Full moon in Gemini

(Virgen de Guadalupe by Susan Grice; image found here.)


Today is the full moon in Gemini 22: Dancing couples crowd the barn in a harvest festival.

This degree Symbol is about celebrating the warmth and providence of the earth, the joy of nature's harvest, joining with others to celebrate, the reality of rhythmical or seasonal adjustments, agriculture, good old-time values, going out, having fun, listening and dancing to music, barns and dance halls.

Today's full moon is at its perigree for the year, the closest to the earth it will come. I don't think it will be visible where I am, given the cloud cover. But do try to see it if you can! Go here to read Lynda's full report for the day.

Today is also the feast day of the Virgen de Guadalupe, one of my favorite faces of the Goddess, beloved in Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Despite her roots in Catholicism, I consider her a goddess native to the Americas.

Today is the first day of the We'Moon calendar for the upcoming year. The theme for the year is "At the Crossroads." Since 2000, We'Moon has been progressing through the major arcana of the tarot for its yearly themes. 2009 is card 9, the hermit or the crone; Hecate the crone rules the crossroads. At the crossroads, our elders and ancestors, those who walked the path before us, serve as our guides. Read a statement of alliance from the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers here (and in the new We'Moon).

Today I'm ordering herbs to restock my pantry in preparation for birth and days postpartum. There is still cleaning and stocking to do before the little one, due at the new moon, arrives.

The things you hear...

Lots of folks--everyone, it seems--were at PantheaCon (not I), and Evn has a list of "things you hear only at PantheaCon." This is why I love my people.

"The difference is, that's science fiction, and this is religion."

"We're Witches. Why can't we get an elevator here faster?"

"Wait! That cucumber's not consecrated."

"Third floor. Pirates."

"We can use the top of the ice chest for geomancy!"

"I've been writing since I was nine years old. Well, not the gay porn: that's relatively new."

For the whole list, go here.

Pagan Pride 2006

Adonis and I drove a couple of hours to attend Pagan Pride in Rochester last weekend. It poured rain for much of the day, so there weren't many others in the park with us. But it was a sweet, smallish, local festival, with three rituals throughout the day led by three different area groups, good food from a local hot dog vendor, an impressive selection of vendors, some good music, and an array of workshops. We attended the morning talk with the Frosts, which alas was a confounding muddle; an afternoon talk with Patricia Telesco, who is an engaging speaker; and an interesting workshop in prison ministry, which had but five attendees including us. Unfortunately we missed the workshop with Gail Wood, but I got a chance to talk with her and check out her new book. There were events for kids all day, and there were quite a few families with children there. In all, Rochester puts on a good festival, and there appears to be a diverse and active Pagan community there.

In the late afternoon, on the way to our friends' house for dinner, we stopped at a Mennonite farm where, we'd been told, they sell raw milk and butter. I zipped up my raincoat over my black "Witch" t-shirt (and felt a tinge of regret about my bold pro-abortion-rights bumpersticker; I don't feel the need to be in-your-face with the Mennonites). We met a woman about my age, her really hot husband, seven gorgeous, scrubbed blonde children, a litter of kittens, and a huge flock of chickens. We had an enjoyable conversation with them and stocked up on raw butter, raw honey, and apples. We bought milk, too. Apparently it's legal in New York State to sell unpasteurized dairy products on your farm. We're grateful that it's even possible to buy these foods within an hour's drive or so. I've been incorporating a lot more raw animal foods in my diet, especially milk and butter, and building intention around a more old-fashioned, less processed way of eating. (Believe me, I still like my junk food, but it's a process - a path, if you will.) It's a joy to know personally the people who produce most of my food, and to know the land.

We drove on to our friends' house for dinner; Lugh had been staying with them. If you read my brief last post, you know the rest of the story - another dog skitted out, went for Lugh with her teeth, and got my hand instead. Adonis and I didn't get to share a lovely meal with our friends in the country. We drove back to town, me with a bag of ice in my hand and my arm held over my head, and spent the next three hours in a very busy ER, waiting for them to treat my hand. Fortunately, after the inital pain of the bite, it didn't hurt very much, and it didn't bleed much. It's a deep wound, definitely still with me. Strange energy at the end of a fine day. I've been thinking about what it could mean.

More post-Starwood

I've wanted to write more reports from Starwood, but last week was so busy it seemed like there was no spare time for blogging. I just got back from a whirlwind weekend in the big city, where we traveled to celebrate a friend's birthday. The heat there is already shocking, and it stands to get worse this week. Even in luscious upstate, where I live, and where it never gets higher than the low 90s - and rarely that - the forecast calls for 105 degrees midweek. Heat seems to be the news from everywhere. If only I knew Gaia were safe, I wouldn't be so miserable about it.

When I return from Starwood, I always feel more connected spiritually, and these days I've just been feeling so happy to be a Pagan. I'm a big geek. I've been rereading Wild Witchcraft by Marian Green. I've been thinking a lot about spell-casting since Deb's workshop (more on that later). I've also been thinking a lot about my tattoo (which doesn't yet exist). My awesome alterna-nutritionist isn't in favor of tattoos; she believes scars disrupt the body's electrical systems. Drat. I may get one anyway. Now I'm thinking maybe a triple moon. And I want a piece of jewelry I can wear daily to symbolize my faith. For now, a pentacle is out; I'm looking for something more subtle.

Report from Starwood: workshops

I'm a workshop junkie, and Starwood is a great place to indulge my habit. I attended workshops with Deborah Lipp (who will tell you the things you can hear only at Starwood), Macha Nightmare, Christopher Penczak, and Skip Ellison (and some lesser-known Pagans, too).

Christopher Penczak was the biggest surprise and delight. I'd heard of him and seen his books in bookstores, but I'd never read him. I'll remedy that shortly (I have The Temple of Inner Witchcraft on order). Christopher is young, prolific, engaging, smart as a whip, and very knowledgeable. I attended two of the three workshops he offered, and I'm ready to become a groupie. I've never gone into trance as quickly as when led by him. His wide ranging discussions of Wicca, ceremonial magic, spellwork, traditions of invocation, and about 150 other topics, held me transfixed.

I attended both of Macha's workshops on death and dying. Regular readers know that I've been feeling drawn to working more with death, and Macha literally wrote the book on Pagan beliefs and practices. She is truly a Wiccan elder (although not that old; I would guess that she's in her 50s). Her energy is wonderful. Like me, she's passionate about green burial.

Adonis and I held an ongoing conversation about Pagan/Wiccan beliefs and thealogy. Talking about ideas - he knows the way to a woman's heart. We had great connection while we were there. I would like to find more people to engage with intellectually at Starwood, but that hasn't happened for me yet. Maybe next year I should put up a sign: "Smart, idea-hungry Pagans who want to talk spirituality meet at my camp in the Dark Moor...."

Civilization is overrated

This morning I showered, then blew my hair dry and brushed it. I dressed, putting on a bra and underwear, a pair of slightly tailored cropped pants, a cotton shirt, a string of beads. I took off my pentacle. After I brushed my teeth, I applied a little concealer and powder, a little eyeliner and mascara. Arriving at my air-conditioned office, I turned on the computer.

And I chafed at the confinement of it all.

I just got back from Starwood - five days out of doors in all kinds of weather, never to enter a building or car; no mirrors, no showers (well, there are showers, but I didn't bother), no bras - Goddess forbid! - and often, no clothes at all. Getting dressed could comprise wrapping a piece of fabric around my waist. It was bliss.

I've much to write about, so stay tuned.

Worship on a summer's night

Countdown to Starwood

Two weeks till Starwood!!

Well, two weeks till I arrive, anyway. The official countdown is 12 days. I can't wait - to live outside, to be naked (or not), to be among like-minded people, to live in altered consciousness, to try on new ways of being, to learn (I'm a workshop nerd), to shop, to swim, dance, play, sing, drum.... This year I want to (a) find more queer people, (b) meet more people in general, and (c) be naked more. Last year was my first year, and I was a bit shy. This year, I want to have more conversations and befriend more strangers. I also want to get mehndi and have my cards read (two things I wanted to do but didn't get around to last year).

Let the planning begin.