Well that's a normal desire that we all have. I would love to share the way I do things with everyone else on the planet as well. But not everyone is interested in doing things "my way".

That's just the cold hard facts of life.

However, I have come to realize that this is true of everyone. I'm as excited about my elaborate system of circle casting, and with the idea of the four Faery cities, and with my original Labyrinth Way garden path (even though I never finished the web site, I still use the Labyrinth way in my shamanic journeys and I even have many statues and figurines that I use indoors during the winter and out in my actual gardens in the summer.

I'm real excited about all of it and would love to share it with other people.

But this is the same thing that everyone does with their spiritual archetypes. Whether it's a Moon Goddess, a Faery Realm, or a personal relationship with Jesus, it's all the same thing ultimately.

In fact, I fully understand and appreciate many Christians who are all excited about having 'found' Jesus. Because their enthusiasm is based on the same excitement of having found a means of communique with a divine consciousness. The only problem with the Jesus thing, is that it far too often leads to extreme proselytizing of it being the "only way" and that all other ways are renounced as being false, misguided, or even inspired by Satan.

So while they are praising Jesus they are simultaneously dismissing everyone else's spirituality as being yucky misunderstood bull crap. Which is truly sad.

I have no problem with Jesus in general. He's included in my Labyrinth way as part of that archetype. I view him in a totally different way that Christians view him, and I certainly don't see him as being a "savior" at least not the in the sense of being the sacrificial lamb of Yahweh to pay for the "sins of man". But unfortunately that's the mainstream Christian view, and from their point of view if I'm not worshiping Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord or Lords, then I'm falling short of their expectations and all that crap.

It's truly sad that the world has to be like that. But that's just the way it is.

And like you say, that kind of strick dogmatic view often even spills over into other spiritualities like Wicca, etc. People start saying that if you're not casting circles they way they were taught, or not calling upon the "correct deities" then you're not doing it right and your a fraud or whatever. That's just more dogma.

I just ignore it all and do it my way. I'll worship right next to anyone and if they can call upon their deities however they perfer, and give me the same respect to call upon my deities however I perfer then we can all get along.

There's just no need to judge the relationships that other people have with their creator. I wish everyone could learn that one simple thing.

Me too.

Well, it's truly sad when religion and spirituality become the source of hostility and animosity. What a shame.

Like you say, you're all excited about what works for you, but when you try to share it with other people you just get chastised for your views and beliefs. How depressing is that?

I'm glad to see my friends are still here on mingle. I have been busy with other things and had to take a break from mingle, besides it was getting a bit boring.

I have to say that as far as magick traditions I have always been a little skeptical and in the dark education wise. So, to fill in the gaps, I applied to and was accepted into a mystery school called "Servants of the Light" and I ordered some books related to that school from amazon.com. I liked some of what I read on their american web site so I decided to fill in the gaps with some traditional teaching.
(http://servantsofthelight.org/)

I hope to expand my knowledge of magick and how it relates to the tarot and this school is right down my alley with that goal in mind.

I have made some fantastic improvements on my tarot card deck and I am really really happy with the end product now. The printing on my cards is perfect, and captures exactly what I intended when I designed them! I am thrilled also to report that I no longer have to laminate the cards because I have found a thicker stock and a water resistant medium for printing that when finished, all I do next is cut them by hand and round the corners. I still have to make the boxes too.

Even though I am saving a little money by not having to laminate the cards, the thing I am happy about most is the quality of the printing and color has finally met with my full approval and glee. Each card is an individual work of art and when I look at one, I just want to put it in a frame and hang it up on my wall.

Also, my website now has a page for signing up for my newsletter. I am writing the card meanings and have finished the wands. I am working on the cups now.

I am also going to see if I can finish a little white book to put in my tarot deck box. The box now has room for it because the cards are not so thick. They are still very sturdy and perfect for shuffling.
You can see my cards and visit my site at www.infinitevisionstarot.com

Hey, JB! Good to see you!

That's so cool about your tarot deck. I finally created a website and started offering readings. It was much easier than I thought it would be. I tried making it on a whim and it was actually fun.

Fantastic! Let me know where you are offering readings. What was "much easier than you thought, the readings or the making of a website?"

If you need any help let me know.

I offer personal readings on my site for a small fee, and I offer free readings with my cards through another site called
http://www.mydivination.com/index.mdv

Yes, it’s good to see what people are doing. We’ve all interacted quite a bit over the years, so even though we’ve never met in person, we’ve still become quite friendly and have learned quite a bit about each others, especially in terms of interests.

I too have been quite busy. Looking back over the last couple years I guess I’ve made some major progress toward some of my dreams as well. I’m really thankful that Ruth directed me to various witchcraft books that I might not have otherwise found. In fact, I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t have found them on my own. I really enjoy the witchcraft traditions. For me they are quite “romantic” and I’m a romanticist at heart. So I really enjoy the witchcraft traditions. Along those same lines, I also enjoy the Faery Teachings for similar reasons, and I found those through the witchcraft books as well.

Being also scientifically minded I also enjoy the teaching of Easter Mysticism which Deepak Chopra presents very well too. I really see very little difference between witchcraft and Easter Mysticism other than details in how the concepts are treated. But as far as I can see, they are precisely the same concepts on the deepest level.

Finally, I’m still in love with physics and mathematics and I continue to read and watch lectures on physics and cosmology. In fact, I’m currently re-watching a 36 lecture course in cosmology which is extremely rich in the most cutting-edge scientific details. I find it all quite fascinating, and totally in-line with both Eastern Mysticism and the traditions of witchcraft and the faery teachings. So I’ve really come a long way in finally finding philosophical and “religious” ideologies that work very well for me.

I’m still working on labyrinth gardens, circle rituals, and a multitude of other artistic projects which hold for me both spiritual and artistically creative value.

In addition to all of this, I’ve also been engaged in a project to turn my home into a recording studio and I’ve been spending time composing and playing music and song, and learning to play new instruments.

Finally, I’ve also been spending much time remodeling my home in general, and doing all sorts of home improvement projects, both indoors and outside in the form of gardens and yards. So I’m keeping busy with lots of projects that I’m thoroughly enjoying. I’m even drawing and painting fairies on rare occasions. I’ll spend even more time on that once I get a room remodeled to serve as my art studio.

Someday I’d also like to get a set of Jeannies Tarot cards.

The website was really easy. I actually had to take down my first attempt as I had some problems with someone harassing me online. I rebuilt it another name and only give the address out to individuals who ask for it through private email.

I can send you my link through facebook email.

Id love for you to take a look at it and tell me what you think. I need better photos and I try to offer everything as low cost or free. I'm going to check out your other site. I have always loved your tarot deck and I'm really excited to see you are now able to offer the cards without laminating them.

Oh and if you like my site enough I would be happy to put a link to your tarot cards.

Its good to catch up with you too, James!

I'm so glad to hear you are continuing with your projects and especially your music.

I owe much of my progress to you too. You were the only one who ever truly supported my belief that I could integrate my catholic spirituality with my magic. And when I finally stopped worrying about how it was possible or impossible and just did it I really took off. My magic works so much better now and I finally feel fulfilled.

By the way, I like that "mydivination" site. I think I'll become a member there. I still have my own idea for a Tarot deck. The only thing holding me back right now is the artwork. I have all of the artwork in my mind, but it's going to take me a very long time to get it all down on canvass. That might change once I get my dedicated art studio up and running.

Did I also mention that I've been setting up my aquariums again too? At one time I used to have 25 aquarium set up and I was propagating aquarium plants and breeding fish. I got out of that a long time ago but never got rid of the equipment. So now I'm starting to set them up again. I have four set up already. I love being surrounded by "living furnishings" that also serve as an artistic media. A live artistic media no less.

I think I have a link to your web site Ruth, unless I have the old link. I started a web site also, called "Melody Bard". It's a music related web site, but I put that on a back burner for now too whilst I set up my recording studio in my actual home.

Wow! Just reading about all your projects makes me tired.

I really am happy though to hear all about it. And I LOVE the aquarium idea. Must look and feel spectacular.

My website is different than the link you have. But its only interesting to someone who needs a reading or rootwork. I mainly set it up for people who think they might want my help but want to know more about what I do. This way I just direct them to the site and I don't have to continually explain myself.