YouTube Treasures: Nostalgia Cubana: "La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre y Su Historia"

On My Etsy Shop: La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre Art Prints $20. La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, also known as Our Lady of Charity, is the patroness of Cuba. Her story began around 1608, when two brothers, Rodrigo and Juan de Hoyos, along with their slave, Juan Moreno, set out to the Bay of Nipe for salt. Salt was needed for the preservation of the meat at the Barajagua slaughter house, which supplied the inhabitants and workers of Santiago del Prado, now known as El Cobre. While out in the bay, a terrible storm arose, rocking their tiny boat violently with its waves. The three men prayed desperately to the Virgin Mary for her protection and deliverance. The skies suddenly cleared as if in response, and the great storm was gone. In the distance, the men saw a strange object floating in the water. They rowed towards it as the now gentle waves began to bring it closer. At first they mistook it for a bird, but it was, in actuality, a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus and a golden cross in her hand. The statue was fastened to a board with an inscription saying, "Yo Soy la Virgen de la Caridad" or "I am the Virgin of Charity." The statue was dressed in real cloth, had real hair and the skin tone of a multi-ethnic woman. Much to their surprise, the statue had remained completely dry while afloat in the water.

On My Etsy Shop: St. Brigid of Ireland

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 St. Brigid of Ireland Art Prints $20. In Celtic religion and Irish mythology, Brigit or Brighid is the daughter of the Dagda (the "All-father") and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann (a race of people thought to derive from the pre-Christian deities of Ireland). Brighid was once the divine patroness of poetry, smithing, medicine, arts and crafts, cattle and other livestock, and was associated with fire and the coming of spring. During the Middle Ages, she was syncretized with a Christian saint, and became St. Brigid of Kildare or Ireland, who is one of Ireland's patron saints along with St. Patrick and St. Columba.

On My Etsy Shop: Brides of Adam

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 Brides of Adam Art Prints $20. According to legend, Lilith was Adam's first wife, created at the same time and from the same earth as he was. She would, however, eventually abandon both her marriage and husband after refusing to become subservient to him. Eve was then created from Adam's rib to be both his new wife and companion, but unfortunately, she succumbs to the Serpent's temptation and eats the forbidden fruit from off the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve shares the fruit with her husband, and as a result, the first humans are cursed and expelled from the Garden of Eden by God forever for their disobedience.

On My Etsy Shop: Bast

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 Bast Art Prints $20. Bast was the Egyptian goddess of cats, of the rising sun, of enlightenment and of truth, of the household, of civilization and the arts, of creation, of sex and physical pleasures, of lesbians, of fertility and birth, of bountiful positive energy, of the moon and often associated with the enlightened Maiden of the Triple Goddess.

On My Etsy Shop: Athena

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 Athena Art Prints $20 (only 1 left). Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, the arts and defensive war.

On My Etsy Shop: Abundantia

On My Etsy Shop: Signed & Matted 5x7 Abundantia Art Prints $20. Abundantia was the Roman goddess of success, prosperity, abundance, and good fortune.

Thoughts

I confess that I've always viewed the world with a certain blind optimism. I want to see the good in people. I believe its there even in the worst of us. Sometimes though we turn away from it in our lives for reasons that later seem illogical or frivolous, and in those moments we become unrecognizable.

One of the hardest things for me has always been making my voice heard. For so very much of my life, I have just wanted to be left alone, to be "off to the side", unseen, or just make it through another day unharassed. Because of it, my inner circle has always been made of just a very precious few. But silence isn't safety, it's complicity.

There is a cancer rising in our country, and everyday I feel a little bit more of my optimism die. We are becoming unrecognizable. Hate cannot be given a place at the table. Fear cannot be given a place at the table. We will always have our differences in thought, politics, and religion, but our humanity should be constant regardless.

We cannot continue to make "the other" out of each other. We cannot continue to spew indignation then follow it with inaction. Our compassion is never a weakness. Our empathy is never a weakness, but we must do so much more than just be a voice of kindness. We must be its hand. We must be its shield. I want to see the good in people again.

Garden Shots

"Purple in the Garden", "A Sprinkle of White", and "White in the Garden" have all been added to my Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch)

#PulseOrlando

June 12, 2018 marks two years since 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

YouTube Treasures: Mondays are a Drag: Aja - Brujeria

Mondays are a drag, so start them off with a little brujeria...

Obatala

"Obatala" is now available over at my #Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch) #sharemysociety6 #africa #african #yoruba #orisha #obatala #cuba #cuban #santeria

Obatala is an Orisha. He is the Sky Father and the creator of human bodies, which were brought to life by the smooth breath of Olodumare. Obatala is the father of all Orishas and the owner of all ori. Any Orisha may claim an individual, but until that individual is initiated into the priesthood of that Orisha, Obatala still owns that head.

Starlight Pisces: February 20 ~ March 20

“Starlight Pisces” is now available over at my #Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch) #sharemysociety6

Pisceans are the gentle and generous hearts of the Zodiac. Their compassionate and empathic personalities will often and easily draw others to their side.

Starlight Aquarius: January 21 ~ February 19

“Starlight Aquarius” is now available over at my #Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch) #sharemysociety6

Aquarians possess powerful, magnetic personalities. Whether they evolve as shy or exuberant individuals, they are often extremely honest, and iron-willed with amazing depth of character.

Abundantia

“Abundantia” is now available over at my #Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch) #sharemysociety6

Abundantia's image graced Roman coins in centuries past. She was the Roman goddess of success, prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. Abundantia was also considered to be a protector of savings, investments, and wealth. In Roman mythology, she brought money and grain to people while they were sleeping, shaking her gifts from the magical cornucopia she always carried.

Santa Muerte

“Santa Muerte” is now available over at my #Society6 Shop: (https://society6.com/thecubanwitch) #sharemysociety6

Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte (Spanish for Our Lady of the Holy Death) or, colloquially, Santa Muerte (Holy Death), is a female deity (or folk saint depending on school of thought) in Mexican folk religion, particularly Folk Catholicism, venerated primarily in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. A personification of death, she is associated with healing, protection, and safe delivery to the afterlife by her devotees.