by Deirdre Pulgram Arthen

At the Rites of Spring “Weaving the Web of Community” ritual, every year we attach cotton rope strands to the already erected maypole to create a circular warp, held for the community by specific members, into which we then each weave ourselves with our own individual balls of colorful yarn. This year the underlying theme for Rites of Spring was “Creating Community, Changing the World” – a concept at the heart of EarthSpirit’s mission – and at our web weaving ritual we wanted to emphasize this.

5 community members stepped into the center of the circle of several hundred gathered around the maypole and held up the rope stands in pairs – one named for a way that we create our community and the other named for a way that the same work can serve to change the world. People were invited to come forward and take a strand if it called to them, and to hold it for the community to weave itself into, indicating their commitment to that aspect of our ritual intention. As each strand was called, our hearts swelled as several people came forward to hold each one, sometimes 6 or 7 at a time so that, by the time that all were called, fully half of those gathered were in clumps holding the strands that speak so strongly to our values.

Here are the intentions we wove into that web:

We create community by teaching our children that their voices matter.
We change the world by raising young people who know their voices matter.

We create community by creating spaces where all are welcome.
We change the world by advocating for inclusivity where we go.

We create community by working together to care for the mountain we’re on.
We change the world by caring for the lands we come from

We create community by taking the risk to teach each other what we know.
We change the world by cultivating experienced teachers.

We create community by coming together for handfastings, funerals, and other rites of passage.
We change the world by offering meaningful models for others creating rituals for themselves

We create community by singing together.
We change the world by bringing out the music in others.

We create community by offering healing and support during difficult times.
We change the world by offering support to people struggling with disaster or oppression.

We create community by celebrating seasonal cycles together.
We change the world by taking action to protect the natural world.

We create community by cooking for each other.
We change the world by knowing the value of service.

We create community by believing in each other’s capacity to change and grow.
We change the world by striving to offer an alternative model to the punitive justice system.

We create community by offering time and money to sustain our community.
We change the world by enabling our community to engage in global outreach.

We create community by laughing and having fun together.
We change the world by nourishing our spirits, enabling us to do important work in the world.

We create community by holding each other accountable.
We change the world by holding our political leaders accountable.

We create community by supporting each other in caring for our dead and dying.
We change the world by destigmatizing death and honoring it as sacred.

We create community by experiencing the sacred together.
We change the world by engaging in interfaith work.

We create community by creating and sustaining deep connections with each other.
We change the world by showing that enduring relationships are possible.

We create community by honoring our ancestors.
We change the world by striving to become ancestors worthy of honor.

We create community by hiring our friends and by serving our friends.
We change the world by putting our money where our values are.

We create community by caring for each other’s children.
We change the world by debunking the myth of independence.

We create community by creating shared culture that honors all beings.
We change the world by rewriting the mainstream narrative – that any one being or person should be valued more than another.