Hail and Farewell

We say "hail and farewell," when we close a ritual. It's our way of acknowledging the deities and participants who've come to work Magick with us. It's our way of acknowledging our divinity as Magickal people. It's a simple phrase, but one that carries love, honor and respect.

This past week we said "hail and farewell," to two people whose lives touched many in deep and profound ways. George Michael and Carrie Fisher both left us in the same week and many are still grieving their passing, trying to cope with the loss.

What is it about grieving for celebrities and icons that is so personal? We don't know these people, yet we feel intimately connected to them. I believe it's because they're artists and through their work, they shared their soul. They exposed their vulnerabilities and allowed us to love, celebrate, and wonder, right along with them. Their words, their music, and their art became backdrops and tapestries to our own lives. And when they leave us, we feel it profoundly.

Along with the celebrities who left us this year, there were also personal losses. I began 2016 with the passing of my sweet dog, Shadow, and the year ended with the deaths of others I loved. I'm sure this is the case for many. Death finds it's way to everyone, every thing, eventually. Sometimes I think the mass sharing of grief over icons and celebrities also helps us to cope with our own personal losses. Not everything about social media is bad or fake.

As the Wheel turns toward the new year, and we feel the pain of loss, there is also the joy of a new beginning and looking back at the good things we accomplished in 2016. Not every day was bad, not every moment was filled with sorrow. There were moments of joy, laughter, camaraderie and friendship. Small goals were attained and milestones were achieved. Take time to remember the good things. Celebrate the things in 2016 that made you happy. Though we began the year with the passing of our dog, we ended the year by adopting a shelter dog and that has been a wonderful blessing in our lives.

We all need to carry on. I'm looking forward to 2017. It's the only way to keep moving, to keep going. As long as we're breathing we have opportunities for change and growth. It's up to us to choose how we use the days we're given. Let's make 2017 our best year, yet!

Celebrate the Light!

I look out from my window this morning and I see blue sky, slowly being overtaken by a rolling patch of grey clouds.

It's the morning of the longest night, the night of the Winter Solstice.

I'm excited because I know this night starts the celebrations. All over the world people will celebrate the return of the Sun, our ability to survive dark times and bask once again in the Light. This seems especially important this year, in light of all the things that are happening in the United States and on our planet.

I am especially grateful my article, "Drumming Up The Sun," was published by Llewellyn Books in the 2017 Magical Almanac. The ritual of the Denver Pagan community heading up to Red Rocks Amphitheater in the dark early hours on Winter Solstice morning, has long held a special place in my heart. Red Rocks has long been a place of joy and celebration for me, since the first time I attended a concert there in the 1980's. I feel blessed to have my thoughts and feelings about this wonderful place printed and published.

I am also grateful to write for one of Denver's and the country's top metaphysical stores, Herbs and Arts. My piece for their website titled, "Winter Light," tries to lend a bit of magick and reflection to this time of year, especially for those who practice and believe in the Old Ways, while living in these modern times.

We all seem to hearken back to "olden times," during the Holidays,  in our memories or imaginations. It seems we need to believe in simpler times or imagine peaceful, serene, compassionate settings to help us cope with the stress of our lives.

Perhaps above all else, that is the reason why we so fervently celebrate the return the Light. It matters. It is important. May the Light continue to shine in all our lives.

Blessed Be.

I Believe

I watch all the Christmas movies. Some of my favorites are "Elf, Jingle All the Way, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, A Christmas Story," and my all time favorite, "Polar Express."

I anticipate watching my favorite movies with the childlike enthusiasm of a first time viewer.

I listen to Holiday/Christmas music on local radio stations and on my favorite web channel, Pandora.

I decorate my house with lights and every thing twinkly until my husband screams, "no more!"

I love looking at my tree, filled with precious ornaments, and thinking of times gone past and times yet to come. I leave my tree up until the first week of January and feel sad when it's time to take it down.

I send out Holiday cards, buy gifts and drink eggnog spiked with bourbon or Kahlua and sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon.

I burn Yule incense and honor the return of the Sun on the Winter Solstice.

I do all these things because I believe. I believe in the spirit of Christmas, the wonder of the Solstice and the childlike magickal spirit that keeps hope alive.

I admit for a while, I was conflicted.

How could an earth-based Pagan woman, who believes in the Goddess, the Divine Feminine, enjoy Christmas?

That question rocked my world for a long time, until I returned to the Source and realized where a lot of our "Christmas" traditions come from. I realized I was actually honoring the spirit of the Holiday its truest sense, by celebrating Christmas in the secular sense, and that made my heart very happy.

I wish people "Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Blessed Yule," and feel goodness in my heart when I am wished the same.

At this time of year, there are so many reasons to be sad or conflicted. Not everyone finds joy in this season, or celebrates the same way. And particularly in the U.S. this year, lots of us have reasons to be dismayed.

However this is exactly why our ancestors took such glee in celebrating the light that banishes the darkness.

May you find peace and joy this season, in small ways and large. Remember to breathe, laugh when you can, share a smile, and count your blessings. May the spirit of the season light your heart and hearth.

Hail the Dark Goddess - Guest Post Priestess Amber Zeta

The Wheel Turns is excited to have Amber Zeta, Priestess, Mythologist, Change Agent, Goddessprenuer of Zeta Moon, and founder of Denver's Dark Goddess Festival, be our first guest blogger!

Take it away Priestess Amber!

The Dark Goddess Festival is an afternoon dedicated to the shadows, the inner mysteries, and the Dark Goddess!  A celebration of the Dark Mother, The Crone, and the Veiled One. I created this festival eleven years ago in response to a call from Kali Ma. It also came out of a desire to create a different kind of festival. At the time, I felt frustrated by how all the festivals had fees attached and back then, I barely had five dollars to my name. I felt jealous and upset that not only could I not afford the entry fee to attend festivals, but once in, it felt like a slap in the face as everything required a purchase to enjoy it, be it food, merchandise, or getting a reading or healing. The Goddess asked, “Why don’t you create a new festival then?”

So, I did. I felt called to bring to light the Dark Goddess because She is often misunderstood and taken for an agent of ill tempered forces. However, in my experience, She helped me out of my shadow self, into integration and understanding of myself in ways I was not reaching through other pathways.  The Dark Goddess represents our deepest desires, our primal instinctive side, and hidden knowledge as well as the potency of being you, your true you. Always through love, She cuts away all that does not serve a person; what is not in their best interest is severed. Like a tough love mother, She takes away what does not contribute to you, regardless of how you feel about it or how attached you might be to that thing. Only for your highest possibilities does She act. This is the gift I wish to share with others through the Dark Goddess Festival.

The Dark Goddess Festival remains free of vendors and an admission fee. There is entertainment, dancing, ritual, healers and readers available, for free or for reasonable fees, and a door prize raffle to help me offset costs of running the festival. I think of it as a gift I share with the community—the focus is on connection and experiences. I consider myself a bridge, connecting people to resources and others that may contribute to their lives and well being. This year, I would like to reach more like minded others who are seeking the Dark Goddess. I have a new volunteer committee to help me with advertising and marketing, a few of my lesser gifts. This year will be the 9^th Annual Dark Goddess Festival and as 9 is a very sacred number to the Goddess, I expect it will be a very potent and juicy one. I am looking forward to seeing what She has in store for the festival and us!

A mythologist, healer, and energy shifter, I have studied every metaphysical modality I can. I have a passion for learning and will always be reaching for the next level. I hold a  BA degree in Liberal Arts English with a Women Studies’ Minor and a Masters in Mythological Studies with a Depth Psychology Emphasis, which is Jungian and post Jungian theory. A practice witch and healer, I am honored to be a part of this growing Goddess priestesshood. Bright blessings and may the Darkness be Merciful!

Please feel free to visit Priestess Amber at her website; http://www.zetamoon.com

Inner Compass

I love taking adventure walks. I've lived in my neighborhood for twenty years and I still get surprised by the things I find, when I set out on a walk. Now that we've added a new puppy to our family, my walks have become even more interesting. Trying to guide and train a puppy, while also attempting to let my inner compass guide me can be quite challenging! But my little puppy and I are making headway.

Today as I let the Goddess of Nature and Sunshine guide us through the neighborhood, I was pleasantly surprised to come upon a free lending library.
I think these are ones of the best ideas to crop up in recent history. I've seen them before but never taken a book. Today I took a book:

And what book caught my eye? "Confessions of a Pagan Nun," by Kate Horsley. I've never heard of this lovely novel, but there it was on the shelf, waiting for me. Without hesitation, I held onto my dog's leash and took that book, right off the shelf. It was a great feeling!

As I continued through my neighborhood, I also passed a house with a pentagram chime hanging on its front porch. Of course I smiled, and gave a silent "Blessed Be."

It's wonderful to let your inner compass lead you. You never know what gifts are in store when you allow the Goddess to lead. We don't always have the time or opportunity to go on walk-a-bouts, but when we do, we are sure to be rewarded.

All Hail the Queen Mother - Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

It's been a hell of a week. Last week recovering from the shock of the U.S. Presidential Election, my post was about the blue candle of hope. Today it's about how we are handling, getting over, coping with the outcome and the revelations of disturbing things that seem to be popping up everyday - in direct correlation, to the man who is now the Presidential Elect.

Add to all that emotion, the power of the Super Full Moon, which blew the world away with its majesty and beauty. Astronomers told us it was the largest Super Full Moon in seventy years. Is it any coincidence we had the biggest, brightest Full Moon, during what is the darkest time for many in the country?

Personally, I was blessed to be a part of a glorious Full Moon ritual, which helped a lot. I know many people are praying, doing what they can in their own ways, to help us heal, move forward and avert paths that would be disastrous for our county, our global sisters and brothers and the planet.

That is why in my quest for healing and escape, I found myself watching a gloriously restored version, of Elizabeth Taylor as the Great Mother herself, the divine and powerful Goddess, as "Cleopatra" which was released in 1963. A shout out to Netflix, for having it in their library.

When Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra enters Rome, it is one of the most sweeping, epic, emotionally charged and chilling scenes, I've ever seen in a movie. I too felt as if I was on the streets of Rome, cheering the arrival of the Great Mother, begging and waiting for her to save us from ourselves. Even the wives of the Roman senate had to stand and give her, her due. Even they recognized whom they were seeing. The entire scene brought tears to my eyes, as I realized this is what we have lost - respect. Respect and honor for women. Respect and honor for the Divine Mother, the womb of creation. I too wept.

I've provided a YouTube link of Cleopatra's entrance:

Granted, it's a very long movie and I'm still making my way through it. Seems I've tried on many occasions to watch the entire film. I know the ending, but now I'm taking the viewing in bits. Seems this is best way, to make it through the 4 hour run time.

As an Earth-based, sister-priestess of the Divine Feminine, if there was a posthumous award to be given for portraying the Divine Mother, Elizabeth Taylor would win it. She is unflinching in her portrayal of the Great Mother. She exudes the strength and character we so desperately need in these trying times, of our own, in the year 2016.

Blue Candle of Hope

I'm shocked, saddened, dismayed and disappointed at the outcome of the U.S. 2016 Presidential Election.

I can't even bring myself to type the words "President xxxxx."  It feels to me as if man has failed again.

I know I am not alone in my grief and shock. How we got here will take eons to process and understand. And where we are headed is even more terrifying to imagine.

Yet the very first thing I did this morning was light a candle. That small act lightened the darkness and gloom I felt. I prayed to the Divine Mother for her guidance, direction and protection. I know many are praying this morning too.

I choose not to give in. It's a crisp fall morning. The air here in Denver is crisp and clean. The Sun is shining. This is the time to stick with what we know, what we believe, what sustains us. Feel the power of the blue candle. May it bring some semblance of peace and hope to your day.

Blessed Be.

Are Those Your Real Clothes or Is That a Costume?

Sadly Halloween and Samhain are now past. It's time to put away all the fun clothes and chivalrous outfits we donned over the weekend, or perhaps several weekends. Luckily I've got one more event to attend, a Day of the Dead celebration. It's my last opportunity to wear skull make up and put on some of my favorite pieces.

I always feel more myself in my Witchy clothing, Halloween clothing or Renn Faire clothing. I feel we've lost something by not wearing dresses that require us to lift our hems, although I would never want to go back to not having the choice to wear pants.

But something magickal happens when I put on my floor length gowns and lift my skirt to navigate steps. Something I've learned is easier said than done. How did we as women navigate steps and curbs with all that long material around our ankles?

Looking towards the future, the Winter Solstice is coming. There will be holiday parties and more events attend, but not ones that require me to wear my Witchy clothing. Perhaps I'll create my own Winter evening, where I and my friends can dress up once more.

Happy Holidays! 

Witchy Goodness

"Are you a Witch?"
"Why Yes, I am!"
"What does that mean?"

A huge thank you to award winning author, Cynthia Richards, for allowing me to guest post on her blog, "Deep Thoughts and Junk," for Witchy Week.

Check out my guest post "Witchy Goodness," where I share my personal thoughts about being a practicing Witch in today's world.

https://deepthoughtsandjunk.wordpress.com/…/witchy-week-na…/

Memories of Loved Ones

My family and I have been touched by the “Falling Leaf” spell, we recently read in Llewellyn’s Spell-A-Day Almanac, written by Mickie Mueller. We’re still trying to catch a falling leaf, which has been harder than one would imagine, but it is so magickal trying to grab one as it falls from a tree.

There’s a sadness that comes with this time of year. As we watch the leaves float down, loss of loved ones, things we’ve lost or discarded, situations that didn’t quite work out come to mind.

For me, I find I am still grieving the passing of our dog, Shadow who crossed over in January.

I don’t know why after 9 months I find myself missing her deeply. Perhaps it’s because she loved this time of year, or maybe it’s because her coat resembled a beautiful Fall day, or maybe it’s because the veil is thinning, and she was a magickal, spirit dog. And perhaps it’s all of these things.

My first Samhain (pronounced Sow (like cow) –in) altar I put up many years ago was in honor of our beloved dog Misty, gone many years now. I was thrilled to find the sacred in Halloween season. I had always believed there was more to the season, than just violence and horror, and being freaked out of your mind. Not that I don’t love Halloween, it was just as a lover of Nature, a believer in the Turn of The Wheel, I knew there had to be more to the Holiday than just goblins and ghosts.

For those of us who practice the Craft as our religion, October 31^st is the night we honor our loved ones who have gone before us. It’s a wonderful way to touch and remember our loved ones on the other side. 

It’s wonderful to have a special night that occurs annually, when we can be with our dearly departed. It keeps their memories alive in a special way. It gives us a chance to be with them in our homes or sacred spaces. And it adds reverence to the night of October 31^st.

There will be several others who will also share our ancestor altar. But this year, the star guest, will be our little dog, Shadow.

Witches In My Front Yard

There are Witches in my front yard! Of course I put them there. They spin around on metal broomsticks, flying in mid-air, atop a metal spike which balances them, like a tightrope walker in the sky.

I love these little witches. I picked them up at a vintage furniture store that was going out of business. Every year I try to add to my collection, picking up unique pieces that speak to the season of Halloween and the sacredness of Samhain.

It's hard not to want to put everything out at once, but I try to stagger putting up my decorations. Simple Fall decorations come first, things that can last until after Thanksgiving.  I definitely do not put out Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving! I love decorating for Yule, the Winter Solstice and Santa Claus. I love elves and Dickens themed decorations, but I wait. I wait for the Season to turn, which can be hard, in our society's rush to get into buying, buying, buying, for the Holidays.

I'm also working on my outfit for our local Witches' Ball. This year we're also attending a Day of the Dead celebration. I'm excited to have two events where I can wear my Witchy clothing. It is our season, after all.

I'm also excited that on a recent vacation, I met a woman from Sleepy Hollow, NY. I met her in a gift shop in Maine. It was lovely she shared with me, what it's like to grow up in Sleepy Hollow, how her ancestors are buried in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery, and how the town definitely takes advantage of Washington Irving's "The Headless Horseman." Which by the way, if you've only seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to actually the read the story. What a fantastic tale!

Cinderella Pumpkins

It's that time of year. Ghosts, goblins, witches, monsters, zombies and all sorts of amazing horrors, designed to thrill and chill us make their appearance. It's Witch time.  If you've been in the broom closet you can safely come out, without fear of ridicule. If you're a closet Witch or Witch sympathizer, you can honor your Witch self and not feel bad about it.

In Colorado, this time of year can be funky. We're known to go straight from Summer into Winter, with only a few weeks of Fall in between. We always feel doubly blessed if Halloween night arrives and we don't have wear winter coats over our costumes.

For many years, I've attended Witches' Balls here in Denver and in New Orleans. For practicing Witches, this is our time of year. We don't consider what we're wearing costumes.  To us it's a chance to wear our real clothes! I've been adding to my Witch closet for years. Each year I get excited to see what I'll come up with, for Halloween/Samhain night.

Nothing thrills me more than to wear my gowns and cloaks. It's great to attend Witch Balls with people who really do believe in and practice the Craft. The Craft is our religion. It's not something we don for one night of the year. But this post isn't about our religion. It's about the magick of believing.

Some dear friends gifted us with a Cinderella pumpkin from their garden. We picked the one we wanted and brought it home. The pumpkin is the embodiment of believing in magick/magic. Who didn't love the story of the pumpkin that turns into a carriage? Everyone I know surely wishes they had a fairy godmother. Now is the time of year to grant yourself three wishes!

Urban Magick

Yesterday I wandered. I walked through my neighborhood, gazing, lingering and enjoying the beautiful yards and gardens of North Denver.

It had been a while since I'd taken a neighborhood walk. So much has changed in Denver, since we moved into our neighborhood twenty years ago. Denver has become popular for so many reasons; craft beer, marijuana, the weather and real estate opportunities. We've stepped away from our cow-town persona and legacy.

It felt good to walk the neighborhood.  It was nice to see that although development and gentrification are changing a lot of what I love about my home town, inside the neighborhood, many things such as old brick houses and gardens still exist.

As one who deeply appreciates the magick of Nature, it was good to wander down sidewalks, gaze at sunlit trees and take in the essence of a Fall day.

As the old adage says, " Not all who wander are lost."

May your wanderings bring you magickal blessings.

Sankofa - Looking Back to Go Forward

A dear friend of mine who is an Ifa Priest, gave me a copper Sankofa bracelet as a reward, for supporting his trip to Nigeria.

Loosely translated, Sankofa means looking backward to gain wisdom from your experiences. You look back, so you can move forward. Images of Sankofa include birds looking backward, while flying forward. I have a Sankofa bird on my bracelet.

Today I did just that. I looked backward so I may continue to move forward. Something the artist in me balked at, since the artist in me just wants to create, not analyze.

But it was good to look back. My looking back came in the form of setting up a spreadsheet to chronicle all the articles I've written and had published, classes I've taught, speaking engagements, book signings, conference appearances, and the amount I've earned from doing each engagement. Definitely not something the creative spirit in me likes doing, but oh so very helpful to my technical mind.

It took a bit of work, as all things worthwhile do. But now I can look backwards and clearly see where I am headed, where I'd like go, and have a roadmap of where I've been to get there.

Perhaps today is a Sankofa day for you too. Taking time to see where we've been, can been extremely in helping us move forward, even if it's a pain in the ass to do it.

Sparrow In a Box

Yesterday as I rose with thoughts of preparing for Lammas, I found an injured sparrow in my yard. Its hurt little body touched my heart. I was saddened and conflicted, as I had rose in happy thought mode, to celebrate Lammas and give thanks for all which I have received.

So I did what I could for the sparrow. I picked it up and gently put it in a box filled with mulch. I added some water in a shallow dish, and the same seed which they love to eat, from my feeder. I vacillated between constantly checking on it and leaving it alone, moving its rescue home into the shade, when the Sun got too hot.

Later in the day, when I made another check it didn't look too good. Earlier in the day, it had managed to get around in the box, but now its body was in a horrible contorted position. Something told me it wasn't going to make it.
I decided to take it out of the box and put it back under the tree, where I'd found it earlier. I prayed to the Goddess to watch over it and for me to accept Her will, as She truly is Mother of All Living Things. But I didn't want to see it suffer. Poor little thing.

Before darkness fell, I checked on it again. Its little body was fluttering in the mulch. Oh my heart. There was nothing else I could do. I said more prayers and went forward with lighting our Lammas candle and breaking bread.

I thought about the little sparrow out there in the night, and sent good thoughts its way. I hoped I wouldn't dream of dead sparrows.

This morning, my writing muses called me early. I woke up, got settled in and began to put words on the page. And lo and behold, what did I see outside my window? THE SPARROW!

It was alive! It lived! It had made it from the tree all the way across the yard. I went out to it and it actually cocked its head to my voice. I sat with it, put out a little water and seed, which it didn't drink or eat, but that was okay. It knew I was trying to help it.

I watched it take stronger and stronger steps. And then it attempted flight only to fall from the sky and hit the picnic table. Oh MY HEART. Watching it trying to fly and then fall, is beyond my words to describe. Is this how Mother Nature feels?

It was stunned. But it shook it off and a bit later tried to fly again. This time it made to a branch.  I checked on it a bit later. It was no where to be seen. Apparently lift and take off was a success. Hurray!

Such a blessing as the Wheel turns. My heart is filled with gratitude to have been able to help and for the trust the little sparrow put in me. I actually shed a few tears when it took off.

Blessed Be is the Great Mother. Blessed be are we.

Here's a photo of my little friend:

Spells and Magick

Lookie, lookie! My Llewellyn Contributing Author copies have arrived!

This year I am published in the Magical Almanac for the third consecutive year and the Spell-A-Day Almanac for the first time. Blessed Be!

I am grateful to be a member of the Llewellyn family. I find it extremely hopeful and encouraging there are so many who still look to Nature and the Old Ways, for their spiritual nourishment and direction, especially in these trying times.

In the 2017 Magical Almanac, you will find my article “Drumming Up the Sun.” It’s about the Pagan community of Denver, Colorado and our ritual of drumming up the Sun at Red Rocks, for the Winter Solstice. Red Rocks Park has long held a special place in my heart. I am thrilled to have written an article about it.

In the 2017 Spell-A-Day Almanac, you'll find twenty-five spells written by yours truly. I loved writing the spells, I felt like I was writing my own spell book. Some of my favorites are the ones I wrote about the National Parks, Lady Bugs and Samhain.

May my articles along with the other articles and spells, written by some of the most fabulous and magickal people, help to uplift, guide and conjure up goodness on your path.

Prepping for Lammas

It's July and it's hot. It's hard to get our minds around harvest time celebrations, although if the heat is wearing you down, you probably are already entertaining thoughts of cooler days and nights. And since we know Summer will eventually leave us, now is a good time to start thinking about the ritual of our first harvest celebration.

Granted sometimes there isn't much time for ritual prep. I know it's been for hard for me, for many years, to get ahead of the Wheel. Seems we just get over one holiday and the next one is on the horizon. And if you follow the Wheel of the Year, we have eight holidays to prep for and celebrate, which can seem like a lot. Sometimes all one can do is acknowledge the day, perhaps light a candle and blow a kiss. Believe me I've been there. So I am grateful for the times when I can do a little pre-ritual preparing, even if it's only in my thoughts.

Following the everyday calendar, there won't be another holiday until Labor Day in September. It's nice to have the lesser Sabbat of Lammas to break up the long hot Summer. And since Witches are keenly tuned to Nature, we can feel the change coming. As I live in Colorado, the mornings already have a slight chill to them, even as the boiling hot day comes into play.

Llewellyn publishes wonderful resources, books, and hints on how to prepare for the Sabbats. I'm thinking of setting out delicious veggies, plants and flowers. All things which symbolize the abundance of a first harvest, the good stuff the hot Summer days have brought us. We've got a few weeks to go, so of course none of these ideas are set in stone, but it's good to start thinking about it!

Sunday Morning Muse

What is it about Sun Day morning that awakens my muse? Is it the stillness, the quiet, the day of rest, which we've grown up with as a tradition?

Even though the world is now clearly a twenty-four non-stop place, arising early to enjoy the quiet of morning can do wonders for your mind, body and spirit. I've been staying up late, lately, so today I am thankful to have gone to bed early enough to rise early on a Sunday morning.

As a creative person, my muse slips away so easily. She can be with me seemingly forever and just like that, she disappears into the shadows, waiting for me to tease her and acknowledge her back out again.

Today the bird feeder I placed in my yard several weeks ago, found it's first bird. I'm taking it as a sign the Magick is back.

May you find signs to guide you today as well. And may your Sun Days be blessed.