Water

Water
Cooling, Refreshing
Quenching, Cleansing, H2O
Sustaining LIFE, Creating Life, Water
Wonderful, Gurgling, WATER. Babbling
Hydrating, Trickling, Raining, Precipitating,
Life,Perspiring, Irrigating, Bathing, Swimming,
Washing, WATER. Droplets, Tears, Saline, Serum,
Drinking, Sustaining, Watering, Soothing, Water
Flowing, Tidal, Salt Bodies of Water, Brooks, Seas
Streams, Rivers, Oceans, Estuaries, Reservoirs
Canals, Ponds, Lakes, Transport, Sport, LIFE,
Sustaining Water, Monsoons, Kissing the
Soul, Nurturing, Life Giving Water
LIFE Begins With Fresh
Water

Anupam Mishra: The ancient ingenuity of water harvesting | Video on TED.com


Blog Action Day 2010 - Water

Peace Felt

Here is the Peace Felt that I received from mixed media Fibre Artist Sharen Eninger. I love the hessian and different textures. Thank you Sharen.

If you wanted to know what happened to the Peace Flags that I made, then please visit Robin Joy Andreae and her amazing needle felted animals.

A Crown of Autumn Leaves

When autumn gathers, the tree

That the leaves sang

Reddens dark slowly, then, suddenly free,

Turns like a key,

Opening air where they hang

Felt by Yvette Cals
Poetry by Annie Finch

Peace Felt

"I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strangely, I am ungrateful to these teachers"

Khalil Gibran

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing or rightdoing, there is a field.
I will meet you there"

Jalal Ad-Din Rumi



"We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin,
but we all belong to one human race"

Kofi Annan



"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics,which is the goal of all evolution.Until we stop harming all other living beings , we are still savages."

- Thomas A. Edison



"End each day with thoughts of peace. Begin each day with thoughts of peace. Continue thinking thoughts of peace throughout your precious day and happiness will be yours."

"A smile is the beginning of peace."

Mother Theresa


Peace Felt

Exciting Times

Yesterday, the Druid Network were granted charitable status under the religious heading.

This means that Druidry is recognised as a religion under UK law. This is the first time that any form of Paganism has been legally recognised in UK law.

Druidry is one of many many paths of Paganism. To some, Paganism may be Wicca, Shamanism, Anarchy, Nature Based Spirituality, Celtic Identity or so much more.

It is such a shame that our sociological driven society feels the need to label us, split and divide us. For so long, Pagans have been made to feel like the immature children, the juvenile, the thorns in the side. So many of my fellow blog friends have a pseudonyms so they can speak honestly and freely with Pagan expression.

The world still fears and shuns that which it does not understand. Earlier this week, I visited some land on which a medicine wheel was built. The land is to become a place of healing, to the land, the animals the people and the trees. As I entered the site, I heard that peace flags had been hung over the field gate earlier in the day, had been stolen. I heard, that prayers that had been attached to trees, and pebbles placed in a well, had been removed, and continued to be removed, by others in the area that do not understand Pagan ways. Why is this so? How can peace flags upset anyone? How can a ribbon in a tree offend? Why does the presence of semi precious stones in an ancient Celtic well threaten? And why should we, Pagans, Druids, Shamans, Witches and so much more feel that we must stay hidden?

Last autumn, I received a letter from my daughters nursery. It asked of religious views, dietary requirements, medical info. You know the sort. Foolishly, I wrote Pagan next to religion. Its not that I want to indoctrinate my little girl, or make her believe my ways, it more that until she decides for herself I will teach her the ways of nature, the changing of the seasons, the elements, respect for life. Do you know how many times I had members of the nursery staff ask me if I danced around bonfires naked? I felt afraid, and as if my declaration of my own spiritual path would cause discrimination to my child. I had made it clear that my little girl could learn of other religions and cultures but it was to be respected that she had her own path. They tried to make her pray and say the lords prayer each day. Is it just me, or is respecting other religions and being made to participate in other religions prayer two very different things?

In my little girls new school, I have not felt so brave. I am proud of my Pagan beliefs, but do not want my daughter to be ostracised or marginalised. I want her to be happy, and free to play with whoever she likes, to invite the friends that she plays with home, and not just those that have the same spiritual path as her parents.

There is room for us all in this world.

Especially those that walk in PEACE, and HARM NONE!

With that said, I am sure you can see just how momentous an occasion it is that the Druids have received recognised religious status within the UK. I am thankful for their hard work!

Now, its time for you all to stand up and be counted. Fill in the Pagan Census today. Be proud of who you are.

xOx

Mabon, the Full Moon and a Medicine Wheel

Today is Mabon, the Autumn Equinox

A day of equal light and dark

A Harvest Moon

The first time in 20 years that the first day of Autumn has occurred on the same day as a full moon

Lets us not forget that this year was also guided in by a blue moon

This is a year for looking upwards
To greet the sky
Feel the wind on our cheeks
The rain kiss the lids of our eyes
The stars twinkle with joy

Embrace these precious moments



To mark this special occasion I entered into a Mabon Swap with the ethereal 'Faerwillow'



My gifts arrived, lovingly packaged with hand crafted items
Filling me with Excitement

Photographs of nature, a paper doll, tissue leaves, hand made tags
A clay leaf, and the softest woolen cowl

I feel blessed!




Look how at home they feel on my alter!

Thank you Faerwillow x

Feeling energised by the magic of the equinox, I set out to a gathering of new friends where we created a medicine wheel out of rocks and stones.

My new friends wish to heal the earth, and those that walk it. The acts of creation, ceremony, and ritualistic drumming were invigorating.

And, because life is for living, and some things should just 'be experienced' I did not stop to take pictures. All I can show you of this occasion is a picture of a tepee in which we all sat, shared food, and supped oak leaf wine.

Happy Autumn Equinox x

Sharing Treasure # 2 - LLigwy

Welcome to Sharing Treasure # 2. This month I have 3 sites to share with you. Lligwy Cromlech, Din Lligwy and Hen Capel Lligwy. All within close walking distance of each other.

Lligwy Cromlech

Lligwy Cromlech, a neolithic burial chamber. Cromlech is a word used to describe a burial mound or Dolmon from Welsh, from crom, feminine of crwm bent, arched + llech flat stone. In France, the word Cromlech is used to describe a stone circle, so maybe it is not accidental that the symbol for pi resembles some burial chambers.

Lligwy Cromlech has also been known as Coetan Arthur, Din Lligwy Burial Chamber and Arthur's Quoit. The Cromlech is said to be built upon a natural fissure in the limestone, rather than being dug out.

The site has a peaceful feeling to it. So much so that my 4 year old daughter instantly climbed inside it and lay down on the protruding stone whilst exclaiming that it was her new house and that is her sofa! I could have happily spent much longer here, and plan to return again very soon.

I did a little research into Lligwy Cromlech, looking for history and folklore. Rhiannon, contributor to 'The Modern Antiquarian' kindly shares a tale of a wild stormy night where a fisherman stumbles across a fair maiden struggling to reach the safety of the shore. He wades into the water and pulls the maiden to safety. After taking the maiden (at her request) to Arthur's Quoit he discovers that she is a witch that has been cast overboard and disguised herself to increase her chances of rescue. Afraid to be in the presence of a witch in a known haunted site the fisherman finds himself rewarded with a ball. The witch cautions the fisherman to keep the snakeskin ball safe, and secret from all and good fortune will be his. He shall only take out the ball from its hiding place once a year to bathe it in the sea, and then return it to hiding. If this is not done bad luck will follow. Please visit 'The Modern Antiquarian' to read the full story and see other pictures and accounts of visits to Lligwy Burial Chamber.

Din Lligwy

Din Lligwy is a settlement that is thought to have been built by natives to Anglesey during the Roman occupation. Din refers to 'defensive walls. It is thought that the site was a farming community and may even date back to the iron age. In the picture to the bottom right hand corner below, you can see the walls for one of the round rooms at Din LLigwy. It certainly 'fits' that the settlement dates back to the iron age, as it is very close to Parys Mountain which was mined for copper and other ores since the copper age 3500 years ago. Also, round houses were considered a symbol of status. The Celts and farming communities continued to use round houses until around 200 ad when they began adopting the Roman shaped houses.

Din Lligwy is known to have been occupied by the Romans until around 400ad. The round houses are thought to have been living quarters and the oblong rooms were workshops for iron working and animal shelters.

Hen Capel Lligwy

Hen Capel Lligwy is a wonderful example of medieval history.

The things that intrigue me most about church sites is their connection to sites of pagan worship, ley lines and trees. The church, pictured above, is very small but the trees alongside it are very large for their species.

The Hawthorn below is very large. I felt very attracted by her energy and found myself spending most of my time at this site beside this tree.

When I got home, I researched methods of aging trees without harming them. The Woodland Trust have a lovely tree hugging guide to aging trees of different species.

A Hawthorn only needs an elbow hug, whatever that may be, to qualify as ancient. I think this tree is more than an 'elbow hug' and displays some hallmarks of an ancient tree so I have registered it with The Woodland Trust to verify its age.

The Woodland Trust believe that ancient trees are living relics of incredible age that inspire in us feelings of awe and mystery. We reveal what makes a tree truly ancient, unlock a few of the fascinating secrets and stories associated with them and help you discover why they can sustain such a wide variety of wildlife. 'The Ancient Tree Hunt' is a project that invites members of the public to register trees that may be ancient or veteran with the Woodland Trust. Some of these trees may then be be granted a 'protected' status depending upon what its needs are. So, next time you are out walking and see an inspirational tree, why not give it a hug?

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If you have a treasure on your doorstep that you would like to share, please add your web link to Mr Linky below.

All are welcome :)