FOGS MIDWinter Newsletter’ December 2003/ January 2004: Volume XV-1

Sine umbra nihil

Well-wishing for a new year is what we do in the Northeast when the calendar points to January. It was always so. Or was it?

In Gregorian, we count this 2004. It is already 5764 Jewish time. In a month (February 2004) it will be the Chinese year of the Monkey; on February 22 Islam moves into 1425. For Sikhs, new year (536) comes just before vernal equinox when Hindus (2061) and Persians (1383) celebrate, just as we used to before the Julian calendar adjusted new year from March to January.

Ethiopia still runs on the Julian calendar, which served most of the western world until 1752 or thereabouts, depending on one’s allegiance. Russia was slow to make the change, but that is no surprise to the Clavie Crew of Burghead (Moray) or to the fireball-swingers of Stonehaven, Kincardineshire. They still run on Julian time.

Burning clavie atop flaming 'Doorie' (fire altar) at Burghead; running on Julian calendar time

On Hogmanay night Steenhivers have a street party to end all street parties. Whereas Burghead (annually January 11) only spills combustible materials over the shoulders of Clavie-bearers, Stonehaven delights in spinning fire in clumps into the unwary crowd.

When Scotland changed calendars in 1752, there was much misunderstanding in the country districts – the loss of 11 days seen as having robbed them of important events. At that time, clavie-burning and local celebrations to mark the return of the light after midwinter were commonplace in all the northern and northeastern ports. Now only two remain holding to tradition from an earlier time, Burghead most precisely still counting its lost 11 days.

Fire for the clavie is ritually kindled from a peat ember – no match is used. Clavie king and crew dispense flaming brands from burning tar-barrel as tokens of abundance to important burghers, publican included! They circle the town sunwise and the final free-for-all happens after the clavie has been fixed to its fire-altar, the doorie, on a rib of the old Pictish ramparted stronghold, and left to die. Julian indeed.

Yggdrasil:the world tree

Every culture, beginning with the Polynesians, had its ‘world tree’, a great being of life and knowledge which connected through its forever-turning axis the heavens, earth and the nether realms.

It is to Norse myth that we owe a debt for transmitting the name Yggdrasil: an ash, at whose three roots were sacred fountains ‘of wondrous virtue’, and in whose branches sit an eagle (international symbol of visionary power), a squirrel (symbolic of activity and preparedness), and four stags (innocence and return to wilderness).

In our original state of grace the world and the heavens, time and space, were one, held in hologram by this great turning spindle, but then chaos intervened.

In Scandinavia, this great gyroscope or ‘mill’ was thrown into the deep, now forever grinding sand and stones, creating whirlpools and hurricanes. Greek Kronos/Chronos the Titan, child of heaven and earth – Ouranos and Gaia – after emasculating his father and throwing the great pole into the sea, became father of the gods. Romans separated the two into Saturn and Time, but the original dual concept was intentional.

It was left to subsequent generations who believed their ancestors to have been gods, to try to make sense of a universe spinning progressively out of kilter, a fact seen in the Greek ‘royal science’ of astronomy in the steady precession of the equinoxes: a cosmic mill forever churning stars which no longer return to their ‘right time’. The tree had been uprooted by giants and only heroes with like powers might replicate the act.

In Finland and India, it is called a mill from Sampo, Sanskrit skambha, in England it is an oak or mythic Excalibur extracted only by a ‘true’ prince.

In Northeast Scotland until at least 1945, sacred wells were still complemented by the presence of an ash, though uprooting it appears not to be part of the legend until the coming of bulldozers in modern development. That aside, if the discovery of ‘Seahenge’ in 2003 off the East Anglian coast connects us to our ancestors at all, it is through the ritual of a massive oak, carefully-placed upside-down, huge roots exposed to the heavens, within a sacred precinct of guardian tree-stumps at a place where earth and ocean meet.

Might we not be seeing some vestige of that ancient rite conceived by man to right his Universe and return it to that golden age (Virgil’s Saturnia regna) before the fall, when time was eternal and heaven-and-earth were one?
©MCY2004-2009

Winter Wonders

Several years occur when midwinter full moon does not completely tie in with solstitial sunset: 2003 was one of those years*. Full moonrise nevertheless was an impressive sight at two recumbent stone circles on either side of the Garioch plain: at Easter Aquhorthies (NJ733 208) and the Barra RSC (older country name for Bourtie, NJ801 249) where FOGS stalwarts braved the winter’s first storm to witness a lunar prelude to the darkest days. On December 8th, nearly two weeks before the shortest day, the full moon rose, regular as a cosmic clock, at the moment of sunset over the whitened slope of Crocker hill (compare our solar eclipse point in June n/l XIV-2). It is the same point for each circle, as both appear to be aligned on this double axis of solstitial summer sun and winter moon.
*at 2009 archive transcribing; full moon rose at same point on December 2nd

While the sunset is obscured at Aquhorthies by the lie of the land, it has full view of rising moon. In contrast at Barra, sunset is fully visible over Mount Keen (at latitude 57ºN this is 223º), but moonrise takes another five minutes to materialize on the Crocker (at 43º or NNE).

There may be another link between the two RSCs which time forgot. From the Easter Aquhorthies recumbent an alignment towards Barra and moonrise leads the eye directly over the huge red-jasper sentinel at the modern ‘entrance’. It is not a large leap in imagination to connect its fiery red with a dyiing sun.

What has not previously been noted is the presence of pink quartz in a NNE vector-like scatter in the two fields leading from the Barra circle upslope to the ‘moonrise’ rock (the ‘Bellman’, also sunrise rock in our previously noted summer newsletter) at 600 ft/185m, Barra has substantial quantities of white quartz stones ringing it radially in all other directions, but the NNE scatter is decidedly more pink: a synchronicity perhaps unnoticed by many of us, but not without apparent significance to the circle-builders.

©2003-2009 MCYoungblood

Sacred Journey
Lawrence Main, peripatetic extraordinaire, is making a sacred journey throughout Britain. He plans to spend three nights on Bennachie in Aberdeenshire as part of his communion with the earth, thanking the Mither for her part in holding a vision of what this ancient stronghold and Pictish kingdom meant to its people. We do not publish his dates, for privacy, but wish him well on his pilgrimage.

Perfection of a nation lies in the imperfection of individual.

Jessica Brooklyn Vicious

Had myself a good ole time singing along with Ella Fitzgerald. I sang along at the end of the subway platform, tapping my feet and wiggling my butt, not caring if anyone saw me. My eyes welled up with her pained rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me” and I could picture her lecturing the ne’er do wells of my romantic past in “Goody-Goody. “

Singing off-key to Ella felt in some ways like prayer.

Seven times a day, monks and nuns around the world chant the psalms. That’s usually what they are singing if you hear Gregorian Chant. The reason they chant the psalms is that the psalms are a poetic manifestion of every human expression: hatred, despair, jubilation, longing, desire, etc. By chanting the psalms, the monastics claim, they are tapping into every human heart and lifting that collective heart up to God. They pray for those who don’t pray.

And this is what Ella did for me yesterday. The Great American Song book, a sacred text like any other, contains that same human  capacity for love, fear and joy.  Singing jazz hits is a spiritual exercise, where we plugging ourselves into human suffering and turning it over to the Universe. Ella’s music is divine in many ways…

Shaykh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid | Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 10 | Size: 1 MB
Praise be to Allaah Alone and blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no Prophet. The Standing  Committee on Academic Research and Issuing Fatwaas has reviewed the many questions and requests for fatwaas  submitted to His Excellence the Grand Mufti and forwarded to the Standing Committee from the general trust of the  Council of Senior ‘Ulamaa’ (no. 3825, dated 21/7/1420 AH). People have asked questions concerning the rulings on  paying attention to and celebrating the European (Gregorian) millenium, and others matters pertaining to this  event. It is sufficient for us to quote just two of the questions asked: In the first question, it is asked:  “Nowadays we are seeing media reports about the events and preparations leading to the Year 2000 CE and the  beginning of the third millenium. The kuffaar, Jews, Christians and others, are excited about this and are pinning  great hopes on this event. My question, O respected Shaykh, is this: some so-called Muslims are also showing  interest in this event and regard it as an auspicious time for getting married or doing certain things. Some of  them are advertising this event in their stores and companies etc., in ways that are offensive to Muslims. What is  the shar’i ruling on respecting this occasion, showing an interest in it, exchanging greeting on this occasion –  whether verbally or by sending cards – etc.? May Allaah reward you with much good on behalf of Islam and the  Muslims.”

-

Download From IslamFuture

Download From MegaUpload

-

No Password

Dziwny trochę to pomysł – wziąć popowe i rockowe piosenki i przerobić je na wersje, śpiewane przez chór. A do tego, żeby nie było za nudno i jednostajnie – dorzucić akompaniujący zespół i oczywiście stosowną oprawę – szaty, latarnie, dymy i stonowane światła. W każdym razie idea, choć moim zdaniem średnio trafiona, zdobyła sobie popularność, o czym świadczy frekwencja w Sali Kongresowej.

“Bracia” z Gregorian wystąpili w Polsce na dwóch koncertach. Ten pierwszy, w piątek 13 listopada miałem okazję fotografować. Uwaga – byłem jedynym fotografem . Więc foty tylko tu i oczywiście w galerii na WP.

Gregorian w Sali Kongresowej/kliknij na zdjęcie, aby zobaczyć całą galerię

Gregorian w Sali Kongresowej

Gregorian w Sali Kongresowej

Gregorian w Sali Kongresowej

“Urlandu-mi” acum piesa in boxe imi dau seama ca se potriveste foarte bine pentru un articol al meu de pe blogul oficial. Articolul il puteti vedea aici si unii l-au catalogat ca si un fel de premonitie a mea. este vorba de ultimul meu articol scris inainte de accidentul nasol pe care l-am avut anul trecut. Am aflat abia de curand ca pe acel articol cand situatia era inca destul de “albastra” in ceea ce ma priveste, mama a suferit destul de mult. Dar ca sa las povestile iata piesa care canta

si originalul dupa care s-a luat

Cred ca piesa aceasta ar merge mult mai bine pentru povestea respectiva, pe care am scris-o intr-un alt articol si imi dau seama ca melodia selectata in acel articol se potriveste totusi prea putin cu intamplarea. In schimb “If I Close My Eyes Forever” este mult mai buna. Oricum nu voi schimba piesa respectiva ci daor o voi adauga si pe aceasta cu mentiune la acest articol.

Salaam and Greetings of Peace:

In honor of Eid al-Adha, The Ebook of Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel will be gifted to all that want one, through November 27th, in either English or Spanish. Just email me at:

Irvingk1945 at gmail dot com, and write gift ebook or Spanish gift ebook in the subject line.  Inshallah, it will be of some benefit

Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice: One of the two main Islamic festivals (the other is ‘Id al-Fitr), this festival falls on the 10th day of the lunar month of Zul-Hijja and is the concluding act of pilgrimage to Mecca. In commemoration of Abraham’s faith, in his willingness to sacrifice even his son Isaac as God commanded, sheep, goats and camels are offered to God, and the meat is distributed to the poor and needy. ‘Id al-Adha is observed whether or not one is on pilgrimage.

Eid al-Adha in 2009 is on Friday, the 27th of November.

Note that in the Muslim calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Adha on the sunset of Thursday, the 26th of November.

Although Eid al-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Eid al-Adha moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Eid al-Adha may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

Eid Mubarak!

Ya Haqq!

As I have said before Notre Dame is my neighbor and became my close companion.  I love wandering thru the sanctuary daily.  She speaks to me, engages me and calms me. 

On my first day in Paris I noticed a flyer for a Gregorian Requiem on September 29th at Notre Dame.  I knew that I had to go.  An evening of Gregorian chants & organ at the very place they were perfected, a 1000 year old cathedral.  What a glorious event.

That evening I got ready early; wore a skirt and dressed the nice church girl part.  I headed down 45 minutes early to get a good seat.  When I arrived I was shocked to see a huge line stretching the length of the square in front of the church.  I thought that this could only be the hordes of regular tourist that gather here every night thinking that this is the only way into the church for the regular tour.  They couldn’t all be here for the concert. 

Passing through the line I heard American English voices.  I walked toward them trying to get information.  They were about 15 feet in front of me and walking fast.  I had heels on and found it challenging to walk on the aged cobble stone.  They were heading for a different entrance, the ticket holders entrance (I eventually discover), OK, if I finesse this right I can avoid the line….. all they can do is send me back.  Right?  I don’t want to stand in line, my feet hurt already.  They walk in and I pulled a “I know what I’m doing, I belong here act.”  It worked. 

Inside was filled with orderly chaos.  The ticket line stretched many yards into the building and they were collecting tickets farther inside.  I walked confidently up to the ticket booth smiling at the agent and the person I was cutting in front of and mumbled something…..yes I was trying to pull a fast one.  A fast one in a church…dammed I am.

No one gave me any problems and with a general seating tickets in hand I walked confidently to the front to find a single open seat.  There were several, most people are not solo.  I sat 3rd row from the front, by some very nice French grandmas.  I later discovered that I was in the reserve section, sitting with the high ups.  Many people around me pulled out huge musical scores and followed along.  I was in with the professionals, I didn’t belong here.  But if no one was going to tell me to leave in English, I was going to stay.  Try to look like I belong.  I wanted the full experience.

The evening started with my favorite Cardinal, Andre the 23rd.  He spoke in French…..for a longggg time, maybe 45 minutes.  Andre’…what the @#%%!   Shut up and let’s get this party started.  Dammed I am…..again.  You are no longer my favorite Cardinal, and by the looks on the French grandma’s face they agree with me.  He eventually ended his soap box rant,( which was likely very inspirational to a French listener) Then I heard a choir of angels in the distance.

Angels

The angels were singing a Gregorian hymn as they slowly entered the Cathedral.  The grand old building came alive with a surreal ancient quality.  Over 35 royal blue robed choir members took their places at the front of the sanctuary.  They were singing Maurice Durufle Quatre Motets sur Themes Gregoriens & Requiem op.9 pour soli, Choeur et orgue.  Can anyone out there translate this?? Plus an Organ Solo written and performed by Thierry Escaich, Dedicated to Maurice Durufle his mentor.

It was beautiful, sung in Latin and it filled the church.  I felt as if I were a feather, being lifted to the top of the rafters, floating down, and then being lifted again.  A magical experience, in my rare moments for lucidity I looked around the huge cathedral.  Everyone I saw had the same look on their faces, most with their eyes closed, transfixed by the celestial songs.  In this 1000 years old darken church, listening to the voices of angels I feel closer to God.  I smell the candles and the incense, God is here.  He is listening too, encompassing the space.  Coating each one of us in sacred knowledge of his presence.  We feel through the music; the connection, encircled.  There was a dream like quality to this experience, it’s one of my most cherish memories of Paris. 

My love of music, adds a richer quality to my life.  A sound track if you will; an every life needs a soundtrack.  I don’t think there is a type or style of music I don’t like.  It all has its place, it all has value.  The beauty of music is its ability to make you feel….. happy, sentimental, sexy, angry, mournful, energetic, loved etc..  Music is my Prozac without the side effects except possible hearing loss.  Opening up your listening palate is a gift.   Music is a language, not just something to sweep you away and coddle you in its lyrics…it is more, it has a soul.  Connecting with its spirit is a deepening moment.  Listening to Maurice Durufle music that night, I connected. I felt in the presence of the Divine.

Abia acum am descoperit-o

Second week of classes at the Gregorian University just wrapped up, yet I just passed the three-month mark of being in Italy.  Things have been going well, but very busy.  While the schedule is different everyday, I thought you may want to know what consists of an average day studying for the priesthood at the North American College.

I begin the day at 5:15am and arrive in the Immaculate Conception Chapel for the 6:15am Morning Prayer, followed by Mass.  Mass is normally over around 7:10am, which gives me just enough time to grab a quick bowl of cereal in the refectory and then leave for the Gregorian University at 7:45am.

5:15am            Wake-up

6:15am            Morning Prayer in the Immaculate Conception Chapel

6:30am            Mass in the Immaculate Conception Chapel

7:15am            Breakfast in the refectory

7:45am            Leave for classes at the Gregorian University

8:15am            Arrive at the Gregorian University

8:30am            First class begins

9:30am            Second class begins

10:30am            Third class begins

11:30am            Fourth class begins

12:30pm            Depart the Gregorian University for the North American College

1:00pm            Arrive at the North American College

1:15pm            Pranzo (Italian word for “lunch”)

2:10pm            Finish pranzo

2:45pm            Workout time

4:00pm            Study, Seminars, Meetings, etc.

5:45pm            Eucharistic Adoration

6:45pm            Benediction and Evening Prayer

7:00pm            Cena (Italian word for “dinner”)

7:30pm            Get together with friends in the Student Lounge, study, formation conferences, etc.

9:30pm            Shower, pack book bag for following day, and read

10:00pm            Go to sleep

On top of this general schedule, I have meetings with my formation advisor and spiritual director on a regular basis and there is always something going on.  It is a tight schedule, but it makes the days go by quickly.  One thing is for sure, I am always looking forward to the weekend!

Tack för all respons via bloggen, mail, facebook och IRL. Det är tydligt att det är fler än jag som reagerar på hur agilityklimatet hårdnat.

Jag ska stå på mig. Ni ska stå på er! Vi ska stå på oss! Det finns miljoner olika handlingssätt som man kan välja mellan. Förmodligen är alla unika på något sätt, även om man försöker följa ett system så har man garanterat små signaler som är unika för just en själv.

Det är precis så det ska vara! Vi är alla olika och det vore skrämmande annars. Det är väl ganska så självklart att man därför väljer att handla olika. Att olika handlingstyper passar olika handlertyper olika helt enkelt. 

Jag själv är stolt gregorian! Jag fascineras av Greg Derretts handlingssystem på ett otroligt tillfredställande sätt. Det har gjort att min personliga utveckling som agilityhandler har skjutit i höjden jämfört med för några år sedan. Jag tycker det passar mig som person helt enkelt.

Men jag förväntar mig inte att alla andra människor har det på samma sätt. Jag förväntar mig att det finns dem som är nöjda med sitt handlingssätt och som inte orkar ens fundera på vad greg derrett snackar om. Jag förväntar mig att det finns folk som tycker att det är ett jobbigt handlingssytem som dem inte alls tänker prova på. Jag förväntar mig att det finns folk som provat på systemet i någon grad men insett att det finns andra  handlingsätt som passar dem bättre.

Det är väl ändå så det ska vara? Det kan inte finnas ett handlingssytem som kan passa precis alla agilitymänniskor världen om. Tänk om det bara funnits ett sätt att handla, gud vad tråkigt!

Det jag förväntar mig är att jag som valt ett visst handlingssystem (i mitt fall Greg Derrett’s) blir respekterad för detta. Jag förväntar mig att folk tycker det är okej att det finns f0lk som kör det handlingssystemet och som kör det bra. Jag förväntar mig att jag ska kunna köra min typ av handling utan att folk förlöjligar mig i diverse former. Jag förväntar mig att jag ska slippa kommentarer som att jag kör tråkig agility. Vem har egentligen rätten att avgöra vad som är tråkig agility?

På samma sätt som jag respekterar dem som valt andra handlinssätt med andra ord. Är det för mycket begärt? Jag hoppas inte det.

Så alla ni bloggläsare där ute, kör det handlingssätt ni känner för! Ta lite av varje om ni känner för det (men tänk på att vara konsekventa gentemot hunden). Gör en cool Jakkoturn om det känns bra. Kör bakombyten om det är det som funkar bäst. Fundera ut vilka PQ som är bäst om det är det du vill.

Handle it in your way!

PS: Greg Handling-bloggen finns inte mer. Men om du är genuint nyfiken på Greg Derrett’s handlingssytem så maila mig så ska du få veta en hemlighet… DS.

Ti-am promis ca iti voi arata aici melodia de care iti spuneam! Sper sa iti placa! Mie personal imi palce foarte mult si sper sa fie si pe gustul tau!

Si iata si remixul acestei piese superbe facut de trupa pe care mai nou o ador …..  pentru ca merita!

Avand in vedere ca imi  plac foarte mult si vreau sa ii gasesc rapid oriunde o sa fiu si oricand voi pune si o catgorie care va fi cu numele GREGORIAN pentru a putea sa fie gasita mai usor aici

O alta piesa foarte interesanta a lui Osbourne, If I close my eyes, am gasit-o aseara pe Youtube in cautarile mele de Gregorian, ca fiind cantata de ei, sau mai bine zis si de ei. Se pare ca au preluat si aceasta piesa si au facut-o la mare arta! Iata-le pe ambele variante, atat cea originala a lui Osbourne, cat si a celor numiti GREGORIAN. In ambele variante chiar merita, nu ascultate, ci traite!

Deci OSBOURNE:

si GREGORIAN

Iata cateva variante ale unei piese fantastice! Cea originala este de la Metallica si este foarte misto, dar variantele preluate si facute in alt gen saunt fenomenale!

Iata-le:

METALLICA – original-ul de la THE UNFORGIVEN

Si iata si preluarile! Prima este de la cei care au contract cu cei de la Metallica sa le refaca piesele in stilul lor, iar ei sunt cei de la Apocalyptica:

Si mai sunt si cei pe care i-am pus intr-un articol precedent, care interpretau o varianta mai misto, dupa mine, la  JOIN ME, si anume GREGORIAN:

P.S. Vor mai fi melodii celebre rock, si preluarile lor de catre alti artisti, dar si alte piese ale celor de la Apocalyptica si Gregorian!

Este totusio piesa care merita “da-ta in reluare” de multe ori! Este celebra melodie JOIN ME, dar interpretata nu de celebrii HIM ci de niste oameni foarte buni pe care mi-am propus mai de mult sa ii caut! De fapt nu pe ei, ci piesele lor! Ei sunt Gregorian

FIRE IN THE HOLE!   FIRE IN THE HOLE!

FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION

Not exactly what you want to hear when informed that the Federal Building has been evacuated due to a bomb scare 30 minutes earlier….but that is how it happened today in downtown Dallas on this….

 SEPTEMBER 14TH!

It is never boring at work these days.  I waited for the sirens to start blaring but all was quiet.  Must have been a building demolition….or…..perhaps…a….tribute….to…

Francis Scott Key for writing the StarSpangeled Banner in 1814!

I think that fact alone should weigh heavily on our decision whether to keep 9/14 or not… But I know you want more so here goes…..

• 1998 – MCI and WorldCom combine in a $37 billion merger – Where are they today???  I love AT&T!
• 1983 –  Amy Winehouse was born….I could ‘crack’ a joke but won’t
• 1971 – Kimberly Williams-Paisley was born….Our family loved her best in ” The 10th Kingdom.”
• 1960 – OPEC was founded – price of a gallon of  gas was about a quarter….
• 1948 – Groundbreaking for UN building in NY…Seemed like a good idea at the time
• 1901 – President William McKinley assassinated – Teddy Roosevelt takes over presidency

And really reaching back into time:

• 1849 – Ivan Pavlov the Russian scientist is born.  He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his work in conditional reflexes (Pavlov’s Dog) . This is when someone reacts to a situation rather than using their  critical thinking skills.  For example,  my brother-in–law’s reaction to his Farrah Fawcet poster.  (I think I might be in trouble for that one!)

• 1752 – Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar – Eleven days are skipped as the previous day was 9/2.  See it can be done!  After 257 years it is time again for a change – The New American Calendar (plug, plug)

• 1321 – Dante Alighieri the Italian poet passed away.  He was best known for The Divine Comedy in which he details his journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise – in other words…my drive home from work – Downtown Dallas through the suburbs and then home, sweet, home!

So let’s end September 14th like it started – with a BANG!  Leave a comment telling your story about 9/14 past or present.  Then take a second (time term) to vote in the 9/14 poll below.