Me: How are you?
Ms. K: Oh, you know. Just had a good uglycry after finding my last photo of my grandmother. Good times. How are you?
...PaganSquare is a community blog space where Pagans can discuss topics relevant to the life and spiritual practice of all Pagans.
Me: How are you?
Ms. K: Oh, you know. Just had a good uglycry after finding my last photo of my grandmother. Good times. How are you?
...The push for green energy drives forward in Britain. Scientists create "bionic" roses. And the demographic impact of China's recently reversed "one child law" are considered. It's Earthy Thursday, our weekly segment on science and Earth-related news. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
The suicide death of Robin Williams prompted me to reflect again on my own experience with depression and to share my story in the hope that it can help others.
In my twenties, thirties, and forties, I suffered severe intermittent depressions. My life in those days was a series of ups and downs. When I feel in love and was having good sex, I was in love with the world and could literally feel energy radiating from my body connecting it to the world. When I was dumped, the energy retreated, and I crawled into a dark hole of despair and self-pity from which there seemed to be no escape. In the in-between times, I carried on my life with neither the highs or the lows.
In recent days, a number of people have tried to describe what depression feels like. Here is what it felt like to me.
It was as if my mind had a single track on which were repeated a few deadly words: “No one loves me. No one will ever love me. I might as well die.” I could not erase the track or jump to another one. The words repeated themselves relentlessly in my mind.
Happy Friday! Today, the Pagan News Beagle concentrates on news of (mostly Pagan) religion in the modern world. Lots of questions today: why worship fierce goddesses (from a Hindu perspective), why should Pagans care about Mormon feminism, why are there so few nurturing goddesses in devotional polytheism? Plus a 20th century occultist, Buddhist thoughts on depression and a song dedicated to Hecate.
An amazing 20th century occultist Marjorie Cameron (and upcoming an art show in her honor) is the subject of this fascinating story on the HuffingtonPost.
...Today is Samhain. Not yet the longest night of the year, but the time when we’re forced to face the reality of the darkness drawing in at dawn and dusk, with less daylight inbetween. Some breathe a sigh of relief, looking forward to the ‘hibernation’ period of quietness and introspection; others gird their loins against inner darkness, SAD and the loneliness of closing the curtains on another day.
I’ve talked about Samhain as a festival many times in the past – I’d rather not go over that again here. Rather, some personal thoughts about this time, this date, here in 2013.
(Image ©Tom Brown)