|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Spring Reading
By Beth the Angel Witch
Happy Spring to all! I’m so excited to be able to share this reading with all of you. Today, we will be using the Vintage Wisdom Oracle by Victoria Moseley. If you recall our reading at the beginning of the year, we said that April, May and June were about healing, and what part did we want to play in our own lives and in the world. It’s time to check in and see what inspiration is on tap for our warm weather months!
The first card we see is Purity. This card isn’t here to tell us what you may think. This is about Purity of Intention, and action. This is about asking ourselves: Where do I want to be? What am I looking for my day-to-day life to look like? Taking some time to journal this out can be very helpful. Then, as we proceed through our days, we can stop, and ask ourselves, “Does what I am thinking/saying/doing right now match with where I said I want to be?” It’s so very easy to proceed according to habit. For example, if I want to save for a trip with my best friend, I know that my intention is to save a certain dollar amount by a certain date. When I’m about to make an unnecessary purchase, I can stop and think, “Wait, is this getting me to my goal?” This works with minor things and more important things. Our friend on the Purity card and her gentle but direct gaze is giving us a nudge, saying “Your words and actions need to match those intentions.” We’ve got this!!
Our next card is Power, and it’s no accident that this one comes up next. Once we realize what a difference it makes NOT being a walking contradiction, we can manage so much that we couldn’t before. Our angelic friend and her feline companions are here to remind us that walking through each day with a “What’s the BEST thing that can happen?” attitude changes everything. Sometimes, things will fall our way. But, even when they do not, our calm knowledge that we will do our BEST in any situation, and then release the outcome puts us in a far more powerful position than we might have been otherwise. It sets our creativity free. We WILL amaze ourselves, and that is the message of this card.
Lastly, we’ve got the card of Dreams. This card rounds out our thus far very practical day-to-day advice and reminds us that there are other ways to understand, learn and interpret things beyond our logical everyday reality. Paying attention to our dreams, intuition, and gut feelings is another way to ground ourselves, and connect our own innate wisdom (yes, you DO have wisdom) with that of the Universe around us. Take time to play, to just be, to imagine. Time spent not DOING is incredibly healthy, and that is what our friend and her roses are here to remind us of.
I hope that you all have a wonderful Spring, and I look forward to reading for you again soon!
ABOUT THE READER: Beth Carrignant is The Angel Witch. Offering Angel Card Readings, as well as ministerial services. She describes herself thusly: "Witch. Poet. Nemophilist. Taphophile. Amateur photographer. Bibliophile. Tarot Reader. Reiki Master."
|
|
Laundry Day
Laundry day and the shining sun
Brightens the way for tasks to be done
Thinking of things in this morning hour
On a day like this no need to be sour
Nor need we use the electricity
When air and sun and beauty are free!
(c) Suzy Jacobson Cherry, 2023
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rune Readings
Ben Cookman
May
First up we have Winjo, which represents Joy. This rune deals with happiness, common fulfillment Joy shared with others and avoid any forms and negativities in isolation.
Next up we have Eihwaz, which represents the Yewtree. This rune deals with strength, flexibility, and searching. It’s also the rune of the hunter, useful for lucid dreaming and overcoming fears.
Last up we have Ingwaz. which represents the seed. This rune deals with sensual pleasure, rest and relaxation, internal growth, fulfillment, and a time of completion.
My assessment of this reading is that though you may be trying to avoid negativity and isolation, sometimes you have to overcome your fears. This will give you more sense of completion and fulfillment. Maybe it’s time for internal growth.
June
First up, we have Tiwaz. This rune represents the sky god and deals with courage, justice, loyalty, sacrifice, fighting for the greater good, and choose your battles.
Next, we have Hagalaz, which represents hail. This one deals with upcoming challenges, a delay or cancellation of plans, temporary change, a disruption, or difficulty.
Finally, we have Jera, which represents the harvest. This one deals with gaining ground; in fact, in fruition, prosperity and success -- a circle.
My assessment here this one is that you’re going to be fighting for the greater good but it’s going to be challenging. In the end you’ll probably gain ground; just know that things will be difficult in this task.
July
Here we have Tiwaz which represents sky god. This one deals with courage, justice, loyalty, sacrifice, fighting for the greater good, and choosing your battles.
Next, we have Naudiz, which represents need. This one deals with a need or necessity, resistance of restrictions, limitation, an owed debt, patience, and self-reliance.
To wrap it up, we have Isa which represents ice. This one deals with a delay or contraction. No more before moving forward. You’re in a deadlock, stand still, and wait for clarity.
My assessment of this one: the previous month may be may have been difficult for you. This month will probably be even more difficult. Here you might want to take time for yourself. Freeze -- don’t do anything this month. Don’t even go outside this month. Stay home. Wait for clarity. If you happen to draw runes or read tarot. You may want to draw before moving forward this month. Take your time; there’s no need to rush.
EDITORIAL NOTE: Ben is a modern-day Viking, "sailing on a sea of sand in my desert home.” He has been doing serious reading work for over 20 years. He remarks, “Not all my life, but it feels like a lifetime.”
|
|
|
Submissions Requested
We would love to share your original poem,
affirmation, artwork,
or short story here!
Submit Here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you know? There is a "public" version of Brigid's Arrow located on Medium! Brigid's Arrow on Medium is dedicated to exploring spirituality through story, poetry, art, and non-fiction. Most of the articles are "member only," meaning that one must be a member of Medium to read unlimited stories. Non-members can read three "member only" stories per month.
Brigid's Arrow on Medium is currently running a series called A Fugitive in a New United States. This dystopian story by Pagan writer and retired veteran Terrance Mac Earlyn O'Domhnaill will culminate in a new novel. We get to read it first!
If you're interested in joining Medium, it's just $5 per month. You can go straight to the website by clicking the link to Brigid's Arrow on Medium above, or you can go to Suzy's Membership Referral Link.
|
|
|
A Personal Note from Mother Suzy
|
|
Those of you who have been with us for a while know there has been a struggle for identity and relevancy with Brigid in the Desert. You know that at the beginning of the year the Universal Anglican Interspiritual Church announced the RHIMES New Monastics Program. As of March 22, the program is known as RHIMES Interspiritual Companions. Brigid in the Desert declared itself the first virtual program to form under this program.
While initially Brigid identified as a "virtual Abbey," after much prayer and contemplation, I realized that the site is more adapted to being a source of information, inspiration, and resources. We are now Brigid's Well in the Desert: A Virtual Interspiritual Oasis for ChristoPagans.
Please take a look around the site. You will see that we are still a link to the RHIMES Interspiritual Companions program. There is a passworded link for those who choose to take part in the program and become Companions. That page is called The Haven. There is very little in T he Haven at this time.
There are pages available to all Kindred. I feel that this area is the one which will grow the most, providing resources for anyone who seeks what is available at the Well. Eventually, I expect to have a link to the UAIC courses in Interspirituality, which are in the infancy of their creation right now.
You can read more about Brigid's Well here.
Finally, on a more personal note, I found that while I have been able to make ends meet since my retirement from the old "day job," there was no overlap of funds to take care of necessary work on our home and other things. I began to consider jobs I could apply to that would help with that problem, but I was adamant that if I did such a thing, I must have a schedule that fulfilled my own needs. After I had been driving my adult son to and from his new job as a Paraeducator with children with autism, I learned they needed van drivers.
I pondered this for some time because I really didn't want to go "back to work." However, each time I dropped him off in the morning, I felt a strong pull to apply. When I answered that call, I was hired immediately. I have been working there part-time for about a month now. As we transition into the summer program, I am also transitioning into being a substitute Paraeducator, as many of the staff will be taking vacation time. This is in addition to driving, as all Paras are required to be either drivers or ride-alongs. When the next school year begins in August, I will continue this full-time status.
I have the distinct sense that this was an actual "Call," and that in answering it, I have taken on a new aspect of my ministry.
I tell you all this to explain why my original intentions of being more consistent with the newsletter have been thwarted, and why it's light on seasonal information and resources this time around.
I have considered dropping this version of the newsletter, but have been told that many of you look forward to receiving it. Also, I truly enjoy putting it together in spite of the challenges. I'd love to hear your opinions about this.
I will do my best to be more timely with the autumn issue.
Until then, go forth and " be excellent to each other!" Have a wonderful month!
Bright Blessings,
Mother Suzy Cherry, Priestess
|
|
|
|
Brigid's Hearth is an outreach project of Brigid in the Desert. We seek to meet the needs of the poor and working poor who receive assistance from food banks and crisis organizations. While food banks are able to provide food staples to those who struggle to make ends meet, there are a number of items that are often forgotten. At Brigid's Hearth, we collect these items and provide them to local non-profit organizations for distribution. If you live far from the Phoenix area, please donate to organizations in your area. we do not seek any special recognition from the organizations; however, we would like to keep track of donations on behalf of Brigid. Please send a list of items donated to Mother Suzy at the email below. To see what we collect and how to donate, click on the drawing of the hearth to the right.
|
|
|
Statement of Ministry
We are practitioners of RHIMES Interspirituality, RHIMES is an acronym for Radically Inclusive, Heart-centered, Interspiritual, Meditative, Engaged Spirituality. Learn more by clicking here
Brigid in the Desert has its roots in progressive, inclusive Christianity as well as Ancient and Neo-Pagan traditions. We seek to learn the teachings that bring us together across traditions as we grow closer to the Divine within ourselves. We acknowledge the value of respectful and compassionate ecumenical, interspiritual, interfaith, and multicultural dialogue, and seek to live our lives according to the spark of the Divine within ourselves. We honor the rights of others to practice and believe in their own way. We recognize the value of each and every person on this earth. We value the lives of all sentient beings, and honor them as they are in this world. This includes the LGBTQIA, Autistic, and other Neuro-Divergent communities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
