Life Update

Hello loves!

Has it really been almost a month since I've posted? Oops!

Let me take the time to fill you in on everything that has been going on. Basically I took the plunge and decided to officially become a Certified Crystal Healer (CCH) through Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy (HBCA)! When I got the offer and found out that I could easily afford it, my soul did back flips.... yes back flips... and I patiently waited for two weeks before class officially started. Now that I'm two classes in and not only doing the classes, taking notes and patiently fulfilling my #ohmwork (I love this name by the way) I have confirmed that this is definitely the right path for me. The science behind it is interesting, even though I honestly am not interested in science whatsoever, and learning about various techniques and really pinpointing what crystals are and how powerful they are, I have a new appreciation for Momma Earth's creations! 

Left is Lepidolite & Right is Chrysoprase. Both are mine!

During this #ohmwork I've been forced to stop wearing my sugilite pendant and really focus on just meditating and wearing one stone for 3-4 days with a resting day in between each stone. Last week I worked with lepidolite, this week I am working with chrysoprase. Lepidolite was a ver calming stone and it filled me with a lot of peace. It had been itching to work with me for quite some time so when I found out this assignment was heavily suggested (ohmwork is not required whatsoever and not scored for grade), I thought it was the perfect time. Now that I've work chrysoprase for just one day (even as I am typing this post) I found myself to be quite literally in a better mood, similar to how my sugilite makes me feel. Though I do miss my sugilite, chrysoprase is a wonderful temporary replacement!

But anyways, let's stop my ranting about my crystal experience because otherwise this whole post will be about crystals. I am still working at my job and going to my regular school as well. I did end up spending time with my family this past weekend, ended up getting sick the same day (is this a sign? I do not know) but overall am managing to be in high spirits. I got some decent news at work recently but know that I will have to work twice as hard until the situation is resolved. I don't know if I should go into detail about my work life, so I won't right now. 

I've also been doing a lot of things for my coven, such as starting rehearsals for our Shapatu of Ishtar and I am playing the role of Gestishtar. I won't spoil the ending for you in case you decide to join us in Central NJ this year but you don't want to miss it. It's a two night, two day camping ritual reenactment of the Babylonian Goddess Ishtar and her marriage to Tammuz. Once we have a web page for it indicated I will post another post with an update, but for now you can view some of the info here. But all we've done so far is reading through the script and some of the costuming and craft making. I personally have been working on the advertising of the event and spreading the word as well as making promotional material as a good graphic designer does. Not only that but other coven duties that happened to fall into my lap. Not that I truly mind, but you know, more work.

And that's sort of where I am leaving off. As you can see, many things have kept me preoccupied but I do miss my writing. I'm going to try to make a better effort, especially because I have so many ideas just sitting in the draft section and waiting for me to write them if I am being honest.

Let me know down below what you've been up to!
Love & Light
Ganshmi

Blaming The Victim Needs To Stop

This past weekend after celebrating a joyous holiday season, which of course begins with Yule and ends with Christmas Day, my car was went into without my permission and the contents of my car were thrown about. Upon further realization I saw that the change I had in my car was missing and that the trash was sprawled all around it. My Goodwill finds were left unbroken and untouched, something I am grateful for. However they decided to remove my Brigid's cross and throw it on passenger's seat, leave my car repair receipts inside and didn't bother throwing away the trash. How does that make me feel? Violated, taken advantage of, but most of all angry. Angry that someone had the nerve to come into my car and steal my cash, a precious item that I was going to use in case my tires get low or I needed toll money. Cash that I have very little of, but I guess if you need money bad enough to steal it, then you can have the $4 I gave you. Perhaps I can write it off during my tax returns.

I was angry most of the day, having to leave for work before I could file a police report. As one would do, I vented my frustrations out on Facebook, hoping to gain some sort of support or words to calm me down, instead it made me angrier.

I initially contact my aunt, who used to work as a police officer who is now retired, to ask her opinion on the situation. She immediately asked if I locked my car, to which I said "guess not". She laughs innocently enough and gives me the advice I seek. I post this status to my feed, which conjures up more emotions inside of me.*

Do you see how many shares this received? Exactly.

I generally was not interested in a pity party or a lecture in locking my cars, but that is precisely what I received on my regular account **. I received only two other text messages and two other people who expressed interest in what had happened to me, all of them along the lines of this:

And though most of these messages were trying to be helpful, all it did was end up making me angrier. What difference does it make if I locked my car or not? Surely yes, the obvious thing is that my car probably would not have been invaded as it did, but why should I have to lock my car? I should be able to leave it unlocked and expect it to remain the way I left it in the morning. I shouldn't have to constantly fear that someone is going to invade my personal space and take my things, why did no one realize that? Eventually my anger got to a boiling point and I posted this* :

(Language Warning)

I still stand by this statement. Where was the cry over someone who ROBBED me? It was instantly blamed as my fault for leaving my car unlocked. Though I have no right to compare, that's the same exact notion as blaming a rape victim for dressing a certain way which caused them to be raped. That's how I honestly felt, victimized. We have a right to dress any way we want without the fear of being touched inappropriately just as I have the right to leave my car unlocked without someone messing with my belongings. 

But that's how we as a society are now. So quick to blame the victim for messing up or being comfortable in a situation to let their guard down. So easy to place the guilt on the victim and to ultimately make them feel even worse for the wrong things that happened to them. NO MORE.

STOP. BLAMING. THE. VICTIM.

It is the WRONG doers fault for breaking the law or getting themselves into the situation. Where is the outcry for them? Where is the outcry for justice? When as a society, we feel it socially acceptable to make the person who is suffering feel worse? Wake up America.

Whether it's gun violence, assault, theft, murder, etc. it is NEVER okay to blame the victim in any way, shape or form. 

However, in my case I did end up receiving a ton of support on my private account.

(Language Warning)

Which I am most utterly grateful for. It's nice to know my community is more kind hearted then my own family and people I have known since grade school, but what can you do?

I won't let these people get to me, I will continue to live my life as I did before. However for most people this isn't the case. The victim's do not get their support or comfort, which is why you always watch what you say to people. You never know what they are dealing with.

Remember to spread positivity, acceptance and most importantly love to the world.

Much Love and Light my loves,

Ganshmi

*Names and images have been removed and/or blurred over privacy concerns.

** I have two Facebook accounts, one as my regular one and the other for my pagan friends. I am still in the broom closet.