Love, my teacher

Kind readers,

while I am working on The Severus Snape Paradigm, I am also trying to read a large pile of books that will inspire and guide my thoughts…

I started with The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and now I am debating which one to read next. Rumi? Revelations of Divine Love? The Sufi Book of Life? Meditations on the Tarot? The Secret Teachings of All Ages? Jung?

I wish I could read them all simultaneously!

My goal with this book is -as usual- to comfort outcasts… Les mal-aimés. Though I am not sure if “goal” is the right word; it is my hope.

Speaking of books, I am almost finished reading Ordinary People as Monks & Mystics, and have found it very uplifting.

This life will not last long… Only one thing truly matters. Love. I shall live my life, rejoicing in each day, the eyes of my soul affixed to what includes and goes beyond all that can be seen.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

Offbeat Home

Kind readers,

last summer, the managing editor of Offbeat Home asked if I would submit photos of my sanctuary (a.k.a. the dungeons) to their blog, and possibly write a guest post.

A few weeks ago, I finally got around to doing so.

You can find the article here!

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

now, and Always

Kind readers,

I had more lilies added to the arm of Snapeness… Severus deserved a whole garden of them, I thought.

As always, Tiffany did an exquisite job. It is such a pleasure being tattooed by her. Next up: Professor Snape’s wand, with a vial containing his silver tears, right above the words Half-Blood Prince. It will be beautiful, and again, highly significant.

I am currently working on The Severus Snape Paradigm (and reading a large pile of mystical and esoteric texts). Ascendio is already just a few short months away!

To strengthen me, I made this new set of prayer beads the other day:

The prayer I repeat is “now, and Always.” I am at one with the manifested, and embody a part of the Unmanifested. I am a combination of polarities, and transcend all polarities. I see beauty and Love everywhere, both in what is smooth, and what is rough. Every day, I am reborn.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

hope, always

Kind readers,

look at the beautiful drawing that my talented friend Ben Wu did for me…

It will be on the postcards I shall send loved ones for Christmas/Yule/season-of-joy-and-renewal.

In other news, I shall be spending my winter at work on The Severus Snape Paradigm: Outcast, Rebel, Hero. Ascendio is just a few short months away now… Egad.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

cosmic wholeness

Kind readers,

another piece was added to my “arm of Snapeness” yesterday…

As always, Tiffany’s work was marvelous. I am extremely happy with my latest ink.

The piece features the sword of Gryffindor, a Slytherin inspired snake, and a cauldron exactly like the one on the cover of Advanced Potions Making. The tattoo symbolizes eternity, universal oneness, wholeness, polarity, wisdom, courage, gnosis, esoteric knowledge. The Victorious Outsider. The snake and the smoke emanating from the cauldron form a sort of infinity symbol; the sword and cauldron resemble a lingam and yoni.

It embodies my worldview and evolving spiritual understanding.

After New Year’s, I shall get more three more lilies done. They will be right underneath “Always” higher up on my left arm. They will be a mystical garden for Professor Snape, you might say.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

the red and the black

Kind readers,

my talented friend Diane took some beautiful photos of me yesterday… It had been a long time since we had done a shoot together, and we were very much looking forward to contemplative creativity.

First we had a good breakfast, then headed for a nearby graveyard, where we had never been before. It was quiet and lovely.

I had bought a bouquet of lilies the previous day, and after I donned my black robes, Diane and I began shooting…

I called this one “Prince of outcasts.”

We also took photos that featured the amazing red robes that Kambriel made for me in 2010 (I wore them at Infinitus). They symbolize blood that flows for Love’s sake… True love and eternal devotion. I love the way they spilled beneath my new set of black robes (very sturdy, made by Museum Replicas).

All in all, an excellent, productive day! We were quite happy with the result of our work.

If you would like to see more of the photos we took, do visit my livejournal

October has been somewhat of a hectic month for me so far. November and beyond will be dedicated to writing… I want The Severus Snape Paradigm finished a couple of months before Ascendio 2012!

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

ink, mark of my life

Kind readers,

I got a little more ink done yesterday!

Joining Professor Snape on my upper left arm are a lily, symbol of true and eternal love, symbol of the One, and the words Half-Blood Prince, which remind me of my dedication to those who are in between, at the center of opposite poles…

I myself am at last wholly at peace with the fact that I have always been, and shall always be, on the margins. Indeed, I believe it is a noble state. My heart has never contained more joy, tranquility and determination as it does now.

In other news, I have begun working on Blessed: how to be a joyful mystic and The Severus Snape Paradigm: Outcast, Rebel, Hero -it is going very well. I am writing the first draft of each by hand, and often do so whilst enjoying soup at a cozy local café, Moca Loca.

I have been feeling very inspired. More than ever, I am on a mission.

Ah, and the call for papers re: Ascendio is out! Next spring, I shall know if more rambling is on the horizon… I plan to submit a paper called “Chariot, Hangman, World: the cosmic ascent of Severus Snape” and possibly something called “Logospilgrim’s mystical vision of Severus Snape,” a sort of overview of the rambles I have given so far (it was requested by loved ones)… We shall see. I might save the latter for Aternitas 2013. Giving lectures at conventions is an exhausting affair!

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

imperfect beauty

Kind readers,

the summer will soon be drawing to a close, and I shall be hard at work upon my books…

This week, I have been enjoying the blessed company of loved ones who have kindly come for a visit. We have been having a number of discussions that have been reminding me why it is I do what I do, and filling me with strength, joy, determination and hope.

My reason for living is to spread love. To manifest love. To see love.

My imperfections are like knots in a tree. They do not stop the tree from growing, leaves from bursting, flowers from blooming, fruit from ripening.

Those knots give the tree its own particular, vulnerable, organic and divine beauty.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

a permanent statement

Kind readers,

I got my second tattoo today…

Once again, it was done by the extremely talented Tiffany Thornton at Planet Ink. I am so happy with it.

This photo was taken moments after she finished the piece. Said photo does not do justice to how detailed and beautiful the tattoo really is.

As I wrote on my livejournal, I shall never stop caring for my loved ones. It is for always.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor

once again, with feeling

Kind readers,

as I imagine you can guess, Alan Rickman’s scenes in the second part of Deathly Hallows took my breath away.

In my most recent livejournal entries, I wrote at length about this and the nature of Professor Snape’s influence on my life.

I need to see the film again this coming week (I plan to take notes). I am ready to begin working on my next book of essays, which I shall release not long before Ascendio 2012.

I think to say that I am ready to begin is too weak a word. I am dying to write this book.

I shall be using a universal outlook in The Severus Snape Paradigm, encompassing the spiritual wisdom of mankind. I shall again be using Christian terminology and understanding, but I shall widen my scope even more than I have in the past; my approach will be less “specialized,” if you will. For instance, each chapter will be constructed around a certain tarot archetype. There will be psychology, religion, myth, spirituality.

Blessed: how to be a joyful mystic will feature that more specialized focus, but it also will be profoundly far reaching and characterized by a pluralistic vision. I have already begun writing that book.

My goal is Love. My message is Hope. That is all.

Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professor