Food Consciousness

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the way I live my life. Not the way I live my life in general, but the way I view the world from an ethical and spiritual standpoint in relation to the way I actually behave. For many years, I have taken issue with the mistreatment of animals in this country. I feel that the animals we raise for food have feelings and rights and should be treated in as humane a way as possible while they are alive. Sadly, it seems that the animals being raised for food are viewed as just that-food. No regard is given for a pig as being a pig with pig needs and pig feelings. The people raising and slaughtering cows aren't, at least for the most part, concerned with making any of the cows' journeys more comfortable or less terrifying. How am I living according to my own spiritual and ethical principals if I'm rolling on over to the local food store and buying the meat of these animals? Isn't that kind of like condoning the behavior that these animals are suffering under? How can I then live in harmony with the animal world? I write these words strictly from my own standpoint. It is not my wish to critisize anyone else's choices with respect to food or sex or anything else. I'm simply mulling over my own actions and trying to decide whether my actions have been in balance with my beliefs, beliefs that I feel very dedicated to and serious about. Recently, I watched a Paul McCartney film that he created for PETA, entitled "Glass Walls". For sure, it's difficult to watch this video and come away from it with a great desire to eat a hamburger. What I saw in the film made me sick to my stomach, and years of reading about the treatment of animals in the food industry left me without the luxury of disbelieving anything that he said. When I left the website, I was in tears and ready to make some serious changes. Being married to a Cajun man who is sworn to eating meat, I don't expect my new food choices to be his food choices. In the past, I have allowed his inability to give up meat be an excuse for me to refrain from giving it up either. That said, I realize that it will, at this time, not be practical for me to stop buying any meat at all. What I do know is that I don't have to eat it. I can make smaller portions for each of us, and create a vegetarian version of whatever it is I'm making (I'm fairly creative when it comes to cooking). Some nights, if I'm making a dish that I think he'll like, I will make just a vegetarian dish. Since my husband has issues with soybeans and wheat both, there will be many nights when a vegetarian option will be easier for me to enjoy than for him. If this is the case, I'll go with the veggie option and give him the meat one. I realize that compromise will be key in order for my lifestyle change to work for each of us, but I think I've arrived at a point in life where I'm ready to do the extra work and make the committment. Tonight I made buffalo turkey burgers-turkey for my husband, and a mixture of chic peas and all of the stuff I put into the turkey, plus a sprinkle of bread crumbs. I felt much better after eating the chic pea burger, both physically and mentally, and it tasted surprisingly good! Here's to ethical eating, one day at a time!

Pagan Carols

One of the more difficult aspects of being Pagan (and a Witch) is that our holidays aren't mainstream. This is especially apparent during the Christmas season, when at any given moment some sort of Christian- themed song can be heard drifting from the muzac system at the mall and jingling out of the speakers in one's car. Everywhere we look, the halls are decked with pine boughs, twinkling lights, candy canes, colorful glass balls, and the like. Of course, many of these adornments are also used in our Yule festivities. As I type, A beautiful pine bough lies draped across the mantle of our fireplace, a lovely tree stands lovingly adorned and sparkling before our living room window, and the outside of our home is alive with lights, flashing lollipops and a roof Santa (who spends his days flat on his face, looking like the Santa who drank a little too much of that spiked eggnog but comes alive with the spark of electricity we give him after the sun retires).

This past Saturday, my daughter's youth group had their Yule party. Everyone brought food (we made Mother Winter's Wishing Bread from the book "Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions"), and we all sang rousing renditions of Paganized Christmas carols. Somehow, this seemed only fair since so many Christian holiday traditions have been stolen from us! It was so much fun to be in a room with other Moms and their children, singing songs that felt good to and right for us, with no fear of speaking our spiritual hearts. After the singing, the kids exchanged gifts such as bags of crystals, then decorated cookies. Saturday reminded me of the space in my life that needs to be filled with the companionship of others who believe as I do. When one inhabits a world that largely does not understand her spiritual path, it helps a lot to have people with whom thoughts can be freely shared, laughs can be enjoyed and lessons can be learned. I know my daughter had a good time, and I feel so grateful that there are people within our community who are willing to take this time to make these sorts of groups possible.

Holiday Russlings

Our house is decked out, sparkling and twinkling and filled with the magick of childhood at Yule. Sometimes, this is a difficult time of the year for us, a time when the spiritual leanings of my husband and I seem to be so different as to make us both a bit uncomfortable. During other times of the year, the fact that we practice different religions doesn't seem to matter so much. At Christmastime, a divide can open up between us that is difficult to jump across. I felt stirrings of this discomfort again this year, but only briefly. Rather than getting caught up in all if that this year, I've decided to focus instead on our daughter and the magick this time of year brings for her, on the blessing of being together as a family, of sharing the fun of decorating together, then sitting back on the couch and soaking in the warm, wintery atmosphere we've created. I'm focusing on the abundance and the things shared, not on any perceived lack.

It feels wonderful.