The Sacred Glen
Volume #1 Issue #1
April, 2007
The Sacred Glen is a publication of Daughters of the Greening online school. All articles within this ezine are written by students of the school and are their own personal property, unless otherwise credited. Daughters of the Greening is dedicated to teaching about the sacredness of all life and offers classes in Sacred Ecology, Holistic Healing, Discovering Past Lives, Faery Magic and Women's Spirituality. The school is open to anyone who is 18 years of age or older.
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The Sacred Glen Council
Morgana Ravenwings
Wren
Stephanie Mayfield
Anarane
Belou
Susan
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In this issue:
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Sacred Days of the Ancestors
The Goddess Speaks
Gaia's Resources for Health
Holistic Recipes
Songs of the Muse
Animal Medicine
Call of the Wild: Modern Men and Paganism
Spider Woman's Web
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Sacred Days of the Ancestors
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4/1: Veneralia--Old Roman festival celebrating Venus (Goddess of Peace) vanquishing Mars (God of War) with love.
4/2 eve to 4/10 eve: Passover/Pesach--Jewish festival recalling their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and celebrating
freedom from oppression.
4/5 (OC 4/5): Maundy Thursday/Last Supper of Savior Jesus--He washed the feet of His male and female disciples, gave them bread and wine as His body and blood, and told of the Paraclete (Our Mother, the Holy Spirit) who would come after Him.
4/6: Mahayana Buddhist festival of Bodhisattva Tara/Kuan Yin/Kannon; celebrates Her birth. She declared women the spiritual equals of men.
4/7: Shiva Puja--Day to fast from grains (and meat) and make offerings to Hindu God Shiva. Flowers, incense, lamps, and
vegetarian food are offered; bells are rung and drums beaten.]
4/8 to 4/11: Iroquois Thunder Ceremony--in thanksgiving for the rains. Iroquois believe Awenhai/Sky Woman descended from the Sky and created Earth.
4/9 to 4/18: Navaratri/Gangaur--Hindu festival honoring Great Goddess Maha Devi as Gauri - life, growth, and fruition. Shaktas are devoted to Great Goddess Maha Devi in all Her aspects. Tantric Hindus recognize gender equality and reject caste.
4/13: Vaisakhi/Indian Solar New Year--Hindus ritually bathe in the Ganges River to purify themselves. Hindus' life goals are ethical living, passionate love, prosperity, and spiritual devotion.
4/14: Cetacean Day--Day to honor all creatures of the sea and to meditate on Deity manifesting as sea creatures - Goddess as Delphine/Dolphin (Old Greek) & Sgana/Orca Whale (Haida); and God as Qolqalg Odai/Salmon (Haida).
4/15: Beginning of Old Egyptian Shomu/Harvest month of Khentkhety/Paoni. [Priests and priestesses made offerings to the
Neteru (Gods and Goddesses) to ensure that there would be good health and long life for all.] [Kemetic calendar]
4/17 to 4/20: Iroquois Corn-Planting Ceremony--in thanksgiving for the corn seed. Iroquois believe Awenhai/Sky Woman descended from the Sky and created Earth.
4/20: Beginning of Taurus (the Bull/Cow/Calf).
4/20 eve to 4/23 eve (4/21 peak): Lyrid Meteor Showers.
4/22: Earth Day--Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth.
4/22 eve to 4/23 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa), who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives. Women recognized the transitions in their lives and honored female fertility.
4/23: Yoruba/Santeria feast of Ogun, Orisha of Self-reliance and Industrious Labor. Yorubas/Santeros celebrate with drumming, ecstatic dancing, and possession trance.
4/24 eve to 4/25 eve: Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphritrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas.
4/25: Day for meditation on Tantric Bodhisattva Deities Avalokitesvara and Green Tara, consciousness and empowerment of Compassion. Buddhists recognize the equality of all sentient beings.
4/26 to 5/3: Mayan Rain Festival--honoring Rain God Chac and His attendant Chacmool, and welcoming the fructifying rains.
4/27: Arbor Day--Day to honor trees, to plant trees, and to meditate on Deity manifesting as trees - Goddess as Helice/Willow (Old Greek), Yggdrasill/Ash (Old Norse) & Asherah/Palm (Old Canaanite-Hebrew).
4/28 eve to 5/3 eve: Floralia--Old Roman festival devoted to Flora, Goddess of Flowers. *
4/30 eve to 5/2 eve: Beltaine--Old Celtic/Welsh feast of Blodeuwedd (Goddess of Flowers) and Llew (the Oak King - God of the waxing Sun).
THE MYSTIC'S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2007
A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality
© 2006 Page Two, Inc.
info@WheeloftheYear.com
www.WheeloftheYear.com
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The Goddess Speaks
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Ix Chel
Ix Chel is the ancient Mayan Moon Goddess who ruled the Yucatan Peninsula for a thousand years. Also called the Queen, Our Mother, the White Lady and the Goddess of Rainbows, Ix Chel married the Sun, yet was able to keep Her own identity because of Her fierce dedication to independence. She allowed no one to own Her, and insisted that She be free to come and go as She pleased. It is said that when Ix Chel married the Sun, Her grandfather killed Her in a fit of jealousy. Dragonflies sung over Her, bringing Her back to life and She was able to return to her lover. However, once in his castle, the Sun grew jealous of Her also, accusing Her of being with another. He threw Her out of the heavens, and She refused to return later when he wanted Her back, choosing instead to keep Her own identity and roam the skies as She wished.
She lives in the misty land of rainbows and wears a skirt that is made up of flowing water dotted with water lilies. Her skirt reaches all the way to Earth, touching us.
Associated with fertility, Ix Chel send the rains to fertilize the Earth and sends Her blessing to women seeking to conceive. She was honored as both a patroness of childbirth and a healing Goddess of Medicine. In this context, Ix Chel can be our creative midwife and called upon to shower down Her creative ideas on us or to fertilize a project we have already begun.
Like many other Moon Goddesses, Ix Chel was also strongly associated with weaving and can be called upon whenever we are weaving something new into our lives.
Symbols of Ix Chel include dragonflies, rainbows, water, looms, the moon, turquoise/jade and silver/white/blue items and cougars.
By Morgana Ravenwings
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Gaia's Resources for Health
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Affirmations for the month
Practice one or all of the following affirmations 30x a day for 30 days. These affirmations help to build up the energy around you & within the Universe to manifest these desired changes in your life.
For Faith: The Universe supports & loves me in all of my endeavors.
For Self Love: I am living my life in my truth & I love being me.
For Confidence: I am the God/dess in action upon this earth.
For Marriage: I am ready to meet the person I am going to marry.
For Romantic Relationships: I am open to receiving the love from the perfect man/woman for me.
By Belou.
Crystal of the month: Amazonite
A crystal that represents prosperity, Amazonite is a plutonic rock that has healing capabilities. It is a calming, soothing stone, which opens heart, throat, & solar plexus chakras. Used for healing, self - expression, & artistic creativity, this is a wonderful stone for leadership, confidence, & communication. It reduces self-damaging behavior, adds grace, self-assurance with communication, & increases self-respect.
Use over a door to bring in new business, or under a pillow to promote restorative sleep. Green stones are instrumental in distilling raw information & it helps with natural intuition. Enhancing balance between male & female energies, Amazonite is also used to disperse negative energy. Cleanse this stone once a week under warm running water, then leave it in the sun for an hour. I encourage you to utilize Amazonite in order for you to pursue your unique life path.
By Belou
Herbs to Help with Spring allergies
Goldenseal helps eliminate mucus.
Echinacea and goldenseal root strengthen the immune system.
Cayenne pepper can help counteract allergy symptoms and is
particularly helpful in treating asthma.
Acidophilus helps balance the intestinal flora.
Chrysanthemum helps with red eyes.
Cassia Seed helps with itchy eyes.
Stinging Nettle helps with treating nasal congestion.
By Stephanie Mayfield
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Holistic Recipes
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Essential Oils For Body Aches
Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Sweet Marjoram
Mix 10 drops of the essential oils in 2 Tablespoons of your choice of carrier oil or lotion and massage areas of discomfort.
Yogi Tea
Yogi Bhajan's Original Recipe
Yogi Tea is a health promoting beverage and tonic for the whole body. It strengthens the nervous system, energizes the body, and clears the mind. It is both a remedy and preventative measure for colds, allergies, and other diseases of the mucous membranes. Use the combined ingredients below to create a synergistic healing effect.
Black Pepper is a blood purifier.
Cardamom aids digestion.
Cloves strengthens the nervous system.
Cinnamon aids calcium absorption.
Ginger heals inflammation and removes physical weakness.
Black Tea activates the ingredients.
To make two quarts:
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a 3-4 quart pot,
Add 15 whole cloves,
Boil for 1 minute and watch them dance, then add 30 whole black peppercorns, 3 sticks of cinnamon, 20-30 green
cardomom pods (crush or split pods first), 2-3 inches of sliced fresh ginger root.
Cover and boil gently for at least 30 minutes.
Add 1/4 tsp ( I personally use a little bit more) of Black Tea. (for best flavor, cover tightly and boil over low heat
for 2-3 hours. Then let it cool and steep overnight.)
Strain the tea. Either use it or store it away. When you are ready to drink, sweeten to taste with honey or maple syrup, add soy, rice or milk and drink in good health!
Submitted by Stephanie Mayfield.
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Songs of the Muse
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Beltane Rhyme
Corinna's Going A-Maying
Robert Herrick
Get up, get up for shame! The blooming morn
Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair
Fresh-quilted colors through the air.
Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see
The dew bespangling herb and tree!
Each flower has wept and bowed toward the east
Above an hour since, yet you not drest;
Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said
And sung their thankful hymns, 'tis sin,
Nay, profanation, to keep in,
Whenas a thousand virgins on this day
Spring sooner than the lark, to fetch in May.
Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen
To come forth, like the springtime, fresh and green,
And sweet as Flora. Take no care
For jewels for your gown or hair.
Fear not; the leaves will strew
Gems in abundance upon you.
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept
Against you come, some orient pearls unwept.
Come, and receive them while the light
Hangs on the dew-locks of the night;
And Titan on the eastern hill
Retires himself, or else stands still
Till you come forth! Wash, dress, be brief in praying;
Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying.
Come, my Corinna, come; and coming, mark
How each field turns a street, each street a park,
Made green and trimmed with trees! see how
Devotion gives each house a bough
Or branch! each porch, each door, ere this,
An ark, a tabernacle is,
Made up of whitethorn neatly interwove,
As if here were those cooler shades of love.
Can such delights be in the street
And open fields, and we not see't?
Come, we'll abroad; and let's obey
The proclamation made for May,
And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;
But, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.
There's not a budding boy or girl this day
But is got up and gone to bring in May.
A deal of youth ere this is come
Back, and with white-thorn laden home.
Some have dispatched their cakes and cream,
Before that we have left to dream;
And some have wept and wooed, and plighted troth,
And chose their priest, ere we can cast off sloth.
Many a green-gown has been given,
Many a kiss, both odd and even;
Many a glance, too, has been sent
From out of the eye, love's firmament;
Many a jest told of the keys betraying
This night, and locks picked; yet we're not a-Maying!
Come, let us go, while we are in our prime,
And take the harmless folly of the time!
We shall grow old apace, and die
Before we know our liberty.
Our life is short, and our days run
As fast away as does the sun.
And, as a vapor or a drop of rain,
Once lost, can ne'er be found again,
So when you or I are made
A fable, song, or fleeting shade,
All love, all liking, all delight
Lies drowned with us in endless night.
Then, while time serves, and we are but decaying,
Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying
Submitted by Stephanie Mayfield
Forest
In search of solitude, I took a walk along a forest trail.
Taking time to notice all of spring's new growth and enjoy
the sun's warmth while the birds sing of the summer to come.
Going deeper, the woods get dark, almost evening-like.
The birds can no longer be heard and losing all sense of time
I begin to feel the history of the place.
A gentle breeze runs through the leaves making them sound
like voices whispering to me...
"Come sit with us while we tell a story..."
They embraced me and I sat to listen as the wind began to blow.
They told me of the gentle people that once lived here and as I
listened I felt the pain of watching helplessly while the world they
loved was being destroyed before their eyes.
And when the story ended they asked one thing of me.
Would I tell their story, would I be their voice...to show people
the danger they are in
By Sandria Decker
Greetings
Greetings Mistress of Spring.
I take delight in your arrival,
as a bird takes in it's flight.
Feeling your touch upon my
cheek in warm rays of sun
and my heart wakes to shout
"Finally, She comes!"
By Sandria Decker
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Animal Medicine
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Seahorse
When I was little, I was always fascinated with pictures of Seahorses. I used to imagine tiny little towns under the sea with castles and little people who rode around on these little critters. As I grew older, that fascination never left me. However, time erased the memories of the little castles and the little people, until I drew the Seahorse card the other morning. As I sat looking at it, all of these memories came flooding back and, well, simply filled my day with magic and wonder!! Seahorse has a tendency to do that.
A magical creature with hints of the spirit of the merfolk as it's medicine, Seahorse actually has a head that looks like a horse. The merfolk are spirits of the water who can either enrich or endanger our lives upon encountering them. They are very strong protectors of women, and often will befriend mortals. The Greek God Poseidon was often pictured among the waves on a chariot pulled by great sea horses. If Seahorse comes into your life, know that you are being called on to be strong for someone who is not so strong....to be a protector of the weak.
Seahorse also speaks of chivalry and protection because it is reminiscent of the horses ridden by knights of old, and is often found on the coats of arms of European nobles. For this reason, there is a long time association with the attributes of valor and bravery, both of which are necessary to be a protector.
The ability of Seahorse to negotiate the rolling seas and the crashing waves shows not only bravery, but it's ability to guide us during times of change. It is encased in body armor, and will lend that strength to us whenever we are going through any type of transformation. Call on Seahorse whenever you are going through periods of change or rebirth....it is a very stalwart totem.
Because of the curving form and association with water, Seahorse is also filled with feminine energy and can be called upon anytime we need some of these attributes in our lives. It is also the perfect example of male pregnancy. The female lays eggs in the male's pouch, where he fertilizes them and carries them for about two weeks, before giving birth to the brood. If Seahorse has appeared in your life, look for a creative cycle of about two weeks to begin. For males, this may mean that your nurturing qualities are going to be enhanced over the next two weeks. Sometimes, for married couples, responsibilities may be switched for a time.
Seahorse brings to us strength, bravery, chivalry, creativity and most of all magic. It drifts on the ocean of life, going with the flow, and teaches us to do the same.
By Morgana Ravenwings
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Call of the Wild: Modern Men and Paganism
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Alright, I know this is a bit out of my nature, but I felt it was about time that the males of the craft were represented also. It seems that the craft, being Wiccan or Witchcraft (that I have personally seen) seems to surround the female aspect. But if you really take a good look at the whole picture there can not be a female with a male. It’s a balance that we should all take a good look at and be more aware of. I have done some searching on Men in Paganism and this is what I have come up with. Now mind you this is just my opinion of what I found.
Men in Paganism
The male mysteries have always had their place in the many expressions of the Pagan religion. For a Pagan male, spirituality is honored as an expression of the God in his many forms. Men seek inspiration from the Horned God, The Green Man, Pan and many other aspects of the male Deity. Reaching within to embrace a vision of wisdom, strength, and love.
In searching for a deeper male spirituality, men’s traditions of spiritual expression take many forms. Some work in the established traditions, while others have created specific male groups . These groups have turned to the ancient myths and tribal society.
There are two men that have a strong influence on men seeking to find themselves. They are psychologist John Rowan and Robert Bly. Rowan is the author of The Horned God. Bly who is also a poet wrote Iron John. Both men are contributors to the book Choirs of the God. This book is said to explore the Male spirituality.
The search for alternative images of male divinity begins for many men with the pagan gods and mythical figures suppressed by Christianity. Celtic mythology and Western occultism underlie several recent attempt to re-vision masculinity. To sense ‘Male Power on Earth’ or contact ‘The God Within’ brings home the reality of maleness in the modern world, while giving us the visions- forms the past, the unconscious, or the realm of the gods - of a different way of being men.
John Matthews ed, Choirs of the God: Re-visioning Masculinity, Mandela, 1991.
For a Pagan man the masculine is essentially beautiful, lithe, strong, burning with a deep passion calling out in the joy of creation. This is a poem taken from The Song of Amergin, Celtic Traditional.
‘I am a stag of seven tines,
I am a wild flood on the plain,
I am a wind on the deep waters,
I am a tear the Sun lets fall,
I am a hawk above the cliff,
I am a salmon in the pool,
I am a battle-waging spear,
I am a wave of the sea,
Who but I knows the mystery of the unhewn dolmen?’
I have also found this poem in my searching. The Author is Unknown.
To be a male Pagan is to love and be loved.
To be a make Pagan is to know everything and nothing at all.
To be a male Pagan is to move amongst the stars while staying on earth.
To be a male Pagan is to change the world around you, and yourself.
To be a male Pagan is to share and give, while receiving all the while.
To be a male Pagan is to dance and sing, and hold hands with the universe.
To be a male Pagan is to honor the Gods, and yourself.
To be a male Pagan is be BE magic, not just perform it.
To be a male Pagan is to be honorable, or nothing at all.
To be a male Pagan is to accept others who are not.
To be a male Pagan is to know what you feel is right and good.
To be a male Pagan is to know the ways of old.
To be a male Pagan is to see beyond the barriers.
To be a male Pagan is to follow the moon.
To be a male Pagan is to be one with the Gods.
To be a male Pagan is to study and to learn.
To be a male Pagan is to be the teacher and the student.
To be a male Pagan is to acknowledge the truth.
To be a male Pagan is to live with the earth, not just on it.
To be a male Pagan is to be truly free!
-----Author Unknown----
Alright I have also found what was called a meditation. But after reading it I think that it would work very well in a Ritual. But then again this is only my opinion. After reading it see how you feel about it.
Running with the Horned God
by Jim Garrison
The leaves dance on the autumn wind, a swirling, skirling waltz of orange, yellow, and brown. I can smell the coming rain. I stand in the twilight. Waiting. Listening to my heart... each moment I linger in this place I can hear the drumbeat of my ancestors in my blood more clearly. A sense of calm descends upon me, the calm before the storm.
He approaches.
The trees sway in the chill breeze that whispers to me of the coming winter, and the long sleep during which the trees dream the world back into being each year. I stretch my limbs and concentrate on my breathing... each exhale curling from my lips like wisps of smoke. My skin grows warmer despite the wind, and I almost lose myself to the rhythm of my breath.
He is nearly here.
The Sun sets behind iron-gray clouds, and darkness fills the air. I wait in the shadows, looking out over a lake teased by the cold wind. My breath comes to me with the peace of a dancer, and the fire within my bones kindles into a flame that must move. Swaying in the rapidly dimming twilight, I feel the call.
He is here.
No candles light this place. No circle marks the space. No incense fills the air, nor any chant... I stand surrounded by silent trees and the whispering wind. My heart is my drum, my breath is the smoke I offer. With a shiver I feel the presence of the one I have sought. I see clearly in the gathering gloom, and the mist begins to fall, drops running off of my hair and beard. With a snort I stamp the ground and the urge to run overcomes my vigil as the familiar weight of antlers settles upon my shoulders.
We run in the twilight.
Lost to the animal pleasure of intense exertion we run through the trees, around the shores of a cold, black lake in the rain. We are as one; no thoughts do we share, only scents, sights, feelings, and sweat. Running in the dark, we both abandon the pretenses of the daylight world and embrace the truth, waiting for us all deep within our cells, our dreams, our souls. For an eternal moment, I know the awful bliss of truly being alive, and then I stumble.
We part.
Everything is quiet... there is only the patter of the rain on my back to distract me from the drum-beat within my chest. As if waking from a dream, perhaps another reality, I slowly become aware of my body, my surroundings, and the rain upon my face. Steam rises from my bare flesh. I get up from the moss and mud, and I feel the familiar weight of flesh and blood. The wind steals my heat from me and I stand, looking out over a black lake that shines with moonlight coming from a break in the clouds.
He still runs.
We've run full circle and I'm back where I started, only everything is different now. I've changed. I can hear His throaty laughter in the night, and something deep within me stirs with a deep longing to go running in the twilight once more.
So this is what I have found so far on Men in Paganism. There really isn’t a whole lot there. How about this….I’m going to make a series out of this and issue a challenge to all the Male Pagans out there. Write an article on what you feel your role in your Tradition is and send it to me at anarane2004@yahoo.com I will place your article in the ezine and let your voice be heard.
Biaidh
Anarane
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Spider Woman's Web
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Here are some links we love!!
A Witches Mall
For All of Your Metaphysical Needs, from herbs, to books, and altar
supplies
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A beautiful gallery:
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Have a Blessed Beltaine everyone!!