Blessings of Brigid, Fiery Arrow of Life’s Awakenings

Brighde by Stuart Littlejohn Fire in the forge that shapes and tempers.  Fire of the hearth that nourishes and heals. Fire in the head that incites and inspires. ~ The Ord Brighideach (Three-Fold Fire of Brighid)  Rejoice, my dear ones! Today is the feast day of St. Brigid who is also Brigid, a beloved Goddess … Read more

Blessings of Samhain To the Living and the Dead

I am the hallow-tide of all souls passing, I am the bright releaser of all pain, I am the quickener of the fallen seed-case, I am the glance of snow, the strike of rain. I am the hollow of the winter twilight, I am the hearth-fire and the welcome bread, I am the curtained awning … Read more

Sunday Ruminations Inspired by Parker Palmer

Author, activist, and teacher extraordinaire, Parker Palmer, is one of my favorite inspirations, and his post today on Facebook seemed particularly poignant as we approach the Samhain holiday.  So many of us are hiding in “the broom closet,” afraid to be identified as Witches or Pagans because of the very real ignorance, prejudice, and even … Read more

Blessings of the Autumn Equinox and Second Harvest

Once more the liberal year laughs out O’er richer stores than gems or gold: Once more with harvest song and shout Is nature’s boldest triumph told. ~ John Greenleaf Whittier Today is the Equinox, taken from the Latin for “equal night.” It is the Autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, and the Spring equinox below … Read more

Blessings of Lughnasadh!

Lammas Bread Blessing Bless the earth that grows the grain, Bless the water that gives us rain, Bless the wind that helps seed spread, Bless the fire that bakes our bread. – Words by Diane Baker, music by Anne Hill, Serpentine Music Now the Wheel of the Year turns once more, and the season of … Read more

From Faking It to Making It

The many branches of Earth-centered spirituality have come a long way from the early days I remember, like when we were pulling our liturgy from pop fiction (“May you never hunger, May you never thirst” is straight out of Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land). But those days of flying our broomsticks by … Read more

Blessings of Ostara!

A Seed for Spring Equinox ©Annie Finch Thrusting through the season where I’d waited for spring, tucking up my head, I felt the slanted weight of clouds pressing through the sky above me down towards this grave, till I feel the earth around the place my head has lain under winter’s touch, and it crumbles. … Read more

Yes, I Am Still Choosing the Snakes!

While I am still out of town, I offer an encore of my post last year. Instead of the troublesome Patrick, I will be honoring the Green Isle and the Old Ones on this day. May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you wherever you go. Today is Trefuilnid Treochair … Read more

Do You Believe the Earth Is Alive and Sacred?

April 12-13, 2013 in Columbia, SC In today’s post-modern, urbanized world, where everything is a commodity, how and where do Pagans find their sacred places?  How should we protect and maintain these sites?  In colonized worlds, how do we avoid the appropriation of these lands? If Goddess is immanent in nature, what makes some places … Read more