Western MA Pagan Pride Day is this coming Saturday the 23rd, 10am-6pm, in downtown Northampton in Kirkland Plaza between Thorne’s and the parking garage (where the Farmers Market happens). We need pagans and non pagans there (and it’s a good time). I’m pagan. I volunteer for The EarthSpirit Community because I want to nurture my home community and tend my own spiritual self. I volunteer for Western Mass Pagan Pride Day 2023 because I believe in its mission to educate the public about who pagans are and what we do. I represent pagans at The Parliament of the World’s Religions because I think pagans have a lot to offer on the world stage about addressing climate change, among other things. These are very different missions and energies, and I see value in each. Pagan Pride Day only works if there are pagans there to talk to. The public and the press are invited, and it’s all about people seeing that pagans are people, and not the weird stereotypes or caricatures that they might have in their head. No one voice speaks for all pagans; we have no hierarchy. It’s an organic community, like a meadow; meadows have perennials, annuals, grasses, bushes, vines, trees, etc. We have pagans that have been raised by pagans, others who are “converts.” Some love tarot, others herbs. Some are solitary practitioners, some are in covens, others help organize communities of hundreds or thousands of members. Animists, pantheists, even some atheists and agnostics that identify as pagans. One of the things I love to show people at PPD is that there is no one right way to be pagan, that there are a couple of things they mostly agree on (the Earth is sacred, we mostly find cultural appropriation distasteful, and if you’re not hurting anyone, do what you want), but that beyond that, part of why I remained pagan when I grew up is that no priest or book tells me what to do, what to wear, how to live. If you’re pagan, please come to Pagan Pride next Saturday in Northampton and be one of many voices, showing the many ways people can be pagan. If you’re not pagan, come join the fun and learn more about what it means to be pagan.
The morning opened with a panel discussion featuring four pagan animist speakers moderated by Dr. Drake Spaeth of Earth Traditions. We addressed the current climate crisis and how we see it as a logical consequence of the patriarchal, hyper-masculinized environment we find ourselves in.
Rev. Angie Buchanan, also of Earth Traditions started with her focus on the connectedness of everything, offering the analogy and example of mycelium, which permeates much of the ground we walk on. She drew on her experience as a Death Midwife as she spoke on the pagan world view as a connected web.
Dr. Derrick Sebree, Jr., a psychologist at the Michigan School of Psychology and practitioner of Hoodoo, spoke as an animist and person of color, spoke about his work in the field of climate psychology, and the importance of the whole, not just the parts. His most salient point was probably pointing out that, from the perspective of race, we as humans don’t even see each other fully, which makes seeing other beings as fully alive even more challenging.
Rev. Byron Ballard addressed the interconnectedness of all beings and specifically some of her work in the interfaith movement, pointing out that with hard work, it is possible to work with spiritual communities that we might assume are so different as to be beyond reach. The second point she made was that while some of the “traditional” religions can claim to be 6,000 years old (or more), these hills (the Appalachians in her case) were far older and full of wisdom. Finally, she warned that nature will always seek balance. Because humans have become apex predators, nature will find ways to restore the balance, as long as we refuse to do it ourselves.
Finally, Chris LaFond took on the legacy of colonialism in the dismissal of the feminine in the conception of the divine. First, the religious and spiritual colonization of pre-Christian Europe, and then the European-Christian colonization of Africa, Asia, and eventually Australia and the Americas. The suppression of any hint of the divine feminine has wounded much of the world. He pointed out that the divine feminine is not equivalent with “woman,” and asked those present to keep in mind what the divine feminine might even mean or look like for feminine-and masculine-presenting people, because our society at large is currently lacking good models for this. He drew the connection that in most cultures, the Earth is considered “Mother” and feminine, and when we denigrate the feminine, then the Earth is profane. In a connected point, he addressed the idea that is often found in interfaith circles that we are all “on the same path,” or “going to the same place,” and how that is not true at all from a pagan animist perspective. But that it doesn’t have to be true to work together. He finished by quoting Andras Corban Arthen, that “the Earth is not our home, the Earth is what we are.”
Langar
A Parliament tradition since 2004 in Barcelona, the Sikh community once again is offering Langar this week. Langar is a free meal that is a part of the Sikhs’ service commitment to the larger community. All who come are fed a delicious vegetarian meal, prepared in large pots and served to those who come. Everyone sits on the ground and eats the same meal from the same pots, a ritual demonstration of the equality of all. The practice has been part of the Sikh tradition since the time of its founder, Guru Nanak. On the way in to the dining area, a display provided information and photos about the origins of Sikhism, of langar, and of kirtan, the practice of ritual chanting. Sharing a meal like this is also an excellent opportunity to meet others at the Parliament and break bread together.
Editor’s note: Twelve women, supporting a Web that cradled the Earth, wearing masks crafted by Lauren Raine, presented “Goddess Speaks: Our Earth Has a Voice” at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago. The presentation was organized by the Rev. Angie Buchanan of Earth Traditions, and supported by drummer Helen Bond and harper Chris LaFond. In this post, Katie LaFond reflects on her preparation for, and participation in, the presentation. The masks can be seen here: https://www.masksofthegoddess.com/lauren-raine.html
Part of my summer work this year was working with Persephone. I was invited by my friend Angie Buchanan of Earth Traditions to bring the voice of Persephone to her ritual, “Goddess Speaks,” at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. It shouldn’t have surprised me that the work permeated my dreams and worked its way into my daily habits. It was such a part of my life by Lunasdal that it took me several minutes to remember it; for many surprised minutes I thought that I hadn’t done any summer work. While I’m an animist, I appreciated the opportunity to delve more deeply into my relationship with Persephone, and to work to bring her forward on the world stage. I got to work with some incredible priestesses from around the country, and explore stories and webs, both old and very new. Persephone was Kore, daughter of Demeter and Maiden of the Spring Flowers. She is also Queen of the Underworld. Tending both Kids Club at Rites of Spring and working with Twilight Covening helped me appreciate the way she fully embodies both roles without apology. In preparing our presentation, when the other priestesses seemed to be doing their best writing in the deep of night with the full moon, I shouldn’t have been shocked that at Beltane, Persephone waited until the sun was high in the sky to send words to fall out of me. Completely unprepared, surrounded by flowers, in my gardening gloves and a big hat, sitting in a pile of mulch next to radishes that had just sprung up from the deep dark depths of fertile soil, I recorded the following on my phone which needed almost no editing after: Even the God of the Underworld didn’t know what he was asking for when he brought me to his realm. I don’t need you to understand me. Your need for understanding isn’t my problem. Still, I bring you these words. I have dirt under the fingernails of one hand, and blood beneath the other. What would happen if you stopped underestimating women? If you don’t seek rest, rest will take you. What would be possible if cultures embraced rest and reflection, and not unsustainable, cancerous growth? Sometimes, change comes that we don’t choose, and we learn things about ourselves that we don’t like. What happens if instead of fighting change, we decide to be curious? I love my mother. I love my husband. I love the slender seedlings and I love tending the bones.Who would you be if you embraced all of your parts? Dance with discomfort. Breathe into the gray areas. Release your need to be right.What does it feel like if you learn to hold paradox like you hold your lover’s hand? I receive both my crown of flowers and my crown of bones with eagerness and poise. What would this world look like if we weren’t a death denying culture? I cannot be all things to all people all of the time, but the night is long, and all of us are complicated creatures. What would be possible if we eased into our discomforts and asked what power lies beneath? Be unashamed of your naked self, and savor the joy of sharing your bodies in consensual sex. Why must I remind you again and again that sex, bodies, and joy are sacred? Live your stories of courage, growth, and kindness, that you have stories to share in my unending halls. Are you in a rush to meet me, with all of these climate disasters you nurture with your short sightedness? Who are you if you let go of who you’re expected to be?Bloom where you are planted.
In the Spirit of the Earth, Katie LaFond
Katie LaFond is a member of the Board of Directors of the EarthSpirit Community.
On Monday, I attended Reparations: What is it and What is the Faith Community’s Role in the Contemporary Movement? This workshop was presented by a panel of speakers, including an African American lawyer, a white Jewish Rabbi, a Japanese American, and others. The presenters started by explaining what reparations are. From a legal perspective, they pointed to international law that stipulates five criteria: compensation, (health and mental) rehabilitation, restitution and repatriation, satisfaction (e.g., the taking down of monuments), and a guarantee that it won’t happen again (always challenging). Then they presented some historical examples of reparations, specifically in West Germany after WWII.
John Tateishi, a Japanese American panelist who shared his experience as a three-year-old in an internment camp, detailed how the Japanese American community has always thought of itself as “American,” and therefore was hesitant for a long time to acknowledge the need for, and to ask for reparations of any kind. When members of that community finally did, they received little response from government sources until the issue of money was broached, at which point some real challenges began. This, along with the testimony of other panelists (as well as some attendees’ comments) pointed to the reality that the language of legislation seems to be cash, and until it becomes the issue, communities are often ignored or put off indefinitely. Money — a shocking amount of it — is often what calls necessary attention to this issue. The workshop concluded with a few ideas about what steps to take. The speakers suggested joining groups that support this issue, reading about it, talking to your faith communities about it, and more.
It’s clear to many of us that there needs to be some sort of conversation and addressing of this at a national level. I was slightly disappointed that a couple of the presenters seemed to come at this from such a strongly denominational perspective. Using one’s own community to drum up support for this issue is commendable. But we also need to be clear that we do not legislate based upon any one spiritual tradition’s approach. Surely at the Parliament, we can see that we need the cooperation and input of many groups to address such huge societal issues.
Maya Q’eqchi World View: Human Rights, Cosmology and Calendar
by Chris LaFond
Before the main presenter, Miguel Angel Chinquin Yat, spoke, the moderator of the session encouraged the attendees to access the intuitive parts of ourselves, and invited us to “just experience” what we were being presented, even if we didn’t understand all of it. Sr. Chinquin Yat, a Mayan priest speaking in Spanish, began with an invocation in his Mayan language, and then laid out a general model of the Mayan understanding that we are in the fifth Sun, and that this means that we should be progressing beyond a linear understanding of reality into a more circular one.
He assured the attendees that our ancestors had brought us here together this afternoon, and that nothing happens by coincidence. He explained that he was not here to “teach” us, but rather to invite us to share the seeds of corn in our hearts, and that we are our own teachers.
He then presented what he called a “cosmic base” of 20 energies (nahuales), of which each person has four, which influence who we are and what we do in our lives. He gave a brief description of each, and explained what a child who is born today would have as their four nahuales.
A notable quote from the presentation was when he was speaking about our relationship to the earth, and asked “Are we giving our good fruit?” (spiritually and materially). Another was “God isn’t about power, it’s about values.”
During the question period, I asked about how Mayan youth from his tradition learn about these things. Whether there was still a strong cultural infusion (despite the effects of colonialism), whether they learned them through some rites of passage, or whether they had to consult with specialists. He explained that these teachings were strong still throughout the culture and that there were some rites of passage involved. I did get the impression though that for more specific teachings, one would need to consult with the experts (priests and priestesses).
The presentation was fascinating, and reminded me of what many western astrologers refer to as Mayan astrology. It was clear to me though, that there is no one “Mayan astrology,” and that despite the interest and research of a number of astrologers into the topic, when we deal with spiritual systems of other cultures, unless we study with teachers from that culture, we will never fully understand (and in fact might completely misunderstand) what hat seems to be simple and clear on the surface.
Lunasdal always feels to me like one of the most community focused celebrations of the year. Though my heart always longs for the deep, quiet, cold of winter, there’s no denying the appeal of a food festival. And the best time to do that is when the food is ripe!
This ancient festival, observed by ancient Celts and other peoples of northern Europe, celebrates the first fruits of the season. Obviously, in New England, we have harvested a lot before this season: leafy greens, peas, radishes, fiddle heads, roots, asparagus, and so forth. But it’s now, as the summer turns from its height and begins to wane, that we gather the foods that will nourish us through the fall and winter months ahead.
Food & Community
Wheat and grains come into harvest season in late July, as well as fruits and vegetables that are appropriate for preservation: zucchini, tomatoes, squashes, corn, and so forth. This is what we celebrate as we gather to mark the turning of the season once again.
The community aspect of Lunasdal is also of prime importance. As with many indigenous communities throughout the world, the light half of the year is when the Celtic tribes would come together for all sorts of business. Of course, this would vary from place to place, but often this was a time for tribal members to intermarry, cementing political alliances outside of the tribe and strengthening the stability of the region.
Games and competitions were another common practice. These “pagan olympics” can still be perceived in modern day highland festivals which feature competitions and feats of strength.
2023
About fifty members of EarthSpirit and guests gathered at Glenwood Farm on the first weekend of August to celebrate the season. We observed the transformation of the Green Man into a baked loaf; we made offerings to the Stones in the stone circle; the children presented seeds, roots, and leaves as a reminder of the many levels that go into growing the food that nourishes us.
Following the ritual, we shared of our own first harvests and enjoyed the perfect summer day.
Stone has a beautiful language. Anyone who has ever had a rock jump out at them has heard it. Pick me! Pick me! Before you know it, you have either slipped it into a pocket, or you find yourself holding it in your hand, uncertain of how long it has been there.
Deep stone sleeps but the closer to the surface it gets, the more connected it is to us and our life cycles. Some rocks just want to introduce themselves and have a conversation. Some rocks will bite and want to be left alone. And some rocks have been looking for you to take them on a quest to some unknown corner of the world they have only heard about in the whispers of the deepest bedrock (even if that’s just your front yard).
[ALWAYS respect places that ask you NOT to take their rocks.]
The Trio
Different stones I encounter have different energies to them. Each sabbat, I put together a trio of stones to focus on for the following six weeks. It’s divination to me. I reach out into the web and see where we are in the world, creating a recipe of stone allies, and then I send that energy back out into the web.
I don’t usually use the same grouping of stones every year, but a couple of times I have. I will work with the stones I choose in my night meditations until the next sabbat, sometimes individually and sometimes as a group.
Lughnassadh, spelled many different ways, is a Celtic festival but is most familiar to people in the form of the county fairs and local harvest festivals we grew up with during August and September.
We are reaping the rewards of the plants we have tended and nurtured. It’s a good time of year to put energy into finishing projects. To that end, I chose stones this year that spoke to me of growth and abundance, with the idea of reward for work done.
Now, at the harvest, do you see the seeds you planted? Are they the seeds you intended to sow?
My stones for Lughnassadh are a bit of a green dream team: Aventurine, Rhyolite, and Silverleaf Jasper.
The first stone I picked, Aventurine, is a favorite. It is a commonly-found stone, a kind of quartzite in various colors like blue, green, peach, and others I haven’t encountered. For me, the best Aventurine contains veins of mica flakes, and these are the only pieces I use for my magic. I chose one of my green pieces, for the earth energy.
They are a favorite stone of mine to work with as they are accessible to anyone, at any level of magic and their main energy is abundance and support. Intuitively, when I need to represent a person, I almost always pick out an Aventurine to represent humans, as they are connected to the Earth. It’s like the stone wants to connect to people. So that is my association with the stone, and a foundation stone I always use for the harvest season.
You are my cousin and I support your endeavors, aventurine says.
If you don’t know Rhyolite by one name, you may recognize it as Rainforest Jasper. Jaspers are the silent workhorses of the stone kingdom. You can find a kind of jasper compatible to be used in substitution for any other gemstone in spellwork. Think of them as understudies, ready to step in at the last minute. Maybe not as shiny, but just as powerful. I use Rainforest Jasper a lot in substitution for Garden Quartz, so I associate it with growing vegetation and bountiful harvest, whether literal or figurative.
Stretch out and root, stretch up and thicken, rhyolite chants.
The third stone is one I always pick up when I see it, even if I don’t always purchase it. Green Silverleaf Jasper is the artistic cousin in the jasper family. Its growth is a little gentler and comes with a flourish. So, this is a good stone to round out the trio. It acts as a bit of a muffler for people who aren’t quite ready to handle their growth, and also, as an aid to people who need some outside-of-the-box movement.
It is what it is and it will be okay, silverleaf jasper says.
Together these stones harken abundance and growth, in however you need to take in that energy.
For Advanced Work
Chrysoprase is a bright apple green chalcedony. I would use this stone to do some deeper growth work as it works similarly to black tourmaline, in absorbing and then transmuting negative energies, but Chrysoprase does this only for the emotional body.
Let’s face it, right now we’re all a bit burnt out. We could all use a little extra armor for our poor stretched and beleaguered hearts. If you are a highly-sensitive person, I recommend pairing black tourmaline and chrysoprase together for yourself.
[Notes from Sarah Lyn: I never purchase rocks from people who do not know where they are sourced from. It’s important to know where your rocks come from so you can make informeddecisions about where to put your money. For those of us buying tumbled stones at rock shows, we’re picking up the chips of what has already been cut from the earth, we are not part of the demand that influences the mining world. But know where your stones come from.]
I don’t remember where I first heard the phrase “in order to create a new reality, we must first be able to imagine it.” That phrase is especially true when the reality around us is challenging. As I am writing this, we’re in a Code Red air day due to smoke from the fires in Canada. The very real results of climate change are here. The political landscape continues to horrify with oppressive legislation rolling out across the country and hateful rhetoric flowing through our various media sources. The gap between the haves and have–nots continues to widen. It’s tough right now, and there’s no sign of a reprieve on the horizon. It can be hard to hang onto hope when the world around us looks bleak.
Along with all the situational factors, most adults grew up in an environment that squashed imagination and imaginative play. At some point, the majority of us were told to stop daydreaming, to get our heads out of the clouds, or were lectured about what is and is not possible. Many of us were criticized for the material we were feeding our imaginations – fantasy novels and movies, comic books, and role playing games have all come under fire from the Seriousness Police in our culture. However, one of the most overlooked yet also vital ingredients in any spell or working is imagination. And, like the other techniques of magic – raising and directing energy, visualization, etc., – imagination can be strengthened in order to make our spells and workings more effective.
Somehow, we must take this reality and make something new with it. We must feed our imaginations in order to connect the dots between this world and the one we hope to create. We must find ways to work around the patterns that suppress imagination.
Getting “serious” about imagination is a bit of an oxymoron here – more white–knuckling reality isn’t going to help us come up with new ideas. Instead, I think we need to get ridiculous about it.
I recently attended the New York Faerie Festival as part of Kindred Crow and was reminded again of the power of imagination and play. It was wonderful to be in an environment where fantasy ran free – where faeries, satyrs, gnomes, trolls, merfolk, dryads, and more roamed freely. Where children and adults could interact as whatever version of themselves they wished to. Anytime I’m in a fantasy environment, I think about the way people are being more truthful – the Self they are presenting the world is a real one, but one that in most cases stays hidden during the navigation of day–to–day life. In those spaces of fantastical truth, new possibilities are born. By shaking up the everyday, new patterns emerge in the pieces when they land again. Those patterns are often the seeds of new possibilities.
So, how do we get started? If we need to lighten up, how do we really do that given *gestures broadly at everything*? As always, I have some ideas.
Consider what you’re feeding your brain. All the media we consume is input into our imagination. Along with the news and social media, add some seriously whimsical stuff. Been a while since you hit up some high fantasy fiction? Add it in whether that’s books, TV shows, movies, or comics. Also, consider adjusting your social media to include fantasy feeds – there are dozens of hashtags involving the word “fairy/faerie” you can follow on Instagram. #fairygarden alone has over 700K posts. #blackfairy has more than 20K. Deliberately cultivate some whimsy and escapism.
Play make–believe. Got some alone time? Great. Put on some music you love and pretend to be a wizard – the fantasy kind. You’ve been dropped into the real world and are exploring a mundane person’s living space and you have your magic wand. Experiment. Pretend to be a unicorn or a satyr or a dragon or whatever floats your boat. No one can see you, no one will know. It may feel weird and uncomfortable at first. Do it anyway – it just means those muscles haven’t been stretched in a while. It gets easier as you go. I still regularly play “secretly a magical–elf–princess–warrior–being that the animals can talk to if they choose.” It’s a great mental break.
Write a really, really bad story. One of the things that stops many of us from making art, writing, or otherwise expressing our imaginations is the idea that the result has to be good. So, let go of that part. Pick the tropiest trope out of fantasy writing and write a terrible fantasy story. Have fun. Include all the silliest stuff if you’d like – glittery vampires! wise elves! dragons that let you ride them! Go for broke and make yourself giggle while also creating something wholly imagined. Not a storyteller? Fine. Put it in a drawing or painting. Again, make it BAD. We’re not going for fine art here. You can destroy the results of your efforts afterwards, but a better plan would be to hide those results somewhere you’ll forget about for a while (in the attic with the holiday decorations or something) and then giggle all over again when you find your story/drawing/whatever.
Rediculate. I love this word – I learned it as meaning to deliberately do something silly and potentially involve others in that silly. Throw an absurd theme gathering. Grab some hula hoops and a tutu and head to the park. Begin adding whimsical touches to your wardrobe (remember Goodwill and thrift stores for stuff like this). Put in a fairy garden at your home or apartment. Too much? Find your local playground and go swing on the swings. Start small if the discomfort is making you squirm (and it’s okay if it is – many of us have been told that as adults, play is wrong).
Bonus points: create something whimsical for others. I have a history of making found–object fairy houses and hiding them along the C&O canal. I was involved in a wonderful Ostara prank one year where we filled plastic eggs with silly phrases like “great, now I need a new eggshell” and “contents under one atmosphere of pressure” and hid them all over a downtown area. Add to the whimsy of the world even when you don’t get to see the results.
Go to the fantasy places. In the mid–Atlantic where I live, spring through autumn are Festival Season. If you are financially and geographically able to do so, include some straight–up fantasy environments like Renaissance and Faery festivals in your schedule. Then, lean in. Wear a costume assembled from stuff you already own/acquire on the cheap. Create a character and be it. Interact with the cast members who want to interact with you. Play.
Get involved with an event. All those “how to make friends after 30” articles are weird to me – I’m constantly meeting new friends. But, I know it’s because I’m involved with big projects that require a group of folks to pull off. Every festival you’ve ever heard of needs volunteers. Like, desperately. Find a fantasy event that looks fun and get involved with helping pull it off. You’ll make new friends who are prioritizing imagination and fantasy. For folks in the Maryland–Virginia– Pennsylvania–Delaware region, Big Whimsy keeps a running list of Faerie Faires/events on their website.
Allow for wonder. Stay with me here, because this one is starting with a story. I have really low blood pressure. It’s hereditary – I didn’t do anything to deserve it and it’s not the result of lifestyle. I’ve been this way since I was a kid. That means that sometimes, I see little twinkles of light when I stand up, or randomly when my blood pressure is struggling to keep my circulation where it’s supposed to be. I didn’t understand what those sparkles of light were when I was a child. I was talking about it with my Mom when I was a teenager, and told her that when I was little, I thought the sparkles of light were faeries. Mom’s response? “Maybe they are.” Allow the world to be more. Go to beautiful places and allow the beauty to wash over you. Maybe the gorgeous cave system was built by gnomes. Maybe earth spirits live there. Maybe the rolling valley is where the faeries dance at night. Maybe the deep forest is where the centaurs live. Let it all be more. Let yourself feel wonder at it all.
There’s no prize for being the most serious and down to earth. Indeed, we know for a fact that the problems of the world require imagination to solve. We also know that imagination is something we can practice and strengthen. And remember, hope is a practice too. It requires support, and growing our imaginations is a great way to keep that tender flame of possibility glowing brightly.
So, those are my suggestions for bringing in a little more wonder, whimsy, and imagination into your life and your magic. What are yours? Hit me up in the comments.
Irene Glasse is a Heathen witch based in Western Maryland. She is a longtime teacher of witchcraft, meditation, and magic in the mid-Atlantic.Visit https://glassewitchcottage.com/ for more.
Stone has a beautiful language. Anyone who has ever had a rock jump out at them has heard it. Pick me! Pick me! Before you know it, you have either slipped it into a pocket, or you find yourself holding it in your hand, uncertain of how long it has been there.
Deep stone sleeps but the closer to the surface it gets, the more connected it is to us and our life cycles. Some rocks just want to introduce themselves and have a conversation. Some rocks will bite and want to be left alone. And some rocks have been looking for you to take them on a quest to some unknown corner of the world they have only heard about in the whispers of the deepest bedrock (even if that’s just your front yard).
[ALWAYS respect places that ask you NOT to take their rocks.]
The Trio
Different stones I encounter have different energies to them. Each sabbat, I put together a trio of stones to focus on for the following six weeks. It’s divination to me. I reach out into the web and see where we are in the world, creating a recipe of stone allies, and then I send that energy back out into the web.
I don’t usually use the same grouping of stones every year, but a couple of times I have. I will work with the stones I choose in my night meditations until the next sabbat, sometimes individually and sometimes as a group.
This sabbat is a little different. I am about to embark on a new adventure and the fires in Canada have thickened the haze in my town so much that the sky is a different color and the sun is hard to find. The earth is burning in the north, as it usually is, but this fire is bad and my heart is hurting for the loss of wildlife. I’m a burn survivor and being able to taste the fire in the air has been difficult.
For me, summer solstice has always been about action and courage and stepping into the world as it wilds up around us. The first fruits are readying themselves for us. Flowers are bursting into bloom. And so should we.
I’m going on an epic quest that will help me in my career and I assembled three stones that speak to that kind of invoking, as well as remembering that sun when it is not visible.
Where do you stand most comfortably in yourself? In the world?
My stones for Summer Solstice are: Sunstone, Amber, and Tiger’s Eye.
The first stone I picked, Sunstone, is a favorite of mine. I do tend to be attracted to the Feldspars. Sunstone falls in that family group. It has a gold-orange metallic sheen to it and pokes my inner magpie to action. I do like to pair it with rainbow moonstone, connecting the two energies. But sunstone is a stimulant and it works with your natural rising kundalini energy to lift your spirits. The energy of this stone strengthens healing work.
Yes, you can, sunstone says.
I’ve used Amber before, and I chose it this time because of what it is and where it forms, thinking about the trees on fire across Canada. It’s a strong witch talisman, made of fossilized tree sap. It increases the potency of spellwork and I use it to represent the fire of the sun, shining down through the haze.
(Know what you purchase if you buy it. Raw amber is expensive, but be wary of the large, clear amber pieces that vendors will try to snow you on. It’s still amber. It is. But it’s been melted done and reconstituted. I have some pieces, but I knew what I was getting.)
Hold on. We got this, amber hums.
The third stone is a favorite of mine, Tiger’s Eye. It is brown and yellow-tan with fibrous banding that causes golden flashes that is just gorgeous. It is my courage stone and it helps me keep my footing on the world. It’s about confidence and focus and will help see the sun when it is obscured in the sky by frightening things.
You are worth it, tiger’s eye says.
Together these stones become a beacon of energy ready to move. This combo answers the call to action.
For Advanced Work
I would use Pyrite, also known as Fool’s Gold. It comes in natural globules and cube form, and everything in between. It’s got a good base of life-force energy to it and it’s a good additive to healing work. It channels and focuses scattered energy. But it represents the Sun energy and is a good source of abundance, especially in creative endeavors.
[Notes from Sarah Lyn: I never purchase rocks from people who do not know where they are sourced from. It’s important to know where your rocks come from so you can make informed decisions about where to put your money. For those of us buying tumbled stones at rock shows, we’re picking up the chips of what has already been cut from the earth, we are not part of the demand that influences the mining world. But know where your stones come from.]
Editor’s Note: In early May, many of us gathered online (due to heavy rain) and some in person to celebrate the Maypole Ritual and the coming fullness of Spring. Once again, Kate Richardson offered her Eulogy for Old Winter. She graciously shares it here.
Let’s say Winter is someone you knew – born around Yule, in his prime by Imbolc, declining into dotage as the sap rose and days got longer. Now it’s time to dispose of his remains. But we shouldn’t just unceremoniously dump him out without a eulogy! Who was this past Winter to you? How did he treat you, your people, your places? I invite you to share comments in the chat. Really, who is the eulogy for? It’s not for Winter – he’s long gone and couldn’t care less. Spring is way too busy claiming life and the land to give a care. It is really just for us. And what do we need it for? It’s a moment to take stock – to honor the lessons, grieve the losses, and celebrate the pleasures that he brought us this season past.
In my neck of the woods, this Winter was not especially memorable for his strength or commitment. He arrived rather late, and spent his youth not too sure of purpose. I barely had use of my down parka, the whole season. By the end he managed to muster up a couple of good storms, but then gave up pretty early and tottered off in an impressive welter of mud. There was one last late hissy fit of a snowdump, and an encore on the mud, but the last frost in my parts is well behind us already.
Even so, he was enough to remind me of the lessons past Winters have taught: the importance of husbanding resources and energy. Guarding the warm places. Taking care of the people we love. The importance of kindness and generosity.
Winter often brings sorrows, and this one was no exception. Sometimes we have to struggle with things like the power being out for days, or not being able to get places we needed or wanted to go. There was illness and death, and often isolation. Hard things may happen in any season, but Winter’s darkness and coldness can make them harder to bear.
But he also brings pleasures that we can not deny. The transformation of the land under new snow, the way light sparkles off crystal flakes. The bracing challenge of outdoor activity, whether play or work, can be so joyful. Winter’s spare coldness makes warmth especially delicious. The times we gather with loved ones carry extra sweetness.
And the final, great pleasure that Winter offers, is the moment we consign what’s left of him to the water or fire, and clear the way for the offerings of the next season. Good bye and good riddance, for in the end, he is gone, and we all are still here!
Stone has a beautiful language. Anyone who has ever had a rock jump out at them has heard it. Pick me! Pick me! Before you know it, you have either slipped it into a pocket, or you find yourself holding it in your hand, uncertain of how long it has been there.
Deep stone sleeps but the closer to the surface it gets, the more connected it is to us and our life cycles. Some rocks just want to introduce themselves and have a conversation. Some rocks will bite and want to be left alone. And some rocks have been looking for you to take them on a quest to some unknown corner of the world they have only heard about in the whispers of the deepest bedrock (even if that’s just your front yard).
[ALWAYS respect places that ask you NOT to take their rocks.]
The Trio
Different stones I encounter have different energies to them. Each sabbat, I put together a trio of stones to focus on for the following six weeks. It’s divination to me. I reach out into the web and see where we are in the world, creating a recipe of stone allies, and then I send that energy back out into the web.
I don’t usually use the same grouping of stones every year, but a couple of times I have. I will work with the stones I choose in my night meditations until the next sabbat, sometimes individually and sometimes as a group.
Most people will be familiar with Beltane if they associate it with the tradition of May Day. There are a lot of traditions associated with it that liken to fairy magics, because in the European continent, this holiday is the start of summer. Which is largely the reason it took me so long to connect with Beltane as a pagan holiday in America.
In my neighborhood, the flowering trees are just bursting with blooms and the air is fragrant with them. All the day lily shoots are that bright vibrant green that only happens in this short growth period. It reminds me that everything that dies has a chance to start again. So I wait every year, to witness this specific season for us, lest I blink in my business and miss it.
To me, this green is a fire, a catalyst, a call to action to spring forth into the world. And that is how I relate to the energy of this Sabbat, and that is reflected in my stone choices for this year.
How do we choose to walk in the world?
And we cannot forget, when engaging in a new adventure, one must be prepared for hardships along the way. So there is some protective energy evident in each stone. Companions along the journey.
Stones for Beltane
My stones for Beltane this year are: Lodolite, Carnelian, and Bloodstone.
The first stone I picked, Lodolite, is also known as Garden Quartz. It has all the focus and power of a quartz. The inclusions in the crystal keep it grounded and earthy and it’s related to prosperity and abundance. It is also a good gardener’s talisman and, who are we all if not gardeners of our own souls? We are weeding out what no longer serves us from our psyches and making room for new growth and new life.
You are the key to your own change, lodolite reminds us.
My second choice is an orange stone that also happens to be a chalcedony quartz, Carnelian. It’s associated with the lower three chakras, with energy unbound, uncurling from the earth as tiny seedlings. It is that spark of fire within us, the dry match just about to be struck. It is a stone of both courage and protection, long-used for carved amulets. This chalcedony buzzes with latent energy, made of both earth and fire.
Ready to strike, carnelian hums.
I work with two different kinds of Bloodstone. The more common version on the market has red flecks of Heliotrope in a green matrix. There is another, South African version that is more grey and translucent with red heliotrope inclusions. This is an earth stone and a protector. Warriors have used it for talismans in many cultures and I often use it as a curative, as a healing tonic, and as a shield.
Nourish the soil you stand on, bloodstone says.
Together these stones become a small burst of new energy, ready for activation. What growth are you bringing into the world with you this spring? It’s time for show and tell.
For Advanced Work
There is one stone I have always associated with Beltane, and that is Garnet. There are many kinds of colors of garnets: Almandine (red, purple-red), Spessartite (yellow, orange-brown), Pyrope (deep red), Grossular (white, yellow-green, brown-red, black), and Andradite (colorless, brown, black). It is a root chakra gem and has long been valued. Many creeks in the New England areas are littered with garnets.
It’s a high energy stone that adds potency to your magical workings. It helps move the kundalini energy through your body for full activation. Garnet does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Because of that, if you suffer from anger issues or high blood pressure, this stone may be too strong on its own for you to use as a tool.
[Notes from Sarah Lyn: I never purchase rocks from people who do not know where they are sourced from. It’s important to know where your rocks come from so you can make informed decisions about where to put your money. For those of us buying tumbled stones at rock shows, we’re picking up the chips of what has already been cut from the earth, we are not part of the demand that influences the mining world. But know where your stones come from.]
