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A Weekend Celebration to Welcome Summer
Heather G., S.J., Courtney, Stephanie T., and Rose
In ancient Europe, time was told predominantly by the sun and years were separated into two seasons: Summer and Winter. The turning of the Wheel was marked by agricultural growth, both related to livestock and to crops. Rural celebrations marked the beginning and ending of each period, with sacrifices to the gods and festivities honoring the changing of the seasons. In between the work continued, and with it came more prayers, sacred offerings, and everyday devotions. An outsider looking in on each ritual in each rural village would likely see little difference between the two festivities, although many details have been lost to time. In modern times, however, two festival days are ripe with magick and mayhem: Walpurgisnacht (or Hexennacht) and Beltane.
This year, five of us worked together to share with the community a weekend of festivities, beginning on Saturday night’s April Full Moon ritual with a Walpurgisnacht experience, and continuing into Sunday morning with a Beltane festival.
For the Night of the Witches, Courtney acted as guide, bringing participants forward and assisting them through the experience. Rose, Heather, and S.J. each evoked a Norn: Urd, Verandi, and Skuld, respectively. The tree at Lassiter Mill Park took on the role of Yggdrasil. At one end of the field where mighty Yggdrasil stood, the Norns, as depicted in Macbeth, awaited. The middle of the field was aglow with a spiral labyrinth. Guests arrived and waited at the far end.
Photo courtesy of Johnson Davis
As attendees walked the labyrinth, the Norns determined their meeting place and then set to making their potion. Then one by one, attendees approached the Norns at the base of Yggdrasil starting with Urd as she spun, Verandi as she measured, and Skuld as she cut. Each attendee received a sliver of spun thread to place into a glowing cauldron which offered divinatory insight into the question they presented to the Norns.
While not a traditional circle, the purpose of this night was to bring the local Pagan community together and highlight the bonds of our shared traditions—each individual thread woven together to create a single beautiful tapestry.
“Our lives are not our own.
From womb to tomb,
We are bound to others,
Past and present,
And by each crime and every kindness,
We birth our future.”
–David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
The next morning, our community gathered again with Stephanie, Courtney, S.J., Rose, and Heather leading to round out the weekend. An interactive altar was set up for divination and messages of love and admiration, both for oneself and for others in attendance.
After sharing what Beltane means—including its position as the last holy day untouched by consumerism, the sacred union of the God and Goddess, glitter, fun, ridiculousness, magick, and all acts of love and pleasure per the Charge of the Goddess— S.J., Courtney, and Stephanie raised energy through dance with a sample of the Fairy Reel. Then all willing attendees joined hands and, mirroring the spiral labyrinth from the night before, enjoyed a Spiral Dance. Energy was raised again with a May Day procession through the trees and back around to the altar space. The raised energy was sent outward to bathe the community in love and light with a visualization:
May the energy that we have raised here spark within our hearts a sacred fire. May this fire burn away the last vestiges of winter within ourselves and bring healing, life-giving energy to our spirits. May this sacred fire burn outward from our hearts to surround each other to pass from one to another within our community, multiplying each time the fire is passed along. May our fire burn outward to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. May the fire move outward, strengthening and bringing joy to the United States...North America...the whole world...the universe. May we call upon this sacred fire whenever it is needed. As within, so without. As above, so below. As the Universe, so the Soul.
After the visualization and service of cakes and ale, the ritual became a festival with a community potluck, story time, songs, laughter, glitter, and revelry.
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Beltane Fires
by Dodde
Bonfires are associated with Beltane. They are said to cleanse the land and make seeds grow faster. Cattle were driven between two such fires to protect them from illness and disease for the season. Lovers would also jump over fires to seal their commitment to each other.
So what fun things can we do around a fire? Some of these work well using candles; some need firepits; others need nothing more than your imagination. (Please be responsible when doing anything with fire—have a jug of water close by, use a safe fire pit, clear away dead leaves from around the pit, etc.)
FIRE GAZING
When I am at a fire pit, sooner or later you will find me staring into the fire. It is inevitable. What am I doing? Falling asleep? Being antisocial? Waiting for the perfect marshmallow roasting conditions? Or am I looking into the depths of the Universe’s Soul? Well, it depends on the day, but most of the time I am fire gazing (some would call it ‘scrying’). For me, this is the art of seeking communication with my deity, guides, spirits, or my own subconscious. (You may call it whatever resonates with you, and/or call to whomever you wish.) Sometimes I stare with an intention or question in mind, but mostly I am checking in to see if the Universe wants to talk to me. I receive messages in several ways using different senses. I will see images in the embers or shapes and color in the flame. I will tune into patterns of movement in the smoke above me. A scent will waft past that reminds me of something. The crackling will sing to me. Sometimes I imagine that I am small and dance with the flame. Other times I find I am so relaxed and open that random thoughts will occur which make perfect sense.
In my experience, this is a gentle exercise that needs little preparation or recovery time. As a matter of fact, I generally feel like my soul battery has been recharged and I am outwardly mellow. You might prefer a little ceremony before you begin and some grounding afterwards, and that is all OK too! As for interpreting the message you receive, I suggest that you are the best person to figure that out because you know best what the images, thoughts, sounds, etc. mean to you.
FIRE STORM VISUALIZATION
Most of my cleansing visualizations are gentle and soothing. But there are times when that shit just ain’t gonna cut it! I am pissed and I need big guns and I need them NOW! Hence my Fire Storm visualization. I often do this when I am walking because I need to get the extra energy out of my system, but it is OK to do this while being still.
With the plethora of superhero imagery these glorious days, it is easy to adapt the 'Flame On!' technique. Visualize yourself catching fire, flames burning brilliantly, and yet no harm comes to you. Think Human Torch or Phoenix. I start with “igniting” my hands and feeling the “flame” in my palms. It is cool to the touch and it is easy to produce. I can play with it, allowing it to dance in my hand, or I can call upon the force of it and allow it to cover my hands in flame. This flame creeps up my arms to my shoulders. From there it simultaneously envelopes my head and body. The flame clears out all the things that no longer are useful to me. It burns away all the rubbish thoughts circling my head—all the negative energy I have absorbed from interactions with the world. The flame searches the crevices of my body, seeking out old sensations and patterns that need to leave now. Nothing can hide; all is consumed. The flame burns until the anger and negativity are gone. And then it burns clean! It is refreshing fire, filling me with passion, hope, ideas, creativity, energy to do whatever is now important to me. I bask in the flame, feeling renewed. Like the aftermath of a forest fire, the ground of my Self, my Soul is now fertile for new things. When I have completed the transformation, I allow the flame to release from my body and send the excess energy into the earth so that I become grounded. I often feel energized and calm after I do this visualization (and, to be honest, a little kick-ass).
HUBBA HUBBA, IGNITE THAT PASSION!
I am sure you can think of ways to start this kind of fire, or keep it fueled. There are others in our group more qualified than I to speak on such matters. I mostly just wanted to write this heading because it made me giggle!
WANDS TAROT SPREAD
I came up with this spread to honor the Wands Suit in the Tarot deck. Wands are associated with…you guessed it, fire! The image to guide this spread is a hand holding a wand. There are 7 cards in the spread:
1. Hand: Where are you in this moment?
2. Intent: Where do you want to go? What result do you want?
3. Wand: What tools do you have (or need) to help?
4. Word: What needs to be said?
5. Gesture: What needs to be done?
6. Magic: How will the transformation come about?
7. Sparks: What will be the outcome?
I have tested this out on a few questions I have about my life these days and have found it to be effective. If you give it a shot, let me know how it worked for you.
CRAFT TIME!
So, for about 30 years I have been reading about pine cones you can make that produce colored flame when they are burned. “How perfect for Beltane Craft Time!” thought I. On the Interwebs, I did my research and found a couple of DIY recipes you can make with regular household items. Sweet! These recipes call for different substances in water, such as Epsom salt to produce a red flame, and borax to burn blue. Ooooooh! None had proportions of water to powdery goodness, so I winged it. Using my Science Super Power (I got the highest grade in my 9th grade Biology class, I know I am the Shiz Niz, and I totes got this!), I deduced SCIENTIFICALLY that if I kept adding chemical to water until it could dissolve no more, I would create a super-saturated solution that would give maximum color effect to my burning pine cones. Brittany came over, and we played Potions Class and created several red Solo cup soaking solutions. Yes, it was a blast: “Boil, Boil”, and all that jazz! We (sort of) measured water and powder and created several solutions: Epsom salt (red flame), table salt (yellow), alcohol (blue), and then we got creative and tried sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and witch hazel. They soaked overnight and then dried for two and a half days on an old window screen outside in the fresh air. I labeled them with masking tape and Sharpie and then found a local fire to burn them in. I threw in the first pine cone and waited with bated breath for it to burst dramatically into colorful flame.
I waited a long time.
A LOOOOOONG time.
The pine cone finally caught fire… sort of. But nothing really happened. With any of them. Whomp whomp.
The moral of this story has something to do with laughing at one’s self and enjoying the process, even when it is a Pinterest-fail. Have no fear, Dear Reader, I WILL try again! And when I prevail with my Crafty Craftiness, I will let you know all the deets.
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Cornerstone: Using Stones in Magic
Liz Hu-itt
 Rose Quartz
Deities: Venus, Isis, Aphrodite and Adonis, Krishna and Radha
Element: Water
Chakra: Heart
Magical Properties: Heals mind and body; promotes good sleep, peace, love, and fertility Photo courtesy of Lynn Grayling
Rose quartz is said to have originated when the blood of Aphrodite and Adonis dripped on clear crystal, staining it pink as a lasting symbol of their love. It has long been the stone of choice for love rituals and ceremonies. It promotes not only romantic love, but love in all aspects.
Place a pair of rose quartz hearts in your bedroom or area in your home that you feel represents love in order to manifest romantic relationships. The pair of hearts represent you and your love and also brings harmony to an existing romantic love relationship. Put rose quartz on your altar or near you when you want to augment self-love or reduce stress.
Use rose quartz for healing mind and body. Rose quartz soothes, heals a broken heart, combats negativity, and increases one’s ability to let go of trauma. It has been used as an offering to enhance healing properties in plants by burying a piece in the soil near the base of the plant. Rose quartz aids in sleep and soothing. Place rose quartz by your pillow or under an agitated baby’s crib for more restful sleep.
Rose quartz is said to be one of the most important stones for healing because its meaning is one of unconditional love. It increases understanding and acceptance, and drives away fear. This allows for renewed trust and compassion for ourselves and others.
SOURCES
Tess Whitehurst, Magical Housekeeping
Witchipedia
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Frigg's Forest
Heather G
Spring 2018
As the All-Mothe r, Frigg is the Norse Goddess of Mothers and protector of children. Frigg’s Forest is an on-going series of tips and activities to involve your children in your practice.
The beach is one of the few places in the world where all four elements can be felt: the fiery sun, the earthen sand, the ocean waves, and the sea breeze.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Capps
Beach season is quickly coming upon us, and as we pack to head to the shore, we can also prepare for Magicks. The beach is also a great way to show the little ones that Magick is everywhere and we can pack it and bring it with us. It's transient. It is wherever we are.
Once on the beach, settle into your spot, and cast a circle around your space. This doesn't have to be anything very showy or ceremonial. As you place weights around your blanket, for example, say a quiet blessing to call in each of the elements.
Additionally, as you walk towards the ocean, you can call the water to you in a way that keeps you feeling comfortable and confident in the tide. This in no way replaces water safety, just as car Magick does not replace a seat belt and safe driving, but having the right energies helps.
If you see a stick, you can write sigils in the sand and allow the waves to clear the beach again, taking the Magicks with them.
Finally, if you collect shells, you can create a totem to hold onto the beach's energies upon returning to your home.
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Ostara
by S.J.
Every year, various cultures and faiths mark the coming of spring, and with it the theme of redemption and rebirth. The Jewish people celebrate Passover, Pesach, and remember the story of their people being freed from slavery. The Christians celebrate Easter, or Pascha, and tell the story of the God-man who rose from the dead. We celebrate Ostara, which some say comes from the name Éostre, the Germanic goddess of the sunrise and fertility (who may or may not have been invented by the Venerable Bede), and we exchange knowing smiles as we recognize imagery such as eggs and rabbits proliferating. We recognize that such festivals, which are tied to the deep cycles of the earth, might change their names, but they never fully disappear.
It can be both a joyful and confusing time as we remember where we came from and where we hope to go from here. Many of us are standing in a liminal space, in the in-between where even breath comes tentatively. Here on the sharp edge between past and future, so much is uncertain, unpredictable. Sometimes winter lingers overlong and frozen slush coats unsuspecting blossoms. Sometimes just when we think we have escaped a difficult cycle, we find ourselves doubled over with longing for the very things that caused us pain.
And sometimes, we brace for the cold and damp, maybe cancel our plans, but the sun comes out anyway. Sometimes we think we will never know joy again but find within ourselves a wild rush of hope, a startling vision of life worth living. Which will it be? Darkness or light? Despair or hope? Death or life? When the tension is too much to bear, we spring forward into the unknown.
After the requisite sacred talky bits, I invited those who were attending the ritual to choose a rock and think about something in their lives that needed to be reborn or was already being transformed. I asked them to pour their energy and intention into the rock, and when they were ready, to come up and place it in the water that represents the Well of Healing, the Cauldron of Rebirth. While they were doing that, I led the lovely pagan choir in singing a reclaimed hymn to the Goddess—one of my favorites from the time before. Once everyone had chosen and released their intentions, we all took turns reading images of new life:
Genesis. Out of nothing, something comes into being.
Darkness recedes as light returns.
Cold eases into warmth.
The dark moon becomes a shining crescent.
The last star shines as purple and blue fade into rose and gold.
Snow melts and swells the rushing streams.
The raging storm calms into a gentle rain.
Seeds crack open and tender shoots surge up through the soil.
Brown fields are spread with fresh blankets of green.
Bare branches are wreathed with delicate leaves.
Tightly wrapped buds unfurl into glorious bloom.
Migrating flocks return to the awakening north.
Bears lumber from their dens with fluffy cubs.
A baby takes a first breath and screams it out triumphantly.
An egg cracks and a determined chick unfolds itself.
A rooster announces the first rays of the dawn.
A snake sheds its skin, revealing newly vibrant colors.
Tadpoles wriggle into the shallows.
Caterpillars emerge from their cocoons as butterflies and take flight.
Morning silence is filled with squirrel chatter and calling birds.
Lambs bleat and frolic on the hillsides.
Dough is taken from the oven as fresh-baked bread.
The eight-spoked wheel turns again.
The sun processes with Taurus, the heavenly bull.
The Phoenix bursts into flames and is reborn from the ashes.
The scarab pushes its bundle as Ra pushes the sun into the sky.
Osiris is gathered from all the provinces and made whole again.
Persephone emerges from the realm of Hades, and Demeter rejoices.
The hare jumps into the fire—and bursts out into the space beyond.
The Green Man lifts his flute and calls the wild creatures to dance.
The Maiden walks the earth, and life springs up in her wake.
I began writing this ritual with a single image: The hare jumps into the flames and bursts out into the space beyond. This image of a desperate animal choosing a chance at freedom, however painful, over certain death holds a special resonance for me—and not merely because my Chinese zodiac symbol is the fire rabbit. I thought of Terry Pratchett’s I Shall Wear Midnight, in which Tiffany Aching has to confront the Cunning Man, the spirit of a witch hunter who inspires others to take up his hateful cause. “The hare runs into the fire. The hare runs into the fire. The fire, it takes her, she is not burned. The fire, it takes her, she is not burned. The hare runs into the fire. The fire, it loves her, she is free…” I thought about the fact that five years ago this spring, I left the faith I was raised and trained in, the faith I loved that was burning me alive. I thought about how I ran for my life, trying to outrace the memories, the forces that wanted me to obediently return to deny my power, sacrifice my identity, die to myself. Wheeling around, I found myself surrounded and so I leapt—into a new career, a new faith, a new life. Now, surrounded by a chosen family of friends I feel I have known for many lifetimes, I turn from the ash-charred field of the past and look out at the great green wonder of whatever is coming next.
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From the Boughs of Yggdrasil
Heather G.
This piece is a recurring runic exploration. It is a culmination of study from Taking Up the Runes by Diana L. Paxson (1), A Practical Guide to The Runes by Lisa Peschel (2), and Runes, Alphabet of Mystery, available at http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/index.html (3).
Othala (OTH-ah-la) is a rune which has been getting a whole lot of unwanted attention due to some folks who have chosen to warp its meaning to fit their cause. This will be our starting point for our runic exploration in order to set the record straight.
Othala has an ancient meaning of ancestral property. It literally references property handed down through continual generations from father to son for upwards of thirty years, which confirmed the property was the uncontested right of the family (1).
Photo courtesy of Heather G.
In modern times, it has taken on the meaning of family and kinship in general. While it continues to represent physical inheritance passed from one generation to the next, it has also evolved to include culture, customs, and status—that which defined a clan but cannot be physically held or easily defined (1). It gives insight into what one holds to be of true importance (3).
It also represents the balance between order and chaos, or the world within the home and the world without (1). It can offer insight into order within a group, or order within the self (3).
This rune was misappropriated by the Nazis of the past and continues to be used today by the newest wave of Nazi adherents. Those who consider the rune to represent physical blood inheritance are looking at only a portion of the picture, and ignoring the cultural and spiritual aspects of it. Does one need to be blood-related to the Greeks to be called by Athena? Must one hold Celtic roots to be special to The Morrigan? Lineage is just one way to adopt a tradition, and Othala has been understood by runic scholars to incorporate not just the physical but the cultural and spiritual as well. In viewing the spiritual, we also need to incorporate our non-human brethren, which lends an animist flair to this rune (1).
When doing a casting, one may view this rune's meaning as family—whether kin or kith, a community, or a relationship to the land. It could also signify a connection with one's ancestors, physical or spiritual (1). If the rune appears merkstave (reverse), it hints at a lack of order, totalitarianism, and/or poverty (3) with no help from the outside to come, or a situation in which money will be of no help (2). In this position, it also signifies what it has been co-opted to mean: prejudice and clannishness (3). In all castings, the runes with which Othala appears will influence its specific meaning. For example, when shown with Fehu, it takes on materialistic meaning but with Mannaz, looks at a more spiritual one (2). Likewise, with Ansuz, it could begin or restart spiritual discovery (1).
By inscribing this rune within doorways of your home, whether in smoke or via physical carving, one protects their property and their family within, keeping order between the four walls and creating a barrier to keep chaos out.
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Support Our Church Via Amazon Smile!
Have you heard of AmazonSmile? It's a lovely way to support the Church of the Earth while you shop online. This program is set up by Amazon.com, and for all eligible purchases made via AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to a selected charity.
To get started with the program, you simply need to go to “smile.amazon.com” using the web browser on your computer or mobile device instead of the usual “amazon.com” address you'd use to shop otherwise. It is also a good idea to update your bookmarks to the Smile URL so that you don’t even have to think about the change. The first time you go to the website, you will need to login with your Amazon account and then pick your charity from the many available. You will find us listed as “Church of the Earth of Raleigh, NC”.
That’s it! Once you are set up, just use the smile.amazon.com URL, and AmazonSmile will do the rest! Despite being a different URL, it will offer the exact same great Amazon shopping experience and products. We know 0.5% may not seem like much, but every little bit helps out our community that we are growing here in Raleigh.
If you have any further questions about this program, feel free to send us a quick message at council@cote-nc.org and we can point you in the right direction!
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Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Capps
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May
Pagan Book Club
Tuesday, 5/22, 7:30pm
Location: Starbucks Coffeehouse, 4834 NC Hwy 55, Durham, NC
Full Moon Ritual
Tuesday, 5/29, 8pm
Location: Lassiter Mill Park
Ritual Leader: S.J.
June
Sunday Worship Circle
Sunday, 6/10, 10:30am
Location: Lake Wheeler Park, Shelter 7
Ritual Leader: Brittany
Food Bank Volunteer
Saturday, 6/23, 9am
Location: Food Bank Of Central & Eastern NC
1924 Capital Blvd. Raleigh
Litha Sabbat
Sunday, 6/24, 10:30am
Location: Lake Wheeler Park, Shelter 7
Full Moon Ritual
Wednesday, 6/27, 8pm
Location: Lassiter Mill Park
Ritual Leader: Stephanie
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July
Sunday Worship Circle
Sunday, 7/1, 10:30am
Location: Lake Wheeler Park, Shelter 7
Ritual Leader: Kristen
Sunday Worship Circle
Sunday, 7/15, 10:30am
Location: Lake Wheeler Park, Shelter 7
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Shops, Events, and Groups
To keep the newsletter to a more manageable size, the list of shops, events, and groups is now available as a Google document which anyone can view. This also allows us to keep the list up-to-date more easily
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