Well, in summation, I guess in my own personal understanding of the Wiccan Rede
"An ye harrn none, do as ye will," the deliberate and knowingly doing of harmful actions or the
lack of action that causes any sort of ill to others goes against the Rede, but personal actions that
are defensive and appropriate to the situation is not. That's how I see it. Comments??
Well, I guess I'll mosey along. Until next time, bye for now, and may the Gentle Lady always
smile upon ya'll. Blessed Be.
- by Norhala
Like a tender sapling, lithe and slender,
Gowned in purest white and crowned with spring's blossoms,
Face flushed with firstlight and dewdrops, on tiptoe She stands, arms outstretched to embrace the
morning sun.
The timid forest creatures gather at her feet
Without fear, basking in her radiance-
Sharing her love and the joy she embodies,
Eager for her gaze, her song, her caress.
Innocent, untried, a bud tightly folded-
The woman within waits to bloom, to grow,
Holding in her heart unlimited, magnificent potential--
The maiden stands on the threshold of womanhood.
Scarlet-clad, eyes filled with woman-wisdom, earth knowledge,
She surveys her domain--field and flock, hearth and home.
in her hand lies life, abundance, order--
Earth-womb and all creation bring from richness by her word.
First-flush of youth replaced by a fuller, riper glow,
Girlish curves rounded now by the giving of life,
She suckles the small one at her breast and
Breathes dreams and wishes, tender words of love.
Feeling all, seeing within and beyond--listening with heart
Overflowing with empathy, love, hard-won experience,
Drawing on the priceless, timeless wisdom of all women,
Tirelessly she feeds and heals, counsels and teaches.
Alone she is, strong and silent, clothed in midnight hue,
Wearing well the years with their many lessons--
Bathing in argent moonlight, arms uplifted once again
To touch Eternity, to complete the circle infinite.
From her is sought wisdom, knowledge, understanding beyond now,
To She Who Holds Her Blood Within, all render honor--
Her word considered sacred, consecrated law,
She serves clan, Mother Earth and Goddess, all.
With outward eyes less clear, inward sight intensely penetrating,
She sees beyond pretense, illusion, finite now to weigh, to measure,
Granting with death's finality relief, release, eternal rest--
Returns all life to She who gave it, that the cycle remain unbroken.
Blessed Be
Norhala
NIGHT STALKING:
STAR-WATCHING
by Stormy
The Lunar Calendar by Nancy Passmore is one of my favorite resources.
Often, I
comment on or refer to this calendar in the articles I write for The Hazel Nut. I use this
calendar
daily because it is very useful. Even if you don't know a thing about astrology, this calendar will
teach you how to use it in everyday matters. Obviously, the calendar covers the Eight-Fold
Wheel of the year, with traditional placement of the festivals, which consist of two equinoxes,
two solstices and four cross-quarter days which are: Imbolc/February Eve; Spring Equinox;
Beltane/May Eve; Summer Solstice; Lughnassad/August Eve; Autumn Equinox; Halloween/
Samhain; and Winter Solstice.
The calendar gives all the waxing/waning positions of the 13 full moons of the Celtic
Tree Lunar Calendar in the tradition of Robert Graves' The White Goddess. Linda
Kerr, our
Editor-in-Chief of The Hazel Nut, presented an outstanding article in the April/May
Issue #14,
with an explanation of the Celtic tree alphabet and Celtic tree calendar. Each issue she shares her
wisdom and knowledge with us by introducing appropriate Bach Flower Remedies for disease
associated with each Celtic tree lunar month. It's amazing how some of us really tend to fall into
the associated feelings and aspects of each of the lunar tree months!
What I really enjoy about Nancy Passmore's calendar is the daily positions of the
moon as it traverses through the 12 signs of the Zodiac each month. At the end of her calendar
there is an excellent article entitled "How To Use Your Lunacy." Read it and learn how to use
and enjoy your calendar more than just knowing when the moon is waxing, full or waning!
Look at the center fold of this issue (sorry, no gorgeous girl or hunky guy pin-ups
there) for the lunar tree months Hawthorn, May 29 through June 26, 1995, and Oak, June 27
through July 26, 1995. Please notice that as the moon goes though each sign of the Zodiac there
is sometimes a break between the signs when the moon is V/C or Void of Course.
This can
occur randomly for a few minutes or as long as a few days between each sign the moon goes
through. Sometimes the moon will proceed from sign to sign without going through a V/C. The
position of the moon in each sign or V/C happens because the moon travels an elliptical path
around a rotating earth which is also traveling an elliptical path round the sun every 365 days.
(See figure, this article.) The 28-day trip the moon takes around the earth corresponds to the
"female monthly cycles" which are often referred to as "moon cycles." (See the center-fold
calendars to see how many times V/C appears and for how long.)
When the moon is in V/C it's highly recommended to shut down. Don't travel too far,
don't expect good service, don't eat out and don't exert yourself too much. Stay home if
possible; read a book, study, relax or meditate. During V/C, people tend to have more accidents,
are temperamental, impatient,. and looking for something but don't know what they want.
They're also more confused and find it difficult to focus properly. The only time worse than a
V/C is when V/C falls on a full moon! During a V/C, we tend to make poor judgments. If you
have to make a legal or important decision, make sure it is not during a V/C. If you shop and
make purchases, make sure they can be returned or exchanged. This is the time we tend to buy
things we don't need that are junk, poorly made, things that don't work, wrong color, wrong size
... you get the gist of it! If you had to return something, check Nancy Passmore's Calendar for
when you made the purchase. If it was during a V/C you'll learn eventually not to be too
surprised!
One of the few places I've been able to shop successfully during a V/C is a
metaphysical shop. I think it's because -we intuitively know what we need to obtain to make it
through a V/C moon! That's why so many metaphysical shop keepers love when moon is in
V/C. Knowing when the moon is in V/C will enable you to plan and handle daily routines and
people better. So when everyone tends to be out to lunch during a V/C, be more tolerant and
maintain a good sense of humor because you are in the know about what their problem really
is!
DO YOU EVER LISTEN TO WHAT
YOU REALLY
SAY?
by Brighid MoonFire
How many times when we were growing up did we hear our parents tell us that they
were just sick and tired of our juvenile behavior? How many times have we, ourselves, told our
families that they are driving us to the brinks of insanity? And don't forget all those times that
you told your underlings and overlings at work that you were just completely fed up with their
behavior?
If you've ever dealt with any of these rantings and ravings you may have asked
yourself if anybody really listens to what you say. It certainly seems that the people you are
yelling at don't. If they did, then you wouldn't be yelling at them. Yet there is one person that is
listening intently to every word you say--you.
According to the Huna system, your body is made up of three very important selves-the
Low Self, Middle Self, and the High Self. Very simply put, your Low Self is like a child,
Middle is a teenager, and the High Self is like a very responsible, highly intelligent adult. Your
Low Self is the one that the fireworks displays impress the most. This is the part of you that one
refers to when "you bring out the child in yourself " This is the part that listens to every word
that you say.
If you tell someone that you are just sick and tired of whatever, your High Self knows
that you are metaphorically speaking. Your Low Self, however, does not know this. It will
believe that you are really sick and tired. Think about it. How many times have you said
something similar only to feel that way later? Many times when we feel at our worst, it's
because we are actually making ourselves that way. Our body will believe what we tell it. If we
tell it that we look and feel great, then we will. But if we tell it that we are sick then we will
be.
There are many books and speakers out there now who are listing the benefits of
positive affirmations and positive visualizations. You tell your body and yourself positive things
instead of negative ones and your body will respond accordingly. In visualizations, you visualize
and think of what it is that you want; you can even go so far as to make a collage to look at; but
the fact remains that it will affect your Low Self and you.
So how easy is it to turn the negative into a positive? That all depends on you and
how ingrained the negative is in you. It's not easy to go from "this is what is wrong" to thinking
about what is right, but you will feel better; and don't we all owe ourselves that?
AROMATHERAPY
by Avalon
Aromatherapy is the medicinal use of natural aromatic essences or oils extracted from
wild or cultivated plants. More than likely, these plant oils first evolved as attractants for
pollinating insects, repellents to keep grazing animals away, or as a pesticide or fungicide used
by the plant. Humans have always been dependent on the plant world for our nutritional needs;
therefore it was inevitable that an awareness of how we felt after eating certain plants would
develop. Thus, the knowledge of herbal medicine evolved.
There is no doubt that the use of plants for healing is as old as the human race and
probably much older, as animals can always be seen eating grass and other vegetation whenever
they are sick. The earliest written text that we have describing the medicinal use of plants is by
Shen Nung, a Chinese Emperor who lived sometime between 1000 and 700 B.C. In his book, the
Pen Tsao (Great Herbal), the Emperor lists more than 350 medicinal plants and plant
remedies,
many of which are still commonly being used today. There is little doubt that through the years,
the healing virtues of natural plant oils have been recognized by both animals and humans; but
more recently in our history, with the discovery of synthetic compounds, plants have occupied a
secondary position in medicine. There is now, however, a resurgence underway to obtain
knowledge of these medicinal plants and their remedies, thus helping to put natural plant
therapeutics back into the mainstream of medicine.
Essential oils are odorous, highly volatile and have a very complex organic chemistry.
They generally contain alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, and terpenes, and differ from fatty
oils in that their consistency is more like water than oil. The odoriferous materials are formed in
the chloroplast of the leaf where they combine with glucose to form glucosides that are then
transported around the plant structures. The oils are present in tiny droplets in most plants and
can be found in the roots, leaves, bark, resins and the rind of some fruits. There are many ways
of obtaining pure and natural plant essences, but the most common method is extraction by water
distillation that involves passing steam through the plant. The oils evaporate along with water
and other substances, and because they are water insoluble, they are easily separated.
The practice of aromatherapy is very versatile in that the oils can be used in many different ways.
They can be taken orally in diluted forms and they are also very effective when used in massage,
inhalations, salves, baths, etc. Plant oils have the ability to make us feel better, and feeling better
can have a tremendous therapeutic influence on physical symptoms. The fragrances catch us by
surprise and send waves of emotions and sensations through the body, and because they are
organic, they tend to work in harmony with the body, thus making them comparatively harmless
as opposed to the more violent action of synthesized drugs. Since these plant essences have their
own unique properties, they also can adapt to the needs of different bodies and different
people.
Aromatherapy is not only psychosomatic or mentally healing, it is also extremely effective in
healing the body physically. Essential oils are among the most potent antibacterial agents known
to man and present a viable alternative to antibiotic drugs.
Modern medicine is turning to natural remedies more often as they are learning that by
using a strong synthetic drug to kill harmful bacteria they are also killing beneficial bacteria
present in the body.
Natural remedies generally act more slowly and aid in stimulating the body's immune
system to strengthen its resistance to further attack. Aromatherapy's therapeutic action in the
body primarily aims at curing the cause of disease by strengthening organs and their functions
and by acting on the defense mechanisms of the body. They do not do the job for the body, they
only help the body do its own job.
A commonly asked question is how do these plant aromas produce such changes in the
human body. Smells are necessary to reconnect us with nature and to help us know when our
environment is adversely effecting us. Scent bonds us with our friends and families and enables
us to recall memories and trigger responses that are deeper than our normal level of
consciousness. During reception and transmission, odor molecules float back into the nasal
cavity behind the bridge of the nose and stimulate two pea-sized membranes secluded deep
within the nose that contain five million receptor cells. The receptor cells fire off impulses to the
brain's olfactory bulb which then signals the cerebral cortex. Information then flows to the
limbic system which is the part of the brain that is involved with emotions and memories. The
limbic system governs emotions, memory and basic life processes such as heart rate, respiration,
appetite, sexual drive, temperature, and blood sugar levels. Not only are there physiological
rationalities behind the effectiveness of aromatherapy, there is also subconscious activity taking
place whenever we work with plant oils.
When working with any natural therapy, whether it is herbal or Bach Flowers, we soon
are aware of the presence of a fundamental energy or essence shared between the plant and
animal kingdom--the basic principle of life force. Whatever our spiritual beliefs may be,
most all
of us agree that we are all alive. Life is an intangible essence in that it cannot be seen, touched,
smelled; but we all share a common faith and belief that the sun will rise in the sky tomorrow,
flowers will bloom in spring and even that we will be alive to see these events occur. This life
force is present in all living things. In some forms, like a dried seed, it is unmanifest and exhibits
no apparent presence, but in other forms, it is manifest and is the cause of dynamic change and
movement.
The Indians called this energy prana, the ancient Hunas referred to it as
mana, but
regardless, they were describing the same thing-the life force that keeps us healthy and alive.
This force or essence, whether it is in a plant or human, is continually causing a state of health
and harmony in the body and is responsible for every activity taking place. We are not capable
of healing. We can only encourage the healing process. When we break a bone in our body, it is
not the cast the doctor puts on us that heals the bone; the cast is used as an aid so that our own
life force can do its work. Aromatherapy works in the same way. By using the plant's essence
or its High Self, we send a message to our essence (our High Self) and chemically the body
res-ponds in a positive manner by healing itself; or in emotional therapy, by producing a
desirable
sensation that is therapeutic to our state of mind.
Aromatherapy is categorized in the realm of natural therapeutics since its basis lies in
man's interpretation of nature that comes from his understanding of life. Through the use and
practice of this art form, we can begin to learn to recognize and feel our own life force, our
essence. Then we can learn to combine ourselves with the forces of nature to form a type of
beneficial synergy capable of encouraging our own natural healing forces within to heal
physically and emotionally.
Sources:
Ryman, Daniele. Aromatherapy. 1993. Bantam Books, New York, NY.
Tisserand, Robert B. The Art of Aromathcrapy. 1977. Healing Arts Press,
Rochester,
VT.
by Brighid MoonFire
We've all heard the familiar sayings, "Stop and smell the roses," or "Wake up and
smell the coffee," but what are these phrases really telling us? We all know that to smell the
roses is to relax and enjoy, and to smell the coffee is to get with the program. But is it more than
that? Is it possible that these old sayings are actually a hidden message of aromatherapy?
Many of us are familiar with aromatherapy--the art/ science of smelling oils to produce different
reactions in the body. Generally oils are used in aromatherapy because it combines the healing
ability of the oils themselves with the receptivity of the human skin and sense of
smell1. There
are several ways to use the oils. One is in a massage. This will activate the nerve endings and
stimulate the blood circulation near the skin's surface, speeding the entry of the oils into the
body'. Another way is to use a few drops of an oil in a hot bath and soak in the water for awhile.
You can even inhale the oil, but never, ever take the oils internally except in very diluted
form!
Oils and Their Effect3,4
| Almond |
said to aid in giving a sensual massage |
| Anise |
promotes cheerfulness, makes a liquorice flavored mouthwash, aids in
indigestion |
| Bergamot |
aids in depression, and helps the body fight infections |
| Cedarwood |
helps to tone the skin, astringent for oily skin, can be used as a light insect
repellant |
| Chamomile |
calms overwrought nerves |
| Cinnamon |
is said to be an aphrodisiac |
| Eucalyptus |
helps to clear up congestion, provides relief from sore joints and muscles,
antiseptic for minor cuts and insect bites, insect repellant |
| Frankincense |
calming effect, deepens the breathing |
| Geranium |
relaxing, eases stress, uplifting |
| Lavender |
heals bums and wounds, excellent relaxant, good for nervous exhaustion
and sleeplessness, aids in fighting headaches, helps repel moths from
clothing |
| Patchouli |
said to be an aphrodisiac, insect repellant, provides relief from depression
and apathy, aids in finding clarity amidst confusion |
| Pennyroyal |
good insect repellant, especially fleas, aids in reducing a fever, strong
nervine |
| Peppermint |
aids in reducing stomachaches and headaches, eases congestions and fever,
gives positive motivation, stimulating |
| Pine |
useful in finding serenity, helps relieve itching skin, including insect bites |
| Rose |
good for tension in women, especially post-natal depression and stress
following the break-up of a relationship |
| Rosemary |
helps to tone normal skin, good in providing relief from headaches, moth
repellant, soothes nervous tension, stimulates the cerebral activity |
| Sage |
invigorating, stimulating, strengthens and tones the entire system, aids in
weak gums, helps in reducing fevers and sore throat pain, can be used as
an antiseptic |
| Sandalwood |
said to be sexually stimulating, good for tension and anxiety |
| Wintergreen |
analgesic rub for sore joints and muscles, good vapor rub **Remember
that wintergreen produces a warm, burning effect and never, ever, apply to
genitalia or to nipples** |
| Ylang Ylang |
antidepressant, sedative, used in shock and pain |
Notes:
1 Mabey, Richard. The New Age Herbalist. 1988. Collier Books, New
York, NY, pg. 150.
2 Ibid, pg. 150.
3 Ibid, pg. 151.
4 Natural Essential Oils Reference Dial by Naturally Exotic, Weaverville,
CA.
- by Lark
In days long past in Tir-na-nog,
Where the people of the Sidhe do dwell,
I was captured by a faerie king
And his name was Oenghus Gagell.
He bade me come away with him
To his palace beneath the hill.
"You will be happy;'he said to me,
And n'er grow hungry or old or ill.
Joyful was the time with the Tuatha De Danann
Oh! The feasting and music and love.
But a mortal grows weary of the merriment
So I pleaded for my home far above.
"I will love you;'sighed Oengus Gagell,
"For always, forever and a day."
Then I was back amid the pots and pans
From Tir-na-nog so far and far away.
Now I am old, my hair is white
But at the loom I sometimes sing,
Of the halcyon days in Tir-na-nog
With my handsome faerie king.
BACH FLOWERS:
HAWTHORN
by Muirghein uí Dhún Aonghasa (Linda
Kerr)
Hawthorn is the last Lunar tree I'll cover under the Bach Flower series. It is a very
important moon, because we are purifying ourselves mentally and physically for the upcoming
summer months. But sometimes this purification can become an obsession. This is where the
Bach Flower Remedy Crab Apple comes in.
Crab Apple people feet like C their body, their inner self, and the world around
them
should be flawless. They are confused and upset when something doesn't live up to this ideal,
becoming despondent and even disgusted with themselves. They may have an unwanted
negative thought, or may say something unkind that they wouldn't normally say. A spot on their
face can upset them enough to send them to a dermatologist, and a bit of paint flaking off the
wall will prompt a purchase of another gallon of paint to make it perfect again. They basically
make mountains out of molehills, expending far too much energy on a relatively unimportant
problem.
Crab Apple people are overly sensitive, causing themselves undue amounts of stress.
This can make them feel unclean or constipated, leading to excessive hand-washing, several
showers daily, or overuse of breath sprays. Even the tiniest detail will disturb them so much that
they can only focus on it, leaving no energy to consider other things. Crab Apple people may go
to a doctor complaining about the aforementioned spot on their face, yet forget to mention their
painful joints. People who clean their houses constantly, or mothers who worry more about their
children's wet feet making marks on the carpet rather than those wet feet giving them a cold, are
in need of Crab Apple.
This same obsessiveness can make Crab Apple folks unduly wary of insects, bacteria,
possibly bad food, and all kinds of infections or viruses. Every possible remedy or cleansing
agent can be found in their cabinets, and every possible precaution is taken.
According to Scheffer, this is not as unreasonable as it seems. Crab Apple people seem to be a
magnet for impurities and negative energies1. Quite often they do need a
thorough cleansing.
Chancellor tells of a patient who wrote saying, "I feel as if I want the same treatment that you
give to the radiator of your car when you find it stopped up with rusty
water."2
Some people, while in the positive Crab Apple state, are able to take negative energies
from around them and heal and transform them, acting as a spiritual vacuum cleaner.'
Scheffer
tells of an extreme positive example of the Crab Apple state, the Mahan Tantric, the Master of
white Tantric yoga. "In his group exercises he will absorb the blocked energies of 150 or more
people, transforming them within him, like a filter, and letting them flow back to the group
again, freshly cleaned, as it were."3
Although such a positive state is very unusual, a bit of this will be experienced by
someone who is in the positive Crab Apple state. He will realize that disorder on the outside is
simply a reflection of the disorder on the inside, of the imbalance in his inner self. He will know
that he has the ability to correct this imbalance, and so establish outer harmony as well. This
understanding is the first step to recovery.
Crab Apple is unique among the Remedies in that it has a double action, purifying on the
mental/emotional level as well as the physical. It will remove negative impressions, for example
after a dirty or stressful job.
Some practitioners recommend Crab Apple for fasting. It can also be used to recover
from a hangover quickly--use four every half hour in . One can take Crab Apple to ward off a
cold, or to overcome the side-effects of antibiotics and other drugs.
For external use, add about 10 drops of the remedy to a full bath. For a compress, use
about five drops. Crab Apple has been combined with Pine Remedy for treating skin problems.
Some Bach Flower practitioners themselves take a combination of Crab Apple and Walnut
between sessions in order to keep the effect of their patient's energy field on their own to a
minimum. Crab Apple can also be used in combination with Rescue Remedy to treat
bug-infested or stressed plants.
Crab Apple (Malus pumila or sylvestris) is a tree or large bush which is
found in the wild,
in hedges, thickets, and clearings. It blooms in April or May, and is prepared by the boiling
method. Pick the rigid spurs with the leaves and flower clusters from as many trees as possible,
filling the saucepan 3/4 full.4
Notes:
1 Scheffer, Methchild. Bach Flower Therapy: Theory and Practice. 1981. Munchen,
West
Germany, pg. 78.
2 Chancellor, Dr. Philip M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies. 1971. Keats
Publishing,
Inc., New Canaan, CT, pg. 81.
3 Scheffer, pg. 78-79.
4 Weeks, Nora, and Bullen, Victor. The Bach Flower Remedies - Illustrations and
Preparation. 1964. C.W. Daniel Co. Ltd., London, England, pg. 78.
FAERIE FAITH 101:
WANDS
by Linda Kerr
In the Faerie Faith, when we speak of wands, we don't mean the carved stick with a
crystal on the end, used by most Witches for drawing out the circle. Our wands are the very
fingertips of the sacred trees, which aid us in getting in touch with the lunar energies, and we
choose a new one each moon.
As I stated in my last Faerie Faith 101 article, the trees are our best teachers. If you want
to know what the energies are like for a particular lunation, the best way to learn about them is to
ask the tree, which is the representative of those energies. The best time to approach the tree is
during its lunation; i.e., you'll learn more about Holly moon energies if you talk to a Holly tree
during that moon. However, you may talk to any tree at any time of the year, if you feel the
need.
Wands are the very extremities of the tree-the tip ends of the branches. They are the most
sensitive part of the tree, like our fingertips are for us, and are a great way to get in touch initially
with the tree. The wands, like the trees themselves, are representative of the lunar energies; they
are the remedy for the energies of the moons, in the same manner that Bach Flowers are. When
you talk to a tree, and then collect a wand to take and meditate on later, you are in effect going to
class, and taking a handout home for further study.
So how do you talk to a tree and collect a wand? First, of all, know what the tree looks
like, and be able to identify it in any season. Collecting an Elder wand in December is difficult if
you can only find the tree when it's blooming. Also, of course, you must be familiar enough
with the calendar to know what lunation you are in, and therefore what tree to look for!
Once you find the tree, talk to it. Sit or stand, and put your hand on the tree. Give a nice
introduction of yourself and what you want, and why, either out loud or silently. For instance,
say whether you want to collect a wand to use in your lunar ritual, or whether you wish to collect
a bit of bark for herbal healing, etc. Don't be too long-winded; just state your needs politely and
briefly.
Be still and quiet, and wait for a response. This may be internal--similar to a voice in
your head, but kind of different from your usual own mental thinking. The tree may also give
you a physical sign like a moving branch or a subtle swaying. You may get a feeling or mental
picture. This is a very subjective thing, and should be practiced until you know that you are
actually receiving a response from the tree, and not just imagining it. If you are unsure of
yourself and your reactions, you will communicate this to your Low Self, which will make it
more and more difficult, instead of easier.
The response you get may not always be positive--it's sometimes mixed. If you get the
feeling that the tree doesn't want to share a wand, say thank you, and go find another tree. For
the best response, don't wake the tree up after dark--they get rather grumpy.
When you get a positive response from the tree, take a moment and ask it what the lunar
and tree energies are about in this lunation. Again, you will need to be still and quiet to receive
an answer. Take what is offered; don't question the tree unnecessarily, or you will seem
disrespectful and as if you weren't listening in the first place. Also, your Low Self will take it as
a sign that you don't truly believe in what you are doing. If you received an answer, but you
didn't understand it, just write it down and meditate upon it later, maybe in ritual. Try another
tree on another day.
Finally, you should collect a wand. After getting permission, which you should have
gotten with the first positive response from the tree, cut a small piece off the end of a limb. Tell
the tree thank you, and give it something as a gift--a bit of tobacco, maybe; or do something nice
for it, like pulling off a vine which is wrapped around it.
The information you received from the tree can be the basis for a lunar ritual, and the
wand you collected can be used as a focus point for meditating on the lunar energies. The wand
is not meant to be a permanent tool, but you should keep it as a reminder to yourself,
nonetheless. Make sure you mark your wand with the Ogham of that tree so you'll be able to
distinguish it from the other 12 wands which you will (hopefully) collect throughout the year.
Only when you go out next year at the same time to meet the tree again will you replace these
wands. (Yes, you do this again, every lunation, every year. You can never stop learning from the
trees.) Happy talking!
THE DIANIC
CALENDAR
by Chrisailes
During my teenage years I came to two firm conclusions. First, a calendar was more than
just a reminder of when the phone bill was due; it was in fact a powerful map that charted the ebb
and flow of the various tides of Nature during the course of the year. My second conclusion was
that the common calendar, the Gregorian, that is in use today is woefully inadequate in this
aspect. Without any good literature on the Celtic Tree Calendar, I decided to devise my own
calendar, a slightly ambitious undertaking for a then-aspiring Pagan.
Playing with the deity names Diana and Pan, I arrived at the values 29 and 31 and
decided that my new calendar would have a combination of 29 and 31 day months. Since I
arrived at the figure using the above names, I called my pet project the Dianic Calendar.
Adapting from the Babylonians, the Dianic New Year was to coincide with the Vernal Equinox,
and by extension, seed time.
The first seven months had 31 days. The remaining five had only 29. The reason for this
was simple. Due to the highly elliptical orbit of the earth, the equinoxes and solstices do not
divide the year neatly into quarters. For example, there is six and a quarter days difference
between the length of time between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox and the
corresponding length of time from the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.
Three of the equinoxes and solstices were preceded by an extra day that was given the
value of zero. These extra days were periods of psychic cleaning, so to speak, when one could
adjust one's energies as the seasons were about to change. Only the Summer Solstice lacked one
of these special days, which was why I expected the following month, aptly named the Thunder
Moon, to be filled with eruptions of the tension thus created.
Each moon had its attributes, its own personality, so to speak; and I imagined that these
qualities were conveyed by the Full Moon of that month. Hence I referred to my months as
moons. Blue Moons, two full moons in one month, was viewed with jaundice eyes, for it
denoted an imbalance in the natural tides. The one blue moon I saw in keeping this calendar was
during a severe drought that hit the South during the mid-eighties.
The first month, beginning with the Vernal Equinox, was the Greenwood Moon, when
the leaves seemed to magickally appear on the trees and the birds returned from the Southlands.
It was the first month of the Mother, and its key word was Fulfillment. It was followed by the
Mayfair Moon, the 15th of which was celebrated as the Mayfair, or May Eve. Its key word was
celebration.
The end of the Mayfair Moon saw the beginning of the Fire Flicker Moon, when what in
the South is called heat lightening can be seen flashing on the horizon on clear nights. During
these long days, we entertained notions that summer might last forever. The key word for the
Fire Flicker Moon was Steadfastness. Without a moment to adjust, the Summer Solstice brought
the first day of the Thunder Moon, when the low rumbling in late afternoon would shake the
apples from the trees. Tension was the key word here.
However, as the Thunder Moon gave way to the Green Corn Moon, the year passed from
the Mother to the Old Woman. An old Native American tale goes that the first corn was given to
the people by an old woman who obtained it by brushing her hair. The key word here was
Fullness. The 15th of this month say the festival of Lugh, Lammas. After the Green Corn Moon
came the Harvest Moon, the time of in-gathering. Its key word was Karma or Fate.
The end of the Harvest Moon saw one of the above-mentioned extra days, a time of
adjustment as the tides of summer were replaced by those of autumn. With the equinox, the First
Frost Moon began, the time when the Green God was killed by the Winter Lord, as the tides of
Nature flowed out. The key word here was Withdrawal. Next came the Ghost Moon, and on the
15th of it, the festival of Samhain. At this time, company was kept with the Dead and the key
word here was Memory.
The Dreaming Moon saw the mantle of the Year pass from the Old Woman to the
Maiden. As all seemed to come undone, we realized it was up to us to dream the year anew. Its
key word was renewal. A day and a solstice later, the Looks Within Moon commenced, when
we examined what we had created and planned for the year that was coming. Its key word was
Introspection.
It was followed by the In The Belly Moon, when the first stirrings of spring could be felt,
and by the festival of Imbulk on the 15th, the first flowers such as the buttercups, were blooming.
Its key word was Awakening. The In The Belly Moon gently flowed into the Budding Moon,
when the warmer winds, heavy rains, longer days, all whispered the Promise of the New Year to
come. Its key word was Potential. With one last extra day, or two if it was a leap year, the New
Year commenced for another round of the year to begin.
Thus the year started again, and the Mother began her vigil over us.
Looking over the notes that I kept, I am still amazed that the calendar seems so complete,
for I was quite inexperienced at the time. I simply read what was available, which wasn't much,
at least on this subject, and looked to Nature for instructions and guidance. Then again, I guess
Dame Nature is better qualified to teach us than anyone else, if we only listen.
- by David Sparenberg
Nakedly and on my feet
(without the machinej
I am going.
The sun is on my back;
the wind is in my face.
from Amergin to Taliesin
from Raftery to Yeats;
dark as the Fenian wood and free
Bright as the dancing sea
(the lore of the faery inside me];
I am traveling on
into the west.
A fire is in my head;
my life is working filigree.
Behold me like this
walking the roads of two worlds.
- by Epona
What wisdom is it that one can learn talking to a friend?
Was talking that made the friend?
Or, was it the experiencing of life with each other,
Revealed in its season,
With the silent communication between the words,
Reaching each other in intensity and aim,
Without search,
Just being there, gentle talk and real,
Recognition only after the fact.
THE THREE WORLDS OF THE OÍDE
A VIEW THROUGH THE EYES OF A CELTIC SHAMAN
PART I
by Adrian Loaghrian
Some of the ideas and concepts mentioned in this article are not necessarily held by many
of the Keepers of the "Celtic Religion." Indeed, not even all "Celtic Shamans" adhere to the
practices prescribed in this text.
This is an article expressing the views of one particular group called "An Cuallacht
Tuatha Uidh-Déithe" {an kooah lakt too ah ha wee gee ah}, "The Fellowship
of the People of
the Sacred Journey." This Fellowship is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with correspondent
membership at various points across the world.
The Oidí {wee jee} are working Shamans (both men and women), while
the Cuallacht or
Fellowship consists of both students and teachers of this tradition. The language employed
herein is a unique secular dialect of Gaeilge or Irish Gaelic.
The Oidí, like the priests or priestesses of many Shamanic Societies, are
travelers
in three living worlds at once. The keepers of this path do not follow a religion in the classic
sense. It is our belief that one must undergo a metamorphosis which may be poetically compared
to the life of a silkworm.
The Three worlds of the Oidí are described as the Outerworld, The Innerworld,
and the
Otherworld. These may seem simplistic, but they do serve their purpose.
In the Outerworld we move one step at a time, consuming what is necessary to survive
and be comfortable in daily life. We labor to produce something that will ensure the existence of
a future for our offspring, as their survival is our assurance of the immortality of our own being.
It is in the end only through the longevity of our children and our works that we obtain a
semblance of immortality.
In the Innerworld we are much like a moth while in its cocoon. We seek to be dissolved
and dissipated into many thousands of particles. The dissolution is both painful and ecstatic in
the same moment. In this way we experience the death of our blindness and ignorance to all that
exists in the three living worlds. In the same moment that we are dying we are also reborn, or
more accurately, reassembled. In this new incarnation we arise from the gates of the Otherworld
with new eyes and new ears, with new hands and new feet. Our hearts in the poetic sense are
unchanged except that they are made subtle to the exception of new forms of love and life
hitherto unknown.
Here in this new transformation we learn to allow no room for hatred. For though love
and hatred are sisters, while one eats away at our souls, the other allows us to grow with and
unending power of endurance. We seek to allow no room for opinion, for while opinion and
wisdom are brothers, our opinion closes our mind's eyes forever, while wisdom allows us to
observe the state of all that exists even in the midst of the greatest darkness. Wisdom allows us
to adapt as the worlds around us undergo change. Wisdom is like still water. Cast a stone into a
still pool and the water yields to the force that penetrates it. Yet when the force of the impact is
past, the water resumes its serene form. Both wisdom and opinion are conclusions. But opinion
leaves us with an unyielding mind set that will in time leave an indelible scar upon that which is
subjected to it.
Among the Oidí, all that we see simply is what it is. All things are engaged upon
a
journey. We team to observe that the Mountain as well as the Earthworm are each engaged upon
a journey. Each journey is interrelated to the other. Just as the worm slowly enriches the soil,
the soil welcomes the roots of the tree, the tree drives its roots into the stone so the worm may
join with the rain and the wind and the heat to give birth to the soil. The interrelation of nature
upon nature is not news. The examples are legion. The awareness of interrelation and an inborn
understanding of this unending chain is the mother of both enlightenment and inner peace.
We see these interrelations as the act of a greater plan set in motion by all of life united in the
pattern of an unending knot. This concept was illustrated by our ancestors in the form of Celtic
Knotwork. A more modem view of this interweaving might be seen in a three dimensional view
of a "double helix." This image, rather than the Pentagram or Celtic Cross, is a more vivid
symbol of the Uidh-Déithe and its spiral unending form that is the basis of the spirituality
of the
Oidí.
Among the Oidí we see ourselves as born to the Outerworld, ever seeking the
Innerworld
of oneness with ourselves. What then separates these two often appears as the image of a "Great
Iron Door or a Great Veil." The Great Iron Door often seems impassible.
To some sects, the perception of the key to passage through this door varies. In the
religions that instill fear while seeking love, the door appears as the ritual of death, and is
rewarded by everlasting peace. To the religions that seek only the Greater Light, the key is an
obliteration of all that is vexatious. To those that worship the salvation from the fear of what lies
beyond the door, the key is subserviency to the dogmas of the given church. To those that find
themselves unworthy of the blessings of the deity, the key to salvation is achieved by
dependency upon a messiah to act as an mediator on their behalf.
Some religious sects follow a set of dogmas or rituals that set their membership apart
from the Outerworld and into a select communion with the deity. Other religious sects consult
the blessings of a pantheon of manifest deities. This pantheon serves a panorama of different
needs and each of the deities is a specialist in the particular field of the need at hand.
Each of these and other means of unification with the deity are all valid to the persons
who follow these chosen paths. In the Eyes of the Oidi no one of these is either right or wrong.
We simply observe that the path each of us walks is the path of our own choice. To walk any
path is to begin a journey.
The journey we begin does not however always end up at the destination we longed for at
its beginning. This is seen as destiny. Yet this too is borne of a series of choices.
Of Good and Evil
Among many religions and sects the Outerworld and Innerworld are often believed to be
ruled by forces of either "Good or Evil." And the followers of these secular factions, like their
chosen deities, are ever engaged in a war between these two forces. To the warriors who serve
either Good or Evil, there is no existence of any Good other than the Good of their own sect.
Among these warriors there is not any Evil other than all those things practiced by anyone other
than themselves.
To the Oidí no one path may be entirely right or entirely wrong. For within a
balanced
universe, there are no absolute states of being. No one path may be purely good or nor entirely
evil. This perception comes to us because we are allowed to observe that "all that appears
opposite is borne of the same thread and that all threads come from the same silkworm." The
silkworm we speak of in this sense is the common creator of the thread that all things within
nature share. Among the Asians these threads are called Yin and Yang. Similarly, a Western
proverb states that "One man's potion is another man's poison." Only our chosen perceptions
change the value of a given thread into its status as a positive or negative force.
Therefore among the Oidí nothing is anything less than all things at once. This
ultimate
union of all things is perceived as the Great Creator. How then do we create an understanding of
our Outerworld in relationship to our Innerworld? The Oidí employ a chain of journeys
through
the Otherworld. The Otherworld is a place that is not a place. It exists in a time that is not a
time. The things we perceive there are called a "Norscape."
The Aboriginals of Australia call this third state of being "Being in the Dreamtime,"
while Native American Shamans have called the visions seen there "Thunder Visions."
This Otherworld is the zone between our Outerworld and our Innerworld. This Otherworld is a
sort of gate between the two, and yet it is a place entirely different. The entrance to the
Otherworld Is called in Gaelic Literature "An Geata Cruachan" {Gata kroo ak an}. To
the Oidí
it is called a Great Iron Door. The Great Iron Door is often seen as "The impassible gate or the
unwalkable road." Many members of religious sects perceive this as the gate between life and
death.
The Oidí both agree and disagree with this perception. To travel thru the realms
of the
"Alltar" {Al e tar} or Gaelic Otherworld is to enter a cocoon-like state that prepares each
of us
for a metamorphosis. Unlike 'astral travel,' this is a series of deaths and rebirths similar to the
initiation process of many 'mystic schools.'
This is not just a change from ignorance into enlightenment, or a furtherance of
dedication to a tradition. Herein, as the Silkworm is transformed into the moth, so too the
perceptions and practices of the Outerworld are appended with the experiences of a hundred
thousand new and different visions. These journeys through the Otherworld teach us the ability
to change into any and all things we may encounter. By metamorphosing into all that we know
to be we enter a natural state of harmony with all thing by means of empathic communion.
These states of empathic communion are in some cultures called shape-shifting. One might even
compare it to "the Vulcan Mind Melding Technique." Robert A. Heinlien, in his novel
Stranger
In A Strange Land, called it 'grokking.' When two things of unique and separate natures
enter a
state of complete oneness, neither escapes the experience without forever having been touched
deeply by the other.
This shape-shifting is the key that differentiates the prayerful petitions of the religious
from the empathic intercourse of the Shamanic traveler. The traveler enters an altered state of
being and becomes the entity that the prayerful and mystical would otherwise invoke into
a
sacred place. Rather than asking that a given God or Goddess grant a boon to our desires or
needs, the Oidí enter a state of oneness with the Ancient One and together they work to
fulfill the
needs at hand.
Next Issue:
Part II: "The Song of the Traveler"
- by Lea Stone
I begin--
in the womb of the snake, uroboros I
emerge
through mouth and tail
I consume myself--
I rise -- I flower -- I purge
I am.
Tonight--
hidden by the shadow of moon
wrapt in the cool rustle of drifted leaves
slowed between owl's quest and deer's forage
I stop
I vow
to return and return and return...
Open
a pondlily floating
rare as a gryphon's egg
opalescent beneath the star-studded heaven
I cast ripples
a mandala
in ever-widening, over-arcing
breaths upon sighs upon breaths upon
You.
Dear Earth Kin:
There is so much stirred up in the media today. So many people are worried about the
End Times, the Millennium, The Hopi Prophecy, Nostradamus' Predictions, and more! I can't
say I know what these times mean. I do know this. It is TIME! It is
TIME FOR HEALING!
And you say, "What kind of healing?" Now, I have a story to tell you.
Most people who know me, know that I usually follow the Celtic Path of Solitary Wicce.
It is a gentle path, earth-based and loving. I love the concept of do as you please as long as it
harms none or hurts none. These things are important to me. Getting closer to nature has made
me more in tune; actually more in tune to things I didn't think were possible. About six years
ago one June, a thief took two of my favorite exotic begonias right off my front porch while I
was sleeping. The day before this happened, I took my dog, Roly, for an evening walk. As we
walked, an apparition of a male Indian was also walking in the woods in the air as Roly and I
walked on the road! We walked until the apparition sort of faded out. It didn't scare me. It
wasn't the first time I've had such an experience, but it was the first time I had ever seen an
Indian apparition! The next morning two of my favorite plants were missing.
I debated over whether or not to report the missing begonias. But because I had already
heard that there was a Plant Thief Ring going on, I did report it. After the policeman left, I
realized I hadn't checked my plants in the back yard. As I walked around the house to the back, I
looked down and saw a pink stone just sticking up out of the ground between thick blades of
grass. I had to unearth part of it and I was pleasantly surprised, because it was a pink flint Indian
arrowhead! I originally came from New York where our arrowheads are dull gray. That was my
first real experience with "Two Feathers" and I didn't even know it. I wasn't following a Native
American Path AND I later gave the arrowhead away to someone very dear who I felt needed it
more than I did.
Six years ago was 1989! Hard to believe the time has gone by like it did. I am now
channeling. I have been channeling a number of very interesting and special guides like Albert
Einstein (yes, I was surprised, too!), Marianna (a very wise Crone), Sita (Shiva's wife), and now
"Two Feathers."
Two Feathers is an unusual teacher. He tells you, you listen! That's a real difficult
concept for me. I have dozens of questions and I'm not a good listener. My skills are
improving! He is the one who told me it is time to HEAL. "Go to Horseshoe
Bend National
Military Park to heal there." I thought this would be a real simple thing to do. I am 4th
generation Cherokee and didn't think much about anything because I was
basically ignorant.
The park is where a terrible massacre of women, children and old men retired from warrior life
had occurred. I later found out that some renegade faction of the Cherokee Nation thought they
could save their own lives and land by sacrificing the Creek at Horseshoe Bend to the U.S.
military forces. I thought that was what the rift was about. Actually, there were similar cases of
Seminole renegades making treaties in Florida who had no right to speak for the Seminole
Nation either, but that is another story. There are many terrible atrocities, buried but not
forgotten. So what is the problem? It's so simple: there are power struggles and jealousy among
all people. These rifts keep us from achieving our common good for healing. I thought it was the
earth that needed healing. The earth will always be here. Until we heal and love each other as
Earth Kin we can't heal the earth. I want to do both. Neither one is easy and damn near
impossible. Whatever way you approach your higher spirit, higher self, God or Goddess, please
do so soon and often. Send your prayers up for healing among all the people and the earth.
I am not the only one channeling and dreaming about "Two Feathers." I have since met
many people within the last month doing the same thing. I have met Indians that speak of the
"Ghost Dance" to call up the spirits of the wise ones to help them. This dance is more motivated
than my casual statement, "Let's shop 'til we drop." These dances involve dancing 'til you drop
without food and water for days. These are very serious times. With the most positive and
loving attitude, many of us are going to make it just fine, whether there is a real End Time or
not.
The hate, the jealousy and cruelty hurts the innocent. No matter what path we follow, many of
us are going to get together to have a very special Pow Wow soon. A newly found brother told
me about it because he had also been thinking about doing it as I was thinking about how to do
it! I am very willing to help and give it my all, as are many others. This Pow Wow is to be
different. By the way, did you know that Buffalo White Woman was born this year? Love and
peace to all!
Blessed Be,
Stormy, Auburn, AL
by Sherlock
ACROSS
1 This type is easily discouraged by minor setbacks.
2 According to the Celtic Tree Calendar ______ falls between Willow and Oak.
3 What kind of eye goes with an agile hand?
4 American Nightshade is a common name for this plant.
5 The Feast of Asses is the Feast of ______.
6 The ______ trees cover 2-3 months each.
7 The ______ Rune. Wyrd/Odin.
8 Will take place May 26-29 at Roxanna.
9 The _______ is spring's messenger just as the groundhog is her foreteller.
DOWN
5 Feoh/Fehu starts the ______order.
10 According to the Iroquois, these are known as the seven brothers.
11 The fourth lunation.
12 The fifth lunation.
13 Ellen Evert Hopman wrote about the medicine and magic of ______.
14 You should hang a branch of this in your house around July-August if people aren't being
pleasant.
15 Chrisailes believes it sank around 6,000 BCE.
16 In Scotland, this word means both fool and cuckoo.
The answers to this crossword puzzle can be found in the April/May 1995 (Issue #14) of
The Hazel Nut. I took the questions from last issue's articles, so you'll have to read
them to
answer this crossword. Oh, and don't throw away this issue; its articles contain the answers to the
next puzzle. Have fun!!!
Answers to last issue's Ankh-Word Puzzle
Across: 1 Brigit, 2 Yang, 3 Clernatis, 4 Maypole, 5 Februa, 6
Raidho, 7 Water, 8 Dragon, 9 Candlemas, 10 Sirius, 11 Groundhog
Down: 4 Metal, 12 Lupercalia, 13 Menarche, 14 OakKing, 15
Pleiades, 16 Vervain
Howdy Linda:
In reference to the Alabama pagan in prison whose request to worship was turned down,
Siren and Valravin here in Warner Robins, Georgia, have been working within the Georgia
correctional system to get established a Wiccan study group, with about 20 pagan inmates
participating at the present. Surprisingly enough, the prison chaplin (who is Baptist, by the way)
has been extremely helpful in working with the Wiccan couple to work within the system. The
chaplin has screened their material and interviewed them; there are a lot of do's and don'ts (as to
be expected) as to what they can bring in. But with the inmates' lawsuit for religious
discrimination, the prison system here is using the Wiccan study group as a trial program to see
if it's workable. Good luck to them, and I'll keep you posted as to their progress.
Blessed be,
Nion
Warner Robins, GA
Sir/Madam;
The inmates here are involved in legal action with the state prison system over "Freedom
of Religion." The inmates are being helped in part by the state accy (sic) and volunteer attorney,
Mr. Patrick Wiseman.
I need to make it clear that these inmates are not Christian/ Jewish or Moslem.
The
inmates are Pagan/Wiccan/Odinist and other earth-based faiths, including Native
American. We
need as much input from other Pagan faiths as is possible, before this legal action goes to court.
Please send your input to Mr. Patrick Wiseman. Please print this legal notice in your publication,
so we can get even more input. If you do print this legal notice, please send me a copy of that
issue. I would like to receive your publication on a full-time basis, but have no funds.
Volunteer Attorney:
Mr. Patrick Wiseman
Wiseman, Durst & Tuddenham
1004 West Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
If someone wants to write me too, I will write back.
Thank you for your time,
Patrick R. Warner
252900 Darrington
Rt. #3, Box 59
Rosharon, TX 77583
Dear Editor:
I have noticed a trend among we Pagans (myself included) of making derogatory
statements about Christians and just lumping them all into a big group of bad people. This is
called stereotyping, and we as Pagans hate it when people do it to us.
I realize that few Pagans actually believe that all Christians are Pagan persecutors, and
that most of us have many Christian friends. It is just so easy to say "Christians think their way
is the only way," or "Christians think Pagans are devil worshipers and animal sacrificers." These
seem like harmless phrases, but many Christians enjoy going to Pagan gatherings, and they are
completely open-minded, and are a welcome addition to our company.
It disturbs me greatly when I or one of my Pagan friends inadvertently offends one of our
Christian friends. A couple of my Christian friends have mentioned that this bothers them. All I
can do is apologize and try to watch my mouth. One of my Christian friends made the point that
we as Pagans should be open-minded enough not to stereotype Christians into one big group of
Witch-burning, ignorant, convert-or-die radicals. Most Christians aren't like that.
To any Christians out there whom I or anyone else may have offended with our broad
statements, my sincere apologies, and I will try to watch my mouth in the future.
Sherlock
Auburn, AL
BUBBLES FROM THE
CAULDRON
BOOK REVIEWS, ETC.
Ancient Master Runes, by Marietta Marcin. 1993. Ancient Arts, Chattanooga, TN.
Softcover, 16 pp. $5.00.
- Reviewed by Stormy
This pocket-sized book is a real delight and a must as an addition to your library
and
knowledge on Celtic runes. The thing that really attracted me to this book is that it also includes
the Gaelic word and meaning for each rune as well as the Anglo-Saxon or Germanic name of
each rune. Marietta, thank you for supplying us with a great Gaelic version of the
runes!
Many of us have met the author, Marietta, at many of the same festivals that we
attend
throughout the year in the southeast. Her craftsmanship in metallurgy enables her
to
produce exquisite original designed jewelry as well as reproduced Celtic and ancient pieces in
pewter and silver. If you would like to get in touch with her to get a copy of her book or inquire
about her original and reproduced jewelry, here is her address:
Ancient Arts
806 Broad Street #8
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(By the way, you can meet Marietta at Moondance '95, May 26-29, at Roxanna,
Alabama!)
A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook, by Patricia Telesco. 1994. Llewellyn Publications,
St. Paul,
MN. Softcover, 369 pp. $16.95.
- Reviewed by Stormy
This is a must for "eclectic urban pagans" really interested in using herbs, getting results,
and being able to practice the craft everyday without suspicion from unlike-minded folks! Ms.
Telesco includes hundreds of recipes for every day use, special occasions and all of the pagan
festivals. Reading this book may explain why some of us are attracted to and like certain herbs in
our cooking and our food.
If you enjoy this book, some of Ms. Telesco's other books include The Urban
Pagan, A
Victorian Grimoire, and The Victorian Flower Oracle.
