The great queen of heaven, Inanna, I will hail!The only one, come forth on high, I will hail!The pure torch that flares in the sky,The heavenly light shining bright like the day,The great queen of heaven, Inanna, I will hail!Of her standing in the sky like the sun and moon,Known by all lands from south … Read more
Circle of Life © Frank Howell“The Crone is the ancient holy one. She is grandmother, witch and hag. She has been ignored, trivialized, blamed and feared, for she holds powers that others deny. Powers of time and transformation. Powers you may fear, but would do better to understand. The Crone is the Mother of all … Read more
Crazed, lying in a zero circle, mute,We shall be saying, finally,With tremendous eloquence, Lead us.When we have totally surendered to that beauty,We shall be a mighty kindness.— Rumi Now we settle into the quiet, dark time out of time; the time between Solstice and the New Year, or else Twelfth Night. These are the Halcyon … Read more
Hate was just a legend,War was never known.People worked togetherAnd they lifted many stones.Then they carried them to the flatlandsBut they died along the wayThen they built up with their bare handsWhat we still can’t do today.And I know she’s living thereAnd she loves me to this dayI still can’t remember whereOr how I lost … Read more
Though my soul may set in darkness,It will rise in perfect light,I have loved the stars too fondlyTo be fearful of the night. — Sarah Williams (1837 – 1868) On Sunday, we take the next step in our Solstice Sunwheel ritual. At sunset, or some other quiet time, you will first re-light the first candle, … Read more
O the Ivy O, she’s the Queen of old,And the Holly he is red.Hang ‘en high in the farm,and us won’t come to no harmTill the Christmas days be told. — Traditional carol from Somerset Both the design and materials of your Solstice wreath can invoke magic. As I explained before, the circular shape is … Read more
We are a circleWithin a circle,With no beginning,And never ending… — Circle Chant by Rick Hamouris For our magical working (see yesterday’s post), you will need a wreath and five candles. You may be familiar with the Christian tradition of lighting candles on an Advent wreath. Our spell will be a reclaiming of that practice, … Read more
Mother Kali, Mother Kali,Mother of the world-transformingand world-illuminingFiery Dance,O Mother, You are at once the destruction-floodOf Concern-Light and Compassion-OceanFor our heart’s aspiration-flame.— Sri Chinmoy We stand today on the threshold of the New Moon of Samhain, the doorway to the darkest time of our Northern Hemisphere year. From now until Yule, Winter Solstice, the days … Read more
Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road. — John Henry Jowett (1864 – 1923 ) As you shift your attention from what you don’t have, … Read more
‘Tis The Last Rose of Summer ‘Tis the last rose of summer,Left blooming alone ;All her lovely companionsAre faded and gone ;No flower of her kindred,No rose-bud is nigh,To reflect back her blushes,Or give sigh for sigh. I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one!To pine on the stem ;Since the lovely are sleeping,Go sleep thou … Read more