Winter Solstice: The Gift of Light

The wheel has turned once more and we find ourselves at Winter Solstice. The Yuletide is upon us. Actually, it is appropriate to acknowledge this concept of the wheel of the year since the word Yule means wheel. The wheel is a symbol of the continuity of life. Time is a circle, but more so it is in motion, an endless spinning wheel supported by the spokes of special moments ripe for honoring.

Solstice means “sun stands still”…the sun rises and sets further and further south after June’s Summer Solstice. Nights grow longer and the daylight hours lessen. But on the Winter Solstice the sun stops this decline, as if it stands still just for an astronomical instant. Imagine -- a moment of stillness, a pregnant pause that holds the ultimate power, the power of possibility. What is born tonight is possibility…hope as symbolized by the light of sunrise that returns after a long winter’s night. And from the day after Winter Solstice onward the days grow longer and the hours of darkness diminish little by little, day by day.

What must tonight have been like in ancient times? Picture what a ray of hope sunrise must have meant after the darkest night. To celebrate that hope in the face of so much hardship, to believe in the possibility of a bright future, how much courage that must have taken. But then again, what would the alternative be, to live in dread, fear and gloom? No, the human spirit is not built that way, despite occasional evidence to the contrary. We are built for hope; we are designed to search out that faint glimmer, that light in the distance no matter how dim. So, our ancestors looked forward to tonight, greeting the lengthened darkness with merriment and joy as they clung to the hope that tomorrow always brings.

And so here, during the darkest moment, we too can gather to celebrate the return of light. But before we welcome this new light let us bid farewell to darkness in gratitude. For during this modern time we have many luxuries and the dark is not to be feared, better it is to be embraced. Within the fertile darkness resides the womb of transformation from which the light is born. Winter has its lessons to teach, it’s gifts to bestow. Like the silhouette of leafless trees, winter’s bare stark world can reveal the shape of things, exposing the delicate structure that might otherwise be overlooked.

Dreams are born of long nights such as these and the extra hours of darkness beckon us to explore that mystical interior landscape and dream deep. We need extended rest sometimes to feel nourished and revitalized, to thrive and be radiant as the sunrise. So, let us be grateful to the darkness for the gifts of stillness and tranquility. We shall be thankful for this time of contemplation and appreciate the gestational space for creativity. Creativity is the spark of life; it feeds and nourishes the “divine inner child” that resides within each of us. We need the time and retrospection that darkness affords. This long night is the sacred core of silence that exists within all the noise and revelry of the busy holiday season, it is from where peace, harmony and serenity comes forth.

Ah, but after the long night of waiting, after that heavy silent stillness comes the rebirth of glorious, radiant, life-giving light! Hail and good morning Sun, and a Happy Birthday to you! Let us prepare to greet the growing light with joy, with the elation and anticipation used to greet our birthday with as children do. Let’s feed that inner child; let us be lighthearted in every sense of the word.

Light has many symbols, many qualities. Light can almost seem to inhabit a person and shine thru the translucent human form. Light rejuvenates us, heals us, envelopes us with warmth, delights us as it reflects and sparkles, inspires and dawns on us with clarity. Light penetrates the shadows, punctuates the velvet night sky of our spirit like a poetic star. It is light that gives us color and paints our universe with rich, varied hues. Energy is light, waves and particles in an intricate quantum dance, like fiber optic strands woven thru the web of life. Light is promise, it is that powerful possibility now fulfilled. Light is a gift. Light is an icon of eternal optimism; it is a symbol of faith and love. Light is hope.

The Solstice is a classic time for celebrating birth. Around the world, in varied cultures and throughout time, there are innumerable tales of a mythological sun child born during winter’s darkest moments. The common theme is that this precious new life is an emblem of hope in the world. We can, each one of us, give birth to such hope in a myriad of ways…. thru generosity, creativity, healing, teaching, and most important of all: we can be truly powerful forces of hope thru basic acts of compassion. When we give the gift of simple, genuine kindness we give the greatest most potent gift of all and we generate a light so bright it is astonishing. And here’s the most wonderful thing – light begets more light! The more you shine, the brighter you shine! The more kindness you emanate the more you create.

Tonight let us celebrate our individual gifts of light, what makes us each glow in our own special way. Everyone has a certain sparkle, a particular bright spot, EVERY ONE. Be a light generator, a beacon in the darkness, be luminescent, sparkle, shimmer and shine as only you can!

Samhain: Lift The Veil

(I wrote the bulk of this many years ago for a Samhain ritual, my first public one in fact. Since Samhain is about honoring the past, I am reprising it here)

Samhain is the third and final harvest celebration within the traditional calendar year. Now is the time for reaping the last of what was sown in the fields before winter frosts set in. In days of old this was a crucial time to make the last preparations before the long dark winter ahead. A time for taking stock of what was harvested to see if there would be enough food to carry through the whole winter. Life or death hung in the balance and it was critical to be prepared. Today we can let this stand as a reminder to us to remember all the blessings we have harvested during the course of this last year…to take stock of the abundance we have gathered and be grateful, be filled to overflowing with appreciation for the bounty of our lives.

As a holiday acknowledging winter’s impending darkness, Samhain is traditionally a time for endings…but as such it is also a time for new beginnings. For without one you cannot have the other. Tonight let us ask ourselves: What proverbial seeds do we wish to sow for next years harvest? What will we cultivate and tend in the gardens of our hearts, what will we weed and discard? What will we find ourselves being grateful for as the wheel of the year turns again next time around? May the answers guide us throughout the year to come.

With the plethora of symbols related to Samhain, none speaks to me more than the witch’s cauldron. It brings to my mind the magickal kettle of the Celtic goddess Cerridwen, dark mother-crone of prophesy and creativity. Her cauldron was a mythical font of poetic inspiration and a holy vessel of regeneration thru the cycles of life. Throughout the world the cauldron has been seen as emblematic of the cosmic womb from where we all began, and to which we all return, eventually, again.

Fire is the force that simmers that enchanted kettle…all manner of things bubble and brew in the depths of that black pot that is the universe…that is our collective “soul-soup”. Like any good stew the original ingredients are combined and therefore changed by the cooking process, transformed into a delicious blend of flavors and textures. When we truly open our lives to the spirit of wonder & gratitude, when we walk our individual authentic paths sincerely, we are changed, transformed – more than just the sum of our original parts…and we become whole.

Fundamentally I believe that all deities are iconic representations for that universal unknown, they are symbols of the inexplicable creative force that emanates from the center of All That Is. I happen to employ the metaphor of goddess, of the sacred feminine, to speak to my spiritual truths. But there are those that honor divinity tonight also as the symbolic dying god, he who will be reborn of the goddess at Yule. Perhaps some image him as the horned one of the wild woods, or the Green Man of the grain & vine. Maybe to you he is purely the archetype of elder sage, benevolent father, and divine sun-child to come. And what of the goddess archetypes for this season, what sacred feminine motifs encapsulate Samhain’s traditional symbolism? She can be seen as quintessential wise crone, dark mother of the gleaned harvest and veiled maiden of mystery.

By what name do you call upon the energy of Samhain? Sing out and call for it in your soul. Embrace that power and take it deep within, melding it with the core of your being.

At Samhain we have nearly completed the slow spiral inward begun at Litha, the Summer Solstice. The days have gotten shorter and the dark nights longer. The time between now and the Winter Solstice brings the Yuletide….that precious gestational moment that hangs in the air right before the explosion of birth when the shortening days finally turn around again and begin to lengthen once more. A time between times…as the saying goes: “This is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day…between the worlds and beyond.” It was believed once that tonight the veil between the worlds is thin…that perhaps one could reach out in some way to those that have passed into the otherworld before us or maybe they to us. And in a very real sense we can, thru our memory and thru honoring our human history. Think of what blood runs thru your veins, or who showed you a significant life-path…who came before you to lead the way. We owe our ancestors, both those of blood and those of spirit, a debt of enormous gratitude. In these modern times let tonight be about that, too, about honoring what has come before.

As the light is dims the warmth still lingers…a last hurrah before the quiet sleep of winter sets in. To those that once perceived nature as entities such as spirits or fae, this seasonal pause before the coming of winter seemed to open the realm of Faery, making it more accessible at Samhain. Our imaginations cavort with glee, as if any gate or door left carelessly ajar could perhaps offer a glimpse into an otherworld in the blink of an eye…if one but chose to look. Otherworlds and their mystical inhabitants speak to us of deeper awareness, of connection to the greater forces of existence. We mostly like to think we are in control but we are not, essentially, and on a fundamental level this realization opens the proverbial door to levels of understanding we find otherworldly in our acute experience of it. In exploring these realms we sense magic & mystery, it seems to permeate the very air we breathe on a night such as this. You can practically touch the enchantment, feel the subtle energy, like some elemental vibration of this, the fading time of year.

I cannot help but think that maybe tonight belongs most of all to the epitome of a witch-goddess, the Greek Hecate, veiled queen of magic and mystery. By the dark moon that archetypal energy whispers secrets and unfolds earthly mysteries to those that dare to listen to a wild voice glide upon the wind. Her image is carved upon our collective unconscious thru the ages immemorial…holding out that gnarled, wizened hand beckoning us, reminding us that there is rest at the end of this human journey. By the pin-point glare of Hecate’s guiding lantern light we seek our way along the path of life and choose directions at the many, misty crossroads. She was thought to be the keeper of fortune & weaver of fates….but if we lift her veil whose face do we see but our own, for we control the destiny she presents us with.

So lift the shroud, part the mists, open the door, go thru the gate tonight. Call to what you hold sacred by whatever names you may. But as it has been said many times over let us remember the true mystery: what we search for in otherworlds or in the external realms, what we sometimes perceive as being divided from us is NOT and always will be truly a part of us, already right there within us. The veil that is thin tonight is the tattered shroud that often cloaks our level of awareness. At the very core of our being imprinted like a sacred DNA code lay the wisdom of all the gods of all time. We need to deeply listen to our own inner voice, that is the true voice of divinity, and in the answering the possibilities are infinite and wondrous.

Autumnal Equinox: Harvest Home

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, known to many as the holiday of Mabon. Twice during a calendar year the hours of light and dark briefly stand poised in almost perfect balance. Each Equinox is a sort of gateway to the next phase – in spring we are anxiously awaiting the lengthening hours of light as they grow each day after Ostara, and now at Mabon we are greeting the darkness; the cool refreshing nights of autumn are a welcome respite after the summer’s long hot days. These astronomical moments are opportunities for greater awareness, giving us a chance to take note and experience the subtle seasonal transitions, helping us to live in closer harmony with the earth . A change is coming – you can feel a palpable difference in the air. The quality of light has transformed, somehow the general energy around us seems altered. Animals and wild creatures of all kinds feel it too and are moving in earnest now, scurrying about getting ready for the not so distant cold months to come, or perhaps leaving these northern lands for warmer climes. And yet even with this burst of activity nature will soon grow more quiet and subdued day by day.

The name Mabon is Welsh and thought to generally translate as “youth” or “child of Modron”, the Mother. It is also a character’s name from the collection of stories known as the Mabinogion. These renowned sagas may have received the title Mabinogion from the fairy Goddess, Queen Mab -- making them literally fairy tales. In literature and myth fairies are often a catalyst for the transition from the physical realm to the spiritual one. Not quite human, not quite deity, fairies invite or entice us to undertake a journey to the “otherworld”, providing a symbolic means for sacred exploration and gaining insights or power. This idea of crossing a magical portal or threshold speaks to us of making the transition from light to darkness…from the security of the known to the mystery of the unknown, and this is a poignant reminder that traditionally it is believed the veil between the worlds is starting to thin now as we slowly approach Samhain.

Mabon is the second of the three traditional harvest holidays, Lammas was the first and Samhain will be the last. At Lammas we saw the beginning of the harvest, filled with potential and anticipation…we had a taste of what was hopefully to come. Now at Mabon the harvest is completely upon us; abundance is manifest and manifold. In fact another name for this holiday is Harvest Home. This is a very busy season for farmers and gardeners alike and it can be hard to keep up with Mother Earth’s generous yield. Take a drive on nearby country roads and you’ll see farm stands and markets teeming with a veritable cornucopia of mouthwatering produce and timeless, old fashioned, homemade treats of the season, like ciders, jams, breads, pies and canned preserves. In fact, Cornucopia is another name used for this holiday, representing the horn of plenty.

If the crops were plentiful this was a time of jubilation and great relief for our more subsistent-farming ancestors, and despite the hard work and frantic pace they took time for celebrations and merriment, to express their profound gratitude and share the bounty. With the end of the harvest season in sight, and while deeply thankful for the overflowing tables of autumn, an eye was cast ever so slightly towards winter’s inevitable return and the fallow time of rest and scarcity to come. Though not most of us are not occupied with necessary food production ourselves, we too can celebrate the atmosphere of gratitude and express thanks for all that we have reaped in our lives this past year. We can take time to appreciate the simple things, to enjoy ourselves with friends & family. We too may feel the need to begin drawing nearer to the comfort of our hearths and homes just as our ancestors did before us.

And speaking of blessings, perhaps because they are fleeting these are surely the glory days for our part of the world here in the northeast & midatlantic…gorgeous weather, warm, sun-drenched afternoons with cool, crisp nights. Goldenrod and wild asters dance with Queen Ann’s Lace in the fields and meadows, while pumpkins and chrysanthemums will soon adorn our doorsteps and walkways. Dried cornstalks stand like sentinels guarding suburban lampposts and hearken us back to a more bucolic and rural way of life. The deep greens of summer are just now beginning to fade to warmer golden shades and some of the leaves are starting to change, subtly tinged with amber and russet hues, merely a tease for the breath-taking annual show that will soon wrap a rich tapestry of blazing fall color snuggly around us like a warm blanket on frost bitten mornings.

Trees have such amazing lessons to share. Fall foliage, for instance. Leaves are the food factories for trees, they are transformers taking sunlight and turning it into energy, providing nourishment for the tree’s growth. But due to changes in weather now, in temperature and sunlight, the leaves begin a process of transition. During these autumn days they stop making food and the chlorophyll slowly breaks down. This causes the other colors of pigmentation to be revealed; actually most of these colors were there all along but were concealed by the overwhelming green of chlorophyll. By dropping their summer masks what magnificent splendor is to be unveiled! Every Autumn it seems the forests, hillsides and tree-lined streets become aglow, awash in undulating waves painted with a raucous riot of color, as if each tree was trying to out do the next in awe inspiring beauty. Yet this is in actuality the cyclical dance of dormancy, hibernation, and yes, even of death. Eventually all the pretty leaves fall. When it comes to deciduous trees, as a “crop” of leaves is no longer needed the trees let them go and they fall to the ground where they decay and nourish the soil, becoming part of the never-ending cycle.

But trees also remember. Where the leaf stem is attached there is a special layer of cells that begin to develop now and will eventually sever the connective tissues that fastens each leaf to a branch. That’s why the leaves fall. The tree seals this cut so when the leaf finally does drop a mark or scar is left behind. Imagine that – ostensibly, for every leaf a tree ever held there is a tiny mark. Over the years I’m sure they fade…I’m also sure some marks are more noticeable than others. The journey of life mirrors the spiral dance of falling leaves. Events sculpt us and change us irrevocably. We too are marked in a sense by what happens to us. Whether joyful or tragic, and even after we’ve let go, something of our experience remains imbedded upon our psyche and forms the very essence of whom we are, the sum total of our identity. To loosely quote a Pink Floyd song, which effectively dates me, “All you touch and all you see is all that your life will ever be” The events that color our lives may be perceived by us as either negative or positive but both leave a trace, both equally create a permanent, living archive. Like leaf scars on a tree after the splendor of autumn passes, our lives are wrought from the pattern left behind by each and every experience we have.

Many myths inspired by this season seem to share the common theme of transformation. This is a reflection of the agricultural process of sowing and reaping, of seed to plant to harvested food, and also as a metaphor for the journey of the human soul. Examples are found in the ancient Greek mystery rites commemorating Persephone’s descent into the underworld and the mourning of her grieving mother, Demeter, as well as the many myths of dying vegetation deities such as Bacchus/Dionysus, or the Sumerian Innana slowly being stripped of her worldly possessions as she crosses each gate…Isis of Egypt searching for Her beloved dismembered Osiris, and finally to the Celtic Mabon stolen from his mother Modron. These stories share in common a death and resurrection scenario, whether literal or symbolic, that results in an obliteration of the former self and a type of rebirth of the newly transformed self. It is no accident that in many instances this is initiated by a descent into the earth. That is symbolically a return to the womb. But unlike the uterus of mortal birth, this is the sacred womb of the Goddess and indicates that this shall be no ordinary physical birth, but a means of spiritual delivery. Like seeds buried in the earth to be born again as another year’s harvest, when we delve deep within and connect with our personal truths we can bring forth a new beginning, a new perspective, we touch that divine inner core and renew our sense of self.

Throughout the course of our lives there are defining moments. These are events that shape us in important ways. They are different for all of us. From our first day of school to the first time we make love; from nurturing children or careers, to the creation of friendships or works of art – all these can be watershed moments and define who we are. Sometimes we recognize a defining moment as it’s happening, other times it’s only in retrospect that we see the significance and realize the major effect it had on us. Sometimes these things happen spontaneously, sometimes we create defining moments, we willingly direct ourselves to the crossroads. Random events can be turned into defining moments by seeing them as opportunities for growth and evolution. We can take a mistake, an insurmountable challenge, an apparent failure even, and turn it into a pivotal moment that rather than defeats us, enriches & teaches us. Transformation is in many ways neutral. Change may be neither good nor bad. Our personal interpretation is what determines the final perception.

Whether or not you believe we have control over what befalls us in the greater scheme of things – we do unequivocally control how we experience, how we participate in our own lives. While we may or may not get to actively influence what specifically takes place, we do ultimately, definitively choose in the end how these events transform us. We decide the way that each and every transformation is expressed upon the canvass of our life, we posses the palate and create our own design. This realization, this understanding of our powerful sense of perception may be the very epitome of achieving a state of grace. It all boils down to awareness & choice. Like the ancient saying basically says, “the wine of divine grace is limitless, all boundaries exist within the cup”…we put our own restrictions on transcendence…in other words, the cup is of our own design.

May your cup never be empty, and may you always taste the sweetness of it’s contents.

LAMMAS: hopeful harvest

Lammas is the first of three celebrations traditionally related to the harvest. Perhaps no other holidays are as intimately connected as Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain, yet each has its own distinct flavor. Lammas marks the very beginning of harvest time when the first few crops have matured. This is a chance to prepare as much as to gather, a time when great bounty seems almost inevitable albeit fragile. Next we have Mabon at the peak of abundance when the harvest is in full sway, yet since it occurs at the Autumnal Equinox, Mabon also has an eye toward the fading light. The last holiday of this trinity is of course Samhain, which signifies the bittersweet end of the harvest season and heralds the impending onset of winter’s cold, the darkness, and all that that implies.

But today it's still the height of summer and Mother Nature delights in a sultry dance of ripening, fullness, and plenty. This is a time of sweet summer fruits, of sturdy grains ready to be cut, of fields fairly bursting with vegetation and verdant growth. The trees & bushes are wearing their full, leafy green mantles as a profusion of blooms paint splashes of color in gardens, woodlands and meadows. Wildflowers sway in the humid breeze along windswept highways and even nudge thru the cracked concrete of city sidewalks. Autumn fruits are swelling and becoming heavy on tender tree branches, while brambles and vines tangle and twirl around anything in their path, bracing against the weight of berry clusters drooping from their tendril clutches. Row after row of fruits, vegetables, and grains are scattered across the earth like a patchwork quilt that blankets the landscape here and there, whether it be the agriculture of nearby farms, or the more simple backyard garden. Day after day the markets are becoming a veritable feast for the senses; and mind you -- this is only the beginning!

The image of harvest baskets filled to overflowing calls to mind many symbols, in particular the goddess Habondia or Habonde, also known as Abundia or Abundantia. Her name literally means abundance and she represents the fecundity of the land itself, the fruitfulness of the earth bursting with bounty. In ancient times she had a strong connection to the rural farming folk that once held her so dear, and her symbolism yet lingers today. For many Habondia becomes the literal quintessence of this August holiday, the embodiment of generosity taking the form of the earth’s precious yield. The sacred horn of plenty is a fitting emblem and like a divine cornucopia personified, the spirit of abundance graciously pours out abounding gifts of prosperity and fertility upon our tables, especially at Lammas time.

The word Lammas comes from the Anglo Saxon “loaf-mas” with mas meaning feast…the feast of bread. Traditionally, special loaves were baked with the flour ground from the first reaped grain to rejoice in the beginning of the harvest season. Just think about the transformational magic necessary to go from seed to plant to bread; plowing fields, sowing seeds, tending plants, reaping the ripened grain, threshing the stalks, winnowing away the chaff, grinding the grain, not even to mention the amazing wonders of yeast! There’s mixing, needing, rising, placing the precious dough into the warm oven to bake for the final delicious conversion of plant into food – a process worthy of an alchemist!

The baking of bread was a daily occurrence in virtually every household at one time, so vitally important it was the hearty basis to almost every meal. In fact grains in some form were and still are a staple in the diets of many cultures, and considered the very staff of life. Without a good harvest of these grain crops the hardships of winter would be immense, so this was a crucial time for our ancestors. The fact that they celebrated in the face of such uncertainty shows the faith and fortitude of the human spirit. For although now there was much in the fields ready to be gathered, still a great deal more had not fully ripened and anything could happen. Lammas marked a moment of anticipation and the expectation of reaping rich rewards. But it was also a point in time that swayed between optimism and apprehension, between hope and fear.

In many parts of the world Lammas was and is actually more of a chance for final preparations before the harvest season really gets into full swing. On the farm, barns, haylofts, silos and sheds are swept clean of debris awaiting the overflowing bounty hopefully soon to arrive and be heaped to the rafters. The reaping tools needed to be checked one last time…whether it be sharpening the blades of scythes and sickles or tuning up the engines of giant combines and harvesters. Storage bins, pantries, cupboards and larders are emptied of any remains from last years harvest to make room for the freshly gathered crops of this years gleaning. Much like the spring-cleaning attributed to Imbolc at the opposite point of the wheel, Lammas too is a time of clearing out the old to make way for the new…of taking stock and seeing what needs to be done.

For us now in present times we could certainly take this opportunity to do a bit of cleaning & decluttering if that is what our home requires -- and my home certainly could use it! But this should also be a reminder to do some clearing away in a more symbolic sense. Lammas can provide the needed inspiration to unpack some of our emotional baggage and discard that which serves no purpose anymore and thus clutters our spirit. The process of living life inadvertently collects all manner of debris, both figurative and literal. Like a dusty floor in need of a good sweeping, emotional litter needs to be swept away once in a while too in order to create a clear path for positive change, thereby refilling our spiritual or emotional energy stores.

Lughnasahd is another name for this holiday. The word Lughnasahd means games or assembly of Lugh, an ancient Celtic deity of light. Lugh’s name may have come from an older word, meaning oath, and in a sense it was an oath that initiated the original great festival. As legends go, Lugh promised to hold funeral games in honor of Tailtiu, his mother, foster mother, or in some versions of the story his wife. Tailtiu died of exhaustion as a result of clearing a great forest so that the land could be planted with grain to feed the people. The veneration of her death by Lugh became the festival of Lughnasahd. Of course Tailtiu could be thought of as the very earth herself, ready to give sustenance from the body of her fields. Lugh, in many traditions is yet another variation of the dying and resurrected grain, cut down now in proverbial sacrifice in order to provide sustanence for life to continue on.

These old tales and myths speak often of sacrifice, as well as generosity of spirit for the greater good. Tailtiu giving herself to the land, folk tales of grain deities cut down, all so that people will have food to survive. The symbolism of sacrifice plays a pivotal role in the themes of many harvest traditions. At the core of this concept we can find relevance today; in order to gain what is needed we must be willing to work, to give of ourselves. But further, we need to do so for the good of the community, we need to take care of each other. Sometimes small, simple acts done with genuine intent can make great changes in the world.

Another aspect to Lughnasahd is the honoring of a life well lived rather than dwelling on the sorrow of death. Funeral games may seem odd to us in this day and age, but this plays out mythologically the same idea of rejoicing at the tentative start of a harvest season rather than awaiting its safe completion while paralyzed with fear. There is a simple truth here, as is often buried within these folk tales: Life goes on, and though not always easy, how you actively choose to go on with it will make all the difference – there lies the greatest gift we each posess…we all have the ultimate blessing of an endless capacity for adaptation to change.

So, now, the harvest begins – we know what this meant to our ancestors but what of us? Few of us are directly involved in agriculture, even the most avid gardener amongst us is not likely to be self-sustaining in terms of food production. Perhaps, this time of the year can make us appreciative of those that do provide our food. We can do this by supporting the small local farmer whenever possible. Even in the heart of most urban centers there is a farmer’s market. Supermarket chains sometimes offer organic and local produce. Just stopping at a roadside stand and buying some corn is a means of showing your support. Find out where your food comes from. This is the most primal and basic need we have and there are people who grow what we eat, who provide food for us, who in many ways still live according to the natural cycle of life like our forbearers did. They deserve our respect and deep admiration. Food that is grown with care for the land offers us wholesomeness and nourishment …not just physically speaking, but spiritually, and environmentally.

Nourishment does come to us in many forms, and this is yet another way we can tap into the energies of this season, by feeding ourselves spiritually and emotionally. Community can provide us with emotional sustenance and Lammas was traditionally a time for clans, tribes, friends and families to assemble for festivals and celebrations. Even today there are many fairs and events during this season, so seeking them out would be a great activity.

A more personal way to nurture the spirit is by striving to live more often in a state of greater awareness, to appreciate what we have today, right now...and to realize the sacredness of even the so called mundane and seemingly ordinary. In a way, that is part of what the holidays can be about in these modern times. By setting aside these moments to be present, to be deeply aware and appreciative of the seasonal tides and simple earth rhythms and then by honoring them with reverence and with ritual, we not only make that singular moment special, or even holy -- but we also infuse and feed our core, centering ourselves with a sense of sanctity that then continues to permeate the rest of our days as well.

So, today give thanks for the many gifts that you have. Nourish your body with good food, your spirit with gratefulness and your future by sowing the seeds of hope. Believe that ample abundance exists for us all and strive to share with those that need more. Taste the sweetness of desired aspirations brought to fruition by tending the garden of your dreams with faith and fortitude. Like winnowing the threshed grain, may the winds of change clear away any unnecessary obstacles and leave you with the rich center, the nourishing heart.

there's no place like home

As Dorothy learned the hard way in "The Wizard of Oz", there's no place like home. Such a simple little word -- home. Yet what iconic images it can conjure up for us. I would venture to say that no matter the construction, no matter the “location, location, location”, the idyllic emotions evoked for us humans by the concept of home share way more similarities than differences. Be it ever so humble….home sweet home….home is where the heart is. For most of us, home is our center, our sanctuary. We care for our homes, we protect them. They shelter the people we love, the things we cherish. Sometimes we express ourselves thru our homes’ appearance, often reflecting either who we are or who we’d like to be.

All homes have at least one thing in common though: from farmhouses to penthouses, be they a mansion or a yurt – every home rests upon the soil & rock of this planet. Earth is the fundamental foundation for all of our dwellings, our literal common ground. This planet is our true home in the deepest sense of that little word. Yet for some reason, on some level, we seem to completely ignore that. To say we have taken our global home for granted is the understatement of the millennia.

So, how do we rectify this?

There is a plethora of information about how to save the planet. I urge everyone to read, read, read – and then read some more. Start doing something, anything, today. Think outside the box. Just because everyone has always done it one way, doesn’t mean it is the right way – not anymore. We need to get a lot more radical in our efforts, no doubt about it.

But I contend that in order for that to happen in any significant manner, a large-scale shift of consciousness also needs to occur. We have to readjust our entire mind-set about the planet. I propose we need to revision the earth as sacred.

Perhaps nothing better encapsulates that idea than the term, Mother Earth. Many mythologies both ancient and modern have a mother goddess that embodies the land or the world itself. This timeless idea fits in with the contemporary scientific model of how life began, how we crawled out of the primordial ooze, the proverbial earth-womb. Planet earth is the literal mother of life as we know it. I think our ancestors understood this. Until the industrial revolution, most people depended directly on the land in some way to take care of them, to provide them with shelter & sustenance. It seems obvious we once respected our earth mother by living in balance with her. This was perhaps not some lofty ideal or spiritual redirect, but a practicality; basic common sense. You don’t destroy your own home.

And today, still, even with every modern convenience, with all our contemporary accoutrements, we nevertheless live on the same planet, everything we have still comes from the earth, it’s just harder to see that because of the multitudinous processes involved before it reaches the consumer. But things really aren’t that different for all intents and purposes -- the earth still provides us with everything. And I believe the planet can continue to do so in perpetuity – we just have to learn not to take too much, to stop being abusive gluttons and seizing more than our fair share. Besides, there is no debate, we really have no choice, we must protect this planet because it is our only home. Period.

And mind you, we do protect what we deem sacred, we cherish it and care for it even against the toughest of odds, against the strongest adversity. We humans have been known to overcome extraordinary obstacles by pulling together and facing what needs to be done when necessary. We can do this, we can rise to the occasion, meet the ecological challenge. Absolutely! But if we look at attempting to reverse the present environmental crisis facing our planet as just a means to an end, as merely a necessity based on an inconvenient truth, then it will never take -- it will only be a temporary fix. We’ll end up doing just barely enough, no more. The changes will be like a band-aid on a gushing hemorrhage. Too little, too late. No, what we need is a serious planetary attitude adjustment.

So, how do we do that, how do we change our approach to the planet?

It is time to relearn some of the universal wisdom of our ancient foremothers & forefathers and adapt it for our contemporary times. We must again see the earth as sacred and become passionate about our reverence. We need to fall in love with our home.

And if we are to love the earth as sacred then we need to have a more intimate relationship with her and celebrate that relationship. Our ancestors seemed to know that, too. They participated in the rhythms of the earth, marked the turning seasons with traditions and ceremonies reflecting the earth changes and symbolically linking them with human behavior. Some of our contemporary holidays still bear the mark of those ancient traditions. Gratitude for autumn’s bountiful harvest, honoring light & hope in the depths of winter, celebrating vibrant rebirth come springtime, and joyously embracing summer’s fullness. These are echoes of the past and they are clues to developing a deeper spiritual path for our future, a path to connect with the sacredness of the earth as our home.

In the end, Glenda the good witch told Dororthy she'd had the power to get home all along. We've had the power all along to. We have the power to avert the climate crisis poised to destroy our home. We humans have the courage, the brains and the heart to tackle this problem if we just open our eyes & our minds fully to the truth behind the curtain and stop waiting for some wizardly magic cure. Because after all, there really IS no place like home.

summer solstice

People often want to know exactly how we as a family celebrate the wheel of the year, so I thought I'd post a typical holiday festivity:

2007 themes – strength, health, & vitality

On the longest day of the year the sun is at its strongest, so tying in with that theme of strength the basic idea for this ceremony is to pay tribute to our bodies, honoring their natural strengths and seeing them as vibrant and healthy. This is not about vanity or any unrealistic sense of aesthetics – this is about valuing our wellbeing and striving for vitality.

To celebrate our physical vibrancy, any type of body art would be appropriate, such as temporary tattoos, henna, face paint, bindis, crowns, masks, or even creating a piece of jewelry or embellishing an article of clothing – any activity that adorns the body, etc.

Preparation:

As part of our family’s ceremony we’ll be making sun crowns. These crowns can be made of any material, ribbons, wires, garlands, grape vine wreath bases, use your imagination. They can be playfully simple or sophisticated and detailed. Since children are involved at my house the crowns will be made of recycled cereal boxes flattened out and cut into a crown type pattern. (Of course, this also works great for those of us w/o kids who are just young at heart!)

Some time before the solstice, you’ll need to paint, add any glitter and let the crowns dry completely ahead of time. Remember, the final decorations added during the ceremony need to be quick drying or glue-free so the crown can be immediately worn.

Prior to the actual ceremony gather all the materials needed for doing the final ornamentation of the crowns and spread them out upon a table…stickers, gems, pressed flowers, markers, etc, --plus strong clear tape or a stapler for attaching the ends of the finished crown together.

For practical reasons, an outdoor dining table will pretty much act as “altar” for the ritual (weather permitting). You may use a centerpiece to tie in with the seasonal atmosphere, perhaps a bowl of sunshiny citrus fruits or a vase of fiery summer flowers. But keep it simple since a lot of activity will be going on at the table.


THE RITUAL:


Centering:

Since the theme is strength, health and physical vitality, some sort of physical act makes a good centering…perhaps doing a few stretches or yoga postures while basking in the sun would make a good start. After that, doing some nice calming centering breaths while sitting around the table would be a pleasant way to transition the focus.

Centering breath: ”Imagine breathing in the vibrant, glowing, health-giving sunlight. As you exhale, imagine that same light carrying away anything unhealthy in your body, letting it float away from you as you breath out.” (repeat)

Evocation (attuning to the season):

“Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. Today the sun is at the highest point in the sky; golden and dazzling, at the zenith of radiant, powerful glory…(even on a cloudy or rainy summer day as the case may be!)

It seems everything under the sun is vibrantly alive at this time of the year…warm, steaming and throbbing with pulsing waves of summer’s heat. The flowers are blooming and Mother Earth is lush and green. You can practically hear gardens and woodlands bursting at the seams with growth and buzzing with the rich powerful flow of life.

Our very existence on earth is dependent upon the many life-sustaining gifts that shine down on us from our sun. Sunlight is what activates our beautiful planet earth. Gravity, warmth, light, photosynthesis, energy…all are contributions from the precious sun. Throughout history there have been myths and stories about the sun because our glowing yellow star has always been a universal image of power.

So on this first day of summer in all it’s dazzling, glowing luminosity, let’s sizzle, let’s blaze and beam like the sun…let’s just shine!”

Intention:

“Today as we celebrate the strength of the sun we celebrate our bodies, too, because they are also strong, vibrant and vital. To honor our bodies and show gratitude for all we ask of them, we will create royal sun-crowns…adorning ourselves like the glowing and powerful sun. Once crowned, we take a sacred oath to care for and nourish our bodies, to help them remain strong, healthy and vigorous.”

Action:

Decorate the sun-crown and ceremoniously crown each other, bowing and generally being a bit silly & playful. Each person can try to stand w/the sun behind them so that their crown truly glows with rays of light.

The oath: I promise to eat good food, to exercise, and to get enough sleep so that my body can always be strong and healthy.”


Closing:

“Today we celebrated Summer Solstice, we have honored the sun’s strength and our own, too. We made a promise to take care of our bodies, to keep them growing strong like the summer sun. We thank the sun and earth for providing us with healthy food to help us keep that promise.”

Grounding:

Clear away the craft supplies, set the table and eat – while still wearing your sun-crowns, of course!

This year we’re having a brunchy type feast so we can get out and enjoy the rest of the day :)

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Ideas for other activities: making herbal sun tea, flashlight processions after dark, chasing fireflies, making sun-catchers or dream pillow sachets --(Midsummer's Night Dream), young children love things like crayon chips melted on paper in the sun to make various art projects. All in all just generally being out of doors and enjoying the sunshine is a great summer solstice activity (w/sunscreen liberally applied please!)

Educational opportunities for homeschoolers: photosynthesis, solar power, global warming, for younger children tracing shadows at various intervals throughout the day can be interesting, as well as explaining the solar system.

have a nice day

The words spirituality and religion are not interchangeable. I am not religious. I am spiritual. I define the two very differently. My own simple definition is thus: Religion refers to an individual or community who share a general set of beliefs, deity concepts, and doctrines with a larger group. Spirituality is simply the individual experience of the sacred, whatever that may be. Of course people can share a spiritual sensibility or experience, just like they can agree on a philosophical idea or ethical stance.

Religion and spirituality can be deep subjects that don’t always lend themselves easily to casual conversations. And I do strongly believe there are circumstances where it is inappropriate to discuss the topics or anything related to them. Although for those of us who are not religious, the subject all too frequently comes up in potentially awkward ways throughout the course of every day life. The example that immediately comes to mind is when someone wishes you merry Christmas. If a stranger does it casually my usual reply is, “happy holidays” or some such thing, and I move on. Certainly if I am a guest in someone’s home for a holiday festivity I don’t go into a discussion regarding religion and my lack there of. But during the course of a passing conversation, under appropriate circumstances, I might mention that I don’t officially celebrate Christmas. Surprisingly, folks seem very taken aback for a moment. It’s as if the thought hadn’t ever occurred to them; after all, doesn’t everyone observe Christmas? And then, if at first I offer no explanation, inevitably it’s quickly assumed I must therefore celebrate Hanukkah instead. Apparently here in suburbia there are only two choices in winter holidays – Christian or Jewish.

When I do elaborate and explain that I celebrate winter solstice, some people look puzzled but mutter a pleasantry and change the subject. It’s enough for them that I celebrate something so they’re satisfied and really don’t want to know anymore than that. However there are a few curious souls who venture to ask questions, the first of which is invariably: “well then, what are you?”

I admit the smart-ass in me often wants to quip, “a human being” but that would be utterly rude. And actually they are genuinely interested which is wonderful, so I sincerely appreciate that. But my dilemma comes from answering this question in a timely manner rather than going into a long descriptive dialogue about what I believe and what I don’t…um, kinda like I’m about to do right now. You see, there is no easy, snappy little label for what I am. No term comes readily to mind that doesn’t also require further qualifying or explanation. Many classifications could fit, but some of the terminology is unfamiliar to most, and not altogether practical over all.

Because of my recent viewing of the Jonathan Miller BBC series on disbelief, we’ll take the label atheism first for this discourse. Atheist is a nice, familiar, compact little word that is totally loaded with misinterpretations. It does fit me to some degree; I do not believe in a personal deity, I deny the existence of a Supreme Being, there is no god. There, so I am an atheist, right, problem solved? Well, yes strictly speaking I might be an atheist because the definition of atheism fits my views on deity , but that’s not the whole story.

I am not 100% sure of a few typical atheistic beliefs…or should I say, disbeliefs. The most troubling one is what happens to me, as in my self or consciousness, after I die. While I don’t accept a concept of heaven, nirvana, or any of the new age ideas of an afterlife, I do grapple with the notion that my consciousness completely disappears in every way upon my death. My reluctance to face facts may just be a function of egocentric denial. Admittedly, it makes perfect sense scientifically that when I die my awareness just totally ceases to be. But sense isn’t always perfect. When I imagine losing a child, or my child losing me, my mind reels. Enough said.

And besides all that, I am a deeply spiritual person that holds a great many things as sacred and I particularly love ritual, both designing and participating in ceremonies. Not exactly typical atheist attributes. Furthermore, I commemorate holidays in more than a secular way. My family and I celebrate holidays essentially rooted in our own naturalistic version of an earth-based wheel of the year.

Okay then, so I’m definitely not a full-fledged atheist. Could I be one of those Wiccans or perhaps some other new age type of thing? Nope, that doesn’t work either. Decades ago I briefly explored various forms of Wicca, sort of tried them on for a while, but that path just didn’t quite fit. I don’t revere a god & goddess, which is a fundamental part of the Wiccan religion. I also don’t believe in casting circles or invoking elemental entities; nor do I think magic works in any way other than what could be defined as the power of suggestion or positive thinking. Which, I might add, is still a pretty worthwhile psychological endeavor under certain circumstances. But I digress.

I have participated in non-denominational Neopagan oriented celebrations. That type of group can sometimes approximate much of my beliefs and provide an atmosphere conducive to expressions of reverence for nature and the human condition. They also do so without subscribing to the typical Judeo-Christian-Islamic constructs of a patriarchal god. My preference more often than not would be goddess-oriented rituals to honor the symbolic sacred feminine. Women’s spirituality would be a good umbrella term to describe what I tend to be drawn to. So, that could make me an atheistic feminist pagan…or maybe a Dianic atheist? How’s that for an unlikely pair of words, lol. I can feel the collective cringe from here. No, while these group rituals can offer me something, they don’t provide me with everything. Until I perhaps find others of a more like mind, they merely give me an opportunity to share in some semblance of community and are a pleasant way to engage in spiritual creativity.

It’s been suggested to me that I embrace the labels of eco-feminism or deep ecology. These are both interesting philosophies that are to my mind a little bit more political in character, but which do include spiritual facets nonetheless. While I subscribe to many of the ideals contained in both those worldviews, there are elements that don’t fit me and in the end don’t accurately express how I feel or what I do, spiritually speaking.

I could adopt a combination of names, blending together my own brand of spirituality with some mixture of terms like naturalist, humanist, ethical culturalist, Gaianist – even more “ists” that I’m not thinking of at the moment. Many of these philosophies are encompassed in my belief system wholeheartedly, but not one of them singularly describes my spirituality aptly enough, tho naturalism comes pretty close. And besides, there is no way to fit all those “ists” together without starting to sound silly.

But wait a minute, speaking of “ists” – the core of my spirituality is that the cosmos, nature, the earth is sacred, right?. So okay, I’m a pantheist, obviously. Well yes, and this is a word I now use when I want a quick and simple reply to the question, “what are you?” Pantheism involves an elegant set of beliefs related to the sanctity of the earth that I find beautiful and deeply moving. Pantheism does not discount science but instead revels in it, also another positive aspect. I especially love the ideas and concepts advocated by pantheism as expressed by the World Pantheist Movement or even the Universal Pantheist Society. There are many Gaia references within pantheist writings that are very compatible with what I feel spiritually. However, some definitions of pantheism include brief statements like “god is all” or “god is nature”…basically that the entire cosmos IS god. Now, a definition of the word “god” itself is open to wide interpretation, just ask Einstein. But in any case I don’t think in terms of god as nature, I think nature is nature and “she” is sacred. Because let’s not forget that whole feminist thing -- when I do personify nature or the earth or the cosmos metaphorically, I don’t use god, I use a goddess construct like Gaia or Mother Earth. This is a choice I make deliberately with intention as a feminist.

Ok – so, bottom line: nature is sacred and I need a feminist sensibility. Gotcha. Maybe I’m a feminist pantheist? That’s down to two “ists” but it’s not easy to explain to the cashier at the supermarket checkout line or my kid’s art teacher. Plus it’s assuming that anyone has heard of pantheism and/or doesn’t presuppose that feminism is just relegated to radical politics. Not to mention the many, many, oh too many times I’ve been looked at askew and asked, “but how can your husband be a feminist?”. Hey, he is folks – and even has the T-shirt to prove it.

In the end I’m left with saying firstly what I am not. I am not Christian or Jewish. I am not a member of any religion. I am not a believer in any gods. What am I? I am spiritual. My family and I practice reverence for the earth and a myriad of natural wonders as our spirituality; maybe qualified further by adding that we celebrate the changing seasons as holidays. I might mention Mother Earth, veganism, poetry, art, pantheism and crunchy granola, for that matter. People usually think it’s all very quaint and perhaps a bit quirky, but harmless enough. Which is fine once in a while, but what if I want to be taken seriously? And how do I get my 6-year-old daughter to memorize all that stuff anyway?

As the harried mom of two kids I admit, there are some days when I don’t want to deal with belief or disbelief in anything greater than imaginary friends and teddy bears. So when someone passing by wishes me merry happy something or other, I just politely say “have a nice day” and am done with it. That should pretty much be something anyone can believe in, right?



(I decided to use Wikipedia as a reference link for several of the religions or philosophies mentioned purely for ease and consistency. Wikipedia is not always a credible source of information and should be used prudently)

"A Brief History of Disbelief"

Someone on a pantheist email group I subscribe to was nice enough to post links to the thought-provoking BBC series by Jonathan Miller, "A Brief History of Disbelief". This originally aired a few years ago in England and was recently shown by some PBS stations in the USA. However PBS didn't show the series in several major cities, including the NYC area from which I am from. So, here are the links:

A Brief History of Disbelief:

Part I (59 min, 13 sec)http://www.veoh.com/videos/v290167nBNFCMmq

Part II (59 min 16 sec)http://www.veoh.com/videos/v290939G3cdaPWh

Part III (59 min 0 sec)http://www.veoh.com/videos/v2901107jearSnF


And here is Jonathan Miller's BBC spinoff from the above series, The Atheism Tapes:

The Atheism Tapes 1 & 2 : interviews with Colin Mcginn & Steven Weinberg http://www.veoh.com/videos/v305743JaZKNJTT

The Atheism Tapes 2 & 3 : interviews with Arthur Miller & Richard Dawkins http://www.veoh.com/videos/v304919npS6D9QY

The Atheism Tapes 3 & 4 : interviews with Denys Turner & Daniel Dennet http://www.veoh.com/videos/v305740Ggfq3Ham

happy mother's day

I'm deeply touched by Mother's Day this year because it is the first one with my baby son, now 7 months old. I felt the same way nearly 6 years ago with my very first ever Mother's Day after the birth of my daughter. I'm blessed to have kids, of course, as all moms are – but even more poignantly so since I went thru a great deal to bring my children into the world; including years of infertility, three miscarriages, my daughter's complicated premataure birth & now this last high risk pregnancy with my son. Needless to say I'm grateful beyond mere words for the gift of my children’s healthy little lives -- truly the best Mother’s Day present of all.

But today I also want to honor the mother archetypal force. Motherhood is about many things beyond raising human children. We women are all mothers in our own way, through our innate spirit of creativity. Mothering can be about birthing art, music or words…tending animals, friends or family…developing a career, vocation or project…or nurturing relationships with other people’s children, as teachers, mentors and community leaders. Most of all we are mothering in the best possible way when we lovingly care for the Mother-Of-All-That-Is, our beautiful planet earth. So today I wish for all women involved in the sacred feminine act of mothering to have a special, blessed day.

common ground

As our planet careens towards an uncertain environmental future, we humans also seem to be equally as lost and adrift in a personal sense. That is not a coincidence. The earth is in trouble, and so is humanity. Many of us feel isolated, detached, un-centered. Some try to fill the empty void with material possessions or wealth. Others spend time and money looking for a magic cure through quick fix promises of enlightenment. We are all so busy rushing around doing, doing, doing we've forgotten how to be present, to just be. It's as if we've lost touch with our own lives, our very selves. It’s glaringly apparent on some level we’ve lost something. We sense a piece of the puzzle is missing but don’t know where to look. We are searching for meaning, for fundamental truths, for purpose. We want to feel more deeply connected to our lives and we just don't.

All the while our planet has been changing right in front of us -- yet we turn a blind eye. We don’t seem to realize that the human experience is innately linked to this planet; we share the same fate. It should be obvious, but somehow we disavow that knowledge, we ignore the correlation. A divide has occurred, a break, a schism. We think of nature in abstract terms, as separate from us. We take the earth for granted.

We need to change our mindset for the good of the planet as a whole, and for our selves individually. We need to reconnect to the earth in a sacred, life affirming way. What is deemed sacred is protected, respected and nurtured. One way to reconnect is by simply experiencing the sanctity of earth’s seasonal rhythms. When we celebrate or observe the changing seasons we participate in the process, we become part of it. In that small way we help begin to restore equilibrium to our own interior ecosystem, as well as perhaps guide our actions towards healing the exterior balance of the world around us that we have systematically destroyed. This general act of celebrating the turning seasons throughout the year is referred to as practicing "earth spirituality".

"Earth spirituality" or "nature-based spirituality" are umbrella terms for any system of religion, spirituality or philosophy that holds as one of its central tenets the sanctity of the earth. Earth spirituality is varied, accessible and adaptable to nearly everyone, and it needs to be if we are to utilize its principles in preventing our planet from continuing on its present, disastrous course. Exploring new mythologies, rituals and symbolisms based on science yet still compatible with diverse spiritual practices creates a new paradigm that could provide a foundation for initiating much needed environmental change while inspiring a deeper spiritual connection to the earth -- no matter what our religion, culture or ethos. Adding a nature-based ideology to existent philosophies would impact worldviews, teach us to celebrate diversity and perhaps insure inclusiveness. This could lead to a universal experience of the more mystical aspects of earth science, furthering an appreciation of ecology while still honoring the individual's personal spiritual path.

That is all, of course, a grandiose ideal. Yet great journeys of many miles begin with just a few strides in the right direction. What I suggest here is merely a tiny step on that journey, a simple beginning of the discovery process. As we have learned from the women’s movement, “the personal IS political”. One person making a difference in their own lives impacts the whole connective life-web. You can be that person, any one of us can -- we all need to be.

The term “nature-based spirituality” may bring to mind images of tribal people from ancient civilizations dancing around a fire, or perhaps robed magi gathered around monolithic stones in the moonlight. We are taught that the people who revered nature as divine were primitive and needed to do so only in order to make sense of their unpredictable surroundings. This hearkens back to our past and seems distant from today’s world. Most of us can no longer relate to the circumstances from which that world-view emanated. But we may be able to appreciate and learn from it, even though it does not offer us exactly what we need at present.

Sadly, all too many of our world religions today preach a dogma of utter disdain towards those Pagan religions of the past rather than value them for what they were in their time, perhaps gleaning lessons for the present and future. Instead they talk of “stewardship” as if the planet were a wayward child needing to be reigned in rather than the very mother of life as we know it, our sacred home.

There was a time when humankind worshipped the earth, all manner of animals, the sun, moon and stars, the entire cosmos was considered sacred. And while today those who claim to carry that mantle, the varied followers of modern neo-Pagan & new age movements, recreate rituals and belief systems from an historical or archaic perspective, they do so without necessarily translating that into active, participatory reverence for the earth with a focus on contemporary themes. Rather all too often they seek out supernatural phenomena and so-called, “otherworldly” realms over mindful presence in a physical reality. Why? When the beauty, mystery and magnitude of the natural world is more than enough to cause awe-inspiring experiences and touch our deepest core in flights of ecstatic revelry.

I propose we bridge these gaps, fill in the blanks and focus on contemporary themes. I propose that we create meaningful rituals, symbols and mythologies to reflect our modern, broadening worldview in order to reconnect us all to the earth, to our own higher selves, to our spirits. Adaptation is the greatest gift we have, let’s use it, let us adapt our old mores and create new ideals. I propose we earnestly try to find common ground...at least while we still have the ground to stand on.

(May 1st) BELTANE: The Ties That Bind

May is the heart of spring when the earth is soft, supple and green. Days lengthen and the sunshine draws us completely out of winter seclusion now, as if we are roused from hibernation. And who can resist the out of doors! Every tree is a like the canvas of a French impressionist painting, branches dabbed with delicate foliage in tiny, swirling strokes of chartreuse, while swathes of color weave a floral carpet across fields or lawns naturalized with daffodils and crocus. Gaia awakens and every budding leaf whispers secrets upon the breeze, while tantalizing mysteries are revealed with the unfurling of each flower petal.

The first of May was celebrated throughout various parts of pre-Christian Europe. In Germanic lands it was known as Walpurgis, in Celtic isles it was and still is called Beltane -- and that is how it shall be referred to here. Beltane is traditionally a fire festival, with themes of fertility, merrymaking and enchantment. This is a time for tapping into the fresh new energy of the awakening season. Observing Beltane’s spoke on the wheel of the year provides another opportunity for continuing the creativity conceived of at Imbolc and initiated at Ostara. Winter seeds sown in the fertile soil of our intentions begin to bloom now in pledge of summer’s bounty and autumn’s fulfillment.

The name Beltane literally means “bright fire” and in days gone by farm fields and hillsides, woodland clearings and village greens were dotted with bonfires on the night of May Eve in raucous celebration of spring, to welcome the fertile time of the year. Fire’s relationship to fertility is creation out of destruction. Distilled to the essence, fire transforms matter – dramatically. Fire obliterates what was and makes room for the creation of something completely new in its place. Agriculturally, fire clears out the old growth, removes debris and leaves nutrient rich cinder and ash behind from which new life can grow and be nourished. It was also believed that the balefires of Beltane were protective, sympathetically spreading warmth to the land and encouraging crops to grow, burning like countless mini suns.

You know, it’s very telling that this old Celtic practice of lighting the Beltane fires was sometimes referred to as kindling a “need fire”. Isn’t that a wonderful term? Need-fire. Our needs, our desires, our wishes can burn within us like a flame. Our yearnings can propel us and compel us…they can be the driving force of our lives or they can unexpectedly consume us in a frenzy if we are not careful. When we light our need-fires with positive intent and openness to change, then they too will act as mini suns, encouraging personal growth and shining the way.

Because Beltane fires were meant to be clearing and purifying they were usually not lit from the flame of another source. Rather, they were traditionally started from scratch, so to speak, by the friction method -- the proverbial rubbing of two sticks together to create sparks. It takes friction, interaction to create the level of heat that will ignite a flame...after that the fire has to be quickly and carefully stoked, otherwise it smolders and extinguishes. Building a good fire is like building any relationship….it takes time, it takes thought, it takes care and above all it takes work. And when that flame finally blazes strong and bright it doesn’t mean you are done, you cannot simply walk away. A fire needs to be tended or it will burn out.

A relationship with whatever we revere as divine, sacred, or soulful, is not a passive endeavor either; it is an ongoing process of interaction, of feeding that inner flame. The more it is fueled, the brighter it burns. The purpose of any spiritual path is to activate a more meaningful experience of life. One way to do this is to engage with the rhythms of the earth thru ceremony and celebration. By doing so we connect to something beyond ourselves, we become participants in a greater process. This strengthens our bond to that which we deem sacred, illuminating our path with the torchlight of self-discovery and reflection.

Our human yearning for kinship needs tending, too of course. Connection to each other, in community, family or friendship, can kindle our need-fires as well. These relationships mean various things to different people, but the central truth is in some way or another people need each other. Like so many beacons punctuating the blackness, Beltane fires were lit to signify the last vestiges of winter with its isolation and deprivation were finally long past. Holidays and gatherings speak to the simple innate desire for union, for interaction with another – whether lover or family or friends. Connecting with others is an assurance that we are not, after all, alone. When we build community we knit ourselves into the fabric of the web of life, the unifying threads of existence of which we are a part. Akin to a May Day basket woven of separate, thin branches, we are stronger bound together. We earthlings are inextricably joined and we can share the collective warmth of each other’s glowing need-fires.

Of course not all Beltane festivities center on evening fires…for how could we honor spring without enjoying the gifts of warmer days that the glorious sunshine brings? With the greening of nature, spring takes on a light, whimsical air and all the fabled beings that embody the untamed and mystical almost seem to beckon us come out and play. Springtime mythology is prolific with legends of fairies, tree spirits, impish elves and all manner of unseen metaphorical creatures. Such tales remind us of earth’s natural magic, that sense of wonder we can all experience when we spend time in the wild. Mother Nature stirs and unfolds, frond by frond, petal by petal, till She is finally released from the confines of Her tightly held bud, open and exposed to the sun’s radiating warmth. Spring is an invitation, an opportunity, a promise.

What better way to appreciate that promise than by enjoying flowers? With a rainbow palette Flora has decked the earth out with a vibrant array of blooms to be inspired by. Cheerful tulips and narcissus along with heady hyacinth undulate in splattering waves from suburban gardens to urban courtyards. Cherry blossoms float upon the scented breeze like soft confetti, while shy violets peak out from their mossy beds tucked beside sheltered streams. Forsythia branches arch their golden arms in a shining embrace while lilacs gathered on a May morning feel like a sweet indulgence…and of course spring is nothing if not the season of sweet indulgences.

Beltane was also a time for coupling and trysting, a celebration of the sacred nature of sexual union, an honoring of passion’s first awakening. The blossoming time of bodies and of land signified hope for future abundance. You cannot really speak about Beltane with out talking about sex. Human sexuality was once strongly linked to the earth. Long ago ecstatic rites of making love in fresh ploughed fields before planting were emblematic of our connection to the earth and our dependence upon Her fertility. But beyond encouraging prolific growth, our longing for each other and desire for pleasure creates a quality of energy like no other. It transcends any boundaries, dictated by pure unadulterated passion. Whether shared with another or indulged in alone, physical pleasure connects us to the primal center, to the creative core of our being and therefore, to the universe. In a way, the very big bang itself that exploded this universe into being was nothing short of the ultimate orgasmic shudder, a cosmic spasm that reverberated thru space and time, vibrating thru the eons…the definitive creative act.

But fertility is not just about body and cosmos, flora and fauna…it is about the mind and heart as well. It is about potential, about weaving possibilities into reality. We all have the ability to be creative in the essential meaning of the word…to be not only procreative but also pro-creative, re-creative – to perpetually reinvent our selves and our society, to develop our own sense of individual empowerment, to shape our reality and initiate our thoughts into action, into art, into love. Passion isn’t just about the body either…it’s about the soul, that elusive fragment of ourselves that when we listen speaks to us from the depths and engages us in the ultimate pursuits of existence, those of following our bliss and seeking our own truth. This soul-voice comes from our center…that place where our collective divinity is immanent and our experience is accumulated and transformed into wisdom.

The center is where we all radiate out from, like the multi colored ribbons streaming from atop a Beltane maypole. Each strand marks a different connection point but they all weave around the same post, like mystical umbilical cords tied to All That Is. No matter how tangled up you get in life’s trials and tribulations as long as you hold fast you will continue to weave around the spire. But if you do happen to let go, that’s okay too…someone else is no doubt skipping around the same center point and can take your hand till you find your way again. Most importantly, at the end of the dance all the ribbons will be completely wrapped around the pole…to be bound closer to center then when we began is the journey of life.

every day is earth day

As a child, when we celebrated first Mother’s and then Father’s Day, I remember asking my parents when “Kid’s Day” was. They laughed and said, “Every day is Kid’s Day”. That made no sense to me then but now that I’m a mom I totally get it.

Until recently I felt sort of the same way about our family celebrating Earth Day. Ideally, wasn’t every day Earth Day? Don’t get me wrong -- I wasn’t knocking the objective of setting aside a day to honor the planet. I’ve been just as thrilled as anyone that Earth Day has gained popularity since 1970. But as someone who follows a nature-based spiritual path I already revere the earth as sacred throughout the entire year; Earth Day seemed a bit redundant and I saw no need to make a big deal of it in our little family on that one particular day. We had the whole crunchy-granola-earth-celebrating thing covered all year long, right?

Of course that’s assuming that I actually put the earth in my earth-centered spirituality in the first place. Just being a pantheistic type Gaia devotee is apparently no guarantee that you are earth-friendly. And sad to say I’ve even been to a couple neo-Pagan celebrations where disposable plastic plates & cups were used -- complete with a vinyl tablecloth covering the altar since it might get “dirty” outside. Seriously.

Granted, I think those were isolated incidents of “religion as hobby” rather than any sincere form of nature reverence. Certainly most Pagan oriented celebrations are not so ridiculously hypocritical, but it does make one wonder. How can you be part of an earth-based spiritual movement without concern for the actual planet? And shouldn’t that concern be an integral part of your convictions, isn’t supporting environmental protection issues as sacred as lighting candles and welcoming the changing seasons with ritual?

However my faith has evolved, whatever label I’ve given it…one constant aspect of my spirituality since my 20’s has been my dedication to the belief that the earth is sacred. So, when people who know my spiritual perspective would find out that we didn’t actually celebrate Earth Day, they'd be surprised. I would just explain that it happened to fall close to Beltane, a spring holiday that we did celebrate, so my attention was on that. I would then go on to illuminate all the ways we tried to take care of the earth 365 days a year…the recycling, the reducing, the organizations we supported, our veganism, eating organic, so on & so forth.

But recently our already high level of concern for the dire straits the planet finds itself in has been even further heightened. It’s finally obvious to a larger amount of people than perhaps ever before that the earth could use alot of extra consideration right about now. Earth Day has become a great chance to promote thoughtfulness regarding a wide variety of environmental issues -- always a good thing. So, in my little neck of the woods we are now paying more attention to Earth Day, to participate in this growing positive movement.

Earth Day presents itself as a great teaching opportunity for kids, and let’s face it, we really need them to do a better job than we have of living gently upon the planet. To that end we have used these weeks leading up to it as an opportunity to focus on relevant subjects in homeschooling our 5-½ year old daughter. We’ve explored issues such as global warming, pollution, and the various things we can do about them. For those interested, a great book for that age group is, “Where Does the Garbage Go?” (revised edition) by Paul Showers. Another would be, “Be a Friend to Trees” by Patricia Lauber.

We are also spending some time this Earth Day weekend preparing for Beltane with an eco-friendly focus. On Saturday we are creating May Day “baskets” to give to some of our neighbors on Beltane. These will be made out of recycled Silk Soymilk cartons, painted and decorated by our daughter. We’ll be planting them with flowers purchased from a woman who owns a local nursery and grows them organically. I think this has been a good little lesson for our daughter – for one thing she gets to literally see how garbage piles up, what with all the empty cartons quickly taking over our dining room table! And she also can experience the value of giving something back, both to the neighbors as a gift and to the earth in terms of turning trash into treasure. It’s even been eye opening for us and has me thinking of a way around buying our soymilk to reduce the trash output…perhaps making it at home someday instead.

Anyway, on Sunday my husband is taking our daughter to a nature center where a special walk is planned for children & parents. I’ll be at home with our baby son. Perhaps I’ll slip outdoors and nurse him on a bench in our yard, my own quiet way of spending some special time in nature with him.

I thought we could end the day with an organic Earth Day Birthday cake, the name of which is inspired from the sweet children’s book, “Earth Day Birthday” by Pattie Schnetzler. We can all blow out the candle and make a wish for Mother Earth’s future and talk about ways to ensure that future is tread upon in ways that will leave a lighter footprint.

Along the same lines, in addition to getting out in nature or attending festivals or even participating in green protests, I would like to see Earth Day become a time for making personal earth-friendly commitments, like birthday wishes or New Year’s resolutions – only with a decidedly ecological purpose. Things like promising to switch all the light bulbs in your home to compact fluorescents, no longer use paper napkins, go more often to farmer’s markets to support sustainable and/or organic agriculture, turning the thermostat down in the winter & up in the summer, buying less overly packaged goods, etc, etc. (For other ideas & more info, click here.)

Our plans are not grand, not very elaborate. But we are using Earth Day as an extra focal point, another chance to remind us of how important protecting the planet is. Actions, even small ones, speak louder than mere words when it comes to genuinely honoring the earth. She is our mother, She is our home, She is amazing, and She is sacred. Remembering that more often would truly make every day Earth Day.