Blessed Festival of All Souls

A blessed Samhain to all those celebrating today! In my tradition, we celebrate this holiday as a week-long festival that culminates on the astronomical cross-quarter day. This year, that is November 6, at 4:08PM PST. That is the moment that marks the mid-point between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.

This holiday is all about honoring our ancestors and beloved dead. Traditionally, we believe that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is very thin during this holiday. This is a great time to commune with those departed spirits, which we can do in a variety of ways.

Historically, this holiday is the last harvest of the year, which helped to prepare for winter. Many Earth-centered spiritual traditions use the framework of the Wheel of the Year, which is based on the agricultural calendar. There are three harvest festivals - the Grain Harvest Festival, observed around August 2, also known as Lughnasadh or Lammas, the Fall Fruits Festival, observed at the autumn equinox, also known as Mabon, and this final harvest, the Festival of All Souls, observed on October 31, also known as Samhain. This final harvest was when many cultures slaughtered the livestock that they could not feed over the winter. It was also a time when traditional cultures hunted for meat to preserve for the winter.

In my tradition, the Clan of the Wildlings, we perform a seasonally appropriate observance each day. Today, I will construct an ancestor altar. Tonight, I will light a candle in the window to guide those ancestors in.

May the blessings of the ancestors be upon you and yours. May you have all that you need to survive and thrive in the winter that is to come. Naho. Namaste. Blessed be. OM Shanti!

Blessed Beltane

Imbolc

A blessed Imbolc to all! I visited my home range of mountains, the Rockies in CO, this week. I skiied atop their peaks, drove among the valleys, and soaked in hot springs deep within the heart of the mountain. 

What I can share from this experience is the abiding wisdom of the mountains: 

Seek your center. Tend the flame that lives deep within. Stay connected to the Earth. Trust yourself and your ability to maintain your equilibrium. Trust the mountain and let go. Go slowly, but with confidence. Abide.

May the returning light bless you with the strength and drive to fulfill your self-dedications for this turning of the Great Wheel. May we come through the winter whole and healthy, ready to plant the seeds of spring. 

May we tend the flame for all beings everywhere, that we may bring a new way of coexistence into being. May all beings be filled with compassion. May we be at peace. Naho. Blessed be. Namaste. OM shanti!

The Long Nights are Ending...and the New Year has Begun

Today the Golden Eagle appeared to me, on the side of the road. This is the sort of everyday miracle that reminds us that the transcendant is not other, it is not beyond us or apart from us. The sacred lives in each moment; each moment is a space that contains the infinite potential of reality. Each moment is both prosaic and sublime.

A hawk, perhaps a sharp shinned, perched on a power line in the biting cold of this Sierra Nevada winter morning....the morning of the last day of the calendar year. Suddenly, a huge form winged in and hovered, suspended in the air with wings outstretched for a timeless time...it was huge. Majestic is a word that immediately permeated my being.

Here was power, the power of the skies, the winds, and the storm. Here was the power of the sky fire, the lightning. Could this be connected to the Thunderbird? Sacred transformer, spirit journeyer, beloved of the sun god of the skies, I honor you. Are you calling to me?

My breathing stopped...even my heart skipped a beat. Was this happening? Could this be a golden eagle? It dwarfed the hawk, and landed as if it was the natural ruler of all it surveyed...all it could reach by wing. The whole world its home, the eagle flies in these desert mountains, among the clouds, above the sage brush and the ancient stones, bones of our Mother Earth, Gaia, Pachamama, sacred ground.

As soon as I could, I ran to the oracle to identify this visitation. It could also have been a juvenile Bald Eagle. But I knew in my guts that it wasn't. It was Golden Eagle. When I realized the truth, my whole being felt light, and I fairly vibrated around on my way. I went out into the purifying cold and hiked to a spot with a beautiful view of the Carson Valley. I offered the song of my flute in gratitude.

Eagle soars above, ruler of the skies. Eagle can signal us to find or acknowledge our path. Eagle can inspire us to heights previously unimagined. Eagle, spirit of the Upper World, beloved of the Sun, bringer of the bliss of illumination and enlightenment.

These are some words about its medicine, but keep in mind that the lessons of our spirit guides are individual much of the time. No written source can tell you the message coming from a totem at a given time. Meditation, prayer, and dreams reveal its meaning, often over time.

Many solar gods are equated with this symbol, giving the eagle associations with the lifting of depression or a more conscious awareness. 

Lofty ambitions that require great skill to achieve. 

An alternative lightning emblem. In ancient Greece, people placed eagles on temple rooftops to protect the building from lightning, as they felt this creature controlled the fire from the sky. 

Eagles are commanding presences. Whether they want to or not, they attract attention. Those with this animal personality have strong leadership skills and take swift action when it is needed. 

Among ancient Mediterranean people, the eagle was associated with the sun god, fire, and lightning. Zeus, the father of the classical gods, took the form of an eagle when he carried his young lover Ganymede to Mt. Olympus. 

For the Romans, this bird became a kind of totem for the emperor, who was thought to reincarnate as an eagle. Alternatively, this may also symbolize traditionally masculine characteristics like pride and fierceness developing. 

The eagle became a popular symbol of power among the Germanic people because the great bird was representative of Wodan, the ruler of the gods. 

Because the eagel could appear to fly so close to the sun, the Medicine priests of all the tribes regarded the large bird as a very special messenger of the Great Mystery. 

In India, the Vedic tradition also portrays the eagle as a messenger of divinity and as the bearer of soma, the favorite drink of the Vedi gods, from Indra. 

The eagle was the totemic form of Prometheus, who "stole" fire from heaven, like the eastern fire-lightning-sun hero, man, or angel embodied in the Garuda bird. Garuda flew to the mountain of paradise to steal the gods' secret of immortality. Later, he assumed the golden body of the sun. American Indians had a similar hero, the thunderbird or lightning bird. 

If the eagle has appeared to you in your dreams or visions and revealed itself as your totem animal, you may expect to receive renewed strength of body, mind, and spirit. At the same time, you will find your meditations becoming more profound and your visions more prophetic in content. If you maintain a harmonious and balanced lifestyle, you will feel a stronger connection with the Great Mystery than ever before in your spiritual pilgrimage on earth. 

Just as the eagle can soar high above the earth and rise above its companions and its competitors, you must guard against the powerful eagle vibrations causing you to withdraw from your family and friends and grow aloof from your community. If you listen carefully to your spirit helper, it will instruct you in the sacred responsibility of sharing your prophetic insights with others and show you how to become the most effective kind of spiritual teacher. 

This new year, it is a year of power, both on a global scale and a personal one for me. One of the first teachings I got from this visitation was to trust what I am becoming, and to fly a new path. Yes. I hear you, Great One. I hear you, Eagle. Let us journey together and see what lies beyond the misty mountains. What is in the West, where the Sun goes down?

What will be in this new year? What will you create? What heights will you scale? What will you hunt?

Let the blessings flow into us all like the golden light of the Sun, and may you be blessed by the wingbeats of the Golden Eagle. Ho, Ruler of the Skies! Ho, fire of the Sun! Ho, ruler of the storm! Ho, spirit lightning!

I welcome you, light of the Sun! The Long Nights are ending and the New Year has begun!

Blessed be. Naho! Namaste. OM shanti!

Samhain Festivities

Our Clan celebrates Samhain on its astronomical date, this year 11/7, which is the true mid-point between Mabon and Yule.

For us, Halloween night was the beginning of a week long festival that culminates in a Samhain ritual. That night, we created a Samhain altar for our ancestors.

Each day, we light a candle in the window to guide the spirits. Each day, we perform a seasonal task, like creating a seasonal cornucopia or visiting the graveyard. 

I took a hike to remember my beloved dead, and I invited them to join me there. Grief had struck me pretty heavily, and I'm happy to say that after that hike, it receded to normal levels. Our tools work!

A most blessed Samhain to all! May you walk with the ancestors in this harvest of souls. Blessed be! Naho!

Pilgrimage of the Great Wheel: Great Dismal Swamp

This weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the Great Dismal Swamp, which is a point on the Pilgrimage of the Great Wheel. This sacred journey is something that has come to me in the last couple of years - I am visiting all the points of a great wheel of ley lines that covers the southeast of the US to experience their power and to honor these sacred places. Check out that linked post for details.

The Great Dismal Swamp is a lonely expanse of wood and marsh and swamp, and an area rich with history. It's a wildlife refuge, and was once used as a hideout on the Underground Railroad during the US Civil War. Local legends are rich concerning this place. It's a wild place, an impenetrable wilderness, a liminal space where the touches of civilization and law were light. What this land was to pre-European peoples I do not know, but I do know that they lived here - it was a vast region, once. To my eyes, it is a fascinating place. What secrets are hidden in its tangled wood? What lurks beneath its black waters? What do the fearsome stings of the swarming insects protect?

For me, this visit was a continuation of a period of intensive underworld work. The guardians of the underworld have made themselves known to me. I have been doing a great deal of journeywork, shadow work - working with the dark, hidden places within and below. Reflective, visionary work. Quiet, powerful work.

I spent the weekend mostly at the nearby Merchant's Millpond, which is another kind of swamp....a still place of towering cypress and tupelo gum, an enchanted, watery forest. A place in which the veil between the world is as thin as spider silk. A place where I was honored to witness a vulture feed. Turkey vultures and black vultures had found a deer, possibly lost in Hurricane Matthew, on the hummock of a cypress. There were birds at the carcass, birds in the branches, and yet more vultures circling in the sky above.

Sacred transformer, death eagle, purifier - I honor your wisdom! Teach me to soar on the thermals of life, conserving energy until opportunity presents itself. Teach me to ingest refuse, that which no longer serves, and bring it back into the great cycle, to take on new life and power my wings.

Teach me the mysteries of death, that gentle release that frees the spirit to carry on its journey. Teach me to release what is tired and worn-out and unnecessary, making space for the needed and new. Teach me, sacred Vulture!

When I came to the Great Dismal Swamp, I startled a vulture by the side of the road. It flew so close to me that it took my breath away. I was crawling along in my truck with all the windows down and there was this enormous bird, feathers looking more brown than black, with a mottled texture. It flew in front of me for some time before drifting into the woods.

Later, a Great Blue Heron led me deeper into the swamp, flying above the canal as I drove behind on the road. On and on it flew, gracefully gliding over the black waters...I honor you, heron! Teach me the ways of the stalker, the patient hunter who stands in the shallows, silent as a shadow, who strikes swift as an arrow.

Heron led me to Drummond Lake, which was much larger than I supposed. I paused here, ate and drank, made offering to the land. This writing is what happened next.


The voice of Spirit comes to me as the land.
Today, it says, do not hurry
do not do.
Today, sit in the swamp wind and be.
Simply exist.
Be present with the holly and the honeysuckle
the fox grape, the sumac, and the corpse berry.
Soak up the last sun of autumn,
glowing golden timeless time,
like the turtle on driftwood silver and brown
let the tiny yellow moth draw you in
to the meadow, sere and dry
wooly marsh grass waving like flags in the breeze

Today the voice of Spirit beckons
come and be with me
Commune with me as this place
Mother grandmother swamp
Listen to your sisters the songbirds
Listen to your mother the waters burbling
Watch your brothers, the waves
Let the four winds cleanse you
and father sky lift you up.

Be.
Be as one with the land
Exist in this dying time,
last blazing of beauty
before winter's sleep

Today I honor the Great Mystery
that moves within all things.
Today, I am free.

- JN 10/30/16


This weekend was passed in the dark of the Moon. I paddled the waters, I walked the land, I bathed in
the sun, listened to the rain, drank in the starlight, was cleansed by the winds, and offered my songs to the land. Mother grandmother swamp, I honor you! Your waters fill my dreams and draw me deep, deep below, to the underworld, the land of the ancestors, the home of the fae, kingdom of the Horned One.

I honor you, Great Medicine Wheel of Jomeokee! Great Guide, this pilgrimage I make in your honor. This land I walk to gain your wisdom, each step trodden by countless ancestors who have gone before me. Fill me with your medicine. Teach me, Great Guide. Lead me on...

Blessed be! Naho!

The Season of Samhain Begins

This began as a facebook status update that I wrote last night, and I like it so much that I wanted to share it with the blogosphere. The season of Samhain has begun!

The expression of one's soul can never be lost. It is reflected in others, because we are all connected (like it or not). What is truly ours never leaves us forever- all things ebb and flow in this great dance of creation. 

Like ripples in a pond, we flow on; like the flashing of lightning, we come and go so quickly...echoes of generations of souls learning and loving and losing, finding and remembering, knowing and meeting once more. The season of Samhain is upon us, my tribe. 

It is time to burn away and shed what no longer serves. It is the time of the final harvest, my beloveds- the harvest of souls. On the farms, the slaughter begins. In the wild, the hunt is on. We care for our land, pruning and clearing and mulching. We scurry to complete our work of preparing for winter, gathering, processing and storing away the fruits of the land. 

When Samhain comes, we put on the last of the harvest feasts. We can set a place or places for those who have gone before. It is time to commune with our beloved dead, now as the veil grows thin. We remember, we recite their names, we tell their stories, we honor our ancestors. 

“Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."

Blessed be! Naho!

Happy Mabon

The school at which I teach and reside celebrated the fall harvest this weekend with a giant party. The purpose of it was to raise funds for an awesome school program, but the true meaning of event was about Mabon, the second harvest.

Mabon is traditionally celebrated on the Fall Equinox, which occurred on September 22, just after 10:00 AM EDT. This is not the actual moment of equal night and day, but instead refers to the Earth's position on the celestial equator. We are now three quarters of the way through the solar year. This is considered the beginning of Autumn.

Lore about Mabon also discusses the time of equal day and equal night, which didn't occur until September 25. Little known fact: the times of the longest night, longest day, or equal day and night do not typically line up exactly with the solstices and equinoxes. This information isn't stored in any one place that I have found, but it can be dug up with the assistance of NASA.

SIDEBAR: I'm very interested in this, because the Old Religion, or what we know of it from archeology, is very much about archeoastronomy, or ancient astronomy. It's about measuring time, and marking the passage of the seasons through ritual and celebration, aka the Wheel of the Year. For me, doing these things adds such a richness to one's life, and a real connection to the land and the cyclical nature of our world.

But back to Mabon. We are now deep into the harvest season which began at Lughnasadh, the grain harvest. At Mabon, we harves fruits, berries, nuts, and seeds. Where I live, it's time to harvest and preserve staghorn sumac, apples, chestnuts, spicebush berries, partridge berries, hog peanuts, acorns, and paw paws.

All through the harvest season, we bring in the crops, both physical and metaphorical. We can, freeze, dry, pickle, jam, and candy all these wonderful fruits of the Earth to prepare for the lean times of winter. It's a time for the whole community to come together to complete this important work, and a time to celebrate all the abundance with which we are blessed.

Spiritually speaking, we consider what projects and intentions we nurtured through the year. It is time to
harvest them as well. What have we been growing with our magical work? What did we envision last Yule, dedicate ourselves to at Imbolc, bless the seeds for at Ostara, and sow at Beltane? How did these things grow? What have we gained and learned?

For me, this year has been rich. I am truly blessed and for this, I am so grateful. My physical health has improved. I have found a wonderful community. The work I am doing is fulfilling, and is furthering my personal and professional growth. The land on which I am blessed to live is so beautiful, and so abundant with life. Life is busy and good.

This weekend, our community came together to prepare a giant feast. The food was largely grown on our farm or collected wild from our land. If we didn't grow or gather it, we bought it from a local farmer or vintner. It was amazing, and quite a production. We decorated our great hall beautifully with flowers, fruit, and greenery. After the feast, we continued our merrymaking with song and dance, which was easy to do with all of the musical talent in our community.

Right now, I feel such a sense of contentment and ease. I know that I am in the right place, with the right people. I am on the path. My harvest is rich. I am thankful!

I hope that your Mabon, your harvest, is rich and abundant. I hope that it sustains you through the winter. May you be blessed with food, shelter, love, and community. May you know the contentment and gratitude that comes with the hard work of harvest. May the beauty of Autumn soothe and comfort your soul. A blessed Mabon to all.

Blessed be and naho!

Festival of the Runes

Day 1 of 9 informal altar

Official altar, showing offerings of bourbon and sausage.

Making up our own festivals is one of my favorite parts of tradition building. In our tradition, we use runes as our system of symbolism. To honor that great gift, I've created a Festival of the Runes.

I began with the old festival of Walpugisnacht:

"The festival of Walpurgis, a night both of revelry and darkness. The nine nights of April 22 (interestingly enough, the modern festival of Earth Day) to April 30 are venerated as rememberance of the AllFather's self-sacrifice upon the World Tree Yggdrasil. It was on the ninth night (April 30, Walpurgisnacht) that he beheld the Runes, grasped them, and ritually died for an instant. At that moment, all the Light in the 9 worlds is extinguished, and utter Chaos reigns. At the final stroke of midnight, the Light returns in dazzling brilliance, and the bale-fires are lit. On Walpurgisnacht, the dead have full sway upon the earth; it is the ending night of the Wild Hunt. May 1 is the festival of Thrimilci; the beginning of Summer. Thrimilci is a festival of joy and fertility, much like Ostara; however, most of the Northern World is finally escaping from the snow at this time."

When I dug a bit deeper, I found that Walberga (or Walpurga) was a Christian saint canonized in CE 860 who was credited with Christianizing many Germanic tribes. This saint's day was used to create a celebration that coincided with the Pagan Beltane celebrations. A classic move by the medieval church - distract people from their nature-based ancestral faith with pageantry.

For our celebration, I wanted to lose the medieval Christian overtones and keep the timing. Nine days of celebration to honor Odin and his discovery of the runes during the Wild Hunt of spring felt right to me. What we do is light a candle in the window to guide Odin to us. We create an altar honoring Odin and the runes. Each night, we make offerings to Odin, like mead and meat. We sing the song of the runes, then read nine passages from the Havamal.

I really enjoyed it. This is a simple celebration, and I really liked focusing on the wisdom of the Havamal. It's pithy and surprisingly relevant in the modern era. We can all learn to take care of business and be a good member of the community! Hail Odin!

Earth Day and a Personal Earth Pledge

In these uncertain times, it is seductively easy to give in to despair and helplessness. Our environment is so compromised, the climate is undeniably changing, species continue to go extinct, rivers are polluted, toxic waste is spilling into the ocean as we speak...what can you or I do about it?

There are many things one can do. Most important of these is to live fully and authentically, and to enjoy each moment as it comes. For today the Sun is shining upon our battered, bruised, but still beautiful Earth. Today, we celebrate Her with meditation, healing, song, food, and community. Today, we celebrate Earth Day.

This is the third time that I've hosted an Earth Day gathering. Each year, we gather in a forested park under a picnic shelter. We pool our energies in meditation to heal the Earth. We share food, drink, and fellowship. Some folks take a walk on the lovely trails.

Today, it occurred to me that we need to start walking our talk when it comes to public gatherings. As Pagans and other Earth-centric people of faith, we claim to worship the Earth and all the powers of Nature. But yet, so many Pagan events, including my own, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils. Granted, it is possible to buy compostable plates now, even cutlery in some cases. But their manufacture is an environmental impact that is not necessary.

I'm also lucky to be a part of the Earthskills movement, which is about reconnecting people to the land by teaching and sharing traditional and primitive skills. There are a constellation of earthskills gatherings and rendezvous all over the country. The southeast region, in which I live, is particularly full of them. I have been blessed to learn and teach at these gatherings, and one thing I absolutely love about them is that they require each participant to bring their own "mess kit".

At the gatherings, mealtimes are mostly communal. A central kitchen usually cooks two meals a day, and folks break bread together. It's a great place to meet more people and hear their stories about the event. Every person brings their own plate, bowl, mug and utensils. We stand in line and get served our healthy, delicious food, which often comes from local farms.

After we eat, we wash our mess kit in the communal washing stations provided by the gathering. Generally this is a row of tubs on a table and a slops bucket. You scrape your food scraps into the bucket, then knock off big particles in a pre-wash tub of water. Next, we scrub them in a tub of hot soapy water. Then rinse in a tub of cold plain water. Finally, we sanitize with a dip in a tub of bleach and water.

Stainless steel cup, water bottle, and utensils with a bandana.

Voila! It's a win-win situation all around. Event organizers have lower costs and less work to do. Participants get to use their favorite things, which at earthskills gatherings may include handmade gourd, clay, or wood bowls and mugs, or even hand-carved spoons and forks! Someone always has a garden or animals that eat the scraps. And the Earth wins biggest of all - a zero food waste gathering is the best option for Her.

Which leads me to my personal Earth Pledge for the year- I pledge to carry my own utensils and napkin everywhere I go. Whenever possible, I'll also bring my own plate and bowl. For years, I have already been carrying my water bottle with me.

So yeah, now I'm that hippie. I don't want your plastic bags. I don't want your plastic cutlery. No, thank you!

This entertains me. I've always been fairly "crunchy", as they say. I mean, what chance did I have to be otherwise? I thought wheat kernels were chewing gum when I was a child! (For readers new to this blog, I grew up on a small homestead that was largely self-sustaining)

I suppose this is what happens when one grows up. Core values become expressed in our actions. And that's a very good thing, for us and for the Earth.

Happy Earth Day!

Imbolc is Coming

In our tradition, Imbolc is the festival of midwinter. It is a celebration of the returning light, of the growing God, the promise of spring, and a time of dedication and initiation. Here in the depths of winter, we look into the fire and make our promises to the Gods and to ourselves. What intentions are we nurturing in this turn of the Wheel? Who do we want to become? 

The days have lengthened. For most of us, it's still light out when we finish work for the day. I don't know about you, but that cheers me up mightily.

Here at the Clan stronghold, great things are afoot. We have two dedicants finishing their first year of study. That means initiations at our Imbolc ritual - what a joyous prospect! Our little Clan is growing. We have weathered our first year. Our numbers are still small, but our members are dedicated and strong, creative and intelligent - beautiful women and developing shamanic witches all.  For all of this, I give thanks.

Meanwhile, we have one dedicant who came in partway through the year, and a new student waiting in the wings. That means that we will have two training classes going at once - Shamanic Witchcraft 101 (open to the public) and Shamanic Witchcraft 201 (closed to the public). What an exciting time it is!

It's also a time of intense concentration and work for me as a high priestess. I know exactly what my Imbolc dedication will be; I'm already doing it. The work of tradition creation and evolution is my task. I am loving this adventure, and blessed with inspiration and guidance from across the veil. For this, I give thanks. Several of my close allies in this Earthly realm are helping me by listening to me vent, acting as a sounding board, and giving their opinions of my ideas. For this, I give thanks.

Things have certainly evolved as I've gone along. Last year, we used Christopher Penczak's work as a textbook. This year, we will use a few books for specific topics. Eventually, I can see that our own book is needed. One step at a time. Slowly, slowly.

So if you've been wondering where all the new posts on this blog have gone...this is where. They've fallen by the wayside for a bit. I'll be back, and I'll be checking in as I have time. May your Imbolc celebrations be bright!

Sun Reborn

The miracle has occurred again...the longest night has passed. The Sun is reborn, and now, light begins to return to the Earth!

The sun returns! The light returns!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the birth of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays.

Yule Eve Eve

Tomorrow, we go into the longest night. Solstice is almost here!

This is the long night.

This is the dark night.

This is the cold night.

This is the night of last hope.

This is the night of the little spark.

This is the night of turning from darkness.

This is the night of turning toward light.

This is the night of wonder.

The long night is here:

Come to us, you spirits;

Together let us fill the long night with light,
Calling all beings to warm themselves at our fires.

Family of the Heart

Family is not only a matter of genes
The blood does bind, it's true
But another force is at work
Love is the greatest bond of all
-Tanaria

Every year, my friends and I have a Pre-Thanksgiving party. We gather to feast, drink and make merry. We're in our 23rd year of amazing food, stimulating conversations, excellent wine and general shenanigans. If you've ever seen Auntie Mame, you have an idea what this party is like.

Folks who know me in the physical world and longtime readers know that my biological family is tricky. The ones who treated me the best are in the Summerlands, and the ones who didn't are here and angry that I don't spend time with them. I have been very lucky to have found a chosen family over the years.

Our reasons for banding together are diverse. I am not the only one with challenges in the biological family department. Some don't have any family. Some are not accepted by their family for reasons of sexual orientation, religion, or lifestyle. Some just have awful families. Some live far away from family. Others just stick around for kicks.

The bonds we share are real. They are strong. They are every bit as valid as biological family ties. We have a shared history rich with stories. We support each other in good times and bad. We stand together even when one or more of us is being bone-headed.

We are all kinds of people - all ages, all cultures, all faiths, all orientations, all genders. Eccentricity and intelligence are the rule. In our midst, we have brewmasters, antique dealers, pipe makers, priestesses, seamstresses, dancers, musicians of all types, artists, gamers, geeks, nerds, athletes, dilettantes, drama queens, cosplayers, re-creationists, fairies, and more. We are colorful. We are wild, wacky, and wonderful.

This year, as every year, I am so thankful for you, my chosen family. Thank you for accepting me as I am, with all of my flaws, failings, and contradictions. Thank you for sticking with me as I grow and mature. Thank you for helping me figure it all out. Thank you for giving me the space to evolve and change. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for your presence in my life. Thank you. Without you, I don't know how I would get through November and December, much less the rest of the year.

Not all of my family was at this gathering. Not all of them are local to this area. In truth, my family is scattered across the miles. To these people, I say - you are in my thoughts and my heart. I miss you. I wish you were here to raise a glass with me. Thank you - all of these gratitudes are meant for you just as much as those who live nearby. Thank you.

There are many things for which I am grateful this year. I am housed, clothed, fed, employed, and loved. I am pursuing my passions and my sacred work. I am healthy. I am strong. Most of the time, I am happy.

But of all these things, my family is the best and brightest, the most important thing. These luminous souls make the journey worthwhile. We inspire each other to be our best selves. Long may it be so.

A Blessed Beltane

Calloo, callay, what a wondrous day! Beltane is here, and it's one of my very favorite holidays of all! There are many fine blogs and websites with extensive information about this important Sabbat, should you care to learn more. This post is not a dissertation on the nature of this day.

Today, I just want to share my joy with you. I am grateful to be alive on this day, the dawn of summer. I am so fortunate to live on a homestead out in the country. We have been working hard to nourish and honor the spirits of our land, to bring our steading back to life.

Today, we begin to enjoy the fruits of the season. The farmer next door has ripe strawberries for us to pick. In our yard, everything is in bloom: roses, lobelia, keeria, iris, water iris, clematis, marigold, azalea and more besides, unidentified blooms that delight the eye. In the garden, vegetables are thriving. We also have kittens to love, little bundles of joy and promise. Our handmade boats now rest under a brand-new shelter. In the mundane world, my new name is legal. Best of all, my Clan will gather this Sunday for high ritual and merriment. I have been given so many blessings, and I am grateful.

I hope that all of you celebrate in the way most suited to your spirits. Enjoy this blessed Beltane - get out there and celebrate! Dance, make love, bask in beauty, feast and make merry - BELTANE IS HERE!

May you know the love of the Gods
May you enjoy the fruits of the season
May your garden grow lush
May you feel the warm sun on your face
May you have love and lust in your life
A most blessed Beltane to all!

Blessed be!

Spring is almost here!

Spring is bursting out all over here in central North Carolina. Daffodils dot the sides of our country roads, the river is high, the Bradford pears are blooming and the grass is growing lush. My tribe of farm kitties has already been through the mating season and they now are rolling around contentedly in the Spring sun. Ostara is in just two days and I couldn't be more excited for the official launch of this most auspicious season!

The fresh air of spring

And the strong tug of the earth
I walk with the trees

-yours truly, 4/9/12

This is the time to plant the seeds, both literal and figurative, that we wish to nurture this year. We’ve dreamed about them in the sacred dark of Winter. At Imbolc, we cleansed away the unnecessary to create space for the new. We dedicated ourselves to the work of this year to bring these intentions to light. Now it is Ostara, the dawn of Spring. Our attention energizes our dreams, and our intention transforms them to reality. So mote it be!

Next Year's Yule Celebration

My sun wheel for 2014

This year, my Yule celebrations began with the Sun Wheel Ceremony. Along with many people across the globe, I created a yule wreath and placed candles in it. Each Sun-day from Thanksgiving week to Solstice, I lit the candles and meditated on the season. It was a beautiful, simple ritual and I enjoyed it.

But what's this good Pagan to do during the season of Yuletide itself? I have struggled over the years with reclaiming holiday traditions. My biological family loves Christmas and has a host of traditions around it. Unfortunately, my family also created a lot of stress and unhappiness for me, which further complicates this time of year.

This year, I went on a long trip. It was great. I didn't have to participate in any Judeo-Christian traditions! For the first time in many years, I was free from sensory bombardment with messages from a faith not my own. It was bliss, in that regard. There was just a little bit of Christmas on the ship, but it was easy to avoid.

Next year, I'd like to celebrate Yule as a 13 day, 12 night extravaganza, drawing from the Germanic, Italian and Norse traditions of my ancestry. For my purposes, this period will begin the eve of winter solstice (~Dec. 20) and end January 1. The concept behind this tradition is to rest and celebrate during the gap between the lunar year and the solar year. The idea of reflecting on the past year and envisioning the new year to come resonates deeply with me.

One source I found suggests performing divination each night corresponding to the coming 12 months. So on Mother's Night (solstice eve; Christmas eve makes no sense to me as a Pagan), I would divine for January. Solstice night, divine for February…and so on. I love this idea not only because of the practical benefits it provides, but also because this is an easy, portable tradition.

Another tradition I found is that of wassailing or blessing the trees. The way that I'll practice this is to go into the forest with animal-appropriate offerings like seeds and nuts, plus spiritual offerings like tobacco and cornmeal. I'll knock on the trees and give them the good news about the return of the light, then leave offerings for the dryads and other forest dwellers. An excuse for a spiritual hike? Yes, please!

This year was a sort of holiday detox. I had an extremely minimal holiday celebration. Mostly, I lounged about in the Caribbean. Next year, I'll get back to work on reclaiming the holidays. I pledge to stay in town for Solstice itself - after all, I have a coven to lead now. But this liminal period between the years…may find me wandering again. Either way, it will be a time of celebration, rest, reflection and dreaming up adventures for the following year. I'll spend time with those I love and those who support my journey. I also plan to do some service work, including a free yoga class as a gift to my students.

Here's to hoping your holidays were bright and joyous, and that you have a blessed New Year full of prosperity and new experiences!

Yule on the Ocean

Ocean Sunrise by Bluefinger

I emerged on to the deck when it was still dark. Walking around to the stern of the ship, the darkness faded into the gray of pre-dawn. Chaco sandals and my water bottle kept my yoga mat grounded in the gusty breeze. The sound of the ship's engine drowned out my voice as I began to chant:

"Long night, dark of the sun
cold wind, the year is done
long night, we face the dark
cold wind, you fan the spark
sun light, the rising sun
dark wind, your work is done
Oh sun return, turning wheel
hope reborn"*

A folded beach towel became my meditation cushion as I pondered all the dark places in my soul that need light and guidance from the Gods. A short, urgent list of things to release spilled from my throat. I no longer need them. They do not serve my journey.

The wind continued as I began to move my body. I'd intended to perform twelve sun salutations, but I lost count. Numbers seem irrelevant this morning as time seems to be passing at some unknown tempo. I salute the sun in all his varied guises…Surya, Helios, Apollo, Lugh, Cernunnos, Pan. Runners circle around me on the track, indifferent to my spiritual bliss.

It seemed that the sun ought to be up by now. Will I see it from here? I've never witnessed dawn on the deep ocean before. I lie back for some savasana. Then some silent, inner impulse tells me to rise. Ah, the sun begins to break over the horizon. I am filled with joy and hope, knowing that from here on out, the light will return. Each day will be longer, my journey a little easier.

In thanksgiving, I chant again:

"Apollo, Cernunnos, Ganesha, Pan
Lugh, Horned One, Odin, Green Man"**

The cruise ship was a microcosm of America's consumerist, overstimulated culture. But for this moment, along with most dawns…I found peace. I connected with my spiritual practice, and with the Gods. I watched the rays of the sun flood the sea.

Namaste to all - the divine light within me honors the light within you.


*Source: http://www.sanfords.net/Pagan_Humor_and_Thoughts/chants.htm#Sun%20Return
**My own version of the nine gods chant, based on the nine goddess chant recorded by various artists

Xignal Boost: Annual Sun Wheel Ceremony

Our local tarot expert, Beth Owls Daughter, has a beautiful idea. Each Sun-day between now and Solstice or Christmas, people all around the globe will light a candle and pray or meditate. This year's intention is "from within the sacred dark, we arise with the returning Light."

Regardless of faith or tradition, we can all join together in celebrating the season of the light's return at winter solstice, or the birth of Jesus, as you prefer. Taking this quiet time to join with others is a lovely way to go within and honor the introspective energy of this dark time of year.

I'm in. Are you?


The following is excerpted from Beth Owls Daughter's blog. View the original post here.

The Concept

It’s very simple. You only need a wreath and five candles. Starting with the first week, around dusk wherever you live, you’ll light one candle, meditate a bit, then extinguish the flame. The next week you light the first candle, and then a second one. And so on, until the final candle on Winter Solstice, Christmas, or both.

This ritual may remind you of the Christian tradition of lighting candles around an Advent wreath. That practice is descended from older Pagan observances that marked the advent of the Winter Solstice. (Advent simply means “the coming of”).

You can easily adapt this to be in harmony with your own dreams, desires, and beliefs. I encourage you to join the countless families and individuals throughout the world, Christians and non- , and to share it with your friends and beloveds.

Quietly Healing with Samhain

One of the things I love most about the traditions of our faith is their healing, therapeutic effect on the human psyche. During the years of my own spiritual seeking, I always asked myself two questions when evaluating a tradition or practice:

1. How does this make me feel? If I am inexplicably drawn to it, if it sounds my inner bell of "rightness", it's probably a good addition to my spiritual toolbox.

2. Does it work for me? If I feel the alleged benefits or other positive effect, it's probably a good addition to my spiritual toolbox.

Samhain is a time to honor and communicate with our beloved dead. It is the third harvest, the harvest of souls. In many cultures and time periods (including today, in some areas), it was the time of the animal harvest. Livestock were slaughtered to get us through the long, dark days of winter. This also provided enough resources for the rest of the animals to survive the winter as well.

The practice of actively engaging with our ancestors, allies and other dearly departed is a deeply therapeutic one. Culture in the US does not lean this way, overall. In general, death is something to be avoided, distanced from, sanitized and commercially packaged…like everything else. What this leads to is often less effective grieving and delayed healing for the survivors.

I would know. In my short life, I have lost an entire immediate family, plus a lover and many close friends. When my family passed, I inherited the family antiques. For a time, I set up my home with these items and with family portraits. It was too much. I felt I was living in a mausoleum. I sold most of the antiques and put the portraits away.

For years, years in which I did not always formally celebrate the Sabbats, I simply couldn't bear my losses. I unconsciously avoided the ancestral aspect of Samhain. I shut down my emotions on many levels. I didn't speak to my beloved dead or engage with them in any way. It was too painful. Holidays became excruciating. Movies and shows portraying happy families were brutal. It was all just too much.

I made a few attempts, here and there, but it just didn't take.

Fast forward to today. I have built a family of my own. I have been practicing with a coven for several years. I'm an active part of the local Pagan community. This year, I met a medicine woman who does ancestral work. I began to actively engage with my dead. I maintained a table of light. I set up an ancestor altar.

Last night I went and celebrated Samhain with the lovely folks of Church of the Earth. We did very little formal ritual and a whole lot of silent communion with our dead. We had a wonderful Dumb Supper out in a grove. Tables were widely scattered through the clearing, beautifully set with china and crystal for our ancestors. The sounds of classical cello drifted through the crisp night air. When not dining, we quietly sat around a crackling fire pit.

Afterwards, I noticed something big. I didn't cry. I felt emotional, but not dysfunctional. I slowly realized that I'm no longer crushed by grief. Sure, I will always miss these people who are so dear to me. There are times when it is poignant and intense. But last night, at the supper, I caught them up on my news. I told them about the joy and love that is now in my life. About the hard work of building my career and my coven.

This morning I woke up and felt calm. Through my morning Yoga practice, I began to realize that this is what healing feels like. My family and close friends will always be a part of me, and their loss has helped to define who I am as a person. But it's ok. It really is. I can now smile and tell their stories without dissolving into a weeping mass.

So for me, the tradition of Samhain passes the test. It makes me feel good, and it works.

A blessed Samhain to all. May you too be healed by its cleansing power.