Lughnasadh 2014

Walking down the path to the meeting area, I was pleasantly surprised at how cool it was down there.  Usually Lughnasadh is one of my least favorite high days because it is so hot but this year it was very pleasant.  Standing in the meeting area and looking around at our new home it dawns on me how much this place is growing on me.  I love being surrounded by the tall trees and listening to the birds singing above us.  The sun shone down through the trees while a pleasant breeze stirred the leaves.  The ground is mainly covered in a mix of moss and grass with a tall plant poking up here and there.  This place we are now calling home is very peaceful and has a calming effect on the soul.   

Ritual started kinda late this time, but that was okay because there was a lot of socializing going on.  We had a very large turnout this year, it was really nice to see new faces and friends from other groves come and join us on this beautiful day.  We even had an old friend come back and celebrate with us.  The meeting area was filled with people talking and laughing, occasionally a loud pop would happen when the balloon Gen was blowing up and filling with rose-petals would explode. The whole atmosphere was very festive.

This ritual we were honoring Lugh and Ana.  At Lughnasadh we tell the story of the battle between Lugh and his grandfather, Balor.  Part of the ritual is a brag/boost round.  Everyone tells about the best thing that happened to them in the past year or an accomplishment that they are particularly proud of doing.  The proud winner is then crowned and will be Lugh in the re-enactment of the battle.  There were many boosts this year.  In my opinion every one of them was very good and I applaud them. But this year our winner was our Senior druid Rob H.   Rob had a rough time this past year.  He's struggled a lot and through it all he is winning.  Diffidently a champion!

After Rob was crowned came the fun part.  

With the spearing of Balor's eye and the shower of the rose petals came a loud cheer!  Lugh is victorious again!  

Afterwards our omen taker reads the runes.  This is what we got.  Othala - Dagaz - Fehu  A good omen indeed!  

Pimping it out?

I was thinking the other day about how in some rituals people just follow a routine and don't vary from it ever, doing the same thing every time.  Now, don't get me wrong, routine is good, I am not complaining about that.  But I got to thinking.  Is there a way to deepen the experience and still follow a set routine?  

So I start thinking.  How to add umph! without having to constantly change what I'm doing every time?  So my mind starts it's normal wandering, anyone who know me knows this is perfectly normal.  I started thinking about one of my first blog entries on scents and using your sense of smell to enhance your experience.  This started my thinking, well, if adding scents helps what would happen if you start adding your other senses to the mix? 

This thought got me to thinking about the last Beltane ritual at Shining Lakes Grove.  Gen and I had suggested that everyone bring decorations to "pimp out" the nemeton.  We were hoping that by doing this it would bring a festive, party atmosphere to the ritual, perfect for Beltane.  Truthfully, it turned out a lot better then I was hoping for.  We had pinwheels, lots of strings of colorful beads draped everywhere, glittery gold clothe draped on branches and alters, wind chimes.  It was great.  You could feel the difference, it was a very happy, party atmosphere to it.  Several people, including some new people who showed up, commented on how they loved the decorations and how it made it feel so festive.  

Why did it effect people like that?  Well, I can't speak for them, but I'm a very visual person.  I love decorating for special days.  It doesn't just represent the day but it also helps me put myself into the moment.  To me, setting up the decorations was a lot like centering and grounding yourself before a ritual or meditation.  I feel more connected to what I am doing when I put special effort into the "extras" then when I just do a high day ritual with no extras.  

If you don't believe me let's think about this.  When you think of a holiday what do you see?  Is it colorful lights, snow and candy canes for example?  Or how about flags, fireworks and parades?  Or pumpkins, scarecrows and colorful fall leaves?  Each of those holidays have certain visual items that make people think of them, connect with it.  Now before you say "Oh that's not me! I don't need that stuff."  Think about it.  Don't you love decorating for these days? Or at least some of you do.  Well, why can't you extend that into your rituals?  I know in my neo-wiccan days we used to add extra things to our main altar for the high day.  It added to the festive feel of things.  I loved doing that.  So why did I stop?  Because I felt like I had too, but lately I'm re-thinking this.

So, in my opinion, adding the extra time to decorate your altar or work area for your high days is well worth it.  It will add a depth to your experience, in fact I believe making sure each of your senses is involved deepens the over all experience but that will be in more future blog entries.

Thoughts on last weeks ritual

No fancy title today, just my thoughts and opinions on our Imbolc ritual Sunday.  Where to begin?  We had a pleasant surprise (okay, we were told they were coming, but still...) when Rob S. and his three little munchkins joined us for this ritual.  All three children took part in the ritual, they did an excellent job.  

I must say I am happy to see young children participating like that in rituals.  They did a very good job.  We tried a different approach to honoring Brid this year, instead of honoring her as a hearth goddess we tried looking at the bard side of her.  I think this ritual was diffidently better then last year, but it still lacked something.  I felt a stir of interest coming from her but not a "YES!! You've got it!!"  So I am assuming we are on the right track.  

It's kinda hard to get into Imbolc (my least fav. high day, truthfully).  I am not a follower of Brid, I respect her, especially for a healing many years ago that she gave me.  But I don't follow her and have no interest in ever following her.

Also, I just feel there is more to this high day then just honoring Brid.  I noticed another grove had honored Brid and the Cailleach, their ritual was quite beautiful.  I would love it if we explored this avenue, but considering how much some members dug their heels in when it was suggested, I doubt it will happen, true shame.

Either way, I felt the ritual was better, not the best or as good as it could have been.  But a lot better then last year, best of all, our omens were really good, Brid seemed happy with the direction we had gone.  So that's good.

Imbolc By Any Other Name?

It’s that time of year again, Imbolc right around the corner.  And every year for several years now, I ask why?  I go through the motions, but truthfully, feel nothing for this high day.  I am not Celtic nor am I drawn to Brid, even though I have lots of Irish and Scotts blood in me, there is no connection to this hearth.  So every year I ask myself why?  Why must I honor Imbolc? Just because I am told its tradition?  Aren’t there other ways to honor this high day?

This year I decided to ask others why instead.  I posted a question on ADF General Decision board and got some very interesting answers that, truthfully, are helping me with this high day.  So I thought I’d share my thoughts and the answers that were giving to me. 

It is interesting all the different traditions that go along with this day, many that I had never associated with it, but now a light bulb is going off in my head.  The tradition of spring cleaning and preparing for the upcoming spring season seems to be a big part of the high day. This makes some sense to me but I think what made more sense was when a grove mate suggested including the Cailleach with our working of Brid.  After reading the myths that link these two goddesses together it does make sense and adds a depth that I hadn’t felt before.  I must admit though, the one big thing I enjoy about honoring Brid on Imbolc is all the crafty items you get to make, sorry, that’s just me.  I love making these kinds of things.

Several people had mentioned ways of honoring their own pantheon at this time of year.  Some honored deities associated with healing or plants, example Airmid, Epona and Demeter.  Demeter and Epona are associated with plants and the harvests to come while Airmid is an Irish goddess of healing, specifically herbs.  I find the Airmid the most interesting of the three because of her link to herbs, which I am teaching myself and have been for years.  Another person had mentioned that their grove honored Perkunas and Gabija, both Baltic deities.  Perkunas purifies the earth, getting it ready for spring will Gabija is also the goddess of hearth and fire. In the examples giving me, I find it interesting that they all share the aspect of preparing for spring, the coming of plants or are a hearth goddess, in the case of Gabija.  I had never before thought of this time along the lines they have and truthfully, it brings up a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas.

The Norse hearth cultures honor Disting, also known as Ewemeolc, on Feb 1 or 2.  The common tradition of this high day is blessing objects or tools and starting new projects.  Disting is very similar to Imbolc.  I’m curious as to why they are so close, could it been a case of neighbors influencing each other?

While all these traditions are still based on the assumption that spring is beginning, I still have to agree with the comment that had been made that being in Michigan, it’s the middle of winter, spring isn’t coming yet.  But what is coming is little more sunshine every day.  Maybe that’s why I don’t connect so much with this high day.  It doesn’t feel like spring is coming, to cold and dark, but it is the mid-point and it is getting lighter out sooner, the days are starting to get longer.  Maybe by only a few minutes, but it is happening.  That part I can connect with. 

Another tidbit mentioned, that I thought was interesting was the fact that a lot of people refer to the high days as Solstice, Equinox or Cross-quarter (add seasonal description) not Imbolc because of the fact they do not celebrate it.  This makes sense because you are describing what you are doing but not calling it something it isn’t.   

After taking notes, looking up different deities mentioned and different practices, I’m glad I asked this question.  It’s helped me define what I want in my own practice and helped me understand a little more about different groves way of handling this high day and different ways to honor Imbolc itself.