For this week’s Pagan Video Tuesday I share a collection of videos that touch on the subject of why a person would leave the religion they were raised in and turn instead to a Pagan path.

I personally have not yet had time to view them myself, but I hope you find them enjoyable.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

“Michael Gorman, “The Druid” tells the story of his spiritual journey from Catholic to Fundamentalist to Druid.”

SybilSilverPhoenix “details (her) reasons for coming to the Path of Wicca and some the ups and downs (she’s) had along the way”
view part 2

Paganperspective “share(s) … why it is (he) call(s) myself what (he) do(es)”

Written by Mama KellyTags:druid, pagan, paganism, video, wiccan, youtube

I have been a bit remiss in my blog posting as well as my blog reading.  My laptop is sick and wont be repaired for a couple of weeks.  Right now we are waiting for the girls’ computer to get out of the shop and I’ll wait a couple of weeks before putting mine in to save us the sticker shock.

My time on the one remaining computer in the house is limited as I am sharing it with 3 other people and I am generally not able to get on it in the evenings very much and can’t get on it at all in the morning.  I do plan to work my way back to your regularly scheduled programming soon though – one way or another.

For this week’s Pagan Video Tuesday I share a piece I found on Hecate’s blog a couple of days ago.  While I watched it my heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears.  Yes because it was beautiful and moving and touching in so many ways but also because I long so much to be part of a Pagan community again.

I miss having a group of people to grapevine about the circle with.

I miss having people to sit and toast the Gods and Goddesses with.

I miss having no excuses when it came to honoring the Esbats and Sabbats.

I miss not being a Witch alone.

I spent a few moments on Samhain evening listening to the wind rushing through the dying leaves and whispered my wishes to my ancestors.  I asked them to pull some strings for me.  Desires that revolve around hearth and finances and a home of our own, one day, in the country.

I forgot to ask for this one thing for myself and so I whisper it here in cyberspace and pray that my ancestors don’t mind pulling another string or two that will bring some likeminded folk my way.

I have family.

I have friends.

But, frankly, I’m still feeling a bit lonely.

In any case – may the dance spiral on – may the circle never be broken – may we each find renewal and healing and hope.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:pagan, pagan video tuesday, paganism, video, wicca, witchcraft, youtube

Much of the Wiccan Year Wheel is based on an agricultural lifestyle in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere – in which there are four distinct seasons.

The Sabbats remind us of the cycles of these seasons and of nature itself.  They reflect the times to plant and to harvest; the times when livestock are born, weaned, and slaughtered; and the times when we will know plenty or know only want.

They remind us of our our own life cycles as well that we are each born, live, only to ultimately die.  They remind us of the simple fact that there will always be times when we will be forced to live off what we have been able to store or starve.

And while Lughnasad and Mabon are fairly obviously harvest festivals, this is not necessarily so with Samhain.  In my part of the world, the trees are losing their leaves and growing more bare each day,  gardens are essentially bare, the nights are turning cold.  Traditionally it is time to remember our beloved dead, to contemplate our pasts and our futures, and to dole out candy offerings to costume bedecked children.

Beyond that though, Samhain is (as I was taught long ago) a blood harvest.

In the times of our ancestors this time of year meant culling ones livestock.  Sacrificing these animals was not only as a way to have meat to preserve and last the coming cold season, but was done out of necessity.  Most people simply lacked the means to support the animals until spring came again.

Here, North of the Equator, we approach that time in only the span of several days.  And while most of us do not keep our own livestock, or slaughter our own animals for meat there is wisdom in reflecting on this practice nonetheless.

Have you done enough to see you through the coming dark season?

Have you put aside enough to sustain you through the coming months?

Are there things that you might need to sacrifice or cut out of your life in order to survive the long Winter ahead?

Just some food for thought

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:pagan, samhain, wicca

Please visit this older post in which I share the lyrics to the song “Every Woman Born” by Ruth Barrett.  Not only was I pleased when she found my post but I was thrilled when she herself was pleased to see me sharing it with you our readers.

I have fixed a lyric line and added a little background as to how I first came to hear the song.

I hope you enjoy it

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:music, pagan

I just read about a wonderful festival taking place next weekend right here in New Jersey, and I am planning on attending.  If all goes well, I’ll be sure to take lots of photos and post about it  It is a free event, so if any one who lives close enough to attend, perhaps I’ll see you there - it should be a wonderful pagan filled day. 

Event Listing:  SOUTH JERSEY PAGAN PRIDE DAY
Sunday, Oct 11 9:00a to 6:00p at Cooper River Park Stadium, Pennsauken, NJ

Written by Lady RoseTags:pagan, pagan event, pagan pride day, wicca

2006 Mabon performed by Y gwyr Yn Erbyn Byd and hosted by TERRA ( Tacoma Earth Religions Revival Association)

This movie is a compilation from photos from Coven of the Twilight Moons Mabon.

Marion Weinstein, author of Positive Magic, gives thanks for the Harvest

Fall Equninox ritual held at the Middle Earth Gathering.

Read more:

Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon

Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox

Celebrating The Seasons Of Life: Beltane to Mabon : Lore, Rituals, Activities, And Symbols

Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life

The Sabbats: A New Approach to Living the Old Ways

A Year of Ritual: Sabbats & Esbats for Solitaries & Covens

Sabbat Entertaining: Celebrating the Wiccan Holidays with Style

Let the Cauldron Bubble

Cooking To The Wheel of the Year

Written by Mama KellyTags:pagan, videos, youtube

This is a very simple concept, but the ritual you write around it can be as simple or complex as you like.  The main act of magic will be the crafting of a paper chain that represents the habit, situation, or relationship that you are looking to break free of.  I give credit for the root idea to Lady Rose who used this to assist me in doing what I can only call a solitary hand-parting ritual to help me move past a relationship during which, while not in front of a Priest or Preistess, vows were made just the same.

What you’ll need

Paper

Ruler

Scissors

Glue

Writing implement

A helper if desired

What to do

Do ahead:

Holding the paper landscape mark off strips approximately 1″ in width.

Cut enough strips so that you can make a paper chain of the desired length.*

Do in a ritual setting:

On the strips of paper write words, phrases, or draw symbols that correlate to that which you are looking to be free off.

Put a bit of glue onto one end of the paper strip and then form the strip into a circle.

To add the next chain simply thread the strip through the first link before gluing and forming.

With or without assistance bind yourself as securely as possible by winding the paper chain around your person.

Sit or stand for a few moments, thinking about how it feels to be stuck, to be trapped, and think about how much you wish to be free of whatever burdens or restricts you.

Fight your way free.

Allow yourself to have whatever emotional response that may come. Scream, cry, wail, etc.

Once you are again calm sing a song that you associate with your new start or use a chant like this:

I am a new Woman, I am a free Woman
I am a whole Woman, better than before!
~ author unknown
(you can replace the word woman with person if you are a man

without changing the basic rhythm or even your own name if you like)

When you feel ready, or when possible, take the remnants of your paper chain to be burned or returned to the earth in some fashion.

Thoughts:

Think about matching the color(s) of the paper or the ink to your purpose.

You can dab each link with a little ritual oil or even floral water.

Sprinkle a tiny amount of herbs associated with your purpose on each drop of glue.

Blessings!

Mama Kelly

* Assume that each paper link will be about 3″ long and make a chain as long as you wish.  You can make a chain just long enough to wrap around your hands a few times to bind them.  You can also make a chain long enough to wrap around your body several times that you have to fight to get out of.

Written by Mama KellyTags:pagan, spell, spellcraft

I’d like to report that my depression and anxiety issues are better.  Actually, they are worse.  If it wasn’t for posts that I had written ahead this blog would be quite lacking in content of late.  I sit down to write and find I have nothing to say.

While I strive to find my way above water again please  enjoy perusing this list of books published in the past month (or so) and know that eventually I’ll find my voice again.

Be Blessed

Joyous Lammas

May your harvests be rich ones

Mama Kelly

The Portable Spell Book: Quick and Simple Magick You Can Do Anywhere, Anytime by Ashleen O’Gaea

Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters by Mya Om

The Wiccan Temptress by Marie Bruce

Enchantment Encumbered: the Study and Practice of Wicca in Restricted Environments by Ashleen O’Gaea and Carol Garr

The Witch’s Kitchen: Incense, Oils, And Candle Recipes by Gregory Branson-Trent

Crafting with Nana, A Young Girl’s Journey into Witchcraft by Mille Knox

Dance of the Moon: Celebrating the Sacred Cycles of the Earth by Dan Furst

and you always know the year is winding down when the new year’s calendars come out:

Llewellyn’s 2010 Witches’ Calendar

Written by Mama KellyTags:books, pagan

“Give thanks for the blessings, give thanks for the lessons
Give thanks for all that the Goddess Provides
Give thanks for this showing our dreams are now growing
Give thanks for the presence of the Goddess in our lives

Refrain:
Thank You, Thank you, O Great Mother Thank You”

available on Lisa Thiel’s Circle of the Seasons

“So sayeth Life, the world is mine
the flowers that bloom and the song of the birds
I am the daylight, and the sunshine
So sayeth Life, the world is mine

So sayeth Death, the world is mine,
daylight is but a vain display.
Stars and moon sink in eternal night.
So sayeth Death, the world is mine”

So Sayeth Life, available on Lucidian’s For the Lady & Lord or
download it from Amazon.com

Come, ye thankful people come: Raise the song of harvest home
All be safely gathered in: Ere the winter storms begin
The Earth our maker doth provide: For our wants to be supplied
Come, ye thankful people come: Raise the song of harvest home
Raise the song (raise the song): Raise the song of harvest home

Original lyrics by Henry Alford, 1844. Pagan lyrics by Spiral Dance ©2007

Written by Mama KellyTags:chants, music, pagan, songs

I love the internet!  You can find anything … literally anything … that you might want to read, watch, or learn.  For example, last night I found a video highlighting the title song of a musical based on a woman who comes out of the closet as a lesbian after her divorce, finds love with a Wiccan woman, rediscovers her own faith, and eventually marries in a ceremony that draws on both their faiths.  I mean seriously, how many plays like that are out there?

“My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding” is a 60 minute long musical by David Hein.  According to it’s creator MMLJWW is “a new musical comedy based on a true story featuring hilarious songs, a live band, and hot lesbian action.” More seriously it is the story of how Mr. Hein’s mom “came out to (him), met her partner and got married.”

The title, while chosen I’m sure for shock value, is not a joke.  As you will hear in the introduction to the song Mr. Hein’s mom is Jewish, her partner is Wiccan and when they decided to marry well it was a “lesbian Jewish Wiccan wedding.”

I have to say that the reviews made me wish the play was here in my neck of the woods:

“David Hein turns autobiography into musical theatre as the story of his two moms is told through songs like “You Don’t Need a Penis” and “Straight White Male,” … an awkward dinner date at Hooters and a sidebar on gay rights in Canada… genuinely moving and well-executed … an all-ages lesson in tolerance”
- EYE weekly

“Director Andrew Lamb skilfully squeezes a live 3-piece band and a gifted seven-member cast onto the small stage while keeping the action fluid and fun, and the audience cheers wildly through 18 witty songs.”
- NOW

“David Hein and Irene Carl have created a very sweet and endearing love musical for his mothers. The crowd fell in love and how could they not”
- Dead Sexy Magazine

It was performed at the The Toronto Fringe Festival, July 1-12.

Enjoy!

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:musical, pagan, video, wiccan