Today we celebrate the graduation and ordination of our first students. Ashlee and Karyn have worked very hard this last year and have earned their First Degree credentials. We are blessed to have the opportunity to count them among our Family. May the light and love of the Goddess shine from them.

Blessings and welcome to you both;
Rev. Joshua

A Fundraiser for Kyrja Withers: Since Florida Pagan and children’s author Kyrja Withers had her home shot at this past March, followed by a chemical bottle-bomb attack, which required Withers’ daughter to seek medical care after inhaling fumes, the Lady Liberty League, Everglades Moon Local Council of COG, and other local Pagan community members have been mobilizing to assist Withers. At the behest of Lady Liberty League, their household is now raising funds to install security measures to protect against future attacks.

Kyrja Withers (Photo: Tampa Bay Times)
“Lady Liberty League [...] has provided a variety of resources to my husband, Randy, and I during this time. They also provided a comprehensive on-site Threat Assessment Report of our home in an effort to de-escalate the situation and provide long-term safety for our family. We are seeking assistance to comply with the security measures recommended by Lady Liberty League. The bulk of the funding received will be to purchase the security cameras necessary to provide surveillence of our unique, colorful home. The cameras would provide visible deterents to those who would seek to further harass and intimidate us, as well as a means to secure evidence should additional incidents occur.”

They are seeking to raise $1,100 dollars, and have already raised nearly half of their goal. For those seeking to concretely help in this situation this seems to be a pragmatic and sensible way to do so. The Lady Liberty League asks that “those who are interested in contributing suggestions of resources, ideas for strategies, and volunteering security consulting and other help” to send them an e-mail, or comment at the organization’s Facebook page. A focus image has also been provided for those who want to do magical/prayer work for Kyrja and her family. We will update you here with further developments.

We are passing this along. The story has been covered on the Wild Hunt, but we need to continue and help this author. The information you need is in the following post.

Good morning!

One of the stories in our Beltane Podcast is about Kyrja Withers, a Florida Pagan Author, who has been the target of escalating harassment and violence since December. Most recently, shots were fired at her house and a few weeks later, exploding bottles of fluid were tossed into her yard, where a family member was present.

You can read the Florida PNC article about it here:

http://florida.pagannewswirecollective.com/2013/04/22/violent-attacks-directed-at-florida-pagan-author-continue/

Lady Liberty League has been working with Kyrja for some time now, and EMLC, in addition to boosting awareness about the situation and calling for spiritual support for Kyrja and her family, has been collaborating with Selena Fox and LLL to network to connect Kyrja with the people with the appropriate skills needed to help her navigate through all these challenges.

Kyrja has been advised that she needs some security equipment to deter further activity/potentially catch offenders, but she cannot afford it. An Indiegogo campaign has been set up to raise those funds. We ask that you might consider making even a small contribution to this cause, or at least share widely. There are a variety of links on our EMLC facebook page if you prefer to share that way.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/security-for-kyrja-s-home-the-glitter-dome?c=pledges

Thanks for your consideration.

What is Cog? We Are Everglades Moon Local Council, a group of individuals who practice as solitaries or in covens, who believe that everybody should be safe in their homes. We are CoG!

Kasha
First Officer, EMLC

As earth day approaches, we all need to take time and considered all that the Divine has provided for us to exist and how we have repaid this gift.
This year consider this, take this day and give back a little. If every person on the planet (there were 6,973,738,433 in 2011) were to devote one single hour to doing something to clean up our world; imagine what could be done.
There are many ways that you could help. National, State and local parks have volunteer programs that you could participate in, even if it were for just that one day; imagine the impact you could have not to mention the great feeling of accomplishment that comes from taking part in it. I have been an active park volunteer (I guess you could almost call it a full-time job) for about four years and have done things from simply cleaning up day use areas to active participation in habitat restoration. If that doesn’t appeal to you, why not take some time with your family and just take a walk and pick up trash thrown on the ground by those who did not think to find a garbage can. Doing this will do two things, first; it will help heal our world, second; it will send a message to those who see you in action. Never underestimate the power of doing this, my wife and I have tried it and saw others actually begin doing the same thing.
The simple act of planting a tree has great impact and is actually an amazing investment. A professor at the University of Calcutta (T, M. Das) did a study and came up with the value of a tree if left to do its natural job for fifty years: it would provide $31,250 worth of oxygen, $62,000 worth of pollution control and soil erosion control, $31,250 worth of improved fertility of the surrounding ground, recycle $37,500 worth of ground water and provide homes to animals worth $31,250. This adds up to $193,250.00 and doesn’t take into consideration the beauty it brings or any fruit it might bear. Pretty good for just planting a single tree isn’t it?
We all owe our earth so very much and with the hustle and bustle of daily life, we tend to forget that our entire existence relies on her existence, take the time, find something of value that will allow you to give back, take a deep breath and remember, that breath could not have been taken were it not for the gifts given us by the Earth Mother.
May the Divine smile on you always and give each of you an abundance of blessings;
Rev. Joshua

December 2012
The American Spiritual Alliance is pleased to announce the addition of the Interfaith Academy to its training. This will be the start of a very fulfilling set of classes and will not only be available to A.S.A. members, but the public at large (with the exception of specified Clergy course). Our Student Handbook and Course Catalog can be found on the Interfaith Academy page of our website.

May the Divine guide us into a positive and effective venture with this!!

10.10.2012  The American Spiritual Alliance is proud to announce a newly formed association with the Gaianist Free Church.

In an effort to further our outreach program of Interfaith education, we will be providing them access to our Clergy Training and workshops.

May the future hold more growth and continued success.

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.

Buddha

The path to spirituality begins with but a single, simple step. The realization that we all share this planet and that we are all different is a good start. It doesn’t matter what faith you are, that is not what makes you a spiritual being. Understanding that our diversity makes us all unique and accepting each person for who they are, not what they are is vital to individual spirituality.

Every belief system, on the surface, looks very different from all the others, but upon looking deeper; we find that they all seem to carry the same core values. Compassion, Understanding, Respect and acceptance.

It is so very interesting to see that we tend to accept a person for who they are, until we find out that they are not of our faith. Is it their belief system that makes us change our minds? No, it is preconceived prejudices that become ingrained on us through the years. We are not born to understand differences, we are taught them. This affects everything, religion, racial conceptions, and financial station. Are these things right? Again, a resounding no. We have to share this world with everyone else; you can’t just send those you don’t agree with away.

The people in our past, that we have considered to be the most spiritual, never treated anyone badly just because they did not believe that way they did. On the contrary, they would work with them, understanding the value of those differences. People like Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Buddha, and Christ. They demonstrated the four core values of spirituality each and every day of their lives. These are the things we should strive toward, not sit in judgment, and trust in the fact that your life has its flaws just as any other person.

To walk a truly spiritual path is to let go of all of our personal prejudices and learn to live by that “Goldern Rule” that is found in virtually every belief system in this world.

After many years of thought and desire, the time finally came and all things seemed to align.

With the help and backing of my wonderful Wife Chris and many, many discussions with my Brother in Spirit, Peter; the decision to build an organization based on the truly Old Ways and intertwining it with an Interfaith weave. The American Spiritual Alliance has been born.

We are hoping that our efforts will instill an understanding of how very much alike we are and help to create an environment of cooperation between the various Religious Paths.

Stay with us, learn, grow and embrace the Divine in your own way!