Saint Joseph the Worker

"O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests in desires..."

The preceding prayer has helped me immensely of late.  And it can help you.  Creating a relationship with St. Joseph, the beloved foster father of Christ, is a personal journey I undertook three months when my unemployment looked grim.  Being a transsexual has it's own set of challenges, one of which happens to be finding a job.  Little by little I lost hope and little by little San Giuseppe, the carpenter saint of my Catholic heritage appealed to me.  I began to worry for my own safety and that of my boyfriend and our pets, who depended on my finding a new source of income in the near future.

"O Saint Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you or Jesus asleep in your arms... "

   It occurred to me, as it has to so many others, that Saint Joseph shares our concern for family being a craftsman who supported Jesus and Mary.  For that reason he has been petitioned by countless Italians who integrated him into folk magic.  A relationship with Saint Joseph can help you maintain stability and homeostasis within your work and home life.  

   As Saint Joseph the Worker he is honored on May 1 and his special day is Sunday. He is often seen in the his spouse and child as the Holy Family.  He is also at home with his work bench on Catholic Holy Cards, ready to help you resume control of your life.

Jesus as Magician

(Originally published December 10, 2011)

For two thousand years Jesus has been invoked to protect the home, the family and the individual. He has been nailed to your wall and worn about your neck.  He is a living spell, a Word of Power and--according to some--a magician.

     For twenty four years I avoided him.  The trouble was everyone had an opinion I was supposed to subscribe to.  Jesus is lord, Jesus is King, Jesus runs the show, etc.  I never had room to interpret him myself.  I never made time to examine the kind eyes, the liberal agenda and the obvious metaphysics of his life. He was born of a virgin, cured the blind, raised the dead and drove off spirits.  Jesus also performs the highest goal of ceremonial magicians, unleashing his divinity.

     There were also ancient claims to Jesus's mystical life.  If we're to believe an Egyptian bowl from Alexandria (evidently conceived between the 2nd century BCE  and 1AD), the first written reference to Jesus describes a magician.  Interestingly enough, an enemy of Christianity named Celsus wrote an account between the 2nd and 3rd Centuries describing Jesus as a magician who learned his skills in Egypt, where the bowl was found.

     Modern evidence suggests that Jesus is a synchronized deity based on "god men" like Horus, Mythras and Heracles.  I couldn't agree more.  Jesus has many roles.  He can help you understand the mystic's life better than most modern magicians.  He can teach you tolerance.  He can help make you aware of spirit and acknowledge your inner-divinity.   Jesus's associations are diverse: he is associated with the sun, the color white, blood, the cross and the color 3.  In Santeria, Jesus is synchronized with Obatala, the creator of human form.

Frequently Asked Questions

(Originally published November 11, 2011)

"Are you Wiccan?  Is that how I say that?"  Many times people are surprised when I say no.  I'm also not a Pagan in the modern sense.  I'm an animist.  What's the difference?  For one, Neo-Pagans work within a pantheon of gods while animists work with spirits and energy.  As an animist I make no classifications between deities like Zeus and Catholic saints.  Spirit is spirit.  There are spirits and elemental energies presiding over your favorite plant and gemstone.  Tools and pendants can be charged as independent allies.  I'm not about to box myself in and work with only one group of energies.  I'm not the kind of girl who likes putting the universe in boxes: the Goddess, the God, etc, etc,  It doesn't work for me.  Animism feels more organic to me; it feels real.  At this point it's more of a nature than a religion as it fits into mundane life.

    "What is Stregheria?"  If you've been reading this blog at all you'll know that Stregheria is the Italian word for witchcraft.  It is not (as some people claim) the Italian version of Wicca.  But while witchcraft is not a religion it can be taught, practiced or celebrated as a tradition.

     "Is Stregheria hereditary?"  Some people will tell you they learned their craft from a grandmother or parent.  I don't doubt this is often true.  In my case, I grew up with very religious, conservative parents.  Witchcraft was always an interest whose origin I couldn't pinpoint.  As I grew older I learned to open myself to the knowledge of my ancestors, whose memories and experiences with things like herb lore, folk magic and mysticism have always been apart of me.

  "Are you Catholic?"   I enjoy Catholic imagery.  It appeals to me.  I love rosaries and religious pendants.  My working room is decked with images of saints. None of this is because I'm Catholic but because it keeps me closer to my ancestors.  My ancestors were involved with the same saints.  They pulled them from several sources.  I can't help but feel they helped instill this in me.

Lilith: The Dark Mother in Literature, Art and Faith

Lilith, the long-haired Queen of Witches in Italian folklore is the subject of my new blog, found here.  If this interests you, you might want to subscribe for weekly mythology, folktales and religious doctrine.