I is for Isis and Osiris positions

I for one use the Isis and Osiris positions when calling the Lord and Lady during ritual. I know they'e Egyptian gods, but I'd like to learn more about these positions, so on to the research...

These positions are also referred to as simply the God and Goddess Positions or Postures. According to the Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft, the God or Osiris Posture represents burial, and while a bowed head in this position refers to the Slain God or Harvest Lord, a raised head symbolizes the god renewed, Sun God, or Lord of Vegetation. The Goddess Posture is similar to Neolithic Goddess symbols found in Old Europe. It also resembles the ka symbol of Egypt, which refers to the spirit body double of the physical body.

You can look at these pages to learn about Isis and Osiris

H is for Happiness

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln
"Happiness depends upon ourselves." -Aristotle

I decided that it is my job to make myself happy; nobody can do it for me. Happiness is all about attitude, and mine needed improvement. Actually, it still does. As with many things, my pursuit of happiness is a work-in-progress. One of the things I am trying is affirmation. I've put sticky notes in places I'll see (on my bathroom mirror and near my computer) saying, "I think positive and loving thoughts and enjoy a happy, optimistic mood." I've also been attempting more positive thinking, which is easier said than done. My goal in every situation is to look at the bright side, but if that's too hard, I just try to calm down and not make it worse. I'm not always happy, and I'm certainly not the happiest person alive, but thinking positively has made me happier, and I'm hoping it will continue to.

H is for Hell (as an expression).

Sometimes being a Pagan surrounded by Christians is as hard as Hell. I could try to raise hell about it, but all hell would break loose, and someone hell-bent on converting me would tell me I'm doomed to hell, to which I'd have to reply, "Go to hell!" just for the hell of it. Then they'd give me hell about that, which would start one hell of an argument, which neither of us would have a snowball's chance in hell of winning, unless hell freezes over. Maybe I could just scare the hell out of them and they'd flee like a bat out of hell. Ah, to hell with it!

As a pagan, I don't believe in Hell, so why would I use the word? Well, it is probably the best known name for a location of its type, at least in the Western world. According to Thesaurus.com, there is a list of synonyms for hell: Abaddon, Gehenna, Hades, abyss, affliction, agony, anguish, blazes, bottomless pit, difficulty, everlasting fire, fire and brimstone, grave, hell-fire, infernal regions, inferno, limbo, lower world, misery, nether world, nightmare, ordeal, pandemonium, perdition, pit, place of torment, purgatory, suffering, torment, trial, underworld, wretchedness. While many of these words could be used in place of hell in some circumstances, sometimes hell just works better. Many of these words still refer to the same Judeo-Christian concept of hell: Abaddon, Gehenna, everlasting fire, fire and brimstine, hell-fire, perdition. Some are just not as comprehensive as the word hell: abyss, affliction, agony, anguish, blazes, bottomless pit, difficulty, grave, infernal regions, inferno, misery, ordeal, pandemonium, pit, place of torment, suffering, torment, trial, wretchedness. A few are names for similar mythological places: Hades, limbo, lower world, nether world, purgatory, underworld. The only synonym left is nightmare, but let's face it: "Hurts like a nightmare" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Not only is hell a relatively unique word, but the fact that you don't believe in something isn't necessarily a reason to avoid talking about it or using it in conversation. I have friends who debate the physics within fictional universes. Most of us have heard the phrases, "I'm no Superman," and "What would <insert fictional character here> do?" Not to mention all the memes starring fictional characters or places. So the next time you say "What the hell?" and someone responds, "I thought you didn't believe in Hell." give 'em hell! ;P