The Wheel of the Year--Celebrating The Eight Seasons

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Cerredwen	The Wheel of the Year--Celebrating The Eight Seasons	Lead	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (09/15/05 01:55 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : pagan, paganism, witch, witchcraft, wicca, magick, ritual, spells, rite, druid, druidism, celtic, old ways, info, lore, sabbat, wheel of the year, lammas, mabon, crafts and activities, samhain, crafts, activities, spring, ostara, summer, fall, winter, yule, meditations, imbolc, candlemas, beltane, may day, litha, equinox, solstice Pairs of complementary virtues fall on opposite Sabbats. By Estara T'shirai A great deal of information lies within the eight "virtues" of the Goddess. It is also possible to plot the virtues around the Wheel of the Year. By this system, the pairs of complementary virtues fall on opposite Sabbats, and the "goddess virtues," those that we might consider more feminine, fall between Samhain and Beltane, while the "god virtues," those we might consider more masculine, fall between Beltane and Samhain. Just as the Wheel of the Year balances light and dark, growth and rest, so the virtues extolled in the Charge of the Goddess balance each other. All of them can be taken to excess or left undeveloped; the diligent practitioner seeks to cultivate them in a harmonious way. Yule: Compassion Imbolc: Humility Ostara: Beauty Beltane: Mirth Midsummer: Power Lammas: Honor Mabon: Strength Samhain: Reverence May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 05/08/09 06:01 PM. Edited 1 time.
Cerredwen	Seasonal Altar Adornments and Foods	#1	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (06/08/05 02:12 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Samhain Decorate Altar with apples, pomegranates, pumpkins, squashes and other late autumn fruits. Autumn flowers like marigolds and mums. Appropriate Foods include beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes. Yule Decorate Altar with evergreens (pin, rosemary, bay, juniper, and cedar) and Dried leaves. Appropriate Foods include nuts, apples, pears, cakes of caraway's soaks in cider, pork. Serve Wassail, hibiscus, or ginger tea to drink. Imbolc Decorate Altar with White flower (representing snowflake), or snow in crystal container. Orange candle anointed with musk, cinnamon, frankincense, or rosemary oil. Appropriate Foods include all dairy foods. Sour cream dishes. spicy, full-bodied foods in honor of the Sun. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, or chives. Spiced wines and dishes containing raisins - all foods symbolic of the Sun - are traditional. Ostara Decorate Altar with Flowers, buds, and blossoms; cauldron filled with spring water. Appropriate Foods include seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds) pine nuts. Sprouts; leafy, green vegetables. Flower dishes such as stuffed nasturtiums or carnation cupcakes. Fake carnation cupcakes: make spice cupcakes. Frost with pink frosting and place a fresh carnation petal on top of each cupcake. Stuffed Nasturtium blossoms: stuff the blossoms with a mixture of cream cheese, chopped nuts, chives, and watercress. Beltane Decorate Altar area with a small, potted tree inside the Circle. Make flower garland, string of beads, or small bags filled with flowers to hang from the tree in honor of the marriage of god and goddess. Appropriate Foods include dairy and dishes such as marigold custard and vanilla ice cream. Oatmeal cakes. Litha Decorate Altar with an herbal petition packet made up of herbs such as lavender, chamomile, St. John's wort, vervain, or any other Midsummer herbs. All troubles, problems, and woe should be pored into this herb pouch, and then tied with a red string; to be thrown into the fire during the rite. Appropriate Foods include fresh fruits Lughnasadh Decorate Altar with sheaves of wheat, barley or oats, fruit and breads, perhaps a loaf fashioned in the figure of the Sun or a man to represent the God. Corn dollies, symbolic of the Goddess, can be present as well. Appropriate Foods include bread, blackberries and all berries, acorns (leached of their poisons first), crab apples, all grains and locally ripe produce. A cake is sometimes baked, and cider is used in place of wine. Mabon Decorate Altar with acorns, oak sprigs, pine and cypress cones, ears of corn, wheat stalks and other fruits and nuts. Basket with dried leaves of various colors and kinds. Appropriate Foods include the second harvest's gleanings: grains, fruit, and vegetables (especially corn). Cornbread is traditional, as are beans and baked squash. Witchaven.com May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Cerredwen	THE SPIRIT OF THE CORN	#2	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (09/13/05 12:25 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Many cultures that maintain a direct link with the land, and rely on the production of food crops, have a rich mythology surrounding the cycle of the seasons. When we look at the traditions of the communities who still practice the old seasonal festivals, we begin to be aware that, as we have moved away from this personal link with the land, we have lost something quite precious in personal and community terms. One of the main things we have lost is stories - those myths and tales which speak gently and with wisdom to the deeper part of our being, beyond logical thinking They inspire us to create pageants, celebrations, feasts, ceremonies, and dancing, activity that fills the place of TV, with its sterile stories of 'real' life feeding us with false adrenaline and sense of companionship. In the celebrations of the earth cycles each individual within the community could find a place for their particular gifts, whether that be cooking, dancing, making costume, or teaching words to the young people -the traditional parts would often be passed down in families. All ages, also had their part to play; the young people could watch, have fun and learn through the stories the deeper levels of meaning within the myths, the underlying parallels with their own life-cycle, of conception, growing, maturing and death. In this simple way these major events are accepted as being as natural, and inevitable as the seasons themselves and a part of the larger Creation. DEMETER AND KORE European traditions were greatly influenced by the culture of the Ancient Greeks, whose earth-mother, or corn-mother goddess was called Demeter. Legend tells how Demeter's daughter Kore, the Maiden, (sometimes called Persephone) was outside playing one day, picking flowers, when Pluto, the God of the Underworld found her and carried her off to his realm to be his queen. Her mother, Demeter, wandered desolately searching for her, disguised as an old woman. Eventually she came to Eleusis, near Athens, and lived humbly there for a year, in sorrowful brooding. During this time the crops shriveled and men and animals died. Zeus intervened and ordered Pluto to release Kore, and Demeter was united joyfully with her daughter. But in the underworld Kore had eaten of the sacred pomegranate, which bound her to return to the underworld for a third of each year. Now, like the seed corn, she spends part of each year underground, and part above the surface. Within this myth we see marking of the seasons, and the promise of life after death, spring after winter. EGYPTIAN INUNDATION In the creation mythology of ancient Egypt, the Goddess Isis represented the land, waiting for the fertilizing overflow of the Nile, personified by her consort, Osiris. Seth, Osiris' brother, (representing the power of drought), murdered and dismembered Osiris. Isis, sorrowing, found and re-assembled all the body parts of her beloved Osiris, except for the phallus, substituting one of gold. Osiris found new life as Lord of the D Dead, and was resurrected in the birth of his new son, Horus. Osiris was also the corn. Effigies of corn were buried in tombs, and in tomb paintings, we see corn springing from Osiris' corpse. One in****ion at Philae says: "This is the form of him whom one may not name, Osiris of the Mysteries, who springs from the returning waters." So here is a myth that is linked to the specific patterns of drought and fertility in the land, and promises that life will follow death, as fertility follows drought. Osiris 'beds' were also put into tombs using the cycle of germination as a symbol of resurrection. These consisted of a wooden tray, made in the form of Osiris, filled with earth and sown with corn. They were fitted with a perforated cover through which the seed could sprout. So important was the association with the harvest, that part of the Pharaoh's regalia of office was the flail, the jointed rods that were used to separate the corn at threshing. ~HerbalWitchCraft May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~*~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:46 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	THE EVER WIDENING CIRCLE By Mike Nichols	#3	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (09/25/05 07:41 AM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	A New Pattern Glimpsed in the Holidays INTRODUCTION Have you ever held a kaleidoscope up to the light, turning it this way and that, for the sheer pleasure of the beauty it bringswhen suddenly, to your startled delight, the pieces fall into place, and you see a pattern that youve never seen before, one that makes sense? I do that with the wheel of the year. This particular kaleidoscope has long been my favorite toy. Again and again, I return to the wheel of the year, not only for the shifting beauty of nature as seen through its moving prism, but because nothing else grounds our existence on this planet so completely, and nothing else can equal the comfort of its never-ceasing lessons of renewal. Yet every now and then, as I hold the wheel up for inspection, gently turning it, a pattern will suddenly show itself, one that I fancy has gone unnoticed until now. This happened once before with my seasonal interpretation of the death of Llew. And now it appears it has happened once again. This discovery may not be as flashy as my reinterpretation of the fourth branch of The Mabinogi, but it has a subtle charm all its own. Also, whereas my former essay tended to appeal mostly to specialists in Celtic mythology, this one is equally accessible to the generalist. It is based on a succession of folk customs connected with each of the holidays on the waxing side of the year. And while I lack specific analogous folk practices from the waning side of the year, I believe at least one other folk belief about the calendar will shed enough light to bring the Circle to a close. With one exception, all these folk customs were mentioned in my previous essays on the Pagan holidays, and have been sitting there patiently waiting for me to notice their pattern for over fifteen years! Consequently, it seems easiest to quote the significant passages from those earlier articles, following each with a comment on why it helps create the pattern. In this way, we can see how the Circle is born, how is expands, and how it reaches its final limit. YULE Ultimately, of course, the holiday is rooted deeply in the cycle of the year. It is the winter solstice that is being celebrated, seedtime of the year, the longest night and shortest day. It is the birthday of the new Sun King, the Son of Godby whatever name you choose to call him. On this darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives birth. And it makes perfect poetic sense that on the longest night of the winter, the dark night of our souls, there springs the new spark of hope, the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World, the Coel Coeth. At the winter solstice, the Circle is not yet a Circle; it is a Point. Specifically, it is the point at which spiritual energy manifests itself into the physical world. It is the divine spark, the sacred seed, the single cell, the incarnation, the universe in a mustard seed. In some ways, the Point is more inclusive than the Circle, since the Circle always implies a boundary, and a separation of that which is outside from that which is inside. The Point, however, can symbolize the All. At the winter solstice, we bless and purify this tiny dust-mote of Being, this birth of the Circle, which is also All That Is. The Circle is a Point. CANDLEMAS Catholics will be reminded that the following day, St. Blaises Day, is remembered for using the newly blessed candles to bless the throats of parishioners, keeping them from colds, flu, sore throats, etc. This blessing of the throats is, by extension, a cleansing and purifying of the physical body. The Circle of protection has expanded to include this vehicle of the spirit that first manifested itself at the winter solstice. Interestingly, an old Pagan tradition is that the spirit or soul does not complete the process of entering the body until a person reaches puberty, at which point it is finally locked in (which may explain why young children always seem a bit elfin, with one foot still in the Otherworld). And Candlemas, or Imbolc, has long been associated with initiations into the Craft, which traditionally cannot take place until puberty. Even the position of Candlemas on the wheel of the year, at the northeast, is the point of the Circle at which a gate is cut to admit a new initiate, whose body is then blessed and anointed. This blessing is a warding, a shielding, a seining of protection for ones physical body, to keep it safe from all danger and disease. So at Candlemas, we bless and purify the physical body, the temple of the spirit. The Circle widens to include your body. LADY DAY This is the one folk custom in this series that I forgot to include in my original essay on Lady Day. Fortunately, it is also the best known, so it needs little elaboration. It may be that its overfamiliarity was precisely why I missed it. But everyone knows that the vernal equinox is synonymous with spring-cleaning! It is time to throw open your windows and doors and air out your musty house (with the warmer weather at last inviting it!), letting in the fresh and cleansing breezes of springtime. It is a time for digging into deep drawers and closets, and banishing those items that are broken or unneeded, taking them to the trash or to the Goodwilland thus beyond the warded boundary of the Circle of your home. It is time to clean and dust, and scrub and polish, and put a new coat of paint on things that are faded, cracked, and peeling. Just as the heart is the spiritual center of the body, so the hearth is the spiritual center of the home. Even though spring is a time for moving away from hearth and home, it is nonetheless the perfect time to cleanse and honor it. The home is the temple of your immediate family, and the hearth is its most important shrine, at one time the source of both warmth and food (cooking). So at Lady Day, we bless and purify hearth and home, the shelter for your family. The Circle widens to include your home. BELTANE Other May Day customs include: walking the circuit of one's property ('beating the bounds'), repairing fences and boundary markers.... On May Day, we extend our cleansing and purification rites from the home to the entire estate, to the very boundaries of ones property. An old folk saying is that good fences make good neighbors, and it is certainly a time to mend fences with neighbors, both literally and metaphorically. You work cooperatively with them to rediscover the shared boundaries of your property, which could range from wayside markers to standing stones, to a sacred stream or hill or some other feature of the natural landscape. In medieval times, the property on which you lived might be the estate of a great nobleman or lord, and would include all the buildings of the castle, the outbuildings, the vassals cottages, the servants quarters, the stables, the kennels, the mews, etc. And by extension, the Circle of blessing would also expand to include ones extended household, the clan or tribe: distant relatives, in-laws, vassals, servants, farmhands, and even pets and livestock. (Another related Beltane custom involves a blessing of livestock: driving the cattle between two sacred fires.) Ones social Circle now widens to include members of the tribe who are not close relatives, often enjoying their company while going a-Maying in the woods on the eve of May Day. So at Beltane, we bless and purify the extended homestead or estate, the dwelling place of your extended household or clan. The Circle widens to include your property. MIDSUMMER In England, it was the ancient custom on St. Johns Eve to light large bonfires after sundown, which served the double purpose of providing light to the revelers and warding off evil spirits. This was known as setting the watch. People often jumped through the fires for good luck. In addition to these fires, the streets were lined with lanterns, and people carried cressets (pivoted lanterns atop poles) as they wandered from one bonfire to another. These wandering, garland-bedecked bands were called a marching watch. Often they were attended by morris dancers, and traditional players dressed as a unicorn, a dragon, and six hobbyhorse riders. Just as May Day was a time to renew the boundary of ones own property, so Midsummers Eve was a time to ward the boundary of the city. So the Circle widens yet again, this time to accommodate the entire city or municipality. In more rural areas, this would include the entire township, shire, or parish. The Circle has grown large enough to cast its spell of protection over the entire community, taking in all the property and estates of its members. Thus, at Midsummer, we bless and purify the township, the parish, or the municipality, the locale of your entire community. The Circle widens to include your community. CONCLUSION Does the Circle keep on widening indefinitely? As I see it, there are at least three possibilities: that the Circle continues to expand, that it has reached stasis, or that it begins to collapse back in upon itself. Certain folk customs in the waning half of the year, such as bringing in the harvest and winterizing the home, seem to support the latter. However, I hesitate to use these customs in my argument for a couple of reasons. They are not specifically tied to a single holiday, and they do not achieve even parity with the customs on the waxing side of the year in terms of incremental steps. Still, my hunch is to favor this model. So I will support it with two indirect arguments instead, one from modern social theorists, and the other from considering an old folk belief about the timing of weddings. Many sociologists have pointed out that the city, township, or municipality is about the largest unit of social structure to which people will naturally give their loyalty. We perhaps see this demonstrated most clearly in the amount of support shown to the home team. Although people will pledge their allegiance to larger units, such as the state or the nation, it is a somewhat more artificial process, and it is typically bounded on all sides by laws and structures to keep that loyalty in place. It does not have the same intimacy of feeling that resides in the phrase, This is my hometown. Therefore, I posit that our Circle of blessing and purification grows no larger than its diameter at Midsummer. Further, it is my belief that the Circle begins to collapse back inward after the summer solstice. One old folk belief about marriage (although much ignored today!) was that weddings should always be held in the waning half of the year, because that is a time when days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer, the wind is getting colder, and we are naturally drawn back indoors, to the warmth of the hearth and safety of the home, protected from the approach of winters chill. Conversely, it was considered highly unlucky for a bride and groom to take their vows in the waxing half of the year, when days are lengthening and warming, and our natural instinct is to move away from the family-oriented life of hearth and home, and to ramble and roam through a wider community. The month of May was especially perilous for weddings. So my model is that of a Circle that begins as a single Point at Yule, and expands until it reaches its widest girth at Midsummer, encompassing the entire local community. But from that point onward, it begins to shrink again, in the same increments as before, but reversed, until it once again dwindles to the seedpoint of Midwinter. Thus, the Circle of blessing and purification expands and contracts on a yearly basis, mirroring the spiritual heartbeat of our lives, our planet, and our solar system. It may now be guessed that the true and proper title for this article should be The Ever-Pulsing Circle. May it forever protect you within its Circle and strengthen you with its pulse. Most Recent Text Revision: Thursday, May 5, 2005 c.e. Text editing courtesy of Acorn Guild Press. Document Copyright 2001, 2005 by Mike Nichols. HTML coding by: Mike Nichols 2001, 2005 Permission is given to re-publish this document only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others. This notice represents an exception to the copyright notice found in the Acorn Guild Press edition of The Witches' Sabbats and applies only to the text as given above. Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Mike Nichols at mikenichols@sprintmail.com. Last Edited By: Cerredwen 05/08/09 06:13 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	October Begins!!	#4	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/02/05 12:23 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Following the pattern started in September, October gets its name from "octo," meaning eight, as it is the eighth month on the old calendar system. Throughout the month, festivals for the dead increase with the waning light, and late harvest festivals continue. The latter often include propitiation to ensure that the Goddess's abundance will keep people whole through the harsh barren times. Magical efforts accentuated by October's characteristics include clearing away old, unnecessary things or habits so that our mind, body, and spirit are prepared for winter. Any spells for memory, especially commemorating loved ones, are apt. Beyond this, metaphysical efforts for health, luck, and debt paying seem common, ensuring that winter, the season for rest and death, will come and go the with the least negative effect. Author Unknown October Magick By Raven Grimassi October is the month of shadows; the time when the veil between the worlds thins; when the doorway to and from the Otherworld opens and the past merges with the present. There are two themes in Witchcraft commonly associated with October. The first is the return of the dead. The second theme is that of the labyrinth - the journey between the worlds. The symbol of the spiral is linked to each of these themes. The word labyrinth is derived from the Greek word labyrinths and the Latin word labyrinths. As a maze-like structure, the labyrinth symbolizes the path of initiation and enlightenment, and is associated with the journey of the Sun through the seasons. The Sun's withering light and heat in winter, and its return to full strength in the spring, link it to themes of reincarnation. The labyrinth is associated with the Great Mother goddess as a symbol of penetrating the mysteries concealed in her womb. Traditionally, the structure of the labyrinth is presided over by a woman, and a man traverses the pathways. At the center of the maze stands the lord of the labyrinth who is also known as the judge of the dead. Here lie the mysteries of descent into the Underworld, the return of the soul to the Great Goddess, and its rebirth through the womb gate to the world of the Sun. The complex evolution of the spiral design associated with the labyrinth is likewise a sign of passage, a symbol of transformation. Spirals appear in ancient Neolithic tomb art from southern to northern Europe. In Neolithic times the spiral was a symbol of death and trance, the inner journey to the center of one's being. The Spiral Dance In some Witchcraft traditions there is a ceremonial dance known as the Spiral Dance. A number of people join together to form a spiral in this special dance. As the dance commences everyone is lead counterclockwise into an inward spiral. This is symbolic of the journey of the soul into the Underworld where the dark aspect of the Great Goddess awaits. Once encountered, the Goddess is seen in her light aspect in which she renews life. The dancers then expand outward in a clockwise spiral. The outward spiral is symbolic of the return to life from the Underworld. The meeting between the Underworld and the realm of the living is central to October - the month of the shadows - in the practices and beliefs of modern Wicca and Witchcraft. In Celtic Wicca this is the time of Samhain, and in Italian Witchcraft is called Shadowfest. Both cultural rituals focus on reunion with those who have gone before. The journey is not only related to those who cross back into the world of the living, but also allows us to reach through to the Otherworld and embrace the ancestral current. Food offerings were given to honor the dead through a feast of remembrance. Beans (particularly fava beans) were time-honored offerings to the dead. Honoring the Ancestors In Neolithic times the common dwelling had no doors, only a hole in the roof. A ladder allowed passage to and from the structure. In primitive belief both the living and the dead entered and exited the dwelling through the hole in the roof. From this evolved the chimney and the hearth connection to ancestor reverence. Shrines were often placed over the hearth, and later stockings were hung there for their symbolic link to weaving. Weaving is the domain of the fates, who themselves are associated with life and death. To place a stocking on the hearth is to invoke the ancestral spirit. In Italy stockings are hung for Befana, who is the gift-giver Witch figure in Italian lore. She fills the stockings with fruit, nuts, and gifts for the children. This is an exchange of offerings, a covenant between the ancestral spirit (Befana) and the new generation (the children). In Tuscan lore Befana is one of the three fates along with Rododesa and Maratega. In the occult tradition of Italy, Befana is the personification of the ancestral spirit, just as the Lare, Clan spirits, once represented this concept in ancient Roman religion. The belief that one's ancestors live on as spirits is rooted in the Neolithic cult of the dead. Ancestral shrines were often oriented to the east or west quarter, the region in which the Sun and moon rise from the Underworld and set again, returning each day in an endless cycle. Offerings were placed there in order to maintain peace between the living and the dead. In modern times sending flowers to the family of the departed has replaced the ancient act of laying offerings. The traditional meal held at the wake now serves as the offering of food to the dead. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 08:51 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Re: October Begins!!	#5	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/03/05 07:57 AM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	SCARECROW MAGIC By Lynne Stutevant, copyright 2000 They have been known by many different names through the centuries. Scarebirds, Jacks-of-Straw. Tattybogles. Watchers of the Corn Sprouts. Terrifiers. Although we call them scarecrows, these eerie human effigies frighten more than the birds. Countless legends describe scarecrows who come to life under the Full Moon or serve as hosts for dangerous, disembodies spirits. Though friendly, clown like scarecrows dominate today, the jack-of-straw's traditional, more sinister nature lurks just beneath his tattered cloak. Scarecrows are as ancient as agriculture, and many different types developed around the world. The Zuni and Navajo hung dead crows from poles in their corn fields. They hoped the sight of rotting carcasses would serve a warning to other birds. The ancient Greeks placed wooden statues of the ugly god Priapus in their vineyards, and the Germans took Witch figures to the fields in early spring. After the Witches drew the evil forces of winter from the ground, they remained as scarecrows until the fall harvest. During the years of the Black Death, British farmers began making "modern" scarecrows by stuffing old clothes with straw. The Pennsylvania Dutch erected scarecrows in pairs. A male figure, called the bootzaman or bogeyman, stood at one end of the field. The bootzafraw or bogeywife stood at the other. The two worked together and kept each other company. This custom may be the source of the folk belief that scarecrows travel in groups. As soon as one is placed in a field, others are sure to follow, mysteriously springing up overnight. Japanese farmers invited the god of agriculture to leave his home in the mountains each spring and enter their scarecrows, called kakashi. The kakashi could see everything, and the birds who landed on them whispered secrets to the god. When the autumn harvest was completed, the kakashi were taken down and stacked in a pile. The farmers prepared rice cakes to thank the god for his service and to provide food for his long journey back to the mountains. After the rice cakes were placed around the kakashi, the pile was set ablaze and the god was released. The ceremony was known as "The Ascent of the Scarecrow." Even in this day of farming as big business, the scarecrow still performs his ancient duties. Agricultural supply companies sell inflatable scarecrows with moving arms and legs. A glow-in-the-dark version is even available. But why not honor the ancient traditions and make your own frightening tattybogle? The goal is to create a figure that suggests a human being. The simpler the form, the more menacing its appearance will be. Before you begin construction, decide where you will put your scarecrow. If he is going to be outdoors for an extended period, he will get wet. Keep that in mind as you select your materials. 1. Construct a wooden cross to serve as the scarecrow's skeleton. If you don't have appropriate pieces of wood, tomato stakes, broomsticks, or mop handles will work. Nail or attach the horizontal piece about one-third of the way down from the top of the vertical pole. The horizontal will be the scarecrow's arms. The vertical will be his spine. Stick the vertical pole into the ground or anchor it in a flower pot or bucket filled with dirt and rocks. 2. The scarecrow's head can be made from a variety of items: a pumpkin, bucket, milk jug, stuffed pillow case, old mop or broom top, plastic jack-o'-lantern. Mount the head on the vertical pole, then cover the neck with a scarf. Add a hat or clothe your scarecrow in a hooded sweatshirt. Attach ivy, hay, weeds or leaves for hair. It's not necessary to add facial features, but if you do, make them large and simple--just eyes or leering mouth with a red rag dangling like a flapping tongue. 3. Finish dressing your creation. To use pants and shirt, the pole can be one leg while the other pant leg hangs free. Bales of hay for stuffing are available in the fall at nurseries, garden shops, craft stores, and farmers' markets. You can also drape an old sheet, bedspread, or blanket over the form and tie a rope around the scarecrow's waist. Fray the hem or tear into strips so the tatters will fly in the wind. 4. Add a the scarecrow's hands. Old gloves are traditional, but twigs that resemble skeleton fingers also work. You can suspend tinfoil pie pans from the ends of the horizontal pole or give your scarecrow a walking stick. As they flutter, the movement and reflection will frighten the birds and other animals that invade the garden at night. Situate your scarecrow comfortably in the garden, then give him a small offering: a flower, some kernels of corn, a handful of seeds, or a green tomato. Don't neglect him. Check on him from time to time, especially after storms. When the growing season ends, be sure to thank him for his hard work. You can store your scarecrow and bring him out again in the spring. But if you believe the old legends, that won't be necessary. Scarecrows despise the cold. As soon as the first frost touches the fields, they will vanish on their own. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Cerredwen	The Timing Of The Sabbats	#6	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/06/05 12:33 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Maria Kay Simms Copyright 2000-2002 Deciding the optimum time for rituals of Winter Solstice ( Yule ), Spring Equinox ( Ostara ), Summer Solstice ( Midsummer or Litha ) and Autumn Equinox ( Mabon ) is an easy prospect, because virtually all calendars, as well as the radio and TV announcers, will tell you exactly when these common seasonal beginnings occur. These seasonal holidays begin as the Sun enters the zero degree of each of the cardinal signs of the tropical (western) zodiac: 0 Capricorn for Yule, 0 Aries for Spring Equinox, 0 Cancer for Summer Solstice, 0 Libra for Autumn Equinox. For the Greater Sabbats, however, the decision is not so clear-cut. If we make an even-spoked Wheel of the Year, these four Sabbats are at the exact midpoints of the equinoxes and solstices. They have been called "cross-quarters." According to the late and great astrological philosopher Dane Rudhyar, the cross-quarters are points of greatest momentum and release of power, which is in keeping with the Wiccan tradition of calling them "Greater Sabbats," as differentiated from the "Lesser Sabbats" that are more commonly known to the mundane public as the beginnings of our seasons. It is interesting that if one truly watches the turn of the seasons, one realizes that it is the cross-quarters that are the true onset (beginning) of the seasons. At Imbolc or Candlemas, the lengthening of the days becomes evident and the first signs of spring appear-increasingly changeable weather lending some spring-like days, the tiny sprouts of crocus through the snow. By Ostara, spring is in full swing. At Beltane, we feel the onset of summer-flowers are blooming everywhere. The so-called beginning of Summer, is called Midsummer in folk tradition! In the heat of August, at Lammas, we begin to see signs of approaching Autumn, while at Mabon the signs of fall are everywhere around us, and the air has turned brisk and cool. At Samhain, the leaves are gone, the earth turns brown and the onset of winter is clearly evident, while at Yule, though the TV announcer might say "first day of winter," we in the north are likely to be looking out at a world of white snow. Unfortunately, over the passage of time, the celebration of the cross-quarter holidays, along with much of the folk tradition that accompanied them, faded from mainstream society. The clear cut astronomical markers of the equinoxes and solstices changed with calendar changes, while the cross-quarters were forgotten. For this reason, many of those of the Craft, who still celebrate the Greater Sabbats, continue to use the old traditional dates from long ago, even though from an astronomical/astrological standpoint, they are no longer accurate. This is not necessarily wrong-any tradition that is constantly repeated over time gains power, regardless of its astrological or astronomical correspondence. But, for those who are concerned about the maximum points of energy in the dance between Earth and Sun, "the points of greatest momentum and release of power" are the true cross-quarters. These are found when the Sun enters the 15th degree of each of the fixed signs of the western zodiac: Aquarius for Imbolc, Taurus for Beltane, Leo for Lammas, Scorpio for Samhain. In present time, these days usually occur a few days after the old traditional dates for celebrating the Greater Sabbats. Following, then, is a list of the usual dates for the Sabbats, given both in ancient tradition, and according to zodiacal markers. Understand that even the equinoxes and solstices may vary by a day from one year to the next, because they are determined not by calendar date, but by Sun at the 0 degree of a cardinal point. Likewise, the Sun at 15 degrees of fixed signs may give or take a day on successive years. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Cerredwen	Re: October Begins!!	#7	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/09/05 03:16 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The Blood Moon Fiona Blackwolf October brings the third of the harvest moons. At this time of year in agricultural communities of old, this was the time when they would cull the herds of animals that were too old, too young or too sick to make it through the winter. For this reason it became known as the blood harvest. The meat from these animals would be used for meals and some would be salted or preserved in whatever way possible to make it last. As the last of the harvest moons, this is the time to finish preparing for winter not only by stocking up and de-cluttering your area, but also for letting go of the past and inner cleansing. Letting go of old habits and thought processes can be a difficult process. We may even mourn for the things we are leaving behind. But we do this knowing that we prepare ourselves for the coming "new year" that we celebrate at Samhain. Other names for this moon include the Moon of the Changing Seasons and the Falling Leaf Moon Celebrate by sharing in the final harvest foods. Prepare rich roasts and stews or bake squashes and pumpkins. Apples are also in season and the sweet fruits can be made into wonderful pies and cobblers to share with your loved ones. If you want to share in the tradition of preserving food for the winter, try making some applesauce or apple butters. A great idea for this moon's cakes and ale would be apple cinnamon bread and spiced cider! Spiced cider is easy to make and smells wonderful. Here is a simple recipe: 1 container of apple cider 1-2 slices of lemon or orange 2-3 cinnamon sticks 10 - 15 cloves 5-6 cardamom pods Cheesecloth Pour the cider into a large saucepan or crock pot. Tie all of the seasonings and lemon slices into the cheesecloth and put the bundle into the pan. Heat on a low setting until the cider is warmed through and the seasonings have had a chance to permeate the cider, at least 30 minutes or until it is spiced to taste. Do not let it boil. Enjoy! Altar decorations to honor this moon could be fall leaves, and fall flowers like mums in colors of gold, orange and deep reds. Herbs for this time of year include sage, thyme and roots like burdock. Earthy stones such as black tourmaline can also assist in the process of transforming and inner cleansing. This energy will continue throughout the month as we approach Samhain. Take the time to really reflect on what you need to let go of in your life. Many Blessings to you all! May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Cerredwen	The Four Seasons--Info...Rites & Spells	#8	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/26/05 01:02 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By James Kambos When the hills of my valley blaze with autumn color, I know it's time to ready my woodstove for the winter season. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it's a good idea to perform a blessing ritual as you light the season's first fire, especially if you perform fire magic. Ready the wood and ignite the fire using the flame of a white or orange candle as you recite this blessing: "Ancient fire, burn safely and bright, favor me with warmth and light. Creator of the magical Jinn, welcome to my hearth again. Outside nature dies, and the world grows dark, warm me forever with your spark." As a purifying offering, sprinkle a bit of salt on the flames. Sit by the fire and meditate or divine by the flames. Most of all enjoy the season's first fire. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 09/03/08 10:42 AM. Edited 3 times.
Cerredwen	Celebrating The Eight Seasons	#9	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (11/10/05 03:58 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Kim Rogers-Gallagher Copyright 1998 It's inarguable that modern life affords us with many wonderful conveniences the ancients never had, like electricity, telephones, and heating. With the planet Uranus, the computer genius, now in Aquarius, there's a lot more to come. Unfortunately, although these advances in communication and technology have pulled us closer together intellectually, they've drawn us farther away from our spiritual selves, and we've lost a great deal of the connection the ancients had with our mother, the Earth. One of the most important traditions we've lost is the concept of the eight seasons. Yes, eight. Ancient peoples realized that the earth was alive, and therefore in a constant state of change. They knew that those changes occurred far more often then four times a year, and that, in fact, the Earth made a transition that was quite noticeable about eight times a year, or every forty-five days. It makes sense, too, if you think about it. Take summer, for example. The Sun is at its brightest and hottest in the Northern Hemisphere during this season, but the Earth doesn't stay the same for all ninety days. Summer has a beginning, a peak, and a waning. So although the beginning of each of the four seasons--the Equinoxes and Solstices--were times of celebrations, the peaks of these three-month periods were, too. In short, the ancients renewed their relationship with our Earth Mother every forty-five days. No matter how technologically advanced we become, we're still guests on this planet--and the least we can do to thank the Earth for her hospitality is to honor her on each of her eight seasons. There are all kinds of books that outline the beliefs and customs of the wise folks who came centuries before us. Two of the best I've found are "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner," by the late, great Scott Cunningham, and "The Wheel of the Year" by Pauline & Dan Campanelli. For those of you who can't wait to get started on your path toward bonding with the Earth, here's a nutshell listing of each season, its meaning, and some simple celebrations to help you begin. March 20 Ostara/Spring Equinox This is one of the seasons that reminds us that we're mammals like our animal brothers and sisters. We share the joy of the Earth in spring as we tilt back our heads, sniff the air, and notice that everything smells new. We feel the life force stirring beneath our feet. In ancient times, this day when light and darkness were equal was called Eostar or Ostara. This season of rebirth was the predecessor of the Christian holy day Easter, which children now celebrate by decorating eggs. Back then, these eggs were eaten to promote prosperity and fertility. Celebrate spring by venturing out for a walk and saying good morning to the Earth as she awakens from her long winter nap. Decorate your home with fresh spring flowers, and shake off the winter blues. Daylight is overtaking darkness, and life is returning. May 1 Beltane/May Day Spring is at her peak now. That good green smell is everywhere. Waterfalls burst over familiar paths, and the Earth is wet and fertile. Flowers of every color fill the meadows, and the promise of new life made to us at Ostara is fulfilled. Just as the passions of the Earth Mother are obvious now, so too are our own. Traditionally, this was the time of year when the ancients danced and wove ribbons around the Maypole, made love in the cornfields, and leaped the bonfires. Do homage to the Earth at this time by sipping a cup of wine or spreading out a blanket and enjoying a picnic beneath a special tree with a lover. Creating a May bowl is another way to connect with the season. Fill a bowl with fruits and wine, and float white flowers and green leaves on top. Rejoice in the warmth of spring at her fullest. June 20 Midsummer/Litha/Summer Solstice The first day of summer is also the longest day of light in the Northern Hemisphere. The breeze is balmy and pleasant, and flowers are in full bloom. The ancients celebrated Midsummer because the fruits (literally) of their hard work were now obvious in their gardens and fields, and even in the fruit-laden trees. They also considered this the most potent time of year to work magic of any kind, and the best month to be married. Decorate your home with roses and other summer flowers. Gather herbs and look for feathers on the ground to weave into magical charms and talismans. The Earth Mother welcomes us outdoors to share her wonders in warmth and comfort. Celebrate summer by walking barefoot whenever you can. August 1 Lammas/Lughnassad As summer peaked, it was time for the ancients to take in their first harvests. This was a time of both joy and sadness, for although the light was waning and the growing season was winding down, the cupboards were full of the products of their hard labor. Corn dollies that symbolized the goddess of grain were created by weaving wheat stalks, and corn breads in the shape of the god of grain were baked in honor of his sacrifice. Celebrate this time of first harvest by baking corn bread, visiting wineries, and sprouting seeds to symbolize the resurrection of the Corn King. Decorate with sheafs of wheat and grain, and spend the warmest of evenings on a porch swing. September 20 Mabon/Fall Equinox Once again, day and night are in perfect balance. The ancients thought of this month's Full Moon as the Wine Moon (now our Harvest Moon), and they celebrated accordingly. The second harvest was taken in, and it was time to take stock of how well they had prepared for the coming winter. In European countries, fruits for wine are still harvested at this time. Celebrate this time of balance and preparation by taking stock of yourself. What can you harvest now? Which of your labors has yielded fruit? What's unfinished that must still be done? Gather seeds of knowledge by taking classes. Hang Indian corn on your door, decorate with gourds, pumpkins, and cornstalks, and gather dried plants and roots for medicines. October 31 Samhain/Halloween As autumn peaks and the Earth Mother draws in her resources to prepare for the coming cold of winter, we think fondly of those living creatures, both human and animal, who have left us over the year. In many ways, the harvest is over, and it's time to accept what's gone. Samhain, or Halloween, was a time to celebrate those passages--even the passage of the living to the Underworld. One of the most charming traditions involved burying an apple at the foot of your favorite tree at midnight as food for the dead on their journey to the Underworld, and leaving a candle lit in the window to guide them along their way. This is also a time of recognition, and as such, it is thought that if you look into a mirror by candlelight at midnight, you'll see the face of your true love. The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest now, as any good magic book will tell you, so it's a wonderful time to use your predictive tools (tarot cards, pendulums, runes, or crystal balls) to see the future. Celebrate the season by filling a clay pot with autumn flowers. Drink warm cider, and gather in foodstuffs for the winter. Yule Yule/Winter Solstice On the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, the Sun God symbolically begins his journey back to the light. It's a time of silence and rest for all of us--another season when we realize how much like the animals we really are. We turn in earlier and seem to have less energy during the dark evenings as the Earth Mother rests, gathering her strength for the coming spring. Celebrate this season by decorating with holly, mistletoe, and evergreen boughs. If you celebrate Christmas, buy a "living tree," or Norfolk Island Pine to keep the spirit of the season alive all year in your tree, rather than destroying one needlessly. Burn wood from a felled oak in your fireplace--the roots, if you can find them. Decorate a Yule log (also of oak) with greens and a red bow or ribbon--a symbol of the Sun God who is symbolically born at this time. Kiss someone you love under the mistletoe (an old Druid custom). February 2 Imbolc/Candlemas Even as winter peaks, the days grow gradually longer, and it seems that spring may come after all. In warmer climates, bulbs begin to peep up through the warming earth. This is the feast of the waxing light, as the Sun God grows and strengthens. It is called Candlemas (and corresponds with our modern Groundhog Day) because the ancients traditionally lit candles just after sunset throughout their homes, sometimes in the shape of a star, to welcome the Son of the Goddess--the Star Child. It is a time of inspiration to prepare for spring. Celebrate by creating a Corn Bride from grain or corn. Dress her in a white dress, and set her in her bride's bed--a basket. Imbolc also means first milk, and was named as such to celebrate the return of milk to the homes of those who kept animals. Have a cup of warm milk or a glass of spring water during the evenings, light white candles and invite the Earth Mother to wake gradually and peacefully from her slumber. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Cerredwen	Your Own Celebrations of Winter	#10	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (12/19/05 04:27 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Author Unknown Can you feel the chill in your bones? In the coldest, darkest of times, perhaps that's when we enjoy warmth the most. Winter's Chill From Autumn's gentle cool, we turn to the extreme of Winter. Winter sorts out those things which are strong enough to survive the harsh cruel times, to sow their seeds again in Spring. After the new birth of Spring, the growth of Summer, and the fruition of Autumn -- Winter brings a cold dark sleep to the busy Earth. Likewise, our own lives `chill out' a bit during Winter, as we put away our Summer toys. We turn inward; we renew our love affair with hearth and home. In Winter, we need to make our own warmth and light, rather than merely find it in the Summer sun. We proactively create warmth in our home. Blankets and boots, sweaters and scarves, heaters and hot cocoa, these are the magical tools of Winter, with which we evoke the warmth that we crave. Whether you use a wood-burning fire place, or modern-day furnace, you invite the powers of fire to enter your home. To make an analogy, for food we can hunt and gather what is already available, or we can farm -- and actually create the food that we eat. Likewise, in Winter, we create the `fires' we need to survive, warmth that otherwise would not be there. Creating something is one of the most magical events we ever do. How do you create fire and warmth? How do you relate to the warmth-making tools you use, year over year? Celebrate the people, places and things which keep you warm when you need it most. See them as a magical part of your life, and honor them for the gifts that they give. Say a few special words each time you light your flame, set your thermostat, or prepare your warm wooly clothes. In Winter, the outdoors looks much different than it did just a few weeks ago. The trees stand naked. They let us see their true shape, expose the gentle curves of their branches, unclothed by leafy green. Look at your favorite trees now. See them right down to the bone. As each individual tree becomes leafless, the entire forest opens itself up to be seen. In the lush green of Summer, leafy trees are so full that they hide what stands behind them. They let us see only a few feet ahead of us to what is on the surface. But in Winter, we can see much further, much deeper into the forest than any time of year. What do you notice now that otherwise was hidden? See your favorite places in a new way, in a way that only Winter can show you. Winter's apparent lifelessness takes away so much foliage, that we focus on those few plants left. Perhaps it is no accident that we associate Evergreens with this season. Even in the darkest of times, what parts of you always seem to hang in there, no matter how rough life gets? What within you manages to cope with your bleakest moments, pulling you through till brighter days appear? Perhaps we all have a spark within us that is truly ever green! Winter Treats I always marveled at how nature gives us a great big refrigerator, at the same time our special holiday foods roll around. Growing up, I remember my Mother used our chilly garage to store left-over turkeys, big pans of lasagna, soups, pies and other holidays treats -- perfect timing to keep those treats from spoiling. Likewise, citrus crops brought in from warmer places, peak in the Winter months. Mother Nature gives us a healthy dose of Vitamin C, just when we need it most! Winter also brings the warmth of chestnuts, which hold magic like no other season can offer. Chestnuts are the seeds of a tree, coming straight from the Earth, in their own natural wrapper, unprocessed and unadulterated. Once roasted, they tickle your nostrils, (burn your fingertips) and let you take a tasty bite out of Winter! What holiday treats do you find only during the cold months of December, January and February? Don't limit your treats to just food. On February's Valentines Day, the roses are red and the violets are blue! Do you have a special someone, an old love or new? See your Beloved as a unique form of the God or Goddess within your own life. Worship them; thank them for their many gifts. Then snuggle close, and warm a Winter night. Solstice Cycles In the northern hemisphere, we celebrate the dawn of Winter near December 21. This is the darkest day, but marks the point where daylight begins to grow again until reaching its peak on the Summer Solstice. Solstice days remind us that the annual cycle waxes and wanes, just like any other cycle. If you attach special meanings to the moon's waxing and waning, what long-term magic might you find in the months between the solstices? What things in your life do you want to grow, like the daylight increases, just a smidgen each day over the next six months? What things do you wish to rid yourself of, just as the darkness fades away? Imagine Summer is like the peak of noon, and Winter is like the dark of night. What similarities do you find between all the different cycles you encounter? Day to week, week to month, month to year, the cycles in nature show us how things which may seem unrelated are actually all linked together, woven into an interrelated tapestry -- of which you (yes, you!) are a part. Perhaps the lessons of Winter might benefit us in other parts of life. Stock up on what you need, because it won't always be readily available. Stay close to what warms you. (And always wear your protective `mittens' when you go out to play!) Winter's Magic What special forms of magic might work best during Winter? Try using the things that are unique to the season, like pine cones or holly, or even snow and ice! Snow and ice are special forms of water, and very close kin to Winter. Whether you gather a bit of the first gentle snowfall, or chop off a chunk of a raging blizzard, try storing a piece of Winter in your freezer for the water you use during rituals. Add a bit of it to the special collection of waters you may already have from the rain, sea, and rivers. If you enjoy crystal gems, try scrying into a crystalline piece of ice, naturally formed by the energy of the season. Why not use Winter's chill to create something magical out of ice? Find a suitable container, fill it with liquid and forge an icy shape by letting it set outside on a cold Winter night. What aspects of your life might you want to cool down, or maybe strengthen and solidify into something more tangible? What obstacles do you want to just melt away, out of your life and into thin air? A tool formed of ice can be the most versatile tool you could ever ask for, whether it's a special magical charm, or just a home made fruit-juice popsicle! As children, we bring Winter to life via the Snow Man `poppets' we make in our yard. If you skate, Winter lets you literally walk on water. The magic you make with ice and snow is limited only by your imagination! Sometimes even the most mundane Winter activities can be very magical. Winterizing your car or salting an icy walk can be spells of protection. If you exchange gifts over the holidays, bless those gifts, empowering them with something magical in addition to their physical form. Shopping, wrapping and giving: is this any different from raising and focusing energy to cause magic? Feel the energy within your gift be released in a sudden magical "whoosh" when someone special peels off the wrapper. New Year's Eve We mark time by celebrating not only each new year, but the passing of the old year. How we celebrate this ritual often describes who we are, and which chapter we are living within our own personal life's story. Look back over your journal, even if it's only the memories in your head. How did you ring in last New Year? Two, five, ten years ago? Who were you with? How have your priorities changed over time? What resolutions did you make, and how have those resolutions changed you? See how you progress within your own cycle, whether waxing or waning into what you are today. January is named after the Roman God Janus, who looks both ahead toward the future, and behind to the past. He is the `doorway' which unites past, present and future. How fitting for the New Year! Look back to where you have been, and build upon what strengths you have earned. Then dream on seeing what you desire for the coming year. Resolve to make those dreams come true, whether something simple or a major life change! For something special this New Year's Eve, chill your bottle of champagne by placing it outdoors in the cold. Toast both the old and new year, and drink in a bit of Winter's magic! The Four Seasons Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter all join to form a wheel that keeps on spinning, year after year. Each year, look for new ways to see the sacred and magical side to each season, as part of your everyday life. Go to your favorite place, at least once during each season and notice how it changes. Look for similarities in the changes in nature, and the changes within your own life as you move from season to season, from phase to phase. Create your own celebrations of the seasons, finding them everywhere you look! May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:42 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Spring's Arrival	#11	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (04/17/06 09:16 AM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Author Unknown The hills are covered with soft grass. Dew is a sweet blanket there each dawn. Once there was a lovely man with eyes like water, clear and sweet. We met by accident. He loved me well. The hills are covered with the softest grass. How softly the dew lies there each dawn! Once there was a lovely man with eyes like clear sweet water. We met by accident. Oh, he gave me joy. ~Chinese Book of Songs Spring's arrival brigs us back to life in many ways. Our animal bodies respond to the season's change; after the withdrawal of winter, we begin to open up again, to each other, to the world. It is the season of eggs and bunnies, both symbols of lusty energies and the urge for reproduction. To hold oneself open to the delights that springtime offers means opening as well to risk. There is no way to know, at the beginning of a project or a relationship, how it will end. And not knowing the future can be a great gift, permitting us to live in the glorious present. With spring's arrival comes again the message from the goddess to live wholly and totally, to give ourselves up to the risk of being open to whatever experiences she offers. Offer thanks to the Goddess for her gifts, and accept them wholeheartedly. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 08:59 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Summer is Dimishing	#12	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (08/18/06 07:47 AM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Patricia Monaghan ~ From "The Goddess Companion Night, driven away, yields her place to Dawn. Here she comes, the white one, with her shining calf. One, then the other: the other; always they move, one after the other, two sisters on the same path. They never meet, nor stand to talk to together, but they are similar, though seeming different. ~Indian Rig Veda The light is diminishing, although in most places almost imperceptibility. Since the year's longest day, the summer solstice, many weeks have passed; the point of balance, the equinox, is coming soon. At the height of summer, a memory of winter intrudes. Why think of it now? Why not just languish in the heat and the brightness, pretending that nothing will ever change it. But life is nothing but changes. Even as we enjoy the sultry weather of late summer, the clock ticks toward the next season. Awareness of time's passage need not interfere with our appreciation of the moment at hand. In fact, the more aware we are of how temporary each pleasure, each sensation, is, the more we will take time to truly drink it in. Iced tea on a summer's night, the blink of fireflies against dark leaves, the fragrance of late flowers and ripening fruit - all sensuous delights of summer are coming to a close. Day's sister night is gathering her forces. Enjoy the day as it passes. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:02 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Harvest and Fall	#13	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (08/30/06 12:57 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Patricia Monaghan, From "The Goddess Companion" Where she walks, The wheat springs up. Where she turns, The wheat grows thick, Where her foot touches, The wheat is ready. Where she lifts her horn, The wheat is harvested. ~Russian Harvest Chant Nothing that sustains comes all at once. Like the wheat from which our daily bread is made, sustaining and interests grow gradually, over months and years and decades. Enthusiasm for the new is exciting, but real richness is found in what you have nurtured and what has nurtured you. Harvest also reminds us that discrimination is necessary, that we should not cling to chaff. This is a good time to eliminate what is no longer necessary. Fall is as good a time for spring cleaning as spring is. Sorting through possessions, commitments, relationships, and keeping only what truly sustains us is a task that repays the effort many fold. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:01 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Autumn is upon us--a Time for Cleaning and Clearing Out	#14	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (09/26/06 12:23 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The rituals of Demeter and the terrifying nights of the goddess Hecate are among the mysteries I have experienced. ~Roman Priestess Sabina, Writing Her Life As the year declines into the darker season, it is easy to feel resistance at the inevitable cycle that brings us back into bleak coldness.(Those in hot climates may feel this resistance when the milder winter ends and scorching summer begins.) In our lives, too, we may resist change, clinging to outmoded behaviors and relationships even after we recognize that we would be better off without them. The season of fall is a good time for clearing out and cleaning out. As the seasonal clothing comes forth from its summer storage, give away what is no longer appropriate. Make that an emblem of the deeper cleaning you will do: of giving up habits and attitudes that no longer fit, that show no potential for growth into the next seasonal cycle - when something is no longer useful to your soul's purpose - you will quickly find yourself happy at the change. By Patricia Monaghan, From "The Goddess Companion" May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:04 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	The Cycle From Fall To Winter	#15	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (10/03/06 01:48 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Patricia Monaghan - From "The Goddess Companion" She walks through the world. Anat walks over the mountains, searching for her brother, until she comes to the fields where he should have been. There she finds him gone. She runs from the place in grief. She strips off her clothing and cuts her cheek, her arms, her chest, her face, her back, she cuts herself and cries: Ba'al is dead, my brother is dead. ~Ugaritic Sacred Texts Our world slowly declines into winter, light seeping away with each day. In myth, the seasonal cycle is expressed in powerful stories of loss and anguish. A divinity - the vegetation of spring and summer - is lost. Another divinity - mother or sister or spouse - searches hopelessly, mourns, and finally finds a way to restore the lost love. This is the story of Demeter and Persephone, of Isis and Osiris. It is the story of Anat, the warrior goddess and brother-lover Ba'al. Each fall, the myths express our primal fear that this time, the loss will be irreparable; this time, winter will come and never depart; this time, our green relations will die and never be reborn. In the seasonal myths, however, we are reassured. Ba'al dies; we must mourn that death; but someday, in springtime, earth's green force will be renewed. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:03 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	AFTER THE HOLIDAYS	#16	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (12/31/06 04:49 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Dorothy Morrison, From "Yule," copyright 2000 Many people dread the end of the winter holidays. It's not for the reasons you might think, though. They dread it because everything related to the celebratory period--decorations, ornaments, stockings, and so on--must be taken down, packed up, and put away. It's tiring, time-consuming work. Couple that with a shortage of storage space, and the problem snowballs into something else entirely--a royal pain. For this reason, I've included some timesaving tips and ideas to help solve your storage problems and give you a head start for next year's festivities. Give them a shot. You'll be kicking back with a hot mug of apple cider long before your neighbors have even figured out a game plan! Remove artificial snow spray from windows with an ice scraper, then wipe away any residue with rubbing alcohol and newspaper. Use clear plastic tubs with snap-on lids to store artificial trees, ornaments, light strings, and decorations. They not only stack well, but next year, you'll be able to see what's inside before you dig through it. Wind tinsel garlands and light strands around old gift wrap tubes, and secure the ends with tape. This keeps lights from getting tangled, but the help goes further than that: next year, just remove the tape from the plug end, then try it in the outlet before you unwind it. You'll be able to easily identify which bulbs need replacements. Don't toss cranberry, popcorn, or seed garlands. Hang them outside for the birds instead. (Fences and tree branches are good bets.) After the birds have had their feast, cut the threads into small lengths (six to eight inches) and scatter them on the ground. The birds will use them for nest-building materials when spring comes. Don't throw away used foil icicles. Instead, gather them into bundles and secure them with twist-ties, then store them in plastic zippered bags. you can transform them into doorknob tassels or twist them into napkin rings for next year's holiday. Use Styrofoam peanuts, old newspaper, and leftover gift tissue to wrap glass ornaments or other breakables when packing them away for storage. Protect and preserve children's paper holiday art pieces by spraying them liberally with clear art spray or shellac. Wrap paper ornaments in acid paper before storing them. This protects them from becoming yellowed and brittle. Gather the envelopes from the holiday cards you received and put them in alphabetical order. Secure the bundle with a rubber band, toss it in a zippered bag, and pack away with paper decorations. Next year, you'll have a handy list when it's time to send holiday cards. Put name tags from the gifts you received in an envelope and pack them away, too. When you make up next year's gift list, you'll be sure no one is forgotten. Once everything is put away, grab some paper and a pen. Jot down new ideas that you tried this year. Make notations of what worked for you, what didn't, and what you might like to try next year. Then sort through your holiday photos. Pick out the really good ones and put them in a scrapbook. Place the list in the scrapbook, along with any comments you may have about this year's festivities. Add related anecdotes and stories, swatches of exceptionally pretty gift wrap and ribbon, or any other meaningful items. Sign your name and date it when you're finished. Put the book in a safe place and add to it each year. It's the best way I know to pass on personal holiday traditions and memories to future generations. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~*~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:08 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Winter Pick-Me-Up Spell	#17	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (01/18/07 03:53 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Cerridwen Iris Shea On a dreary winter day, take an orange-colored candle and dress it with carnation oil. Carnation oil is good for courage and energy. Orange is a good color for stamina. Light the candle, and give yourself some quiet time. Watch the flame. Inhale the scent of the oil. As you feel your energy return, ideas will flow. Listen to the ideas, and let the energy of the candle and the scent carry you to your next task. If you can, as you continue your day keep the candle with you until it burns completely. Breaking Winter Doldrums Spell By Ruby Lavender January is rough. It's cold and dark, and winter doldrums can set in. This is just the right time for a spell of creativity enhancement. Everyone is creative. Some can sing and dance, others have a green thumb or a way with animals. Some are wordsmiths or good cooks; others are good at magic. Begin by drawing a symbolic picture of yourself with some images representing the talents you'd like to develop. Draw yourself writing in your journal, or taking photos, or working in your garden. Next, create a small altar in a place that you see every day. Place the drawing on your altar with some other items symbolizing the talents you wish to enhance. Be creative with thisuse a packet of seeds, a paintbrush, or a favorite CD as symbols. Wednesday is Mercury's day, of new beginnings and creativity. Light a yellow candle, visualizing yourself doing what you love. Each day take some time, even if only a few minutes, to practice your talent. Place offerings on the altarflowers, fruit, wine, stonesthat further symbolize your resolve to nurture your burgeoning talents. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:07 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	A Ceremony For Mid February	#18	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (02/21/07 05:28 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Valerie Worth, from The Crones Book of Charms and Spells At the time when one is most weary of winters cold and emptiness, then shall this ceremony be directed toward the fertile promises of Earth and the warmth hidden in her patient flesh. For she sleeps only and her awakening has been assured by the fires of December and by the newly arisen light of January. At the Vernal Equinox will she truly turn to new conception. Yet even now in this spare-seeming month, her substance is complete, her wealth immense and by proper invocation there may be a softening in her stony frosts. Call forth then the strength of her darkened seeds and behold her no longer barren but only bared, soon to be summoned by the sun of spring. The Altar for this ceremony should be spread with a length of brown velvet. Six candles, coloured as the six colours of the spectrum, shall be set in a row, according to the spectrums order, along the cloth. No incense or scent of any sort should be provided, but all garments worn shall be ornate and fantastical, with flowing scarves and ribbons of gaudy hues, many bright amulets and strands of beads and rings upon the fingers and toes. Some budded twigs, rinsed clean and set in an earthen jug of water, should be placed at one end of the altar, and at the other a like jug holding new golden ale, with an earthen mug beside it. In the center of the table should stand a large pottery bowl half filled with Earth dug up that day from the cold garden and near it a small box of seeds, either of flowers or from any common weed, as burdock which stands even now in the waste places, full of fertile knots and burrs. The time of day for this ceremony is not important, yet it might best be performed in the early evening following some afternoon of sun and moderate thaw. Thus all shall begin---------the six candles are lighted and these words said: "Earth asleep in winter's bed on thy limbs this light be shed, on thy face as still as stone And silent dreaming of the sun: He shall come to claim his own, Thou shalt waken to him soon yet today with candle beams we ourselves may warm thy dreams." Each candle in turn should be passed over the bowl of Earth, and then the bowl lifted in both hands with these words: "Flowers of sun Flowers of earth Sleeping, turn To share our breath." Set down the bowl and remove the twigs from the jug of water. Hold them over the bowl a few moments, then stand them upright in the jug of ale, saying: "Now may this golden potion of the sun fill thee with sweetness and a brightened sleep wherein thy dreams shall wear a better shape to set thee flowering when thy sleep is done." Then take the jug of water and pour over the earth in the bowl until all the Earth is moistened. Each person should now bend over this bowl, and breathe upon it thrice while these words are recited thrice: "Warmth of our breath warm thy breath, warmth of our flesh warm thy flesh: We who are waking melt thy stone, we who are living thaw thy bone: Into thy spirit we breath ours: Out of thy sleep we father flowers." Next scatter upon the surface of the watered Earth all the seeds from the box with these words: "Sparks, stars, suns, seeds soon be raised to glorious weeds, noble roses, sovereign trees, all whose strength begins in these." Take then the twigs from the jug of ale, set them again in the other jug, and fill the earthen mug with ale; it should be offered to all present, with this: "Where life has stood the draught is good so drink the brew and live anew." When the ale is finished all should attend to these words: "Now the sleeper dreams her golden dreams, bound in warmth that flickers ever brighter: yet we may surround her quiet bed, her limbs she rests in subtle nakedness, with all the gaudy garments we have kept to drive dark winter back into the grave. She sleeps in nothing but her fertile flesh to shield her from the wind and winters evil, then should we hide our everlasting heat behind the colours of all spring and summer? Cast off those coverings and be no less prepared to greet the sun than she." Each one should then take off some articles of bright clothing and ornament, much or little according to inspiration, and all these be piled before the altar as an offering, say then: "This is our warmth to Earth now offered these our flowers Plucked for the taking: We her attendants wait for her waking, so we may rise, like her, well favored by sun and his strength through all his reigns' length." All should then bend in obeisance over the bowl wherein earth, water and seeds are contained saying: "I offer thee only what is thine: I am thy seed and thy creation so may I grow and so remain Thine image, spirit flesh and vision." The ceremony shall then be ended by each person breaking a fragment of twig from those in the jug to keep for a talisman and covenant. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:14 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	Spring's Practical Magic	#19	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (03/12/07 11:23 AM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	By Karri Allrich Stormy March heralds the cleansing winds of spring. Take time out now to clean out the dusty remnants of the winter and to refocus your energy and invite positive change. Become conscious of what you no longer need, and decide which aspects of your life need a brisk cleaning. As you discard items, ideas, attitudes, and other baggage by sweeping, raking, removing, or recycling, visualize the pieces of your life that need releasing. Bless them on their way as you clear away clutter. Making room for the new invites possibility into your life. Finally, gather seeds for the garden or patio pot and set them on your altar; infusing them with the spirit of your fresh goals and aspirations will help them sprout. Plant them during the waxing Moon. As you water, you'll nurture the growth of your dreams along with the fledgling plant. May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 04/28/08 09:20 PM. Edited 1 times.
Cerredwen	An Astounding Affirmation	#20	[-]
Walks an Earthbased Path Posts: 11462 (03/20/07 06:29 PM) ~~Priestess of the Goddess~~ Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Springtime Spring comes when the earth, coaxed by lengthening days and warmer temperatures, begins to awaken from her winter slumber. She stretches open to receive the rain that gives drink to flower buds and seedlings. She takes a deep breath, and on her exhale the leaves on trees unfurl like tiny flags heralding her revival as baby animals tumble forth, trumpeting the good news to all who will listen. Rebirth and repopulation fill the void of winter with flurry and fury as what appeared to be gone forever comes into being once again. Even though it happens this way every year, we stand in awe, our insides trembling sweetly like the legs of a new foal as we too are reborn. This is when we fall in love, again, speak without thinking, and say yes to things we would normally refuse. It becomes more difficult to say no when the whole world around us appears to be an astounding affirmation of the resilience, richness, and plain, perfect beauty of life. We may find ourselves feeling several years younger and 10 pounds lighter without changing a thing. We may feel the urge to cleanse our bodies with a new pattern of eating, clearing our kitchens of cold-weather comfort foods and filling them instead with lighter fare and fresh fruits and vegetables. We may clear our closets of old clothes or cut our hair to express a new facet of who we are, and who we might become. Springtime inspires us to believe that, along with the earth, we too might change, release the past, and give birth to new ideas, new relationships, and new perspectives. In honor of spring, we could make a list of the many possibilities we envision for the future and bury it in the earth, surrendering the fertile seeds of our imaginations to the nurturing soil. In tune with the season, we can then watch in wonder as the last of the snow dissolves into the rich brown earth, and stark winter gives way to green possibility. DailyOm.com May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee, O Mother, O Woman Eternal who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters between the hands upon Her Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~ We swear by Peace and Love to stand, Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand. Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this, our Sacred Vow. ~Druidic Prayer of Unity~ Last Edited By: Cerredwen 07/05/08 10:03 PM. Edited 1 times.

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The Wheel of the Year--Celebrating The Eight Seasons

The Wheel of the Year--Celebrating The Eight Seasons

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