Hi everyone,
A very happy mother’s day to all of you mom’s out there – and those of you who play that role for others in your life without having given birth!
Calling the circle
As we come to another full moon in Spring, we call to and honor the spirits of the East, spirits of this season, of new beginnings, new starts. Element of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.
We call now to the spirits of the South, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within us always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.
And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.
Now we summon the spirits of the North. Spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told, where laws are made. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.
And we call to those spirits above us, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children, and to the brightest of moons. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.
And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.
Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.
Where is the Moon?
Scorpio moons are always big truth telling moons – truths that we tell others, and ourselves. They are intense and powerful, but can deliver big insight, bursts of inspiration and intuition, deep love and deep loyalty. As a Scorpio myself I am drawn to these full moons and feel relaxed in all that intensity!
Talking stick
I had an interesting moment earlier this week with Owen. He was asking about spirituality, or, more specifically, what we “are”, meaning, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. So I naturally launched into an incomprehensible, long-winded, nebulous response about being everything and nothing, introducing paganism into the mix, talking about the energy of the God and Goddess. It turns out he was only asking because we had a village newsletter in the back of the car that said it was Christian Giving week, and, since he figured he was a Christian, he wanted me to say I was one too so that I would do the giving and he could hang onto his hard-earned pounds. It made me laugh because here I was, trying to shove all this deep parenting into a two-minute conversation and while driving in the car no less when all he wanted was a simple answer for a simple reason. It reminded me that as a parent and in life in general, I need to take my time. There is time. I don’t have to do and say everything this moment. With parenting in particular, there is time for deeper conversations and understanding when those times are right.
Today, on American Mother’s Day (it is celebrated in March here in the UK) I had my second excellent parenting experience this week. With spirituality still very much on his mind, Owen for the first time took notice of the angel cards on my altar. He was really excited to look at them and to choose one. Probably because of the conversation about Christianity earlier in the week, I told him that I also have Goddess cards if he wanted to choose one of those, which he did. He really liked both of them, but then was like, ‘Where are the cards with Gods on them?’ So we did a web search, and it turns out there isn’t one – no cards for boys to access information about the pantheon of male gods. So we made one! We found 21 prominent Gods from different cultures (including Jesus) and made our own set, with an image and a description. It was amazing, but it really struck me that I am raising a boy, and a boy who wants and needs male energy in his spirituality to relate to it. And I need to give him that. Like so many things about parenting, this took me by surprise. I thought I would get to share my spirituality the way I see it and he would perhaps adopt that, but that just isn’t the way it works. And I’m glad – but humbled and surprised.
Whether overestimating Owen or underestimating him, parenting remains the greatest joy and challenge of my life.
I have more to say about true love and loyalty, but I will save that for another day. Except to say that I love my husband very much and feel very happy with my family this weekend.
Meditation
Imagine yourself lying beneath a beautiful and fully flowering hawthorn tree, its petals all around you on the ground. The night is cool and clear; as you breathe in and out feel that you are breathing in time with the stars, that you are a part of the setting that surrounds you. . It is a warm night, and as you look up, the light of the full moon shines down until it is touching you, reaching right into your heart. With each breath, the moonlight feels as though it is reaching through you, deep into the earth, then upward into the sky again. As it moves through you and into the earth, you feel it spiraling deep below you, into something of a staircase. You stand up, and begin to wind your way down the staircase of moonlight, beginning on the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then spiraling around to the twelfth and the eleventh, then around to the tenth, then spiraling down and around and inward to the ninth, then the eighth, and around and inward to the seventh, then the sixth. You pause for a moment on the sixth step, leaving anything behind that you don’t choose to take along with you. You note that if you look up you can no longer see the top – and if you look down, you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of a perfect light spiral, in a moment of infinite perfection. You left that feeling really move through you before going on. Then continuing to spiral down and around to the fifth step, then the fourth, then the third. And around and inward to the second, and then finally the first step. You step off the staircase onto firm ground and head out toward the east.
It is a misty and drizzly morning as you make your way into a forest. The rain taps the leaves above your head, but the canopy of the trees keeps you mostly dry and protected. You can see the path ahead, but not well – it is shrouded in fine mist. As you make your way further into the forest the mists get even thicker, until you are walking in almost a fog. The air feels full and thick around you and you just know that you are moving in the right direction, despite not being able to see very well. Finally you come to a clearing and in one moment, the mist lifts and you see that you are standing in front of the home of your wise woman, where all paths lead.
When you arrive, as you are about to knock, the door swings open and your wise woman greets you warmly. She leads you to the kitchen where she has cooked for you and you speak freely with her about anything that comes to mind, or just listen to what she has to say to you.
When you are ready, she leads you from the kitchen to a hallway with many doors. You walk to the doorway that feels right for you, and stepping through, you are welcomed into a room where you can feel completely mothered. Perhaps you are with your mother, or with someone who always makes you feel completely mothered. She is able to take care of you and mother you in exactly the way you need, allowing you to feel completely fulfilled and taken care of.
If there are any questions that need answering in your life, this mothering figure is able to listen and to give you advice – the kind that only a wise mother can give. When you are through asking questions, the mothering figure gives you a book – and asks you to think of something that you need to know. With a question in your mind, she asks you to open the book and when you do, the answer is there. You try it again – and with the same result. This book is your gift for this mother’s day. When you are ready you say goodbye to the mother figure, but know that this is a place to which you can always return.
Your wise woman leads you back to the front of the house, back to path that took you here. She gives you a big hug goodbye, and while in her embrace, you thank her and then head back to the path, plunged once again into the mists but moving even more confidently now, holding the image of power in your mind. Then, as the mist clears, you see that you are standing in front of the doorway again, and step through.
Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the third step and the fourth. Then spiraling around to the fifth and the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then lying back down onto the earth where you began, under the beautiful hawthorn tree. And when you are ready you open your eyes.
Prayers for our circle
I’ve had no specific calls to prayer this month, so let’s just hold each other and our world in love and light.
Much love to all of you!
Tara
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Friday, May 01, 2009
Beltane, 2009
It is such a beautiful day here – full of life, a perfect Beltane. Hope it is where you are as well! The meditation below is similar to last year – I wanted to change it but couldn’t – it still feels like the right one for the day!
Calling the circle
As we contemplate Beltane, we summon the spirits of the East, spirits of Springtime, new beginnings, new starts. Spirits of the first light, of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.
We call now to the spirits of the South, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within is always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.
And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.
Now we call the spirits of the North. Spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.
And we call to those spirits above us, the moon in her many faces, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.
And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.
Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.
Beltane thoughts/Talking stick
I was looking over my post from last year, which was about wishes mostly. I had forgotten that part of Beltane until just now. I’ve been thinking about it so much more as a celebration of the fertility of the land, which is so easy to do where I now live. It is rich and alive and buzzing. Gary and I just watched two mating dragonflies in the pond, flowers are blooming everywhere, the air is heavy with the smell of hawthorn and we ate our first fresh spinach from the garden last night. I was walking around the field behind our house to celebrate the day, to calm my mind and to forget that I was on conference calls until midnight last night, and what occurred to me is that despite all the things that can distract me from it, the truth of my life is that I am profoundly happy and deeply fulfilled. I love where I am, I love my family, my home, my work, my garden, my dreams for the future, all of it. I appreciate how lucky that makes me, too.
It is real life: there are real problems, real demands, real chaos sometimes, but underneath that, my spirit is quietly soaring along – fulfilled, singing, happy. A few weeks ago I wrote that I believe the energy of the God/dess as one that is ultimately genderless, but in this season, for me, it is hard not to be deep into the Goddess and all her many faces. I feel a part of the land and the traditions that date back for thousands of years on this day in particular and I am proud to say that I feel and celebrate the green witch in me.
My mind also turned to the Goddess Elen, whose ancient statue was found in the field that I was walking around, and thinking of how the people that worked and loved this land before me left their love for her in the earth along with the objects that represented her. I am honored to walk in their footsteps. Elen of the Ways is the protectress of paths in all their forms. At this Beltane I am asking Elen to bless my paths, wherever they may lead. Some paths I can see, others I can’t, but I know and remember that I am always being led.
Back to wishes. My wish tonight will be for Owen – and for myself to remember that every day with him is a gift and to treasure it that way. For myself, I think I only want to offer prayers of gratitude. I think a wish that the headlines of the world would return to something more balanced than crisis and plagues might be nice though – please join me in that one!
Meditation
Imagine yourself lying beneath a flowering hawthorn tree, its fragrance rich and thick all around you. The night is cool and clear; as you breathe in and out feel that you are breathing in time with the stars, that you are a part of the setting that surrounds you. Then allow yourself to imagine that you are getting smaller – smaller and smaller until you are so small that you can stand up and walk into the tree that you were lying underneath. Walking into the tree, looking up, note the vast branch system, how tall and high it is, looking down, note the vast root system, reaching down into the earth farther than you can see. Then, notice that one of the roots is larger than the others, and resembles a spiral staircase. Imagine then stepping onto the 13th step, the step of transformation, then spiraling down and around and inward to the 12th step, then down and around to the 11th and the 10th, spiraling down and around and inward to the 9th, then the 8th, then around and inward to the 7th and the 6th step. Then, pausing on the sixth step, note that as you look up you can no longer see the top, and looking down, that you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of the spiral, in a moment of infinite perfection. If there is anything that you are carrying that you don’t want to take with you on your journey, you can leave it on this step. Continuing then to the 5th step and the 4th, spiraling around to the 3rd and the 2nd and then finally the 1st step, then stepping into a clearing with four doorways, each pointing in one of the four directions. Imagine yourself walking down the pathway that heads east.
It is midday, and you step out onto a path that leads into a grove, hawthorn, fruit trees, old oaks, the flowers and green branches reaching down to touch you as you walk past. The earth is rich and dark, and you follow the path deeper and deeper into the grove. You become aware of the beating of drums in the distance and head toward the sound. You feel the beating of your heart within you timing to the beat of the drum, evoking your truly wild self forth, joining your rhythm to the rhythm of the earth, the universe, God/dess.
The drum sounds get stronger as you come toward a large clearing. Looking into the clearing, you see that a gathering is taking place. There is a circle of stones with a large fire in the center. You note that the drummers are positioned in each of the four directions. In the clearing there are friends, family, ancestors, guides, and other light beings dancing to the drums. You step into the clearing and join the dance for a while, losing yourself in it. After a while, the drumming slows and the dancing subsides and you find the right place for you to be within the circle, as do the others. Finally, your wise woman comes into the circle. She comes to stand next to you. As she closes the circle, the drumming stops.
For a few moments, it is absolutely still. The sound of the stillness is as rich and deep as the sound of the drums had been only moments before. Your wise woman beckons you to come into the center of the circle, right in front of the fire. The drummers begin to play again, one at a time, starting from the east, then south, then west, then north. As the drums begin to get stronger, you start to dance again, a wild, freeing dance that comes from the core of you. A dance that weaves magic all around you, a dance filled with gratitude, love, longing, desire, passion. You feel the magic building as you dance, and as you move east, south, west, north, it moves all throughout the circle, the dance builds a life force that comes through you and out of you and up to the heavens and then down deep to the center of the earth. Then, when you are ready, you reach out and let that wild magical vital life force extend out of your body, throughout the whole of the grove, and outward, reaching into the hearts of everyone you love, and finally surrounding the entire earth in a loving embrace. The drums stop again, and you are again able to feel the depth of the energy even more profoundly in the stillness. You can move the energy just by willing it, and you will it anywhere you feel it needs to go. You feel completely whole and strong. Questions silenced. Needs met. Dreams real.
Your wise woman takes you by the hand, leading you to face the fire. She asks you to tell the fire your greatest wish or wishes. You whisper the words to the fire. The fire seems to grow hotter now that it has received your wishes. Then, you cast whatever resistance you feel to having your wishes met into the fire as well. The fire reaches inside of you – removing anything that no longer belongs, leaving only a perfect, hot white light. When you feel ready, you find your place in the circle again.
When you feel that your time in the circle is complete, your wise woman leads you out of the circle and to a beautiful stone table that has appeared, filled with all kinds of food and drink, and those in your circle join you at the table for a wild celebration. You meet and enjoy those gathered, dancing, singing, making love, laughing. The celebration goes long into the night.
When it is finished and is time to go, you say your goodbyes to your guides, friends, ancestors. Finally, you say goodbye to your wise woman, and head away from the circle, back into the grove. The moon has risen, and you let the moonlight guide you back to where you entered the grove. When you get back to the doorway, you give one last look, then walk through the door.
Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the third step and the fourth. Then spiraling around to the fifth and the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then back into to the tree. Stepping out of the tree, you find your place beneath it, again enjoying the sweet night air. Then feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready opening your eyes.
Prayers for our circle
Peace and hope for our earth, and for each of us!
Love and many blessings,
Tara
Calling the circle
As we contemplate Beltane, we summon the spirits of the East, spirits of Springtime, new beginnings, new starts. Spirits of the first light, of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.
We call now to the spirits of the South, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within is always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.
And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.
Now we call the spirits of the North. Spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.
And we call to those spirits above us, the moon in her many faces, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.
And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.
Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.
Beltane thoughts/Talking stick
I was looking over my post from last year, which was about wishes mostly. I had forgotten that part of Beltane until just now. I’ve been thinking about it so much more as a celebration of the fertility of the land, which is so easy to do where I now live. It is rich and alive and buzzing. Gary and I just watched two mating dragonflies in the pond, flowers are blooming everywhere, the air is heavy with the smell of hawthorn and we ate our first fresh spinach from the garden last night. I was walking around the field behind our house to celebrate the day, to calm my mind and to forget that I was on conference calls until midnight last night, and what occurred to me is that despite all the things that can distract me from it, the truth of my life is that I am profoundly happy and deeply fulfilled. I love where I am, I love my family, my home, my work, my garden, my dreams for the future, all of it. I appreciate how lucky that makes me, too.
It is real life: there are real problems, real demands, real chaos sometimes, but underneath that, my spirit is quietly soaring along – fulfilled, singing, happy. A few weeks ago I wrote that I believe the energy of the God/dess as one that is ultimately genderless, but in this season, for me, it is hard not to be deep into the Goddess and all her many faces. I feel a part of the land and the traditions that date back for thousands of years on this day in particular and I am proud to say that I feel and celebrate the green witch in me.
My mind also turned to the Goddess Elen, whose ancient statue was found in the field that I was walking around, and thinking of how the people that worked and loved this land before me left their love for her in the earth along with the objects that represented her. I am honored to walk in their footsteps. Elen of the Ways is the protectress of paths in all their forms. At this Beltane I am asking Elen to bless my paths, wherever they may lead. Some paths I can see, others I can’t, but I know and remember that I am always being led.
Back to wishes. My wish tonight will be for Owen – and for myself to remember that every day with him is a gift and to treasure it that way. For myself, I think I only want to offer prayers of gratitude. I think a wish that the headlines of the world would return to something more balanced than crisis and plagues might be nice though – please join me in that one!
Meditation
Imagine yourself lying beneath a flowering hawthorn tree, its fragrance rich and thick all around you. The night is cool and clear; as you breathe in and out feel that you are breathing in time with the stars, that you are a part of the setting that surrounds you. Then allow yourself to imagine that you are getting smaller – smaller and smaller until you are so small that you can stand up and walk into the tree that you were lying underneath. Walking into the tree, looking up, note the vast branch system, how tall and high it is, looking down, note the vast root system, reaching down into the earth farther than you can see. Then, notice that one of the roots is larger than the others, and resembles a spiral staircase. Imagine then stepping onto the 13th step, the step of transformation, then spiraling down and around and inward to the 12th step, then down and around to the 11th and the 10th, spiraling down and around and inward to the 9th, then the 8th, then around and inward to the 7th and the 6th step. Then, pausing on the sixth step, note that as you look up you can no longer see the top, and looking down, that you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of the spiral, in a moment of infinite perfection. If there is anything that you are carrying that you don’t want to take with you on your journey, you can leave it on this step. Continuing then to the 5th step and the 4th, spiraling around to the 3rd and the 2nd and then finally the 1st step, then stepping into a clearing with four doorways, each pointing in one of the four directions. Imagine yourself walking down the pathway that heads east.
It is midday, and you step out onto a path that leads into a grove, hawthorn, fruit trees, old oaks, the flowers and green branches reaching down to touch you as you walk past. The earth is rich and dark, and you follow the path deeper and deeper into the grove. You become aware of the beating of drums in the distance and head toward the sound. You feel the beating of your heart within you timing to the beat of the drum, evoking your truly wild self forth, joining your rhythm to the rhythm of the earth, the universe, God/dess.
The drum sounds get stronger as you come toward a large clearing. Looking into the clearing, you see that a gathering is taking place. There is a circle of stones with a large fire in the center. You note that the drummers are positioned in each of the four directions. In the clearing there are friends, family, ancestors, guides, and other light beings dancing to the drums. You step into the clearing and join the dance for a while, losing yourself in it. After a while, the drumming slows and the dancing subsides and you find the right place for you to be within the circle, as do the others. Finally, your wise woman comes into the circle. She comes to stand next to you. As she closes the circle, the drumming stops.
For a few moments, it is absolutely still. The sound of the stillness is as rich and deep as the sound of the drums had been only moments before. Your wise woman beckons you to come into the center of the circle, right in front of the fire. The drummers begin to play again, one at a time, starting from the east, then south, then west, then north. As the drums begin to get stronger, you start to dance again, a wild, freeing dance that comes from the core of you. A dance that weaves magic all around you, a dance filled with gratitude, love, longing, desire, passion. You feel the magic building as you dance, and as you move east, south, west, north, it moves all throughout the circle, the dance builds a life force that comes through you and out of you and up to the heavens and then down deep to the center of the earth. Then, when you are ready, you reach out and let that wild magical vital life force extend out of your body, throughout the whole of the grove, and outward, reaching into the hearts of everyone you love, and finally surrounding the entire earth in a loving embrace. The drums stop again, and you are again able to feel the depth of the energy even more profoundly in the stillness. You can move the energy just by willing it, and you will it anywhere you feel it needs to go. You feel completely whole and strong. Questions silenced. Needs met. Dreams real.
Your wise woman takes you by the hand, leading you to face the fire. She asks you to tell the fire your greatest wish or wishes. You whisper the words to the fire. The fire seems to grow hotter now that it has received your wishes. Then, you cast whatever resistance you feel to having your wishes met into the fire as well. The fire reaches inside of you – removing anything that no longer belongs, leaving only a perfect, hot white light. When you feel ready, you find your place in the circle again.
When you feel that your time in the circle is complete, your wise woman leads you out of the circle and to a beautiful stone table that has appeared, filled with all kinds of food and drink, and those in your circle join you at the table for a wild celebration. You meet and enjoy those gathered, dancing, singing, making love, laughing. The celebration goes long into the night.
When it is finished and is time to go, you say your goodbyes to your guides, friends, ancestors. Finally, you say goodbye to your wise woman, and head away from the circle, back into the grove. The moon has risen, and you let the moonlight guide you back to where you entered the grove. When you get back to the doorway, you give one last look, then walk through the door.
Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the third step and the fourth. Then spiraling around to the fifth and the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then back into to the tree. Stepping out of the tree, you find your place beneath it, again enjoying the sweet night air. Then feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready opening your eyes.
Prayers for our circle
Peace and hope for our earth, and for each of us!
Love and many blessings,
Tara
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