The Yuletide is finally upon us.
Another year has turned and I am now living through my 39th winter, and with the turning of age, I tend to look backward at the life I have lived thus far and forward to what is to come. But I must always look and see the here and now; be mindful of the present. "The middle way" as Buddhists refer to it. And so I shall. I gaze out the small window from our cozy nook and I see the white flakes gently falling in the dark sky. By the hedge there is a quick shadow. Who is it? In this new home and landscape I look for the familiar spirits and I wonder who is there.
Showing posts with label experiences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label experiences. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
I must turn with the Wheel
A few Moons have passed, and my life has changed in so many different ways.
A time of great transition is upon me. First, there is my child. I am to be a father for the first time and I am so excited, blessed and a myriad of other feelings that I can not form into a coherent sentence. The spirit that the great Source has brought to us will fill our lives with peace, joy and love. I am a lucky man. Second, we have changed our home. With the coming of our beautiful child, the decision was made to be closer to family, so we have left the country and moved to a larger city. I am still adjusting. The un-tethering for all the natural energies has been an extremely difficult process and the readjustment to urban life has been a trial, but I am managing. I just have to look a little harder to see the faces of the Gods. And third (because all things are three), I have a new job. Same company, but a promotion and a raise. Another blessing, I suppose.
So, let there be change. After all, it is the only constant.
A time of great transition is upon me. First, there is my child. I am to be a father for the first time and I am so excited, blessed and a myriad of other feelings that I can not form into a coherent sentence. The spirit that the great Source has brought to us will fill our lives with peace, joy and love. I am a lucky man. Second, we have changed our home. With the coming of our beautiful child, the decision was made to be closer to family, so we have left the country and moved to a larger city. I am still adjusting. The un-tethering for all the natural energies has been an extremely difficult process and the readjustment to urban life has been a trial, but I am managing. I just have to look a little harder to see the faces of the Gods. And third (because all things are three), I have a new job. Same company, but a promotion and a raise. Another blessing, I suppose.
So, let there be change. After all, it is the only constant.
Labels:
beginnings,
change,
child,
experiences,
turning
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Shrine to Taranis
Whenever it storms, and the booming thunder echoes seemingly everywhere, I smile and my heart flutters a bit, for here is a manifestation of the Wheel, of my guide, my patron deity Taranis...

From windy hilltops and rolling glen,
In the lightning flash I have seen the wheel turn.
The sound of change echoes through the mist and rain,
and I can feel your thunder pulsing in my very spirit.
Taranis, it is to you that my path leads,
to ever receive your blessings.
May I always feel your strength in my body,
your presence in my head,your light in my soul.
So may it always be thus.

Saturday, August 8, 2009
Passages in Summer
"Everything changes but change itself. Everything flows and nothing remains the same... You cannot step twice into the same river, for other waters and yet others go flowing ever on."
~ Heraclitus
The Summer turns. Moving forward from the Solstice, I have seen changes occurring in my life. The most wondrous has come to pass, and subtler revelations have become known. With the latter, one was after I attended a Pagan festival in July. Though it was enjoyable, it occurred to me that there has been no real evolution within the Pagan community over the past, I don't know, decade. Having been "out of the loop" for a number of years, I felt getting back to that area of my roots would be a positive experience, and it was, albeit strictly in a nostalgic sense. I found myself comparing present to past experiences a little too much, but I think that was because I was basically in the same scenarios. For example, partying around a bonfire can only lend expansion to one's self only so much. Anyways, I feel I have gone full circle with the Pagan fest scene (as it is) in Ontario.
I still walk the Wheel everyday, and I celebrated a quaint Lughnasadh ritual in amongst the cedar, pine and birch trees down in the Nemeton. I adorned the stone shrine with large turkey feathers I had found and, as the main part of the ritual, I made a corn dolly from the freshly-cut hay and wild flowers. Offerings were also made, and I was quite pleased that I managed to cut an apple in half perfectly to reveal the star inside. The sacred space was beautiful and, in hindsight, I wished I had had a camera. But the ritual was not for me so the image will have to live in my memory.
~ Heraclitus
The Summer turns. Moving forward from the Solstice, I have seen changes occurring in my life. The most wondrous has come to pass, and subtler revelations have become known. With the latter, one was after I attended a Pagan festival in July. Though it was enjoyable, it occurred to me that there has been no real evolution within the Pagan community over the past, I don't know, decade. Having been "out of the loop" for a number of years, I felt getting back to that area of my roots would be a positive experience, and it was, albeit strictly in a nostalgic sense. I found myself comparing present to past experiences a little too much, but I think that was because I was basically in the same scenarios. For example, partying around a bonfire can only lend expansion to one's self only so much. Anyways, I feel I have gone full circle with the Pagan fest scene (as it is) in Ontario.
I still walk the Wheel everyday, and I celebrated a quaint Lughnasadh ritual in amongst the cedar, pine and birch trees down in the Nemeton. I adorned the stone shrine with large turkey feathers I had found and, as the main part of the ritual, I made a corn dolly from the freshly-cut hay and wild flowers. Offerings were also made, and I was quite pleased that I managed to cut an apple in half perfectly to reveal the star inside. The sacred space was beautiful and, in hindsight, I wished I had had a camera. But the ritual was not for me so the image will have to live in my memory.
Labels:
experiences,
lughnasadh,
nem,
ritual,
summer,
thoughts,
turning
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Fellow Pilgrim
I recently stumbled upon a BBC documentary (through another blog) and when I finished watching it, I was awestruck. Not only is it a wonderful story, but it so closely mirrors my own journey as an 'Earth Pilgrim'.
Pure wisdom!
Pure wisdom!
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