Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain everyone! This is our first year in this neighborhood so I am not sure how many trick-or-treaters we will get but I am looking forward to seeing them all. Now to go finish Damian’s costume, we’re getting down to the wire.

(I wrote about Samhain last year here for the curious.)

I thought that recaping our trip to the Harvest Festival this weekend would be a nice post for today, the Autumn Equinox. If you would like to read more about what this day means to me and how we celebrate it as a family I posted extensively about it last year.

This past Sunday we went out to Beck’s Harvest House in Greenbluff, as is our tradition, to pick apples as well as buy fresh pressed cider and some wine. This year we threw a pumpkin into the mix, for Damian’s benefit. (It is in his blog here.)

Last year Damian was only 3 1/2 months old and slept threw most of the trip. This year he is 15 1/2 months old and is walking, running, pointing and babbling. (They grow up fast don’t they?) He did not sleep a wink for the entire trip, though he rode around in his wagon for most of the time eating apples. Of course he had to pick some too, which proved a little tricker then he initially thought. Yanking them off the tree was no hard, but keeping his balance after the yank was! He face planted into the ground right after this photo was taken:


He might have managed to stay upright if he hadn’t of tried to grab the apple beside it also. Not that tipping over bothered him. He scrabbled back up quite triumphantly holding both apples! We picked galas, valstars, liberties and a few other varieties who’s names I never remember. We filled a bushel for ourselves (30lbs of apples!) and some for Shannon and Rachel too. Peter and Andrea came but they just helped us pick and frolic through the orchard of course. Actually Andrea had my camera for about half the time we were out there so I am not sure who took what photo anymore!

Just because you hide behind the camera my dear doesn’t mean that the camera’s owner (me!) does nab it back a few times to get a photo of you though. You’re beautiful. (Andrea is planning my blessingway for this pregnancy for the record, making her even more dear to my heart!)

This is my favorite photo of the day. Granted, I might be bias but I think these are most handsome guys in the world.

Other then picking apples and Damian’s pumpkin we also had lunch while we were there. A dozen pumpkin donuts, a caramel apple and a cinnamon bun count as lunch right? We thought so. We also browsed the country store and picked up 4 gallons of fresh cider (three of which are in the freezer) and a bottle of wine. Maybe we will still have the wine by Winter Solstice. Assuming Ivy has arrived by then, I’ll even be able to have some! (She better have, her due date is December 2nd!) I think she will be born on November 27th, but that is just me.

This past year has gone so fast, even the festival this year seemed to fly by. Thanks to all our friends who came out with us (and we missed all you who couldn’t make it this year.) This time next year Damian will be over 2 years old and Ivy over 6 months. Whew, that makes me appreciate the three seasons and seven sabbats that will come between now and then!

Anyhow now to go start peeling and slicing a bushel of apples and start on dinner. Blessed Autumn Equinox everyone! (More photos from the day can be found on our flickr page.)

Tomorrow we are carrying on our Autumn Equinox tradition of going out to Beck’s Harvest House in Greenbluff to pick apples. Initially we were going to go today but with high winds and a 40% of rain in forecast we postpone for tomorrow, banking on the weatherman’s promise of a perfect Autumn day.

Some of you might remember that I purchased an Autumn-themed board book for Damian as a Lughnasadh gift. I am really happy to report that he loves it, the pictures are so vivid and detailed that they completely captivate him. I would recommend it to anyone thinking about purchasing a similar gift with one word of caution, there are no words in it, only paintings. I personally prefer that as I can make up a different tale each time we go through it, but I realize that that is not for everyone.

Building on the idea of gifting him with something seasonal for each sabbat I recently purchased him Autumn Equinox gift, which I wanted to reflect our yearly trip to the orchards. I found lots of beautiful ideas but ultimately Michael helped me chose a Holztiger wooden apple tree (which I think is exceptionally well crafted.) Though Autumn Equinox will not technically arrive until Tuesday, we gave it to him today as we will be apple picking tomorrow.

I know that most children only associate Christmas or their birthday with special traditions and/or presents but since our family celebrates the Wheel of the Year I like the idea of doing something special with my children at the beginning and height of each of the seasons (what we refer to as sabbats of which we have eight.) I do not intend for each sabbat to be heralded with a gift, ultimately I would love it to become more of some kind of craft where we can talk about the meaning of the sabbat while we create something special together as well as our traditional activities (such as apple picking.) However that idea will largely depend on Damian being able to say more then 20 words and no longer attempting to eat craft supplies! So a board book or a small gift is the most developmentally appropriate at the moment.

Holztiger toys are geared more towards imaginary play which Damian is still a little young for, however I have no doubt he will grow into that phase (as it is natural.) For now though, he is more then pleased with his new toy even if his current use of it is running around the house waving it around like a club and occasionally stopping beside me to show me one of the bright red apples painted on it. Last year he was only 3 1/2 months old for the Harvest Festival and slept through most of it but I am sure that will not be the case with him this year. I can’t wait to see what he thinks of the big red apples hanging off the trees!

The last harvest was brought in and winter is past. The Sun god having spent his energies providing the light and warmth needed for crops to flourish hung low over the southern sky. The God was spent and soon died. Mother Earth also labored hard under the sun and needed rest as can be told by the withered grasses and fallen leaves. Gaia curls up in slumber and awaits the day her consort will again return to her while protecting the seeds of life deep within her self. At Yule the new Sun God was born young and strong he was yet too distant to warm the Earth but watches Gaia slumber from afar. The Sun grew and became strong learning of the beauty of the Earth and those lovely creatures upon her. Though tempted by other’s beauty he yearns to be close to Gaia, to reunite with her. Growing ever stronger he circles closer gently warming her till she begins to awaken. Beneath the growing warmth of the Sun Gaia gently pushes the first new plants through the melting snows. Having grown to maturity the Sun encircles Gaia, warming the Earth and fully awakening her. They dance about one another while his passion burns…

This is part of the narration during the Beltane ritual that we attended this past Saturday at Sal and Rusty’s home in Medical Lake. Sal and Rusty reenacted the Sun enticing the Earth to bloom into summer. It was a beautiful rite full of love and a healthy dose of humor at some points! I was very honored to attend and be a part of it (I called water and set up the associated quarter altar.)

Beltane is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated around May 1st that marks the beginning of the pastoral summer season. For our modern day celebration of the rebirth of the warmer weather about 40 or 50 people showed up, which is a fantastic turn out for our area. Beyond the ritual (which included a labyrinth walk and spiral dance) we erected and wove a maypole, built a belfire and of course a huge groaning board feast, drumming, music, divination and as well as the usual camaraderie. Later people jumped the belfire too, in the rain, which was fun to watch.

The Inland Northwest felt as though we had to enjoy all her wonderful aspects throughout the day so we started of with bright warm wonderful sun, then some wild wind, then rain and more rain and finally a bit of clearing before the day was done, followed by more rain.

I don’t think the weather dampened anyone’s spirits though. If anything the success of this ritual makes me look even more forward to the Pagan Campout on summer solstice, though I don’t think I will play such an active role in it. It takes two to take care of a toddling Damian and I know I left Michael hanging a few times. Sometimes it is nice to just sit back and enjoy.

(The grounding labyrinth, walked before the ritual. If you would like to read more about Beltane, I blogged about it a couple years ago. I also have more photos from the day up here.)

I hope everyone had a blessed Beltane full of love, wonder, joy and peace.

If today be sunny and bright, Winter again will show its might.
If today be cloudy and gray, Winter soon will pass away.

In northern climates, the first days of February look nothing like Spring, but if you look closely you can see the small but sturdy signs of changing seasons begin to appear. Maybe it rains more often then it snows, or the days are noticeably longer, maybe the wind’s bite is a little less harsh, or the sun a little warmer. Whatever the sign is, it hints that Spring is just around the corner.

Oimelc falls on February 1st, approximately half way between Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. It literally means “ewe’s milk”, and refers to the ewes are nursing their newly born lambs, another indication of the coming of Spring. It is sometimes called Imbolc, Brighid, Lupercalia (not celebrated until the 13th) or Candlemas (though this refers to a Catholic holiday.) It is sometimes also celebrated on the full moon nearest to February first, we do this in our family.

As with many of the Pagan sabbats, Oimelc’s history is firmly rooted in Celtic tradition, though it also borrows some Roman and Christian ideas. Lupercalia was an ancient, possibly pre-Roman, festival where all evil spirits were driven out of the city and spirits of health and fertility were invited in. Old hearth fire were extinguished and new ones lit, old candles were also replaced and blessed. Many of Lupercalia’s customs were integrated into Catholicism when the Roman Empire converted, minus the orgies of course.

In Celtic culture, this was a time of weather divination, usually done by observing the hibernation patterns of snakes, many believe that this custom evolved into the secular Groundhog Day. The snake was a creature revered for its sacred wisdom. The snake was one of the many animals associated with the goddess Brighid, to whom this day is also given to, Là Fhéill Bhrìghde. She was such a deeply ingrained symbol to the Celtic tribes, the Christian missionaries chose to make her a saint rather then try to remove her from importance.

Brighid was the keeper of the sacred flame and guardian of home and hearth, though she is said to have had two sisters, Brighid the Physician and Brighid the Smith. Most people see these three women as aspects of the same goddess, one of poetry, healing, and smithcraft.

In Scottish legend is the said that one the eve of Oimelc, the Cailleach (Old Woman Winter) takes a journey to a sacred well on a magical island. As dawn breaks, she drinks from it and is transformed into Bride (another spelling of Brighid), the beautiful maiden who’s white wand turns the bare earth green again. Again, many people see the Cailleach and Bride and Brighid as one and the same, often referring to her as a triple goddess, at once maiden, mother and crone.

All these celebrations have led to very diverse Oimelc celebration among modern Pagans. This is a time many will reevaluate personal relationships and habits to decide what needs to be discarded in their lives. Renewal of old pledges or commitments to new ones are done at this time as well. This emotional purging is often accompanied by physical purging, either by beginning Spring cleaning or decluttering altars and other spiritual supplies. Many Pagans make or purchase their candles for the year around this time and consecrate them on Oimelc.

On a personal level, I rarely do much on Oimelc. It has taken me a long time to be able to connect with this sabbat though it is easier now that I have children, it has always felt like more of a home and hearth day to me then anything else. As I have become acclimated to life in the Inland Northwest I have started to see the unique beauty in this time of year too, rather then only seeing a series of cloudy long dark days.

To me, Oimelc represents a hidden transformation. I feel the coming of Spring in my heart more then see it in the land. The increasing daylight lightens my mood and renews my energy so that I can work on projects that have probably taken a back burner during the drearier days Winter. I begin planning my garden on Oimelc and meditate on what I would like to see grow in my life and in my community. If we listen closely we can hear the land whispering of the changing seasons. The Vernal Equinox is only seven weeks away and Oimelc celebrates the anticipation of Spring.

Oimelc: in our home

(Collecting reeds with our friend Sal to make Brighid’s Crosses.)

Activities:

• Bell ringing purification procession
• Burning Winter Solstice greens
• Candle making and consecrating
• Ritual: initiations, dedications
• Spring cleaning
• Visiting a spring or well
• Writing or read poetry

Crafts:

• Bread Making
• Brighid’s Wheel
• Candle Making
• Knitting and Weaving

Decorations:

• Candles
• Cauldron
• Colors: red, white
• Hibernating animals
• Seasonal plants and foods
• Suns
• Woolen items

Oimelc: feast

We went over to some friends this year for Imbolc, so I just made bread and dip to share. Otherwise I would have made red (tomato) and white raviolis with cheese filling, and granitas from fruit I froze last summer. Maybe next year!

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BREAD: focaccia
This year I added 1/4 cup chopped dried tomatoes that I packed in oil this summer. I also infused some of the oil with basil and oregano and used that as well.

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BREAD DIP: Sun-dried Tomato and Basil

• 8 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp dried basil (2 tbsp fresh if you have it)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne

Put everything into a blender and pulse till smooth. Let sit for 6 hours or overnight.

I hope you all have a most blessed and joyful Oimelc, Winter is drawing to a close and the wheel turns to the warmth of Spring.

In the past three weeks we have had nearly 60 inches of snow, that makes this the snowiest December on record for Spokane. Up until now it had all been dry snow but yesterday we had over five inches of heavy wet snow, we might have 5 more tonight. Three roofs around town collapsed today. Our roof was creaking on and off too, a little disconcerting, but I think it was just the wind since it has not made some much as a peep today. I called management about it though, not that they are going to do anything, I have been calling them daily about my busted dishwasher and still nothing. In February we are probably going to start to look for a house since our lease is up at the end of March I think. Hopefully all this snow will have given way to Spring by then.

I just realized that it is only 10 more days till my 23rd birthday (January 9th.) I don’t usually think about my birthday that much but for some reason it seems particularly exciting this year. Not that I have anything special planned. Maybe I will make myself a cake.

I have been under the weather for a few days, hopefully that will go away before my day. My back pain went away as mysteriously as it showed up, leaving behind general aches, pains and a scratchy throat. Can’t wait to feel better so I can get back to learning to bellydance. I still have to get out to the store to buy knitting needles so I can start working through my dvd about that. Learning to bellydance and knit are on my dreamboard for projects to accomplish this year.

Damian has been doing well, he decided he wanted solid food instead of one of his nursings today. My little guy is growing up! I have had two or three people ask me when I am going to wean him lately, or suggesting that I do so, which I don’t really get. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least one year and as long as mutually desired by mother and child beyond that and the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years. I think they have more weight in my decision then someone’s uninformed opinion. So no, I am not going to be weaning Damian any time some.

I bought Michael a songbook called Songs for Earthlings and it arrived yesterday. I am really pleased with it. It is 390 pages of Pagan songs and chants for all occasions, including sheet music. There is a section on music theory in it so I am trying to learn to read music with it. I got Michael a keyboard a couple years ago so now he has some stuff to actually play with it. If you are into Pagan music, I really recommend it, it is the only one like it out there I think.

Anyhow I’m going to go sit with Michael while he plays Deep and Fallow.

Brightly burns our fire tonight.
Magic dances with candlelight.

Hold my hand and join in song.
Raise the Sun King bright and strong!

Dark is giving way to light.
Brightly burns the fire tonight.

Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It falls around December 21st of each year. It is a festival day in many cultures often calling for bright lights and fires, freshly cut evergreens, feasting with loved ones and singing and dancing. These festivities serve to rekindle the human spirit in the heart of winter.

In many modern Pagan traditions, Winter Solstice, is a celebration of the rebirth of the sun. Many still hold vigils awaiting the dawn, heralding the sun as the God reborn from the sacred womb of the Goddess. In other traditions a great battle is waged between the Oak King and Holly King where the Oak King triumphs returning to the world to longer warmer days.

It is a near certainty that Winter Solstice was of significant importance to ancient people, especially Proto-Celtic tribes. The evidence of this is obvious in the layouts of the stone monuments of New Grange in Ireland and Stonehenge in Britain. Each of these sites was carefully built to line up with the solstice sunrise. It can be suggested that the marking of midwinter was important for ancient communities because the people needed an approximate idea of how long their stored provisions had to last.

The most common alternate name for Winter Solstice is Yule a term originating from ancient Norse and Germanic tribes. It began as a celebration marking a 60 day time beginning at the lunar midwinter, but by the late Viking Age, it had become a great solstitial midwinter festival that amalgamated the traditions of various midwinter celebrations across Europe. On the the eve of Yule a huge log was lit in honor Thor, god of thunder, and feasting would continue until it burned out, which could be up to twelve days! A portion of the log was saved to be used in the lighting of the next year’s log.

Winter Solstice, as with many sabbats, has been incorporated into other religious celebrations. Most notably, it shares it’s place in the wheel of the year with the Christian religious observance of Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. Many of the traditions common throughout the Christian season correlate to ancient Pagan traditions. There is nothing wrong with this mixing of traditions of course, if anything it reflects how interrelated belief systems can be. Many of the most prevalent traditions celebrated by modern western culture today are echoes of ancient practices.

Santa is an example of a mix of new and old. Many parallels can be seen between Santa and the Germanic god Odin. There are legends that tell of Odin leading a hunting party through the sky on the solstice. He rode upon an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir who could leap great distances, which can be compared to Santa’s reindeer flying through the night. On the eve of the solstice, children would place their boots by the chimney filled with offerings for Sliepnir (carrots, straw or sugar.) In thanks Odin would leave them candy and small gifts.

The tradition of leaving out boots on Yule survived the Christianization of Germanic culture and Odin’s deeds might have become mixed with the legend of Saint Nicholas. Over time These men became Santa and those boots by the chimney became the stockings hanging from the mantle. I have heard that the Goddess Freya rose through the sky in a chariot pulled by stags and gave gifts for the 12 days after the solstice, but I have not been able to find too much information about this. If it is true though, it explains the sleigh with reindeer!

Since a large part of my spiritual practice involves honoring the ancestors I like to take a few moments on the solstice to remember what it must have been like for them. Winter was the season of death, a time for the earth to rest, renewing itself for the birth of Spring. Being in tune with the rhythms of the land, our ancestors would have known that despite the darkness, soon the light would return to the earth, bringing with it life. I can see why the Winter Solstice was so important. It welcomed back the much needed Sun.

To me, Winter Solstice heralds the returning sun as an eternal spirit and light brining. The returning sun reminds us to love our life passionately and to to reawakening our goals that may have been dampened by the long nights. It is a reminder that we too can be light bringers.

Winter Solstice calls us to come together on this longest night and bring with us light in the form of love, peace and joy. This is a light that we can share with each other and send out into the world. The choices that we make every day, as humans, as multi-faceted beings of this universe, should come from open minds and hearts. With this kind of devotion to the betterment of ourselves and each other, I believe we can accomplish anything.

Winter Solstice: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Cookie Plates for Friends
• Dawn Vigil Ritual
• Decorating Tree
• Gift Exchange
• Holiday Light Drive

Crafts:

• Bread Making
• Cookies
• Gingerbread Houses
• Natural Ornaments
• Paper Snowflakes (flat and 3D)
• Pomanders
• Popcorn garlands

Decorations:

• Bells
• Evergreen
• Lights
• Mistletoe
• Seasonal flowers and foods
• Stockings
• Suns
• Winter Solstice Candles
• Yule Tree

Winter Solstice: the feast

We have a larger gathering at our home every year. Sometimes we have a group ritual, sometimes not, but we always have much fun and laughter. I always make a pot roast, but this year I also made the Layered Vegetarian Casserole that I make at Autumn Equinox for our vegetarian friends. I always try to focus on making my meals as local as possible, as to best honor Old Wild Mama Earth. Sometimes I make more side dishes, sometimes our guests bring them to add to the table. (My friend Andrea helped me with quite a lot of tips, as well as a gravy lesson in this kitchen with year. Thank you!) This year’s meal prayer is a bit of a combination of several wonderful ones I have come across recently.

Tonight is the night of the Solstice,
the longest night of the year.
The Wheel turns and the days will brighten
Bringing renewed life to the Earth.

May hands will work for peace and justice,
May hands will work to heal the land.

For the food that stays our hunger,
For the rest that brings us ease,
For friends and memories that linger,
We give our thanks for these.

BREAD: Snowflake Pretzels

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DRINKS

• Egg Nog: I buy this.
• Mulled Cider: To make this, I pour a gallon or two of cider in a big enamel pot on the morning of our gathering. I sprinkle in a healthy amount of spices (I use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves) and set the pot on the stove, cover it and and turn the stove on low and just leave it. It makes the house smell sooooo nice all day. You can also add cranberry juice to change things up a bit or make it in the crockpot.
• Wine: We buy ours locally in Greenbluff, we can also get hard cider this time of year. This year we got a white wine infused with cranberry and spices.

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MAIN DISH: Pot Roast

• 5lb chuck roast (this fed about 9 people with a little leftover)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Italian Seasoning (I make my own mix.)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp pepper (I love pepper.)
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Heat a cast iron skilled on medium high. Mix together oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Rub all over chuck roast. Sear the roast on all sides. Put in 5-6 quart crockpot. (You could put potatoes, carrots or onions under it if you like, I prefer to roast them seperately.) Pour cider and Worcestershire sauce in.

Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours, until beef is tender. (My current crockpot seems to get warmer and cook faster then my last one, so give yourself some extra time.)

To make gravy: Put some of the broth from the crockpot to a small saucepan over medium heat. In another small bowl whisk together cornstarch with a little broth to get out the lumps. Add to saucepan and whisk until mixture begins to thicken. (I think I remembered how to do that properly…)

Serves 8-10.

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SIDE DISH: Maple Yams
(Yams are not local, they are the tuber of a tropical vine. Did you know they can grow 7 feet long?! But, well, I adore yams…)

• 5 sweet potatoes (I used yams, not local, but I adore yams…)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 or 3 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.

Poke some holes in the yams and place them in a shallow roast pan (or lipped cookie sheet.) Roast them until they are very soft (and hour or two.) Yams tend to get really stick when they cook, so line your pan with aluminium foil, it makes cleanup way easier.

When your yams are cool enough to handle you can just peel the skins off with your hands. Put in a dish with butter and maple syrup. Mash together (with a potato masher, or fork, or hands, or mixer, or whatever makes you happy.)

Serves 8-10.

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DESSERT: Pumpkin Roll
You can totally do this with homemade pumpkin puree.

It is winter.
It is night.

We await the sun.
We await the light.

In this darkness.
In this night.

We await the warmth.
We await the light.

And the Sun, he rises.

I could post about the weekend, or my usual sabbat write up, or link to my podcast but, my write up needs some final touches, as does the podcast… As for posting about my weekend, it was wonderful but I am tuckered out! So I will write more tomorrow, but I wanted to say

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

When I was a teenager, I was rather desperately trying to find faith. Faith in what, I didn’t know, but faith of some kind. It was not a desire that I frequently (if ever) discussed with most of my family or friends, I didn’t think they would understand. I don’t know why I am thinking about it today, probably because I heard Amazing Grace on the radio and that song always stirs a deep well of spiritual emotions in me.

When I was younger we visited Mexico and I stayed with my Uncle Philip for a week or two. He is a minister so we attended his church. They sang and danced and some of the people in his church were “touched” by God. They collapsed on the floor and it looked like they were having seizures. I was completely terrified. I did not understand why God had to induce medical problems like that to make people feel his presence. It seemed cruel and wrong. I felt really out of place because I felt nothing, not so much as a twitch or inkling of another tongue. So I just stood there until my brother came over and we left and went for a walk I think.

I am not saying that the people in that church were wrong in there practice, they have a right to it. But I am saying that I was not emotionally prepared to be thrown into an environment like that without any notice. The masses I have been to in Catholic churches in France were… a lot different. I don’t blame anyone for the experience of course, but it certainly influenced my views of God.

When we lived in Spain (age 14 to 18), I remember the longing for guidance being particularly intense. I often went on walks down to one of the churches in Sitges and just sat in the pews, sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for more then an hour. A man (I’m pretty sure he was a priest) came over and tried to talk with me a couple times and I passed myself off as a tourist. I was too scared to talk to him. If I spoke better Spanish, I told myself, I would go to confession. I don’t know what I would have said though. Instead of confession I spoke to God instead, telling him all the things that were on my mind, and then I waited. I don’t know what I was wait for, guidance I suppose. Though I think at the time I might have needed really bold statement to notice, an angel or white light and voice. I think I wanted him to appear, not speak to me through a messenger.

I only went to this church once on a Sunday and it was too much for me. I felt so very out of place. I was not very much for public displays of emotion, so when I was there on Sunday, surrounded by all those people of strong Christian faith, I felt like a fraud.

Sometimes I skipped school and would just wander around until I found a church. I would sit in a pew staring at the altar or building architecture and talking to God. I would be there usually until someone came up and tried to start a conversation with me. That always scared me off. Eventually I figured out that God wasn’t going to answer me, not in the way I wanted at least, and Christianity wasn’t right for me. So I stopped going to churches and started going to parks.

I have been aware of and involved with various forms of Paganism since I was about 14. When I wasn’t sitting in a pew I was reading about Paganism. I tried to talk to the Goddess in church a couple times but I was worried God was going to hear me giving up on him. The Christian God has always has the stern father archetype in my mind.

Anyhow, when I gave up on church I started going to parks and it was in one I found faith. I remember exactly how it happened. I had skipped school that day, my friend was going to come with me but she bailed last minute so I was alone. I wandered to a park near my school. I found a secluded bench surrounded by flowers and weeping trees. I laid there, closed my eyes and asked for a sign. When I opened my eyes and saw the sun filtering through the leaves above me. It was at that exact moment I found faith. It was a feeling that is really hard to describe (unless you have been there I guess.)

I didn’t cry or collapse or anything, I just knew that I was in the presence of something amazing. I felt as though Mother Earth had risen up and hugged me and Father Sky wrapped me a cocoon of light. I didn’t feel guilty or like a fraud, I felt unconditionally loved and welcomed. They weren’t there as angels or priests but they were there in person, not so much as gods but more as eternal but kindred spirits embodied in the trees, flowers, sun and sky. They were tangible and real, and they saved me.

One could say I have been a devoted “Pagan” ever since, though I don’t follow the God and Goddess, I walk with them. We are all Eternal Spirits. They are much older and more knowledgeable then I of course but not detached omnipotent beings. When I speak to them I feel them immediately and viscerally. They are real to me.

A lot more happened between that day and now that has shaped my faith but I will save it for another post.

This is something I have been working on for a couple days, all the photos are my own. I am not sure if it is done yet. That sun is part of my logo/personal symbol that my friend turned into a vector for me. I am probably going to make this a charity print when I am sure I am done with it. (Profits going to Médecins Sans Frontières.) Need to finish revamping my site first too.

The cool down of Autumn have finally arrived and so has the peak of the harvest season. Fat pumpkins lay in fields, apple branches bend low with heavy yield and the Earth’s bounty overflows the garden and farm. This harvest begs to be enjoyed, but also preserved. Winter’s icy days draw near.

Technically speaking an equinox is a day when the Sun will spend an equal amount of time above and below the horizon. This happens twice a year, in Autumn and Spring. Autumn Equinox is the tipping point into the dark half of the year. Today we are also entering into the sunsign of Libra, her scales are a perfect echo of the light/dark balance of this equinox. Historically speaking, nearly every culture has some form of harvest festival, many celebrated still today.

Megalithic people of ancient Britain and Ireland obviously placed some kind of importance on both the solstices and equinoxes. Otherwise they would not have build stone structures like Stonehenge and Loughcrew Cairn to determine their dates. Their methods of celebrating these days has been long lost to history though.

The ancient Celts constructed a wickerman around this time of the year as well. It was ritually burned to represent the plant spirits returning to the earth to rest until Spring. An incarnation of this ancient idea has been reborn in recent years in the Burning Man Project, a yearly festival celebrated in the Autumn in Nevada. A giant wickerman is constructed and burned at the height of the week long festival.

The Mayans constructed a sacred pyramid called Chichen Itza, which acted in a similar way to the stone structures of the Megalithic people of Britain and Ireland. On the day of the Autumn Equinox a “serpent of light” descends the pyramid until it joins this a huge stone rattlesnake head at its base. (This serpent is actually seven isosceles triangles that are formed from the sunlight hitting the pyramid stairs.)

The Chumash, a Native American tribe from Southern California, celebrate the Autumn Equinox in a ceremony that takes place after the harvest is picked, processed and stored. After this day the spiritual thoughts of the tribe become focused on unity in the face of Winter.

Teutonic tribes called the period from the Autumn Equinox until approximately October 15th “Winter Finding.” October 15th was Winter Night and their new years. Besoms were constructed to symbolize the man/woman duality. A Harvest Lord was made from straw and burned, his ashes scattered over the fields. A Harvest Queen was woven from the last sheaf of wheat of the harvest. It was dressed in Spring colors and hung from a pole (it also was sometimes called the Kern Baby.)

In Neopaganism, many different rituals are preformed on this day, often echoing ancient traditions. Most of these rites are based on the balance found in nature as well as within ourselves. Some refer the Autumn Equinox as the Witches Thanksgiving as it is a celebration of the harvest and a time to give thanks for the bounty that the Earth has provided.. Wiccans, the most common variety of Neopagans, celebrate the Autumn Equinox as Mabon. The day honors the Sacrificial King who dies and passes into the harvest to be reborn through the Goddess come Springtime.

In my practice, I personify the Earth as Mother and Sun as Father. Now is the time for Father Sun to pass into darkness so that Mother Earth might rest as she nurtures the spirit of Spring within her. Without Winter’s rest many plants could not come forth in the Spring. Autumn Equinox is a time to come together as a community and give thanks for the harvest as well as find peace within ourselves to face the coming darker days. It is a time of year when the goals that summer’s fun kept me from, return to the forefront of my mind. Balances is a powerful force which I invite into my life so that all my workings might come from a place of wholeness and love. Balance is needed in all things from the spiritual to the mundane as it keeps us from the pointlessness excess and the dullness of laziness.

Autumn Equinox: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Acorn Gathering for Winter Solstice ornaments
• Harvest Festival in Greenbluff
• Thanksgiving Ritual

Crafts:

• Apple Dolls
• Autumn Leaves Stained Glass
• Besom Making
• Bread Making
• Pine Cone Bird Feeders
• Harvesting and Preserving: canning, dehydrating, freezing
• Equinox Candles

Decorations:

• Acorns, Maple Keys, Pinecones
• Autumn Leaves
• Burial Cairns
• Cornucopias
• Dried Herbs
• Indian Corn Bundles
• Scythe, Bolline
• Seasonal flowers and foods

Autumn Equinox: feast

This is a a time when the Earth’s bounty is at her peak, why not make the table groan with your favorite seasonal dishes? Since we go to the apple festival each year fresh apple cider and local wines fill out goblets and we raise them for a blessing a toast.

Eternal Spirits we welcome you into our home on this day of balance.
You who are the wind, water, fire and earth at the soul of our world.

The Autumn Equinox is here and we give thee thanks for the harvest,
and its bounty that nourishes us, sustains us and inspires us.

We give thee thanks for the times we spend together in love and peace,
and all those who have fought so that we may enjoy this freedom.

We give thee thanks for this good green Earth and the kinship of our friends and family,
and for all we have overlooked or taken for granted in our life.

We give thanks for the blessings you whisper into our lives each and every day.
Eternal Spirits we welcome you to our table. Blessed be.

(You can go around the table now and have everyone share what they are thankful for.)

–

BREAD: Roasted Potato and Onion Bread
This must be started the night before your feast. It is well worth the effort though!

–

MAIN DISH: Layered Vegetarian Crockpot
Layer in crockpot:

• 6 potatoes, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup peas

Any vegetable mixture really works. I didn’t have a zucchini today so I used green beans. If you have a garden, even better! Wander around and see what’s fresh.

Pour over top:

• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Salt & Pepper

Cook 8 to 12 hours.

• Spread 1 cup shredded cheese over top and serve once melted.

–

DESSERT: Apple Pie
I think everyone has their preferred family recipe for this one, mine seems to change from year to year as I seek to find one that is truly special. Since we did not go apple picking this weekend (Michael was sick) we will be going next Sunday. So the apple pie is on the backburner so to speak, until then. If anyone has a tried and true apple pie recipe that they don’t mind me sharing through my blog if we like it, I would be more then willing to try it! (The crust cannot contain shortening, I am allergic to cottonseed oil.)

I hope you all have a most blessed and joyful Autumn Equinox, Mabon, Harvest Home, or whatever you celebrate. And if you celebrate none, I still hope you get outside rain or shine (rain for us this year!) and enjoy the beauty of Autumn.

(Clipart courtesy FCIT.)

I wanted to share this ritual that I wrote because baby blessings for Pagans are very hard to find online (or in reference books for that matter.)

Date: August 16th, 2008
Moon: Full in Aquarius
Ritual Type: Family

We call upon the Elemental Spirits of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, to welcome our child on this eve. From breeze to storm, from spark to flame, from stream to ocean, from field to mountain, you bring power to our circle.

We call upon our Beloved Ancestors, blood of our blood, to welcome our child on this eve. A sacred cord connects us back to before time was time, we are honored by your presence.

We call upon the Eternal Spirit of Woman, the Great Mother, and ask that you bless our child on this eve. Sacred nurturer, may your power flows through us in this rite.

We call upon the Eternal Spirit of Man, the Great Father, and ask that you bless our child on this eve. Sacred protector, may your power flows through us in this rite.

Eternal Spirits, we bring before you this being of light, our son, for whom we have chosen the name of Damian Michael Stewart. We give thee thanks for sending Damian into our lives, he is our greatest joy and has grown our hearts a hundredfold. May we always be aware of his origins in your world, as ours are, so that we may reflect back to him the knowledge of the Great Mystery.

Damian, we light this candle [the rose one on the right side of the altar] as a reflection of the light that shines within you. Though its flame may be extinguished, know that your spirit within our lives never will. May your life be a divine work of art upon which all the blessings of the Universe are bestowed. Damian, you are our beloved. We swear to live our life to the highest virtues we know because it is upon this foundation that you will grow and flourish.

Eternal Spirits, we ask that you send Damian a guardian spirit to guide and protect him as he grows his light, until such a time when he can call upon his own guides. May this guardian guide him on the path that is most true for his soul and may the power of the elements ease his travels.

Spirits of Air we ask that you guide Damian as he soars through the skies of imagination.
Spirits of Fire we ask that you guide Damian as he faces all the challenges that await him.
Spirits of Water we ask that you guide Damian as he swims in the ocean of intuition.
Spirits of Earth we ask that you guide Damian as he climbs the tree of knowledge.

So mote it be.

Elemental Spirits, you are the breath, the inspiration, the soul and the body of our world. We thank you for your presence on this eve.

Beloved Ancestors, blood of our blood, your wisdom shines upon us. We thank you for your presence on this eve.

Eternal Spirits of Man and Woman, sacred beings of love and balance, we thank you for your blessings and your power on this eve.

Our circle is open but never broken.

So mote it be.

Baby Blessing by Jaspenelle Stewart is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

Each morning I do a small ritual which is made up of a short prayer to the Sun, a series of affirmations, and sometimes another prayer. (Yes, I am a creature of habit!) I touched on prayer the other day in my post about Jesus but I have been wanting to elaborate on it.

According to Wikipedia:

Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a deity or spirit. Purposes for this may include worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or to express one’s thoughts and emotions. [...] Secularly, the term can also be used as an alternative to “hope”. [...] Most major religions in the world involve prayer in one way or another.

Many of the items included in that description are things I do regularly. Requesting guidance, requesting assistance, and expressing one’s thoughts and emotions. The prayers I send out for other people are also my way of sending hope to them. So yes, I most definitely pray.

Prayer is not a term generally thrown around within the Pagan community. This is, in my opinion, because of mainstream religion. Most of the Pagans I know were once Christian and when they left that faith most of them distanced themselves from all its practices. Prayer is often one of the first things to go, which is really a bit odd when you think about it since prayer was around long before Jesus walked. To an extent, I understand the desire (however unhealthy) to bury ones past. After all, many Pagans had traumatic experiences within their former churches which are what ultimately drove them to seek beliefs that were better suited for their soul. I do think that prayer is a term Pagans have every right to reclaim though.

In my practice, prayer is not the exclusive territory of the gods. Many, if not most, of my prayers are focused towards spirits (elemental or otherwise) or my ancestors. I don’t think it matters what spirit is prayed to (if you want to send your thoughts to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, go ahead) all I think matters is that we take time to send our gratitude, hopes and wishes out into the Universe. I pray because it helps me live my life with reverence, grounds me, brings me comfort and order my thoughts.

Ultimately, prayer is an intensely personal experience and one I don’t think we should be afraid of. It is a opportunity to say exactly how you feel without repercussions, it feels good to get stuff like that off your chest, no matter how silly or serious. No matter what is said it can stay between you, the god or spirit of your choosing and the all-knowing fence post. (And of course anyone else you are comfortable sharing with.) As for me, my prayer this morning went something like this:

Blessed Mother Earth, I ask for your help on this day.
I ask that you send your Spirits of Peace to my dear friend,
She has great trials ahead of her in her fight with breast cancer.
Let her remember that it is the heart that makes the woman, not the body.
Let her remember your unconditional love, let it give her strength,
So that she may grow from this and find some joy in these hard times.
Blessed be.

I must take a moment to admire my friend, in spite of her diagnosis and the looming fear of surgery, her faith is strong and she is at peace with where ever this disease will lead her. I do not know if I could be as strong. As hard as it is for me to admit, I sometimes find myself angry with the powers that be for the trials I find myself in (and those that I love.) It is hard to remember that it is these trials and how we carry ourselves through them are what define us. That is a topic for a future blog post though.

Do you pray?

Though Lughnasadh was a few days ago, I just finished writing my Book of Shadows page about this sabbat. I thought I would share. Let me know what you think and if you see any glaring typos. Dyslexia and proofreading do not always mesh well…

Lughnasadh: the grain harvest

The blistering first days of August are here, the parched earth does not give us much indication of cooling, but crisp Autumn mornings will soon be on our doorstep. Summer vegetables are at their peak and fill the garden and marketplace, corn and grain are being reaped and pumpkins and apples are beginning to ripen on the farms. In spite of the heat this is also a the time to begin laying down the Winter stores.

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest sabbats in the Wheel of the Year. It is either celebrated around August 1st or the nearest full moon to it. Lughnasadh has a very convoluted history, Which is something I am certain Lugh would find immensely amusing.

Lughnasadh literally means “assembly of Lugh”. It is an Iris festival that traditionally took place at the start of the grain harvest, around August 1st. In Celtic legend, Lugh decreed that a commemorative feast be held on this day in the honor of his foster mother, the Fir Bolg queen, Tailtiu. She died clearing a forest for her people to plant grain. The legend states that she was buried beneath the hill of Tailte, which is where the first feast of Lughnasadh was held. As time passed, traditions surrounding Lughnasadh began to solidify into events and ceremonial activities designed to celebrate Tailtiu’s sacrifice as well as the bounty of the harvest.

In early Ireland, it was considered bad luck to harvest your grain any time before Lughnasadh, since that meant that the previous year’s harvest had run out early, which was a serious failing in agricultural communities. Grain has been a vital crop since the dawn of civilization as it is one of the foods that can easily be stored through the harshness of Winter. This has caused grain to become strongly associated with the cycle of death and rebirth in many ancient cultures. It is important to note that the grain referred to in old texts was most likely wheat, not corn. Corn is a crop of the Americas and did not exist in Ireland at the time Lughnasadh was founded.

Lugh is tied to the bountiful harvest as well, though not in the role of Sun God, as many Neopagans believe. This is a error that appeared in the Victorian era and is still perpetuated by many authors today, who confuse him with John Barleycorn. Lugh was actually a god of many talents, patron to craftsman and bards, who was honored for his cleverness and quick wit. He was fond of games of physical prowess as well as skill, particularly horse racing. Lugh had an affinity with storms as well, and it was considered a good omen for it to be stormy on Lughnasadh. It is Lugh who broke Summer’s hold over the land, heralding the start of the harvest. Lugh is further tied to the harvest through some of his triumph in battles with the land-spirits, in which the harvest was released for the use of Mankind.

Modern day Lughnasadh has a healthy dose of the Christianized “Lammas” mixed into it. This makes the celebration even more strongly oriented around the grain harvest. Lammas is celebrated on the first Sunday of August and is a day when everyone brought loaves of bread to church to be blessed. These loaves were baked from the first grain of the season.

In Wicca, the main figure of Lughnasadh is the Sacrificial King, sometimes called John Barleycorn. He embodies the wheat fields and is reaped/sacrificed so that we can survive the Winter. He is a powerful representation of the life and death cycle as he is reborn again come Spring when the fields are sewn again.

In our modern world, it is easy to forget the importance of the harvest. If we needed a loaf of bread, we can buy a prepackaged one from the store. If it runs out, we can easily go get another one. When our ancestors lived, the grain harvest was crucial. Whether the harvest succeeded or failed was the difference between life and death for many families. By celebrating Lughnasadh as a harvest festival, we honor our ancestors’ hard work. Lughnasadh is a time to reflect on the things we could or could not live without as well as the abundance in our lives.

To me, community is at the heart of all the sabbats and my whole belief system revolves around stewardship of the Earth. Though we live in a world where so many foods are at our finger tips, the sabbats wonderful time to share and appreciate the local harvest. What better way to celebrate the turning of the wheel then to celebrate what Mother Earth gives us freely from our area? Lughnasadh is an ideal time to gather with friends and work together to preserve the bounty that was nurtured throughout the Summer. It also makes for quick work so we can get back out into the Summer sun! I think Lugh would appreciate the crafting of fine preserves as well as the rush to get back outside to celebrate with some games!

Lughnasadh: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Bardic Contest: Lugh is the patron of bards, have a storytelling contest
• Board Games: chess, checkers, nine man morris
• House Blessing Ritual (done every sabbat)
• Trip to Greenbluff or Farmers Market: to appreciate Mother Earth’s bounty
• Races: hobby horse, sack, or three-legged races are amusing alternatives to the more traditional but impractical horse races.
• Riddle Contests: to honor Lugh’s cleverness
• Other Games: badminton, boche ball, horseshoes, frisbee

Crafts:

• Bread Making
• Corn Crafts: cornhusk chains, corn dollies
• Felt Suns
• Harvesting and Preserving Food: canning, dehydrating, freezing
• Lughnasadh Candles
• Seed Necklaces: made with dried beans and indian corn

Decorations:

• The crafts listed above
• Burial Cairns
• Scythe, bolline
• Seasonal flowers and foods
• Suns

Lughnasadh: feast

Feast Blessing:
(modified from one is Scott Cunningham’s “Wicca, a guide for the solitary practitioner”)

Now is the Time of the First Harvest,
When the bounties of Nature give of themselves so that we may survive.
Eternal Spirits of the ripening fields,
Grant us the understanding of sacrifice as you fall beneath the sickle.
We pass now into the wanning year, its darkness brings deepening wisdom.

We gather here to welcome the First Harvest,
Mixing its energies with our own so that we may continue our journey.
Eternal Spirits, we offer our thanks for your guidance,
And renew our pledge to continue our stewardship of the Earth.

May the nodding grain loose its seed and bury in the Mother’s breast,
Ensuring rebirth in the warmth of next Spring.

Click here for Lughnasadh Feast menu.

Lughnasadh: wheat field guided meditation

(I wrote in 2007 for a Lughnasadh group ritual.)

Everyone get in a comfortable meditation pose and gently close your eyes.

Begin breathing slow and relaxed breaths from your belly up. Feel yourself becoming wonderfully relaxed. All tension and stress is falling away, like drifting autumn leaves.

Feel your feet relax, then your legs, thighs, buttocks. All your lower body, perfectly relaxed. Relax your abdomen, your chest, let you heart release its worries for this time. Relax, warm and relaxed. Now flex and relax your hands, then your arms and shoulders. Tension flowing out of you, all relaxed. All tension leaving your neck, your face, your thoughts, warm and relaxed. All physical and mental tension is draining away. Feel at ease with your surroundings, calm and at peace.

Take a moment now to enjoy this wonderful feeling of completely relaxed, surrounded by peace.

Imagine you are in a lush golden wheat field, the first harvest is ripe, ready to be reaped. It is late afternoon and the Lughnasadh sun baths you with warm gentle rays. You are at peace here, the wheat, the sun, the earth, they all welcome you to this place.

The Sun sends His solar energy down to the grain, bringing life. Feel the healing solar energy flow into you. As this warm and invigorating energy fills you feel it touch your face and neck; arms, chest and heart; flowing through your stomach, legs and feet and out into the earth.

The Earth sends Her own energy through you, peaceful and loving. This energy penetrates your every cell and rises through you, out your crown chakra – at the top of your head. Your whole body is a golden waterfall, you are a conduit, being cleanses as running water cleanses. You are at peace.

Bathe in this light for a few moments… Know that in experiencing this golden light pouring into you, you allow the loving, healing forces of the universe into you, to help you be whole, physically, mentally and emotionally. Feel the beauty, the peacefulness, and the health that is in you, and know that at all times you can be at one with yourself, the sun, the earth and all the universe.

Now slowly, gently, as you begin to return to the here and now, you realize you really are feeling rested, renewed, re-energized, ready to meet the challenges presented by any day… In a few moments I am going to count from one to five.

Upon the number three, your eyes will open, and on the count of five, you will once again be wide awake, feeling fine and in perfect health.

One, two, three, your eyes are now opening. Four, five, you are now wide awake, feeling wonderful and in perfect health.

It is perhaps because I follow a Pagan path, but most people are surprised when I tell them I follow many of Jesus’s teachings quite strongly. It is also the main reason I stay away from strictly organized religion, most Christians take issue that I don’t believe Jesus was the Son Of God in the traditional sense. I care more about his teachings then family tree. Jesus also had is own issues with organized religion, I think he would be horrified to see the things that have been done in his name.

To me “God” is simply a universal energy (Great Mystery/Manitou/Qi) that connects us all, from which we create facets that form our individual deities (Yahweh, Aphrodite, Isis, Three Pure Ones, Olorun, Ninhursag etc. Spaghedeity?) to help us better understand our present situation. In that light, I think we are all part of “God”.

Anyhow, about Jesus. To me he was a great spiritual teacher, like Buddha, and when you strip away all the dogma that now surrounds him (and who knows what that was lost in translation) Jesus’s teachings are mostly very basic and immensely powerful concepts.

Jesus taught love. There is no commandment greater than this. He taught this concept through compassion towards others, healing the sick, washing his disciples feet, stopping the stoning of a woman etc. Our actions speak louder the words and compassion is an amazing force I try to live my life by. It is certainly not always easy, especially when it comes to loving your enemy. I try to remember that my enemies can be my greatest teachers though. (This teaching is what drives a huge wedge between me and some Christians who spew hatred towards people who don’t follow their exact flavor of Christianity.)

Jesus taught forgiveness. Beyond requesting forgiveness from God (which I don’t do) Jesus said we must first learn to forgive those who have wronged us, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” This is another exercise in compassion, it can be hard to keep forgiving someone, and sometimes we must determine if they are truly sorry for their actions or if it ourself imposing our own beliefs on them. It is hard to be the judge of such things… which leads to the next point.

Jesus taught us not to be hypocrites. We have all done bad things (”sinned” if you prefer) and it is hypocritical to take an eye for an eye. Our love and compassion should be our guide on how we treat others, not man-made rules. I try to always live what I believe, leading by example? Ultimately I believe we win people over by love, not force (which is probably why threats of damnation and hell never work on me.) We should live and love not “for show” but because we truly want to live by that virtue.

Jesus taught prayer. Yes I pray, though I may not call them that and they are also not directed towards any deity. For me a prayer is simply a silent or vocal acknowledgment of gratitude. It is easier to me to remain in a place of wholeness and love if I take time to remember the things I am thankful for. Whether I am saying a blessing over dinner or taking time each day to list things that bring me joy, I see them all as prayers.

Jesus taught generosity. There is one story in the New Testament, where Jesus and his disciples are watching people donate to a temple. An old woman gives a couple coins, which is nothing next to other donations, but it is everything she had. Jesus says she is the most charitable of them all. When you give with love and expect nothing in return you open yourself to receive a multitude of gifts. I know this to be true in my life through experience, when I give, even in difficult times, new and unexpected ways to flourish open to me. Jesus never said that it is bad thing to be wealthy, but it is a bad thing to become blinded by the need for possessions. When you cannot part with your wealth to share even a little compassion, you become a slave to it.

My beliefs are pretty much a mishmash of everything I have read, which is probably why the Pagan path is so appealing to me. We have no doctrine and are free to make our own and adapt it as we learn and grow. My main spiritual focus has always been around being a steward of the Earth, whom I refer to a Mother Earth, and intrinsic part of that is the practice of compassion because if we show compassion for all things it is easier to nurture healing and growth (in my opinion at least.) Jesus’s teachings certainly are filled with compassion, hence they are solidly integrated with my personal beliefs.

I didn’t realize such a diverse crowd read my blog, thanks for all you comments on my last post!

Blessed Lughnasadh!

Lughnasadh is going to be quite different for us this year since we now have Damian! His grandpa Tolman will be here to visit. I want to make an effort to celebrate all the sabbats with Damian but this one might wait till next weekend. I like that cross-quarter days are flexible like that! Heck my solstices and equinoxes kind of are too.

This year I am going to share my seasonal feast recipes with you. All my recipes are all very loose and leave a lot of room for personal taste. I rarely follow instructions except if I am making bread… even then I tend to switch to whole wheat.

Speaking of whole wheat, Lughnasadh celebrates the grain harvest so how about we start with a bread recipe:

BREAD: Baguette

• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup bread flour
• 3 cups whole wheat flour

- In a large bowl combine honey and warm water, stir in yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add salt. Add flours 1 cup at a time until dough starts to come together. Turn out onto a floured surface and kneed in the rest of the flour until smooth (about 10 minutes.)
- Place dough in an oiled and turn to coat the surface. Cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Punch down and form into long slender loaf (approx 21 inches long and 3 inches wide.) Place diagonally on a lightly greased large baking sheet and let rise uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- After loaf has risen make 3-6 diagonal slashes on it with sharp knife and lightly brush top with cool water. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack. (If you can wait long enough for it to cool, warm baguette smothered in fresh butter or preserves, yum!)

APPETIZER: Bruschetta
There is about a dozen different ways to make this, but this is the way I grew up with, more or less. The ingredients are very flexible and can (and should!) be done to taste.

• 6 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (I use a garlic press)
• a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette (homemade)
• Olive oil

- Toss together tomatoes, garlic and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Slice baguette into 1-inch pieces and toast. Drizzle with olive oil. (Alternately you can cut the garlic cloves in half and rub them against the toast before drizzling.)
- Top with tomato mixture and serve.

MAIN DISH: Grilled Chicken Salad

• 4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• Homemade raspberry vinaigrette
• 1 head lettuce, torn up – I like red leaf or romaine
• 2 cups spinach, torn up
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1 cup corn
• 2 or 3 or 4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cup mozzarella, cubed or shredded

- Make vinaigrette. Mine uses about 8 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp raspberry vinegar, 1 to 2 tbsp local honey, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper. Still all that in a jar and shake. Viola vinaigrette. (I make my own raspberry vinegar but I have seen it in some stores, you could use any fruit vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, or balsamic for that matter.)
- Marinate chicken breasts in some vinaigrette for 30 minutes to and hour. Or you can be inpatient like me and stick some vinaigrette and the chicken in a ziplock and hit with with a rolling pin a few times until it flattens. Force marination.
- Grill chicken and slice. I like it left warm but you could certainly chill if that is your thing.
- In a large bowl toss together your chicken and your other ingredients with more vinaigrette. (Alternately, you could layer it lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, cheese.)

DESSERT: Grilled Peaches

• Peaches, 1 per person
• 2 tsp brown sugar per peach
• Melted butter, enough to brush your peaches with
• Vanilla ice cream

- Cut peaches along the seam all the way around and twist off the pit. Brush cut sides with butter.
- Cook, cut side down, on a hot grill until fruit has grill marks, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Brush tops with butter, turn over, and move to indirect heat. Put 1 tsp of sugar in each peach where the pit was.
- Cover grill and cook until sugar is melted and fruit is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

If you celebrate Lughnasadh what do you intend of filling your family’s bellies with? Even if you don’t what are you having for dinner? Some local foods too I hope!

I feel like I have been either cleaning or in the kitchen all day, and you know what? It feels really good (I think I need a foot rub though…) I feel like I haven’t had time to keep my house in order for weeks. I got a chance to try out the baking soda and vinegar cleaners some of you recommended to me awhile back and wow, they work really well.

Tomorrow Michael and I are going to a Beltane gathering in Medical Lake. It is a potluck so I made my potato salad and a whole wheat applesauce cake. The cake started life as a slightly more elaborate recipe which I have been simplifying over time, today I made the final jump from changing the brown sugar to honey. Now it only contains whole wheat flour, applesauce, honey, baking soda and cinnamon. Except for the cinnamon and probably the baking soda, it is a completely local cake. I canned the applesauce last Autumn (this was my last jar too!). I grind the wheat myself and it comes from this area. The honey I used is from a local apiary (I picked it up in Yokes though.)

I don’t know how many of you modify recipes but if you do, you know that moment of apprehension you have before trying a heavily modified recipe? I just experienced that before typing this entry with that cake. I was pleasantly surprised, the local honey has a really wonderful flavor. I love it, though I must admit I have an urge to cover it in cream cheese frosting. I’d post a picture for you but I seem to have misplaced my upload cable. (They should make wireless cameras for people like me…)

I love the challenge of cooking as locally as possible. I like supporting the local growers and in general I find the local crops to be much more flavorful. We have two farmers’ markets within a 20 minute bus ride of our home and I am really looking forward to them opening (one opens May 10th and the other June 5th.)

Anyhow, now to go chop the potatoes for the salad. Getting local potatoes in never a problem here as Idaho is virtually next door…

In ancient times, Beltane was a festival celebrated on May 1st by the Celts. It marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out into their summer grazing lands.

Beltane is known as a cross-quarter day as it marks the solar midpoint between the vernal equinox and summer solstice. It is possible that it was celebrated on the full moon nearest to this midpoint as the Celtic year was based on both the lunar and solar cycles.

One of the most significant activities preformed at this time by the ancient Celts was the building of bonfires on the eve of Beltane on top of sacred hills. Those who built these fires would drive the village cattle between them as to purify the herd and bring luck to the community. People would also pass between the fires to purify themselves. Household hearth flames were doused and then lit again from the bonfires.

May Boughs (usually made of hawthorn, which blooms in the British Isles at this time of year) were made at Beltane and hung on the doors and windows of houses. The morning of Beltane often saw pilgrimages to sacred wells where rituals to their spirits were preformed and healing water was drawn.

Maypoles were also erected at this time. These were slender trees that were cut down on the eve of Beltane, their branches were removed and the resulting pole was decorated and erected in the village square, some villages also had permanent Maypoles. Maypole ribbon dances (two circles of people holding ribbons interweaving around the pole) were a common sight on Beltane.

Today, Beltane is still observed by many Neopagans. These celebrations can vary considerably despite the shared name due to the many forms of Neopaganism.

Celtic Reconstructionists celebrate Lá Bealtaine when the local hawthorn trees come into bloom, or on the full moon that falls closest to the cross-quarter day. The traditional bonfire rites are observed as well as pilgrimages to sacred wells.

Wiccans celebrate Beltane as one of their eight sabbats. Their holiday more closely resembles a Germanic festival (celebrated at the same time of year) as it is more strongly linked with fertility then the Celtic one. Many people also consider the maypole to have originated among Germanic tribes. (However, both the Celtic and Germanic cultures became very much mingled over time due to longterm Roman dominance over the area.)

In my personal practice, my main focus is honoring the Earth and the changing seasons. Spokane’s climate is certainly transitioning into summer at this time of year, so the celebration of Beltane seems fitting. As it is an important day to many local Pagans, it touches me on a community level as it is a time we can all come together and celebrate the Earth. On Saturday I will be going out to a bonfire celebration in Medical Lake. (I can’t wait!)

As far as collective modern symbolically goes, this festival celebrates the sacred unity between between lovers and pleasures. As I write this, I am 8 months pregnant with my first child, perhaps this makes this larger connectivity more apparent to me then then ever. I was a maiden at past Beltanes, ready to dance the Maypole, but now I am at the cusp of being a mother, preparing to guide a new generation through the same stages I have passed though. I have noticed that this transition phase is certainly its own trial by fire and I find myself renewed by it.

I took this photo at Fishtrap Lake a couple years ago around Beltane, Arrowleaf Balsamroot is one of my favorite local wildflowers. As I said earlier, honoring the Earth is among the highest of my personal values so I thought I would include a list of all the native wildflowers that are blooming around Spokane at this time of year. I have spotted some so far and I hope to be able to see them before Summer Solstice.

• Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhize sagittata)
• Calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa)
• Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium grandiflorum)
• Fairybells (Disporum trachycarpum)
• Grass-Widow (Sisyrinchium inflatum)
• Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia)
• Nuttall’s Larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum)
• Sagebrush Buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus)
• Shooting Star (Dodecatheon pulchellum)
• Trillium (Trillium ovatum)
• Western Springbeauty (Claytonia lanceolata)
• Wild Hyacinth (Brodiaea douglasii)
• Yellow Skunk Cabbage (Lysichitum americanum)
• Yellowbell (Fritillaria pudica)

I hope you all have time to spend with Nature today and have a beautiful and blessed Beltane.

Anyone who knows me even vaguely knows I adore the sun, I love it more then the moon even. (Is that considered Pagan sacrilege? Hehe!) I could care less about tanning though I do love my sun kisses (freckles.) For me it is more the mere presence of the sun that uplifts and empowers me. Every morning, especially when I am up to see the sun breaking the horizon, I say a little sun mantra to myself thanking it for being there for me.

I love drawing styled suns too, even my business logo has the sun in it. I love depictions of the sun, anything that catches the sun’s rays, and solar colors. Orange is my absolute favorite color. I have sun catchers in almost every window of my home, a couple of which are dragonflies, my personal sun totem. The snake, another one of my totems is definitely a sun worshiper like me. When I stand in the sun I feel like the snake, my batteries are charging up.

Whether the sun comes out or not during the day greatly affects my moods, which is evident in the past couple days. The night before last I barely got any sleep and the next day dawned gray and drizzly. I had a miserable day yesterday. Last night I didn’t get much sleep either but it was sunny today and I feel exponentially better even with my body hurting and I am a little wiped out.

What can I say? I must be solar powered!
If I loved the sun anymore I just might start photosynthesizing…

~~~

In news from the swelling baby belly front, Michael and I are pretty sure one of my ovarian cysts ruptured at about 2am last night. I thought my appendix has burst it was so excruciating – but I feel perfectly fine today though and the baby is as active as ever. Whatever twist of evolution caused cysts to exist should be kicked repeatedly in the head.

(Sunrise in dowtown Spokane.)

The Lupercalia is an ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral festival, observed from February 13 to February 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, and increase good health and fertility. Perhaps this is where some aspects of Valentines came from, though the history of big holidays is certainly a muddled one. Either way I hope everyone has a wonderful day, I think my Aunt Ruth described Valentines Day best:

Valentine’s Day is not about chocolates and jewelry and special dinners and cards, but a day to think about true love and commitment no matter what our circumstances are.

Other then blogging, Michael and I have been pretty busy lately. Every Wednesday we have our Bradley classes and we are also working on reorganizing our apartment. Mostly I am focusing on tidying up and this weekend we are going to work on moving some furniture around (before anyone says it, yes I will be careful.) I am really grateful for how well Michael and I work together as a team, I know a lot of relationships do not have that good of communication.

Cleaning and rearranging aside, I have spent quite a bit of time in meditation and prayer recently. I know a lot of Pagans who do not pray, or rather, do not use the word “pray”. Perhaps it is too strong of a word implying that we are merely pawns, rather then players in our own fate. for me prayer is a way of connecting with an external divine source (rather then the internal one I access though meditation) to become empowered.

But yes, I have been praying for two people, and my cat too (who is starting to do better, thank you for all the advice!) I am praying for my friend’s daughters has developed PTSD and she is having an incredibly hard time cooping with the events that caused it. She is now back home but it will be a long road to balance for her. I am also praying for my Uncle Stephen who has been diagnosed with something called Horton’s Disease, which sounds infinitely more painful then my simple migraines. Part of me sees events in life such as these as a test of faith, however that does not make it any easier to see those you love in pain.

I should probably get back to cleaning now. I need to reorganized the storage space under the stairs. Who knows that lurks under there…

(These are some of the people who came to our gathering. Including children, we had about 25 people attend, which was a really fantastic turnout, especially with all the snow we had yesterday!)

Temple Free Spirit hosted its first every gathering last night. We celebrate the Winter Solstice! The gathering was held at Shannon and Robb’s home on Spokane’s South Hill and a total success! We held a small ritual, had a potluck and had lots of fun! As with all Temple events, we also had a food drive and received several large bags of food for Second Harvest.

(You can go to the the Temple gallery to see a few more photos.)

The Winter Solstice Gathering was a wonderful chance to get together, build community spirit and celebrate the Earth. Thank you to everyone who helped with preparations and attended.

Michael and I have Chiefs tickets for tonight, against Tri Cities! Let the mayhem begin.

“Free Spirits – Open Minds” so far as gotten great reviews. I was a little nervous about it at first but Michael did a really professional job laying it out and Temple Free Spirit members submitted wonderful articles! I am already looking forward to our Imbolc issue.

My current nervousness lies in next Saturday when we will be having the first Temple Free Spirit event, a Winter Solstice gathering. It will be in one of our member’s home. Shannon has a large empty full basement with a kitchen and bathroom which will work perfectly. Right now almost everything is planned down to the T, except some last minute work on the ritual. My friend Dee gathered lots of information on various Solstice traditions, and we met up this week to review them. Today I am working on knitting our favorite ideas together.

Community is so important, I can never seem to stress this enough. I could not having planned the gathering to this extent on my own. All the brainstorming and planning and little details have come together wonderfully thanks to all of us working together. The people in my community are all blessings.

Anyhow, I better get back to work. I can hardly call it work though since it is so enjoyable!

A few months ago I created a local group called Temple Free Spirit and I am so proud to announce that we just put out our first community newsletter “Free Spirits – Open Minds”:

• Winter Solstice Issue [PDF 1.26MB]

Let me know what you think of our first issue!

I was chatting with the bus driver this morning and asked if his kids would be trick-or-treating, as they are 4 and 6-years-old. He said yes, though he would be staying home, spending the night in prayer. He went on to explain how he did not understand how Christians could celebrate a Pagan holiday. However he was letting his wife take their kids as he could not impose this beliefs on them. I thought it was refreshing to meet someone who did not force his beliefs on this children (or wife for that matter.)

Later, at work, I had a customer today who drive up wearing a witch costume (hat all smooched against the roof of her car, hehe.) She had a really lovely pentacle on and I complimented her on it. She told me it was the only time of year she could wear it out without getting bothered at work. Turns out she is Pagan too, of the Celtic persuasion, so we chatted for a few minutes and wished each other a blessed Samhain. If everyone could only be as live-and
-let-live in their manner as the bus driver.

Samhain comes from the Celtic word meaning Summer’s End. Tomorrow, November 1st, would have been the first day of Winter for the ancient Celts. Judging by all the frost I’ve seen today, it is certainly starting to feel like Winter here. It is a chilly 25F right now (that is -4C). We normally get our first snow around this time.

I love Samhain, it is one of my favorite sabbats (and not just because my favorite color is orange.) I love all the gatherings that begin happening at this time of year. Friday and possibly Saturday, Michael and I will be going to group rituals but tonight I will have a small personal ritual. I also want to do a divination reading for a good friend of mine. We are getting together with my in laws a couples times between now and Thanksgiving and I am looking forward to that too. I am grateful to have them in my family. Their ancestors are now mine and I celebrate all these wonderful connections on this day.

I hope you all have a lovely Samhain.

(I got the day off so time for blogging about Lughnasadh.)

Hoof and horn, hoof and horn
All that dies shall be reborn.
Corn and grain, Corn and grain
All that falls shall rise again…

What is Lughnasadh all about? As I work my way through tracing the past of all the
Neopagan sabbats as they arise, I find myself confronted by one that seems to upset some people, at least when it is called Lammas. So let us start there.

Lammas is actually the Finnish word for “sheep” but I don’t think this is what irks some Pagans. Lammas is “loaf-mass day” and a Catholic festival day, which falls on the 1st of August. On Lammas it is customary for church goers to bring a loaf of bread made from the new wheat crop. On August 1st or 6th, also within Lughnasadh, new fruits were blessed by the Eastern and Western Chlurches, no doubt derived from the ancient festivities. So let call it by the non-Christian term Lughnasadh (loon-ah-saw) for the remainder of this essay.

Lughnasadh is an ancient festival and while its name comes from Gaelic, it was celebrated widely. In Ireland, Lughnasadh might have been celebrated on the full moon nearest to the midpoint between the summer solstice and autumnal equinox (it would be August 9th this year – 2006.) It was one of the four principle festivals on the Irish calendar (which are Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lughnasadh and Samhain.) Lughnasadh marked the start of Autumn even though in some places it may not feel much like it – it is the time when the first harvests are reaped. In a nutshell it is a time to celebrate the abundance of Mother Earth and also a time to pay homage to the passing of the sun as he goes into the harvest to ensure its abundance.

Of course I am not much for nutshells, lets go into depth. I must say of all the sabbats I have researched, Lughnasadh has been the hardest to find information on and it is hard to untangle modern Pagan beliefs from ancient ones.

Lughnasadh is named in honor of Lugh of the Long Hand, whose solar fire ripens the harvest. He is the Celtic god of art and science. In Celtic lore, Lugh declared that a commemorative feast be held each year at the beginning of the harvest season in honor of his foster mother – Tailtiu, Lady of the Fir Bolg. She died clearing an area of forest for her people to cultivate. Legend says that she was buried beneath a great mound named for her, the Hill of Tailte, and that is where the first feast of Lughnasadh was held in Ireland. Overtime Lughnasadh came not only to be a harvest festival but one that honored the sacrifices people make to protect and sustain their families and communities.

Because Lughnasadh is sometimes celebrated on the full moon it has also been a celebration of the Lady of the Moon. In Rome, the full moon nearest to August 13th was the Ides, a day dedicated to Diana and her priestesses. They would dance in sacred groves by torchlight. August is also the month of the Grain Moon.

Lughnasadh is said to have been brought to the USA by European settlers brought their traditions with them – like that of the county fairs. County fairs were (and still are) a time for farmers to show off their summer labors and are traditionally held in August and September. The county fairs could of course be tied to Mabon as well. County fairs echo of the ancestors who held games and competitions (as we do at fairs) during Lughnasadh. It is also time and still is one that reminds us of the importance of community. Of course I may be reading into history to much here but the great thing about tradition is how it lasts through any political, religious or otherwise tumultuous times.

In Brittany, Lughnasadh is the time of the benediction to the seas. It is a time when Ahes, the Mermaid Goddess of the drowned city of Ys, gives her people bounty from the ocean.

In neopaganism, Lughnasadh is the time of the Sacrificial King. The year god has passed on to allow the people to survive the winter. He has gone into the harvest so that he and the goddess can make it abundant. The Oak King is pasing into his dark phase but will return come Yule. The Holly king, who triumphed at Litha, reigns.

To me Lughnasadh means a lot of things but most of all it is about community. Lughnasadh teaches us to remember the importance of some living in the now, as our ancestors did. It is the part of the year when our fore bearers did some of the most backbreaking labor and still took time for festivals and celebration. It reminds me of the importance of sharing our gifts with others and also to share burdens so they lay not heavily upon one persons shoulders. Community is vital to me.

The name of Lugh is derived from the old Celtic word “lugio”, meaning “an oath”. It is a time for me to remember the promises I have made to myself and evaluate where I am – and try not to get angry with myself if I have not been successful yet. (In the past, to give another nugget of history county fairs were held for the purpose of matchmaking, which could lead to marriage. In a sense that is another kind of oath.)

As for what we will do with our community of friends on the 12th (which is when we will be celebrating this sabbat) well, that will be a subject for another essay!

Edit: Joanna Powell Colbert blog entry about Midsummer is completely and serenely beautiful, swelling that feeling over love towards nature in me. You should take a look at it.

~~~

Continuing on the path of exploring each sabbat as it comes and deciding if I want to adopt it into Michael an my traditions, here we are, at the Summer Solstice. My usual question to you all is at the end of this.

What Litha came from?:
The word Litha comes from the ancient Germanic word for summer but the tradition of celebrating it is probably one of the oldest; we have only to look at Stonehenge to see that. On the wheel of the year Litha is directly across from Yuletide and it symbolizes the to the darkness of winter, marking the start of the wanning year.

This festival has been known by many names other then Litha; ‘Feill-Sheathain’ in Wales, Midsommer is Sweden, Vestalia in the Roman empire. The word solstice comes from the Latin word ‘solstitium’, which translates to ’sun standing still’. People in Sweden considered midsummer to be the greatest festival of the year and the festivities are full of dancing, singing, storytelling, pageantry and feasting. In Ancient Egypt, Midsummer marked the flooding of the Nile, who’s rich mud brought fertility to the lands. Vestalia, which actually falls on June 9th, was a day when the inner sanctum of temple of Vesta (the Roman goddess of the hearth) was revealed and all women could enter to make offerings to the goddess. The Druids would gather mistletoe in the oak groves on this day, because mistletoe without the berries was viewed as an amulet of protection. Amulets which have lost or spent their usefulness were traditionally destroyed on this day as well. Druids nowadays head out to Stonehenge.

Ancient peoples believed that at midsummer plants had miraculous healing powers and therefore they were picked this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely because the veil is thin this night. The bonfire ashes were considered to have powerful protection powers and scattering in fields to protect crops till the harvest. Litha is also considered I time of the Fae folk and mischief.

Some traditions see Midsummer as the beginning of the reign of the Holly King as he “conquers” his brother the Oak King bringing the return of darkness. It should be noted the Holly King is of course not evil, nor is his “darkness”. The light of the Oak King represents growth and the dark of the Holly King is rest, both are necessary to replenish the Earth.

Will I celebrate it and what does it mean to me?:
Yes I will be celebrating Litha, I have since I started on this path it has been my favorite of the sabbats, though this will be my first year I am “planning” its celebration. To me, Litha it is a time where the Earth is at her peak (at least in the northern hemisphere) and vibrant with energy. The dragonfly is a very powerful symbol to me as well and I feel it is strongest this time of year. The movement of the Sun through the year is very important to me since I am such a “Nature witch” so the equinoxes and solstices hold special meaning to me.

What I will do for it?:
I have so many traditions I would like to incorporate into this time of the year for Michael and I. If only I had a garden but alas… I will spend time with my plants though. But to give a little overview:

Decor: Our apartment is decorated, especially the area around the altar (see picture) I am burning some frankincense at the moment, my favorite scent, I also love the yellow colour of the melting resin. I wish I had some rose oil, but then I would need a diffuser too (can’t believe I don’t have one anymore…)

Foods: We are having people over on Friday for a small Litha get together and having a communal dinner then. I am making some kind of curry (undecided, ideas?), a nectarine and blackberry tart ans cornbread in the shape of a sun to be dipped in honey (the honey symbolizes the sweetness of life and the season.)

In almost a year (the 23rd of next year) Michael and I will be having our handfasting. I’m so excited!

Will you be doing anything for Litha? For anyone who has been to a group Litha ceremony what kind of workings did you do (needing ideas for that…) Blessed Litha everyone!