And every stone and every star a tongue,And every gale of wind a curious song.The Heavens were an oracle, and spokeDivinity: the Earth did undertakeThe office of a priest; and I being dumb(Nothing besides was dumb) all things did comeWith voices and instructions…— Thomas Traherne (1637-1674) Gardening is one of the oldest activities of civilization, … Read more
Tellus, Holy Mother, source of natureQueen and Goddess I invoke you:You are all-powerful and my needs are so small.Give me what I ask and in exchange,I will give you my thanks, sincere, and from my deepest heart.— from the Tellus Mater, ancient Roman prayer to the Earth If you are an avid gardener, you probably … Read more
Silently a flower blooms,In silence it falls away;Yet here now, at this moment, at this place,The world of the flower, the whole ofthe world is blooming.This is the talk of the flower, the truthof the blossom:The glory of eternal life is fully shining here. — Zenkei Shibayama In honor of Maia and Flora, and all … Read more
Today, as in the time of Pliny and Columella, the hyacinth flourishes in Wales, the periwinkle in Illyria, the daisy on the ruins of Numantia; while around them cities have changed their masters and their names, collided and smashed, disappeared into nothingness, their peaceful generations have crossed down the ages as fresh and smiling as … Read more
Oh, what a catastrophe, what a maiming of love when it was made a personal, merely personal feeling, taken away from the rising and the setting of the sun, and cut off from the magic connection of the solstice and equinox! …. We are bleeding at the roots, because we are cut off from the … Read more
Hail Mother, who art the earth, Hallowed be thy soil, rock and flora that nourish and support all life. Blessed be thy wind that gives us breath and thy watersthat quench, bathe and refresh all living things. Holy Earth – as one – we praiseyour majesty, grace and wonder.— Bill Faherty If the Romans could … Read more
©Flora – Genevieve AmyI am the handmaid of the EarthI broider fair Her glorious gownAnd deck Her on Her days of mirthWith many a garland of renown. And while earth’s little ones are fainAnd play about the Mother’s hemI scatter every gift I gainFrom sun and wind to gladden them.– William MorrisThe Floralia was the … Read more
When in the springtime of the yearWhen the trees are crowned with leavesWhen the ash and oak, and the birch and yewAre dressed in ribbons fair…–Loreena McKinnett In all the Beltane excitement, we mustn’t forget the other gifts of this most magical time, including the ancient Roman rites of the Floralia. Usually celebrated from April … Read more
Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight,Or he would call it a sin;But we have been out in the woods all night,A-conjuring Summer in!– – Rudyard Kipling Many of the visitors to my website will be celebrating Beltane this weekend with their circles, covens and communities (in addition to their solitary or family rites … Read more