Beltane & Busyness

LOVE this photo. You can just see the little bud sprouting, plus you have what appears to be some sort of altar on the ground.

This weekend, many nature-lovers and pagans will celebrate Beltane, the half-way point between spring and summer. Looks like I'm going to be busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger, however. Lots to write, still more painting at the house, and need to visit my mom after she had a short hospital stay. I'm not even going to whip up my usual altar or ritual this time. Feels like I need something different, another way to mark the occasion.

Since Beltane is opposite Samhain (Halloween), many say this time of year is also when the veil between the worlds is thin. I've always felt that way at Samhain, so I'd like to find time to meditate on that this weekend. We'll see.

Hope you all have a chance to get outside and enjoy spring!

Beltane & Busyness

LOVE this photo. You can just see the little bud sprouting, plus you have what appears to be some sort of altar on the ground.

This weekend, many nature-lovers and pagans will celebrate Beltane, the half-way point between spring and summer. Looks like I'm going to be busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger, however. Lots to write, still more painting at the house, and need to visit my mom after she had a short hospital stay. I'm not even going to whip up my usual altar or ritual this time. Feels like I need something different, another way to mark the occasion.

Since Beltane is opposite Samhain (Halloween), many say this time of year is also when the veil between the worlds is thin. I've always felt that way at Samhain, so I'd like to find time to meditate on that this weekend. We'll see.

Hope you all have a chance to get outside and enjoy spring!

Azaleas Are Ablaze!

This is my first spring in Latham Grove--and it's beautiful! There are so many azaleas blooming in whites (my favorite), pinks, reds and rusty orange. And because the apartments in which I live are so old, the azaleas are a nice size, too.

Otherwise, life is good but quite busy. Thanks for stopping by--and if I've been negligent in visiting my favorite blogs, I apologize! I'll be back soon.

Azaleas Are Ablaze!

This is my first spring in Latham Grove--and it's beautiful! There are so many azaleas blooming in whites (my favorite), pinks, reds and rusty orange. And because the apartments in which I live are so old, the azaleas are a nice size, too.

Otherwise, life is good but quite busy. Thanks for stopping by--and if I've been negligent in visiting my favorite blogs, I apologize! I'll be back soon.

It's Spring in the Grove!

I've been snapping some pics lately of all the spring color here in Latham Grove. There's an entire row of these purple things growing along a fence. Looks like garden phlox to me, but regardless, it's a wonderful shade of purple!

It's Spring in the Grove!

I've been snapping some pics lately of all the spring color here in Latham Grove. There's an entire row of these purple things growing along a fence. Looks like garden phlox to me, but regardless, it's a wonderful shade of purple!

It's That Time of Year: The Shirts Are Coming Off!

Ah, spring! Saw my first shirtless jogger this morning while out walking in the Grove. 

The weather today is beautiful here--I love living in the South!

(pic from Just Beautiful Men)

It's That Time of Year: The Shirts Are Coming Off!

Ah, spring! Saw my first shirtless jogger this morning while out walking in the Grove. 

The weather today is beautiful here--I love living in the South!

(pic from Just Beautiful Men)

What's On the Altar?

So this past weekend was the spring equinox, and I set up what was actually my first-ever altar/ceremony for Alban Eiler. I like that term because it's Welsh for "light of spring," which is so much more evocative than the merely technical "equinox." And my dad's family is from somewhere in the British Isles, so it seems to fit me.

On past Alban Eilers, I've been out enjoying the warmer weather, which is certainly a good way to mark the occasion. But I love ritual, and having put several of these together, it's actually difficult to find something that I consider simple yet meaningful. Other rituals I've found online are quite lengthy or are too wrapped up in pseudo-Celtic trappings that it feels more like a stage performance than a spiritual act. (I'm thinking about putting together a book on these and other rituals, something that's very approachable.)

Anyhow, I built this ritual around the themes of renewal, balance and fertility. The daffodils, forsythia and easter eggs speak to fertility (and inside the eggs were pieces of a chocolate bunny and Peeps!). The silvery stick or wand I often use in winter rituals, so it was symbolically put away while bringing out the rattle wrapped in ivy (hand-made by yours truly). Then the sounds made by the rattle and conch horn were used to help "awaken the land," as all the plants and animals stir back to life (i.e., renewal). The yin-yang symbol speaks to balance, obviously, as does the black candle (night/dark) and white candle (day/light).

I also threw in some seasonal poetry and a little background music--oh, and there was wine, too! The tingsha chimes were used to ritually clear the space. Of course, you don't need these rituals to enjoy spring--but for me, it helps me maintain my awareness of how our world works, its countless wonders that are too often overlooked and my place in the grand scheme of being.

What's On the Altar?

So this past weekend was the spring equinox, and I set up what was actually my first-ever altar/ceremony for Alban Eiler. I like that term because it's Welsh for "light of spring," which is so much more evocative than the merely technical "equinox." And my dad's family is from somewhere in the British Isles, so it seems to fit me.

On past Alban Eilers, I've been out enjoying the warmer weather, which is certainly a good way to mark the occasion. But I love ritual, and having put several of these together, it's actually difficult to find something that I consider simple yet meaningful. Other rituals I've found online are quite lengthy or are too wrapped up in pseudo-Celtic trappings that it feels more like a stage performance than a spiritual act. (I'm thinking about putting together a book on these and other rituals, something that's very approachable.)

Anyhow, I built this ritual around the themes of renewal, balance and fertility. The daffodils, forsythia and easter eggs speak to fertility (and inside the eggs were pieces of a chocolate bunny and Peeps!). The silvery stick or wand I often use in winter rituals, so it was symbolically put away while bringing out the rattle wrapped in ivy (hand-made by yours truly). Then the sounds made by the rattle and conch horn were used to help "awaken the land," as all the plants and animals stir back to life (i.e., renewal). The yin-yang symbol speaks to balance, obviously, as does the black candle (night/dark) and white candle (day/light).

I also threw in some seasonal poetry and a little background music--oh, and there was wine, too! The tingsha chimes were used to ritually clear the space. Of course, you don't need these rituals to enjoy spring--but for me, it helps me maintain my awareness of how our world works, its countless wonders that are too often overlooked and my place in the grand scheme of being.

Welcome Spring!

I hope you've enjoyed these first few days of spring. Here, the weather was beautiful; a little overcast today, but almost 70 degrees--so beautiful nonetheless. The red bud trees have already popped a Eastery purple, clumps of yellow daffodils and pink/purple hyacinths have opened, and yellow forsythia will soon catch up. I placed a few sprigs of forsythia in this vase along with some daffodils from the yard, back at the old house. I used them in an equinox ceremony (more about that later).

Til then, I hope this brightens your day, along with a poem about spring that I found. It captures that brief moment when spring can still be chilly (like this morning, in fact), but you know the sun will soon warm up the earth and every living thing:

"Very Early Spring" by Katherine Mansifield

The field are snowbound no longer;

There are little blue lakes and flags of tenderest green.

The snow has been caught up into the sky--

So many white clouds--and the blue of the sky is cold.

Now the sun walks in the forest, 

He touches the bows and stems with his golden fingers; 

They shiver, and wake from slumber.

Over the barren branches he shakes his yellow curls.

Yet is the forest full of the sound of tears...

A wind dances over the fields.

Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter,

Yet the little blue lakes tremble

And the flags of tenderest green bend and shiver.

Welcome Spring!

I hope you've enjoyed these first few days of spring. Here, the weather was beautiful; a little overcast today, but almost 70 degrees--so beautiful nonetheless. The red bud trees have already popped a Eastery purple, clumps of yellow daffodils and pink/purple hyacinths have opened, and yellow forsythia will soon catch up. I placed a few sprigs of forsythia in this vase along with some daffodils from the yard, back at the old house. I used them in an equinox ceremony (more about that later).

Til then, I hope this brightens your day, along with a poem about spring that I found. It captures that brief moment when spring can still be chilly (like this morning, in fact), but you know the sun will soon warm up the earth and every living thing:

"Very Early Spring" by Katherine Mansifield

The field are snowbound no longer;

There are little blue lakes and flags of tenderest green.

The snow has been caught up into the sky--

So many white clouds--and the blue of the sky is cold.

Now the sun walks in the forest, 

He touches the bows and stems with his golden fingers; 

They shiver, and wake from slumber.

Over the barren branches he shakes his yellow curls.

Yet is the forest full of the sound of tears...

A wind dances over the fields.

Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter,

Yet the little blue lakes tremble

And the flags of tenderest green bend and shiver.

Look Ma--I'm Praying on TV!

Can't believe I hadn't posted about this yet, but with being sick and all, it somehow slipped through the cracks. So last night, yours truly delivered the invocation for a meeting of our esteemed local county commissioners! And I slipped in a little shamanic juju without anyone realizing it!

One of the administrators said she found my minister web site, therefore the invitation. Unlike some places around the country, we still open each county meeting with prayer (this is the Bible belt, after all). Now, there are some neighboring counties where this practice is under challenge, but locally, no such problems. Naturally, I worried about what to say. Do I shake my rattle and dance a jig around the podium while invoking nature spirits? Do I blow my conch horn and really freak everyone out? Will something I say set off the Christians on yet another "witch hunt?" And--most important--what do I wear?

As an interfaith minister, these aren't easy questions to answer. I knew I wanted some sort of reference to nature and I wanted some form of shamanic elements, too. After researching online, I found part of a prayer that I liked, and then I added my own touches. So instead of praying to Jesus, I invoked the "eternal and unseen spirit of the universe." I thought that was nonspecific enough while also expressing my own opinion that spirit does not take the form of a bearded man in the sky.

I also used the words "sacred circle" to hint at Native American and pagan influences. To honor the 4 directions, I talked about drawing a great circle around the county, mentioning real towns that roughly corresponded to east, south, west, north. The commissioners and visitors might not realize it, but they had just been included in a magickal circle--so let the positive energy flow!

Also, with the spring equinox only a few days away, I mentioned balance and harmony, and tied this into the business of the county. I added a few more nods to taxes, bonds and other such glamour; after all, it's a county meeting, which is what the prayer is supposed to focus on.

What did I wear? Well, my teacher likes to say that one way shamans can "shape shift" is by understanding which mask to wear in which situation. In other words, a kilt and face paint may not be appropriate at the county courthouse! So I decided to rock the suit and bow tie. See, I think that if you sneak up on people with some of this alternative spiritual stuff because you present a more familiar image, then they're likely to get your message. And besides, it was on TV! Only the local cable access channel, but hey--who knows who was watching and may have been touched by something I said. Sure, the fundies may have been puzzled by the lack of "Jesus" every 5 words, but my hope is that my focus on what unites us rather than what divides us got past all that.

Oh yeah, and I included a nod to "Battlestar Galactica," too! Wonder if any one caught that? "So say we all!"

Look Ma--I'm Praying on TV!

Can't believe I hadn't posted about this yet, but with being sick and all, it somehow slipped through the cracks. So last night, yours truly delivered the invocation for a meeting of our esteemed local county commissioners! And I slipped in a little shamanic juju without anyone realizing it!

One of the administrators said she found my minister web site, therefore the invitation. Unlike some places around the country, we still open each county meeting with prayer (this is the Bible belt, after all). Now, there are some neighboring counties where this practice is under challenge, but locally, no such problems. Naturally, I worried about what to say. Do I shake my rattle and dance a jig around the podium while invoking nature spirits? Do I blow my conch horn and really freak everyone out? Will something I say set off the Christians on yet another "witch hunt?" And--most important--what do I wear?

As an interfaith minister, these aren't easy questions to answer. I knew I wanted some sort of reference to nature and I wanted some form of shamanic elements, too. After researching online, I found part of a prayer that I liked, and then I added my own touches. So instead of praying to Jesus, I invoked the "eternal and unseen spirit of the universe." I thought that was nonspecific enough while also expressing my own opinion that spirit does not take the form of a bearded man in the sky.

I also used the words "sacred circle" to hint at Native American and pagan influences. To honor the 4 directions, I talked about drawing a great circle around the county, mentioning real towns that roughly corresponded to east, south, west, north. The commissioners and visitors might not realize it, but they had just been included in a magickal circle--so let the positive energy flow!

Also, with the spring equinox only a few days away, I mentioned balance and harmony, and tied this into the business of the county. I added a few more nods to taxes, bonds and other such glamour; after all, it's a county meeting, which is what the prayer is supposed to focus on.

What did I wear? Well, my teacher likes to say that one way shamans can "shape shift" is by understanding which mask to wear in which situation. In other words, a kilt and face paint may not be appropriate at the county courthouse! So I decided to rock the suit and bow tie. See, I think that if you sneak up on people with some of this alternative spiritual stuff because you present a more familiar image, then they're likely to get your message. And besides, it was on TV! Only the local cable access channel, but hey--who knows who was watching and may have been touched by something I said. Sure, the fundies may have been puzzled by the lack of "Jesus" every 5 words, but my hope is that my focus on what unites us rather than what divides us got past all that.

Oh yeah, and I included a nod to "Battlestar Galactica," too! Wonder if any one caught that? "So say we all!"

Looking Toward Spring: Imbolc 2010

Took this pic of the icicles out my window over the weekend. We got around 8 inches of snow, which is quite a lot for the area. And these icicles grew even longer as the temps varied, turning into long, pointy ice daggers by end of day.

Had my 2010 Imbolc celebration yesterday, here at the midpoint between winter and spring. Much to my surprise, my partner joined in (he really is trying to salvage our relationship, which makes my ol' Grinchy heart grow a size larger). I was also surprised that, earlier in the day, he got to work cleaning the house! That-never-happens. Well, what a perfect transition into Imbolc, a time when some symbolically purified their homes by doing an early spring cleaning.

So my partner and I gathered 'round the dining room table, where I set up my altar (pictured below). After clearing the space and lighting the candles, I handed out 2 seeds/nuts (I think they're hazelnuts--not sure. It was all we had, and my partner had collected them ages ago. Hmmm, maybe he's a closet shaman and doesn't know it yet...). Another Imbolc tradition is to have a feast to celebrate the pending return of nature's abundance, so we chowed down for lunch--which included cheese; dairy products have a connection to Imbolc because it's supposedly near the time when lambs begin nursing.

Also on the altar is my white "power wand" to symbolize St. Brighid, a holly twig to symbolize spring (everything else was under 8 inches of snow!) and some books of poetry, since Brighid was Christianized into the patroness of poets. After we finished eating, we each read a poem, then held the seeds as we talked about what we hoped would grow in 2010. I mentioned my spiritual practice as well as more physical exercise. And my partner said he would keep doing whatever was necessary to keep our relationship intact.

It was a beautiful, wintry weekend, very reflective, which is 1 reason I enjoy this time of year. As to the relationship status, I'm pondering all this over. Much to sort out still, so stay tuned.

 Blessings!

Looking Toward Spring: Imbolc 2010

Took this pic of the icicles out my window over the weekend. We got around 8 inches of snow, which is quite a lot for the area. And these icicles grew even longer as the temps varied, turning into long, pointy ice daggers by end of day.

Had my 2010 Imbolc celebration yesterday, here at the midpoint between winter and spring. Much to my surprise, my partner joined in (he really is trying to salvage our relationship, which makes my ol' Grinchy heart grow a size larger). I was also surprised that, earlier in the day, he got to work cleaning the house! That-never-happens. Well, what a perfect transition into Imbolc, a time when some symbolically purified their homes by doing an early spring cleaning.

So my partner and I gathered 'round the dining room table, where I set up my altar (pictured below). After clearing the space and lighting the candles, I handed out 2 seeds/nuts (I think they're hazelnuts--not sure. It was all we had, and my partner had collected them ages ago. Hmmm, maybe he's a closet shaman and doesn't know it yet...). Another Imbolc tradition is to have a feast to celebrate the pending return of nature's abundance, so we chowed down for lunch--which included cheese; dairy products have a connection to Imbolc because it's supposedly near the time when lambs begin nursing.

Also on the altar is my white "power wand" to symbolize St. Brighid, a holly twig to symbolize spring (everything else was under 8 inches of snow!) and some books of poetry, since Brighid was Christianized into the patroness of poets. After we finished eating, we each read a poem, then held the seeds as we talked about what we hoped would grow in 2010. I mentioned my spiritual practice as well as more physical exercise. And my partner said he would keep doing whatever was necessary to keep our relationship intact.

It was a beautiful, wintry weekend, very reflective, which is 1 reason I enjoy this time of year. As to the relationship status, I'm pondering all this over. Much to sort out still, so stay tuned.

 Blessings!

Mystery Flower in the Grove!

I first saw this last year and still can't identify what it is. These grow in clumps all over the Grove, just inches off the ground. The white flowers are difficult to see because they bloom up under the leaves, which are arranged like little green umbrellas.

Guess I'll figure out what it is one day...

Mystery Flower in the Grove!

I first saw this last year and still can't identify what it is. These grow in clumps all over the Grove, just inches off the ground. The white flowers are difficult to see because they bloom up under the leaves, which are arranged like little green umbrellas.

Guess I'll figure out what it is one day...

April Is the Gayest Month of the Year!

These pink dogwoods in my yard are simply beautiful. Look how pink!

Look around you at everything else blooming: bold pinks, bright yellows and sassy purples. April is a bit over the top, no? Does it have to be so flashy? Does it have to always queen out?

Oh, but we all love April. We'll wink and nod and keep its secret. But we all know it's the gayest month of the year! P.S.: that is not me in drag.

April Is the Gayest Month of the Year!

These pink dogwoods in my yard are simply beautiful. Look how pink!

Look around you at everything else blooming: bold pinks, bright yellows and sassy purples. April is a bit over the top, no? Does it have to be so flashy? Does it have to always queen out?

Oh, but we all love April. We'll wink and nod and keep its secret. But we all know it's the gayest month of the year! P.S.: that is not me in drag.