The sun-filled moon shines down
Through sleeping trees' branches
Their shadows lay gently across the snow.
Peace.
White moonlight shines also
Through the icicles up high
Cold electric light startles with brightness.
Life.
Cold and chill is the night
Moon shines over the fields
A calm spreads across the shadowed hills.
Rest.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Monday, 10 December 2007
Follow-up Ritual to the One Started at the BTW conference in DE
We just completed the ceremony that needed to be done within the 24 hours before 10:24 a.m. EST today. This started in November, at the Between the Worlds: A Magickal Congress, that was held in November in Wilmington, Delaware. At the Grand Ritual people of many faiths came together to perform a ritual that it is hoped will help everyone along a higher spiritual path; to grow both as individuals and to seek ways to help the earth, which is in great need of healing on many levels.
Because of the ice, the ceremony was indoors. If we'd had time to do it before the study group yesterday, we might have been able to do part of it outside, although we still wouldn't have been able to plant anything as the ground is rock hard (well, not without a pick axe...)
Our ceremony was fairly simple. We opened a grove in the livingroom, which as the most space and the most light from the most directions. We then asked for the presence and guidance of Andraste, Brigid and Cernunnos on my part, and Ceridwen, Cernunnos and Herne on L's part. This was my first time lighting my Brigid candle that I'd gotten at the conference. I'm thinking that I may light it briefly over the winter whenever I'm starting a weaving and/or weaving-related session. I want to make sure to save some of it for Candlemas.
Then we took the vials of many waters and seeds (symbolic seeds) from the grand ritual and poured them into a little hole I made in some soil in a little pot. It's potting soil, but it's what I have available in winter. I also added in water from the spring here, to join the our personal local efforts to the group/universal efforts being made. We have two sources of water here in the house, and luckily the spring runs all the way from up the hill to the house, and one of its entrances into the house is in the back attic, just outside the kitchen.
We placed three seeds from the Japanese Maple that grows in Holyoke, into the pot of soil. They are a part of our past, and hopefully a part of the future as well.
This modest part of our journey will stay in the livingroom for now. If the maple seeds sprout, they may get planted here on the farm, although not immediately, as they'll be fragile at first. And, we aren't sure yet how long we'll be at the farm... But in a few years they should be ready to try living outdoors year-round, and we'll be there to nurture them.
We asked for the blessings and guidance of our deities in pursuing our studies and spiritual growth, as well as the crafts that we'll be pursuing in more depth as part of the 2nd degree AODA curriculum, and pray that our work will help, along with other folks, in serving the earth and all who live here.
Then we closed the grove.
***
Presences were definitely strong this morning, and it was good to feel their support!
And speaking of studies, I re-discovered some of the weaving books yesterday while tidying up in the SW room, so I'm off to poke through some of them.
Because of the ice, the ceremony was indoors. If we'd had time to do it before the study group yesterday, we might have been able to do part of it outside, although we still wouldn't have been able to plant anything as the ground is rock hard (well, not without a pick axe...)
Our ceremony was fairly simple. We opened a grove in the livingroom, which as the most space and the most light from the most directions. We then asked for the presence and guidance of Andraste, Brigid and Cernunnos on my part, and Ceridwen, Cernunnos and Herne on L's part. This was my first time lighting my Brigid candle that I'd gotten at the conference. I'm thinking that I may light it briefly over the winter whenever I'm starting a weaving and/or weaving-related session. I want to make sure to save some of it for Candlemas.
Then we took the vials of many waters and seeds (symbolic seeds) from the grand ritual and poured them into a little hole I made in some soil in a little pot. It's potting soil, but it's what I have available in winter. I also added in water from the spring here, to join the our personal local efforts to the group/universal efforts being made. We have two sources of water here in the house, and luckily the spring runs all the way from up the hill to the house, and one of its entrances into the house is in the back attic, just outside the kitchen.
We placed three seeds from the Japanese Maple that grows in Holyoke, into the pot of soil. They are a part of our past, and hopefully a part of the future as well.
This modest part of our journey will stay in the livingroom for now. If the maple seeds sprout, they may get planted here on the farm, although not immediately, as they'll be fragile at first. And, we aren't sure yet how long we'll be at the farm... But in a few years they should be ready to try living outdoors year-round, and we'll be there to nurture them.
We asked for the blessings and guidance of our deities in pursuing our studies and spiritual growth, as well as the crafts that we'll be pursuing in more depth as part of the 2nd degree AODA curriculum, and pray that our work will help, along with other folks, in serving the earth and all who live here.
Then we closed the grove.
***
Presences were definitely strong this morning, and it was good to feel their support!
And speaking of studies, I re-discovered some of the weaving books yesterday while tidying up in the SW room, so I'm off to poke through some of them.
Friday, 7 December 2007
Listening and Healing
Well, it has been a rather busy autumn/beginning of winter! I've been posting at my lj for the past few months, and of course moving, unpacking, getting my shoulder operated on, and now am in the recovery phase. Ordered lots of books, which at least Carw Gwynt has been enjoying... I find my reading is still limited in duration. Most of my energy is directed toward healing, and writing up posts on the live journal. Well, that's okay -- that's my personal and educational journal, among other things. I find stuff or think of stuff that I want to share with others, to spread the knowledge. Sometimes I get to learn from others too, which is very cool. Journals are nice because people can take or leave whatever they like, and I'm good with that.
When I'm working on my PT, doing energy work, or just sitting looking out the window, at all times I appreciate where I am living. Snow, sun or rain, day or night, it's a wonderful place to be. In the winter, sleep covers the land at last, and the trees are at rest. You can feel the sleepy thoughts as you sit there, and even more when outdoors walking. It is not just the cold making me sleepy, but the slowed dream state of nature. And yet, there is still the work for spring happening, in small and nearly still ways; to sleep is not to do nothing.
Even as I write here, I am often distracted by the outdoors, by all that surrounds us here. So much to do, so much on my plate, but none of it can be done without the healing energy of rest. And so I pause to rest and listen to hear what lies beyond the walls of this house... it takes hours to put together nearly every post, but I've been pretty happy with most of them. And they're leading me toward another post I'll eventually put together, when I have the energy to do it.
I look forward to tomorrow, when it should be warm enough for me to be outside for a while without putting my healing at risk. I'm inclined to take a walk up the hill, above the double sugarhouse. I was seeking water last week and think I may have found a spot that's close to the surface, but I couldn't get to it then. Yes, still practicing for my spirals, just without much book reading right now. It's much the same with divination for me right now -- I read what I can, and I look out the windows, and listen. There is much to hear.
When I'm working on my PT, doing energy work, or just sitting looking out the window, at all times I appreciate where I am living. Snow, sun or rain, day or night, it's a wonderful place to be. In the winter, sleep covers the land at last, and the trees are at rest. You can feel the sleepy thoughts as you sit there, and even more when outdoors walking. It is not just the cold making me sleepy, but the slowed dream state of nature. And yet, there is still the work for spring happening, in small and nearly still ways; to sleep is not to do nothing.
Even as I write here, I am often distracted by the outdoors, by all that surrounds us here. So much to do, so much on my plate, but none of it can be done without the healing energy of rest. And so I pause to rest and listen to hear what lies beyond the walls of this house... it takes hours to put together nearly every post, but I've been pretty happy with most of them. And they're leading me toward another post I'll eventually put together, when I have the energy to do it.
I look forward to tomorrow, when it should be warm enough for me to be outside for a while without putting my healing at risk. I'm inclined to take a walk up the hill, above the double sugarhouse. I was seeking water last week and think I may have found a spot that's close to the surface, but I couldn't get to it then. Yes, still practicing for my spirals, just without much book reading right now. It's much the same with divination for me right now -- I read what I can, and I look out the windows, and listen. There is much to hear.
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