Bison

Bison
Abundance, patience, grounding
Earth
Symbol of strength

This animal will help us to connect to the Earth, and to our ancestors. Even if you do not claim any American Indian heritage (always a popular topic in the Pagan community), by consuming the flesh of this sacred animal, you are in a way connecting to the most primitive of humans. They may not have had bison as we know it, but the act of hunting a sacred animal such as the bison, of giving thanks to the spirit of this great beast, and by nourishing your body with its body, you are connecting with the past.

I’m not saying you have to go out and hunt a bison, or any animal for that matter, but just being aware of the process and the sacrifice may help to put you in tune with the Lord of the Hunt and help strengthen the connection with Nature. Let’s face it, many of us live thoroughly modern existences. Our meat is pre-wrapped and displayed in a refrigerated case. We hunt for bargains, not for food. Many people don’t have room for a garden, unless it’s just a pot of herbs grown on a balcony or windowsill. That may be fine and dandy for most people, but I get sick of living like a city girl sometimes. Especially now that I live in a city of at least 14 million people and concrete seems to be the most prevalent crop. It seems easier to eat seasonally and locally here without having a garden, however.

If there are any hunters out there, or people married to hunters or otherwise related in some way, give me a shout. Any country folk? Does any of this make sense to anyone, or am I just a crazy lady, rambling on in her old age? (Probably. *L*)

Back to the bison, a lot of grocery stores carry bison that has been raised on a farm of sorts. Can you still connect with this great animal if you didn’t hunt it? Well of course you can. Say a prayer of thanks. Find some information on the tribes of Plains Indians who depended upon this animal for their survival. What did they use each part of the animal for?

No matter what you choose to have for dinner, give thanks to the spirit of the animal. Thank Cernunnos, or another appropriate god or goddess of the hunt. Also, maybe take time to do a little meditation on some of the foods you eat. The information I’m presenting is just my own personal thoughts. You may have other associations for these animals. You may attribute other planets, elements, or energies to them. I would love to hear what you come up with.

Something else I should say

Early this morning I realized something that I left out of my first post on meat and its significance. These days, much of the meat we consume is raised on factory farms. The animals may receive growth hormones, antibiotics, and bits of other animals as food. They are also not treated very kindly. That is enough to steer (no pun intended) people away from red meat and sometimes even poultry.

If you wish to avoid meat for ethical or health reasons, or for magical reasons, again that is fine. However, it is entirely possible to be an omnivore and practice magic effectively, as stated by Scott Cunningham and as opined by me. It's a personal decision, and only you can make that decision for yourselves.

The point of this follow-up is to discuss some health and environmental issues. For the first time in decades, people are becoming more aware of where their food comes from. People are more interested now. They do not want their children to grow up thinking meat comes from plastic-wrapped polystyrene trays in the grocery store. Unfortunately, where most of our food comes from tends to make some people uncomfortable, due to the somewhat shady practices of the factory farm and the uncleaniless of many slaughterhouses.

Moreover, many people are concerned about the hormones present in the meat we consume. Some say that the hormones in beef and cow's milk cause our girls to go into puberty at an earlier age. The truth is, girls are going through puberty because we are heavier these days. We have more body fat. We get estrogen from milk, more when the cow is pregnant.

Some people think organic is the answer for health and the environment. This isn't always so. It certainly isn't very cost-effective . I am not trying to urge people to spend their hard-earned money on organic foods. I am, however, trying to urge people into buying not only local produce, but also local meat. If you are fortunate enough to have a local butcher, visit him/her instead of going to the biggest superstore. If you can buy organic, free-range meats, by all means, do so. Buying Kosher meat is also another option, but it is always more expensive . It can also get wasteful, as the rabbi can reject many of the animals.

Just buy locally when you can. If you are lucky enough to know people who raise meat, buy from them. If you have the space, time and money to raise an animal or two, even better. You're assured of the quality of the feed and the animal's surroundings, and if you can't face butchering, you can always hire a professional. Eat locally, buy from places that treat their animals well, and remember to thank the spirit of the animal who has given its life so you may eat.

Meat Consumption and Magic

(It was hard to come up with a title that didn't sound...adult. *L*)

Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (a favorite resource of mine), has the following to say concerning vegetarianism:
“We’re all separate, distinct persons, connected with the rest of our fellow creatures and with the universe, and yet apart. No one diet is correct for everyone, just as no single type of haircut, food, or religions is suitable for all. “

He goes on to state that some people feel that adhering to a strict vegetarian diet is essential in order to practice magic. However, he also write, “ If you’re vegetarian because you feel that it’s the only way in which you can achieve any form of spiritual enlightenment, fine. If you’re vegetarian because you’ve decided that you can’t practice magic if you eat meat, again, fine. But others can make alternate decisions. They can decide to be omnivores, achieve spiritual enlightenment, and still successfully practice magic. Neither position, once again, is correct for all.”

I agree with Scott Cunningham on this. I do not believe that a person or group of people is morally, intellectually, or spiritually superior to another person or group of people because of their diet. His book, though, does not include information on meat that walks upon the earth. There is a section on food from the seas and rivers, but nothing concerning beef, pork, poultry, or game.

He lists several reasons for this. One, meat was and still is very scarce in some parts of the world. Two, many practitioners of magic are vegetarians, and he wanted his book to be useful to all people. The third reason he lists is the fact that there isn’t much ritual or magical information available regarding meat. In researching information for his book, he found very few references to meat.

I am an omnivore, a Pagan, and the occasional practitioner of magic. I may not do a lot of spell work, per se, but I use the magic of cooking and prayer in my daily life. After going through the Encyclopedia or Wicca in the Kitchen for the twentieth time (at least), I started to think about meat and its significance in the world of ritual and magic.

Meat has long been prepared and eaten for special occasions, such as marriages and harvest celebrations. What, then, is its importance? We know it’s a source of protein, iron and fat, along with B vitamins, all of which are important to us. Nowadays we have alternate sources, but many years ago meat provided essential nutrition and it was consumed when available, and often preserved by salting and drying.

Brahmins ate beef around 1000 B.C.E.. The veneration of the cow as a sacred animal did not begin in India until about 2000 years ago. The cow, a producer of meat, milk, and leather, is seen as sacred because of the life-sustaining gifts which it bestows upon us. Beef, like other forms of meat, was and still is a luxury item to many.

If we look at the Runes, Fehu is said to represent the horns of cattle. It is a symbol of cattle and wealth. For this reason I associate beef (and some other forms of meat which we will discuss later) as such:

Element: Earth
Symbol: Fehu
Energies: Prosperity

A simple, inexpensive cut of meat can be used in prosperity magic. A tough cut of meat can be prepared in a crock pot, cooked slowly for hours until it becomes tender. Before cooking, inscribe the rune Fehu into the meat and visualize what you need, be it a better job, employment in general, or simply more money coming in. Picture how your life will change once you have extra income and are able to pay off your student loans, your mortgage, whatever.

Some sample dishes that combine prosperity ingredients would be sesame beef, beef served with leafy greens such as spinach or cabbage (stuffed cabbage would be ideal, just trace the rune into the air over the ground meat, or visibly mark it before mixing), or pasta with meat sauce made with tomatoes, basil and parsley.

Stay tuned for most posts involving different meats including poultry, pork and game. I would also associate pork with prosperity energy.