Kenaz Filan

Have you no shame, Mr. Buckland?, Jan 13 2004

Disclaimer: I am not Rom, but I have done a bit of research on the subject. I welcome comments or corrections from anyone who knows more than I do... I suspect they will have seen many of the same errors I saw, and probably point out a few that I missed.

First of all: many people consider the word "Gypsy" to be an ethnic slur. I doubt that Llewellyn would have released "Secret Magic of the Coons," "Dago Spells for All Occasions" or "Hebe Witchcraft." As a self-proclaimed "Half-Romany," I'm surprised that Buckland didn't know that.

Second: the reason many Rom travelled from place to place was not because of their wild, nomadic spirits or their psychic connection with nature: it… Read more

The shadows in the park were longer yesterday..., Nov 7 2003

"I flew for heaven's sake, and let the angels take me home" (from "Home")

In many ways *Stormwatch* is the last Jethro Tull album; *A*, its followup, started life as an Ian Anderson solo effort and future efforts would lack the classic lineup ... and the stately Elgar-meets-folk-rock grandeur of Jethro Tull at its finest. Perhaps that explains the pervasive feeling of melancholy which suffuses this album: everyone involved knew that things were coming to an end.

"Floating slowly out to sea in a misty misery." (from "Flying Dutchman")

While Ian Anderson had been Tull's leader since *Stand Up,* he had always relied on the efforts of his… Read more

No Magician Should Be Without It, Jun 25 2003

The Golden Dawn recommended that its beginning initiates spend one year doing nothing but the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram and keeping notes on the results. Alas, we live in an age where "instant enlightenment" is more popular than gradual exercises intended to strengthen the self and prepare the magician for mystical experiences. This has left us with many "magicians" who don't know the difference between vision and delusion... or who wind up injuring themselves when they actually encounter Something Else.

With *Castings,* Ivo has made a serious effort to counter that spiritual flabbiness and sloppiness. Any magician who follows the practices in this… Read more