Blood Moon Correspondences

Blood Moon Correspondences

Deities: Afriel, Anael, Gazardiel, Luna, Mars, Persephone, Saturn

Nature Spirits: Salamander

Element: Fire

Herbs: Basil, Birch, Dragon's Blood, Egg-shell, Elder, Rose

Trees: Birch, Elder, Gorse, Yew

Flowers: Elder Berry, Rose

Scents: Elder Berry, Rose

Stones: Carnelian, Garnet, Herkimer Diamond, Iron, Quartz, Ruby, Selenite, Silver

Colors: Crimson, Gold, Red, Silver, White

Animals: Armadillo, Bat, Butterfly, Calf, Cat, Crow, Cuckoo, Dove, Falcon, Grasshopper, Groundhog/Woodchuck, Halcyon/Kingfisher/Kookabura, Horse, Lady Bug, Mule, Raven, Reindeer, Rhinoceros, Stork

Birds: Cardinal, Grackle, Grouse, Hawk, Robin

Energy: Extremely powerful time for magick workings for total life changes, Abundance, Breaking through obstacles, Growth, New beginnings, Power, Prosperity

Waxing Toward October's Full Blood / Hunter's Moon

Waxing Toward October's Full Blood / Hunter's Moon
Today is a New Moon, so we are waxing toward October's Full Blood or Hunter's Moon, which will occur on Wednesday, October 8th. October's Full Moon is called both the Hunter's Moon and the Blood Moon. 

It is called the Hunter's Moon because it was during this Full Moon that the hunters would go out to hunt their game for stockpiling up for the winter season.

The Full Blood Moon refers to the color of the Moon at this time of year. It is quite often an orange-red due to the elevation of its rise through the atmosphere. The Blood Moon is the Full Moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the closest Full Moon to the Autumn Equinox. The Blood Moon may occur as late as November, but usually it is in October.

While Samhain, the Witch's New Year, is considered the time that the Veil is thinnest and contact with those who have passed is easiest, it is also believed by some that this Full Blood Moon is when the Veil is the thinnest. I find this more likely to be historically correct. Our ancestors worked and lived by the sun and moon. Planting and harvesting by the sun, and hunting by the moon, thus Blood Moon would have been more likely to be the sign they would've looked for as the "right time" for the Veil to be its thinnest.

Regardless of when you honor your ancestors, at Samhain or the Blood Moon, know that the Veil is beginning to thin now, from this New Moon and will continue to do so for the next 6 weeks (this year). Begin now to plan for what sort of ritual you will do to honor those who've passed before you. Simply lighting a candle and a moment of reminiscing is more than enough to acknowledge them. Or you could plan a full ritual. Even a Dumb Supper might be something to consider! (here is an excellent article on the subject) 

This is a very powerful time of year so don't let it pass you by without acknowledging it in some way. Go outside and enjoy the cooler weather, the changing colors on the trees, watching the squirrels horde their nuts for the winter, notice the color of the light as the day wanes. There are an unlimited number of things you can do!

Why not consecrate a bottle of water under the New Moon, leaving it out until the Full Moon. Use this sacred consecrated water in a ritual for your Loved Ones. The blessings of Sister Moon and Mother Earth can help send love and any necessary healing to those who have passed and those left behind. When the ritual is completed, then either keep the water in a bottle on the altar until next year's Blood Moon (or Samhain), or pour it out on the ground as an offering of thanks.

Whether simple or elaborate it doesn't matter...but do something to honor your ancestors this beautiful Autumn Season!

New Moon Correspondences

Phase:	Attribute:	Intents:	Time:
New Moon	Beginnings	Beginnings, Creation, Examine what’s hidden, Purity	New Moon to 3½ days after

October:

Names:	Blood Moon, Falling Leaf Moon, Harvest Moon, Moon of the Changing Season, Shedding Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Winterfelleth, Windermanoth
Deities:	Apollo, Astarte, Belili, Cernunnos, Demeter, Hathor, Herne, Horned God, Ishtar, Kore, Lakshmi, Mercury
Nature Spirits:	Frost Faeries, Plant Faeries
Element:	Air
Herbs:	Angelica, Apple Blossom, Burdock, Catnip, Mint family, Pennyroyal, Sweet Annie, Thyme, Uva Ursi
Trees:	Acacia, Apple, Cypress, Yew
Flowers:	Calendula, Cosmos, Marigold
Scents:	Apple Blossom, Cherry, Strawberry
Stones:	Amethyst, Beryl, Obsidian, Opal, Tourmaline, Turquoise
Colors:	Black, Dark Blue-Green, Purples
Animals:	Elephant, Jackal, Ram, Scorpion, Stag
Birds:	Crow, Heron, Robin
Energy:	Artistic works, Balance, Creativity, Harmony, Inner cleansing, Justice, Karma, Legal matters, Mental stimulation, Partnerships, Reincarnation, Uncover mysteries or secrets

Autumn Equinox / Mabon Correspondences

Autumn Equinox / Mabon Correspondences

Date: September 22nd

Other Names: Cornucopia, Mabon, Witch’s Thanksgiving

Element: Air

Herbs: Acorn, Benzoin, Cedar, Ferns, Grains, Hazel, Honeysuckle, Ivy, Marigold, Milkweed, Myrrh, Passionflower, Rose, Sage, Solomon's Seal, Tobacco, Thistle, Vegetables

Oils/Incense: Apple, Benzoin, Myrrh, Patchouli, Sage

Colors: Brown, Gold, Maroon, Orange, Red, Russet, Violet

Stones: Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Yellow Agates, Yellow Topaz

Foods: Apples, Breads, Carrots, Nuts, Onions, Pomegranates, Potatoes

Symbols: Acorns, Apples, Balance, Corn, Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty), Dried Seeds, Equality, Gourds, Grains, Grapes, Ivy, Mysteries, Pine Cones, Pomegranates, Second Harvest, Wine

Activities: Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over

Spellworkings: Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance

Deities: 

Goddesses - Epona, Modron, Morgan, Muses, Pamona, Persephone, Sin, Sophia, Sura

Gods - Green Man, Hermes, Mabon, Thoth, Thor

Related Festivals:

Sukkot - This Jewish holiday which is celebrated in early October commemorates the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert. It is also a harvest festival of thanks.

Thanksgiving - This is a secular holiday which is similar to the Pagan festival of Mabon; a day to give thanks for the food and blessings of the previous year. The American Thanksgiving is the last Thursday in November while the Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in October.

Festival of Dionysus - There were several festivals that honored Dionysus, the God of Wine. It was a time of fun, games and feasting and of course drinking of wine!

This festival is celebrated on or about September 21^st and is the eighth Sabbat of the year. It celebrates the Autumn Equinox and is the second harvest festival, when Nature is preparing for the winter months. Night and day are of equal length and the God’s energy and strength are nearly gone. The Goddess begins to mourn the loss she knows is coming, but knows He will return when he is reborn at Yule.

The Clootie Tree

The Clootie Tree

Also called a Clootie Tree, Cloutie Tree, Raggy Tree, Wish Tree or Wytch Tree. Strips of cloth or ribbon representing a wish or a need (usually a physical healing) to be granted were tied to the branches of the tree. As the cloth or ribbons fluttered in the wind the request was carried on the wind to be manifest by the Gods or Saints (depending on the belief system of the person placing it on the tree).

(This one is not mine, but I'm hoping it will look like this in time!)

The word “clootie” in Scottish, means “cloth”. In various parts of the British Isles and across northern Europe, the tradition of tying a piece of cloth to a (usually Hawthorn) tree near holy wells is still relatively common. After taking water from the well, the people then take a piece of their clothing (or just a piece of cloth), dip it into the water and tie it to the tree. If it was for healing, then the wetted cloth would be used to wash the affected part of the person's body. The illness would then dissipate as the cloth disintegrated. The tree is a symbol of long life and health, and water is the essence of life.

This practice was brought to America with the immigrants, and can be found throughout the south, the Appalachias, and other areas where they settled.

As these cloths are tied to hold them to the tree, this is also a form of Knot Magic. As the cloths become more ragged in the wind, they will disintegrate, but the knot will continue to hold it in place. In time the entire piece will eventually fall off and blow away, but it will take such a considerable amount of time, imagine how much of a blessing it will have bestowed upon those who placed it there!

I have started one here in our front, tying strips of cloth cut from beautiful old men's ties I had collected for my crafts. They have all kinds of beautiful colors, but as there aren't too many on the tree as yet, they're barely noticeable. I have decided that I will begin adding one each week for either a specific blessing request, or just to bless the week coming in general. As I tie each of the clooties, I will envision what it is for specifically, as well as recite this spell for it and the others on the tree.

Clootie Tree Spell

Clootie, Cloutie, Raggy, Wish & Wytch

I tie this cloth for the wind to toss & pitch

Branch of tree hold the cloth real tight

To keep the blessings flowing right

Blessings to us on the wind do send

Long life, good health, and wealth are ours til the end

We have a well, but it's not quite like the old ones the people dipped out of, so I will use the birdbath under the tree as my "well". It is very dry here, so I will have to remember to keep it filled. :)

For those living in an apartment or other small place, you don't have to have a yard with a tree to do this. A small potted tree or branching plant can be used, just cut your cloth strips to an appropriate size so as not to over-power the tree or plant.

For anyone who does this, or has done this, why not share it on the Hoodoo Hill's Facebook page? I will set up a photo album specifically for everyone to share their works (Clootie Trees, rituals, dolls, and crafts - whatever). I'd love to see what you come up with!

Gemstones and the Seals of Solomon

Gemstones and the Seals of Solomon
I was asked a very good question which had me doing a bit of research this morning that took longer than expected but had me really "putting on the thinking cap". The question was regarding gemstones and the Seals of Solomon - which stones for each of the Pentacles?

From what I found after searching through the Keys of Solomon books and then looking online and couldn't find anything either (and I'm certainly not saying this definitively), there was nothing on the subject. However, after reading through quite a few sites and looking through my own books, I came to the realization that the use of the Pentacles and their associated colors can easily determine the stones to be used with them in ritual.

If you take into consideration the colors associated with each of the Pentacles:

Saturn: Black

Jupiter: Blue

Mars: Red

Sun: Yellow

Venus: Green

Mercury: Mixed

Moon: Silver

Then using stones of those colors should be more than appropriate. Another aspect you can take into consideration is the opacity or translucence of the stone to be used.

Fire & Air stones are clear or translucent and easy to see through, while the Earth & Water stones are opaque and cannot be seen through. When considering the Pentacle to be used and the color associated with it, you may also want to consider the Element of that Pentacle's planetary alliance and choose a stone accordingly:

Earth (opaque stones): Saturn
Air (clear stones): Jupiter & Mercury
Fire (clear stones): Sun & Mars, also Jupiter
Water (opaque stones): Moon & Venus, also Saturn

This is only a suggestion, and is not found to be absolutely how to choose the stones to use with the Seals of Solomon, but the correspondences fit and can be combined for use with the Pentacles to add their energies and power to the ritual or work being done. And I'm all for finding new ways to add energy & power to my works!

The Beauty of Family ~ and How I Became the Family Matriarch

The Beauty of Family ~ and How I Became the Family Matriarch
Last week we had our first family reunion. Sort of. :) My Dad couldn't make it because his wife wasn't well enough to travel. (I really hate the term "step-mother", it has too many negative connotations attached - and this woman is a sweet, wonderful, doll!) Anyway, my sister and nephew came in from Sacramento, CA, and my sons and grandson came in from Clearwater/St. Petersburg, FL. They arrived later in the evening on Wednesday, August 6th and left Sunday, August 10th. My oldest son's 31st birthday was on Friday, August 8th, and was the first one I'd spent with him in years! :) <3

We're a small family, which is why we need to begin to keep ourselves close(r).

I am the oldest, being 3 years older than my sister. But my sister has always been & seemed the "older" sister. Until this visit. At some point in the visit I became the matriarch of the family, something that had never even crossed my mind as a possibility - ever. Yes, I'm the oldest of the 2 of us, but I never felt like it, nor was I ever treated as such, even by our parents and grandparents. I'll admit honestly that I really wasn't the most mature person, so it was justifiably understandable.

But that all changed this past week.

We were always pushed to "go to college, get a degree, get a high-paying job, have a career, blah, blah, blah". She did what she was told and has a great job with a major national company and has been there since graduating from college 31 years ago. She's never been married, only had 2 long-term relationships, and finally had a child (who is 6 months younger than my grandson!) Me? I got a trade (one of several), got married, was a stay-at-home-Mom, divorced, self-employed, re-married, widowed, re-married, stay-at-home-wife, still self-employed, and now semi-retired. Through it all (even since I was as young as 9) I've had the feeling that we live in extraordinary times and that I will be "the one to go to" - for what, I had no idea. I'm beginning to get a clearer picture, and because of my husband and our similar views of things, we bought and are fixing this place up so everyone who comes here will be comfortable and no one will be falling all over everyone else.

When it's just me I rarely cook anything, and when it's just me & my hubby he does all the cooking. I suck at cooking for just 2 people. But give me a crowd and I shine! For example, my youngest son was born 5 days before Thanksgiving, and I still had 22 people over for Thanksgiving dinner! (That was in 1984.) There were only 7 of us last week, but I still "have it"! All meals were cooked by me, all the laundry was kept up so they wouldn't have to take dirty clothes home with them, everything was very orderly. My OCD was in high gear and proved itself very worthwhile. And my sister acknowledged it in such a way that I actually felt her "step down" and "give me the chair". I'm still trying to get used to it, which is why I'm writing about it, so that maybe I'll be able to either come to terms with it or realize that maybe I'm just imagining it. It sure doesn't feel like the latter though, that's for sure!

This is hardly a blog-worthy subject to post about, but when you've been floundering your entire life, asking the Divine to show you what the fuck you're good at, and trying to find a use for what ever that ability is, then writing about it can sometimes make the whole picture a little clearer. Hopefully. So far, not so much. LOL

Well, other than realizing that I am now head of the family, even as scattered to the ends of the country as we are. Something is coming, and I now know with certainty that my family will seek us out and we will become a single cohesive unit all in one place, instead of spread out over the country, where there is no real security. And at such time as this occurs, I will be ready to take on that responsibility. Each will have their own skills and abilities to contribute, but it will be me to which they will come for advice and other subjects of multi-family living arrangements and situations.

I'm still not clear on what other skills I have that will be needed, but at least I know my OCD isn't going to waste! LOL

So, here is my small family. We took this picture on the steps of the church building on our property.

Top step: my sister, me
2nd step: my nephew, my youngest son, my oldest son
3rd step: my grandson (my oldest's son)

The week of their visit, my Tarot Card of the Week was the 6 of Cups. VERY appropriate for the situation of family gathering, happy times, celebrations. This week I pulled the Queen of Pentacles, ALSO very appropriate considering the roll I had while they were here, and the new roll I've now taken on of Matriarch. Perfect for this Crone in her Crone years.

I do believe I will have to do another Croning Ritual for myself. This one will be a bit more specific than the first one. I'll share it once it's done. :)

So y'all go enjoy your families! Find your "place" among them. The family units aren't as strong as they used to be, and it's time to start re-building them. Because that is the only way to re-build all that has been lost in this world. Without family or some kind of family unit, we are all lost.

Blessings to you and your family! :) <3

Blessed Lughnasadh ~ August 1st ~ First Harvest Festival of the Year

Blessed Lughnasadh ~ August 1st ~ First Harvest Festival of the Year
Lughnasadh is a Cross Quarter Festival. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, Cross Quarter Festivals are also called High Sabbats or Greater Sabbats, these are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. Also known as the Fire Festivals their dates of celebration are set. With the exception of Samhain, their rituals are usually performed during the day as they are solar holidays. Each of the elements is represented and is also represented here by a holiday: Samhain - water; Imbolc - air; Beltane - earth; Lughnasadh - fire.

Lughnasadh: August 1^st

This Cross-Quarter Fire Festival is celebrated on August 1^st or the first full moon of Leo and is the seventh Sabbat of the year and represents the first harvest, when the Earth’s bounty is cut and stored for winter and thanks are given for the abundance received. The God has weakened and is losing his strength as seen in the waning of the day’s light. The Goddess is pregnant with the young God who will be born at Yule.

Element:	Fire
Herbs:	Acacia, Alfalfa, All Grains, Aloe, Blackberry, Corn, Cornsilk, Cornstalk, Crab Apple, Cyclamen, Fenugreek, Frankincense, Ginseng, Golden seal, Grapes, Heather, Hollyhock, Meadowsweet, Myrtle, Oak leaves, Pear, Rye, Sloe, Sunflower, Wheat
Oil/Incense:	Aloe, Apple, Corn, Eucalyptus, Safflower, Aloes, Rose, Sandalwood
Colors:	Gold, Golden Yellow, Green, Light Brown, Orange, Red, Yellow
Stones:	Aventurine, Carnelian, Citrine, Peridot, Sardonyx, Yellow Diamond
Foods:	Apples, Barley Cakes, Berries, Berry Pies, Bilberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Breads, Calcannon, Cider, Corn, Grains, Honey, Lamb, Nuts, Potatoes, Rice, Sun-shaped cookies, Wild berries
Symbols:	Corn, Grain dollies, Shafts of grain
Activities:	Traditionally, this is the largest feast of the year. Celebrate with family and Coven members (if you belong to a Coven) by having a potluck feast. If you’ve saved the seeds from fruits and vegetables you can plant them in symbology of our connection to the God & Goddess. Take walks along any body of water, if there are any near you, and commune with the Divine. Fresh baked breads, Wheat weaving
Spellworkings:	Abundance, Bounty, Fire magick, Rituals of thanks, Sun magick
Deities:	Goddesses - Aine, Alphito, Bracacia, Carmen, Ceres, Damia, Danu, Demeter, Freya. Grain Goddesses, Ishtar, Kait, Mother Goddesses, Sul, Sun Goddesses, Taillte, Tea, Zaramama Gods - Athtar, Bes, Bran, Dagon, Ebisu, Ghanan, Grain Gods, Howtu, Liber, Lono, Lugh, Neper, Odin, Sun Gods, Xochipilli
Other Names:	Lammas, August Eve, Feast of Bread
Related Festivals:	None

July ~ Full Moon Correspondences

July ~ Full Moon Correspondences

Names:	Blessing Moon, Buck Moon, Fallow Moon, Hay Moon, Hewimanoth, Maedmonat, Meadow Moon, Moon of Blood, Moon of Claiming, Thunder Moon, Wort Moon
Deities:	Athena, Cerridwen, Hel, Holda, Juno, Khepera, Lugh, Nephthys, Venus
Nature Spirits:	Harvest faeries, Hobgoblins
Element:	Water
Herbs:	Agrimony, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Mugwort
Trees:	Acacia, Ash, Oak
Flowers:	Jasmine, Lotus, Water Lily
Scents:	Frankincense, Orris
Stones:	Moonstone, Opal, Pearl, White Agate
Colors:	Blue-Grey, Green, Silver
Animals:	Crab, Dolphin, Turtle, Whale
Birds:	Ibis, Starling, Swallow
Energy:	Childbirth, Divination; Domesticity, Dream-work, Fertility, Home matters, Meditation on goals & plans, Mothers, Preparing, Relaxed energy, Succeeding

~A Witch's Craft, Volume 2: A Witch's Book of Correspondences

Lunar Phases for Spell Workings

Lunar Phases for Spell Workings:
Abundance: Waxing to Full Moon
Addictions (to end): Waning Moon
Acquisitions: New, Waxing and Full Moons
Artistic Creativity: Waxing to Full Moon
Bad Habits (to break): Waning to Dark Moon
Bad Luck (to send): New to Waxing Moon
Bad Luck (to reverse): Waning to Dark Moon
Banishing: Waning to Dark Moon
Beauty: Full Moon
Beginnings: Full Moon
Bindings: Waning Moons
Blessings: Full Moon
Career Moves: Waxing Moon
Communication: Full Moon
Curses: Dark, New and Waxing Moons
Curses (to break): Waning to Dark Moon
Dedications: Full Moon
Divinations: New, Waxing and Full Moons
Employment: Waxing to Full Moon
Energy Raising: Dark, New and Waxing Moons
Exorcisms: Waning to Dark Moon
Fear (overcoming): Waning Moon
Fertility Rites: Waxing and Full Moons
Forgiveness: New Moon
Freedom: Waning Moon
Friendships: Waxing Moon
Garden Planting Spells: Waxing Moon
Goals (to reach): Waxing to Full Moon
Good Luck: Waxing Moon
Growth: Waxing Moon
Harmony: Waxing Moon
Happiness: Waxing to Full Moon
Healings (improve health): Waxing Moon
Healings (remove illness): Waning Moon
Hexing: Waxing Moon
Hex breaking: Waning Moon
House Blessings: Full Moon
Initiations: Full Moon
Inspiration: Full Mon
Journey: Waxing Moon
Judgments: Waxing to Full Moon
Legal Matters (favorable): Waxing to Full Moon
Legal Matters (to remove): Waning to Dark Moon
Love Spells: Waxing to Full Moon
Love Spells (to reverse): Waning Moon
Lunar Goddess Rites: Full Moon
Money (increase): Waxing Moon
Money (debt release): Waning to Dark Moon
Negativity (remove): Waning to Dark Moon
Nightmares (remove): Dark Moon
Omens: Full Moon
Peace: Waning Moon
Power: Waxing to Full Moon
Property (to buy): Waxing Moon
Property (to sell): Waning Moon
Prophetic Dreaming: Dark, New and Full Moons
Protection: Waxing Moon
Psychic Powers (to strengthen): Dark and Full Moons
Relationships (to improve): Waxing to Full Moon
Relationships (to separate): Waning to Dark Moons
Removing: Waning to Dark Moon
Quests: New Moon
Sexuality: Waxing to Full Moon
Shapeshifting: Dark and Full Moons
Spirit Communication: Full Moon
Strength: Waxing Moon
Teaching: Waxing to Full Moon
Transformations: Dark and Full Moons
Travel: Waxing Moon
Weather Magick (to bring): New, Waxing to Full Moons
Weather Magick (to reduce/remove): Waning Moon
Weight (to gain): Waxing Moon
Weight (to lose): Waning Moon
Wisdom: New, Waxing to Full Moons
Wish Magick: Waxing to Full Moons

~A Witch's Craft, Volume 2: A Witch's Book of Correspondences

Wind Working

Wind Working
North Wind: Finances, Home management, Level-headed thinking, Practicality

East Wind: Beginnings, Change, Creativity, Ritual writing, Spirit Guide communication, Transformation

South Wind: Anger issues, Jealousy, Love, Lust, Relationships, Selfishness

West Wind: Cleansing, Healing, Intuition, Mental proficiency, Physical abilities

~A Witch's Craft, Volume 2: A Witch's Book of Correspondences

The Meaning of the Spiral's Direction

The Meaning of the Spiral's Direction
The spiral is the symbol of the 5th Element of the Pentacle, Spirit, also referred to as "Akasha" meaning "coming into being". Using the spiral in ritual or spell works has been used for centuries, but what most people don't know is that the direction the spiral turns has meaning, whether the energy is from "Above" or from "Below".

The left-circling spiral represents the Divine's influence, spirituality, descending from Above. "Spirit into Man".

The right-circling spiral represents the Human's striving for re-birth from Below. "Man into Spirit".

The next time you're doing a Pendulum divination, try first twirling the Pendulum in a counter-clockwise motion, the direction of Spirit into Man. In essence you are then asking the Divine to bring you the true answers to the questions you are about to ask.

You could also twirl the Pendulum counter-clockwise over your Tarot deck or other oracle device pryor to a reading.

An Article Review on One's View of Heaven (and Hell)

An Article Review on One's View of Heaven (and Hell)
I read an article this morning about a Christian philosopher's view on the movie "Heaven is for Real". The man's name is Dr. William Lane Craig. The article was entitled "Philosopher Warns of Danger in Believing Stories About People Nearly Dying and Going to Heaven".

Either read the article first and return here, or read this and then read the article. Regardless of the order, DO read the article I'm referring to, this way you can have an accurate view of your own and not just mine. And honestly, I would love to have some feedback on this one.

Dr. Craig "is concerned that stories of supposed heavenly encounters during near-death experiences could lead Christians to stray from biblical teachings about the afterlife." While he "believes that some accounts of children and adults experiencing the divine during life-threatening health scares could be true, he has some reservations."

I'll reiterate that last part, "he has some reservations". "HE"?? I'm sorry, but who the fuck is "HE" to determine what someone else has or has not experienced??

He then goes on to say, "...there are elements of some of them that make me think that they often involve a kind of filtering through a person’s own frame of thought." Uh, duh. And isn't his own view of heaven based on the same personal reference, i.e. "frame of thought"?

He apparently has a "fear" that some Christians "might begin basing their views on the afterlife more on popular books and movies, like Heave Is Real, than on the Bible." Wow, worried much that the sheeple might find their own pasture to graze in that isn't so overflowing with manure that they feel it's time to spread out a bit, see what else there is over the hill? Can't have anyone in the fold wandering too far, we might have a mass exodus on our hands. And those leaving just might actually find their own cleaner, greener pastures elsewhere. When the shit gets thick it's time to get out of the muck or you'll be mired in it forever.

His next statement kills me, "For the Christian believer, he has in the Bible an authoritative guide to the afterlife that should determine his thinking about this,” OMFG! Are you serious?? Those two words, "authoritative" and "determine", tell me everything I need to know about this man and his method of teaching and preaching. And I want no part of it! The Bible is a guide from which to base your morals, ethics, and style of living. Its words have power and beauty. But it is not a "dictator" on how to live or believe. Each person must, for themselves, find God, the Divine, the Creator, or whatever name you and It have agreed upon. Knowing God is extremely personal, and no one may dictate how you must believe in It.

Then he states, "He didn’t dismiss the story behind “Heaven Is for Real,” a book and film based on Colton Burpo’s claim that he met dead relatives and Jesus during an emergency appendectomy in 2003. That said, Craig cautioned Christians not to shut off their critical thinking faculties simply because a story feels good and seems plausible." (my emphasis) 

"Shut off their critical thinking faculties"...LMAO Wow, the pot calling the kettle black. That is exactly what he is doing. Thankfully, I do have those skills and that is the reason I am writing this. Because his arrogance pissed me off so much.

This next sentence kills me, "Craig said that in his interpretation of the Bible’s teachings about death, a person’s soul is separated from their body when they die, leaving them as a spiritual, not physical, being." BINGO! We have a winner! Quote, "IN HIS INTERPRETATION..." I now refer you back to the previous paragraph about "critical thinking". If you were to follow statement number 2 ("his interpretation"), then statement number 1 ("critical thinking faculties") becomes an oxymoron. Wow. He's not the brightest bulb in the box is he? At the least, he's an unwitting hypocrite.

"Craig said that in his view, heaven and hell haven’t necessarily occurred yet, and won’t until the “end times” conclude..." Ok, from his and other Christian's viewpoints, I concur (to a point) on this one. The problem with the statement though is it being "in his view". Exactly! HIS view.

The article goes on, "He posited that Burpo and others might have experienced a God-given mental projection, but that they are not actually experiencing heaven as a literal place, nor are they seeing embodied spirits." And who exactly is he to determine who or what these people are seeing?? Was he there, inside their experience? Did he see and experience what they did, as they did? No. He's "positing" from his view, which is full of personal prejudices honed over years of his experiences that are only based upon having never experienced a "near-death experience". Which means his views are null and void.

"Instead, he believes that (they) are seeing disembodied spirits who are in a waiting place called “paradise.” There it is again, "he believes". Ugh. Really? Wow, you know what I believe? I believe this is a blowhard who wants his 15 minutes in the limelight, but like most others like him, he can't hold up his end of the argument.

"Paradise and its oppositional locality — hades — precede heaven and hell and are the spiritual realms where believers reside until they are reunited with their bodies at the end of times, he said." Ooookaaaaay! Wow. Whatever. I really can't find words to express my awe of the stupidity of that statement.

"...at the end of the world, on judgement day, God would raise the bodies of the dead and the souls would be reunited with …supernatural bodies.

From there it goes on to say, "That in mind, the philosopher said that Burpo and others might have actually seen projections of the spirits — images that God was allowing. What we cannot say as Christians is that [Burpo] was literally seeing his grandfather in a physical sense, because his [deceased] grandfather doesn’t have his body,” he continued. “You don’t go to heaven when you die. That sounds jarring … you don’t go to heaven or hell until after the resurrection.”

Ok, let me get this straight. God is only "allowing" people to see their dead relatives as "projections", but they're not really there because God hasn't given them their "spiritual body" yet. OMG WTF does he think that "projection" is, if not their "spiritual body"? What a bunch of convoluted twisted nonsense. He needs to take a course in critical thinking, because he has none.

This next statement is really good! "...he’s hoping to advance a positive and sympathetic look at stories like Burpos to help people realize that some digging and clarifying needs to be done to bring the stories in compliance with Christian teaching." Wow, there's that dictatorial bullshit again, "in compliance"? Seriously?? Holy shit. I mean, really? Un-fucking-believable.

"The title of the book, for instance — “Heaven Is for Real” — Craig called a “contradiction,” as he clearly believes heaven hasn’t yet come to fruition." Again, he believes. HIS beliefs on the subject.

Here is another article, by Dr. Craig himself, on the subject. Much of what is in the article I read and am referencing here, comes from this article by Dr. Craig. I won't bother breaking it down. This one was more than enough to piss me off for one day, thank you.

I really have a hard time with those who are supposed to be spiritual leaders in their faith. But rather than guiding, they take the term "leader" to heart and begin to dictate that which others are supposed to believe.

Why can't they just teach the words, in context, and let those who read them learn from them as they interpret them? What you may take from a verse or phrase is different from what I or someone else will get from it.

You can't tell me how to see God. I have to see God in my own way. I have to come to meet with the Creator in my time and in my own manner. It may be through the wind in the trees as they talk to me. It may be that tingly feeling you get when you feel the Divine is near and thus you know God is listening.

I don't know about you, but I do not need someone else telling (yes, dictating to) me how to experience anything spiritual. My beliefs will determine what I see on the Otherside. Yours will determine what you see and experience.

Years ago, I saw a show on cable (long before there were all these hundreds of cable channels), a show about death, dying, and experiences of those who had come back to tell their stories. There was a Christian man who had experienced dreams his whole life of being a Jewish concentration camp victim who was killed in the gas chamber. He even dreamt of his dying and just-after-death moments. Upon his death he saw a blue light which transported him toward it. But even in his dream state he wondered by he saw a blue light. Wasn't it supposed to be a white light?

He decided to do some research regarding the man he saw himself to be in his dreams, and the Jewish faith's beliefs on the subject of dying and passing over. He spoke with a Rabbi, telling him of his experiences in these dreams, and the blue light. As a Christian he couldn't understand why the light was blue and not white. The Rabbi told him that in the Jewish faith, the light is indeed blue!

This then becomes apropos regarding Dr. Craig's statement "....they often involve a kind of filtering through a person’s own frame of thought." Exactly. Each person's "own frame of thought". As a Christian he would've seen a white light. But as the Jewish believer he was experiencing in his dream state, he saw a blue light. If he'd dreamt of a Viking, it's then fair to say that he would've seen the Valkyries and the Halls of Valhalla. Or if he'd dreamt of a Pagan he would've seen the Summerland.

Isn't it time to stop dictating how we should believe in the Divine, and only be glad that we do?