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Monday, June 3, 2013

Terra Mysterium presents: "In the Observarium" the music video

In the Observarium
A Terra Mysterium production
Lyrics - Keith Green
Music - Matthew Ellenwood (ASCAP)

Cast in Order of Appearance
Matthew Ellenwood
Keith Green
Sean Wilson
Song Marshall
Debra Miller
Jim Kollenbroich
Amy Christensen
Kat O'Connor
Special Guest Appearance -- Lana Lupescu as Sally Faire


Director-Matthew Ellenwood
Cinematographer and Editor - Daria Melnikova
Assistant Director - Jessica Whitington

Special Thanks to the following for their contributions:
Nick Scalise of Scalise Studios for recording and engineering the audio track;
Carol Holzner for allowing us to film in her amazing home;
Oleg Grobshteyn for his technical support and the use of historical firearms;
All the fans of Terra Mysterium for your continued support!

Buy the single on iTunes.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Website.
Facebook. 
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Lyrics:

Monday, May 6, 2013

Video Blog #15: The Music Video & the Creepy Victorian House

Terra Mysterium presents a series of behind-the-scenes videos exploring who we are and our creative process. In this entry, come with us behind-the-scenes of our first music video shoot!

Imagine Algernon Swinburne, Saki, and William S. Gilbert married their lyrical styles to a Neo-classical tune from the theatrical stage, its subject being a haunted seeing stone, and you have "In the Observarium."  Now imagine a creepy old Victorian mansion haunted by ghosts, seers, and demons, and see a sneak peek of the music video: the last day of shooting, with a few unusual guests!


The "In the Observarium" music track is NOW AVAILABLE for download! Get it here:
CD Baby
Amazon
iTunes


On location, day two: the "In the Observarium" music video will release in late May.

Have any questions you'd like answered in a future video? Leave them in comments. We hope you enjoy the video!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

May 2: Pagan Coming Out Day


My son talks about his dreams, and honors his ancestors, he can read the Runes, and he believes in magic. He believes that magic is the concept that anyone is capable of anything they wish to accomplish. Magic is taking responsibility to make that wish a reality. My son has chosen to be Pagan. He is seven years old.

It is written into the parenting agreement of my divorce decree that my son is to be raised Pagan. Religion serves many purposes. Religious beliefs give people moral and ethical frameworks in order to navigate the world. Religion helps connect humanity by directing focus onto something larger than our individual selves; a something in which each individual is a part. The Family court structure in the United States recognizes these important functions of religion. During divorce proceedings, it is strongly encouraged that the religion in which the child is to receive his moral and ethical training be clearly named. This is to address any misunderstanding that might arise in the future, such as if one parent happens to re-marry and convert to another religion; or it potentially avoids later conflict if the parents have different religions.

At the time of my divorce, I was (and I still am) a deeply religious and practicing Pagan, my son’s father was a non-practicing Christian. Everyone, even the courts, agreed that Pagan religious training made much more sense than no religious training. In 2012 my son’s father joined a prominent Christian church and he began taking our son to church as often as his visitation schedule allowed. I assured my son that if he would prefer to be Christian that was perfectly alright with me. Tynan asked my thoughts on original sin and Eve’s pursuit of knowledge and many other things. I gave him my own opinions and stressed that they were only opinions, based on my limited experience. I told him that I did not have all the answers and that he should also ask his father. My son has gone to his father’s church and he has listened to the sermons. There are many beautiful things about the Christian religion and it has much to teach in the area of basic human ethics and morality. However, my son expressed his frustration with Christianity, because “they don’t believe anything else is true,” as my son said. My son and I actually have different Gods. I honor the Goddesses Diana and Persephone from the Roman pantheon. My son is moved by the Nordic Goddess Freya and the God Odin. Our differences are accepted and honored. It is a shame that my son perceives that his ideas are dismissed in his father’s Christian world. “Pagan church” as my son calls it is full of songs and interesting stories, there are games and lots of food. Everyone is encouraged to participate but if you just want to listen (like my son) that is honored just as highly. My son said that at his father’s church “they just want to tell me what to do all the time,” and he doesn’t like it. “And they don’t believe in magic, Mom,” said my son.

Wishes do come true. If you want something badly enough, you will find a way to make it happen. If at first you don’t succeed in getting your wish, if you want it badly enough, you will try something else. This is essentially magic, and my son knows without a shadow of a doubt, that it is very real. He will articulate magic’s reality with his Skylander Collection which includes some very rare pieces. He wished for them you see. Some he bought himself by earning money doing chores. Some he was able to charm his Auntie into buying for him, but some appeared in his Yuletide stocking, like magic. “Odin knew I wanted them,” he will say. “I burned some marshmallows for him…I hope he likes marshmallows.”

Burning offerings is a common way to show gratitude to the Gods, incidentally. I never specifically told my son that, but he listens, as all children do, especially it would seem, when we think that they aren’t. My son is not as political when it comes to his religion. However, he has a school project coming up that includes a section on religion. He made the decision all on his own to include a beautiful drawing of pentacle that he made. My seven year old son is a proud Pagan. I wish we could all be so. Happy Pagan Coming Out Day.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Maybe on Tuesday I’ll Sack Byzantium: Mansions of the Moon in the Western Occult Tradition

On Sunday, April 28 for the Fourth Meeting of the Owen Society for Hermetic and Spiritual Enlightenment, I was most honored to meet His Eminence Cardinal Hymie Aloysins Pederasium who presented his paper concerning the Mansions of the Moon at great personal peril. Not only was his work with the Mansions compelling, but “Cardinal Ped” is rather an entertaining card!

The members present were provided with the most extensive handout package to date and thanks to the innovations of technology, Cardinal Ped was able to provide much more. Cleverly, Cardinal Ped denoted a handout reference during his presentation with the implementation of “Captain Virgo” (delightful!).

Though Cardinal Ped, and many of the other Astrologers present may be better able to articulate the concept, Mansions of the Moon as I understand it, are divisions of the moon’s travel. In the Western Occult tradition, there are 28 of these divisions, or more poetically, 28 mansions. Each mansion then generates a particular type of energy that can bode well for certain activities, say perhaps Sacking Byzantium. If one is magically motivated, knowledge and timing of the mansions can align auspicious circumstances to extreme potency. Potency Cardinal Ped warned the members multiple times to be used with thoughtfulness and indeed, to be used at one’s own peril.

The energies of the mansions, much like all occult sciences are matter of interpretation; with a cue from Captain Virgo, Cardinal Ped provided the members with no less than six scholarly interpretations. Some could be said to play upon the proceeding, but some at least in my own opinion, seemed downright conflicting! Cardinal Ped explained that perhaps Cornelius Agrippa had really some the best interpretations but for practical application he really preferred the contemporary musings of Christopher Warnock. Whatever your preferred scholar however, Cardinal Ped stressed using your own intuitions and experiences when harnessing the energy of the various Mansions. It has been his experience that certain Mansions are more individually hospitable than others. Cardinal Ped stated that he personally prefers to work with the 13th Mansion. According to Agrippa, this Mansion favors benevolence, money, voyages, harvests, and freedom of captives. Warnock advises that this Mansion favors union over conflict; it is generally auspicious particularly in the areas of heartfelt desires and the beginning of creative projects. If one desired to make a magical talisman in order to direct a purpose within a Mansion’s energies the 13th Mansion would be a time to create a talisman to put love between men and women, the agreement of married couples and…well to assist in the matters of the bedroom…that have little to do with sleeping. What an interesting Mansion for a Catholic Cardinal. Well, he is after all, an Occult Scientist, what’s one more push on the boundaries of the church?

My mind was positively boggled by Cardinal Ped’s presentation.

I must say I am anxious to add the energies of the Mansions to the long list of magical experiments I wish to undertake. Cardinal Ped was not the slightest bit offended by my lack of complete comprehension of his workings as he did advise the Mansions are truly a bit of advanced astrology work. It is the position of His Eminence however that anyone wishing to pursue the occult sciences, working knowledge of Astrology and the Kabbalah are paramount.

His Eminence Cardinal Hymie Aloysins Pederasium has graciously provided the following technology link for more information on The Mansions of the Moon: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65574658/mm-resources.pdf

* Cardinal Hymie Aloysins Pedersium is the Steampunk persona of David Steven Rappoport 
* Transcribed from the Journals of Amber McCoy, the Steampunk Persona of Amy Christensen 




Thursday, April 25, 2013

Video Blog #14: TM Makes a Music Video!

Terra Mysterium presents a series of behind-the-scenes videos exploring who we are and our creative process. In this entry, come with us behind-the-scenes of our first music video shoot!

Imagine Algernon Swinburne, Saki, and William S. Gilbert married their lyrical styles to a Neo-classical tune from the theatrical stage, its subject being a haunted seeing stone, and you have "In the Observarium."  Now imagine a creepy old Victorian mansion haunted by ghosts, seers, and demons, and see a sneak peek of the music video.


The "In the Observarium" music track is NOW AVAILABLE for download! Get it here:
CD Baby
Amazon
iTunes


On set, day one: the "In the Observarium" music video will release in late May.

Have any questions you'd like answered in a future video? Leave them in comments. We hope you enjoy the video!