Two Strange Dreams and What Follows

First, my dream(s):

I had a number of odd dreams last night, one sort of leading to another. There was representing/defending a woman (who wasn't there) to a bank/financial institution that claimed she'd taken money that wasn't hers (testimony was given, although I had to push/strongly encourage the fellow who had the best evidence to provide, but didn't think they'd listen to him). There was going along in a building and discovering that by jumping up and doing a bit of a swimming motion with my arms, I could figure out how to stay up and fly around indoors - a new one for me. Eventually I didn't really need the arm motions, but flying indoors seems to require more precision and care - and there were more dangers in the room we were in than in a regular room, like the waterfall/dam toward one end of the room, which had a couple of nasty-looking metal gears/cogs at the far end of the top of the fall.

Then we (me and L and some other people) were in a room where we were told "The hallowed must eat the hallows on the sacred day." Um, what? We were thinking about things that would be sacred and one thing listed was vinca minor, which as far as I know isn't edible by people, and I woke up.

Thinking about it afterward (somehow the previous dreams led up to this point), I realized that "eat" didn't have to be to literally put something in one's mouth. You can take something into yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually. As for physically, one can take things in by sight, hearing, touching, and breathing.

The sentence really stuck with me though, so I decided to follow up on some things, to confirm my thoughts.

First, a note from Wikepedia:

Hallow: The noun is from the Old English adjective hálig, nominalized as se hálga "the holy man", seo hálge "the holy woman". The verb is from Old English hálgian, cognate to Old Saxon hêlagôn, Old High German heilagôn, Old Norse helga, all from a Proto-Germanic *hailag-, from a PIE stem *kail-o-, from the same root also found in English hail, health and whole. The adjective heil "fortunate" referred to a sort of beneficient capacity or "luck" received by the kings from the gods. Bede tells us that September was called Halegmonath, the month of sacred rites.

The Gothic for "holy" is either hailags or weihaba, weihs. "To hold as holy" or "to become holy" is weihnan, "to make holy, to sanctify" is weihan. Holiness or sanctification is weihia. Old English like Gothic had a second term of similar meaning, weoh "holy", with a substantive wih or wig , in Old High German wih or wihi (Middle High German wîhe, Modern German Weihe). The Nordendorf fibula has wigiþonar, interpreted as wigi-þonar "holy Donar" or "sacred to Donar". Old Norse ve means "temple". The weihs group is cognate to Latin victima, an animal dedicated to the gods and destined to be sacrificed.

The entry also goes into objects that were/are considered hallows/holy things, most of them inedible in the common meaning of the word - the six hallows of the Tuatha de Denaan, the four treasures of Ireland (the Spear of Lugh, the Stone of Fal, the Sword of Light of Nuada, and The Dagda's Cauldron). The treasures have also been equated with the elements (air, earth, fire, water), and have apparently gone on to become the foundation for the Tarot suits: baton/wand, coin, sword, and cup.

Second Dream:

If you combine this with elements of a dream that Carw Gwynt had last night, where a magician was doing a show and was looking for the card I'd picked from his deck, things get even more interesting -- CG and I had gotten separated and he was trying to find me. There were many sets of stairs but only one that didn't have some sort of paid entertainment at the top of it. Up he went, and got nearly to the top. There were some complications with the topmost staircase moving up and down - he ended up jumping down back into the courtyard below, where a slight man came up and handed him a card and told him "Special Delivery!" and CG had to get it to me right away. So off he went, back up the stairs. But the man said he wasn't going quickly enough, and grabbing him by the shins (so that CG was still upright), he ran up the stairs, counting in French. CG counted with him (un, deux, trois), and other people on other stairs joined in (quatre, cinq,!) as the two men passed them by. Time was of the essence. They got to the top, where the magician was trying to find the card, and then CG goes up to him and hands him the card, saying "Special Delivery!" The card is the Queen of Diamonds (playing decks are descended from the minor arcana of the Tarot -- diamonds are equated to coins.

Traditionally, my signifier is the High Priestess, but the card may be a message as to taking a particular action. I think it's sort of appropriate that CG was the one to bring the message, as his signifier is the Hermit -- the seeker.

Second, some info on Vinca Minor:

We have a bunch behind the garage. An excellent shady/part sun ground cover with a pretty blue/purple flower earlier in the summer. The leaves are evergreen. Also called, Periwinkle, Small Periwinkle, and in the US also sometimes called Myrtle or Creeping Myrtle (a confusion with myrtles, another type of plant). I learned the last name myself, and will have to discard that now.

In traditional medicine, the dried leaves, aerial parts, and in some cases the entire plant of Vinca, are used to enhance blood circulation, including that of the brain, enhance metabolism in the brain, and to treat cardiovascular disorders. Was used for headaches, vertigo, and poor memory. Modernly it isn't recommended for internal use because of the alkaloids in it, which can cause serious kidney and liver damage. I think having some as an element on the altar or as a wreath would be suitable however. Also, while that was the plant that really got my attention, there are of course other plants that are sacred in one way or another, some of which are edible, like hazelnuts (which can enhance magical power), and of course apples, which are more and more appropriate as we appropriate their harvest time.

Third, the Queen of Coins:

From one Web Site (aleph): Tranquil virtue is the noble quality of the Queen of Coins. She is neither living for the spectacular nor longing for risky adventures. Devotion and participation are her characteristics. As her emotions are balanced, she is strong in supporting others.

Get rid of oppressive thoughts and dreams about the impossible. Accept yourself and others in order to understand your immediate environment which is forming your life. Spread affection and harvest the fruits of this precious seed.

At another Web Site, it give other information that is supposed to be related to the card - The full moon in Capricorn - A woman of power. It says that this is a good card to meditate on when you need help getting your power back, that sometimes we give too much of our power away to others, letting them take credit for our work or not taking time to appreciate what we have contributed. When you take care of yourself first, you'll have plenty to give to others. That's something I've tried to remind some friends about from time to time, because if you exhaust/overextend yourself, you are of no use to yourself or your friends/family -- possibly when they _really_ need you.

Then goes on to say that in a reading the queen of coins is "a woman of wealth and poise who supports the arts and volunteers in her community. She loves being a mother and devotes much of her time to her family. She will go to great lengths to keep her family and its reputation safe. Her children are well educated and have the best of everything in life." Of course, one has to think carefully on what the "best" is -- that doesn't mean that they will get everything that they want. Spoiling people does neither you nor them any favors.

Fourth, the General Meaning of the Suit of Coins, according to bellaonline.com:

This suit represents the material aspects of our lives - our finances and possessions, accomplishments, manifestations, business, trade, land, home, our level of abundance. The Coins also represent our bodies, level of vitality, connection to the Earth and Nature, and our genetic heredity. Positive characteristics associated with this suit include our status in society, our personal values and our inner sense of self-worth. The Coins speak of our feelings of safety, our ability to relax and not fret or worry - to create, enjoy beauty and a zest for life. They also represent our strengths, talents, rewards for effort well-spent, and social/family support networks. Negative connotations include material loss, low self-esteem, pessimism, materialism, compromised values, stubbornness, inflexibility, and the practical concerns that make us worry.

Fifth - Sacred Days

Coming up, next full moon is August 28, then Alban Elued (autumnal equinox), then Samhain.

***
Final analysis?

Well, we do have a lot going on in our lives, and I think that these dreams are pointing to more than one thing at once.

On the practical side, we have a lot more packing/moving/renovating to do. In fact I'll be working more on that this afternoon (CG/L is working one of the projects even as I write this). We have to move as quickly as possible on the house projects, in order to sell the house this autumn. The house is in my name, btw, so I really am the Queen of Coins in that respect as well :)

On the spiritual side, I've been thinking more about asking about possibly receiving an exemption on the First Degree (is that what it's called? an exemption?) for AODA. Cyfnos Gwynt mentioned that even before CG and I joined AODA, and a few times since, but I thought it would be polite to learn more about the AODA and how things are done first. And of course real life has been a pretty exciting ride this summer! And I've been trying to put in words why exactly I should even try for the degrees, except as a part of sort of following the interesting curriculum (structure, what a concept!). In truth, I've been practicing most of the Sun, Moon, and Earth Paths for years, so it's mostly been picking up things from the Spirals that have been new-ish for me (been doing a lot of those things as well for many years, just didn't have the names for some of it - AODA has been good for me, in that way and others). So, why go for First Degree or any of the rest of it?

I could just say that intuitively it feels right. Also, the not-too-subtle messages I've gotten over time that I should do this. Or how about that I already live and breathe the druidic way of life, so perhaps I should officially acknowledge this fact by asking to be accepted in an organization for this honor and responsibility?

Time for some things is racing now; I've felt it for some time. Once I made the commitment to join an organization that aligned so well with how I look at and live life, I made the commitment to progress in learning whatever I needed to learn, in order to better serve our lovely and beleaguered Earth, and our community, be the members, plants, creatures, and the elements/powers of which these are composed. And although I know that this learning will continue all my life, there is a certain level of knowledge/experience/accomplishment that I need to attain fairly quickly.

Changes are sweeping our world, our nation, and our homes. In some places it is happening sooner than others. We will need a core of people who are willing to help/teach others many different skills, crafts, new/old ways of living, and more. My family has always served, and teaching, counseling, and learning have always been a part of that. It's an odd sort of thing in a way, because we do it despite the wish of every single one of us to live a quiet life.

So, I suppose I seek accreditation within the AODA in part because of the duty I see ahead of me. But, as the things I'm learning are mostly joyous things to do, and because I (mostly!) like learning new things, there are certainly plenty of personal rewards to go with that duty.

And too, it has been a joyous thing to share this passion for this way of life with others, and to make new friends as well. To share learning, feelings, and food with others, to with with others as well as alone, all these have been wonderful things to do, and I look forward to many more years of this.

A few thoughts

As some folks know, L and I will be moving to Ashfield in October (assuming all goes according to schedule). So we've been packing, moved some things into storage in the barn, rearranging things in the house. L's been painting, plastering, working on window frames, etc. I was able to help with some of the painting later in this past week, and no doubt will get to do more this coming week. We had some help from friends yesterday with washing, packing, carpentry, etc., which was greatly appreciated.

Today we'll choose a place for the new garden, find a spot for the shed to go, and start preparing the land for some of our plants from here in Holyoke. It's been kind of a surreal week, for me anyway. L and I made an extra trip with some of our belongings earlier in the week, and then I made another one by myself, with things light enough for me to be able to move alone (although my FIL W ended up kindly offering his help, which was much appreciated!).

I've been expecting something to happen this autumn for months now and yet, now that the time is here, it still doesn't seem quite real at times. We've lived in this house since the spring of 1996, and have made a good home here. The thought of living elsewhere had become like a dream in that time.

And while there is much to look forward to, I'm going to miss my friends here quite a bit. Not my human friends, who can come visit me or I them -- the sugar maple, the Japanese maple, and the apple trees. I worry about the latter three, hoping the new people will like them and care for them. It's out of my hands, of course -- they're too large to move, and they're used to being here now. But still I feel badly that I cannot guarantee to them that they'll be cared for and appreciated. I can only hope.

No time for weaving this past week, although L and I had both hoped to do so. We'll have to make the time this coming week, even if only for an hour. There is still so much to do, and the realtor is coming Monday morning for a little tour and meeting. After the meeting we'll have a better idea of what is the best order in which to do the things that need doing.

So, I suppose this is all the usual difficulties of moving. Chaos, hard work, joy and sorrow.

***
We went with Cyfnos Gwynt and crew to look at an 82-acre piece of land in Hawley yesterday. We only saw a small part of it, as we were unsuccessful in meeting up with the agent. There's a river on one bound, a bold and brassy fellow, who was beckoning us to adventure. If CG et al end up buying the land, I'll take him up on his offer.

There's a low meadow that looks like it gets flooded at least some years, from the highwater marks on the bridge just outside the property. Apparently there's another open space on a ridge at one end of the land. There's quite a lot of woods on the hill, and as Cyfnos Gwynt noted, there is a lot of wildlife there. Also, we both noted that there's definitely water sources in the hill; I expect it won't be hard to find a good spot for a well. Great potential for the prospective grove and sanctuary, if they're able to get the construction loan/mortgage.

The community is a tempting one for me; after all, it would be great to all live close to one another, work together, and more. And I do know that we will do some sorts of work together, over time. But this place we looked at is too far from Ashfield to live at for us, and too far even for visiting more than once a week, although I can see possible overnight visits if we had something going on there that took a few days. It's about 17 miles between the farm and Hawley.

There is the practical aspect that we're moving to Ashfield to help out at the family farm, but also I think we need to consider that we already have some connections in Ashfield (both people and the land itself), so our efforts are better spent building community there. Wherever the grove ends up being, we will support it of course. But perhaps it's better to have two places of learning, sanctuary, community. In the long run we may have a greater impact. In any case, I don't think we're meant to be in Hawley, at least not in the near future.

Then too, there is the fact that as we spend more time at the farm, that I can feel a familiarity that is from memories from before I ever worked there. And it doesn't hurt that I can visit with my sister the spring in South Pasture, even as I sit here at the PC in our house in Holyoke.

So, we'll bring what we can from our old life here to the new one at the farm. I'm hoping to collect some seeds from the Japanese maple, to try to start a child of hers. And we have one of the sugar maple's children already, in a pot waiting for the move.

Meantime, I guess it's time for me to get moving again, as we're taking another load up to the farm today.

Peace to all,
H