February, the second month of the current Gregorian calendar and
the third month of Winter’s rule, derives its name from Februa,
the name of a Roman purification festival held on the fifteenth
day of February in ancient times. The traditional birthstone amulet
of February is the amethyst; and the primrose and the violet are
the month’s traditional flowers.

February is shared by the astrological signs of Aquarius the Water-Bearer
and Pisces the Two Fishes, and is sacred to the following pagan
deities: Aradia, Brigid, Juno Februa, and the Wiccan Goddess in
Her aspect as the Maiden. During the month of February, the Great
Solar Wheel of the year is turned to Candlemas, one of the four
Great Sabbats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches
throughout the world.

February 1 Candlemas Eve

Brigit, the Celtic Earth-Mother and goddess of fire, wisdom, poetry,
and sacred wells, is honored on this day. In Ireland, offering
of yellow flowers are made to the goddess at sacred wells dedicated
to her. In ancient Greece, the three-day Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries
began each year on this day in honor of the goddesses Ceres, Demeter,
Persephone, and Proserpine.

February 2

On this day, the Candlemas Sabbat is celebrated by Wiccans and
Witches throughout the world. Candlemas (which is also known as
Imbolc, Oimelc, and Lady Day) is a fire festival that celebrates
the coming of Spring. New beginnings and spiritual growth are
represented by the “sweeping out of the old,” symbolized
by the sweeping of the circle with a besom (a Witch’s broom).
This is traditionally done by the High Priestess of the coven,
who wears a brilliant crown of thirteen candles on top of her
head. In ancient Europe, the Candlemas Sabbat was celebrated with
a torchlight procession to purify and fertilize the fields before
the seed-planting season, and to honor and give thanks to the
various deities and spirits associated with agriculture.

This day is also known as “Groundhog’s Day”, for that persnickety
prognosticator and harbinger of Spring in the West.

February 3

On this date, an annual ceremony called the Blessing of the Throats
takes place to honor the healing powers of Saint Blaise and to
magickally ward off throat ailments brought on by the winter’s cold.

February 4

Throughout Japan the evil demons of winter are exorcised annually
on this day with a festival called the Setsu-bun. Beans are placed
in every corner of a family’s house, and pointed branches and
sardine heads are mounted over the doors. Centuries-old purification
rites are performed by priests in all temples and shrines. Prayers
are written on slips of paper and then cast from bridges into
the rivers below.

February 5

On this date in the year 1962, the Great conjunction of the Sun,
Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn occurred in the
sign of Aquarius.

On this day, the annual Feast of Ia is celebrated in honor of,
and to invoke the power of, the Sacred Maiden of the Pagan mythos.

February 6

Throughout northern Japan, a centuries-old winter snow festival
takes place each year around this time of the month. The ancient
and beneficial spirits that bring life-sustaining water are honored
at special shrines erected in huts resembling Eskimo igloos.

A festival in honor of the love goddess Aphrodite was held each
year on this date in ancient Greece.

February 7

On this date (approximately), the annual spring fertility festival
known as Li Chum is celebrated in China. Bamboo and paper effigies
of a water buffalo (an animal which symbolizes “new life”)
are carried through the streets by a temple-bound procession.
After reaching the temple, the effigies are set on fire in the
belief that prayers for prosperity will be taken up to heaven
by the rising smoke.

February 8

The annual nighttime ritual known as the Star Festival is celebrated
on this date (approximately) in China. The stars that influence
the fate of mankind are honored by the lighting of 108 small lanterns
on a special altar, and prayers are offered to the sacred stars
that governed one’s birth.

February 9

In northern Norway, the Narvik Sun Pageant is held annually on
this date in honor of the ancient Pagan goddess who rules over
the Sun. The festival, which has been celebrated since pre-Christian
times, begins at sunrise and continues throughout the day until
the shadows of evening darken the sky.

February 10

An ancient African festival marking the beginning of the fishing
season and the New Year is celebrated annually on this day by
members of the Kebbawa tribe of Nigeria. The ancient gods of their
religion are honored and invoked, and traditional fish divinations
are performed.

In pre-Christian times, the goddess Anaitis was honored on this
day in the country of Persia (now Iran). She was a deity who was
said to have possessed great powers over the Moon and the seas.

February 11

Each year on this date, millions of faithful men, women, and children
make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady in Lourdes. A spring
in the village of Lourdes, France, is believed by many to possess
curative powers. The pilgrims bathe in the water in the hope that
it will heal their illnesses and disabilities.

February 12

On this date in the year 1663, the infamous clergyman Cotton Mather
was born in Boston, Massachusetts. (This is certainly one birthday
no Witch would ever celebrate!) His writings and sermons condemning
the practice of the Old Religion contributed greatly to the hysteria
of the 1692 Salem Witch-hunt. Cotton Mather died in Boston, one
day after his birthday, in the year 1728.

February 13

On this date, an annual holiday called the Parentalia was observed
in ancient Rome. It lasted until the twenty-first of February
and was a day for families to honor and commemorate their deceased
loved ones, particularly their parents. During the week of Parentalia,
all temples in Rome were closed and all wedding ceremonies forbidden.
Ancestral tombs were visited and offerings of wine and flowers
were made to family ghosts.

February 14

Saint Valentine’s Day. This is a day dedicated to all lovers,
and the traditional time for Witches around the world to practice
all forms of love magick and love divination.

This day is sacred to Juno-Lupa, the she-wolf goddess of the ancient
Roman religion. In early times, she was honored annually on this
day by a women’s fertility festival and the sacrifice of a female wolf.

February 15

On this date in ancient Rome, a festival known as the Lupercalia
(Feast of the Wolf) was celebrated to honor the god Lupercus and
to mark the beginning of Spring. The festival, which was a rustic
ritual of both purification and fertility magick, also included
the sacrifice of goats and dogs to the god Faunus (identified
by classical writers as the horned goat-god Pan). During the orgiastic
festival, young men would choose their sexual partners by drawing
the names of young women out of a bowl.

February 16

In the distant past, a rite called the Devil’s Dance was performed
annually on this date (approximately) as part of the Tibetan New
Year festival. Monks wearing grotesque masks would dance for hours
as a village sorcerer exorcised demons and the evil influences
of the past year with various magickal incantations.

February
17

On this day, according to Hindu religion and mythology, the fearsome
goddess known as Kali was born and the world entered into the
Kali Yuga (the “Evil Age”). Kali, the destroyer-goddess,
was depicted with black skin, a hideous face, and four arms. In
ancient times, human sacrifices were made to appease her and to
satisfy her thirst for blood.

February 18

On this day, a festival of women known as the Spenta Armaiti was
held annually throughout the country of Persia. Ancient fertility
rites were performed by temple priestesses in honor of the goddess
Spandarmat, and the goddess who dwells within all women was honored
and invoked with special prayers and meditations.

February 19

On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological
sign of Pisces. Persons born under the sign of the Two Fishes
are said to be telepathic, tolerant, sensitive, artistic, and
often prone to daydreaming. Pisces is a water sign and is ruled
by the planet Neptune.

According to mythology, the goddess Minerva was born on this day
(which is sacred to the Pagan deities Nammu and Nina).

February 20

On this date in the year 1882, the Society for Psychical Research
was founded in London, England, by a group of prominent philosophers
and physicists. It became Britain’s leading organization for research
into the world of supernatural phenomena and the paranormal.

February 21

In ancient Rome, an All Soul’s Day ceremony known as the Feralia
was held annually on this date at the close of the Parentalia
festival. Family reunions were held and Lares (ancestral guardian
spirits) were honored with prayers and offerings.

February 22

On this day in the year 1917, Sybil Leek was born in Stoke-on-Trent,
England. She achieved fame and success as a modern Witch, astrologer,
and occult author. Her psychic predictions of the Kennedy assassinations
and the election of Richard M. Nixon as president of the United
States are documented. She passed away on October 26, 1982 in
Melbourne, Florida.

February 23
On this date, the last festival of the ancient Roman year (the
Terminalia) was celebrated annually in honor of the god Terminus,
a deity who ruled over boundaries and frontiers. During the Terminalia,
neighbors whose lands were divided and protected by Terminus would
gather together an pour libations of wine, honey, and the blood
of sacrificed pigs on their stone boundary-markers.

February 24

Shiva, the multifaceted Hindu god of destruction and renewal,
is honored annually on this date (approximately) by a day of fasting,
followed by an oil-lamp vigil known as the Shivaratri (Shiva’s
Night) that takes place at shrines dedicated to him.

February 25

In many parts of the Christian world, a joyous pre-Lenten celebration
known as Carnival takes place annually on or around this date.
In ancient days, orgiastic fertility rites and sacrifices of humans
and animals to herald the arrival of Spring were common at this
time of the year in many parts of the world.

February 26

Pentagram Night. As a symbolic gesture to reaffirm your dedication
to the Craft of the Wise, dip your fingertip into a small cauldron
pot filled with Yule-log ashes and then use it to draw the sacred
symbol of the Witches’ Pentagram (five pointed star within a circle)
over your heart at the first stroke of midnight.

February 27

On this day in the year 1861, famous psychic and spiritual philosopher
Rudolf Steiner was born in Kraljevic (which was part of Hungary
at that time). He possessed clairvoyant powers and communicated
often with nonphysical entities. In 1902, he was appointed general
secretary of the German Section of the Theosophical Society, and
in 1913, he established his own school for esoteric research.
He died on March 30, 1925.

February 28

In ancient times, a Chaldean Sabbat known as the Sabbatu was celebrated
each year on this date.

On this day of the year, the Earth-Goddesses Ceres, Demeter, Gaia,
Ge, and Mauri are honored by many Pagans and Wiccans around the
world.

Also honored annually on this day is the ancient Pagan deity Zamyaz,
who was worshipped and offered sacrifices by the ancient Chaldeans
and Persians.

February 29

On this date in the year 1692, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam,
two young girls from Salem Village, Massachusetts, accused three
local women of using the black arts of Witchcraft to torment and
bewitch them. On the following day, Sarah Good, Sarah Osburne,
and a West African slave named Tituba were arrested, marking the
beginning of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. By the end
of the year, when the trials were finally brought to a close,
over 200 women and men had been arrested and jailed, 19 had been
hanged at Gallows Hill, and one man had been pressed to death.

According to folklore, this is a very unlucky day to have a love
letter postmarked. It will lead to the breakup of your love affair
or engagement.

“If the February-born shall find,
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If she the Amethyst will wear.”

Country weather lore calls this month February fill-dyke, indicating a
god deal of snow or rain is to be expected:

“February, fill the dyke,
Either with black or white,
If it’s white, the better I like.”

It is thought that a snowy month means that the spring will be fine.

“When
February give much snow,
A fine Summer dost foreshow.”

A mild and sunny February is thought to be a bad omen, presaging
a wet and stormy Summer:

“Of al the months in the year,
Curse a fair Februeer.”

Oystercathchers are supposed to be one of the early bird arrivals for Spring,
in Gaelic the birds are known as Gille Brighde.

On Valentine’s Eve, boil an egg and remove the yolk placing some
salt in the cavity. Eat prior to retiring for a sight of your Valentine in your dreams!

The first bird that you see on Valentine’s morning will tell you something
of your future partner:

A sparrow means a poor man, a robin a sailor, a dove money and a
goldfinch means happiness and wealth.

In Wales on the last night of February the Cwn Annwn are to be found roaming the skies. These are the hounds of the Underworld.

Sources:

http://www.maxpages.com/eclecticwicca2/February

http://www.celticmist.freeserve.co.uk

To dare the incarnation; to take the road in silence.
To know the ascension, to will the resurrection.
The song shimmers in the golden people.

~~ Aidan Andrew Dun, Wales Royal ~~

There comes a stage upon our spiritual path when we stand at the
threshold of serious commitment. Do we enter into the unknown
mysteries of the deeper way or remain on the safe, known pathway.
This process of going within is called “initiation”
and the one who enters within is called the “initiate”.
This is a scary threshold to cross because no one can share the
experience or explain it in advance.

Within the Celtic tradition, there have been people in every generation
who have gone consenting to the threshold of initiation in order
to learn from and be taught by the teachers who are no longer
incarnate. It is they who have kept open the ways and been the
mediators of the mysteries. Their commitment and avowal of intention
to serve their spiritual tradition may have been hidden, arrived
at in solitude and spiritual tradition may have been hidden, arrived
at in solitude and struggle, but they have stretched out their
hands to the ancestral teachers nonetheless and become the “twice-born”
— initiates who have been born anew into the life that is beyond
physical existence.

The twice-born, like the Bards and Druids of old, access the help
of spiritual guardians for whom time and space are no obstacle.
Over many centuries, to the mundane eye, they have arisen and
disappeared, quietly stating and living the ancient wisdoms. These
courageous wisdom-keepers have in turn become teachers for the
next generation of seekers.

So the old songs have become new; not only by studying and researching,
but by crossing the boundary between the worlds and entering into
direct, living relationship with the mysteries of the ancestral wisdom.

Which initiatory thresholds have you encountered in your life?

From
the book, The Celtic Spirit
– Daily Meditations for the Turning Year by Caitlin Matthews

Radiant arrow
of flame, noble foster-mother of gods,
Brighid the daughter of the Dagda,
Dagda the Good God, the son of Danu,
Danu the Mother of all Things.
Brighid of the mantles,
Brighid of the peat-heap,
Brighid of the twining hair,
Brighid of the augury.
Brighid of the white feet,
Brighid of calmness,
Brighid of the white palms,
Brighid of the kine.
Brighid, woman-comrade,
Brighid, woman-helper,
Brighid, woman-mild.
Each day and each night
That I say the Descent of Brighid…
I shall not be slain, I shall not be injured,
I shall not be put in cell, I shall not be hewn,
I shall not be riven, I shall not be anguished,
I shall not be ravaged, I shall not be made blind,
I shall not be made naked, I shall not be left bare,
I shall not be enchanted, I shall not be cursed,
Neither shall my power leave me.
No fire, no sun, no moon shall burn me,
No water, no flood, no brine shall drown me,
No earth, no sod, no turf shall cover me,
No air, no wind, no vapour shall sicken me,
Nor seed of the Fairy Host shall lift me,
Nor seed of the Airy Host shall lift me,
Nor earthly being destroy me.
I under the protection of the holy maiden,
I am under the shielding of good Brighid each day;
I am under the shielding of good Brighid each night.
Each early and late, every dark, every light.
Brighid is my comrade; Brighid is my maker of song,
My gentle foster-mother, my beloved Brighid.

~~ Source Unknown ~~

Brigit Speaks

I am older than Brigit
of the Mantle,
I put songs and music on the wind
Before ever the bells of the chapels
Were rung in the West
Or heard in the East.

I am Brighid-nam-Bratta:
Brigit of the Mantle,
I am also Brighid-Muirghin-na-tuinne:
Brigit, Conception of the Waves,
And Brighid-sluagh,
Brigit of the Faery Host,
Brighid-nan-sitheachseang,
Brigit of the Slim Faery Folk,
Brigid-Binne-Bheule-
Ihuchd-nan-trusganan-uaine,
Brigit the Melodious Mouthed
Of the Tribe of the Green Mantles.

And I am older than
Aone (Friday)
And as old as Luan (Monday)

And in Tir-na-h’oige
my name is
Suibhal: Mountain Traveler,
And in Tir-fo-thuinn, Country of the Waves,
It is Cu-gorm: Gray Hound,
And in Tir-na-h’oise,
Country of Ancient Years,
It is Sireadh-thall: Seek Beyond.

And I have been a breath
in your heart,
And the day has its feet to it
That will see me coming
Into the hearts of men and women
Like a flame upon dry grass,
Like a flame of wind in a great wood.

~~ Fiona MacLeod ~~

Until recently, scientists were giving us an increasingly mechanistic
view of the Universe. The “billiard ball” model of reality
– namely, that certain knowable causes always give rise to certain
predictable effects – increasingly dominated all areas of our
society. Scientists expected that one day, they would have a complete
explanation for ALL phenomena. God increasingly became the “god
of the gaps” – the gaps that Science could not explain…
yet.

However, the advent of Quantum Mechanics and Chaos Theory in particular
have ended that dream forever. Instead of speaking of certainties
and laws, we must now deal with probabilities (i.e. likelihood’s)
and a constant interplay between Order and Chaos. Royal Society
Biologist, Rupert Sheldrake, now threatens to upset the established
scheme even further with his theory that there are in fact no
“Laws of Nature”, but rather ingrained habits built
up through countless repetitions!

So everything in Science is in a dramatic state of flux – one
that has yet to feed down to the layman. Most people are still
caught in the 19th century hangover of Scientific Rationalism.
This loosely states that the only things that exist are those
that can be verified experimentally, and that logic is the only
valid function of the brain for determining true knowledge about
reality. This notion still pervades all areas of society.

However, it is an utterly false one. In truth, the universe is
increasingly revealed to be a place of profound mystery. The more
scientists discover, the more they gasp at the immensity that
remains to be discovered. In truth, the Universe is something
incomprehensibly complex; from the smallest sub-atomic particle
to the vast dimensions of galactic super-clusters. It defies the
finite capacities of our minds.

Moreover, for those who have eyes to see, the universe is also
revealing itself to be a place of infinite intelligence. Whether
it be Dr. Deepak Chopra telling us about the incredible wisdom
stored within the Human Body, or Geo-Physicist James Lovelock
postulating that the entire Earth can realistically be considered
a single living organism – Gaia – many scientists are embracing
a holistic approach to reality at all scales.

Within this new reality of the universe as BEING, the ancient
methods of perception emerge once more as potentially valid ways
of examining reality. In particular, the ancient method of the
Oracle deserves our re-appraisal.

Long maligned by Science as contemptible outdated nonsense, and
by mainstream Religion as the work of the devil, Oracles nevertheless
enjoyed a long and respected history in the Ancient World and
throughout prehistory. Science has rightly put an end to such
notions as the flat Earth hypothesis, and the belief that earthquakes
and storms are the work of unappeased gods.

However, Oracles – such as the I Ching and Tarot – seem as resilient
today in our modern technological civilization as they ever were.
Ironically, Astrology even uses the latest computer technology
to do its work far more efficiently and quickly than has ever
been possible before!

Before we discount this tendency as solely limited to the realm
of the feeble-minded, we should remember that no less a mind than
the great Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, took Oracle systems VERY
seriously indeed and worked extensively with the I Ching and the Tarot.

It is an indisputable fact that numerous Investment Banks around
the world use Financial Astrology to assist in their trading decisions.
Moreover, the brilliant 19th century banker, J.P. Morgan — whose
bank bears his name and is today one of America’s most prestigious
financial institutions — is famously quoted as saying, “Millionaires
don’t believe in Astrology. Billionaires do.”

Hence, despite the ravages of Science and Religion, Oracle systems
remain popular and robust in mainstream society, and are espoused
by genius and simpleton alike. Why is this? Why have they not
gone the same way as belief in Santa Claus or Werewolves?

Might the reason for their persistence be that Oracles are a legitimate
and valid function of the human brain? Could it be that, like
concepts of conscious and subconscious, and the left-handed and
right-handed functions of the brain, there is actually a part
of your brain that is hard-wired to receive and process information
in an oracular manner?

This notion might seem revolutionary. However, it is not at all unreasonable.
Recall our earlier discussion about how Science seems to be revealing
the universe to be a place of Infinite Intelligence and Being.
What if the Cosmos really does function through Synchronicity
(meaningful coincidences), as Deepak Chopra’s SynchroDestiny work
and James Redfield’s “The Celestine Prophecy” suggest?
Would it then be unreasonable to postulate that Nature might have
directly hard-wired into us a means to perceive Reality this way?

It is not unreasonable at all. In fact, it is quite likely.

This would explain how Oracles thrive despite Rationalism’s best efforts
to eliminate them. You cannot eradicate a legitimate function
of the human brain through argument any more than you can insist
that everyone’s right leg is a useless physical leftover from
a primitive past!

So where does this leave us? Quite simply, the Oracle is where our
individual soul touches the Soul of the Universe. Whereas logic
speaks to the scientific/logical left side of our brain, the oracle
communicates information from the heart of the universe, through
symbol and image, direct to the artistic/symbolic right side.
Each of us is bombarded daily from society with logical/scientific
input. We need to redress the balance by stimulating and using
the artistic/symbolic right side of the brain. This will in turn
enhance our overall capacity to function in life. Oracles systems
like the I Ching and Tarot can help us do that.

In doing so, we need not approach with an attitude of deep fear,
as if we are about to lose our souls. Such fears were propagated
by established religion for purely political reasons. After all,
if you are truly able to obtain essential knowledge and communion
with the Source/God directly, why would you need the expensive
trappings of large buildings, the priesthood and regular financial
donations?

Rather, we should remember that serious scientists like Jung made studies
of the Tarot and I Ching, in line with his studies of Symbolism
and the Human Mind. Moreover, the latest scientific revelations
of the Universe show it to be a place of meaning and incomprehensible
intelligence. Thus, Oracle systems – which seem so in tune with
these discoveries – acquire a legitimacy and basis of credibility
that they could never have had in previous centuries when these
facts were unknown.

Hence, you should choose an oracle and use it regularly. The Tarot and
I Ching are particularly recommended. Write your results down
in your Journal. Regular use will exercise this vital brain function.
Like anything that is exercised regularly, this brain function
will strengthen and improve and give you increasingly reliable
results. In doing so, you strengthen your intuition and put yourself
in direct contact with the Source of the Universe itself.

Dr. Asoka Selvarajah is an active author/researcher
on personal development and esoteric spirituality. Asoka’s work
helps people achieve their full potential, deepen their understanding
of mystical truth, and find joy in their true soul’s purpose.
http://www.aksworld.com/

Hear
the voice of the Bard
Who present, past, and future sees;
Whose ears have heard
The Holy Word,
That walked among the ancient trees,

Calling the lapsed soul,
And weeping in the evening dew;
That might control
The starry pole,
And fallen, fallen, light renew!

“O Earth, O Earth, return!
Arise from out the dewy grass;
Night is worn,
And the morn
Rises from the slumberous mass.

“Turn away no more;
Why wilt thou turn away?
The starry floor,
The watery shore,
Is given thee till the break of day.”

~~ William Blake ~~

Imbolc.

Awaken from a Winter of cold, gloom and aloneness. Journey in
spirit beyond the clouds and fog. See the Bear, hidden all Winter
in her cave-den, her heart barely beating and her breath slowed
to a whisper.

Ever so slowly, her sluggish body feels the first stirrings of
movement. Her heart beats a bit faster. Her eyes open. Her hideaway
is still freezing cold, but the rhythms in her body respond to
the Earth’s first faint trembling. She gradually wakes,
stirs and looks around her den, finding all still well after her
long slumber. Soon, very soon, it will be time to look for nourishment
for her Winter-starved body.

She rests a bit longer, stretching life into her weak, unused
muscles. She slowly rises and lumbers to the entrance of her den.

With a start, you realize she is speaking, not with words but
heartbeat to heartbeat and soul to soul.

“I wake, not in a rush, not to a jangling alarm clock, but
to the gentle voice of the Earth, her perfect heart-rhythm, not
a moment before She calls me to wake and not a moment after.

“I wasted away like your Spirit as the golden sunlight and
rich bounty of Autumn gave way to the bleak cold winds of Winter.
I hid in my cave, sleeping, resting, nursing my wounds.

“Have you nursed your wounds all Winter, locked inside with
your hurts, angry at those who betrayed you? Has your soul withered
to a shell, a façade that has lost its hope, desolate in
the knowledge that it will never grow again? Never feel warmth
or beauty again?”

“Yes,” you manage to whisper despite your shock at
Her insight. “What is left for me but a meaningless, endless
procession of same-days, with nothing but grey, lifeless skies
reflected in a grey, lifeless spirit?”

“The winter has been long and hard for you too, my Child,”
she answers gently. “Your soul aches for warmth, for light,
for color. I have heard your heart-cry and I am here.”

To your astonished eyes, the Bear’s brown, shaggy body dissolves
into emerald light. A beautiful maiden stands in her place, wrapped
in a brilliant green kirtle pulsing with light from within. Her
brow is tattooed with a waxing crescent moon and her young, unwrinkled
face shines with the brilliance of sunlight. In her slender hands
she holds a bearskin robe, tanned to pillow softness.

Your eyes fill with tears as she wraps the cloak around you and
you feel warm and cherished as you thought you never would again.

“I am Bridhe, Lady of the Holy Well that refreshes the Earth
anew each Spring until the trees cannot help but blossom forth
in joy. I am the Light illuminating your soul even in times of
darkness. I am the newborn lamb gamboling in tender new green
grass, the bear cub ball of fluff rolling down the hillside in
play, the crocus and daffodil that find their way from the Earth’s
cold depths to warmth and light and praise the Sun God with color
and beauty.

“I have returned, my child, bringing heartfelt tears and spring rains
to wash your soul. I bring light to warm your bones, color to
refresh your eyes and inspiration to guide you to new insights
and new ways of sharing them with your Clan. Your Clan needs you.
Wake, dear heart, ask the Trees their names, feel the pulsing
energy of the Stones. My Awen, my flame, brings your heart alive
again to join the ancient drumbeat of the Earth. “

You bow your head in awe. “Thank you,” you whisper.
You look up, and she had dissolved into a million emerald stars
that settle gently on the newly-green hillside.

Just to the east of Nome, old mining activity had left some ponds,
replete with rusty machinery, and only by the kindergartener’s
persistence were they reachable.

Swans liked these ponds. Nobody bothered them there, they could nest
and hatch their eggs in safety. At first the swans were alarmed
by the boy, but the little fellow did not throw rocks. Instead, he often came with corn, nuts and other goodies. The swans trusted the boy, and would gather around him.

Basking in the warm sunlight, the boy could imagine the swans’ voices: “Hi, I am Papa Swan.” And they told the boy about
the beautiful places they’d been, and the wonderful things they’d seen.

The fall days passed, one after the other, with the inevitable progression
of the seasons.

Mrs. Robinson, the boy’s mother, was a fastidious society woman. She
didn’t work too hard at her job, and often invited society ladies
to her home for tea and cakes. She was very proud of her polished
hardwood floor, her chandeliers, her lamp shades, her paintings,
and her carpets.

But here was the boy again, dripping water and mud, leaving footprints on her prized rug. “Look what you are doing,” screeched the mother. “I told you not to play with those stupid birds!”

For a day or two the boy would mind, but the ponds and the swans were
irresistible. Mrs. Robinson could not count on a clean, neatly dressed boy to show off to the visiting ladies. And, because she was the mother, and could not hate the boy, her hatred was focused on the swans. “They have no right …” she would mutter.

And her resolve steeled.

One day, after the boy had gone to school, she went to the closet
and loaded the shotgun; and she trundled and stumbled to the ponds.
There she saw the swans, and she fired both barrels.

And in the warm, caressing breeze, the dead swans slowly drifted away.

“There! Problem solved,” she said to herself. And went about her
life and work.

But that afternoon the clueless boy went directly from school to the
ponds. He could not find the swans, and he called for them. “Papa
Swan, Mama Swan! Where are you?” But the swans were not
to be found. His only answer was the whisper of the breeze among
the reeds, under the hot arctic sun.

Increasingly the boy got more agitated. He called repeatedly and he walked
around the ponds, getting muddier and wetter by the minute. And he tripped, fell into the pond, and his head struck a steel remnant of machinery. The boy was stunned, and he sank.

He opened his eyes, but was dazed. He knew he should not breathe
water, but in his confusion he did not know which way to go, and
his lungs burnt with the effort of holding his breath.

And as he squirmed and looked, he saw the shimmering surface of the pond, and upon it was the outline of a bird. A bird whose wing
reached into the water and touched him. The boy grasped the wing and the bird led him to the shore and safety.

Gasping for breath, spitting water and rubbing his eyes, the boy looked
around and saw Papa Swan. “Papa Swan! Papa Swan! I was looking
for you!”

And in his mind he again heard the bird’s voice, “Me too, I
was away for a bit but I saw you fall and came over.” Mama
Swan and the young birds also approached and told him “you
are all wet! You can’t stay dry in the water like we can!”
Relieved, the boy conversed with the birds and whiled the afternoon
away as usual.

But then, Papa Swan said, “We have to go. It is time for us
to migrate south. The other birds are calling to us.” And
the boy looked skyward, and saw the vee formations and heard the
honking and squawking of birds upon their migrations.

One of the youngsters said “Why don’t you come with us?”
“Yeah, why not?” asked another one of the young birds.

“I can’t,” said the lad, “I am only a boy, I can’t fly.”

“Sure you can,” said Mama Swan.

“No, I can’t.”

And Papa Swan said, “If you believe you can, and you wish it real hard, you can.”

Hesitating, the boy said “No … I don’t think so.”

“Close your eyes,” said Papa Swan. “Imagine you have wings.
Wish it real hard.”

And upon opening eyes, his arms were long and feathered, and he could
feel the breeze on each of his feathers.

“See,” said Mama Swan, “you did it!”

“Practice with us,” said the young birds. And the boy took a few short hops.

But the call of the formations overhead was strong, and Papa Swan again repeated the invitation. “Come with us. Stretch your wings and fly up.” And the boy did so and soared into the sky, and fell in line with the birds.

He looked down and he could see ponds, beaches, capes, lakes, mountains
and other wonders. “But my mom will miss me,” he said.

“Don’t worry,” Papa Swan said. “We come this way every year.
You’ll see your mom again then.”

And the boy did not worry any more, and flew away from his home; the
sun glowing golden in the puffy clouds ahead of him. And he was
happy and contented to be with his friends and their kind.

But back home, when Mrs. Robinson went looking for him, all that she
found was her lifeless boy floating face down in the water.

Pathworking:
The Healing Fire

This ritual and pathworking are for healing. The ritual is general
– the kind of energy balancing and cleansing that can apply to
physical, mental and spiritual imbalances.

The pathworking is designed for individual or group use. It dovetails
well with the ritual, and may be used as a centering exercise
before the ritual proper begins, or during Cakes and Wine or its
equivalent. The aim of the pathwork is to broaden our awareness
of the societal barriers that prevent us from dealing effectively
with HIV infection, and empowering ourselves to overcome these
political and psychological barriers; but it can address any problem
caused or exacerbated by social barriers.

For individual use, the pathwork’s main elements can be committed
to memory for review during the circle. For group use, one of
the circle that is adept at leading pathwork and monitoring circle
colleagues should read the ritual, embellishing as appropriate.

Ritual

Ground and center according to personal practice. When you and
any others doing the ritual with you are properly centered, take
a chalice of water from the altar and place it in front of the
participants. Pass a bowl of salt from hand to hand. As the bowl
passes, each participant takes a pinch of salt and adds it to
the water in the Chalice, visualizing the healing power of the
earth released into the water. The following rune may be chanted:

By
Stone and Sea, of ill be free.
By the Horns of Power, your strength I seal.
By the Mother of All, have power to heal!

The last person to mix salt with water in the Chalice dips their forefinger
into the cup and marks the forehead of the person seated next
to them, saying:

Be
cleansed of all imbalances, all distractions, all confusion, all
distress.
Be whole, that you may give wholeness.

Continue deosil around the Circle. When all are cleansed, consecrate a
candle and incense on the altar to accompany the Earth (salt)
and Water.

Then consecrate your sacred space and cast the Circle three times about.
On the first pass, visualize blue flames springing up around the
perimeter of the Circle to represent the cooling energy of the
Ocean to soothe raging fevers and infection. On the second pass,
visualize red flames springing up inside the blue – red for the
life force and healthy blood. On the third pass, see the red and
blue flames melding together into an intense violet, the color
of the twilit sky, to seal the Circle. Then invoke the Watchtowers
or Quarters, according to personal practice.

Invoke the Gods, per personal practice or with the following invocation:

Goddess
of the Fire of Life, Lady of the Hearth, be with us.
Green One, Renewing One, be with us.
Mistress of Change, of the Healing Flame, be with us.
Lord of Lightning, Lord of the Rising Sun, be with us.
Healer, Gentle One, be with us.
God of the Forge, be with us.

On the altar is a red candle, a blue candle, a yellow candle, and as many plain white candles as there are participants in the Circle, all unlit. Anoint each of the colored candles with salt water from the Chalice, beginning at the bottom and tracing an invisible cord around the length of the candle, “sealing” it at the bottom and feeling the healing power of the water in the chalice filling the candle.

Replace them on the altar. Each person who brought a plain candle should
seal the candle in the same way.

Perform a rune dance or other means for raising energy. Direct the resulting
Cone of Power into the candles.

After raising power, once the participants are again centered, light
the blue candle, saying:

Those
diseased relax.
They are at peace as their own healing powers flow forth.
They are at peace.

Light the red candle, saying:

The
fires in them are rekindled.
They are strong and vital.
Healthy blood flows through their veins.

Light the yellow candle, saying:

They
are aware.
They see their whole selves in balance.
The sun within them shines through them
and shows them the way to live healthy lives.

Meditate with the flames as long as feels right. Feel their power radiating out through the Universe to those in need of healing, and returning even more powerful, undiminished. Thank the Gods for their aid
in this ritual:

God
of the Forge, we thank you.
Healer, Gentle One, we thank you.
Lord of Lightning, Lord of the Setting Sun, we thank you.
Mistress of Change, of the Healing Flame, we thank you.
Green One, Renewing One, we thank you.
Goddess of the Fire of Life, Lady of the Embers, we thank you.

From the colored candles, light your white candles, feeling them absorb
the power of your ritual for healing. Salute each Quarter with
the candle (beginning with the East), silently picturing the strength
of each Quarter filling your candle. Return to the East and snuff
out the candle, holding a mental image of lighting the candle
and releasing healing energy for yourself or someone else whenever
it is lighted again.

Thank and dismiss the Quarters, and close the Circle. Take a few moments
to ground thoroughly and completely.

Pathworking:
The Spring of Vision

Breathe deeply and relax thoroughly. Once prepared you may proceed
with trance induction methods familiar to you. Once in trance,
the pathwork may begin.

You find yourself walking a path through an evergreen forest. A soft
carpet of fir and pine needles is underfoot, and the crisp, starry
sky is above you where the branches part. You move at a natural
pace through the forest, glimpsing from time to time the snowfields
that crown the massive mountains surrounding this forest.

Ahead is a natural clearing among the trees. You see that from beneath the gnarled roots of the largest tree in the clearing there bubblesup a spring of fresh, clear water. You approach the spring, and you know its waters arise from the thawing of ice and snow in
the mountains above you. You sit on the carpet of moss at the side of the spring and gaze upon the shimmering surface and down into its cold, pure depths. The reflections of starlight on the water dance and shift, and you feel yourself calling up hidden images from the welling spring.

The spring slowly begins to form visions for you, as veils of shadow
rise from beneath the surface. You see more and more clearly a
line of people, from every walk of life. One by one their faces
float to the surface. Politicians are here, and doctors, police,
teachers, friends, relatives. In the vision, you see that their
eyes are closed and they have been going about their lives without
clear vision. You reach out to each one and, with clear water
from the spring, you anoint their eyes, one by one. You know that
as they receive your touch that the magick of these pure waters
will wash away their prejudice, their fear, and their misunderstandings.
You see their eyes open, one by one, and see the dawn of realization
upon their faces. You know that when they next awaken to reality
that they will have a clearer vision, a new inspiration, and deeper
compassion. Look deeply into the eyes of each person you anoint,
and see the seed of understanding that quickens within them with
the blessing of the fresh water.

There are many people within the depths of the spring, and many come
to you. The task seems daunting; there are too many for you to
work with. Yet just as your strength seems spent, new energy flows
into you from the spring, and you see the hundreds of other Witches
working with you to reach them. You feel the thread of connection
to these other healers. Together you know that all those who wait
in the depths of the spring will be touched. Renewed in mind and
spirit, you continue to open the eyes and minds that come to you….

Eventually the tide of waiting images slows, and is depleted. They have returned from whence they came, changed and renewed. Yet, as you look still upon the surface of the forest spring, there is one image left that awaits your blessing. You see your own reflection before you. As you have done with all the others, so do you now anoint yourself. The chill of pure water tingles on your skin and when you open your eyes again you feel reinvigorated, your purpose renewed, your own vision cleared. You thank the spirits of that sacred place, and when you are ready you return along the forest path from which you came.

The above article and ritual are from MoonWeb, an occasional publication
of Circle Cithaeron, a scholar’s circle and teaching collective
following an Eldrytch Tradition of work with wild nature. MoonWeb
is free for the cost of postage at the rate of two U.S. first-class
stamps per issue (or their equivalent in international postal
coupons). MoonWeb is free from copyright, and permission is enthusiastically
granted to photocopy, publish, digitize, or telepathically transmit
the contents, in whole or in part, as long as its parentage is
acknowledged. For more information, please write Circle Cithaeron,
PO Box 15461, Washington, DC 20003.

I grew up the son of a minister in a very conservative branch of
the Christian Church. Overall I had a happy childhood and was
loved and treated well by my parents, siblings and church
family. Those were simpler times and as a boy I was very creative and adventurous. Most people cannot relate to the experiences of preacher’s kids, or PKs as we are often called. There was a very high expectation that was set for me and my brother and sister.
We were constantly under the scrutiny of the church and if our behavior was out of line, my parents always found out about it.
There was a part of me that resented this. I couldn’t understand
why people couldn’t accept me for being me, instead of wanting
to mold me into the next Billy Graham.

I was never comfortable in the church, but always felt like I could
never measure up. I just wasn’t quite good enough for their idea
of God who was very stern and strict. I was always afraid of stepping
out of line, that I would be punished by this Divine Judge who
was just waiting for me to make a mistake.

While I did not enjoy the long sermons and the endless prayer meetings,
I did find a solace in nature. I spent as much time as I could
in the forest back behind the house where we lived. I had so many
questions back then. “Why can’t we have church outside?”
and “If God made the animals, why can’t they come to church?”

It didn’t help that I was drawn to faeries, mythology and especially
magic. Magic was absolutely forbidden in the teachings I received,
and was always called “The work of Satan”. Yet it was
a part of who I was, even though I denied that part of me for
many years. Along with the expectations and the stories told about
a vengeful God came the guilt and fear. I was afraid that I would
not make it to Heaven when Jesus returned for his church.

I remember vividly a dream that I had as a young boy. I was outside walking through the grass and my family was ahead of me. They
were all dressed in their Sunday finest, and for some reason I was running behind. Suddenly, the trumpet sounded. God was calling his people home, and there was my family, all holding hands, ready to be taken up in the Rapture. I wanted to cry out to them “Wait for me!” It was like they didn’t even realize that I was
there.

To make matters worse, blackbirds began to circle around my head,
swooping at me, preventing me from going to my family, and so
they went on to Heaven without me. I awoke, very shaken and lonely.
This dream haunted me for many years.

I left the church a few years ago and have since found peace in
my own personal path as a Druid. I traded the image
of an angry and jealous God for a loving and comforting Mother Goddess who accepts me for who I am. I enjoy divination and one of my favorite oracle sets is the Druid Animal Oracle by Phillip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm. I usually draw one card and meditate upon it’s meaning, drawing comfort and wisdom from the spirit of that animal. I recently drew the blackbird, and images of that dream I had as a boy came to mind. The blackbird is called Druid Dhubh in the Celtic tradition and represents Enchantment, The Gateway and The Inner Call. The blackbird is a twilight creature, sacred to the Goddess. He calls to us from the gates of the Otherworld, encouraging us to follow our own spiritual path.

After this reading it finally came to me. After all of those years,
worrying over the meaning of that dream, I found understanding
and I was quite surprised. The blackbirds were not Messengers
of Doom as I had feared. They were messengers of the Goddess,
sent to show me that I had been chosen to walk another path. I
wasn’t being denied entrance to Heaven, but was simply being pointed
in another direction. I was not meant to be a sheep, following
the instructions that were drilled into me without question. No,
I would be a wolf, playful, adventurous and secretive. Sure, there
would be those lonely times when alone I would howl at the moon.
But this was the path that called to me, in the deepest depths
of my being.

I smiled when this realization began to sink in. Things would have
been easier if I could have understood as a boy, but I guess I
had some growing to do first. I have come a long way on my spiritual
path. The exciting part, no longer laden with guilt, is that I
still have a long way to go. My journey is not over, but just
beginning. I can only guess at what lies ahead, but I do know
one thing that I have learned as a result of my reading: I no
longer fear the blackbirds.

“Blackbird” Oracle card came from the Druid Animal Oracle,which can be purchased here

From the
almanac of last things
I choose the spider lily
for the grace of its brief
blossom, though I myself
fear brevity,

but I choose The Song of Songs
because the flesh
of those pomegranates
has survived
all the frost of dogma.

I choose January with its chill
lessons of patience and despair–and
August, too sun-struck for lessons.
I choose a thimbleful of red wine
to make my heart race,

then another to help me
sleep. From the almanac
of last things I choose you,
as I have done before.
And I choose evening

because the light clinging
to the window
is at its most reflective
just as it is ready
to go out.

~~ Linda Pastan ~~
(Carnival Evening: New and Selected Poems 1968-1998)

Reviewing once again, the attributes of a mature Druid are seven-fold:

Point #1: Doethiweb – Wisdom
Point #2: Eluseugan – – Compassion
Point #3: Rhyddfrydwr – Liberalness
Point #4: Wmbredd – Abundance
Point #5: Ymnellltuaeth – Nonconformity
Point #6: Dysg – Learning
Point #7: Delfrydwr – Idealism

What do we mean by “nonconformity?” We mean individuality.
We mean questioning authority. We mean not “going with the
flow.” Henry David Thoreau put it this way:

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because
he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which
he hears, however measured or far away.”

It means that just because everyone else has a (fill in the blank),
I don’t have to have one (but if you desire something, even
if everyone else has it, get it anyway). It means paying very
little attention to fashion. It means that you stop caring about
what others think.

Just being a Druid is an act of nonconformity. Even among Neo-Pagans,
Druids are a minority, and sometimes misunderstood by the majority.
Druids are also hard to define. For example, is Druidism “Right
Hand Path” or “Left Hand Path?” The fact is
that we have traits common to both sides, mixed with opposing
traits from both sides. We are really, “middle pillar”
but how do you define that?

We are pantheistic in a monotheistic world. We are polyfidelitous
in a monogamous world. We prefer the woods to the city, nakedness
to clothing, mead to champagne. We define our own gods, as well
as declare each other to be god. Of course, there are no absolutes,
and a Druid’s nonconformity may lead him/her to not be any
of these things.

We are examples of compassion in a selfish world. We are the Treehuggers, the hippies, the beatniks. We demand peace in the midst of war. We demand love in the midst of hate. We demand equality for all,
in the midst of classism, racism, ageism, misogyny, and misanthropy.
We love.

But even our nonconformity is nonconformist. We’ll gladly go
along with society when society is right about something. For
example, it looks like the majority is starting to see the importance
of being “green.” We go along with that. We encourage
“green-ness.” Likewise, we are loyal towards the members
and leaders of our Groves, our Orders and our Druid fellowships.
In this day of “uber-individualism” being loyal to
a collective is an act of nonconformity in itself.

We recognize the natural force of Karma, yet, rather than being Karma’s
subjects, we oftentimes are called upon to be Karma’s agents.
This means that, like Valentine Michael Smith, we will be called
upon by conscience to “take right action at cusp”
and use our magick to either bind or eliminate those individuals
or things that are a threat to the collective. At the same time,
we will take a lot of time to meditate, to Grok, before taking
an action. Waiting is. This is the opposite of the usual social
need to “do it now, suffer the consequences later.”

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists
who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” –
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ritual Leader: Mareth
Kindred Caller: Mike
Firekeeper: Sara
Waterkeepe: Sara
Outdweller Caller
Candleperson: John
Water Blessing: Kelly

Sound the drum 9 times to signify the beginning of the rite.

Statement of Purpose and Precedent

Ritual Leader: Mareth

We are here today to celebrate what the ancient Celts considered
the beginning of Spring. In Gaelic it was called Imbolc (pronounced “im-molk”) and it was held when their sheep began to lamb. They honored Brighid at this time, a Celtic Goddess of healing, the home fires and
divine inspiration.

Walk in procession led by John to the ritual circle. Align ourselves
around the four quarters: North-Earth, East-Air, South-Fire, West-Water.

Casting the circle: Sara

Opening Song

The Spring will come again
(To the Tune of “The Farmer in theDell”)

Everyone:

The spring will come again
The spring will come again
Birds sing and flowers bloom
The spring will come again

Purification

Firekeeper:

We cleanse this holy place with fire!
(Firekeeper walks around the circle with
incense)

Waterkeeper:

We cleanse ourselves with water! (Waterkeeper
walks around and splashes
participants with water)

(Candle Carrier follows with candles in basket, each person/family takes
a candle)

Creating the Sacred Center

Each of us should have a candle and we should now place them on our
altar for lighting.

(Fire Keeper lights candles)

May these candles honor Brigit
and bring healing into our lives
as well as those close to us.

The
heat, the spark, the name,
The hearth, the forge, the flame

The
ocean, the rain, the snow
The source, the spring, the flow

The
flower, the fruit, the mead
The forest, the leaf, the seed.

We
honor the fire that warms and protects us
We honor the water that we drink
We honor the trees that shelter us, connecting us to all.

Grove Meditation

Everybody
take a deep breath and close your eyes
Think about the birds, and the trees, and the bees
They are all part of the earth
And we are all part of the earth
We are all connected

Earth Mother

We
are all connected to the Earth. She is the mother of all life,
on this planet. On this day where we celebrate the coming of spring,
take this birdseed and give it to the birds and animals near your
home in honor of the gifts the earth gives us every day.

Opening of Gates: Mike

Warmth of Fire that forged us
Song of Wisdom that inspires us
Flow of Sacred Water that heals us
Streams holding nine hazelnuts,
We ask Brighid for her presence, guidance and protection in our
rite

Brighid, Bless and guard all those here today who worship you
Whether in their home or traveling
Whether alone or with others
Whether engaged in your work, or going about their daily routines

Growth Offering: John

As the plants sacrificed seeds last fall for growth this spring,
so must we sacrifice that which holds us back, so we too may grow
in the future.

Go around the circle and have each person say:

I
am _____ and I am connected to the Earth

Nothing is all good or all bad, including people. We all have things that
we don’t like about ourselves or others. We acknowledge the negative
in the world and in ourselves, and make this offering to the fire
so that we will not be troubled by these things within this sacred
space. Imagine this sacrifice is magnetic and sticky. Think now
about something you wish to let go. Allow this to flow towards
and stick to the sacrifice.

As the firekeeper makes the sacrifice, visualize the flames consuming
and transforming what each of you individually put into the sacrifice,
freeing you from it.

(Firekeeper takes the Items and sacrifices them to the fire)

The Kindred Offerings

Kindred Caller: Mike

Ancestors!
Nature Spirits!
Gods and Goddesses of Old!
Kindred, we welcome you!

Everyone:

Kindred!
We welcome you!

Kindred Caller: Mike

Brighid, Goddess of Healing and Inspiration
Goddess of Midwifery and the Hearth Arts
Goddess of the Forge and Flame

Everyone:

Brighid!
We honor you!

Bardic Tale of Brighid
(To be written)

Main/Praise Offering

Ritual Leader: Mareth

In some traditions, hazelnuts bring or symbolize wisdom, creativity
or intuition. So today, we will each make an offering of hazelnuts.
As the basket comes around, take a few for your offering and concentrate
for a moment on ~~
Bright New Beginning ~~.Concentrate on how this would change your
life and the lives of those you love.

**Pass around basket of hazelnuts**John

Each of us now will have a turn to offer praise or thanks to the deity,
patron or Sacred Power of their choice in whatever manner fits
their own path. This can be done aloud or silently.

You may also take this time to make a request for either yourself
or someone else. This can be a request for anything, such as for
healing, guidance or inspiration. Again, this can be done aloud
or silently.

Offer the hazelnuts to the flames when you are finished so the next
person knows when it is their turn. I will begin and we will go
clockwise.

Omen

Ritual Leader:

At each ritual, we will ask for an omen, which is a sign from the
Gods about how our ritual has been received. We will each draw
a personal omen, which is a sign for you in your own life. It
is up to you to interpret how this omen is to be interpreted.
As the bag comes around, close your eyes and pick a stone. After
everyone has chosen a stone, we will draw the omen for the ritual
and interpret the meaning together.

Blessing the Water

Water Blesser: Kelly

As
we have given, so let us receive
We open ourselves to the Waters of Life
And drink in the blessings of the gods

Everyone:

Give
us the Waters of Life!

(Water Blesser walks around the circle and gives each person some water,
giving a small blessing)

Blessing The Candles

Ritual Leaders: Mareth

These candles have been burning throughout our ritual, infused with
healing and blessings of the Gods, the Kindred, and the working
of our Fellowship. Take a candle home with you, and allow it to
continue to burn to its end, connecting Grove hearth to your Home
hearth. Fellowship flame to Home flame. Fellowship Blessing to
Home Blessing. Carrying the power, love and magic from this sacred
grove into your everyday life.

Ritual Leader: Mareth

Our
Kindred share their presence and blessings in our rite today!

Everyone:

Kindred,
we thank you!

Ritual Leader: Mareth:

As
we prepare to end this rite and leave this sacred space,
may Brighid protect us and Peace guide us.

Everyone:

The
spring will come again
The spring will come again
Birds sing and flowers bloom
The spring will come again

Drummer beat the drum three times to signal the end of our rite.

Feast!

During my morning Imrama’s I check in with my guides and ruling god/desses of the season. The following piece is a channel from my work during Silver Ray Quest with in the Sisterhood of Avalon. It find it
interesting the more I interact with the Goddess, the God comes
forth to balance the equation. The God of the Underworld has something
to say…..

Yes I am Cerridwen’s twin – we are both of the Underworld
– we both represent the dark forces that lie in the Earth, and
by dark force we mean the hidden, secretive and shadow side of
life and nature. We do not mean harm, yet we inspire those who
pass by or travel into our realms to fully indulge themselves
into knowing their other side. At times it can be unpleasant but
it must be so.

Lightworkers strive to rid of the darkness of this planet, but
it cannot be done because without darkness there cannot be light.
We fully respect the light half of our brethren and they do so
in return because we, how to say, feed upon each other. Sometimes
the scales are tipped in favor of one or the other, and at times
they are equal, as are the seasons of this earth. The angelic
realms do not work with the dark side energies, nor do they accomplish
anything in this realm, however they do know that this earth is
based upon both polarities.

Now we don’t mind light entering the earth realm, however
we do mind when humans are told that we are evil or demons or
we are called hellish creatures or known as hell, because it is
not so. This earth has always had two polarities and it tipped
to the negative when Christianity came into view.

Now people are attempting to reverse this situation, however it
is unfruitful because the Underworld, Otherworld, is not being
recognized in the process. When our world is recognized for the
truth it is instead of the abyssal wasteland it was historically
referred to, then and only then can and will the light be fully
restored. Until that time there will be rampant fear energies
running blindly around trying to arouse the citizens of this earth
to stand up and fight against us.

When they fully comprehend what we truly are, then and only then
we will be able to integrate into what this earth plane was truly
meant to be – a place for all beings to reside in harmony. That
is all for today daughter, so mote it be.

(CLICK HERE FOR PART 2)