Dance of the SugarPlum Fairy

THE ONLY WITCH IN THE VILLAGE!!!

I am moving overseas at the end of August. Exciting but eversoslightly terrifying as well. It has literally been on the cards for years, just have never been completely sure what the Big Change that was promised would actually be. (Was really really hoping it wasn't another baby as I so don't want/need to be doing that again.)

So yeah, when Hubs got a job on the other side of the world, I Knew that this was it. A chance to leave behind all the crap of the UK and start again.

It is rather overwhelming when I think of it too much and I wonder what it will be like. The seasons are opposite to here, so we will be moving into the Spring Equinox energy when we get there. It gives us the opportunity to move away from the Christianised version of the Sabbats, since Easter will be at the Autumn Equinox, and Christmas will be in the middle of the Summer. (Which undoubtedly will mess with my tiny little mind a lot.)

The one thing is does mean that although Christmas may be happening in the Summer, we can still have our Winter Solstice celebrations (Yule) and make a big deal out of it, which will help to alleviate some of the confusion that the kids may have. (Yes, Pagans get to have two Crimbos!)

What I have wondered though, is will I be the only Witchy type Pagan out there? I have been told that there is someone out there, (described as a White Witchy type, which makes my hackles rise, but may just be a Non-Pagan's description of them.) Whether or not they will have anything in common with me, remains to be seen, but it would be nice to think that we might do.

However, if we don't, so be it. I shall cope. It will be interesting to see what happens to my Witchcraft and stuff when I have more time and space to get on and do it. Who knows, I might even set up my own Trad! :P

Eating Daisies.

At the moment, I need to keep reminding myself that my emotional response to things is out of proportion to the actual reality of the situation. I am indeed overreacting.

There is a course starting in September just up the road from me, run by Sensory Solutions. It is a year long herbal apprenticeship (not cheap, but worth the money) and if I was in the country I would be all over it like an overenthusiastic labrador! But I ain't.

Now what I will be doing is wicked and amazing and a chance of a lifetime, and it isn't like I don't want to go. I just think it's fecking typical that this kinda thing crops up now when I won't be here.

And like I said, I am disportionately disappointed about it. Not entirely sure whether this disappointment is from the fact I have finally found a course that I want to, or that I should have been doing this type of work on my own and just got on with it. Is my procrastination kicking me up the arse again?

The thing is, yes, I could have probably done it on my own, but it is nice to speak to like-minded people that don't think you are bonkers and can help you out if the need arises.

And finally, Daisies taste of Happy and Rocket(Arugula)

From my more Witchy Blog

This is a post from one of my other blogs, which is more Witchcraft and Spirituality based.

Magick in the Back of Beyond

I would have just crossposted it, but my highlighting thingey isn't working, which is a pain in the bum.

The Pierces - You''ll Be Mine

Any song that has the line "Prick your finger on a spinning wheel" is good for me. And I love the video as I am actually a total Fluffy! :P

They Watch.

She sat in the circle. Alone and vulnerable, with only a line of salt to protect her. Her only light a single candle. They looked at her from the outside. They couldn’t reach her without breaching the circle.
They knew what she was getting herself into, but they could not warn her. They knew nothing would be the same once again. They hoped it would not burn her soul too much.
Placed in front of the woman was a goblet. Dark liquid filled its bowl. They watched her mutter some strange incantation and lift the vessel to her mouth. She drank it down. Her eyes opened and her Universe shattered into sharp pieces.

Crossposted from another of my blogs.

Magaly from Pagan Culture wrote an interesting blogpost about Dark Magick. It reminded me of a post I wrote in response to something a few months back. I don't believe in black or white magick. Magick in itself is completely amoral. It is the intent of the magickian that "colours" it. I could send out the most "loving gift" with the intent of completely messing up someone's life. (Think of the gift of Fertility. To someone who really doesn't want to have that kind of responsibilty.) Or I could use some really hardcore scary hexing to get rid of the cancer of a loved one...

Some crap happened to us a while ago. Nothing really that serious, just nasty. I posted about it elsewhere, and had a comment about how I shouldn't do anything about it, that Karma would sort it out, etc, etc... Then on another forum I am on, said poster asked a community we are on. "Is there a place for retaliation magic in Goddess Spirituality?

Nemesis, Erinyes, Durga, Kali, The Morrighan, Arianrhod all suggest to me that there is a place for this kind of magick and I personally think it is quite blinkered to feel that there aren't times and situations when action and response is required that perhaps isn't as "nice" as people would like it to be. The idea that this propagates misery, Badness, and all things horrible is very simplistic and doesn't take into account that sometimes Not Nice things should to be done. There is a reason why Revenge Is Best Served Cold. It means that it should be thought through, all pros and cons considered, all repercussions and consequences realised and then the decision is made whether to follow through.

I can do it, and I will do it if I have to.

I agree with a lot of what The Witch of Forest Grove has to say about it.

A Meme that is doing the rounds.

B A S I C S //

Do you have a magical/Pagan name? Yes, although I don't tend to use it that often.

What does it mean? Something personal.

How did you find Paganism? Always into the weird and wonderful, but started getting more serious in my teens, visiting sacred sites and the like. Realised that it was a label that I could work with, even if it wasn't completely accurate.

How long have you been practicing? About 20 odd years now. Which is a long time considering.

Solitary or group practitioner? Over the years, a bit of both.

What is your path? Mine.

Are you out of the broom closet? Half and half. Most people know, I don't lie about it, but a select few people (family members) don't know, as they don't need to know.


D E I T Y //

Who is your patron God? Don't really have one. The God I associate the most with would be Cernunnous.

Who is your patron Goddess? Again, if I was to have them, they would be Brigid and Blodeuwedd

What Gods do you worship? I don't worship any Gods. I revere and respect Them and the relationships with them.

Do you fear darkly aspected Gods/Goddess, or rather respect them? Umm, well since I am not going to piss them off, why do I need to be scared of them.

Do you worship the Christian God? No. Why would I want to do that? :P

Do you ever worship animals? No. I respect them and their sacredness, but not worship.

Or plants? Ditto



N A T U R E //

Do you regularly commune with nature? I try to, but probably not as much as I would like and should. (Other than being part of it, iykwim.)

Ever walked barefoot in the woods? Yes.

Taken a camping trip just to talk to nature? Yes.

Describe the moment you felt closest to Mother Earth? Probably on holiday in Cornwall or Wales in the beaches.

Do you have a familiar? No. I would be willing to have an Animal partner that wished to join me in my Workings, (which is probably what most people consider to be a familiar) but the actual meaning of a Familiar is a spirit you have conjured up to aid you, and it can inhabit the body of an animal that you have used for that purpose. Not really very nice.

Have you ever called upon the powers of an animal in ritual? No, actually I don't think I have.

Or a plant? Yes.

Do you hug trees? Yes.

Give them gifts? Yes.

What is your favourite flower to work with? I don't really have a favourite. It would all depend on what I was doing, and why I was doing it. I do however have a softspot for tulips.

What is your favourite tree to work with? I do like Oak a lot.


W H E E L . O F . T H E . Y E A R //

What is your favourite holiday? I don't really have one. I do like Samhain and Yule though.

What is your least favourite holiday? Probably Midsummer. I never seem to get organised to do anything for it.

Have you ever held a ritual on a holiday? Yes.

Ever taken a day off work to celebrate a Pagan holiday? Nope.

Do you celebrate Yule on the 21 rather than the 25? Of course.

Have you ever felt the veil thin? Yes.

Ever danced the Maypole? No.

Know what the Maypole symbolizes? Yes.

How do you usually celebrate the Pagan holidays? I always acknowledge them, but I don't make enough of a big deal out of them as I should. It is something I am working on.


D I V I N A T I O N //

Do you use Tarot? Yes.

Do you use runes? No, but I do want to learn them. (And now I have the tools to make my own!)

Do you use a pendulum? Yes. One of the easiest forms of divination that there is. I have been doing it since I was about 12, as I remember doing it in the girls changing room at my Lower School.

Do you use dowsing rods? No, I have a pair, but haven't tried them yet.

Do you use astrology? Sort of. I use Natal charts and the like, but the daily horoscopes are a load of old hokum.

Any other form of divination? Oracle cards. And I would like to make Witch Stones.


S P E L L S //

What was the first spell you did? I actually can't remember that.

What was the latest? Probably one to do with Neil's work.

Ever done a love spell? Yes.

A job spell? Yes.

A healing spell? Yes.

What was the most powerful spell you’ve ever performed? Powerful is a loaded word, but the one with the most drastic results, was one for a friend who was being sexually harassed and bullied in a very nasty way. Perpetrator lost their job, and got deported...!

What deities do you usually call on? Umm, depends on what I am doing.


C R Y P T O Z O O L O G Y //

Do you believe in Vampires? Not in the literal "I vant to suck your blood" sense.

Werewolves? Nope.

Shapeshifters? Meh.

Elves? Yes, in the sense they are a type of Fae.

Faeries? Yes.

Dragons? Yes.

Nymphs? Dunno.

Sprites? Type of Fae.

Mermaids? Type of Fae.

Sirens? Dunno.

Satyrs? Dunno.

Ever “seen” any of the above? Yes.

Ever talked to any of the above? Yes.

Ever used any of the above in magic? Nope.

Do you have one of them as a personal guardian? No.


R A N D O M //

Do you see a rabbit, a man or a woman in the moon? Umm, none of those.

Own a cat? Own? No, I have a cat who shares my home with me.

When you meditate, what does your happy place look like? A woodland glade with pool.

Do you work with Chakras? Not as much as I should

Do you believe in past lives? Yes.

If so, describe a few of them... Apparently I was a Tavern Wench waiting for my long lost Love to come home from sea. And the other I was a Priestess on a Matrifocal, Polyamorous island. (I like that one!)

Do you believe in soul mates? Yes. I think you can have lots.

Do you have a spirit guide? Don't know. I haven't really ever investigated.

Is it always love and light? Yes. And darkness, and chocolate.

Typical Hysterical Jugglings and Waffle

I want to be Vegan. I am pretty much Vegetarian most of the time (although I had some major slippage over the holidays, but am getting back on track now.) I don't eat dairy whatever, as it does Bad Things to me, so when combined with the veggism, I am about 65% on the way to being fully vegan, since I don't eat that many eggs.

Why I would like to be Vegan.

I think it is an ethical thing to do. The meat and dairy/egg industry is not nice in any way, shape or form. By abstaining from their products, I am no longer condoning an industry that has a devastating environmental effect on our world. Neither am I part of a business that sees animals/meat as a commodity to be bought and sold, and treated as a Thing rather than a Living Being.

It seems to be a healthier option for me. I take care over what I eat, and I plan and create interesting menus. If the added bonus that it helps me lose weight, then cool bananas as well.

However, I have several dilemmas that I am working through. As a Witch, I am very aware that Death is an integral part of Life, and that I, as a human being cannot survive in this world without something sacrificing its life for me. Whether that be plant or animal. Seeing the world as all interlinked and all Life being part of each other, on a spiritual level, how can I rationalise one form of Life over another?

On an environmental level, agriculture is not always the best use for land. Although we have taken raising animals for meat to an obscene extreme, there is an argument that says we need a certain amount of animals on the land to maintain the natural environment. Think sheep grazing on lowlands, they eat the grass that if left to its own devices would decimate the local flora. They are a part of the "circle of life" and to remove them from the ecosystem (which is the ultimate conclusion to veganism) then that ecosystem is destroyed.

What do I do with all my old animal products? Make up and toiletries with honey in them. Leather shoes, bags, boots, coats, etc... Wool? The list goes on and on.

I am not a WhiteLighter Witch. I am a Sweat, Spit, Blood and Shit kinda Witch. I am not scared of getting my hands dirty when I need to. So where does this leave Veganism?

Remembrance Day

I once got slammed down in a forum for pondering over the significance and symbolism of the date chosen to be Remembrance Day. Okay, I know that the bods of the armed forces of the time wouldn't have considered the relevance of the season, but I personally feel that the link between Remembrance Day, Bonfire Night, with Samhain etc is there, and is why we hold onto these festivals. Call it genetic collective memory or call it Bollocks, but to me, it is so poignant that we remember our lost dead at the time of year where we remember our dead.I once got slammed down in a forum for pondering over the significance and symbolism of the date chosen to be Rem

embrance Day. Okay, I know that the bods of the armed forces of the time wouldn't have considered the relevance of the season, but I personally feel that the link between Remembrance Day, Bonfire Night, with Samhain etc is there, and is why we hold onto these festivals. Call it genetic collective memory or call it Bollocks, but to me, it is so poignant that we remember our lost dead at the time of year where we remember our dead. once got slammed down in a forum for pondering over the significance and symbolism of the date chosen to be Remembrance Day. Okay, I know that the bods of the armed forces of the time wouldn't have considered the relevance of the season, but I personally feel that the link between Remembrance Day, Bonfire Night, with Samhain etc is there, and is why we hold onto these festivals. Call it genetic collective memory or call it Bollocks, but to me, it is so poignant that we remember our lost dead at the time of year where we remember our dead.

Blodeuwedd

Blodeuwedd's Song

Rowan Fairgrove

On the wing once again on the Path of Stars
The Old Man raging full and great.
He can't believe that he's not in charge;
That I control my wings and fate.

At the time of the taking of the King
'Tis I who hold the Spear of Light.
My hand is sure though my heart's breaking.
I know my destiny is right.

The constant in this world is change,
The cycle of the moon and womb.
But men will build and defy and rage
Refusing to embrace their doom.

As Woman and as Owl and Queen,
As Priestess of the night and stars,
They curse me where my shadow's seen
But my dance goes on across the years.

copyright 1998 Rowan Fairgrove. All Rights Reserved.

Blodeuwedd

She seems to be popping up all over the place at the moment. And I have always had a soft spot for her ever since my first Goddess Conference. (I attempted to dress up as Her at the Ball.) I always felt that there was more to Her story than just the cliched betrayer she is portrayed to be.

BLODEUWEDD

Within the Celtic Tradition, storytelling has long been a favored occupation and, generally speaking, the longer and more intricate the story, the more revered the legend and the teller. Long held as the embodiment of most ancient Welsh legends is the Mabinogion. The story of Branwen is contained therein, as is the legend of Blodeuwedd. In order to offer some sort of clarity to these legends it is necessary to give you some background in the history of the Celts and, therefore, shed some light on the intricacies of the stories. The Celts, historically, were matrilineal; you were born to your mother’s line, not your father’s. Kingship, therefore, landed upon the son of the king’s sister and not upon the offspring of the king and the queen. Very often, too, the queens were the actual power, with her spouse being a Duke of War, rather than a true king. In order to be a king, one had to marry the land in order to demonstrate his devotion to the sovereignty. Often, this marriage was symbolic and accomplished by the practice of the Great Rite between the proposed king and a priestess of the Goddess. The commission of this act would ensure the king’s love for the land and a lifelong desire to defend her as he would his wife. It is also important to note that there is no Goddess of Love, such as Ishtar, Aphrodite and Venus in other cultures, but there were, throughout the legends, Maiden Goddesses made of flowers or fruit. The most important aspect of the Goddess is triune in nature - the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone - and most legends involve three Goddesses representing these three aspects.

The Legend of Blodeuwedd is also the story of Llew’s struggle for his kingship which was averted and made more difficult by the Goddess Arianrhod who tried Her best to prevent Llew, Her son, his birth-right due to the shame brought upon Her by his companions. (Another story which will be told later.) In short, Arianrhod stated that he would not receive a name, unless it be from Her; he would not receive his arms, unless it be from Her; and, he could never marry a mortal woman. Thus, he could not become king unless it be through Her auspices. In order to assure that Llew would survive long enough to attain his kingship, some magick was given to him in the form of the circumstances of his death. As has been typical of the Celts, his death could only be accomplished through a set of very unlikely and almost preposterous circumstances. He could not be killed indoors or out, on horse or on foot, and the spearhead capable of killing him had to be cast during a sacred period of time. Arianrhod was tricked into giving Llew his name and his arms but the larger problem of having a wife, which would assert his right to the land, was accomplished through the magick of his cousins, Math and Gwydion, who created Blodeuwedd from the flowers of the Oak, Broom and Meadowsweet. Due to the nature of Her Birth, Blodeuwedd - whose name means either ‘Flower Face’ or the ancient name for the Owl - and represents the Earth in full bloom. Through their marriage, Llew’s requirement of marrying the land and thus, his Sovereignty is completed. One day, Llew goes hunting, leaving Blodeuwedd alone with Her ladies in the castle. A young huntsman, Gronw, later seeks shelter and he and Blodeuwedd experience love at first sight. Wanting nothing more than to be together, Gronw persuades Blodeuwedd to discover the improbable circumstances surrounding Llew’s death, an act he would help to accomplish. The plan made, Gronw departs from Blodeuwedd and they remain separate for a long period of time, during which Blodeuwedd feigns anxiety concerning Llew’s death. Eventually, Her pleading persuades Llew to demonstrate these very circumstances in order to allay Her fears by showing Her his death could not be easily accomplished. They prepare a bath on a riverbank, covering it with a thatched roof, being neither indoors nor out. As Llew stands with one foot upon the edge of the tub and the other upon the back of a goat, Gronw throws the specially-made spear, hitting Llew in the side. Llew immediately turns into an eagle and flies off, later discovered and nursed back to health by his cousins, Math and Gwydion. When the two lovers are found, Gronw is killed and Blodeuwedd turned into an owl.

Due to the very circumstances of Her Birth, the actions of Blodeuwedd may be seen in a more sympathetic light. She was created from the flowers of a very powerful Tree - the Oak - and from flowers of an explicitly healing nature,in order to give power to Llew and to be able to continually heal and renew him. She is never asked whether She loves him or desires to marry him. She was created for his purposes, solely to assure his right to rule the land. Her Own desires are impossible to achieve while Llew lives and She is often seen as the epitome of non-assertive femininity, fickleness and the faithless wife, using the passion of two men for Her to seal the doom of both. In truth, Her supposed treachery creates the very conditions to enable Llew to experience the ritual death and rebirth commonly required of the Druidic priesthood, thus ensuring his kingship. Blodeuwedd is seen as a part of his hard and difficult destiny. Throughout Celtic legend, otherworldly women are created and utilized to represent the Land, which is definitely feminine in nature. Owl, the totemic representation of Blodeuwedd, signifies the complete transformation of the initiate as represented by Llew‚s virtual death and subsequent healing. She is signified by the Empress card of the Tarot. She is a Goddess of emotions, representing the matrix that reforms transpersonal and universal energies into well-defined life force. She is also the Maiden Goddess of initiation ceremonies and is known as the Ninefold Goddess of the Western Isles of Paradise. Flowers, the wisdom of innocence, Lunar Mysteries and initiation are Her provinces.

Winter Cymraes
©1994

Blodeuwedd Rising (Song for Hazel)

Summer 2007

by Jacqui Woodward Smith Blodeuwedd, Magdalene of Springtime Sweet flower face with wings of snow You are the gateway to the seasons Fierce in passion, eyes aglow And You will rise in fearless beauty Afraid of You, they change Your face But we remember Your true nature; Reclaim Your love, Reclaim Your place Defiled and changed and called a whore If whore You are then so am I As whore I'll be Your temple priestess And You will give me wings to fly Reclaim the whore and rise in beauty With Goddess spirit deep within Knowing our own Goddess nature How dare they name our passion sin! No one can shackle or control You Owl of Secrets, flying free No chains to bind Your hungry spirit With You beside, no chains on me And we will rise in raging beauty To be what we've been all along When we can stand alone as equals We will sing Blodeuwedd's song They left us here in silent fury Thought that they had won the game But as we reclaim our ancient birthright Blodeuwedd will rise again And we will rise in naked beauty Revealing all we have to give Loving in the ways we choose to Deciding how we want to live They try to make us pretty blossoms Deny our claws, deny our power But we must claim our truth and freedom To choose the owl, to choose the flower And we will rise in powerful beauty Surrender to Blodeuwedd's cry She draws us to the path of moonlight On owl wings we must learn to fly No one has the right to harm us To name and shame, abuse and scar us Call us hag and call us bitch. Reclaim the owl, reclaim the witch! And we will rise in all our beauty For we have heard Flower Face's call Our bodies glowing with our passion Both owls and flowers, Priestesses all! ©Jacqui Woodward Smith

Not sure where the image of Blodeuwedd is from. But it's lovely.

Seriously exciting!

I am going to be doing the Handfasting of my bestest friend evah, and her lovely man

IN LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS!

Fortunately I had a suspicion that I would be asked, so have been sorting it out in my head already.

But the thing that seems to be the most pressing at the moment is, WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?

(I have my priorities straight, oh yes I do!)

Awesome Bloggings

T. Thorn Coyle says Wise and Good Things. (As per usual!)


T. Thorn Coyle is a respected teacher and author of Kissing the Limitless and Evolutionary Witchcraft and hosts the popular Elemental Castings podcast series. Founder and head of Solar Cross Temple and Morningstar Mystery School, she has a spiritual direction and mind/body coaching practice that reaches people internationally.

Now We Are Free

And as Hecate says, What If Relationship Is The Point?

The Gaian Tarot - What will 2010 bring me?

The OPPORTUNITY

3 - the Gardener
Sensuality, creativity, abundance

It is a time of great fertile and abundant opportunities for you. You are pregnant with new creations — an art form, a book, a project, even a baby. You embody both the nurturing Mother and the sensual Lover. You are a steward of the land when you plant, weed and nourish your garden in a sustainable manner. At harvest time, you offer the best possible of all foods to those whom you love. You are a hard worker, but you take great delight in the scent of lavender fields on a hot summer day and the dizzying riot of color, shapes and textures in the garden. You love your own body; you love your mate, your children, your friends, your community; you love the natural world around you. Your appetite for connection, sensuality and creativity seems boundless. The people around you are blessed to have you in their lives.


The CHALLENGE

9 - the Hermit
Sacred solitude

You are being challenged to spend time in sacred solitude. You need to withdraw from the world to focus on your inner life and spirituality. Perhaps you have been wounded in the "wars of the world," or perhaps you are fatigued and empty from putting out so much energy, especially if you are a caregiver. Your well is empty and it needs to be filled. Take some time out for a retreat. Go away to the mountains or the sea, by yourself, without partner or friends. Spend time outside in nature, observing the changes in your environment day by day. Your inner wisdom and sense of well-being will grow effortlessly the more time you spend outside. When you once again enter community life, others will be drawn to the light they see inside you and may come to you for guidance. For part of your purpose is to share what you've learned with others.


The RESOLUTION

2 - the High Priestess
Dreams, voices and visions

Resolution comes through intuition and going within. Pay close attention to your dreams, as they may carry potent messages for you. Let your intuition flow. Listen for the subtext in the words of others; hear the words they don't speak out loud. Watch for synchronicities and omens in your everyday life. Study the "dark arts" of divination — reading the cards, astrology, scrying, interpreting dreams. Listen for voices in the wind, look for patterns in the clouds. Meditate. Study the language of symbol and myth. At the dark of the moon, or when your wise blood flows, listen to the still small voice within. It is Her voice, and it speaks of mysteries, secrets, and truth.


From www.gaiantarot.com/oracle/

Full Moon

The full moon shines down upon my skin,
I lift my face up to Her.
A cry starts to form in my throat.
My heart aches,
And I must howl at the moon...

Dressing The Bride - Geraldine Charles

Sure, ‘twas as though the granite bones
And flesh of earthen Mother,
Rose up, said, “Well, I’ve a will to be wed
To my white and golden lover
My white, my gold-haired lover.

“He’s a son of the sun and a son of my own
So the sun and the sky I will wed,
For they say I’m owed a warrior bold
To protect the fields in my stead
To preserve the land in my stead.”

Will Sheelah-na-Gig then jig for joy?
Will fairies then dance in a ring?
Or will Morgan le Fay angrily say,
“We’ve started a terrible thing
Oh, begun a terrible thing.”

“Oh, Mother”, we said, “don’t marry that man,
We need no warriors bold and brave -
His kind will call you whore and hag,
Rip minerals from your caves,
Yes, rape iron and oil from your caves.

“No, Mother, don’t marry the son of the sun,
His sons will bring you sorrow -
They’ll shit in the ocean and piss in your wells,
For you there’ll be no tomorrow,
For all of us no tomorrow.”

And Sheelah-na-Gig won’t jig for joy,
The fairies won’t dance in a ring -
And Morgan le Fay will sadly say,
“We’ve started a terrible thing
Oh, begun a terrible thing.”

We’ll give you a day like you never had
A day of praises, joy and mirth -
Far better than tying yourself to that lad
A day for Mother Earth
Just to celebrate Mother Earth.

We’ll dress you in green; we’ll dress you in brown,
We’ll polish your lakes, from swords make ploughs,
And braid wildflowers into your crown -
And berries for your brow,
Gather berries for your brow.

And Sheelah-na-Gig will jig for joy,
The fairies will dance in a ring -
And Morgan le Fay will gravely say,
“We’ve avoided a terrible thing
Oh, escaped a terrible thing.”

But oh, my darlings, sad to say,
She wed the warrior bold and brave.
His sons forced all our maids away,
Ripping minerals from the caves,
Raping iron and oil from our caves.

So we went down to Troytown,
One cold and bitter winter’s day -
And danced into the Maizey Wheel,
And never came out again,
Not for five thousand years and a day.

And Sheelah-na-Gig is forced to church,
The fairies are no longer near.
And Morgan le Fay’s called bitch and whore,
There’s no place for the Lady here,
No, no place for the Lady here.

***

Now the dragon paths are trod again,
The veils are lifting from our eyes -
As earthen mother breaks her chains,
Flicks the warriors off like flies,
Flicks the warriors off like flies.

We’ll dress her in green; we’ll dress her in brown,
And polish her lakes, from swords make ploughs,
And braid wildflowers into her crown -
With berries for her brow,
Yes, to bind around her brow.

And Sheelah-na-Gig will jig for joy,
The fairies will dance in a ring -
And Morgan le Fay will gladly say,
“Our mother is everything
Mother Earth is everything.”

And Sheelah-na-Gig will jig for joy,
The fairies will dance in a ring -
And Morgan le Fay will sing all day,
“Our mother is everything
Mother Earth is everything.”

©2004, Geraldine Charles

101 Things To Do In 1001 Days

Am starting to think about doing this. There are lots of things I would love to do, and lots of things I need to do and I usually procrastinate my way out of them. Which is defeatist and silly. 1001 days is about 2 and 3/4 years. There isn't really much that can't be accomplished in that amount of time.

So I am going to start my 101 list and see where it leads me.

EDIT: This took me ages, and isn't really in any order of importance. Basically they were written as they popped into my head. I tried sorting them out, but it was too complicated.

101 Things To Do In 1001 Days.

1) Get down to between ten and a half/eleven stone.
2) Do an elimination diet and work out exactly what I am allergic to. DONE (dairy)
3) Establish an exercise routine that I enjoy and want to do.
4) Investigate laser eye treatment. DONE - CAN'T HAVE IT, EYES TOO WONKY
5) Save up for breast reduction.
6) Have at least one decent complementary therapy a month.
7) Buy myself a decent pair of trainers. DONE - Bought MBTs
8) Learn Yoga from a private tutor.
9) Go swimming every week. (DOING)
10) Learn how to do a handstand.
11) Join a Life Drawing class
12) Make space for a creative area in my home. (DONE)
13) Draw/Paint every week. (DOING)
14) Re-learn to use the sewing machine.
15) Learn to adapt/make clothes.
16) Make myself an outfit that is fit to be seen in.
17) Make a dress for Josie.
18) Learn to crochet.
19) Learn to knit
20) Make all my presents for the year.
21) De-clutter the flat (DONE)
22) Redecorate the flat (DONE)
23) Sell the flat (DOING)
24) Move into our lovely new big house (DONE) but not our forever house.
25) Create a garden following Permaculture ideologies
26) Do another Permaculture course
27) Grow most of our fruit and veg
28) Buy Organic Box Scheme fruit and veg to make up
29) Teach Owen and Josie how to garden
30) Create an outdoor temple space.
31) Start/join a Goddess group - DOING
32) Start/join a Pagan moot
33) Create a dedicated space in my home (DOING)
34) Celebrate the Esbats and Sabbats more formally. (DOING)
35) Visit Avebury
36) Go to the Goddess Conference again
37) Make myself a silk ritual robe
38) Memorise The Charge of The Goddess
39) Go on holiday to Malta and visit the Goddess sites
40) Go on a Bush craft course
41) Read a fiction book every month
42) Read a non-fiction book every month
43) Subscribe to a magazine for a year (Spirit and Destiny?)
44) Rejoin a library (DONE)
45) Join an Real Life book club
46) Charityshop all the books I will never read again
47) Write a children's storybook and illustrate it myself.
48) Write a novel, even if it's crap and I am the only one that reads it.
49) Write a proper Diary/Journal as well as Blogging
50) Do a formal course in Herbalism
51) Become less reliant on the telly for company (DONE)
52) Paint a fantasy world in Josie's bedroom (when she has her own room)
53) Let Owen decorate his own room.
54) Take singing lessons
55) Learn to ride a horse
56) Learn to belly dance
57) Get the tattoo I have always wanted
58) Get my nose pierced again
59) Go to a Farmer's Market DONE - new one to go every other month at least
60) Take more photos of Life and the Kids
61) Learn Welsh
62) Get over my fear of Maths (DONE)
63) Get my Maths GCSE DONE - passed Aug 2011
64) Look into options of becoming an English teacher
65) Find a job that I actually want and like to do
66) Set up a joint account for bills and such (DONE)
67) Set up a single account for odds and sods
68) Save money.
69) Go to the park once a week with the children
70) Go for summer picnics
71) Get hair cut really short and dye it a wacky colour DONE>
72) Stop being such a frump and let that inner BoHo out.
73) Learn to drive
74) Ride a motorbike
75) Wear sexy shoes at least once a month
76) Have only attractive underwear
77) Stay out alone all night in the "wilderness"
78) Start making own cosmetics.
79) Write my Will
80) Buy some expensive jewellery
81) Buy an original piece of art
82) Buy flowers once a month
83) Have a painting exhibited.
84) Teach Owen how to make a Journal
85) Make a "Date-Night" with husband
86) See friends at least one every other month.
87) Go to the cinema every other month (if haven't gone on Date-Night)
88) PERSONAL
89) Print off photos on PC and put in proper albums
90) Get an article published
91) Create a rockabilly outfit for going out
92) Sponsor a child
93) Go vegetarian for a month DONE, AND STILL DOING
94) Go vegan for a week DONE
95) Go to a concert of someone familiar SONISPHERE
96) Go to a concert of someone completely random SONISPHERE
97) Bake a cake once a week.
98) Start making own herbal remedies
99) Get a Northern Inuit dog
100) Create a monthly budget and stick to it
101) One takeaway every other month. (DONE) Less than that infact.

Ethical Thinking

There is a theme going round the pagan blogsphere to post up about pagan ethics. Lots of them have made interesting reading. I can't promise that mine will be that interesting though. Sorry.Although a lot of people think I am everso liberal, I do have ethics. They might not be what other people agree with, but they aren mine. They have little to do with Paganism. I personally feel that I would have the same ethics if I wasn't pagan. (However, if I was a Fundie Christian, I imagine some of them would be a bit different! :P )

My ethics are as follows:

Thou shalt use your brain and clear up thy own shit.

And that's it.I suppose I should explain this a bit. It encompasses a lot.

1. Don't mess up the environment, as you aren't the only one using it. And why should my children and my childrens' children have to clear up your shit?
2. Take responsibilty for your actions. You did it, you deal with it. Whether that be good or bad. If you have wronged someone, then so be it. Sort it out and make it better.
3. If sometimes your intentions aren't the purest, deal with it. Don't make excuses. Know what you are doing and why you are doing it, and if it all goes horribly wrong, make sure you can deal with the consequences.
4. Listen to what others tell you, but just because someone says it's true, doesn't make it so.

It's all about taking responsibility for yourself. Since you are the only person you can truly be responsible for. We are responsible TO others, but not for. We have a responsibilty to our children to bring them up safe, healthy and sane.

Paganism to me, isn't about rules and restrictions. No thou shalt not, and if you do, you are eternally screwed. There is no Higher Power looking at you, wagging a finger. The PTBs give us the choice to choose. Sometimes I don't think it is the choice that is the important thing, it is the choosing.