Grace

Pagans and witches talk a lot about power: power over self and how to bend things to our will. We use visualization and mind over matter, meditation and focusing. Some of us also talk a lot about using the power of the Elements or Nature to satisfy our desires and create change. But do we ever actually focus on seeking and accepting grace? Occultists don't talk about grace too often, but I feel it's an important part of our magickal development.

A few dictionary definitions of grace is to dignify, honor, favor, enhance, ennoble, glorify, elevate, improve. Do you have any more to add? I do.

Sitting in silence is grace. Listening to rain. Hearing crickets singing in the grass. The changing colors of Autumn, animals at home and in the wild. Laughing and mirth. Being of one accord within the Circle. Finding your tribe. Good conversation. Just being alive and being appreciative you are.

Recognizing grace is a form of gratitude, and one of the things that empowers us to speak gratitude.
From what I am seeing in the community, it seems to me that we are loosing our ability to humble ourselves. There is way too much bragging about our magickal abilities, especially when it concerns "being messed with". It sounds to me very much like a child taking a tantrum. Is it really necessary to seek retribution for every perceived slight? I don't think so. Real strength is letting most of it to slid off and not being knocked off course. There are other mundane ways of settling a score-ways that don't include magick. Running for our BOS for every little thing is being lazy. (I'm not talking about when your are actually harmed or threatened, then a working for protection is not unreasonable.) Being humble is not belittling ourselves, rather, it is knowing who we are and being open to learning more-because we don't know it all, and we never will. Knowledge of the Craft is infinite.

Being open and yearning to know the lessons of the Universe, elevating your personal vibration, connecting with the gods is a state of grace. We don't often think of it that way...but it is. Grace is not specific to one religious tradition and it is not church- speak; it is recognizing a gift and expressing thanks for that gift.

True power does not involve influencing the behavior of others or the course of events (once again, not when actually threatened with harm). It is not about control or authority. It is not an ego boost. It is not mastery over others. It is about using your abilities to benefit and heal. It's about acting with discernment. It about  self-mastery, asking for and accepting needed change in yourself....and being open to grace when it appears in our lives.

The Last Big Fox Flap

Fundamentalists in any political party or religious tradition are problematic because they have tunnel vision. They don't speak for the whole group, just their own limited membership. Their 'take' on a subject doesn't give them the credibility or right to speak for anyone other than themselves. It is only their own narrow opinion, aimed at a few ears of those they believe worthy of their message.

Such was the stuff of the recent Fox and Friends Sunday episode that set off a firestorm. You can read about it here:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/18/tucker-carlson-every-wiccan-a-nerd-or-a-twice-divorced-older-woman/
What the Fox News Team did was very definitely uncalled for and unjust but it held true to their modus operandi of catering to the ultra-conservative Tea Party, Christian fundamentalist and assorted wing nut segment of  the public the Fox Network usually appeals to: the intolerantly racist, wealthy elitists who wrap themselves in the American flag and smugly look down their noses at "The Other".

The Fox Network does this so well that it's become an exemplary psychological template for those who are paranoid and fearful that  "The Other" ( no matter who that is) will take away what's comfortable; they act as if this is the accepted normative behavior in American society. I understand that people rightfully don't want to give up what they've fought for to make themselves comfortable. We give lip-service in this country to the idea of diversity, when in fact, genuine diversity has been mashed, homogenized and manufactured into something very bland and insipid, lacking all discernible character or individuality...and because the majority of the population is simply exhausted trying to survive day to day without rocking the boat or making the effort.  The general public is satisfied with letting these kinds of attacks go unchallenged in the hope that the controversy goes away on its own. Power to the Sheeple.

Irrespective of theology and/or dogma, many mainstream Christians follow their own individual version of their religion, not unlike Pagans. They interpret that individuality as a 'personal' relationship with their God, so that even members of the same congregation don't necessarily follow the same form of expression or hold identical ideas of what it's like to be a Christian. That's why there are so many denominations. Just as in our own Pagan Community, you can't paint everyone with the same brush.

 Fox News is tabloid journalism taken to it's highest form. It is intentionally sensational and bombastic. It is meant to incite controversy. The majority of it's commentators and on-air journalists were specifically chosen for their acerbic style of delivery and  ability to fire off caustic commentary. They speak to a populace that are ready believers in the most recent conspiracy theory which alludes to the destruction of the American Way of Life as seen through the eyes of fearful religious fundamentalists and  political conservatives. They are experts at inflammatory speech and know just how and which buttons to push. And they excel at doing that.

That is why I believe Tucker Carlson and Company had no compunction with attacking the University of Missouri or the Wiccan/Pagan Community.  Because Pagans are still basically unorganized and misunderstood, we are seen as an easy mark for those who wish to spread misinformation about us. The majority of the talking heads at Fox are bullies used to manipulating the facts to fit their agenda and getting their own way. They seized upon the University of Missouri's schedule of suggested  holidays for students  as a rallying point for their assault because it is in the midwest...You can't get much more American than the Heart Land, now can you? Golly gee, the Wiccanists were probably poisoning apple pies as we speak, so it was up to Tucker Carlson and Company to point out the evils visited upon the good citizens of Missouri...Because we all know that Missouri is the gateway to the West and the fabled Promised Land of America. Next thing you know, the Wiccans and Pagans would be making cakes and ale from the amber waves of grain and dancing naked under the moon beneath the purple mountain majesty... and God as our witness, we just couldn't have that happening in the red-blooded, blue collared, white bread domain that is Fox's America! So Tucker Carlson and Company, full of themselves with righteous indignation, stepped to the forefront, unfurled their flag, and charged.  

What the Fox Four were not counting on was the Pagan Community pushing back. They shot spit balls at who they mistook as the weakest kid in the classroom and were shot squarely in the face with a bazooka.I think they were stunned that their vitriolic assault was almost immediately met by a very savvy Pagan-centric news collective and social media who spread the word in cyberspace. Carlson Tucker, Anna Kooiman, Clayton Morris and Tammy Bruce never saw the stregic assault comming...I guess it was was due to the gaming expertise of all those supposed D&D players among us. Or maybe it was surge of estrogen from all the pissed off  twice-divorced, rural-living midwives. Perhaps it was a mass of "Wiccanists" under the influence of incense. In record time individuals had put together protests, boycotts and petitions to counter the duress of the Faux Four. The counter measures were impressive. Pagans-me included- turned to their Facebook and Twitter accounts and demanded an accounting.

Tucker Carlson apologized, first on Twitter, then live on-air from the Fox studios:

"Last weekend, we reported on a story about Wiccan and Pagan holidays being recognized by the University of Missouri. My comments on the story offended a number of people. That was never my intention. I also violated one of my basic life rules which is 'Live and Let Live.' The Wiccans have never bothered me or tried to control my life. I should have left them alone. Sorry about that." 

No matter how wimpy or lame any of us might have found the response, it was a huge deal that it even happened: a news anchor apologized for his personal behavior during a live broadcast on a major television network...and it must have cut Tucker Carlson-a man I personally consider devoid of empathy-to the core of his ego to be forced to say those words.  No matter how arrogant he seemed in those brief few seconds, trust me, those seconds seemed like an eternity to him, and his pride was wounded. He must have been hemorrhaging emotionally the whole time the camera was on him.

2/26/13- For an update on the story, you can go here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/fox-apologizes-for-comments-on-wiccans-at-university-of-missouri_n_2762482.html

Death and Community-A Reflection

(Originally posted as part of the Pagan Blog Project,week D-1)

We Pagans are fond of saying that Death is not the end of Life; that's not entirely true. The cessation of physical existence on this plane of consciousness is but one of the many Rites of Passage we experience as humans. We may have a belief that when we die we "cross the Veil" to another form of spirit. We may have faith that happens, but we actually don't know what happens to the spirit when it leaves the body. That is one of the Great Unknowns. It is a certainty that we will all die someday; that's how Life is wired. One day each of use will simply no longer exist, our physical body will decay and return to its most basic elements, and we will return to the soil that formed our ancestors.

Humans cling to many notions and taboos about Death. One notion is that we survive in the form of a soul which passes from one level of being to another. We are fully conscious of our existence and that of others of our kind, and so one of us dies many of us choose to believe that we will live somewhere else in another form. In fact, nearly every religious tradition shares that myth: that we go on elsewhere. Why do we do this? I believe it's very simple: we want to know that we mattered, we want to know that what we did in the span of our incarnation made an impact on others. Humans have an innate need to be validated in order to justify (perhaps in their own mind) their presence in this world. Even those who do not believe in life after death want to leave a legacy so others-(and they themselves) know they were here.

Little over a month ago I presided over a memorial ritual for a member of a group of which I was associated. The individual who had died was young and the circumstances of her death were particularly tragic. Her birth family was not Pagan and I'm sure would have been offended if any of us had dared to show up at the spiritual 'homecoming' they held for her, so we had our own. Out of the community's grief over the loss of the individual, there was the emptiness of the void she left. One of us was gone and would not be coming back. The most poignant thing said  during the time of sharing during which we took turns expressing our love for her and joy at having known her was,  "April mattered."  In that moment, I believe, we understood the importance of belonging: our existence was cherished by the others in the circle. Each of our lives mattered because there was a deliberate place for us in the lives of others.

Whether or not we like to admit it, humans long for place.  Best-selling author and Irish mystic John O' Donohue notes," When two people discover each other, the way they look and talk to each other indicates that they are enfolding each other in a circle of presence." [Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, HarperCollins Publishers,1999] We want to be acknowledged, we want our presence to speak our existence.

But what happens to that existence when we die? Does our existence die also? At what point does existence became memory?



It has been my experience as the witness and officiant of a number of funerals, that just after the passing of a loved one, those left behind want to hold them close. Most don’t want to let go, physically or metaphorically. They don’t want to lose the essence of the individual. That is a natural part of grief and mourning. There is a saying that there are two deaths: When you stop breathing and the last time someone speaks your name.

We keep those we love and care for alive in our nostalgic remembrances.  Episodic memory represents our ability to recall autobiographical events-times, places, emotions and related detail; Semantic memory delves into the rather secret world of personal meaning. Together, they cull the mind of experiences and compartmentalize what we remember.[http://www.human-memory.net/types_episodic.html]

The truth is that we exist after we die as a form of thought to those who survive us. Subjective material is what makes that thought form come alive. It is why we fondly remember Aunt Jenny’s cherry pie that we can almost taste twenty years later. It is how we can momentarily recall what being 16 years old feels like. And it is how we experience the presence of an individual.

Life and Death are essential parts of the same creative process. We don’t know where we came from in the beginning and aren’t sure where we’re going in the end. One day each of us will simply no longer exist, our physical body will decay and return to its most basic elements, and we will return to the soil that formed our ancestors. It is our task to live, but it is the task of those left behind to honor and celebrate memory.

15 Days of Thankfulness: Catching Up

One of the things I love about this project is that it challenges me to be mindful and present in the moment. I have to purposely think about what I am grateful for and then express my gratitude  in a tangible manner- in this case writing. Writing comes easily to me because I am a natural born writer: throughout my life I have written fictional stories for my own amusement,diagnostic and medical treatment reports, teaching plans, technical reports, synopsis for courses, entertainment reviews and magazine articles,dissertations, sermons and blogs...and I rarely suffer from writer's block. No kidding. Most of the time I know exactly what I'm going to write about and have several other ideas on the back burner as well. What I do suffer from is a lack of time-as many of us do who lead full, active lives. "There is not enough hours in the day" may be a bit  cliched, but nothing else describes it as well. It's not a lack of time management- it's a genuine lack of time.

So today's installment of 15 Days of Thankfulness is going to be a  two-for-one in order to catch up, get on track and bring this project home in a timely manner.

Day 11

The subject for today is to select 3 friends who inspire me. I'm going to call in my chips and say that I've already written about a lot more than 3 of these people. It's difficult to just pick 3 because so many people have contributed equally toward inspiring me, and the last thing I want to do is to diminish the contribution of some in favor of others- I would never purposely do that.

The real problem I'm having in choosing is that people inspire me in particular areas- the inspiration is compartmentalized. I have been more than  blessed with the friendship of dozens of people who shine in their own way. They illuminate the dark corners of my life in times when I need to see light, and several of them are always there in the background, ready to shine just as the sun comes up at dawn.

My relationship with Jean ( and later her husband, George) began through Scouting. Jean was one of my Scout leaders, so the potential for being someone to look up to was already in place. One would think differently, but the dynamic of our relationship didn't so much change as morph when I reached adulthood. What was there when I was younger became richer and the layers more deeply defined as I earned the right to equality at adulthood. Jean and I can talk about anything- and often do. Mostly I talk and she listens before imparting wisdom. We have the relationship my own mother and I never had and what should have been there but was lost when my grandmother's alcoholism took her elsewhere. The physical distance has not dampened our relationship because we talk long and often.

Melinda has been nothing short of a blessing in my life every since we met online shortly after JD's death. In the days after that fateful day, I made myself available to listen to John's fans who needed a sounding board or someone to help them sort out just why they were morning so deeply for someone they knew only through his music. Melinda was in several discussion threads and we began to communicate regularly several times a week. Except for brief periods, that has continued for the last fourteen years- and like conversations with Jean, no subject is safe from our examination. Melinda and I finally met face to face in Aspen, Co in the fall of 1998 during the first John Denver Memorial Weekend. We each had separate activities planned for the trip, but after picking her up at the airport, I wanted to do give her something I knew no one else could- I wanted to introduce her to the Aspen JD had shared with me, the place that had inspired him to write and sing-and the place he wanted to come home to from all over the world. We drove out to Windstar Ranch in Snowmass when there was no one else there and then up on the mountain so Melinda could see the same vista JD saw at sunset from his beloved backyard in Starwood.And then we had dinner at the Woody Creek Tavern, which (forgive me) is a local dive that JD and I simply adored...we walked the streets of Aspen late at night talking for hours, and by the time we left nearly a week later, we were friends for life.

I still have these two extraordinary women in my life...and for this I am thankful.

Day 12
I have had trouble exactly following the rules for this challenge because so often I don't select the prescribed number of  three Cordelia had in mine when she created this project. Some rules are made to be broken, and I am a rebel at heart. Not following the rules in this case is my way of making the project my own.

Nature often challenges and enlarges my consciousness. I began my spiritual path because I more keenly feel connected to the Sacred when I am outdoors more than any other place. There isn't a place where I have been out in Nature that I have truly disliked- except one particularly cold, wet camping trip near Hawk Mountain where I was soaked through multiple layers of clothing and several layers of skin until I was quite literally frozen when the temperature suddenly dropped after dusk. The lesson that came from that experience was to not be overly confident of my ability to be comfortable in the wild and take nothing for granted. Ever.  There have been many other lessons-Nature is the quintessential teacher.

Maybe it's because I am a Pisces, but I have always had an affinity for water. I will instinctively seek and find a source of water when I am hiking and usually end up on a river bank or the shore of a lake. I am not a touristy seashore person, but I love the ocean, even in the winter. When I lived about an hour from the ocean I loved walking on the beach in March, when the Atlantic was so cold it would burn your skin.

I am intrigued by sights and sounds of  waterfalls. Very often I'm not content to watch and listen- I want to be inside the falling water.  I am truly a fish! The rush of water soothes mind and spirit. Scientifically. moving water givens off negative ions which stabilize alpha rhythms in the brain- that's why we feels so good near a body of water. I will happily walk in the rain, but as I've gotten older I find I don't like the combination of rain and cold. I can take one or the other- not both.

I also love wind for many of the same reasons; I love the song of the wind and the accompanying tangle of dried leaves, clattering bare branches, and dancing of trees. I always feel clean after being in the wind.

For the gift of all of Nature, but especially water and winds, I am thankful.

         

Season of the Witch Interview Tips

It stands to reason that with it's association to Halloween, the public interest with The Craft increases exponentially. Paganism, and The Craft in particular, is a hot button topic in the market share of radio, TV and print media during the month of October even though the public knowledge has grown ten fold. Ours is  basically still a Mystery Religion, and an aire of the sensational, the forbidden, the  taboo continues to surround it because it's viewed as something exotic by  the general public. It's quite common for the media to search out witches and Pagans for interviews during this month. Many collage radio stations carry interviews with a witchcraft theme this time of year, and I think that if you have the opportunity to participate at that level, then you should seriously consider it because it's a good way to refute ugly rumors and untruths within the community. I've done this a few times myself, so I'm sharing some ideas.

If the media contacts you for an article in a print publication or the Internet, ask for a copy of the questions you will be answering before hand. You can then thoughtfully answer the questions in a casual but timely manner. Stipulate that your answers may only be edited for clarity and not to change the content. Without sounding like a Deva or being demanding, you can and should request that a codicil or rider be included in print ( email is fine) stipulating reasonable conditions pertaining to the questions you are expected to answer. This keeps every one honest and focused. It also keeps a journalist from rewriting or editing your answers to slant in a direction they choose rather than how you meant them to sound.

Be prepared. Write out some questions and answers you think the journalist will be asking or the public would be interested in reading. It will give you practice and make the interview flow. You will be less likely to be blind-sided or surprised and left to draw a blank if you run the interview in your head a few times before it takes place. Do this even if you agree to a radio or telephone interview. Staying generic is a good practice. however, if you do get into specifics of your personal spiritual practice, then use a disclaimer like, " There are hundreds of variations to the Craft, this is my personal understanding." Actually, it's a good idea to use a well placed phase like this periodically through the process of the interview. It's not meant to water anything down, but rather places things into perspective. You are talking about your personal spiritual practice or your individual tradition and not representing every other Pagan or witch in the community, even though it's likely that is the goal of the interviewer. You can quietly change that perception by making it clear from the onset that you are just one individual among thousands and do not speak for the entire community...because you don't. Make no mistake about it, if you come off sounding like your path is the only path, there will be any number of your brethren waiting to righteously take you to task after the fact, and I may be among them.

Write out a brief statement of your personal beliefs before hand, and take them to the interview with you. It will help to have talking points handy and will jog your memory. It will also keep you to the point and concise. You don't have to give an elaborate explanation of your faith tradition. In fact it's better to just give the highlights because those reading or listening will be more likely to remember what you said accurately. Lengthy answers will only serve to confuse most people. Be short and to the point and you will be less likely to be misunderstood.

Know your audience by knowing the demographic. Don't use arcane or anarchistic language; more than likely most of your audience will not understand what you're talking about. Explain any unfamiliar 'witchy' terms: chances are everyone will be able to imagine what a ritual knife looks like but will be at a loss as to picturing an athame. Take a minute to explain in concrete terms what a grimorie or Book of Shadows really are and you will leave little to an imagination made fertile by Hollywood stereotypes.  Don't leave anything open to interpretation other than what you intend your words to mean. Some interviewers will repeat what you've just said for emphasis and clarity for the audience: if they restate what you said, and it doesn't sound right or ring true, be firm in repeating yourself if necessary, without being confrontational. It is perfectly correct for you to do this. And be particularly aware that the interviewer may incorrectly and quite innocently make a statement linking Satanism and The Craft. This is more likely than not being  made with no malice aforethought; it doesn't mean they are making an accusation or trying to sensationalize the interview by calling you a Devil worshiper- they just may not know the any better. You now have the opportunity to change a pre-conceived notion by calmly stating something like, " You Dan, I'm a Wiccan, and we don't believe in the existence of Satan. The Devil is found in religions stemming from the Abrahamic traditions, but not ours."

Use humor, but don't try to be too clever. Being too cute often turns on you because you sometimes end up sounding like a cloying smart-ass or an overly intellectual know-it-all. Trying too hard often fails. Just be yourself. You don't have to recite your entire curricula vitae for the masses. Stating you are a practicing witch or Pagan, or engaged in an earth-centered religion is often enough to set the course of the interview.  On the other hand, being too serious makes you sound pretentious and dower. Oft times it makes one sound so self-involved that you will not come off as genuine and authentic.

Be honest. Don't invent pedigree or a magickal history you don't actually own. It doesn't make you look more knowledgeable or admirable, it makes you look stupid. Don't say Grandma was a witch in the middle ages or a High Priestess sitting at Uncle Gerald's knee if it's not true. You aren't impressing anyone by spinning a false tale. People can see right through you-especially other Pagans. It does nothing to serve the community if you lie about your background...and being of service to the wider community by being an educator in this instance should be your highest priority, not self aggrandizement. It really should never be 'all about' you if you're not in a situation where you're promoting your business as a tarot reader, etc. You can mention you read cards, but giving what amounts to a plug for your services for hire ( unless you have made that agreement with the interviewer before hand) is not only inappropriate, it's down-right tacky.

And for the love of all the gods, don't show up in your ritual robes or your witchiest wardrobe! I'm not kidding. No matter how freakin' awesome you look in that goddess gown or how adorable you're new witch's hat is, leave it at home. It's really best not to generally perpetuate myths. Some interviewers have the hidden agenda-or not so hidden agenda- of inviting you  for an interview with the intention of making you look like a freak. Don't oblige them. Showing up in the same type of clothing you wear to interview for a job will project the image that you are there to do business...because you are. Channeling Dumbledore or Glenda is just going to make you look goofy.
Wearing your civies with a tasteful piece of Pagan-themed jewelry will identify you nicely. If you insist on wearing that pentagram the size of a hubcap you are defeating the whole purpose of educating the masses without frightening them to death. It is possible to express your faith and individuality without marginalizing yourself and the entire community.

And finally-please, please, please- don't go off on a tangent about the Burning Times, or how the Church has stolen Pagan symbols, or the evils of Christianity, etc. Remember, your mission is to educate and not to offend. You are representing the community-like it or not. There is a very real possibility that you will be the only genuine Witch or Pagan any of your audience is ever exposed to and if you come to the table with an " I'm a witch, whatcha gonna do about it?" or in-your-face attitude, the good and positive of your message will be lost.  Pushing people's buttons will only make them turn a deaf ear to whatever you have to say, no matter how positive or truthful it may be. Being sincere and firmly grounded will give you a much better chance in reaching people and changing their minds.

If at anytime an interviewer tries to ambush you with a negative question, or says something  that you consider out of line and makes you feel uncomfortable, you have the right to end the interview. However, be aware that if you do walk away, you are leaving yourself open to speculation, innuendo and unfair judgement. I'm suggesting it's much better to come straight out and say, " I came here today to discuss modern witchcraft and not the Salem witch trials. Let's stick to the subject we agreed upon." It will not make you look like a bad guy, or project you're being disagreeable. It will lend credibility to your own agenda, which hopefully is first and foremost is the dispelling of negative myths and educating the public about your chosen path.

Good luck, and may you Blessed Be.

Seeking Light in the Darkest of Days

[The following is an excerpt from my forthcoming book, "Seeking Light in the Darkest of Days: Pagan Devotions for the Winter Solstice" 

(copyright 2003 By Ameth/Jera)] 

“My soul wanders in the darkness and seeks the Light of Hidden Knowledge.”

- spoken at the initiation of a Neophyte of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

D

o you often feel blue at this time of year? You’re not alone. Research has proven the existence of Seasonal Affective Disorder, a state of sadness common among those who lack exposure to sunlight. Scientists recommend going to a place where there is maximum exposure to light as a cure.

Our pagan ancestors had come to the same conclusion millenniums earlier. Building fires on hilltops gave light to the long nights. Perhaps feeling lost in the darkness, could the bonfire have also been a signal to the gods- “here I am” ? Hearth fires did much the same in heathen homes. Can you think of anything more comforting than a warm, golden fire on a cold winter’s night? To further brighten the living space, flowers, leaves, berries and fruit were brought inside to cheer the spirit. Lush spices and incense were used as a soothing mental balm. These were subtle reminders that life went on even during the time when it seemed the Earth slept.

“O Goddess, as the light gives way to the darkness we stand in the knowledge that as the Wheel of the Year turns steadily onward, we are always in your care. We ask your continued blessing and grace, Mother Crone, to face the dark things in our lives. In the shadows we find not only rest and renewal, but our selves revealed.”

***

Day 2

G

randmother Spider spun her web in the sky. The points where the web connected were like diamonds. Later they became known to us as the stars…

- Native American Myth

The spiritual life of Native Americans is colored by their connection to all of Nature. There was a story explaining every natural occurrence. They look often to the sky and give honor to the stars.

“Listen to the words of the Star Goddess, she whose feet are in the dust of the heavens…”

- Doreen Valiente

***

Day 3

A

t this time of year, field and farm brace for the winter with the sewing of new seed to replenish the crops come the Spring. In times gone by, the herds were culled of individual animals that would not make it through the cold winter months, and the meat was used in feasts or put up for short term storage in anticipation of leaner times. What have you done to prepare for leaner times in the winter months? Have you remembered to sew seeds to restore your soul?

“Mother Terra, you are the holy earth and all within it. We thank you for your continuing substance. Your children rise up like the heads of flowers and turn toward your golden light joyously”

***

Day 4

T

here is a chill in the air, and all the creatures of Nature- animal, vegetable, and mineral- are preparing for a rest. Vegetation dies back to fallow fields; animals migrate, hibernate or transform their winter selves with thick coats of fat and fur for comfort in the long cold months ahead. Water turns to ice. We can learn from this example: slow down, make way, and settle in. Humans do it differently. We burn candles and incense oils, light the fireplace, soak in hot baths, read and listen to music more often, huddle together in conversational groupings.

“O Creator of Creature Comforts, help us to slow our minds and hearts in preparation for this time of renewal and rebirth. Like your creatures in the lower kingdoms, we too should now settle into the  comfort of the Earth in repose. Let us sink down into the comfort of knowing love and light will shine brightly again soon.”

***

Day 5      

I

f you look around today you will most likely find that electric lights are being strung on houses and rooftops around your neighborhood. Seasonal decorations are beginning to appear. You know the story behind some of those seasonal symbols?

Long ago, branches of fir, pine and other conifers were cut and brought indoors during this time of year to brighten and freshen homes closed tight against winter winds. The lush greenery was a reminder that life continued to flourish, even in a stark landscape that was barren to the naked eye. Greens laden with colorful berries were a reminder of the fruitfulness that was now hidden until bursting forth in joyous abundance at the first hint of Spring. Holly and mistletoe in particular were symbolic to the pagan people: the bright red berries were symbolic of the blood of the sacrificed King, while the white berries signified the seed of mankind.

“Sometimes the best prayers begin with a question, Goddess. You have given us questioning minds and reasoning hearts- and the ability to find answers within. As we revel in the things of the season which give us ‘comfort and joy’, keep us mindful of their meaning.”

***

Day 6       

“In the weaving of your fingers,

In the whisper of the love that never ends,

In the dreaming, something lingers,

In the promise of a love that never ends”

- Paul Noel Stokey

W

e are weavers by design, wrapping wreaths, garland and gifts. We wrap ribbons around those taking vows in handfasting and cords around those taking initiation into the Craft. We are bound to one another and to the One Who Is. At birth, a baby is bound to its mother by the umbilical cord until it is able to survive on its own outside the womb. To what do you wish to be bound in the coming year? From what do you wish to cut the cord and be set free?

“O Mistress of All Knowing, we are willingly bound to you by the silver cords of Love. We wrap up the best parts of ourselves as a gift to each other. We cut the ties that bind us to that we no longer need. We ask for the blessings of intuition and knowing, and the grace to know the difference.”

***

Day 7

D

uring the pagan season of light, there is an official government  holiday of thanksgiving in the United States. Set aside as a national day of rest and reflection, we associate it with pilgrims and turkeys. It is a day to celebrate harvest and abundance in our lives. It has, most recently become a day of over indulgence and unloving family arguments, a mockery of its meaning. In our hearts, we long for the Norman Rockwell picture of Thanksgiving. But that isn’t quite right, either. How do we break out of old behavioral patterns? How do we truly count our blessings? Do we make the proverbial count of blessings list? Where and how do you begin?

 I suggest taking time out of the day’s preparations to a walk around where you live and take stock of the blessing and wonders around you. Nature, of course, is a wonder unto its self, but have you looked with new eyes at the everyday and mundane? Consider the marvel of electricity and cable service, of how houses are constructed, that municipal services care for your water delivery and someone takes away the trash, that police and firefighters have been trained to keep you safe. Your list will expand in no time, and by the dinner hour your meal will truly have become a feast of celebration and thanksgiving.

“O Goddess of Abundance, open my eyes to see the blessings lovingly bestowed on me in my surroundings. How wonderful a world it is! My smallest joy is treasure. Accept my pleasure with thanksgiving.”

[This excerpt is copyrighted 2003 by AmethJera.All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission of the author.]