Happy Birthday, Deaf Pagan Crossroads!

November 15, 2007 by ocean1025

Today is Deaf Pagan Crossroads birthday…it was one year ago today that I put up the first post here on this blog.

cake and photo by pinkcakebox

Twelve months and 176 posts later, I now reflect back over that humble beginning to where the Crossroads has come over the past year. It’s been an amazing journey.

Along the way I have met many new friends, and maintained relationships with long-time friends who have accompanied me on my blogging travels. I’ve reconnected with people from my past, particularly from my Gallaudet days. We’ve shared some laughs, some tears, and the occasional bitching session. Together we have explored what it means to be Deaf, or to be Pagan, or sometimes to be a combination of the two.

Here at the Crossroads I have attempted to express my thoughts and feelings on a variety of different topics… all of which are important to me in some way. These topics have ranged from ASL to Witchcraft – okay, so I still need to come up with X, Y, and Z. I suppose I could do posts on Xanadu, Yemaya, and Zombies.

We have celebrated the Sabbats together, examined the spirit of Deafhood together, discussed the concept of Ethics together, and explored the use of Magick together. We’ve marveled over the beauty of nature, and wept over the ugliness of ignorance. We have advocated whenever possible, and agitated whenever necessary.

And we have danced.

We have danced to the pride we take in our Deaf Identities. We have danced to the rhythms of the Drum Circle. We have danced to the Heartbeat of the Earth. We have danced with power, with love, with celebration, with humor, and with joy.

We have leaped, soared, explored, and danced like the dervish.

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

Blessings,

~ Ocean

Posted in Archives #3 A Deaf Pagan Shares, Deaf/Hearing Relations, Deaf/Pagan Relations, Deafness, Empowerment, Paganism, Spirituality, Women | 23 Comments

23 Responses

on November 15, 2007 at 1:34 pm | Reply Ella Lentz

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!
Glad I am part of this celebration! Thanks.
on November 15, 2007 at 1:45 pm | Reply MishkaZena

Happy Birthday!
on November 15, 2007 at 1:49 pm | Reply HAWK

The journey has been amazing only because the person who created this blog is an amazing woman.

Congratulations, Osh.

Thanks for having me as your dance partner.
on November 15, 2007 at 2:30 pm | Reply Mr. Sandman

Happy Blogversary! Lovely cake. 🙂 Keep up the fascinating posts.
on November 15, 2007 at 2:33 pm | Reply Kimber

Happy Birthday!
on November 15, 2007 at 2:39 pm | Reply CrystalDolphin

Cool! (Oh wait, being close to Boston I should say…)

Wicked Cool!!! Happy Birthday Deaf Pagan Crossroads!!!

(Crystal hands Osh a bottle of Bunratty’s Irish Mead she’s been saving for a special day.)

Woo-Hoo! Let’s Party! 🙂

Thanks for having me along on your journey into the blogosphere, my Sistah. Love & Hugs.
on November 15, 2007 at 2:52 pm | Reply Oscar Serna

*handwaving*
on November 15, 2007 at 2:53 pm | Reply A Deaf Pundit

Happy Birthday, Ocean. I’m glad we’ve gotten the chance to know each other. May your blog last many years! 🙂
on November 15, 2007 at 2:56 pm | Reply JohnABC

Happy birthday, smile!
on November 15, 2007 at 3:11 pm | Reply WAD

In animal kingdom, you see a hippo, a bird, and two ewe =

Hippo Birdie Two Ewe!
on November 15, 2007 at 3:14 pm | Reply MBird

Glad to be part of your blogaversary!
on November 15, 2007 at 3:31 pm | Reply Shadow

Dearest Ocean ~

Words alone cannot begin to adequately express the impact you have had on both the Deaf and the Pagan communities.

With your humor, your wisdom, and your compassion, you have created a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation for the strength, the pride, and the beauty of both cultures, and helped to build bridges that unite all of us in harmony.

I have always come away from this blog feeling that I have gained something special by being here… whether it was to learn something new about my spiritual path, to find a kindred soul who understood what it means to be Deaf, or just to wrap myself in the love, the warmth, and the acceptance of a place that feels like home.

Visiting here at the Crossroads is always time well spent.

Congratulations on your first year anniversary – Happy Birthday, Deaf Pagan Crossroads… and here’s to many more!
on November 15, 2007 at 4:03 pm | Reply human

Has it really been a year?? Wow, time sure has flown..

congratulations on your first anniversary.. Im so glad to become reaquainted with you. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with me and others..

Human
on November 15, 2007 at 6:23 pm | Reply MoonStorm

Congrats for sure, Osh! You have more stick to it-iveness than I do, for certain, to keep coming up with new stuff all the time.
Blessed Be and many happy returns!
on November 15, 2007 at 6:33 pm | Reply Karen Mayes

Happy Birthday :o)
on November 15, 2007 at 7:07 pm | Reply birch

woe a year allready happy birthday
on November 15, 2007 at 8:58 pm | Reply GaylenEagle

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
on November 15, 2007 at 9:27 pm | Reply Seek Geo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 😀

I look forward to Seek Geo’s first birthday this coming March ’08.. that is only if it can last that long. So I want to say good job for making it through the first year, that is big!

Keep it up and I look forward to celebrate every year on here. 🙂

Hugs
-SG
on November 15, 2007 at 11:30 pm | Reply Misha

Happy Birthday!
Many more to come!

Misha 😀
on November 15, 2007 at 11:39 pm | Reply Wolf Wind

Doing the Birthday dance. BIG HUG for all your hard work and a big Happy Birthday to Crossroads!!!
on November 16, 2007 at 7:07 am | Reply Ruby Phoenix

Happy birthday Osh Thank you for your blogs and insights . Now Did some body say mead?
on November 16, 2007 at 3:25 pm | Reply Bill

Sorry I missed your birthday, Ocean’s blog. Happy Belated Birthday
on November 18, 2007 at 6:41 pm | Reply Karen Putz

Happy Birthday– that cake looks delish!

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MEET OCEAN

Ocean is the creator & manager of this blog. Born deaf into an all-hearing family, she was raised oral and attended hearing schools. Ocean began learning sign language at the ripe old age of 16, and after meeting a Deaf man began her own journey through Deafhood. She graduated from Gallaudet College (now University), and has held positions both within & outside of the field of Deaf Services.

Ocean has been a practicing Pagan for nearly 40 years, and is an ordained High Priestess of the Wiccan tradition. She considers herself "an eclectic witch," with a primary focus on Celtic Spirituality, but an interest in many different areas. A skilled tarot reader, she once donated her services to help raise funds for a Domestic Violence agency. She has also done workshops on aromatherapy, herbalism, & Paganism for the Deaf Community.

Currently Ocean is offering presentations where she discusses the merger of her spirituality as a Pagan with her identity as a Deaf woman, and also teaches workshops on Signs for Pagan Spirituality. Please contact her if you would be interested in sponsoring such a presentation or workshop.

As a passionate advocate, Ocean often speaks out on the need for greater access for Deaf people (Pagan or otherwise) - interpreters, captioned videos, CART, etc...and works to build bridges between the Deaf & Hearing communities.

She lives on the banks of the Ohio River with a grumpy feline wizard named Gandalf, and is currently working on a book discussing the merger of her identity as a Deaf person with her spirituality as a Pagan.

To contact Ocean,
you may email her at oshginva@gmail.com
MAKING CONNECTIONS

This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
BLOG & CONTACT INFO

Deaf Pagan Crossroads is a blog, operated by one individual - Ocean. It is not an on-line coven or community. While I do have limited knowledge of and contact with other Deaf/ASL Pagans around the country, I am not aware of any Deaf covens. I'm happy to share what information I may have, but I may not have the answers you are seeking. I encourage readers to do their own research and find their own answers whenever possible.

Those who wish to contact me privately may do so by sending an email to

oshginva@gmail.com

Please be aware that it may take me a few days to respond, depending on my time and priorities.

Thank you!
WANT TO REBLOG OR TO USE EXCERPTS FROM POSTS ON THIS BLOG?

Sometimes readers will see something here and wish to use it in a paper or on their own blog/website. Others may desire to reblog a post.

While I am flattered by such interest, please be aware that most of the writings on this blog site are the property of Deaf Pagan Crossroads and are copyrighted by Virginia L. Beach. As such, they may not be reproduced nor reblogged elsewhere without the expressed permission of the owner. I'm usually pretty open to allowing usage of such if you just take the time to ask.

Permission may be granted by contacting Ocean at oshginva@gmail.com

Thank you.
NOTICE TO COMMENTERS

Deaf Pagan Crossroads loves comments, and encourages its readers to "comment long, and comment often!" However, please be aware that if you put up a comment here that links to a website which is clearly commercial (advertising items or services for sale), YOUR COMMENT WILL BE REMOVED. Deaf Pagan Crossroads does not endorse any businesses, nor does it serve as a free advertising site. Post your comments, but leave your links off! Thank you.
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