Sabbats and Sabbaths

May Full Moon: Flower/Deer Moon

Posted on May 24, 2018 by David Taliesin

69129 Native Americans named May’s full moon (which occurs on May 29) the Flower Moon for obvious reasons. May is the month when everything is coming into full bloom and there are flowers popping up everywhere. It’s a time for us to focus on spiritual growth where the seeds we planted on Imbolc have germinated and are well on their way to maturity. You may want to take some time this full moon to reflect on projects and activities that need a little TLC in order to come to full fruition.

The Witches Calendar calls it the Deer Moon. A good ritual activity connected to this is to cast a circle and call the quarters in whatever manner works best for you. Then spend some time grounding and raising energy. When you feel peaceful and calm, read the story about deer energy from the book Medicine Cards that can be found online HERE. After you have finished reading the story, visualize a person who is your “demon” at this moment. Someone who is keeping you from advancing in your spiritual path. Think about how they make you feel and then try to release those feelings from your body, through your feet and into the earth.

When you are finished with this part of the meditation, try sending deer energy to your “demon” with the expectation that it will transform them. In your next encounter with this person, try embodying deer energy and see if it changes the dynamic between the two of you.

According to Medicine Cards, “Deer teaches us to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts and minds of wounded beings who are trying to keep us from Sacred Mountain. Like the dappling Fawn’s coat, both the light and dark may be loved to create gentleness and safety for those who are seeking peace. Find the gentleness of spirit that heals all wounds. Stop pushing so hard to get others to change, and love them as they are. Apply gentleness to your present situation and become like the summer breeze: warm and caring.”

This can be a very powerful and transformative exercise so don’t rush it. Give it the time and attention it deserves this full moon. Bright blessings!

Spiritual Gardening

Posted on May 3, 2018 by David Taliesin

Calendula blossoms drying. Photo by David Taliesin

This weekend is the big herb festival in my hometown. My general rule of thumb is that I take a certain amount of cash with me. When the money is gone, fun time is over! Then I get the joy and privilege of planting all my little preciouses in my garden and watching them grow.

I don’t know if you’re a gardening geek like me, but my growing of medicinal herbs is a spiritual as well as a physical process. Yes, I get lots of exercise as I prepare the soil, weed the garden, tend to the plants and harvest them. But it’s a spiritual process as well. I begin by making sure I’m grounded and centered. I take this peaceful energy with me into the garden and try to impart it to the plants. I talk to them (yes, I really do!) and give them words of encouragement as they grow. Come harvest time, I also thank them for the bounty they provide from which I make tinctures, healing creams, etc.

My favorite plants to work with are lavender, lemon verbena, lemon balm, calendula, echinacea, and peppermint. I also choose herbs that bees love such as bee balm, wild bergamot and anise hyssop. Giving my support to the bees is important to me and I enjoy watching them have a ball amidst the flowers I grow.

So, if you look at gardening as just another chore on your list of things to do, try adding a spiritual element to it this year. The bonds we form with our plants can be both sacred and profound. They give us more than we often realize. Blessed be!

Posted in Creation Spirituality, Herbology, Litha, Spirituality | Tagged gardening, Herbs, spiritual | Leave a comment

A Poem For Beltane

Posted on April 22, 2018 by David Taliesin

A Poem for Beltane

I want to light a bonfire
And dance with the Divine Presence
Who is Unboxable and Unknowable

I want to howl with Cernunnos
And invite Jesus to join the party

I’m sure he would attend the celebration
Because he once turned six stone jars of water
Into the most delicious wine anyone had ever tasted

This is not the act of a pious ascetic
It’s the act of someone who knew how to celebrate
Life in all of its abundance

I want to light a bonfire
And feast at Sophia’s table of Wisdom

“Come,” she calls me
“Eat of my bread
And drink of my wine
Lay aside immaturity
And walk in the way of insight”

I want to recite love poems with Brigid
And snuggle up close
To the bosom of the Goddess

I refuse to attend a “guys only” shindig
The Divine Presence is much bigger than this
And I invite Him and Her to attend
In whatever form they see fit

I want to light a bonfire
And watch the narrow religion of my childhood
Be purified in its flames

Like the tongues of fire on Pentecost
I want to speak of the Eternal One
In a new language that everyone can understand
A language my soul now sings
With great passion and reverence

And as I sing and dance around the Sacred Flame
I pray that my life will be fertile Beltane soil
That will bring forth a harvest of good things
When the time is right

Posted in Beltane | Tagged Beltane, Pagan, poem, Spirituality, Wicca | 2 Comments

Beltane Chant – Doreen Valiente

Posted on April 18, 2018 by David Taliesin

The images in this classic chant are gorgeous and appeal to both Pagans and Christians alike. I wish you a joyous celebration of Beltane!

Beltane Chant

Friends that in the circle stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand,
Bringing Beltane to the land,
Let the sleeper awake!

Let the flames of Beltane burn,
May the Old Ones now return,
May we of their magick learn,
Let the sleeper awake!

Let the streams and fields be pure,
Earth and sky be clean once more,
Love and laughter long endure,
Let the sleeper awake!

Forests spreading, peace returning,
Where the Pagan fires are burning,
Now the inner light discerning,
Let the sleeper awake!

May the Lady’s touch again,
Rest upon the barren plain,
With the sunshine and the rain,
Let the sleeper awake!

Beltane magick here we sing,
Chant the rune and dance the ring,
Joy and blessing shall it bring,
Let the sleeper awake!

[Doreen Valiente’s Spring Rite from 1971]

Posted in Beltane, Prayer | Tagged Beltane, Doreen Valiente, Pagan, poem, Spirituality, Wicca | Leave a comment

Walpurgisnacht: Origins and Celebrations

Posted on April 16, 2018 by David Taliesin

In honor of my German heritage, I did some research in order to better understand the origin of the Teutonic version of the Celtic holiday, Beltane. Not surprisingly, there is some conflicting information on the internet regarding this subject so I kept pursuing it until a clearer vision of Walpurgisnacht emerged. The most helpful site on this subject was http://www.friggasweb.org/walburga.html. Here’s my theory on the origin and development of this May fertility festival.

Modern celebration of Walpirgisnacht

According to Llewellyn’s Beltane: Rituals, Recipes and Lore for May Day, “the earliest mention of Walpurgis Night is found in a 1603 edition of a text called Calendarium Perpetuum by Johann Coler, but the holiday likely has earlier origins.” I have no doubt this is true and the best info I can put together is that the night of April 30th was a night when witches (wise women, healers, etc) gathered on the mountaintops in Germany to light sacred bonfires, dance and cast spells in order to drive away the spirits of winter and welcome the arrival of spring. These ancient rituals have their roots in the worship of fertility goddesses such as Nehalennia and also have ties to the theme of the Wild Hunt. I believe these rituals were seen as a positive thing by the villagers who were sick and tired of winter and welcomed the help of the Wise Ones to banish the cold and snowy weather.

Icon of St. Walburga with grain shock

Opinions toward this ancient pagan festival began to shift with the arrival of Christianity in Germany. Walpurga (a.ka. Walburga, Waluburg, Waelburga, Wealdburg, and Valderburger) was an 8th century abbess who came from England with St. Boniface in order to convert the German “heathens” to Christianity. As is often the case, they tried to Christianize this festival while demonizing some of the old rituals connected to it. Apparently they succeeded because eventually Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis’ Night) was viewed as a time when witches meet on the Brocken mountain to cavort with the Devil. (Sigh!) Meanwhile the “good Christians,” believing it was dangerous to be outside on this night, lit fires and danced wildly in order to deter the witches from coming too close to them or their homes. Another beautiful Pagan ritual ruined!

The interesting thing, however, is that some of the attributes of the Pagan goddess became grafted onto Walpurga after she was canonized as a saint on May 1st around the year 870 CE. We see this same pattern with St. Brigid in Ireland (see my posts on Imbolc). Walpurga’s symbols, as shown in the oldest stone carvings in her chapels, are a dog and a bundle of grain. The dog has often accompanied the goddess in early art including the regional incarnation of the goddess, Nehalennia, who is also pictured with a dog on her altars and votive sites. The shock of grain hearkens back to the Grain Mother and all the old fertility rites of spring.

I think the reason why this happened is because some of the Old Ways of celebrating this holy day never went out of fashion among locals. Attaching these ancient symbols to the St. Walpurga were an attempt to make it easier for them to convert to Christianity. Thankfully, the Old Ways survived and modern Germanic Heathens celebrate Walpurgisnacht with bonfires on mountaintops, feasting, dancing, and a toast to the god Wotan (Odin) and the goddesses of magic. Some modern fireside rituals also include purification rites, thus reincarnating the way this holy day was originally celebrated.

Walpurgisnacht video by Faun

If you haven’t seen it, there is an amazing music video by the German band Faun entitled Walpurgisnacht. You can easily find it on YouTube. The imagery is absolutely stunning in its stylistic portrayal of Walpurgisnacht. There are several English translations of the lyrics online but here’s my attempt at it using the English translations of others, my limited understanding of the German language, and my heart as a poet:

Walpurgisnacht by Faun

In the evening sky tonight climb the enchanted ones,
Wild folk and Lilith’s kind lurking, secretly riding the winds.

Let us wander to the bonfires, whispering, reaching for the stars.
Both the good and bad news we carry today will fly away.

In the meadows our dreams will ring and the wind will sing our songs.
Let us jump with the sparks over the fire on Walpurgis Night!

Hear the fiddles, hear the fiddles, the fires are kindled!
Follow the circle dance, follow the circle dance on Walpurgis Night.

Boisterously the fiddles play. Our nocturnal circle dance is spinning,
And we step wildly and freely with this old magic.

Only once in this great circle will we dance in this way,
Until the early morning light breaks through our web of dreams.

In the meadows our dreams will ring and the wind will sing our songs.
Let us jump with the sparks over the fire on Walpurgis Night!

Posted in Beltane, Goddess | Tagged Beltane, germany, may day, walburga, Walpurgis Night, walpurgisnacht | 7 Comments

Seed Planting and Intention Setting Ritual

Posted on April 9, 2018 by David Taliesin

Here is our spring ritual from last night’s Welcoming Circle:

SPRING RITUAL

CASTING THE CIRCLE—David Taliesin

Light the green candle and say:

Ostara and Easter are behind us,
But spring has just begun.
Baby plants are emerging from winter’s soil.
Dandelion, chickweed and nettle
Provide nourishment for our bodies.

Spring is a season to consider
What things we would like to grow
In the garden of our lives.
It’s a time to plant and nurture
New projects and new goals.

May the greening of spring
Be our source of inspiration tonight!

Light the yellow candle and say:

Spring is a season where the days grow longer
And the sun feels warm against our skin.
Our focus shifts from indoors to outdoors
As we awake from winter’s hibernation.

We garden. We hike in the woods.
The little child that lives in us
Asks us to come out and play…
And we accept the invitation.

May the sun’s golden rays
Be our source of inspiration tonight!

Light the purple candle and say:

Spring is a season where the Divine
Breathes new life into us,
Waking us up from winter doldrums,
And filling us with creative energy.

We awaken to wonder, miracle, and mystery.
We see bold visions and dream dreams of new adventures
That fill us with vitality and purpose.
May the Divine’s energetic presence
Be our source of inspiration tonight!

Take the crystal athame and cast the circle, while saying:

We cast this circle and create
a sacred space for us to dwell.
May it protect us from all spirits and powers
that seek to do us harm. So mote it be!

CALLING THE QUARTERS—David Taliesin

Guardians and Ancestors of the East,
Spirits of Air,
You blow through our lives like a warm spring breeze
Whispering into our ears the mysteries of the universe.
Lend your wisdom and insight to us tonight.
Hail and welcome!

Guardians and Ancestors of the South,
Spirits of Fire,
You illumine our path like the rays of the sun,
Showing us the way forward.
Lend your guidance and clarity to us tonight.
Hail and welcome!

Guardians and Ancestors of the West,
Spirits of Water,
You nourish our spirits like a gentle rain,
Filling us with peace, love and gratitude.
Lend your compassion and shalom to us tonight.
Hail and welcome!

Guardians and Ancestors of the North,
Spirits of Earth,
You cause new growth to germinate in us,
And give us a firm foundation to stand upon.
Lend your stability and strength to us tonight.
Hail and welcome!

Great Spirit, Divine Presence,
Who is known to us by many names,
You are the power of rebirth and regeneration
You are the promise that spring will come
After the winter seasons of our lives.
Bless us and be with us tonight.
We are honored by your presence.
Hail and welcome!

SETTING SPRING INTENTIONS—David Taliesin

The egg is a symbol of fertility and new life which were decorated in days of old to honor the Goddess. Tonight I ask that you take one of the plastic eggs in the basket and hold it in your hands. Take some time in silence to think about the things you would like to give birth to this spring. In order to birth something new, part of your intention may be to let something go. When your vision for what you would like to accomplish is clear, take a pen and as many strips of paper as you need. Write your intentions on theses strips of paper and place them in the egg. (Pause until everyone is done.)

Now we will raise energy to empower the intentions that are contained in our eggs. We’ll use the Om-ah…..Now direct the energy into your egg. One, two, three, release.

After our ritual is over, I ask that you take these home with you and place them in a prominent place in your home such as an altar. Periodically open the egg and take a look at the intentions you’ve made tonight. See how well you are doing in fulfilling them.

BLESSING FOR SETTING INTENTIONS—adapted. LLewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials

Great Spirit, Divine Presence,
Giver of life and Creator of all things,
life has many twists and turns
and now we embark on a new path
We are afraid to travel alone.

We ask for your guidance,
and your loving helping hand
to support us along the way.

We ask that when needed
you will lead us in the right direction
and steer us away from wrong turns.

Help us to keep on the path
and to not stray away even when we’re tempted.
Assist us in moving forward, and not in reverse.
Comfort us when needed.

Bless our paths and the journeys we undertake.
Encourage us in times of self-doubt.
Protect us from those willing to harm us,
even if it is ourselves.

Embrace us in your loving arms, to give us peace
and surround us in perfect love and perfect trust.
So mote it be! Amen!

CLOSING THE CIRCLE—David Taliesin

Great Spirit, Divine Presence,
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight.
We thank you that you walk with us
Every step fo the way as we leave this place
And go out into a world that is sometimes
Cruel and unforgiving.
Stay if you will. go if you must.
We bid you farewell!

Guardians and Ancestors of the North,
Spirits of Earth,
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight.
May your stability and strength travel with us
As we leave this place.
Stay if you will. go if you must!
We bid you farewell!

Guardians and Ancestors of the West,
Spirits of Water,
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight.
May your compassion and shalom travel with us
As we leave this place.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
We bid you farewell!

Guardians and Ancestors of the South,
Spirits of Fire,
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight.
May your guidance and clarity travel with us
As we leave this place.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
We bid you farewell!

Guardians and Ancestors of the East,
Spirits of Air,
We thank you for your presence in our circle tonight.
May your wisdom and insight travel with us
As we leave this place.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
We bid you farewell!

The circle is open but never unbroken
Because it is a circle woven in love.
Whatever energy is left in this space
We return to the earth with a spirit of gratitude.
Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again.

Posted in Easter, Magic, Ostara | Tagged intention, Magic, ritual, seed planting | Leave a comment

Coyolxauhqui: Aztec Moon Goddess

Posted on April 5, 2018 by David Taliesin

Coyolxauhqui may be a goddess you are not familiar with. Most Pagans I know are drawn to lots of European deities as well as those from Greek and Egyptian mythology. However, the legends from Central America are often overlooked. I have been fortunate enough to tour a number of Aztec and Mayan ruins on my trips to Mexico and fell in love with the art and stories of these amazing ancient cultures. In this post I’d like to introduce you to Coyolxauhqui ((koh-yol-SHAUH-key) who is the moon goddess of the Aztecs.

There are two versions of her story. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, the first version depicts Coyolxauhqui as the mother of Huitzilopochtli, the sun god. A conflict arises when Coyolxauhqui insists on staying at the sacred mountain of Coatepec (Snake Mountain) instead of following her son’s plan of resettling at Tenochtitlan which, historically, became the capital of the Aztec empire. Huitzilopochtli got his way by decapitating her and eating her heart. Then he led the Aztec people to their new home.

Coyolxauhqui Stone, ca. 1469 Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico City

This version is NOT my favorite the two. Some scholars see it as a legend of warning to the enemies of the Aztecs who often suffered the same fate if they were captured. The Coyolxauhqui Stone, which was discovered in 1978 at the Templo Mayor (main temple) in Tenochtitlan, is one of the most well-known art images we have this this goddess. She is depicted on the stone as decapitated and torn from limb to limb. Some Chicana feminist writers have tried to redeem this image as a symbol of the struggle of women against both colonialism and male patriarchy.

The second version of the story is the one that I find to be the more powerful of the two. You will find many variations of this tale online but this is the way I like to tell it: One day
Coatlicue, the earth goddess, was sweeping the floor of the temple on Coatepec (Snake Mountain), when a tuft of feathers fell from the sky. She tucked them into her belt and later discovered that they had disappeared. She also discovered that she was mysteriously pregnant.

Coyolxauhqui Statue, J Paul Getty Museum, photo by Jonathan Cardy

Her daughter Coyolxauhqui felt dishonored by the pregnancy so she hatched a plot along with her 400 brothers, to kill their mother. However, this was not to be. The child Coatlicue was carrying was none other than Huitzilopochtli, the sun god. When Coatlicue was about to meet her demise Huitzilopochtli was born as a full grown man. He was armed and ready for battle and decapitated Coyolxauhqui. Her body tumbled down to the base of the temple and was broken into pieces.

Coatlicue regretted such violence. So Huitzilopochtli threw Coyolxauhqui’s head into the sky to form the Moon so that his mother would be comforted in seeing her daughter in the sky every night. Huitzilopochtli also attacked his 400 brothers. Those who survived became the Southern stars in the sky.

In this version of the legend we see several powerful themes emerge. The first is the triumph of the sun over the moon and stars which is a common theme in Aztec and Mayan mythology. It’s seen as a daily struggle where the sun god is reborn every day. Stories similar to this appear in many ancient cultures. I see it as the story of the Wheel of the Year where both day and night have their place and purpose in the great cosmic dance. Darkness and light, feminine and masculine, goddess and god, each one is a gift and a blessing to all of us. When they are out of balance, we all suffer.

The second theme that emerges for me is a story of transformation and rebirth. Coyolxauhqui was literally torn apart. She was broken and defeated. However, her rebirth came as she ascended into the sky and became the moon goddess. The cycles she travels from new moon to full moon and back again, speak to us of fertility, rebirth and regeneration. When I see a picture of the Coyolxauhqui Stone, it reminds me that there is always hope. We may feel like we’ve been broken and torn apart by oppressive powers and people, but this incarnation of the Divine Feminine reminds us that we can rise from death to new life. We can be recreated and make the journey from brokenness to whole. Blessed be!

Posted in Goddess | Tagged Aztec, Coyolxauhqui, Goddess, moon, Templo Mayor, Tenochtitlan | 3 Comments