Arawyn's Grove
Lughnassad 1998
Lammas - The First Harvest(click to view)
Your
Host:
" Arawyn of Califia "
In the Hidden Valley of Califia
Your friendly neighborhood
Druidic Wiccan Priest
�
The Great Rite SageWoman
Athame to Chalice
Lance to Grail
Spirit to Flesh
Man to Woman
As the God and Goddess Within
Cojoined
They Bring Blessedness
To Life!
This Site is dedicated to my
Spirit Mate,
The Charge of The Goddess
Listen to the words of the Great Mother,
who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen,
Diana, Arienrhod, Brigid, and by many other names:
Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it
be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some sacred place and adore
the spirit of Me who is Queen of all the Wise. Sing, feast, dance, make
music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit
and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all beings. Mine
is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of
wine of life that is the Cauldron of Cerridwen that is the holy grail of
immortality. I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death.
I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all
things and My love is poured upon the earth.
Hear the words of the Star Goddess,
the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, whose body encircles the
universe:
I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the
stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and
come unto Me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return. Let My worship
be in the heart that rejoices, for behold --- all acts of love and pleasure
are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,
honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail
you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find
not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have
been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the
end of desire.
"My law is harmony with all things.
Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life and mine is the dish
of salt of the earth that is the body of Cernunnos that is the eternal
circle of rebirth. I give the knowledge of life everlasting, and
beyond death I give the promise of regeneration and renewal. I am the
sacrifice, the father of all things, and my protection blankets the earth."
Hear the words of the dancing
God, the music of whose laughter stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:
"I who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of Light, sun among the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon your bodies to arise and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the earth and all its beings. Through me all things must die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be in the body that sings, for behold, all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and peace, awe and longing within you. For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself, within me, all beginnings have endings, and all endings have beginnings.
I Am Pagan
I am Pagan.
I am a part of the whole of Nature.
The Rocks, the Animals, the Plants, the Elements, and Stars are my relatives.
Other humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors,
genders, sexual orientations, ages, nationalities, religions, lifestyles.
Planet Earth is my home. I am a part of this large family of Nature, not
the master of it. I have my own special part to play and I seek to discover
and play that part to the best of my ability. I seek to live in harmony
with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect.
I am Pagan.
I celebrate the changing seasons, the turning of the Wheel of the Year.
I celebrate with singing, dancing, feasting, rituals, and in other ways.
I celebrate each turn of the Wheel with personal spiritual practices and
by taking part in community festivals.
Samhain, commonly known as Halloween,
is a time for gazing into the future and for paying homage to my Ancestors
and other loved ones in the Spirit world. I work magic for greater religious
freedom for Pagan peoples and humankind as a whole. I celebrate the Wiccan
and Celtic spiritual New Year.
Yule, the Winter Solstice, is a festival
of peace and a celebration of waxing solar light. I honor the new Sun child
by burning a oaken Yule log in a sacred fire. I honor the Great Goddess
in her many Great Mother aspects, and the Father God as Santa in his Old
Sky God, Father Time, and Holly King forms. I decorate my home with lights
and with holly, ivy, mistletoe, evergreens and other herbs sacred to this
season. I ring in the new Solar year with bells.
At the beginning of February, I celebrate
Candlemas, known to ancient Celts as Imbolc and to contemporary Americans
as Groundhog's Day. I focus on spiritual purification and clearing away
blockages to prepare for the coming of Spring and new growth. During this
festival, I light candles to honor Brigid and I invite her to inspire my
artistic works and guide my healing practice. I give offerings of seeds
to wild birds.
At the time of the Spring Equinox, I welcome
the renewal of Spring and celebrate the greening of the Earth by dressing
in green myself. I honor the Teutonic Goddess Ostara and the spirit of
the Rabbit, Her consort. I color eggs with friends and divine choices for
new growth.
Beltane at the beginning of May is a festival
of fertility and pleasure. I dress in bright colors and wear a garland
of flowers in my hair. I dance the Maypole to bless gardens and creative
projects. I leap the Beltane bonfire for good luck. I place flowers at
the Bast Sacred Cat Shrine and other sacred sites
.
Summer Solstice time, also known as Midsummer
and Litha, is a grand gathering time when I greet old friends and meet
new ones. I dance with them around a sacred bonfire to the magic rhythms
of drums. I honor my spiritual community and tribe. I celebrate Pagan culture.
I add stones to the sacred Stone Circle on Circle Sanctuary land with prayers
for planetary harmony and well-being.
As August arrives, I celebrate Lammas,
also known as Lughnassad. At this festival, I honor the height of Summer
and prosperity. I not only give thanks for wild and cultivated plants and
for blessings that are starting to come to fruition, but I also pray for
continued abundance. I break and eat bread with others in ritual and I
give bread and herb offerings to the Goddesses and Gods of agriculture.
Fall Equinox, which some call Mabon, is
the time of thanksgiving for all the harvests I've reaped during the growing
time. I give thanks for food I have received from the gardens and fields
and for other blessings which have come into my life. I return to the Mother
Earth offerings that come from the best of the fruit, vegetables, herbs,
nuts, and other food stuffs I've gathered. And at Samhain, this Wheel of
the Year starts again.
I am Pagan.
I also honor the seasons of life within my life's journey -- beginnings,
growth, fruition, harvest, endings, rest, and beginnings again. Life is
a Circle with many cycles. With every Ending comes a new Beginning. Within
Death there is the promise of Rebirth.
I am Pagan.
I see circles of change and renewal not only within my own life's journey,
but in my heritage. I see my life as a circle that connects with the life
circles of my ancestors.
They are part of me and my life. The ancient wisdom of Nature's Renewal
and Recycling is embodied in the crests of two of my Ancestral clans. From
my German ancestors of my mother's mother's lineage is the totem of the
heron, a family emblem signifying perseverance and renewal after difficulties.
From my Celtic ancestors of my father's father's lineage is the crest bearing
the symbol of a hewn oak tree sprouting new branches and leaves from its
stump, enclosed in a circle with the motto, Iterum Viriscit, which means
It grows Green again. These symbols and motto remind me not only of my
own renewal and the renewal of Nature, but also the renewal of Pagan philosophy
on this planet that is part of my life's work as a Pagan priestess.
I am Pagan.
Intentional consciousness change, Magic, is part of my spirituality. For
every problem there is at least one workable solution as well as opportunity
for growth. I create my own reality with my thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Whatever I send out always returns. I seek to abide by the Wiccan Rede:
"And It Harm None, Do What You Will." When I do magic in rituals,
before I raise and direct energy, I seek always to look at the larger picture
of which my needs are just a part. I endeavor to work for the be st for
all as well as to help myself. When problems come my way, I seek to understand
their cause and messages as part of my finding a solution. In doing healing
work, I seek to address the underlying spiritual causes of disease, rather
than only focusing on relief of its symptoms.
I am Pagan.
I work magic by the Moon to help and to heal others, myself, and the Planet.
The Triple Goddess of the Moon guides me. I activate beginnings in the
Waxing, energize manifestations at the Full, and clear away obstructions
with the Waning and Dark. I take part in rituals at the New and Full Moons,
and I know that my Circles are part of a great web of Circles that meet
at these times around Planet Earth.
I am Pagan.
I embrace Pantheism, acknowledging that the Divine is everywhere and in
everything. I honor the Divine that is within the oak trees in the forest,
in the herbs in the garden, in the wild birds singing in the trees, in
the rock outcroppings on the hillside, in myself, and yes, even in "things"
such as my car, cameras, and computers. I understand that everything with
a physical body has a spiritual body, too. The physical and spiritual are
deeply intertwined, not separate, in this world of form. I honor the interconnectedness
of Creator and Creation.
I am Pagan.
I know that Divinity has many facets and I experience this through a variety
of Goddesses, Gods, and other spiritual forms. I also honor Divine Oneness,
the Unity of All. My personal encounters with Pagan Goddesses, Gods, and
other Divine forms have transformed and enriched my life. Hecate appeared
at a Death to teach me of release and rebirth. As a young child, Artemis
flowed through me and helped me ward off a would-be rapist. Selena of the
Full Moon brings me visions and my name. Sacred Sun energizes me. Yemaya
of the Ocean cleanses and renews me. I have heard Pan play his pipes in
the woods. Dionysius awakens within me the joys of spontaneity and ecstatic
bliss and teaches me the mysteries of androgyny. I have experienced the
union of Goddess and God while making love with my mate in the garden.
Bast has helped me deepen my connections with my Cat friends. Cernunnos
has appeared to me in the forest as a Stag. Isis has spoken to me in bursts
of radiance in the deep of the Night and in flows of energy through my
hands in doing healings. Saturn has given me lessons about discipline,
time, and organic agriculture. Lady Liberty protects me as I work for religious
freedom for Wiccans and other Pagans. Mother Earth guides my work on behalf
of this Plan dreams, in guided inner journeys, and while questing for vision
alone in the wilderness.
I am Pagan.
My spiritual practices include self-acceptance and understanding, instead
of self-rejection. I share my views with others when I sense it is right,
but I do not proselytize, claiming my way is the only true right way for
everyone. There are many paths up the mountain of spiritual understanding,
not just one path.
I am Pagan.
My worship takes the form of Divine communion with Nature. As part of my
worship, I founded and caretake a sacred Nature preserve, Circle Sanctuary.
I do rituals at special places there, such as in the Stone Circle atop
a sacred mound; on Spirit Rock high above the valleys; in the Magic Circle
garden; by outdoor shrines; in the indoor Temple room; and in the ancient
sandstone rock shelters that housed the ancient ones that lived on this
land thousands of years ago. I also do rituals elsewhere on the land and
at other places, outdoors and indoors. My worship and rituals can be anywhere
since my sacred circle is portable. Wherever I am, I can set up a circle
around a sacred sphere with seven invocations: to the four compass point
directions, to the Cosmos above, to the Planet below, and to Spiritual
Integration in the center.
I am Pagan.
I journey to the Otherworld in my dreams, meditations, and rituals. I use
sacred tools to aid me in my journeys and my magic making. These include
cauldrons, crystals, candles, censors of incense, chalices of water, pentacles
of salt, dishes of soil, feathers, bells, brooms, rattles, drums, wands,
staffs, blades, mirrors, and a variety of divination tools, including Tarot
cards, I Ching yarrow stalks, and Rune stones. I fly with my consciousness
through time and space. I explore other dimensions and then I return with
insights, knowledge, and power. I go between the worlds for healing, growth
and transformation. Intuitive, psychic perception is a natural, not supernatural,
part of my daily life.
I am Pagan.
I attune myself to the four elements of Nature -- Earth, Air, Fire, Water
-- and to the fifth element, Spirit, which is the spiritual force that
connects all. I see these Elements in Nature -- the Earth in the soil and
rocks; the Air in the winds and atmosphere; the Fire as the lightning,
fires, and electricity; the Water in the springs, rivers, oceans, rain,
and other waters on the planet; and the Spirit as Divine Unity. I also
see these Elements as aspects of Self -- my physical body and physiology
is my Earth; my intellect and thoughts my Air; my will and actions my Fire;
my emotions and feelings my Water; and my Inner Self, my Soul, is my Spirit.
I endeavor to keep myself healthy and in balance in all these parts of
Self. I work toward a restoring of balance of the Elements in the environment.
I am Pagan.
I hear the cries of Mother Earth who is upset with the harm being done
to the environment by humankind. I am dismayed by the pollution of the
air, the soil, and the waters, and by the domination games being played
by nations with the fire of nuclear missles and other weapons of mass destruction.
I also am concerned about spiritual pollution on the Planet -- selfishness,
hatred, greed for money and power, addiction, violence, despair. Yet as
I perceive these problems, I also perceive cleansing and healing happening
on Planet Earth at this time. I know that I can help in at least a small
way to bring the Planet into greater balance by seeking balance in my own
life, by being a catalyst for restoring balance in the lives of others,
and by working for a better environment. I know that my attitudes and my
way of living can make a difference. I endeavor to be a channel for healing
and balance. I make the practice of environmental responsibility a personal
part of my daily life. I endeavor to live in harmony with the other members
of the family of Nature.
I am Pagan.
Nature Spirituality is my religion and my life's foundation. Nature is
my spiritual teacher and holy book. I am part of Nature and Nature is part
of me. My understanding of Nature's inner mysteries grows as I journey
on this spiritual path.
� 1994, Selena Fox, Circle Sanctuary, Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA. Earlier versions published in previous editions of Circle Guide to Pagan Resources (1987, 1990, 1992).
~~~~~ MAGICKAL ETHICS ~~~~~
THE
WICCAN REDE
""An it harm none, Do what Ye will.""
Which Means:
You may do anything as long as is DOES NOT:
Interfere with the Free Will of another person,
Harm another person, or harm Yourself.
THE
RULE OF THREE
Whatever You put out into the World,
Be it, Positive or Negative, Right or Wrong, Good or Bad,
Returns to You Magnified, at least, Threefold!
On all three levels, Physical, Mental, and Spiritual!
Spellwork: Forgiveness
The Chocolate Ritual
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