.So that's what I'm doing: Taking a deep breath. Well, not literally, at least not outdoors (wildfire smoke, don't you know). But I'm not going to do anyone any good if I'm freaking out, allowing myself to become hysterical, allowing my "lizard brain" to take over so I can't think rationally or hear my Little Voice.I know there's still a path forward. I just can't see it, and that's scary. I'm Indiana Jones, waiting to take a step out over the abyss. We all are. We have to trust that the bridge is there, that we won't plummet into the deep if we dare to move forward.So for now, I'm using those runes to ground myself. I'm picking one at random each day and letting it guide me, letting it gently direct my thoughts toward what's here right now, not what might be, not what I'm afraid could happen, but just what's solid that I can hold onto in this moment. Because that's what I need: something to hold onto. It's there, but sometimes it's hard to sense when all around is in chaos.If you have some kind of meditation or divination tool that you use, like Tarot or runes, you might give this method a try. Heck, you could even randomly pick words from the dictionary or colored pencils from your art supplies. Then let the item you choose nudge you toward what's here, what's solid, what you can hold onto as we speed forward along this roller coaster ride.Because we can't get off the roller coaster. But if we have something to hold onto, maybe we can get through the scariest parts with a tiny bit more ease.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

Who were the gods of ancient Crete?

Modern Minoan Paganismmay not be a reconstructionist tradition, but we do need something stable on which to build our practice. One thing we can do is reach back in time to discover the names of the gods and goddesses recorded at the end of Minoan civilization, on clay tablets that were accidentally fired when the great temple complexes of ancient Crete burned down. Today I begin this journey with a single goddess, one whose name you already know.Who were the gods of ancient Crete?To join the conversation about Modern Minoan Paganism and ancient Minoan civilization, head on over toAriadne's Tribe, our welcoming community on Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

The Writer's Life: On Being a Jill of All Trades

Either you do it yourself or you pay someone to do it for you, and sometimes both. That's pretty much the way it works these days.What the heck am I talking about? Being a writer, of course. Way back when I was a naive, innocent little writer wannabe, I had some grandiose notions about sitting in front of my typewriter (yes, I'm that old) and punching out stories, novels, fabulous words strung one after another that people would just be dying to read. And not having to do anything else except sit in front of that typewriter. Ha.So I honed my craft. I read everything I could get my hands on, from wonderful fiction to how-to-write-a-great-novel books. I took workshops and classes. I wrote, edited, scrapped it, and wrote some more. Eventually I reached a place where I felt confident putting my work "out there" where others could see it and maybe, just maybe, want to read it.My first two books, published way back in2001and2003, were pretty easy from my end. I wrote them, even drew the illustrations for them, but the publisher took care of everything else, including handing me a tidy advance, editing the manuscript, doing all the marketing, and setting me up for interviews.But the Big World and the publishing world have changed a lot since then. The economy ain't what it used to be. Unless you're J.K. Rowling or a similar big name, there are no more advances to be had. Publishers are stretched as thin as other businesses. They do their best but there's only so much they can offer any more.So when I publishedAriadne's Threadin 2013, I knew I'd have to put a lot of effort into marketing the book myself in addition to what myawesome publisherdid. And every book I've finished since then -a novel, anothernon-fiction title about Modern Minoan Paganism, and acoloring book- have been monumental tasks. I did all the writing and the art myself, as I had with previous books. But I typeset the manuscript myself, formatting the print and e-book editions (I alsodo this professionallyfor other authors, but somehow it's a drag doing it for my own work!). I paid and/or bartered for help with the editing and the covers. And then I took a deep breath and dove in to all the marketing.No, I don't expect to be another J.K. Rowling, ever. I don't expect to get to quit myday job. And I'll never stop writing. But sometimes I find myself wishing I'd been born a few decades earlier, in a time when I might have had a chance to make a small but real living off my writing, niche though it is.Yes, I know exactly how far wishful thinking will get me. But that's how the world is now compared to how it used to be. In just a decade and a half I've seen some big changes, and it's not going to get any easier. So I do my best to support my fellow authors just as they support me, and I remind myself that I do this because I love it, even if parts of it are very hard work.And when budding writers ask me what they can do to break into the industry, I usually say, "Expect to work harder for this than you ever have for anything else." But then, that's what we writers do, because we have to. Because it's in our blood and our bones, and we can't do anything else.

Honoring the Dead: Modern Minoan Seasonality

Here in the northern hemisphere we're heading toward Samhain, a time to honor the ancestors. The Minoans didn't celebrate Samhain - theirsacred calendaris pretty different from the modern neopagan Wheel of the Year - but they did do some things that look an awful lot like our modern Samhain celebrations. To find out more, head on over to my Minoan Path blog:Honoring the Dead: Modern Minoan SeasonalityIf you'd like to join the conversation about Modern Minoan Paganism, head on over to our welcoming community atAriadne's Tribeon Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen!

Minoan Birds: Goddess on the Wing

The Minoans were great artists. They depicted birds and other animals so accurately that we can identify the specific species in the frescoes and on the pottery from ancient Crete. But they also created images of birds that don't make any sense realistically: bird heads on human women, birds with breasts...but perhaps these weren't meant to be real birds. Perhaps the Minoans worshiped a Bird Goddess, an aspect of the Mother Goddess as she flies through the air or descends from the heavens. Find out more in this week'sMinoan Pathblog post:Minoan Birds: Goddess on the WingTo join the conversation about ancient Crete and Modern Minoan Paganism, head on over toAriadne's Tribe.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

A Bit of a Rant: The Minoans weren't Greek!

In case you hadn't noticed, the Minoans of ancient Crete are very much my thing. I'm a bit obsessed, having written two books and created a coloring book and a Tarot deck with Minoan themes. In the process of feeding that obsession, I've studied a lot about the Minoans. I'm no expert but I'm pretty well informed. One of the most common misconceptions I come across when I talk with people about the Minoans is that a lot of people think they were Greek. No, in fact, they weren't. Here's my explanation of who they were, where they came from, and why people continue to mistake them for Greeks:A Bit of a Rant: The Minoans weren't Greek!To join the discussion about Modern Minoan Paganism, hop on over to our welcoming community atAriadne's Tribeon Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

Calling to the Gods: Some Things Never Change

I was going to write an article about the Pleiades in Minoan spirituality and culture for today’s blog, but the research time for that got pre-empted by the fact that my husband was hospitalized and then had major surgery. I promise to write about the Pleiades later. But the whole surgery-and-hospital thing got me thinking about the role of the gods in our lives and how that has changed—or hasn’t—since ancient times.My husband just had surgery for diverticulitis, a problem he’s had for a couple of years now. Just a century ago, before antibiotics were available, the first bout of it would have killed him. But with antibiotics and modern medicine, he managed to out-wrangle the condition and may have kicked it for good.In many ways, we have life a lot easier than our ancestors did. The Minoans may have had paved streets, enclosed sewers, and flush toilets but they didn’t have antibiotics. Something as simple as an abscessed tooth would have been deadly. Many of the common occupations back then—farming, fishing, smithing—would have been quite dangerous. And without an understanding of germs and contagion, many diseases would have appeared to be some sort of evil magic, spreading invisibly from place to place. So when their (actually quite extensive) herbal medicine wasn’t up to the task, the only place they could turn was to the gods.I’m not saying the ancient Minoans were superstitious idiots. Far from it. They had herbal medicine so advanced that the Egyptians copied down their recipes in papyri that still survive today. Most ancient societies had practitioners who knew how to set bones and deliver babies. But life was still pretty scary in many ways. Many, possibly most, Minoan homes had shrines and altars to the gods and ancestors. The people prayed to them and petitioned them for help in everyday matters and in matters of life-or-death.As I sat there in the hospital, praying to the gods and ancestors with whom I have relationships and waiting for the medical staff to come tell me my husband’s surgery was over, it occurred to me that life is still pretty damn scary in a lot of ways. It’s true, I don’t have to worry about dying of pneumonia (thank heavens for penicillin!) and I safely delivered two babies via c-section when I might have died trying to deliver them vaginally. But there are still wars (yeah, someone fix that, would you?) and people still get sick or injured in life-threatening ways. People still die of stuff other than old age and natural causes. And that will probably always be the case.In spite of our iPhones and space stations, life is still scary and we still need someone/something bigger than us to call on, to lean on, to get us through those hard times. For me, that’s Ariadne, Dionysus, and my ancestors. For other people, the names will be different. But underneath all the technology and the shininess, people are still the same. And thankfully, the gods and goddesses are still hanging with us through it all, good and bad.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

Excuse Astrology: A bit of a rant

I’ve been doing astrology in one form or another for years. I first learned to draw a chart with pencil, paper, a printed ephemeris, and a calculator back in the late 1970s. Since then I’ve moved on to software of various sorts (the free charts atastro.comare a great place to start if you’re interested). And of course, my ability to interpret charts has improved a lot with practice.But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed in all those years, and it drives me nuts. I call itExcuse Astrology.You’ve probably heard people say stuff like this: “I’m not a tightwad, really. I just have Jupiter square Uranus so I can’t be generous—it’s not possible. You’ll just have to get used to that.”Or this: “You think I’m aloof and uncaring? No, my Venus is conjunct my Saturn so I have really high standards, that’s all. You need to understand that and learn to live up to those standards.”Or this: “I’m a Libra. We’re naturally indecisive, so you can’t expect me to be any different.”These are all excuses. Now, before you start howling about how judgmental I’m being, bear with me for a little explanation.A natal chart shows what kinds of astrological influences were at work when you were born. Let me repeat that: It’s what you’re born with. What you start with. Not what you’re doomed to be stuck with for the rest of your life. Unless you don’t feel like bothering with the work of personal growth and change.If I’m not terribly coordinated or graceful, I can take dance classes or learn a martial art. If I’m uncomfortable with public speaking, I can join a group that will help me get past those issues. If I stink at keeping my finances in order, there are books and classes for that, too. Sure, I’ll get some sympathy if I mention these problems once or twice, but if I continually complain about something like this when I could choose to put in some effort and make a change, people will eventually run out of patience with me.Then why are we so quick to nod and offer our sympathy for the stuff that shows up in our natal charts as if it were some kind of dooming lifelong prophecy?I suspect many people don’t realize that it isn’t all set in stone. The way a lot of astrologers word things, you’d think that whatever you’re born with is it—you can never change. That sure would make life easy, wouldn’t it? We’d never have to put in any effort. There would be a handy excuse ready for relationship problems, difficulties at work, and all those other challenges we face throughout our lives.But it’s just that: an excuse.Sure, nobody’s perfect. No number of self-help books and spirituality classes will ever make any of us perfect. But that’s no excuse for sitting on your butt and not even trying to overcome any of those issues. Yes, it takes effort. That's kind of what life is about, you know.What’s in your natal chart is your starting place. Where you go from there is up to you.

Ancient Crete Was No Utopia

It's really tempting to idealize the ancient societies that are the basis of our spirituality. After all, we're good people, so we want them to be good as well. But what counts as "good" varies from one culture to another, from one age to another. And some of the things that went on in ancient Crete during Minoan times would be quite shocking to the modern world. Find out the details in today's Minoan Path blog post:Ancient Crete Was No UtopiaIn spite of the negatives, there are still plenty of positives we can take away from the Minoans to support our modern spirituality. To join the conversation about Modern Minoan Paganism, head on over toAriadne's Tribeon Facebook.

Win a copy of my new novel!

I've just published my second novel,The Bed, and I'mgiving away two free copiesto celebrate! What's it about? It's a novel about ghosts, magic, demons, angels...and old furniture. The main character's name is Liz.Liz just wants a happy birthday. Is that too much to ask? A beautiful antique bed: Her birthday present to herself. The nice delivery men set it up in her bedroom and then all Hell breaks loose. Literally.Her family is the usual pain in the you-know-where and her boyfriend starts asking difficult questions, all on her birthday. But the ghost of her new bed’s former owner is the biggest problem of all. When it turns out he’s not basking in the glow of a happy afterlife, Liz must face some really nasty adversaries to help him. Why on earth would she risk her life and her sanity to help a ghost? Certainly not because she’s in love with him.Certainly not.So head on over to thegiveaway on Goodreadsand enter to win. You have until October 6 to get in on the action!