Posts tagged meditation
Oracle Card for October: The Hazel

Our oracle card for October is the Hazel from a set of cards titled Portal to the Sacred Trees-A Celtic Oracle by Jane Burns. The illustrations are by Judith Bird. I have studied Celtic shamanism through Jane Burns’ programs on The Shift Network and have always loved her work.

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Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night brings to a close the Christmas season and has become an important night of ritual for me. I didn’t grow up with a Twelfth Night tradition but, as a child, it was the Star in the East, the Magi, and their gifts of frankincense and myrrh that most fascinated me. Could we ever see that star in our sky? Who were these wise men? And what were these strange gifts? I am amused to think now about how I haven’t stopped seeking answers to my questions about the stars, the East, healing essences and all the mystical questions I had as a little girl.

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Oracle Card for April- The Well of Segais

Our card for the month of April is The Well of Segais from The Celtic Oracle Deck by John Matthews. It represents the element of water and reminds us of the power and critical importance of water. As April showers prevail this month and will grow May flowers, perhaps the card is asking us to take time to be grateful for water, to find ways to protect its purity and stop its waste. There are a number of Irish legends about the Well of Segais. All are meant to remind us that wisdom comes from understanding the interconnectedness of life and honoring the nurturing elements Nature has given us.

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Drumming

When I was in high school, yearbooks had captions under each senior’s name. One that was often used was “Music soothes the most savage beast, but I play the drum.” It is actually a misquote. The original was “Music has charms to soothe the savage beast. To soften rocks or bend a knotted Oak.” (Congreve).

Either way, the point was: there is a power to music, especially the drum, that goes back to ancient times. That power may express or incite anger, soothe, or even heal. The simple beat of a drum can do any or all of those. We might first think of the beat of a bass drum or the rat-a-tat of a snare drum in a parade or military marching band. The Scottish tattoo is classic as are other pipe and drum songs, like “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Or we might think of the electrified drum beat of hard rock.

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Anchoring the Light

Often, I write about the ancient sites that were built to align with the sun, or moon or stars. While modern scholars acknowledge these phenomena, many suggest they were “simply” sundials or places to celebrate the changing of the seasons and know when to plant crops. Walking these places in mindfulness, it is easy to feel that much more was going on in these ancient places or ritual. These places “worked with the light”. These places “anchored the light”. Their alignment focuses the light and drew the observer to a place where the light and energy of the sun connected to the Earth.

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The Light

One of the things that makes Ireland and the British Isles so magnificent is the Light. These islands may have a reputation for constant rain. However, as you might hear in the country: “When ye have the weather, sure there is nothing better”. The light creates the myriad shades of green of the landscape, the moody purples and blues of the mountains and the glistening surface to the waters of sea and lake.

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