Ostara, Eostre, Easter, Spring Equinox
This year we celebrated Ostara in a clearing in the center of a cedar labyrinth. It’s one of the few really pagan-feeling places near where we live (This area is mostly farming country.) It rained all morning at our house, and thunder and lightning followed us to the location, but the sun was peeking through the clouds, and the maze was still dry when we arrived.
It was a gathering of the three people I’ve mentioned before, and our children. We did a very basic, kid friendly circle, with music and bubble blowing. We all then went for a nature walk through the maze. We left birdseed anywhere that the kids found something they wanted to collect (acorns, stones, fallen sticks) as an exchange and “thank you” to nature.
We had told them to keep an eye out for signs of spring. There were lots of birds, and green things just coming back to life. We were also fortunate to find some rabbit droppings and winter fur, both of which we left untouched, in the maze.
Also, it seems that the easter bunny had been through, because we found exactly enough plastic easter eggs with treats in them that each child got the same amount. 😉
We returned to our circle, said our thank-yous and good-byes, and then went our separate ways.
However you celebrate it, Happy Ostara Everyone!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
A holiday about little people and green beer; what’s not to love?
I’m not going to give you the usual “a history of St. Patrick’s Day” spiel, or anything like that. I’m not Irish, and to be honest, I don’t get what all the fuss is about… actually, I feel sorry for the Irish. They only have one day a year set aside as an excuse to get tipsy and toot their own horn.
I’m Scottish.
We do it all year.
Need an excuse to get drunk and brag?
Just remember; everyday is…
Scotchtoberfest!
Taking Responsibility
Yesterday I got into an argument with a colleague.
This person is on the shift after mine, and without going into too much detail, this person has been going out of their way to nit-pick and lay blame for things which don’t necessarily exist (at least not as she’s claiming.)
This is a situation where the person in question, like myself, is in a position of responsibility (management,) and rather than accepting things as they are, and finding solutions to problems, she actively seeks ways to shift responsibility onto the other shifts. This doesn’t jive with me.
Here’s why: as a person in a management position, a certain amount of responsibility comes with the job. We are responsible for the safety and well-being of those we are supervising. We are responsible to our employer to make sure the company is run smoothly, and makes a profit. Responsibility is a defining factor in what I do professionally, and by pointing blame at others, and shifting responsibility, my colleague is, in effect, not doing the job she was hired for.
Wait a minute, Friskin, this is a Pagan blog. What’s all this talk of responsibility and business? Well, another conversation I had yesterday had to do with dark magic, or, rather, whether it should be practiced by Pagans.
I am not, nor have I ever been Wiccan. Having said that, I’m sure I’ll get plenty of talk about “harming non,” and “what you put out, you will get back three-fold” after I say what I am about to say.
Being Pagan means being responsible for our actions. (Gasp!)
Christians and Muslims shift blame to their holy books (God hates this or that, so it’s ok to kill it). Wiccans try to protect themselves from responsibility by avoiding those “icky” situations which may have a negative consequence. (I know, I’m generalizing here, but bear with me…) I have met Pagans who are more than happy to dance skyclad around the camp fire, but when it comes time to take responsibility for their magical workings, they try to hide behind a wall of good Karma.
In my opinion, responsibility goes hand-in-hand with ethics. To say pagans shouldn’t practice some of the darker, or more aggressive forms of magic is to avoid the responsibilities that go along with them. Obviously there are some things that shouldn’t be meddled with, but if a person feels they are being attacked, or stolen from, etc. I feel they should have the right to use whatever means they deem necessary to correct the situation. As long as they are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.
Taking responsibility involves thinking things through. Placing blame is problem avoidance. Taking responsibility involves acknowledging a problem exists, figuring out the cause, and working towards a solution. It works the same way in both the mundane and magical worlds. And, if you are willing to stretch your limits and take on responsibility, you will grow, as a Pagan, and as a person.
Working with Totem Animals
Of all the things I do as a pagan, working with my animal totem is possibly the most personal, primal, and rewarding.
If you have looked into any form of shamanic journeying/trance work, regardless of the cultural background, one of the first concepts you would have been exposed to is the totem animal. Every book and article ever written about the topic covers the basics, which I don’t want to bog you down with here. I will, however, point you in the direction of two of my favorite books on the subject: Follow the Shaman’s Call by Mike Williams, and Animal Speak by Ted Andrews. The first, being an excellent introduction to shamanism, and the second being an encyclopedic volume of all sorts of animals, their meanings, and magic.
Rather than cover information that you can learn elsewhere, and may already know, I would rather focus on my own experiences with totem animals. In paganism, there comes a point when you have to put the books down, take a deep breath, and plunge into the action. This is not a spectator sport, and I encourage you to seek out your own animal guide.
I believe we each have a personal totem. This is the animal that can guide you during trance work, and is a companion and part of the self. I discovered mine almost from day one of my shamanic working. Back then, the trance state was difficult to get into, and I laid there listening to the drum for a long time before anything happened. Then, like a flash, I felt like I was falling, head first, through layers of fur and feathers. Suddenly, the falling sensation stopped, and I was face to face with a beautiful barn owl. I knew instantly.
Years later, and after many journeys, the barn owl has gained tremendous significance for me. It is my guide, my signature, and generally, when needed, I can shape shift into one during trance work. I know others with totem animals that match their personality (hummingbird, who is a high energy individual for example), and do feel that the barn owl’s ability to quietly watch, blend in, and still be a powerful hunter, comes through in my personality.
There is another type of animal you will come across if you do trance work. These are more temporary, sometimes only appearing to you once, but they are spirit’s way of communicating a valuable lesson to you. These can appear in this world, as well as the spirit world, and generally stand out abruptly from the rest of their surroundings. This can be anything from the dear that enters the clearing you just happened to be meditating in, to the animal that seems to show up wherever you go, sometimes in mass numbers.
A good example of this last type in my own life would be the raven. When I started delving into the heathen path I am now on, Odin was the god that stood out more than any other to me. In the mythology of Odin, he has two ravens that he sends out over Midgard (our physical world) who report back to him what they see. Well, it got to the point that other people were pointing out that wherever I went, ravens seemed to congregate. Of course I noticed this, but when other people start to talk, you don’t have much choice than to pay attention.
One day I was talking about this phenomena with my wife, while we drove through the country. No sooner had I said “I just wish I had some sign that these ravens are directly linked to Odin” than we witnessed the strangest behavior I’ve ever seen in any group of animals. We came over a hill, and for close to a mile, there were hundreds of ravens standing on the shoulders of the road. What made this a very eerie sight was the context of our discussion, combined with the fact that there were no ravens in the fields beyond the shoulders of the road, and virtually none flying in the air. They were just standing there. We drove on in silence, knowing I had gotten an answer.
Even if you have no interest in journeying, pay attention to the animals you come across on a daily basis. Our ancestors watched for omens in the behavior of animals for a reason. Just being aware of what you are seeing, and inquisitive enough to look up what certain animals represent, can be a tremendous jumping off point to other spiritual practices. At the bare minimum, it will heighten your appreciation for nature, and the remarkable creatures who share our environment.
Full Moon Ritual Without the Moon
I have recently found myself included as a member of a small, newly forming coven (at three members, it’s downright cozy.) We each come from a separate pagan background, but we seem to be working together quite well. There’s a witch from the reclaiming tradition, who wasn’t sure how circle was going to be with my “male energy.” ha!, there’s my wife, who has a very mother nature/shamanic focus, and then there’s myself, a shamanic heathen.
We have been getting together to celebrate and perform ritual on the major pagan holidays, and just recently, we held our first full moon gathering. Except we couldn’t find the moon. Don’t laugh too hard, but there we were, three Pagans out in the Canadian cold, trying to be all serious about our full moon ritual, and we couldn’t find the damn thing. We circled the house, could see the stars plainly, but the moon just wasn’t up there.
So what did we do?
We left a bowl of water out in the “moonlight,” and held a very informal Symbel instead.
For those who are unfamiliar with Symbel, it is a Heathen drinking ritual. I know what you are thinking, “Can’t find the moon? Let’s get pissed instead!” It’s not like that, I swear.
So here’s the basics: A toast, a boast, and an oath. We form a circle, and go around it taking turns speaking, then taking a drink. (I was using ale, the girls were drinking something non-alcoholic as one had to drive home, and the other is breast-feeding.)
The first few times around require a toast. “Here’s to the moon, and all it’s hidden wisdom” for example. You can toast the spirits, ancestors, gods, friends, host and hostess, etc. We kept it pretty light-hearted and appreciative. I know many non-heathen pagans that do this as part of their thanksgiving meal and at weddings.
Next comes the Boast. Same idea, you go around the circle, each person telling of something they have accomplished and are proud of. Then everyone takes a drink, and it’s on to the next person. For some people, this is difficult at first, because we are taught from a young age not to brag. Within the context of Symbel, however, it just enhances the spirit of camaraderie and good will.
Last, but not least, is the Oath. This is taken very seriously. The oaths said in this circle are a promise you make to yourself, as well as the other people in the circle, and as a group, it is up to all of you to hold each other accountable. This is not a rite to be performed with strangers whom you will never see again, for obvious reasons. But within a coven, grove, or kindred? It is an ideal exercise in trust and team building. It generally requires that the people in the circle know each other fairly well, and can trust each other for discretion and accountability.
Of course, after our gathering, as we were saying our goodbye’s at the door, the moon was out and shining in all her glory. Obviously she had a lesson to teach us through her absence.
Friskin
Of Family and Secrets
“Far from being the basis of the good society, the family, with its narrow privacy and tawdry secrets, is the source of all our discontents.” – Edmund Leach
Old Barn Owl 