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2009
Meditations: winter, autumn, late summer, summer,
early spring, winter Early Autumn 2010 This summer has passed so quickly I can hardly catch my breath. So much to do, and the daylight hours are slipping away quickly, racing into the Autumn time. The seasons have moved into the time of Lammas, the time of the harvest. Traditionally, the first fruits of the season are given as gifts to the Goddess. The first grains of the field are ritually burnt, or baked into a loaf of bread, or the sheaves of wheat are woven into “ dollies” or braided into beautiful designs, to be placed proudly on the wall. It is a time for remembering the goodness of Mother Earth, She who gives us nourishment and life. It is also a time for a very old fashioned tradition called “sacrifice”. Sacrifice, according to definition, is to offer up something precious and special to the God or Goddess, to make it sacred. The first fruits of the harvest are sacrificed to the Goddess of the harvest. This tradition goes back into prehistory, and perhaps beyond. Old myths and legends speak of sacrificing to the Goddesses. Giving the first portion to the Divine, as a symbol of gratitude. The first books of the Old Testament talks of sacrifice; Cain and Able sacrificed fruit and grains and animals. Abraham was to sacrifice his son. Later, the Christian God sacrificed his son. Even as recently as my childhood, we were requested to sacrifice on a regular basis, such as meatless Fridays, or giving up our milk money to the missions, or to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which cared for the poor. There is a certain feeling of wholeness giving up something you want or need for a greater good. I don’t know if people sacrifice voluntarily much anymore. The spirit of sacrifice permeates this Season of Lammas. Giving the first portion of something as a way of saying thank you. Pouring out a libation in gratitude. The spirit of unselfishness. Delaying gratification for a later time, saving the harvest for the cold and rainy days of fall and winter. Denying something for oneself so that others may have the essentials. Doing something you really don’t want to do, so that someone else benefits. Sacrifice. Sacrifice can also be doing the Right Thing. Perhaps taking an ailing friend to appointments, when you would rather be doing anything else. Giving up a free Saturday to work in a volunteer garden or a charity carwash. These are all forms of sacrifice A story I re-read recently is embedded in my heart, concerning sacrifice and doing the Right Thing. It is calling for me to expand upon the theme. I am sure you will recall it, but just to refresh your memory, here is the story. The Parable of the Good SamaritanOn one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." We all know that the Teacher is calling for compassion, mercy and kindness to our fellow human. But the more I pondered the story and lesson inside it, the more I felt that there was another hidden gem- the ideal of doing the Right Thing. Surely, the Good Samaritan had other things to do; he was on a business trip, he was occupied with important things; he did not have time to take care of a total stranger. But he did take care of the stranger, and he did it because it was the Right Thing to do. Doing the Right Thing is challenging because it is not always convenient to do what is right. Sometimes it involves expenses, physically and financially and emotionally. The Good Samaritan gave up his ride for the unfortunate soul. I am not sure of the monetary exchange, but two silver coins sounds as though it would buy some competent medical treatment. The Good Samaritan promised more cash on the return trip, guaranteeing that the man would be treated well, and not ignored. Sometimes, doing the Right Thing involves an outlaying of time and commitment that we otherwise would not care to make. Sometimes doing the Right Thing is just not what we want to do, but we have to, because it is the Right Thing. Doing the Right Thing can be as ordinary as picking up trash on the roadside, or as extraordinary as saving a stranger’s life. Doing the Right Thing is seeing a need and responding to it, without prodding, blame, complaining, nagging or whining. As the old Nike commercial said: just do it! (do you know that Nike is the Goddess of victory? How appropriate!) Doing the Right Thing is voting, doing the Right Thing caring for our furred and feathered brothers and sisters who have no voice. Doing the Right Thing is doing that which may or may not be popular, politically correct or fashionable, but it is the Right Thing to do. John Wooden wrote once: “You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote that: “To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own.” Go, and give and do without reward. Make this world a better place for our children, and their children. Have a perfect day, and be special!Blessings in this beautiful season, This meditation has been so very difficult for me to even begin thinking about. I knew that the oil disaster would have to be addressed somehow. The enormous ecological, economic and environmental damage is beyond comprehension. As is usual with man-made catastrophes, the media downplays the true concerns, and the “blame game” is in full force. It would be refreshing, if, just once, the person in charge would publicly say: “I really messed up. I am so sorry, and I will do everything in my power to rectify the situation.” However, the situation is so terrible, that there may never be a way to cleanse the damage to the planet. As we all know, what effects one, effects all. We are not separate creations on this planet-we are all one being. What happens in the Gulf, or in Michigan, or in Australia, or anywhere else on Earth, affects all of us. The Goddess Tradition stresses the awareness that we are all One, we are all together, and we all are, indeed, the Planet. The ancient Greeks named the Great Earth Mother, Gaia, the Mother of us all. The Mother of Creation. And at this very moment in time, our Mother is in desperate need of healing and comfort. Her silver fish children in the oceans are dying, Her lovely plants are smothered in poisons, Her graceful birds are dead or dying of a slow painful death. The despair of this great tragedy is palpable. The problem is so overwhelming that one does not know where to begin. We cannot all fly down to the coast and volunteer our time cleaning birds and beaches. We send our financial contributions to worthy corporations and groups who promise to do what they can for the cleanup. What else is possible? James Lovelock, the creator of the Gaia hypothesis, feels the earth is too far gone into complete planetary destruction to make a full recovery. This latest catastrophe may well be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. Hot arid climate will form and seriously hinder vegetation’s ability to grow, deserts will cover what was once farmland, and, without plants, animals and humans cannot survive. Beaches covered in oily toxicity will only compound the damage. I do not want to sound like “little Mary Sunshine”, but I would like you to consider the possibility and miracle of prayer. “I’ll pray for you” can sound so trite sometimes, so off-hand and uncaring. But real prayer, real connection can indeed work miracles. If you are of the Christian tradition, our brother, Jesus, said to “pray ceaselessly” “pray always”. Gaia is a constant presence in our lives. She asks too that we pray constantly, connect with Her always. The greed and folly which is currently decimating our once beautiful home needs to be supplanted by love, genuine caring and responsibility. Albert Einstein famously once said that a problem cannot be solved at the level in which it was created. The oil calamity was created by, among other things, greed, stupidity, ignoring basic common sense, and technology. More technology will not solve this problem, or cure the devastation. Love, awareness, insightful meditations, and delving into the inner truths of the destruction will bring positive solutions. Since this oil disaster began, I have been using a variation of one my favorite meditations to connect with Gaia. I offer it to you in a spirit of love and gratitude, for together, we can begin the healing. Find a place in nature, any place. Your backyard, the park, a tiny cushion of grass. Have as much of your body as possible in contact with the Earth. Sitting on the ground is lovely, with legs and hands touching the soil. Even if you are sitting in a chair, have your shoes off, and your bare feet touching the ground. Breathe in deeply and steadily. Just breathe. Be conscious of your breathing, with every inhalation and exhalation. Breathe. Feel your body steadily release tension and stress. Gently, oh so gently, ask Mother Earth if you may connect with Her. Mother Earth is raw and open and deeply pained. Softly, feather lightly, easily, bring your love and awareness into her being. Gently, gently. Feel as though you are holding Her hand. Feel Her embrace, soft, warm, dark, fragrantly beautiful. Connect. Breathe. Softly. Find the emotions you wish to convey to Her, discover the words you wish to say. “Mother Gaia, Mother Earth, you are so beautiful, and so wounded. You have given me life. I am strong now. You have given me every good thing for life; water, air, earth, luscious plants to eat, and give me strength. Take my strength now. I give it to you. Take whatever energy and life you need from me, and use it to heal. I give it to you. Take all you need. I so love You, Your green trees, and animal children, birds and fish and reptiles; clouds and mountains; lakes and rivers and ponds. Take all from me to heal your waters, to heal your fish and birds. I give to you, and I love You.” Breathe. Let Mother Earth take what She needs. If She communicates with you, listen and do not interrupt. Listen and be filled with Her presence. Listen and absorb, then do what you are told. Trust in the wisdom of our planet. Stay connected to Her. This is the beginning of healing. Close your sacred time with a heartfelt “thank you”. Carry this peacefulness into your day, and into your life. Return to your work with a sense of Her presence about you. Do this as often as you can.
I bless you with peace. Sharon P.S. In
a web search, I discovered this prayer request. I offer it to you.
Gulf Coast Oil Spill – Sioux Prayer Request – A letter from Chief Arvol Looking Horse (Present Chief and Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Nation of the Sioux) ****** A Great Urgency ****** To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders ****** My
relatives, We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf. The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make. I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies. I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth. As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc’I Maka). We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on. As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life. So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children’s future and well-being, and the generations to come. (that we shall live),
Gaia
is the one who gave us birth -From
"Gaia’s song" The study of the Goddess is not a new-agey bunch of scattered thoughts, nor is it an out-moded way of thinking, concerned only with ancient mythologies, although Gaia’s name does come from the ancient Greeks. The Greeks knew She was the One from whom all life came from. She created all Her children: the sea, the mountains, the earth, and all who live upon Her: the animals, the birds and fish. All that lives, live through Her bounty. The Greeks reverenced her so much, that they used Gaia’s name when swearing a sacred oath. Although She is the same Goddess, She has a different Name and Title in every place on the globe: She is Astarte, Cybele, Terra, Demeter, Ishtar and Isis. Gaia was the Mother of the Gods and the Great Mother of all Creation. "First
in my prayer, before all other deities, The term Gaia movement first came into the modern worlds’ awareness in the 1960s. It was the name a British chemist, James Lovelock, gave to his study of revising and expanding Darwin’s theories of evolution and the earth systems. He was discovering that the earth was a living, breathing, singular organism, not a dead lump of rock floating in space. In a nutshell, Lovelock’s theory states that all” living things have a regulatory effect on the Earth's environment that promotes life overall; the Earth is homeostatic in support of life-sustaining conditions.” His theory was both praised and condemned, but the theory had the value of getting people to THINK. To think about our earth, it inhabitants, sentient and non-sentient alike, and all the processes and growth cycles the earth has. His theory is so much more than mere ideas; Lovelock’s vision has shifted into Paradigm, the generally accepted model of how ideas relate to one another, so that it forms a framework, where scientific research and development can be carried out. Scientists are just beginning to see how the inter-relatedness of our own bodies affects our health and well being: physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. The scientific community has much to discover concerning the inter-relatedness of our own planet, and its many systems. “The Gaia hypothesis is a brilliant organizing principle for bringing together people who don’t normally talk to each other, like biologists, geochemists and atmospheric physicians, to ask profound questions about how we got here and how the machinery works.” (Lawrence Joseph, “Gaia, the growth of an idea, 1990”) The ancients intuitively felt this connection, and understood the oneness of all creation. Religions and cultures of ages before us left prayers and ritual attesting to the reverence they felt for our homeworld. In many cultures, the earth was referred to as ”Mother”. The Earth was not a garbage dump, or an unlimited source of raw materials (for example: animals, plants, minerals or humans), or a force to be controlled. The weather and climate changes of recent years can leave no doubt that we are not in charge of the world’s weather systems. The wholesale extinction of animals and genus’ of plants and groups of people show that our resources are indeed finite. Eco-spirituality has as its goal the combining the best of spiritual practices with the most up to date scientific findings to promote a healthy love and respect for the planet, it’s systems and its population, human and non-human, sentient and non-sentient. It is having respect for the beauty and wildness of our Earth. Goddess reverence is not a myth or a fairy tale, it is the honor we must learn to cultivate for our beloved and only planetary home. It is realizing that the earth is our only home, and that we have nowhere else to go. We must keep the Earth beautiful and healthy. We must understand the inter-connectedness of all of Earth’s systems. We must learn from and seek to preserve the indigenous traditions, customs and teachings, so that all humanity may benefit from the wisdom of our elders. Our very survival depends on this awareness. “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. “ (Chief Joseph) This letter (below) was written over a century ago by Chief Joseph, and had, and always will have, a profound impact on me. I share it with you in love and gratitude. I hope this little Spring Interlude has opened a bit of awareness for you. The Goddess is as real to me as you are. She is Earth and She is us. Blessings, Sharon
CHIEF SEATTLE: 1855 Some of our most influential roots are the original cultures of this land. The following letter, sent by Chief Seattle of the Dwamish Tribe in Washington to President Pierce in 1855, illustrates the dignity, wisdom, and continuing relevance of this native continental vision. THE GREAT CHIEF in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. The Great Chief also sends us words of friendship and good will. This is kind of him, since we know he has little need of our friendship in return. But we will consider your offer, for we know if we do not so the white man may come with guns and take our land. What Chief Seattle says you can count on as truly as our white brothers can count on the return of the seasons. My words are like the stars - they do not set. How can you buy or sell the sky - the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. Yet we do not own the freshness of the air or the sparkle of the water. How can you buy them from us? We will decide in our time. Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing, and every humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. He leaves his father's graves and his children's birthright is forgotten. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the redman. But perhaps it is because the redman is a savage and does not understand. There is no quiet place in the white man's cities. No place to listen to the leaves of spring or the rustle of insect wings. But perhaps because I am a savage and do not understand - the clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lovely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of the frogs around a pond at night? The Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind itself cleansed by a mid-day rain, or scented by a pinõn pine: The air is precious to the redman. For all things share the same breath - the beasts, the trees, and the man. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench. If I decide to accept, I will make one condition. The white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. I am a savage and I do not understand any other way. I have seen thousands of rotting buffaloes on the prairie left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo that we kill only to stay alive. What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beast also happens to the man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Our children have seen their fathers humbled in defeat. Our warriors have felt shame. And after defeat they turn their days in idleness and contaminate their bodies with sweet food and strong drink. It matters little where we pass the rest of our days - they are not many. A few more hours, a few more winters, and none of the children of the great tribes that once lived on this earth, or that roamed in small bands in the woods will remain to mourn the graves of the people once as powerful and hopeful as yours. One thing we know that the white man may one day discover. Our God is the same God. You may think that you own him as you wish to own our land, but you cannot. He is the Body of man, and his compassion is equal for the redman and the white. This earth is precious to him, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The whites, too, shall pass - perhaps sooner than other tribes. Continue to contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste. When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hills blotted by the talking wires, where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone. And what is it to say goodbye to the swift and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival. We might understand if we knew what it was the white man dreams, what hopes he describes to his children on long winter nights, what visions he burns into their minds, so they will wish for tomorrow. But we are savages. The white man's dreams are hidden from us. And because they are hidden, we will go our own way. If we agree, it will be to secure your reservation you have promised. There perhaps we may live out our brief days as we wish. When the last redman has vanished from the earth, and the memory is only the shadow of a cloud passing over the prairie, these shores and forests will still hold the spirits of my people, for they love this earth as the newborn loves its mother's heartbeat. If we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it as we have cared for it. Hold in your memory the way the land is as you take it. And with all your strength, with all your might, and with all your heart - preserve it for your children, and love it as God loves us all. One thing we know - our God is the same. This earth is precious to him. Even the white man cannot escape the common destiny. Oh
Goddess, Source of Gods and Mortals, The
season of Light is returning once again Imbolic
is such a time of hope. The darkest days of winter are past, and the Light
is actually becoming stronger and more pronounced. The Celtic peoples saw the year as a continuous circle,, which they called the Wheel of the Year. The celebrated the seasons and the comings and goings of time in a very nature oriented manner. However, in all the readings I have encountered, there has never been mention of the connection between Beltane and Imbolic. Beltane is the spring-fever filled festival of new growth and new beginnings and passions. An ancient tradition was the Beltane Fire, around which the community danced and sang. It was also a time for making the next generation. The babies conceived at the Beltane Ritual would be ready to make their arrival right around Imbolic. How fitting to have a celebration of mother hood and welcome the Goddess of Imbolic, Dear Brigid. I conducted a tiny informal survey before beginning this webpage, just to see what kinds of activities expectant mothers perform just before giving birth. Almost every woman I asked said “cleaned house!” It seems we all go through a cleaning frenzy just before childbirth. And, guess what? One of the traditional activities for Imbolic is a ritual cleansing of the home. Traditional activities for Brigid’s day are the weaving of a Brigid doll, a little cross used for protection and blessing. There are several nice sites on the web that have instructions for weaving a “corn dolly” or “Brigid’s cross”. They are surprisingly easy to do, and look very nice when complete. Hang your Brigid’s cross in an honored place, or, place it in a little basket (both are traditional) Brigid is the protector for mothers and children, and Mothers are always in need of Her assistance. Raising children is a lot of work! Imbolic can also be thought of as a season, rather than as an isolated event. We can easily visualize the concept of the “Christmas Season”, which can last for months, so Imbolic has its season. In the season of Yule (which was later termed Christmas) we began the process of beginning dreams and planting tiny seeds of inspiration. Last season, I encouraged you to create a “vision poster “with the New Year’s hopes and dreams. Now, in Imbolic, is the time to allow these tiny seeds to begin the journey of growth. In Mother Natures’ world now, new growth is indeed beginning, no matter how imperceptible. The sap in the majestic maple trees is faintly moving, tiny snowdrops and crocuses are commencing the journey through frozen soil and snow cover to burst into color. Sunshine is remaining longer with every passing day. The signs of Spring are all around; we merely need to observe. This is one of the more pleasant activities of Spring: watching for signs of new growth, both in the outside world of Mother nature, and the inside world of our own souls. We can be growing more compassionate and wise, thoughtful and serene each day. We can be building strength in our bodies and souls. We can be nurturing relationships and knowledge. Just as nature’s growth requires sun and warmth and proper nutrients, so does our own growth need encouragement. Meditation time, inspiring literature, nurturing friends, exercise and wholesome foods; these are the foundation to build a new Springtime being. Enjoy this energy filled newness. Be happy and filled with the joy of Spring. Go outside and play; visit the wonder of our Earth Mother’s lovely planet, and say a word of thanksgiving to Her. She will be pleased! I wish you every blessing this Season of Imbolic. Sharon
Solstice and Beyond 2010 “”Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey and enjoy every idle hour.” Jane Young, England The light is waning and the darkness grows, and then, silently, for one week the earth seems to stand still. Darkness has appeared to have won the battle, when slowly and almost imperceptibly, the light begins to reassert itself. And the journey of the Sun starts anew, growing slowly towards the return of Spring. I so do look forward to Spring and all its beauty. I do enjoy the stark beauty of snow on the evergreens, and the icy blue skies. My favorite winter activity is sitting in my rocker, curled up by the fire, reading seed catalogues and planning the Spring gardens. Popcorn helps the process. One of the traditional things to do this time of year is to make a New Year’s Resolution. A new year, a new beginning, and plans for the future all sound so promising. And, according to surveys, most New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten or abandoned by months end. A possible reason for this dismal rate of success is because most resolutions are boring, uncompromising and doomed to failure from the onset. “I will lose 20 pounds by April”. “I will finish painting the basement by February” “I will complete this project by next month”, and on and on……… We all have aspects about ourselves that we would like to see changed or improved. We all have a book or a painting or a song or some artistic endeavor within us, just waiting to see fruition. And we all need motivation and inspiration to see our project through the challenging parts to completion. A system that I have been using is really fun and provides visual inspiration. I make a monthly Inspiration Calendar. I love to make collages, so my calendar is made of beautiful pictures I find in magazines and newspapers and online, but you can use any medium you like. I make small daily and weekly goals for myself, that add up to the larger monthly goals. Each step of the way is decorated with an inspiring quote or photograph. And there is always a reward waiting at the end of the week for a job well done! This way, big daunting projects are broken down into tiny more manageable steps, which are so much more comfortable to finish. You can make a poster of your goals, you can decorate a premade calendar page, you can make an inspiration page on your computer, you can have a mason jar of inspirational quotes and pull a new one out of the jar each day to guide you on your way. Anything you choose to do is great, as long as you do it! Each month make a new Inspiration Calendar to reflect your progress of achieving goals and dreams. One worthy goal that almost everyone has is to get fit and strong and healthy, and maybe lose a few pounds in the process. How to start? Small. Week one might be to walk or jog outside for twenty minutes twice a week. Be specific: put it on your calendar: on Tuesday and Thursday, put dinner in the oven, and while it is cooking, there will be time for a brisk 20 minute walk. That will allow plenty of time to finish meal preparations and set the table upon return. See, you did it! Week Two might be to increase your walk time to 30 minutes. Again, no problem, you can do it, and you feel great about yourself! Now you get to relax with a skin-nourishing facial or manicure as a reward (or whatever it is you decide to reward yourself with). Increase your walk time or days as you desire, each week, adding a little more challenge. Don’t forget to decorate your calendar with stars and stickers and positive affirmations each time something is going right. And when things are going not-so –right really pull out the stops and add more color, more affirmations, more positivity, to get you going in the right direction. This is a very easy and very simple technique for accomplishing small things that add up to huge accomplishments over time. One of my goals for this New Year is to run the Cheetah Chase 5K race at Binder Park Zoo, in Battle Creek. The date has not been announced yet, but it usually occurs in late June, and the proceeds go to Zoo. I love supporting the animals. I walked the race last year, but this is the year to run. I have never run before in my whole life! But I know that by taking small steps (literally!), I will succeed in this goal. If you would like to join me on race day, and run (or walk) I would love to see you! If there are four or more people walking or running with me, we can have a team!! The race last year was so much fun. Start now to get into training mode and watch yourself blossom. “Antisthenes says that in a certain faraway land, the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon they are uttered, and only after some time they thaw and become audible, so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer. “ Plutarch, Greece, 45-125 ce Walking outside in Winter is a wonderful time to begin the practice of walking meditation. The cold keeps the mind focused. Being able to see the breath helps keeps breathing active and relaxed. A simple mantra keeps the mind engaged and at ease. One of my favorite mantras to recite while walking is: “I
breathe in the beauty of the Goddess, Blessings, Sharon The Autumn Equinox has come and gone. The equality of the days has vanished until next spring; the wheel of the seasons is turning towards winter. In times past, this period of autumn would bring tears of melancholy. Summer is over and gone, for what will surely be an eternity. Winter stays forever, cold, dark, and bleak with no hope of warmth or the freshness of summer breezes. No wonder I cried. It still is challenging for me to find some reason to love the Autumn and growing darkness. Of course, the spectacular colors are awe inspiring. And, yes, the last of the seasons fruits are well worth the wait. But soon colors turn to dullness, the brisk winds to numbing cold. But the Autumn Goddesses show the wisdom of the earth during this time. One interesting little tidbit I learned is that the leaves only begin to show their true colors once the chlorophyll of summer begins to fade. The chlorophyll brings life, nutrients and green to the plant. When the light fades, the chlorophyll also fades, leaving behind the true color of the plant, be it scarlet, rust, brown, orange or yellow. So what a plant truly is, is what it becomes when the light inside vanishes. Which led me to start thinking of random sidetrack thoughts, such as: who am I when the light vanishes from my life? What do we learn from the darkness? If leaves become more beautiful than ever when life has seemingly vanished from them, what about us? In the Autumn, after the busyness of the growth and harvest, there is a quiet time. It is at this time when the bulbs and seeds for the next season are planted. These dormant plants absolutely need the dark, the cold and quiet in order to blossom the next spring. More random thoughts: what about us? What thoughts, ideas, plan need the dark and quiet to germinate? And I realized that all of my thoughts need that quiet time to reach any kind of fruition. The dark and quiet of autumn is not necessarily a time of death and defeat, but a time of new beginnings. The ancient Celtic peoples were absolutely correct in beginning their New Year at Samhain, October 31, as the time of death and rebirth, because it marked both the beginning and the end of cycle of life. The ancient Greeks also marked time in a similar fashion, with the celebration of the ritual story of the Springtime Goddess Demeter, who mourned so for the loss of Her daughter, Persephone, that She withdrew from the world, taking the light and warmth with Her. Autumn and Winter descended from Her grief, and would not abate until her beloved daughter was returned safely to Her. When her daughter returned, Spring came once again. All these ideas and thoughts have challenged my thinking, taking them to a different level. Autumn is a time of new beginnings, much like the Spring is a season for newness. But Autumn’s new beginnings are completely different. Instead of bursting forth like new buds on a branch, Autumn’s new beginnings grow deeply and mysteriously in the darkness of the earth. Quietly. Patiently. Peacefully. People use the autumn time for new beginnings of school and classes. There is urgency in the air to accomplish stuff now, before the winter comes. Gather, finish, complete, hurry. And that is well and good. But there is something to be said for the other kind of new beginnings. The beginnings of new plant life all need the quiet and darkness to form. Seeds and bulbs demand the cold, quiet of fall to begin the growth process. Our bodies need the darkness of sleep to regenerate. Growing infants need the darkness of the womb to develop. We need the quietness of mind to recuperate from the day’s stresses. The quiet meditational times we carve out for ourselves bring clarity of mind and heart. Sometimes new ideas do not jump out of consciousness. The ideas and senses need to “back-burner” for a time, in order to gel and form. These times are not wasted, or are to be considered times of laziness. The quiet, day-dreaming time is vital to our nervous system, soul and well-being. When the light leaves your soul, and only you are left, who are you? When you are in mourning, to whom do you turn for comfort? When there is only darkness to be seen, what do you look at? Meditation gives us answers to these queries, and the comfort and strength to go on, when the light has seemingly disappeared. There is great beauty in the darkness. There is great beauty in trees when the leaves have fallen into heaps beneath them. What is left is the raw starkness of the trees essence, the rough bark, and miles of branches. And the older a tree becomes, the more beautifully it evolves. As do we. Blessings of this beautiful season. Sharon PostScript: Meditation is not at all difficult. Here is an easy Autumn meditation for you to try: Sit comfortably, cross legged, and if possible, outside, in a pretty spot, perhaps under a tree. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. Breathe in deeply, hold your breath for a count of 4…one….two….three….four. Exhale slowly, also to a count of 4, one…..two….three……four. Pause and breathe normally for a count of eight, softly and easily. Visualize the tree you are sitting beneath, feel the trunk and roots, inhale the scent of its leaves. Now resume the four count breathing again. Pause and rest again. Continue this breathing pattern for as long as you wish, perhaps five minutes to start, working up to ten or fifteen minutes, or longer. Rise up, thank the tree for sharing time with you, and resume your day, serene and calm and filled with the goodness of Autumn. Of all the summer festivities, Lammas is my favorite, and I hope that it will become one of your favorites as well. Lammas is the feast of Summer gratitude, celebrated at the end of the growing season, and the beginning of the harvest time. Some research dates the celebration of Lammas back to the 9th century in Britain. Other sources state that the celebration is older, much, much older than that. Some sources date it to 440 BCE, with celebrations to the Goddess Artemis Whenever it began, it is a tradition that should be continued. The ritual concerning Lammas feast is quite simple: a loaf of bread is baked and offered to the Gods and Goddesses in thanksgiving for the Harvest. Then, as now, there are no guarantees that what has been planted will come to bear fruit. Heavy rains, winds, draught, animals, or fires, any number of terrible events could easily destroy the autumn harvest. Food supplies are limited or depleted at this season of the year. So in gratitude for the wheat harvest, a special loaf of bread was kneaded and baked, and offered up in thanksgiving. In later centuries, the Catholic Church adopted this tradition, naming it the "Loaf Mass". Bread was brought into Church with a candle light procession, for a special service (called The Mass), to be blessed and shared with the congregation. Later there was singing and more food to celebrate the goodness of God and His gift of food. Another custom of Lammas Day is the weaving of "corn dollies". These are beautiful little dolls woven of soaked wheat stalks. The dollies were created on Lammas Day, and hung with pride in a prominent place in the home. On St. Bridget’s Day, or Candlemass day in early February the following winter, the dollies were ritually burnt as offering to the Goddess Brigit, the Goddess of the Celts and the Goddess of Light, whose gift of Light and warmth were desperately needed in the dead of winter. Wheat weaving is fun and relaxing to do, and there are many websites offering detailed instructions on how to make a pretty doll or wreath. Our lives are so incredibly hectic and busy, even in this supposedly relaxing season of summer. It is probably difficult to find a moment to breathe deeply, let alone find a wheat field to ponder and enjoy. I know there are the "Martha Stewarts" of everything out there, who will find a field of wheat, cut and bale it, make it into beautiful creations, and have them hung on the wall, all before breakfast. Then there are the rest of us. A trip to Hobby Lobby or Michael’s is always a fun event, to buy a little package of wheat stalks, to place in a pretty vase to ponder, especially if we have no intention of ever weaving the stalks together. The purpose of my writing this is not to add more stress of work to an already overburdened day. Your spirituality should enhance and enrich your life, not complicate it. To look at a stalk of wheat, to hold it in your hands, to mold it into a decorative item, purely for creative enjoyment, is a way of connecting with Nature, our beloved Mother Earth. Our bodies and spirits and senses are starved for the purity of the Earth. We physically need to be outside every day. We need to breathe real, unrecycled air and feel the wind on our faces. We need the sunshine. We need to hear the wildlife around us. We need to remember that we are part of the Divine beauty of the earth. We also need to connect with our food. We are used to our food arriving at our homes in boxes and cartons. Or driving and consuming prepared "meals" in little bags with happy colors. Very few people understand the cycles of nature and growing and harvesting. Growing a plant, nurturing it to maturity, picking it, and preparing it, and serving lightly cooked or raw, is a connecting experience. Bread, especially now, is a feared food, because of carbohydrates and transfat, and genetically modified nightmares. Food terrors were not always present. Our great-grandmothers would have thought anyone who didn’t eat bread was crazy! Bread used to be the "staff of life". Congregations would, and still do, pray: "give us this day our daily bread". Bread was a blessed necessity, a part of everyday life. Wheat was grown and cared for with reverence. Part of the harvest was always offered to the Gods and Goddesses in thanksgiving and gratitude. And in further devotion, the first loaf of bread from the new harvest was offered up as a gift. Making bread was an art and a devotion. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said so many years ago:"let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food". I would add, let your food be your spirit and your nurturance. Add the "attitude of gratitude" to your daily diet. It is in the spirit of gratitude that I offer this writing to you. Find a moment to connect with Mother Earth this season. Enjoy a plant. Make quick bread or muffins to share with family and friends. Sit beneath a beloved tree and savor the scents and sounds of summer. Take a trip to the farmers market and see what your neighbors are growing and producing. Become friends with this beautiful planet, and find one thing to do make it more beautiful and clean. I wish you peace and contentment in your summer meditations. Blessings, Sharon "Be tough in the way a blade of grass is tough: rooted, willing to lean, and at peace with what is around it." -Natalie Goldberg The most beautiful time of year is at long last here. Winters seem to become longer with every passing season. All the more reason to rejoice when the trees begin to bud, the flowers explode into colors and the garden produces the first of the salad vegetables. The Goddess of the Summer season are lush, voluptuous, giving and motherly. These magnificent Goddesses hold nothing back in pouring out their love and blessings apon their children. They give and give and give. Fruit, flowers, love, sexuality, fertility, babies, sunshine, water, warmth, beauty, abundance….these are the gifts of summer’s Goddesses. All are Her Children and her Beloveds. Different cultures call Her by various names: Ceres, Juno, Diana, Isis…..my favorite name of all for Her is Gaia, Earth Mother, the Mother of us all. "Earth, Mother, and Grandmother, we are speaking to you, Please listen to us! We know that we are all related. We are your children, we two legged ones, just like the four legged and the winged ones are your children. We are all related. We are their relations, and they are ours, all children of the same mother. If we are related to you, Mother, we must make peace. Why should your children fight like this? We are all related." Help us to make peace with each other, lasting peace among relatives. Mother, Grandmother, Earth, may we walk lovingly and with mercy upon your paths. May we make peace with all our relations."
Excerpt from the "Goddess Companion" by Patricia Monaghan This is the season of Summer, the time to reflect on what it means to be a part of our world. The summer months are so abundantly beautiful, with fresh fruits and vegetables and herbs and flowers overflowing the gardens and marketplaces. Life is exquisite beyond belief. Yet we consume almost mindlessly these rich gifts from our Mother, forgetting that gratitude is so very important. The Earth owes us nothing, yet She gives us everything: the air we breathe so casually and pollute so foully, the water we desperately need and waste so needlessly. The food we grow that could feed the world, yet so many of us hunger. The animals we share this planet with, that are indeed our brothers and sisters, and we exterminate and torture so thoughtlessly. This is our only home, we cannot move anywhere else when this place is used up and trashed. We are invited guests here on this world. And Mother Nature is getting more than little tired of the mess we make. If we cannot make our home a more beautiful place, a more loving place, a more hospitable place, a more respectful place, Mother Nature is not going to be happy with us. Our governments and elected officials and corporations will not and cannot do the work for us. They can mandate and regulate, but the bottom line is greed and profit . Those who can vision a better world know that there must be a better way, and there is. The answer is gratitude. Showing gratitude and giving thanks for every gift Mother Earth gives and treating it with the respect and gratitude it deserves will bring about change. Being respectful of the Earth means treating every plant and animal and being with dignity and grace. As an example, throwing garbage on the highways is not respectful behavior. The garbage creates a dangerous environment for animal and birds, threatens their homes and feeding grounds. Garbage on the highways looks ugly and creates the (very accurate) impression that people do not care about their city. The garbage also wastes items that may have the potential for reuse. Recycling and composting are respectful behaviors. The end result is that the city is clean and pretty, and people are proud to live there. It takes so very little work to make an enormous impact. Our selection of foods, clothing, homes, and transportation all have an impact on our ecology. The local and sustainable products we select for our use can be the beginning of whole new mindset for consumers and producers. The corporations will respond and produce what we demand, if it is in their best interest. We can make a difference. Our children and grandchildren deserve to have a beautiful planet to inhabit. The Native Americans made each decision with the knowledge and power that it would affect the next seven generations. We should use that wisdom in our decisions, so that there will be seven generations in the future. "She is the Goddess of power; Earth’s mothering power, Soil’s nurturing power, Grain’s sustaining power. We see Her in the stars…………." Bright Blessings of Summer, Sharon It is indeed difficult to imagine that Spring is almost here. Winter is still in command here. Lots of snow still blankets the garden, the heating bills are sky high, and there are piles of boots at the doorway. But somewhere deep underground, the rumblings and stirrings of Nature are making themselves felt. Somehow, the stately maple trees know that it is time to awaken from the winter slumber; the life giving sap begins to flow, and our thoughts turn to fresh, warm maple syrup. The snowdrops and crocuses begin their migration to the surface of the garden, to welcome the chill air with startling splashes of color. A robin makes an early appearance at the outdoor bird feeders. How do they know it is Spring? In Celtic lands, Spring officially arrives on February 2, the celebration of Imbolic. This special day is the feast day of Brigit, Goddess of Spring. Her day heralds the arrival of the spring lambs, and the warming weather bounty of fresh milk and eggs and cheeses. Brigit is patroness of hearth, home and fire, births of all humans and animals, and the inspiration for poetry and songs. Her feast day is marked by candles and light, to welcome the return of the daylight after the many, long dark winter months. Christianity later changed Her Name to St. Bridget, and Her feast day to Candlemas, removing Brigit, but keeping Her influence in the returning Light. The Irish hold Her loving presence always; proclaiming Her the Patron Saint of the Emerald Isles. The people of Ireland still have a Spring blessing for each other: "May you be kept safe and warm under Brigit’s mantle". In our land, Spring is many weeks, and possibly months, away from arriving. But thoughts of Spring and its mystical meanings is happening right now. Light is ever growing, seed catalogues arrive in the mail almost daily, tempting gardeners with fresh ideas for winter weary menus, and energy and ideas start to spike up. Cabin fever is at peak levels, ready to be replaced by Spring fever. All systems are waking up and raring to go. Winter has been a time of slumbering and reflection. Spring is a time of awakening. Winter has been the time of resolutions and thinking and planning. Spring is the time to implement those promises and plans. Just as the tiny seedlings planted so lovingly in the autumn are beginning to stir into being, so are the ideas and actions stirring in our minds and hearts. Do you remember your New Year’s Resolutions? What exactly were you going to do? No one ever talks about New Year’s Resolutions in the Spring, because the resolutions have all been forgotten, ignored or broken. Now is the perfect time to implement those lofty plans you made for yourself. Time to Spring clean memory and reanimate ideals. Time to put that physical fitness plan into action. Time to eat locally and healthily. Time to go green in your home and office. Time to awaken to the beauty of world around you. The Goddess Brigit invites us to see the Light in ourselves, the people around us, the community in general and the world in particular. Brigit is Light, and to see ourselves in Her Light is to have the highest and purest vision of ourselves possible. Spring is hope and possibility……and Her Invitation is to see ourselves and others with that generosity of spirit. No one is "perfect", but we are all perfect in ourselves, because we are unique creations and are becoming the best humans we possibly can. We are possibility and potential. We are dreams and hopes. My youngest grandson has a plaque over his bed, which lovingly proclaims: I am a dream come true. Yes, we all are dreams come true. The Springtime joy is in actualizing that dream, and living joyfully to the highest and truest best we can. Springtime blessings and love to you, and all those you love. Sharon The time of the Solstice is passed, and the Wheel of the seasons is turning once again towards the light. The Northern climes begin to breathe a collective sigh of relief, as the worst of the dark time is past, and the daylight lengthens towards Spring. Ah, Spring! To quote dear Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady": ‘Warm hands, warm face, warm feet, oh wouldn’t that be loverly?" However, the cold, dark times have real benefits, for Mother Nature and for all of her children. There are certain flowers and trees that will not fruit without a very cold winter. For instance, tulips will not bloom unless the winter is sufficiently cold. The winter snows are necessary for the lake and ground water levels. Winter, for all its freezing, blustery winds and devastatingly cold temperatures, is absolutely vital for our survival. We all look forward to Spring, but Spring needs Winter to help it blossom. We can reflect on the Winter experience as necessary in our lives as well. Winter can be a metaphor for so many things, as well as a very real seasonal occurrence. We are more tired in the Winter. Carbohydrates, in all their lovely rich forms of bread and pasta and cookies, are the preferred foods of comfort. And comfort we need! Little light, cold and damp weather, cabin fever and little outdoor play time are very real trials in our Winter life. Hibernation sounds like a very nice activity to do! Winter as a state of being means that our hearts and souls are more easily fatigued. After the holiday season, no matter how enjoyable it was, so many people are completely exhausted. There is a need for something , unknown, but definite. More rest? More quiet time? More vitamins? The desire is for something different, something to make the malaise and doldrums vanish. This is the time of year when people fall away from their New Year’s resolutions, made so hopefully. Perhaps, the resolutions were too many, too intense, too overwhelming. Simplify, reduce, relax, breathe, and do what gives you joy. Goddess studies, indeed, any holistic, nature based philosophy, suggests honoring the natural world systems , and that includes us. Winter is a time for rest and quiet expectation. Respecting the need for reflection and solitude can help to bring us back into balance. Warm, soothing soups and stews, rich multi grain breads and pastas, root vegetables are foods to comfort body and soul. And, of course, a hot cup of tea can solve almost any problem. Reserving time for daily meditation and prayer comforts the spirit. And a few moments outside, bundled up warmly to say hello to the sky and clouds and slumbering trees enriches senses. May this season of Winter bring you peaceful respite. Bright Blessings, Sharon Contact
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