Stop and smell the tulips

I've spent most of the afternoon out in the garden.  I've cleared away a lot of spring flowers that have finished blooming and I've planted some shrubs.

As I was working I was suddenly aware of silence.  Before all the birds were singing, there was the odd car driving by and the chatter of people in neighbouring gardens.  But there was silence. 

It was like nature was holding its breath or at least having a siesta.  A red kite glided soundless across the sky.   And I enjoyed the moment, relishing the opportunity to be held in this pause ... to just be. 

Then a dog barked and the world came back to life, but I'm left with the reminder that sometimes you need to stop and smell the roses ... well tulips today as my roses aren't in bloom yet ;-)

Feel the fear and do it anyway

I'm usually quite a shy person,  letting fear of what people think of me hold me back.  Always thinking I could never do that ... not me. 

But since finding my path as a Witch I have really come out of my shell.  I write rituals, workshops and even speak in public ... willingly.    Something I would never have done before.  Of course Rachel, my partner in crime does have a hand in that, usually giving me a good 'ole shove to push me outside my comfort zone ;-)

This weekend saw me taking it a step further as I attended a Shamanic workshop with the awesome Rich Lister.   We spent the morning journeying with spirit animals, learning Apache smudging rituals, sitting on reindeer skins and eating cake.

Then Rich dropped the bombshell that we would be finishing the workshop by doing an Airwolf ritual.  I thought he was talking about a TV show ... but no.  What he wanted us to do was break an arrow with our throats!  Yeah, right was my immediate thought.   But he was deadly serious *eek*

We started taking it in turns to break our arrows, moving around in the circle, we were all beating our drums to build up the energy and atmosphere.   As it became close to my turn I was fighting the urge to run away. But I thought I would only regret it if I didn't try, right? So I buried my fear and I went for it.  After two attempts I DID IT!!!  I'm really proud of my new warrior self and feel ready to take on anything.  Thank you to Rich for giving me this gift :-)

I highly recommend Rich's workshops and drum birthing days for info can be found on his website www.theherosoul.com

Messages from nature

It's been such a long time since I wrote anything in my blog, but then I've never been big on journalling anything.

I was out in my garden yesterday, just pottering around as you do when I noticed this tiny, yellow flower growing in the grass.  
I certainly hadn't planted it there and didn't really know what it was other than it was really quite striking for such a tiny flower.

I felt I had to look up what it was and what was it's meaning and the flower turned out to be celandine.  It's quite a common plant in the UK and seems to be a daytime plant as its petals do not open much before 9am and tend to close again after 5pm.  They also close when it is about to rain.  

What a clever little plant.  Here is some more information I found out about it.

Flowering months:  February to April

Habitat:  Hillsides, moist fields, shady areas under trees, damp hedgerows, open woodland, bare ground meadows, ditches and banks, sometime forming dense clumps or patches.

Folk Names:  Small Celandine, Figwort, Smallwort, Pilewort, brighteye, butter and cheese.

Effects: Natural power, war, rage, destruction, force, action

Planet:  Sun

Element: Fire

Associated Deities:  Bast, Eostre, Kwan Yin, Sunna, Artemis, Belinos, Diana, Hecate

Magic: Psychic Abilities, protection

What was this little flowers message to me? The sun it out and its your time to shine :-)

"There is a flower, the lesser celandine,
That shrinks like many more from cold and rain,
And the first moment that the sun may shine,
Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again!"

Extract from The Small Celandine by William Wordsworth (Publishd 1888)

Sources - TheWhiteGoddess.co.uk

Awen

I was listening to a really old Druidcast podcast on my journey home from work today.  It contained an interview with Phillip Carr-Gomm in which he discussed the Bardic grade of Druidry; in particular what creativity can mean and how Awen can flow in people.

Until today I had always thought that being creative or indeed to be a bard you had to be a poet, a singer, a musician, an artist, or at least have a talent that is can be seen or heard.   I possess none of these skills.  I'm one of those people that when the talking stick is passed around at a ritual I'm frozen with fear.  Not because I'm scared (although I am a little) but because I don't know what to say other than a timid "thank you for the ritual, it was great"  So for me being passed the talking stick has become a moment of dread and looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

But what Phillip said in the interview changed my whole way of thinking about creativity and what it means for me.  Creativity isn't always a tangible thing it could be something like parenting.  Now I'm not a parent I know but I am mentor at work and have also been a mentor at online schools I have been involved with.  I am now a clan guardian at the Kitchen Witch School of Natural Witchery.  I have written lessons for the school and I write some of the rituals for our online and offline gatherings.  My husband says I'm a natural teacher and leader, I just haven't got the patience to teach him anything :-)

So does Awen flow through me?  Yes I think it does just not in the conventional way.

X

Valentine's Day

I was asked at work today if I received a nice card and present from my husband for Valentine's Day.  When I replied "No, we don't believe in all that rubbish", I got some very funny looks. A woman that doesn't want a card on Valentine's day? 

I don't like cards, I think they are a waste of money.  After all they will only end up in the recycling bin next week. And the shops always increase the price on flowers this week too.  I would rather be given flowers for out of the blue, for no reason, instead of because someone decided it was the done thing to do on 14th February.

It isn't because we aren't a romantic couple, far from it, but neither of us feel that we need a special day to show our affection towards each other.  We do that every day of the year, not just on 14th February.

What also makes me wonder is how many people have actually thought about the origins of this day?  Well Valentine's day has its roots in paganism with a raucous festival known as Lupercalia.  Lupercalia is a rural festival of ancient origins, possibly even  pre-dating the Romans.  The festival took place in mid Februrary (13th - 15th) and its purpose was for purification of evil spirits and to ensure fertility.  

The focal point of this festival was a site on the Palatine hill caked the Lupercal, This was the legendary cave in which it is said the she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus.  According to Roman tradition, it was also here, on Palatine hill, that a small community of shepherds lived in thatched huts, ruled by the founder of Rome, Romulus.  

The rite of Lupercalia required the sacrifice of goats and a dog in the Lupercal by priests called Luperci.  The blood of the sacrificed animals would be smeared onto the forehead of two young noblemen and then wiped off.  It seems at this point the young men were required to laugh.  Then the Luperci, clothed in loincloths, would run about the vicinity, lashing everyone they met with strips of skin from the sacrificed goats.  Newly married and young women were particularly keen to receive these lashes, as it was believed that the ritual promoted fertility and easy childbirth.  

Doesn't sound very romantic to me!

The name Valentine didn't come about until Christians attempted to outlaw the Lupercalia festival, failed and so appropriated it.  

The story goes that the Emperor Claudius II outlawed the marriage of young men.  He wanted them to bolster his army instead.  Valentine defied the ban and performed marriages in secret.  Unfortunately his flouting of the ban was discovered and he was executed in 270 AD
.  
It is not known if this story is true but it is rather a handy explanation for a Christian version of Lupercalia.

Magical Walks and New Blogs

Today is the day that I take a leap into the world of blogging.  I have written the odd blog for Kitchen Witch School of Natural Witchery where I am a clan guardian but thought I would branch out and create a blog of my very own.

Earlier today I went on a magical walk with my husband.  Being a pagan witch I love nature and being out in it soaking up the energy.  We visited Runnymede today, the place where King John signed the Magna Carta and also home to the Ankerwycke Yew.  For those of that know me will know that I love trees and there were plenty there on the circular walk around the meadows, it was a bit muddy though ;-)

I made friends with this lovely tree.  It has such a soothing and calming energy it was just calling out for a big hug.

On the walk there so many signs that spring is well and truly on the way.  Snowdrops carpeted the ground all around the ancient yew and catkins and buds on the trees.

                                                                                                                                     


As we walked around we were followed by the
squeaking of a parakeet.  I managed to snap a picture of one but they didn't like to get too close.  Just wanted to make a lot of noise.







The Yew tree when we reached it was beautiful and ancient.  It was completely hollow instead and gnarly.

When we walked around the tree we saw that people had left offerings of all sorts of things.  There were wreaths obviously left over from Yule, their berries now dried and shriveled.  Bunches of flowers and bundles of herbs.  There were also synthetic ribbons and other items that I wasn't too keen on as they don't degrade.

  

We sat on a fallen log and shared a flask of tea, giving a small libation to the tree too.  As I poured the liquid onto the roots and sat back down I was greeted by a woody scent.  Maybe the tree was thanking me for my offering?  I like to think so.   

Being so gnarly you could make out patterns in the tree.  If you look closely at this picture opposite you might be able to see a woman with long, flowing hair.

Wondering just how old the Yew tree is I’ve done a little research and find that this is a very fascinating tree indeed.  It is thought to be around 1,500 to 2,000 years old and has witnessed much in its long life.  It is thought to have been the actual spot where King John signed the Magna Carta and it is also believed to have been under this tree where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn used to meet in a secret tryst. 

It is by no accident that Runnymede has become known as special meeting place as it was used as such long before the signing of the Magna Carta.  In Saxon times it was known as Rune-Mede, (meadow of the Runes) a place of council where runes would have been consulted and runes, at the time, had deep association with yew trees.

So pleased we stumbled across the magnificent tree today.