Endings and Beginnings

The time of Samhain has past, the final harvest over.  We now spiral inwards as we are in the dark part of the year, a time of reflection.  I have a lot to think about during this dark part of the year.  I need to prioritize and yes even let go of some things.  I have a hard time letting go of things as anyone that has been to my house would agree with.  I have way more stuff than I need.  I have an even harder time letting go of people.  I think people are important.  I think people should feel important.  A couple of things occurred over the past two months that I think will be instrumental in my inward journey and my move forward. 

I attended an awesome weekend retreat last month. We died, journeyed through the underworld and  were resurrected. The message I received was forgiveness.  I have contemplated this over a number of weeks.  I kept thinking it was about forgiving those that have wronged me.  In reality it is about forgiving myself.  I am not perfect but I am perfect for me.  

I also had a dear friend tell me I need to categorize my friends.  I realize not all friendships are created equal.  I am a very closed person and don't let too many people get close to me.  I need to open up and take a risk.  Going in with open eyes knowing that sometimes people just suck.  Myself included.  But I need to remember that some people are worth taking a chance on.  But also, sometimes it's just better to let people go.  Not because they're not good people, but just because it's time to move in different directions.  Yes I would like all my friends to stay on my journey with me but they have there own journey that doesn't necesarily go in the same direction as mine.  If everyone that I ever called friend stayed around I would be like that verizon guy.  I would hate that.  lol

So moving forward I think I need to bring peaceful closure where I can and open up to those that will be on this journey with me wherever that may lead us.  We have many journeys in our lives.  A lot of times more than one going on at a time.   

Maybe I removed a few of those bricks from my wall.  Maybe not.  Time will tell.

Pagan Spirit Gathering

Wow.  It's been awhile since I wrote on here.  My friend Sophie encouraged me to keep going with it so here I am.

What can I say about Pagan Spirit Gathering?  Wow.  Awesome experience.  Wonderful people.  Great workshops.  The music was a whole experience in itself.  Tuatha Dea was hands down my favorite of the weekend.  Followed by Damh the Bard.  There were many other great musicians there that I really didn't get to hear since I only went for the weekend.  Next year I'll go all week.

I attended four workshops and all of them were great.  Shauna Aura and a new friend named River gave a great workshop on chanting.  You can never know too many chants.  lol  Margot Adler did a workshop that was a ritual completely done in chants.  What an awesome lady she is.  All of these people are truly wonderful to behold.

The late night drumming/dancing I was able to stay awake for was an experience all in itself.  There were those sitting on the side drumming, those dancing and some taking turns doing both.  Or maybe just sitting and tapping your leg, holding the space and enjoying just being there.  Whatever you chose to do the energy was great and it was a wonderful experience.

But I think the most important part for me was the "community" feel of it.  Prior to PSG the largest gathering of Pagans I had been to was St Louis Pagan Picnic.  The picnic is wonderful and they do a great job.  But to actually "live" in a space with other Pagans was something I have never experienced.  Selena Fox and everyone else involved does such a great job of organizing this.  I am just blown away.  Coming home, even after just spending the weekend, was an adjustment.  I thought the clothing optional thing would be a major culture shock for me but it really wasn't.  After about the first half hour I was over it and it just seemed natural.  While I am not brave enough to shed my clothes I did admire those that did.  Cause it was just hot.  I did not experience one rude person there all weekend which in itself is an amazing thing.  People were so helpful and nice.  Everyone.  If only our mundane world was like that.  Alcohol is allowed but it was drug free.  We were high on life. I also noticed there were quite a few older people at PSG.  It makes me think about my age and where I'll be in ten years.  But that's a subject for a different blog.  

It got me to thinking about our Pagan "community" back home.  Why are we all so split.  I think maybe part of the problem (and I include myself in this) is that we don't respect each other's differences and difference of opinions enough.  Why can't we all have our "tribes" but some together for events and community time?  I tried a number of years ago to pull off a Pagan Pride Day in Peoria.  There just wasn't enough interest to truly be able to pull it off.  I still think Peoria is large enough to host one but somehow we need to drop the barrier between the difference groups.  I've attended public events other groups have held.  While they were very nice they just didn't have the community feel.  I don't know how we get that.  I will be thinking on it.  I'm excited that a new Druid group is starting locally and will be a brother group to the Midwest Walkers of the Wheel. This is a start.

Blessings,

~Em~

Yuletide

Yule has arrived. The Solstice is at 11:30 PM Central. I have been thinking about what to do for this night for awhile. Having to work, staying awake all night is not an option. The first thing I decided to do was check the technical stuff. Thursday, 12/22/11 is the shortest day of the year (it is less than 1 second shorter than today 12/21/11.) I purchased a Birch log to decorate for my Yule log and want to burn it on the Solstice so I'm definitely staying up past 11:30 tonight. Thursay, the shortest day will be a day of reflection. I've been in a weird place lately with a lot on my mind. It's time to get things worked out and figure out what I'm doing, where I'm going and who I'm going with. On friday, 12/23/11 the day is 4 seconds longer than Thursay so that seems like the appropriate day to welcome back the sun. So it seems to me that the Yuletide season lasts for three days. Yes! On friday I will start planning my garden. Welcome back sun!

Preparing for Yule

How does one prepare for a holiday with their family when they follow a different religion than the rest of their family? First off I think you follow your heart. I guess it's easier for me being Pagan when my family is mostly Agnostic or Atheist. I can jump on the commercial Christmas bandwagon for my grandchildren but still hold true to what I believe the Yule holiday is all about. When having little children you must have a tree. Our Yule tree went up this past weekend. While most people will be celebrating the birth of Jesus (whom historians believe was not actually born in December) I'll be celebrating the rebirth of the Sun. Similar enough. I'm looking forward to making a Yule log to decorate my altar. One that can be used year after year (since I don't have a fireplace to burn the Yule log as was traditionally done.) I helped my Grandson make Yule gifts for his teachers and other grandparents this past weekend. I've made small Yule gifts for my friends in my spiritual circle (my spiritual family.) I'm hoping to pass down some traditions to my grandson of the way I celebrate. My daughter is open to this which pleases me immensely.

I found the following in a Christian website christiananswers.net and thought it was interesting:

Why do many Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, if that is not when he was born?

The date was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church. Because Rome dominated most of the “Christian” world for centuries, the date became tradition throughout most of Christendom.

The original significance of December 25 is that it was a well-known festival day celebrating the annual return of the sun. December 21 is the winter solstice (shortest day of the year and thus a key date on the calendar), and December 25 is the first day that ancients could clearly note that the days were definitely getting longer and the sunlight was returning.

So, why was December 25 chosen to remember Jesus Christ’s birth with a mass (or Communion supper)? Since no one knows the day of his birth, the Roman Catholic Church felt free to chose this date. The Church wished to replace the pagan festival with a Christian holy day (holiday). The psychology was that is easier to take away an unholy (but traditional) festival from the population, when you can replace it with a good one. Otherwise, the Church would have left a void where there was a long-standing tradition, and risked producing a discontented population and a rapid return to the old ways.

Some of us are now returning to the old ways. Yule Blessings to All.

Emerald Storm

Why I Occupy

The Occupy movement has grown a lot (though not locally) and I support it wholeheartedly. Most people have an opinion one way or the other. Some people just don't seem to care. Being a spiritual person I don't see how I can "not" care. At the core of the movement is the people's complaint that the government is influenced by big corporations and their money. Laws are passed not based on what's best for the people but by lobbyist, campaign contributions etc. When I watch movies like Food Inc and The World According to Monsanto I get pissed. How can the government be allowing this to happen to our food supply? Is the money they receive from the big corporations so important? To the detriment of the people? What about what is being done to the Earth? Whether you believe in the Christian god or Mother Earth it is our job to be stewards of the Earth. This is our home. We don't get another one. Being able to afford to eat healthy shouldn't be a privilege it should be a right. Our children that attend public schools should be given a well balanced meal. People say there are jobs here if your willing to work but where are they really? I remember my father talking about graduation from high school. If you didn't go to college you went to work for Cat. Well not anymore. Those that came before us worked hard to unionize our work force. They made your work place a safer environment for you and the pay better whether you now work for a union or not. Well the big greedy retail companies figured out a way around that. They buy the stuff that's made overseas in the sweat shops. So many companies have left American soil citing the need to be "globally competitive." Bullshit. Your getting cheap labor and stuffing your pockets. This is fine with the government. They passed the laws to protect our own workers (I'm sure there was tremendous pressure) but are perfectly fine if our goods come from child/sweat shop labor. Hypocrits. Another problem I see is the companies that hold government contracts. I believe if your company has a government contract then your workers should be tax-paying Americans. I don't want to call to check on my medicare claim and get a call center in Manilla.

OK I've ranted quite a bit. The bottom line is that I want a better future for my children and grandchildren. The government should be for the people and influenced by their needs not the greed of big corporations.

Blessings,

Emerald

Pokeberry Ink

Instructions

Things You'll Need

· Ripe pokeberries

· Gloves

· Bowl

· Strainer

· 1/2 tsp. salt

· 1/2 tsp. vinegar

· Small jar

1.

o 1

Pick 1/2 cup ripe pokeberries. Look for the ripest berries which will be jet-black. These dark berries may have already fallen to the ground, but they are the best for ink-making. Wear gloves when picking pokeberries and making the ink.

o 2

Put berries in a strainer, and hold the strainer over a bowl. Crush the berries with a spoon, straining only the juice of the berries into the bowl. Continue this process until the berries are completely crushed.

o 3

Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. vinegar into the bowl with the pokeberry juice and mix well. The salt is to prevent the ink from spoiling, and the vinegar will help the color of the ink last longer.

o 4

Store ink in a tightly covered jar such as a small canning jar or a baby food jar when not in use. Keep the pokeberry ink in a dark place.

Life's Journey

Well with my First Degree Initiation done I am ready to start on a new leg of my Spiritual Journey. I feel a sense of accomplishment. While I have been studying various Pagan Path's for a number of years, actually following a course of study, with a qualified teacher has made a huge difference to me. The initiation ritual was wonderful. I'm undecided on what course of study I will follow now while working towards by second degree. I am leaning towards herbal studies but need to think some more about it. I would also like to start concentrating more on my "magick." I consider myself a very Spiritual person in that I honor the Sabbats and do work with the Goddess on the full moon. I have never done a lot of magick. I would like to incorporate some conjure type magic into my personal style of magick. I will see where that takes me.

I am excited about Lammas tomorrow and the first harvest. I acually harvested green beans, cucumbers and potatoes from my garden yesterday. Even though we still have plenty of heat ahead of us I feel Fall, my favorite time of year, coming closer.

Blessings,

Emerald Storm