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Author Topic: Books: the Merciful Earth  (Read 4799 times)

Jack

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the Merciful Earth
« on: March 17, 2016, 01:29:51 pm »
It occurs to me that there might be people here who are interested in this! Last month I finally self-published my chapbook of poetry and fiction about my goddess Mara. It's up here on Amazon.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2019, 11:19:36 am by RandallS »
Hail Mara, Lady of Good Things!
"The only way to cope with something deadly serious is to try to treat it a little lightly." -Madeleine L'Engle

RecycledBenedict

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2016, 01:35:01 pm »
Quote from: Jack;188328
It occurs to me that there might be people here who are interested in this! Last month I finally self-published my chapbook of poetry and fiction about my goddess Mara. It's up here on Amazon.


Does she have anything to do with the Buddhist personification of ignorance, impermanence and suffering, or the Scandinavian spirit of nightmares, or is the similarity, pertaining to name, just a strange coincidence?

Jack

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2016, 04:54:48 pm »
Quote from: FraterBenedict;188329
Does she have anything to do with the Buddhist personification of ignorance, impermanence and suffering, or the Scandinavian spirit of nightmares, or is the similarity, pertaining to name, just a strange coincidence?
She is closest to the Latvian goddess of the same name, whom I've seen academically linked to the Slavic Marzanna and the Hindu Māri/ Mariamman. I certainly have theorized that there's a metaphorical link between the goddess of the physical world and the demon that attempts to keep the Buddha from recognizing the impermanence of the physical world, but linguistically, I don't think there's anything to back that up.
Hail Mara, Lady of Good Things!
"The only way to cope with something deadly serious is to try to treat it a little lightly." -Madeleine L'Engle

RecycledBenedict

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2016, 05:06:39 pm »
Quote from: Jack;188351
She is closest to the Latvian goddess of the same name, whom I've seen academically linked to the Slavic Marzanna and the Hindu Māri/ Mariamman. I certainly have theorized that there's a metaphorical link between the goddess of the physical world and the demon that attempts to keep the Buddha from recognizing the impermanence of the physical world, but linguistically, I don't think there's anything to back that up.


Thank you very much! It was very clarifying!

MadZealot

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2016, 12:46:53 pm »
Quote from: Jack;188328
It occurs to me that there might be people here who are interested in this! Last month I finally self-published my chapbook of poetry and fiction about my goddess Mara. It's up here on Amazon.

 
Nice!  'Bout halfway through.  I particularly liked "Queen of Transitions" and "Lady of the Park."
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Jack

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2016, 02:12:27 pm »
Quote from: MadZealot;188534
Nice!  'Bout halfway through.  I particularly liked "Queen of Transitions" and "Lady of the Park."
Thank you!
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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2016, 04:33:33 pm »
Quote from: Jack;188328
It occurs to me that there might be people here who are interested in this! Last month I finally self-published my chapbook of poetry and fiction about my goddess Mara. It's up here on Amazon.

 
I picked it up; it's on my Kindle. I'll try to read it soon but work has been eating my face the past couple of weeks and will be for another week or so. :)
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Jack

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2016, 08:27:19 pm »
Quote from: Morag;188557
I picked it up; it's on my Kindle. I'll try to read it soon but work has been eating my face the past couple of weeks and will be for another week or so. :)
I'd love to hear when you get the chance but I know you've been super busy!
Hail Mara, Lady of Good Things!
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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2016, 06:25:14 am »
Quote from: Jack;188328
It occurs to me that there might be people here who are interested in this! Last month I finally self-published my chapbook of poetry and fiction about my goddess Mara. It's up here on Amazon.

 
Congrats, Jack! As another self-publisher of pagan stuff, I say: well done!

I'll buy this and read it ASAP.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Altair

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2016, 06:27:05 am »
Quote from: Morag;188557
work has been eating my face the past couple of weeks and will be for another week or so.


You took the words right out of my mouth. (Now if only I could pry my face out of my employer's mouth...)
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Morag

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2016, 10:08:49 pm »
Quote from: Jack;188580
I'd love to hear when you get the chance but I know you've been super busy!

 
I finished it last night and I really loved it. (I decided during some downtime to at least start it, and ended up finishing it in a few short reading sessions. It's very engaging.) I gave you a 5-star review on both Amazon and Goodreads (it wasn't on GR but I added it).

I felt that it gave me a better understanding of Mara than going out and finding *official lore* or academic studies or what-have-you would have. Reading your poems, prayers, and personal mythology gave me a much deeper insight into her personality and job functions. I also really liked that you subtly continued the personal mythology into the present day and the future. It made it feel like...like she was less removed from modern concerns? Like her worship was something easily graspable by modern or future humans? If that wording makes sense.

That and I really just love seeing future depictions of polytheism.

My favourite part of the book was the bluebirds poem, though. It pulled really hard on my heartstrings.
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Morag

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2016, 10:10:09 pm »
Quote from: Altair;188607
You took the words right out of my mouth. (Now if only I could pry my face out of my employer's mouth...)

 
I wish you luck. I was finally able to free my face for some breathing room this week, but I'm sure very soon I'll be back to having no face, lost to the cavernous maw of InDesign and my desire for rent money.
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Jack

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Re: the Merciful Earth
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2016, 02:19:16 am »
Quote from: Morag;188736
I finished it last night and I really loved it. (I decided during some downtime to at least start it, and ended up finishing it in a few short reading sessions. It's very engaging.) I gave you a 5-star review on both Amazon and Goodreads (it wasn't on GR but I added it).

I felt that it gave me a better understanding of Mara than going out and finding *official lore* or academic studies or what-have-you would have. Reading your poems, prayers, and personal mythology gave me a much deeper insight into her personality and job functions. I also really liked that you subtly continued the personal mythology into the present day and the future. It made it feel like...like she was less removed from modern concerns? Like her worship was something easily graspable by modern or future humans? If that wording makes sense.

That and I really just love seeing future depictions of polytheism.

My favourite part of the book was the bluebirds poem, though. It pulled really hard on my heartstrings.

 
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your review. <3

For those who might not want to purchase the book from Amazon, you can buy a bundle including PDF and EPUB here.
Hail Mara, Lady of Good Things!
"The only way to cope with something deadly serious is to try to treat it a little lightly." -Madeleine L'Engle

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