Look Out! Zombie Cats is Free Today.

Download Here

 

The description for my short story Zombie Cats: A Semi-true Story of Horror asks "Is it a short horror story with an edge of humor or a humorous short story with an edge of horror? Much depends on how you feel about cats as zombies."

Whatever it is, Zombie Cats if free today, October 1, and I thought you'd like to know. Buy it now and read it later to get in the Halloween mood. Pass the word and I hope you get a good scare, or a good laugh -- or maybe both!

Fall Cleaning Rituals

As the Wheel of the Year turns, and each new season brings its gifts, part of my observance is to clean all the thresholds of my home and beautify the entrance. I sweep away cobwebs and remove spent plants. Dusty windows and ledges "magically" transform into shiny, dust-free surfaces with the help of a homemade cleanser and a bit of scrubbing. The last season's décor gets wiped down and hauled back into storage while new items revive the energy.

Most of my housework chores are completed without a great deal of thought, but on or around the eight holy days I take my time. Fall cleaning rituals are similar to those practiced in spring. At each season I work widdershins to remove the old and tired then deosil to bring in the new. I pray and meditate. I ask Goddess to keep our home sound and our family safe within its walls. I give thanks for all we have and remember those who have not.

A broom, a bottle of rosemary cleanser and a bundle or two of sage provide both physical and energetic cleaning. I anoint front and back doors with a pure essential oil -- whatever my intuition calls for that season -- and visualize positive energy entering while the negative exits. Some new wreath or decoration, made with magical intent of course, adorns the front entrance.

I feel better when I'm done, more connected to the natural world. Acknowledging that the season has changed, that summer is different from fall and fall is different from Hallows yet to come helps me keep magic alive in my life and in my home. It's a small thing, yet powerful. To change with the seasons and not with a linear calendar is a powerful thing.

On the weekend closest to Mabon I begin my fall cleaning ritual. Sometimes it takes an entire week to finish, to wash all the windows inside and out, to plant a few mums and make a new wreath from sticks and feathers, to start in the east and walk a full circle around my home with a wand of smoldering sage, but I'm not in a hurry.

Autumn isn't one day, it's a full season. Autumn doesn't mind if my steps are slow.


Magical Cleansing Potion:

• Decoct a strong tea of rosemary using several sprigs of fresh rosemary and two cups of boiling water. Allow the tea to steep for at least ten minutes, and let it cool. Discard the spent herbs. 
• Pour the cool liquid into a spray bottle and add an equal amount of white vinegar.
• Add 2 to 3 drops of eco-friendly liquid soap. Shake lightly.

Use this cleanser for windows, doors, sacred objects and regular household cleaning.

Synchronous Inspiration

Ever since I read Richard Bach's Illusions back in high school I've been fascinated by the phenomenon of synchronicity. Yes, blue feathers (or red leaves or yellow shoes) will start showing up in your life if you take a few moments to focus on them. Notice them. That's why I'm extra happy about some of the new opportunities, inspirations and connections that have recently come my way.

After months of meditating about and talking about how my spiritual life is not as fulfilling as it once was -- how I've "lost the spark" so to speak, and thinking about ways to reignite the fire,  new gifts keep trickling into my life. I am paying attention and I'm grateful. The FB Women Who Run with the Wolves book club is so full of creative, thoughtful women. Their art and comments spur me to try new things and go deeper. Thank you Angie at Pagan Writers Press for sharing the information.

As you know I was also gifted with the opportunity to review "Soul Path" magazine and that inspired me to make some magical potions (aka homemade bath salts and a facial mask) and give myself a day of pampering as every goddess deserves. I do love kitchen witchery!

So in a manner of a few weeks I've gone from lamenting my somewhat rote, dry spiritual practice to having a calendar full of red circles marking all the fun events and projects coming my way. Just today it was confirmed that I'll be teaching a class on faery magic for Tribal Whispers next summer. Yipee!

Juicy creative soulful exploration of the natural and supernatural worlds is part of what drew me to the goddess path more than 20 years ago. Not many spiritual traditions give you an excuse to dress like a wolf or spend the day making art out of acorns all in the name of sacred play, and sacred play is what's been missing from my life. By recognizing the lack and naming it I was able to find the remedy. I've called it to me. As each gift arrives I say "Oh, this is an answer to my prayer, how lovely!" And I give thanks. More come. More gratitude.

What's that quote from Emerson -- When you make a decision the universe conspires to make it happen.

When we make a decision about our lives synchronicity goes to work. Doors open, teachers come, opportunity knocks. Interconnected "coincidences" lay a path in front of us that ultimately leads to our desire. And that's true, I believe, whether my decision is that I'm a failure and this will never work or I'm going to succeed.

Because I'm a writer and writing is how I navigate myself through life this recent renewal of juiciness has also inspired a new project. More on that next time. I'm thinking I might blog parts of the book here. Is that tedious or interesting? In the meantime I encourage you to be on the lookout for blue feathers. They're every where, each one a gift from the Universe.
 

Review: Soul Path Magazine

I recently got the opportunity to read “Soul Path” magazine, a goddess-based publication created and edited by Lyn Thurman – a talented witchy woman I hope to get to know better! I really enjoyed the magazine and will definitely become a new subscriber. You can learn more about Lyn, Soul Path magazine and Soul Path Tribe at http://soulpathtribe.com/.  

I especially liked the way the themes were carried throughout the articles. Freya is the goddess for the September issue and not only did we learn about her mythology, Lyn’s team of talented writers also provided ritual ideas, recipes, a Tarot reading, crafts and products that give a reader the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and relationship with this aspect of the Divine. Loved it. You could spend the whole month immersed in the study of Freya with little more that this edition of Soul Path as a resource.



Goddess Guidance by Doreen Virtue

Loyalty, a trait which relates to Freya’s story, is the other theme for September and was also woven through the magazine in an effective, uplifting way.

I also appreciated the contributions from Bernard, the intuitive color reader and Paul Thurman who wrote a touching and personal article about loyalty. Yes, men writing for a goddess magazine! So healing to hear from brothers who are in touch with goddess energy and want to share their experiences.

OK, in the name of fairness I have to admit there was one thing I wasn’t crazy about – but that’s all, one. In my opinion there were too many articles. I know that probably sounds crazy, but I could have done with fewer but longer articles that went a little deeper into the subject.

I don’t always like reading online publications but Soul Path gets high marks for visual appeal – no funky background colors or fancy fonts, just well laid out print and clear, attractive graphics.

As is usual, the Universe brought this gift at a time when I’d put out the call for new ideas and connections to enliven my path. So thank you Universe and Lyn for bringing this gift! I highly recommend Soul Path magazine and I look forward to future issues.

Archetype and Myth

Having just spent a weekend at Pacifica Institute in Santa Barbara my mind is still marinating in the rich stew of myth, archetypes and heroic journeys. Sometime during the third day of the writer's conference titled "The Writer's Journey: Inside Out and Back Again" I realized how deep my understanding of myth and archetype is -- that I live this stuff.

My year revolves around the myth of Persephone and Demeter; in the fall I begin to put down my roots, stay home more and explore the shadows, and in the spring I yawn and stretch and try to find new ways to put winter's lessons to work in every day life. Each Hallows Eve I walk to the nearest crossroads and leave an offering for the great Queen of Witches, Hecate. On Beltane Eve, well never mind what I do on Beltane, but you get the idea. My spiritual and mundane life are guided by the myths that guided my ancestors to plant, tend, harvest and rest.



Artwork by Demeter23triplemoon on Photobucket

Of course none of this makes me particularly special because most witches do live this stuff. Those big pointy hats we wear aren't dunce caps you know, they're vessels to hold all the information on folklore and myth and symbolism we absorb while learning spells about how to get a better job or protect our backyard rites from the prying eyes of nosy neighbors.

Jean Shinoda Bolen, a living goddess herself as far as I'm concerned, was one of the conference presenters and I suggested to my myth-challenged good friend that Bolen's book "Goddesses in Every Woman" would be a great primer if she wanted information that delved deeper into the idea of archetypes, not just a retelling of myth. She bought the book and thumbed through it on the way home. As I drove we discussed a variety of goddess myths and she asked which archetype I felt connection with.

Hmm.

Venus of Willendorf

Lately I've been wondering that myself. I came out of winter's cave truly transformed this spring -- I am officially a moonpause woman. It's not simply this physical fact that's changed my relationship with the Mother archetypes I've always felt connected to: Demeter, Isis, the ancient Venus, it's the emotional and spiritual work I've been doing to support that physical change that now has me wondering just where I fit in.

Who am I now? A baby crone, a matriarch in my family but not yet Hecate and no longer Demeter. I'm something in between. I'm a woman in search of a new myth and it dawns on me that the in-between seasons are the place I might find a new archetype to lean on and learn from as I continue more fully into my transition from mother to elder.

Any suggestions?

She Changes and Changes

Beautiful Spring Goddess

I've been a bad blogger. Just when I get a few people actually interested in what I'm writing here I stop making posts. All I can say is that I've had a hard time coming out of the cave this spring -- a case of "be careful what you ask for."

If you've read earlier posts you know I set intentions to go deep into the dark this past winter. Not only did Persephone call, Nyx, Ereshkigal, Lilith, Hecate and the whole gang of dark goddesses wrapped their sinewy arms around me and would not let go. Or maybe it was me who wouldn't let go of them.

My circle experienced grief, confrontation, anger, fear, change and change and change this winter, as did I. Of course change is a blessing, a sign that the goddess is present in your life because She changes everything She touches. But I know you feel me when I say change does not always feel like a blessing when it's happening.

And there are so many bad things happening in the world. And so many bad things, and so many bad things.

Spring arrived fully in my neck of the almond orchard right on time last month. Some sunny days I think I hear the Maiden dancing in my garden so I leave the dark cave of my writing space to go look for her. She coaxes me into pulling weeds and planting fresh flowers just to please her. I'm enthusiastic about the garden this year which I am not always so it's a good sign.

I hope you are planting seeds and lingering on the soft scent of jasmine as it wafts into your open door at night. And if spring is not yet that present where you live I hope the changes in your life are as gentle as the waiting green grass.

Blessed Be

Haiku Sunday -- After Valentine's Day

Aphrodite by Susan Seddon-Boulet




Love Magic

I bind myself to
myself in a sacred act
of love magic now.

Haiku Sunday -- After New Moon Gathering

Tonight's haiku is from my spirit sister Jenni Schroeder. Our circle was born 18 years ago; each New Moon we meet to share our lessons and achievements and our spiritual insights. This poem is a gift from Jenni and turned out to be somewhat prophetic for our whole group this evening. She gave her blessing for me to share it with you tonight.

Blessed New Moon

(Imbolc Haiku)

Days passed fall away
leaving space for the lightness
and that which will serve.

Climate Change



Winter Goddess

According to my altar, it's still winter. Midwinter, yes, but still winter. And I'm feeling grouchy over people complaining about weather that's perfectly normal for winter.

Of course here in the paradise of California's central coast those complaints are mostly limited to temperatures that drop below 60 degrees or another gray rainy day. I understand the longing for spring's blue skies and predictable warm afternoons. The garden beckons me too. Barely finished with winter pruning chores I'm already window shopping for bright annuals that might survive the deer. My "Secret Garden" board on Pinterest is filled with project ideas, and I've found an online source for unusual salvias I can't wait to order from.

So I really do empathize.

But I love the in-between times and am in no rush. Since following the traditions of witchcraft I've developed an appreciation for the subtle shifts that happen between the seasons, between the worlds, between realism and surrealism. And I wonder if the reason so many people "Can't wait for spring/summer/fall/winter" to begin or end is because our culture, our mainstream culture, has familiarized us with polarities. We like black or white. We like straight or gay, sick or healthy, us or them, happy or depressed. Love or hate. We don't always know how to cope with those degrees that fall in between.

If I allow for a middle ground it's harder to defend my position as RIGHT and yours as WRONG.

But back to the weather. Spring is coming. Flowers and hope and renewal are on their way. Let's enjoy them as they come each in their own time. And let's enjoy the unpredictable mid-winter weather that brings rain and hail and gray that lasts until the black takes over and skies so blue you long to sprout wings.

Blessed Be

 

Haiku Sunday -- After Imbolc

Tender green shoots push

through winter-cold bones and flesh

to reach coming light.

Or

 

Ocean Sisters dance,

Celebrating each new step

and vibrant rhythm

 

 

 

 

 



 

Blessed Imbolc

Tomorrow, February 2 is Imbolc, my favorite holy day on the Wheel of the Year. Well, they're all my favorites but Imbolc does hold special meaning to me. Many years ago I learned about the Celtic Goddess Brighid, goddess of fire, water, writing and healing. Brighid is the goddess most typically honored at Imbolc. I related to her as a mentor. I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to study herbal healing, astrologically speaking I'm a triple fire sign and water, well, I changed my whole life to be near the ocean; the element that had called to my soul since I was a child visiting my California relatives.

Imbolc is the time many Pagan folks dedicate or rededicate themselves to their path, spiritual, professional and otherwise. The symbol that best represents this day for me is the early crocus pushing its way out of the snow-covered ground. Imbolc is a cross-quarter day. Winter is waning but it's not yet spring. Imbolc is the hope of spring, the promise that rebirth is coming. The quickening.

I'm gathering with a few of my sisters this Imbolc to join in a cleansing ritual to prepare for the coming rebirth. It's a ritual my first teacher, Morgan, shared with me though I don't remember that we performed it specifically for Imbolc. I want to share it with you because it's a beautiful, meditative ritual to participate in alone or with a group. We'll be gathering at the beach because the ocean is the sacred body of water closest to us, but any well, creek or lake that calls to you would be just fine with Brighid.

Imbolc Cleansing Ritual:

Go to a body of water. Bring with you a gift to offer Brighid, something that is safe to leave in the natural environment. Also bring a towel and perhaps a change of clothes. The spirit might move you to get very wet, but it's not required.

Cleanse and ground. Holding your offering, meditate on the things you'd like to be cleansed of this Imbolc, the energies or habits you don't want to carry into the coming spring. Let the gift become the symbol of all those unwanted things. When you're ready toss the item into the water. Ask Brighid to receive your gift and transform it into something positive and useful. Perform a personal cleansing by dripping a few drops of water on your chakras or washing your hand and feet or diving right in and going for a swim -- whatever action calls to you! Just remember to be safe.

When you've completed your cleansing walk along the shore or bank in a state of receptivity. Brighid may send you a gift such as a special stone or feather or a message whispered in your ear. Once you've received your gift give thanks to the Goddess and to the elements.

Blessed Imbolc


PS: No, I haven't forgotten about your Tarot readings! I do apologize that it's taken me so long. More people were interested than I anticipated and at the same time I got a big writing assignment that's kept me busy. I'm actually going to to my best to complete the promised readings tomorrow on Imbolc. Divine timing!

Wolf Moon Rising

She fills again, time to howl.

I'm seeing a lot of conflicting information about when the full moon is this month. Today, tomorrow, yesterday? The good ole' Farmer's Almanac tells me the full-moon phase begins tomorrow, January 26 at 11:39 pm. That's what my lovingly handmade lunar calender says too (thank you Epona).

Doesn't seem like it should be that confusing -- go outside at night; look up. But if you want to know the precise astronomical moment of fullness then you need a little scientific back up. Or perhaps a strong connection to the lunar energy. I bet there are some people in the world who can sit outside under Luna's numinous glow and feel the exact moment our Moon fills pregnant with light.

I'm meditating on the energy of a Full Moon in Leo coming right before Imbolc. Among other things the sign on Leo is about self-expression and heart-centered love. Authentic love is how I interpret it. And of course Imbolc is one of the four cross-quarter holy days when many Pagan folks reconsider their spiritual and/or life path and rededicate themselves to their chosen way.

So, peak lunar energy+authentic love+self-dedication = ?

This Full Moon I'll be sending out, hopefully, the last of my deep grief for my sister Raven. The tears over her loss still come quickly, but I'm feeling more at peace with her transition and more that she is at peace which is really what's most important.

There's a certain guilt attached to moving on after a loved one passes over. But this powerful Full Moon beckons me to fill my heart with love and take solace from the teachings of my way. We all come from the Goddess, and to Her we shall return.

What are your hopes and dreams for this Full Moon?  I pray you are filled with love and express it with complete authenticity.

Blessed Be.

Happy New Year and a Free Tarot Reading

Happy 2013! I hope you made it to the New Year with a smile on your face and hope in your heart. The new cycle has re-energized and revitalized me on a physical and creative level. I've celebrated enough new years to know this feeling doesn't always last -- that's why so many well-intended resolutions come and go. This isn't failure, this is human. Riding out on the edge of the wheel is exhilarating and occasionally necessary, but we aren't meant to stay there. Eventually we must creep our way back to the center where the ride is smoother if a bit predictable.

But that doesn't mean we're doomed to forget the thrill of walking on the edge of expansiveness. We can take that feeling back to the center with us, distill its lesson and use it to live more fully and joyfully.

What new ideas and plans have you excited for the new year? I am extremely inspired to be creative right now -- wanting to draw and paint and attempt all kinds of artistic endeavors I have no visible talent at. Oh well! And I look forward to a continued renewal of psychic awareness as I practice with the Motherpeace deck and strengthen intuitive skills.

Who would like a free reading? I'm currently offering readings using a spread I learned long ago as the "Cave Spread" that is meant to give an overview of the coming year. Leave a comment here and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Blessed Be and Happy New Year

Friday Feature: Writer, Heather Mendel

I am so delighted today to introduce my dear friend Heather Mendel. Heather is an incredibly accomplished woman; she is a writer, an artist, a feminist, a human rights activist, a spiritual seeker, a teacher and an inspiration to many who believe we are currently experiencing a shift in human consciousness.

You can learn more about Heather and her work on her website: http://www.heathermendel.com

Heather Mendel - Bing Images

She joyfully invites you to join her on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Mendel/158559480868817

And on Twitter at: celebratingeve

Heather's book, Dancing in the Footsteps of Eve is a search for the Sacred Feminine in the biblical story of humanity's first mother. Heather utilizes the Four Worlds of Kabbalah to excavate a deeper meaning below the surface of Eve's story -- a meaning that enlightens readers to Eve's position as a positive feminine archetype who can elevate the consciousness of all willing men and women.


Heather, I remember that we first met when you and Cantor Ricki Weintraub presented a retelling of Eve’s story in music and prose to the San Luis Obispo Inter-Faith Ministerial Association. Was Dancing in the Footsteps of Eve inspired by that collaboration or was the presentation one way your idea for the book manifested?
 
'Dancing In The Footsteps of Eve' was gestating for many years before the book was published. I continue to offer presentations based on the central theme that Eve (rather than one woman - and a bad woman at that, once in a garden, once in time) instead is a symbol of the intuitive— a personal aspect of the Sacred Feminine that is alive within every human being. 'She' is the curious, courageous, insightful and hope-filled energy that moves us bravely into the mysterious unknown. She invites us to step out of the familiar when change is necessary.

She is always with us as The Shechina - a term that comes from the Hebrew word meaning the tangible Presence that 'dwell among us.' Curiosity is a gift bestowed on us to be used and appreciated; it is what moves the story of our own evolution forward. Without it, what would ever evolve? Where would science or spirituality be without us asking the questions of what is possible? We are blessed with unlimited potential that we access by pushing the boundaries of what we have been conditioned to believe.

Can you briefly explain the Kabbalah and how studying it has informed you as an activist?
 

Every religious tradition has its inner or hidden teaching that exists below the superficial rituals and dogmas that separate us from one another. Surface distinctions, in a spiritually mature society, motivates us to celebrate our diversity. Delving into the inner core of our faith traditions, boundaries dissolve and differences blend into the unified interconnectedness from which we came and to which we return. Kabbalah is the name given to the Jewish mystical teaching, practice and pathway that invites the practitioner to see deeply, to feel passionately and to decide how, where and when to make a personal commitment and contribution to make the world better because we are here.

We cannot do it all, but neither are we free to desist from being who we are and adding something to the flow of life. The spiritual journey is based on finding answers to the questions who am I and why am I here? Jewish mysticism helps me formulate the answer that I am here as a temporary, individual aspect of the The Eternal, blessed with the gift of life.I am here to be 'Heathering' just as yours, Tammie is 'Tammie-ing.' By bringing to conscious awareness the challenges I face and exercising the gifts with which I am blessed, I experience my physicality while at the same time, adding my perceptions, thoughts, feeling and intuitions into the Akashic Record of all that was, is and shall be.

If Eve could speak to her modern-day daughters what do you think she would tell us?

Be curious, courageous, intuitive and hopeful. In expecting and accepting all that you are, step forward bravely into the ongoing mystery and take your rightful place in the ongoing evolution of consciousness of which you are an essential part.

 

What would you most like readers of your book to understand?

Nothing is as it appears. Emerson says it well: 'Beware of what you are worshipping - for what you are worshipping you are becoming.' In Judaism, Divinity is best understood as a verb rather than a noun— as power of becoming in whose image we are created. The Hebrew words 'eheyeh asher eheyeh' often translated as 'I am that I am'— beyond gender, beyond 'thingness' —can also be translated as I become that I become.

 

 

Tell me about your upcoming project, the mystic oracle cards.

My newest project, The Syzgy Oracle, is almost complete. I have created a card deck of 22 multilayered images, interpreted from the Tarot's Major Arcana, as a practice and pathway to consciousness for women. The cards and the accompanying guidebook draw together the worlds of Tarot, Torah, the Tree of Life and transformation, mystical Judiasm, the hero's journey and sacred geometry. Coming soon to a website near you...

L'shalom,
Heather

---- If you have written a spiritually uplifting book from a non-traditional point of view or know someone who has and would like to be featured on this blog, please leave your information as a comment and I'll contact you as soon as possible.

Learning Motherpeace Again

When I first came to the Goddess path I was fascinated by the Tarot. As my mentor shared what she knew about this once-secret form of divination and offered the use of her many decks, I was consistently drawn to the round cards: The Motherpeace and Daughters of the Moon decks. After practicing with both sets as well as the traditional Ryder-Waite I decided that Motherpeace was "my deck." I loved the somewhat primitive artwork and was drawn to the earthy palette. I also appreciated -- still appreciate -- that the Motherpeace cards are feminist and goddess-based, but still honor male energy.

I loved the whole ritual of reading the cards, the lighting of candles and incense, unfolding them from a silk scarf that I had chosen especially for holding my deck, the mixing and touching of the cards, stacking them into neat piles and breathing into a fully trusting relationship with my intuitive self as I choose the right cards to answer the questions of my soul.



Created by Vicki Noble and Karen Vogle

Each full moon I consulted the cards for insight into the coming moon cycle. They were ever at my side when I sought divine aid or struggled to hear the answers my gut whispered into my ear. Each year on my birthday I contemplated a lengthy spread for the coming year. I read with friends and eventually for them. I relied on my intuition as much as I relied on the Motherpeace handbook and my general Tarot instruction.

And then I stopped.

I don't know why. It may have been the year my mother passed over, and I slipped into a deep depression. I stopped doing a lot of things I loved that year, and twelve years later I am still working to recover some of them.

Now I'm learning Motherpeace again.

Two nights ago I took them out of their crocheted bag, unfolded them from their silk scarf and smudged each card, all 78 of them, one by one with a wand of burning sage. I divided them into their suits and arranged the Major Arcana from 0 to 22 then shuffled and mixed until my hands recognized the softly worn edges of their roundness once again. I lit a candle and took a breath. I made three stacks and pulled three cards. The rest of the world ceased to exist for a few minutes while examined the images on the cards then chewed and swallowed their meaning.

Bliss.

I've signed up for a free Tarot instruction class online and have joined the Tarot Guild, hoping to make some valuable connections and learn from those with far more experience than I. My heart flutters at the idea of being an apprentice once more.

Learning Motherpeace again means more to me than just brushing up on my divination skills. I am reconnecting, recovering. And it's fitting work in this dark season of my first year as a hatchling crone.

I'm learning Motherpeace again. Wanna read with me?

She Dies and is Reborn: New Moon in Scorpio and Solar Eclipse

Though it won't be visible in the Northern hemisphere I've been contemplating the deepening effect of a solar eclipse on the new moon. Did you know a solar eclipse is only possible during the new moon phase? Visit Mr. Eclipse for a really great explanation of the science behind eclipses.

But it's not the science that has me thinking. I'm thinking about the power of  two astronomical events that both represent the concepts of death and rebirth happening simultaneously. It's as if the Universe itself is surrendering to the mystery and then making the journey back into the mundane world. And in the season of Samhain. And under the sign of Scorpio.

Rosetti's Persephone

If there ever was a time to honor Persephone it would be now. There are many interpretations of the Greek myth, and I resonate with modern versions that suggest Persephone traveled to the underworld of her own volition (not because she was coerced or forced), following her inner voice -- her spiritual calling. Persephone's devotion to her path and her courage to follow its shadow-filled spiral is my model for this dark cycle. I seek the courage to go deep, to go into the darkness where I've stashed my fears (they hide so well there) and BE and FEEL and EXPERIENCE.

The new moon in Scorpio supports this intent. As a fixed water sign it's all about feeling and being without analyzing. I'm sure Persephone wasn't obsessing about all the possible outcomes of her decision when she said goodbye to her mother Demeter; she threw herself into the very bowels of the unknown because she knew she should, she must. 

But she didn't stay forever; her journey wasn't about martyrdom or giving up. Persephone intended all along to make that arduous climb back up into the world of the living. She brought with her the power of personal renewal, the hope of rebirth and the spring of the soul.

Today the moon (feminine/dark/receptive/hidden/mystery) and the sun (masculine/light/active/revealed/known) will both die and be reborn. We can harness that energy to propel ourselves into a new light after the darkness. What gifts might we bring on our return? What insights and solutions?

May the new cycle be filled with blessings.

A Candle in the Dark

Is it really better to light a candle than curse the darkness?

It seems most of us live in a world where we accept, at least on some level, the polarity of light representing what is good and positive and dark representing what is bad or negative. My "dark side," my "shadows" are negative aspects of my personality that I'm forever trying to eradicate in some way. In the past I've described myself and others as "lightworkers" -- meaning those who dedicate themselves to a higher awareness. Besides the fact that the concept stinks of racism, the whole idea of good versus evil is growing thin for me. Like the-veil-at-Samhain thin.

And is it really so bad to sit in the darkness for a while?

Of course I'm not implying that it might be alright to harm others or ourselves in any way -- actions we might consider "dark." But if I'm mad, sad, filled with grief, depressed, broken, sick, exhausted disgusted, envious or bitchy I think it's alright -- no, more than alright -- I think it's healthy to just sit in that darkness for a while, feel it, breath it in, wallow in it if I need to. Experience it.

Because lighting a candle in the dark keeps me from ever fully knowing the dark. Because lighting a candle in the dark creates yet another shadow.

Balance, yes balance. I am always striving for balance because that's what the natural world, my place of worship, teaches me to do. Maybe the dark places should have a "No Loitering" sign, a meter that can't be reset. Do your work, get out. Because to live in darkness all the time isn't balance, and neither is it balanced to live only in the light.

Day and night, spring and fall, summer and winter, equinox to solstice and again and again. Darkness is natural and necessary to all living things. Even children are told there is nothing to fear in the dark.



Friday Feature: Writer, June Beck

I'm pleased to feature my long-time friend and writing warrioress June Beck for the debut of "Friday Feature." June and I co-founded the Off-Highway writers' group of which we are basically the only two members, but we're happy with that. I admire her for many reasons and one of them is her recent drive to follow her passion for yoga and become a yoga teacher. She specializes in "non-pretzel" yoga and I encourage you to check out her entertaining and informative blog, Yoga for Geezers.

Her recently published book, How to Build Your Own Boat: A Spiritual Workbook is a mixture of personal memoir and "how to" instruction on finding your spiritual path. It reads like a candid conversation with an old friend, and you can purchase it here.

What first inspired you to write How to Build Your Own Boat?

I wanted to explore my own spiritual inklings and create my own path. It’s impossible to find a spiritual path that works for agnostics but I’m interested in what cannot be seen or measured, too! Problem is, the scholar in me refuses to take much on faith. I needed a path that would combine the practical Buddhist shamatha meditation, Tonglen, and the 8 limbs of yoga, my progressive political ideals with adherence to universal ethical standards. Clearly, I needed to build my own boat. Since I was sure there were others who wanted the same and would benefit from my effort, I decided to write a workbook.

 

You call yourself a “household yogi” what does that mean?

Yogis denounce stuff – like meat, sex and family. We often imagine a yogi as someone whose life is solely devoted to yoga, someone capable of contorting into the full expression of every pose quite easily after having practiced asanas (poses) since the age of 2. While I did start practicing yoga at a young age – 18 – I’ve studied with no guru and denounce nothing, unless you count cigarettes and alcohol. Traditionally, yogis don’t have jobs or families. I have both yet remain devoted to practicing the 8 limbs of yoga. That makes me a “householder” yogi.

When I read How to Build Your Own Boat I enjoyed the way you shared the internal conversations you were having in your head. How did you come to decide to write in that format?

I was writing a spiritual memoir as inspiration and example to help readers know how to complete the workbook, so I wrote in journalese, if you will. As my purpose was to discover my own path, build my own boat, the process was a genuine journaling endeavor – I exposed my thought process in order to make it easier for readers to expose their own.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading your book?

We can know nothing about the spiritual world, but so many for so long have been making it up. Why not make it up as an individual? Why not create a spiritual path, a boat to help navigate the treacherous and calm waters life presents? I hope readers gain insight from reflecting on their past. I hope they find themselves empowered by the process of choosing what works and doesn’t work for them as individuals. I hope they create a more meaningful future as they traverse in this boat of their own making. And, more personally, I hope people know me as an agnostic who is also a spiritual seeker – One who recognizes the human capacity for great compassion, loving-kindness, fairness, and reason. I want readers to know that we don’t have to belong to a church, synagogue, mosque, circle or sangha. We don’t need to conform to anyone else’s beliefs in order to be clear about our own.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about the content or process of manifesting How to Build Your Own Boat?

I love to write but had no idea the joy that would come upon hearing a reader talk about what s/he has realized in the process of reading my work. This Indie Pub thing – I’m learning as I go how challenging it is to turn out a polished product without the support of a publishing house complete with editorial team. Being able to share my work with readers makes independent publishing worthwhile. 

 

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If you've written a spiritually uplifting book from a non-traditional perspective or know someone who has and would like to be featured on Your Witchy Grandma please visit my blog and leave a comment.

Happy? Yes. Day of the Dead

Dia de la Muerta, or Day of the Dead isn't a tradition from my Celtic roots but I love the fact that it is a Pagan celebration that managed to survive the heavy boot of the Catholic Church. Historians estimate the rituals of Dia de la Muerta have been practiced for at least 3000 years in Mexico and originated with the ancient Aztecs. The holiday survived the Spanish conquistadors and forced conversion to Catholicism even though the date was moved (like so many other Pagan holy days) to coincide with the church's calender.

For me the Day of the Dead is a testament to the survival of tradition. At one time those in power were trying to eradicate the Dia de la Muerta rituals, and today people from all over the world celebrate this day, many without truly knowing anything more than it's an opportunity to laugh at our fears about death and honor those who've gone before us.

That's the power of ritual. It survives, though it may be required to morph. And though the younger generation may not even know the roots of the festivals they're participating in. That's why the world needs witchy grandmas and witchy grandpas, to keep days like this from becoming shallow displays, from becoming hollow like old bones.

So Happy Day of the Dead to you. May your ancestors be honored and appeased and may you never let fear of the unknown keep you from enjoying life on this side of the veil.

Full Moon in October: Hunter's Moon

Today the moon reaches her peak of fullness.The full moon in October is known as the Hunter's Moon and coincides with Samhain, one of the eight major holy days on the Pagan Wheel of the Year.  In addition to being a time to honor our ancestors, for many who follow an earth-based tradition of spirituality, Samhain is also considered the time of the third harvest. At Lammas or Lughnasadh we celebrate the first harvest of vegetables, fruits and grains. At Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon, we celebrate the second and peak harvest of all that grows from Mother Earth, and at Samhain we celebrate the harvest of the meat. Of course, this calender is based on the European agricultural year and applies to the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.

So what does this have to do with the full moon? Well, it's no coincidence that the Hunter's Moon and the Harvest of the Meat occur in the same month. Imagine the country folk, the pagans, living hundreds and thousands of years ago, dependent on the foods they grew and harvested from the wild and the animals they raised or hunted for meat. With winter coming it was time to take inventory of food stocks and double all efforts to prepare for the cold barren months ahead.

Not only was Samhain the time to decide which farm animals should and could be fed over the winter and which must be slaughtered, it was also the time for hunters to take to the wild and bring home meat to ensure their familys' survival. Just as the Harvest Moon in September allows farmers to work long into the night and complete the harvest during the full moon phase, the Hunter's Moon in October allows hunters to extend their efforts many hours after the sun has set and find their prey by the bright light of the full moon.

The Hunter's Moon represents survival, culling the herd (for in days of yore hunting did actually help wild herds survive the winter by decreasing their numbers), wise planning, and this year as the full moon passes through the sign of Taurus it's an especially auspicious moon for fertility and abundance.

What are your prayers this Hunter's Moon? What are you trying to capture, what prey alludes you? Now is the time to take action on your own behalf, to be fearless like the hunter who is willing to track by moonlight in order to stock her larder.

May you be blessed with good hunting this cycle.