Its early and the sun is bright this fine Sunday morning. It is time for the chill to be behind us and for everyone to move forward to the next stage of living. Sounds so simple, so true, and yet there are so many complications that come with the thought of moving forward.
I have one child who is looking for a new job. In this economy that is difficult at best, but in this case it becomes complicated due to the need for health insurance. Simply moving to a new employer isn't always that easy. When your children have needs that out weigh your desire it can become overwhelming. I have another child that is moving to the next phase of his life; he is getting married. What a beautiful and natural transition this is but it too brings the complication of knowing that you are now truly responsible for another person's well being and that in turn they are responsible for yours. Both of these positions in life that my children find themselves are all about trust. Yes that is all it boils down to: trust.
Trust in themselves to make the right choices and in doing so begin to build the lives that they are suppose to have. I too am on a cusp which involves trust. To sell my home and move from the city to the country. This is something that my partner and I have talked about for some time now and we have found the place to move to. It is beautiful, wide open spaces, wooded acreage, an old farm house, a huge barn, and plenty of potential for whatever it is we wish to do with it. But now it comes down to trust. I have to trust that all the work that went into finding the perfect place and holding it for us was the right thing to do. I have to trust that selling my home for several years is the right thing to do. I have to trust that the universe answered my spells and requests and brought this place to me even though it wasn't quite on my time frame. And I have to trust that all that needs to be done will fall into place. Easy. Right?
Well, not really, but it is the only thing that I can do and I suppose that is the bottom line of it all. When we trust we are taking the leap of faith required to move forward even though we are scared. We understand that failure might occur, but we accept the risk as a minor part of the movement. In order to grow and find where it is that we need to move to there will be pain and grief to a degree but it is over shadowed by the joy that is brought by our trust in ourselves and others. We will never realize the rewards if we do not trust and so here I go, we go, again... the possibility of a "new" old house in my life that will give me the room to plant and grow and grow and grow all I want. This is the right thing to do in this season of growth.
Trust.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Honoring
It was a wonderful day; one rich in conversation and love. What more could a person ask for? Nothing really. Bill and I puttered around, went out briefly, but all in all just spent the day together; it was wonderful.
Part of the later afternoon I placed candles in the quarters of the circle out back. It was time to open the circle into Spring and I could feel it. The time for winter has passed and now that the energies have shifted our focus, my focus, is on the magic of growth and renewal. White candles in each of the quarters to honor the forces, energies, and elements that find their home in each direction. I let them decide on who goes where rather than asking that specific ones be in specific places as I would do in a regular ritual. You see these are the ones that live with us all year regardless of whether they are active or dormant. This is also their home and it is no more my place to tell them exactly where to be than it is for me to tell my neighbor what to do. We are neighbors and I honor all the creatures seen and unseen that coexist in this small patch with us.
With the candles in place it was time to light them, ignite the incense, and then to offer a small gift of mugwart as a smudge to signal the shedding of the winter cloak and to embrace the coming growth. No wind would harm the tiny flames as they burned through the late afternoon; their lights were strong and calling. As the day moved forward and twilight came I glanced outside to see them still burning. I knew it was not time yet for the final bit of work but the time would come soon. More conversation and slow movement took me from the window and soon darkness came. Now was the time to finish and Bill was ready as well. We live together and it was important that he help in the opening and the honoring.
There were only two things to do: 1) to place the birdbath top back on its pedestal and fill it with water and 2) give an offering of sage to honor those that were drawn there earlier by the incense, mugwart, and light. By morning it is likely that the candles will be burned out; it is just as likely that not all of them will have exhausted their life by then. The sage left on the stone altar will have given its scent to the wind to say "I am back and allow me the joy of riding on your wings." Finally, the honoring of those we live with has been done.
Bill and I did the same for each other today by giving our time, our words, and our love. Together we honored those energies and spirits we share our home with by giving them gifts and acknowledging who and what they are. Our home is well blessed and it is important that we honor all those things around us that we sometimes either take for granted or forget because they have become too familiar to remember them. May you always take time to look around and remember to honor those people and beings that give you love and life everyday.
Part of the later afternoon I placed candles in the quarters of the circle out back. It was time to open the circle into Spring and I could feel it. The time for winter has passed and now that the energies have shifted our focus, my focus, is on the magic of growth and renewal. White candles in each of the quarters to honor the forces, energies, and elements that find their home in each direction. I let them decide on who goes where rather than asking that specific ones be in specific places as I would do in a regular ritual. You see these are the ones that live with us all year regardless of whether they are active or dormant. This is also their home and it is no more my place to tell them exactly where to be than it is for me to tell my neighbor what to do. We are neighbors and I honor all the creatures seen and unseen that coexist in this small patch with us.
With the candles in place it was time to light them, ignite the incense, and then to offer a small gift of mugwart as a smudge to signal the shedding of the winter cloak and to embrace the coming growth. No wind would harm the tiny flames as they burned through the late afternoon; their lights were strong and calling. As the day moved forward and twilight came I glanced outside to see them still burning. I knew it was not time yet for the final bit of work but the time would come soon. More conversation and slow movement took me from the window and soon darkness came. Now was the time to finish and Bill was ready as well. We live together and it was important that he help in the opening and the honoring.
There were only two things to do: 1) to place the birdbath top back on its pedestal and fill it with water and 2) give an offering of sage to honor those that were drawn there earlier by the incense, mugwart, and light. By morning it is likely that the candles will be burned out; it is just as likely that not all of them will have exhausted their life by then. The sage left on the stone altar will have given its scent to the wind to say "I am back and allow me the joy of riding on your wings." Finally, the honoring of those we live with has been done.
Bill and I did the same for each other today by giving our time, our words, and our love. Together we honored those energies and spirits we share our home with by giving them gifts and acknowledging who and what they are. Our home is well blessed and it is important that we honor all those things around us that we sometimes either take for granted or forget because they have become too familiar to remember them. May you always take time to look around and remember to honor those people and beings that give you love and life everyday.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Spring and the Joy of Sharing
It was an interesting home coming last night. I had been to a co-workers house helping him connect to the world electronically while recovering at home from surgery, so my trip home was not the normal trek. That did not bother me. I got lost a little in my own town and was allowed to view the city from different places seeing different faces. People were out walking and smiling in the sunshine and warmth. Warmth, such a subjective thing. It was only in the 60's but what a wonderful change from the winter months.
As I approached home I felt a little disoriented; I was driving my partner's vehicle and negotiating the hills is very different in his SUV from how I glide through with my little dragon. But home I came. Students out on porches and balconies beginning the rites of spring as only students can. It is Thursday and that is the day the weekend starts in a college town. But there was no parking near our house. I just smiled and thought that this is the Universes way of making me walk and enjoy the sun while it lasts. Around the corner and up the hill I parked, walking back to the house to view the yard and what work lies before us. A very happy place to be to know that we will be out and working to make the yard come alive again. But once I came inside I heard something that wasn't quite right. It was a thumping sound periodically coming from the back yard.
As I looked through the opening to the ritual room and then the window to the yard beyond, I saw a young woman with a bow and arrow. She placed the arrow in the bow, drew back the draw string, and released to allow the shaft to fly towards a target to the side of the yard. Then a second young woman with a hula hoop began to move her way across the yard beyond where the circle is outlined, and finally a third young woman just strolling around in a small area with her dog. Now you must understand I have no fences defining my back yard; but in the area where I live there are very few back yards. It is an oasis in a university neighborhood as far as grass is concerned. So in one sense this didn't surprise me.
I walked out back and approached the three and asked if they knew that this was my yard. I'm really not that possessive but we have sacred space there and I truly don't want it to be disrupted. They were confused, their landlord never explained that the grassy area wasn't for everyone to use; his answers I'm sure were vague when they inquired. So I made some new friends, met the neighbors, and gave permission for the archery to continue. Seems a little surreal to be honest, but anyway...
I explained about our ritual area and then engaged in a small conversation regarding beliefs. Wiccan, Pagan, Heathen, etc... it all came out. So now the witch of Lancaster Avenue has once again made her self known to the transient occupants of our area. They will be invited to drumming this summer if we have it here. They will be invited to watch ritual if not verbally then by the fact that we are not secretive about what we do. So sharing space, sunshine, energy and smiles today, for what better way to celebrate Spring!
As I approached home I felt a little disoriented; I was driving my partner's vehicle and negotiating the hills is very different in his SUV from how I glide through with my little dragon. But home I came. Students out on porches and balconies beginning the rites of spring as only students can. It is Thursday and that is the day the weekend starts in a college town. But there was no parking near our house. I just smiled and thought that this is the Universes way of making me walk and enjoy the sun while it lasts. Around the corner and up the hill I parked, walking back to the house to view the yard and what work lies before us. A very happy place to be to know that we will be out and working to make the yard come alive again. But once I came inside I heard something that wasn't quite right. It was a thumping sound periodically coming from the back yard.
As I looked through the opening to the ritual room and then the window to the yard beyond, I saw a young woman with a bow and arrow. She placed the arrow in the bow, drew back the draw string, and released to allow the shaft to fly towards a target to the side of the yard. Then a second young woman with a hula hoop began to move her way across the yard beyond where the circle is outlined, and finally a third young woman just strolling around in a small area with her dog. Now you must understand I have no fences defining my back yard; but in the area where I live there are very few back yards. It is an oasis in a university neighborhood as far as grass is concerned. So in one sense this didn't surprise me.
I walked out back and approached the three and asked if they knew that this was my yard. I'm really not that possessive but we have sacred space there and I truly don't want it to be disrupted. They were confused, their landlord never explained that the grassy area wasn't for everyone to use; his answers I'm sure were vague when they inquired. So I made some new friends, met the neighbors, and gave permission for the archery to continue. Seems a little surreal to be honest, but anyway...
I explained about our ritual area and then engaged in a small conversation regarding beliefs. Wiccan, Pagan, Heathen, etc... it all came out. So now the witch of Lancaster Avenue has once again made her self known to the transient occupants of our area. They will be invited to drumming this summer if we have it here. They will be invited to watch ritual if not verbally then by the fact that we are not secretive about what we do. So sharing space, sunshine, energy and smiles today, for what better way to celebrate Spring!
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