(PBP) The Letter C: Curse

**This post is part of the Pagan Blog Project. Weeks 5 and 6 are the letter C. For more about PBP, check out their website here.**

I want to state from the very beginning that this post is not intended to be informational. It is about my opinion and my personal journey regarding curses.  This post is about what has worked for me and my personal experiences regarding this subject.  In no way am I advocating for or against curses, nor am I attempting to tell anyone who reads this post whether they should or should not curse.

I say this because the subject of curses can be a very touchy subject, and from what I’ve seen online and in person, many people have a strong reaction on both sides of the issue and knee-jerk reactions are common as well.  Debates can turn into arguments can devolve into name-calling and worse.

When I first started learning, I used to believe that cursing was wrong.  I thought it was wrong and bad and a horrible thing to do.  To me, cursing was just as bad as physically assaulting someone, and in my young world, physical assault was never an option.  Therefore, curses were never an option.

Cursing was also heavily linked to the idea of karma.  If I cursed someone, I would incur bad karma.  If I just started cursing willy-nilly and for no reason or little reason, then I would incur really bad karma.

Since then, I’ve altered my opinion.  I’ve grown both in my understanding of metaphysical concepts and in my understanding of the world.  For someone who used to be so heavily against any kind of attack, for any reason, the alteration to a different stance is somewhat jarring.  I can compare myself of Then and myself of Now and see the change in my beliefs.  Now I believe it’s OK to attack in defense of self or others.  Now I believe it’s OK to retaliate when it’s warranted.  I still don’t believe it’s OK to curse or attack anyone without proper cause, however.  That just feels wrong to me.  I refuse to start a fight or attack, but when attacked, by the gods, I will finish it in one way or another (and not always by cursing).

I’ve also had my understanding of karma altered.  I used to see it as a giant scale that weighed and measured a person’s good and bad, and doled out the universal response accordingly.  In all honesty, I used to see it a kind of rule book.  I can now see, after more study of the concept of karma, how that was incorrect.  Karma is not a rulebook.  It’s more like the classical Justice figure on a cosmic scale.  Karma is the blind enforcer of energetic exchanges, but there is no judgment of good or bad.  “Good” and “bad” are human judgments.  Granted, there may be near-universal “bad” actions, such as murder, or near-universal “good” actions, such as charity, but what is good and what is bad is defined by humans.  Karma does not say that we should not commit murder because murder is bad; rather, karma is more a return of your own actions.  But karma won’t step in and stop you.  Karma won’t judge.  Karma will be a blind reflection, a blind enforcer.

So when people say that cursing gives you bad karma, that’s not exactly true– the action is neither good nor bad.  In my understanding, karma is like a giant mirror.  It is true that cursing will cause a reflection of the energy you’ve sent out, but that is true for any action.  What we send out, we receive.  Cursing someone with a bad case of acne or something will cause an equal reflection of that same energy back to you.  Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  So if you’re willing to accept the consequences of casting a curse on someone, then by all means, do so.  But I think most people are not aware (or don’t care) about the consequences of cursing, and so curse others blindly whenever they like.  That’s their choice, and I’m hardly one to tell them yea or nay.

I’ve never actually cursed someone.  I have done an action to speed up a person’s karma, but that’s not a curse–I simply asked they receive what they deserved.  There was one time when I had every right to curse someone because they stole a great deal of money from me, but I decided in the end that it wasn’t worth my time or energy (or the consequences) to curse them, I simply moved on from the incident and learned from it for the future.  I didn’t allow them to hold me back or pull me down, and I consider that a much more valuable use of my time and energy.

Now, in opposition to my earlier, younger position about cursing, I would put a curse on someone if they had threatened me or someone I care about, or if they threatened in some way my home or place of business.  At the moment, those are the only circumstances under which I would curse someone.  Those are the incidences I would consider worth the time, energy, and consequences of cursing.  As I grow older, that view may change.  And that’s OK.  Our views are meant to change and adapt as we grow and learn.

Review: ‘The Celestine Prophecy’, by James Redfield

The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield
published 1997 by Warner Books, Inc.
IBSN 9780446671002
246 pages
Author information here
Buy at Amazon
GoodReads
Shelfari
Copy is borrowed
Rating: 1 out of 5
________________________________________________________ About the Book: (from Amazon) In the rain forests of Peru, an ancient manuscript has been discovered. Within its pages are 9 key insights into life itself — insights each human being is predicted to grasp sequentially; one insight, then another, as we move toward a completely spiritual culture on Earth. Drawing on ancient wisdom, it tells you how to make connections among the events happening in your life right now and lets you see what is going to happen to you in the years to come. The story it tells is a gripping one of adventure and discovery, but it is also a guidebook that has the power to crystallize your perceptions of why you are where you are in life and to direct your steps with a new energy and optimism as you head into tomorrow.

My Thoughts: While I found some parts of the book interesting, and some kernels of truth in its pages, I can’t say I would recommend this as a book for spiritual learning or as a book with great literary merit.  The plot is contrived at times, and while I have no trouble believing that the Church would go to extremes to protect its power (hello, look at history), or that a government would attempt to suppress empowering knowledge, I still find it hard to believe that a manuscript with spiritual wisdom could be so threatening to both.  Perhaps that is my own naivete, but I struggled with the premise that the Peruvian government would really care all that much about a manuscript.  The Church, I could believe would be that threatened.

Much of the plot is based on coincidence–which, as many authors knows, is a very wrong move when structuring a story.  Even though Redfield sets it up at the very beginning that coincidences are significant moments (this isn’t a spoiler or anything, I promise, it comes up very early on) meant to guide a person on their path and present opportunities; these coincidences are also the result, in part, of getting what you’ve asked for.  Redfield uses this premise to move the story along throughout the book.

I understand that the plot isn’t necessarily the main point of the novel, but you also can’t get away from the fact that it is a novel.  It’s a work of fiction interlaced with spiritual ideas.  It’s compelling because it presents compelling ideas, not because its plot or its characters are unusual or different or intriguing.

The main character (I don’t think he’s ever named) proceeds to learn about and unearth nine insights via various people, including scientists, priests/monks, beautiful women, and explorers.  All of this builds up to a stunning ninth insight that is so revolutionary it scared the church and the government into action.

I don’t want to tell you what the insights are–if you decide to read it, then telling that much would basically give you the entire book.  If you’re interested in finding out, there are other reviews that detail the entire book.  All I’ll say about the insights and the ninth insight is that while I do find some of these insights applicable and even sensible or wise, I very much doubt the ninth insight Redfield reports.  It describes the next stage of human evolution, but in such a way that I am highly skeptical and, frankly, it was something of a let-down.

The book depends on the reader buying into the insights and the adventure to find them all.  Aside from one or two kernels of truth and actual insight, such as being aware of one’s own actions and realizing we are all connected, the book has no literary value.  It is entertaining, but beyond that, I don’t find much value in it.  The insights presented are the kind of insights we would all be aware of if we stopped to actually think rather than just exist–the insights aren’t really revolutionary insights at all.

Overall, I give it a rating of 2 stars out of 5–it was entertaining, after all.

Weekly Deity: Crow

Crow is a deity of the Iroquois tribe in North America.  He is a symbol of wisdom, being a wise creature, and also a deity of corn.  Also known as Ga-Gaah, for the sound he makes.

Attributes

Crow appears to the people as a bird, not as an anthropomorphous deity.  He does not change shape or take on human attributes.  He remains a large black crow.

Mythology

This deity is very important to the people.  When Crow came to earth, he brought with him in his ear a grain of corn.   This grain of corn fell out as he flew and was planted by the god Hahgwehdiyu, the good creator deity, in the body of his mother, Atahensic, the earth.  This planted grain soon grew and became the first ear of corn.  The Iroquois then learned how to plant and harvest corn, their staple crop.  At every harvest and every summer when the corn is tall, Crow is allowed to hover over the fields and eat the grubs, and he receives the first share of the corn as thanks.

Light and Dark Sides

Crow is a wise deity, although this does not come across in his myth.  To me, it seems more that the grain of corn in his ear was an accidental happenstance–but then, who would know?  Still, Crow is considered a wise deity by the Iroquois, though it would also be wise to remember some of the other attributes of crows when working with Crow: they like shiny things, and are sometimes braggarts, although in Crow’s case, he has the right to brag since he brought such an important crop to the people.  But keep that bit of arrogance in mind.  Crow can also be seen as partially a fertility god, since he was instrumental in bringing the corn to life and bringing growth to the people.  All in all, he seems like a pretty good deity to work with, neither Light nor Darkbut somewhat neutral.

Weekly Deity: Ilyapa

Ilyapa is the Incan god of weather, rain, and thunder.

Attributes

This god was thought to carry a club and stones.  He wore shining clothes.  He was also human in form.

Mythology

Ilyapa was the weather god of the ancient Incans.  His sister was the Milky Way, who carried the jug of rain.  When Ilyapa wanted rain, he would shoot a rock at the jug with his sling shot and break the jug, causing the water to fall from the sky. The sound of thunder comes from the breaking of the jug.

In times of drought, the Incans would tie up a black dog outside and leave it there until it was almost starving and dying of thirst.  They would leave the dog there until Ilyapa took pity on it and let the rain fall.

Light and Dark Sides

Unfortunately, much of Incan myth has been lost to time and the conquistadors.  So Ilyapa’s personality is not well understood.  But, seeing as he’s a rain deity, it’s probably safe to say that Ilyapa could be considered a fertility deity.  Rain is necessary for healthy crops and humans and animals, even in the mountainous regions of the Incas.  Water is necessary for life–but too much water can kill.  Floods and deluges can cause harm, and if Ilyapa gave too much rain, he could be a destroyer.  So while Ilyapa could be a fertility god on the Light side, on the Dark he could be destructive.  Even so, there can be good from a flood, especially in the ancient days when there wasn’t as much loss of human or animal life during a flood as there is today.  Flood can redistribute essential nutrients and soil, and can change the environment for good or ill.

I think Ilyapa is an interesting god that very much embodies both the Light and Dark sides of his [potential] personality.

Weekly Deity: Altjira

Altjira is an Australian deity of the Aranda tribe and others, which are located in the Northern Territory.  He is a major creator god.

Attributes

For some reason, Altjira is thought to have emu’s feet, for reasons unknown. Other attributes are not given.  However, native tribes of Australia did not have the same style of art or mythology that many Westerners are familiar with, and they may not have found the appearance of the gods important in their mythos.

Mythology

Altjira is a sky god.  He is the creator of the Earth and gave humans all that was needed to survive.  Altjira then retired to the sky and remained there once he’d finished creating things.  He is also the main god of the Dreamtime, also known as Alchera.  The Dreamtime, as far as I can understand, is sort of the framework of the cosmic universe, in which all humans exist eternally.  The Dreaming or Dreamtime existed before humans and exists after life, and holds the eternal parts of humans before the person is born and returns upon death.  It sounds like a more complicated version of heaven combined with the universe.  Anyway, Altjira is principal deity of the Dreamtime.

Altjira’s wife and children are said to have dog’s feet.

Light and Dark Sides

With so little information to go on about Altjira, it’s more difficult to get an idea of his personality.  However, I can say that as a sky god and principal god of the Dreamtime, he is probably considered a father-figure in the mythos.  He seems to be helpful to humans, because he is said to have given us all the things we need to survive–but he also seems a little uncaring, since he sort of dropped everything on us and then left for the sky.

As a creator god, he would be a deity of fertility, the earth, growth, and new things.  You could probably also associate inspiration and creativity with him as well, since those two things tend to go hand-in-hand with creation.

He doesn’t seem to be Dark, but given the lack of information, we can’t say so definitively.  But I think I would put him more on the Light side of the scale, along with most other creation gods.