Ecoregional Druidry: Adapting and Localizing Symbolism

The Druid's Garden

To follow up from two posts a month or so ago on ecoregional druidry and the wheel of the year and celebrating rituals, observances, and activities, I want to continue thinking about how druids can adapt basic practices of druidry to their local ecosystems. This is particularly important for those of us in diverse ecosystems around the world: part of nature spirituality is being with nature as she is in your region. Thus far in this series, we’ve explored a druid’s wheel of the year that is seasonally-focused on a local ecosystem as well as the different ways we might celebrate this wheel of the year with rituals, observances, and activities. Also tied to these spiritual practices are symbolism associated with the elements and directions; framing symbolism that weaves its way into our practices in a variety of different contexts. And so, in this post, we’ll delve into thinking…

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Welcome October: Pumpkins ~ Magic & Lore

Good Witches Homestead

It is a magical time when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. According to our Celtic Ancestors, this is the time the souls of people who had died that year make their journey to the Otherworld. During this thinning of the veil, spirits are said to roam the earth freely, and communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easier at this time. It’s also told that the Fairy Folk became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. People use to dress in white (like ghosts), wear disguises made of straw, or dress as the opposite gender in order to fool the spirits and traveling after dark was not advised. The holiday’s bonfires and glowing turnips (yes, turnips) helped the dead on their journey while protecting the living.

So, let’s talk about the Halloween pumpkin … Pumpkins…

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Open Letter From A Chronic Pain Sufferer

As Oro’s spouse I watch as he wages war everyday with his chronic pain. There is nothing like the feeling of helplessness when you know you cannot ease the pain of the person you love.

Oro Cas Reflects

This article is copied in its entirety with links to the original site I discovered this post on. I didn’t write this but it is amazing to me how much it mirrors what I have been wanting to say for a long time.

Having chronic pain means many things change, and a lot of the changes are invisible.

Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand chronic pain and its effects, and of those that think they know, many are actually misinformed.

In the spirit of informing those who wish to understand: These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me.

Please understand that being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. I have to spend most of my day in considerable pain and exhaustion, and if you visit, sometimes I probably don’t seem…

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Ozark Encyclopedia – I – Insect Misc.

Wild horses vs cattle: Who will win the waterhole?

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Source: Heber Wild Horses

Public lands ranchers, in their effort to convince Forest Service and others that the wild horses need to be removed from the Sitgreaves National Forest, often fall back on their old propaganda spiel that the horses guard the waterholes and won’t let the cattle drink. So we uploaded this little video showing what really takes place at a waterhole on a regular basis when cattle and wild horses wind up at the same waterhole at the same time. Observe the drama unfold as you watch this action packed video of wild horses picking on poor little cows…see the terrified looks on the faces of the cattle as the horses plot against them! LOL

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Ozark Encyclopedia – H – Horseshoe

Ozark Encyclopedia – H – Horses

Ozark Encyclopedia – H – Hornet’s Nest

How To Make A Wedding Broom

Good Witches Homestead

The wedding broom is popular amongst both the Celtic and the African ceremonies.

Brooms are often stored by the front or back door of the home, and thus a broom can symbolize a threshold, leaping from your old single life into your new married life. This is similar to the tradition of carrying the bride across the threshold of a new home.

The handle of a broom is somewhat phallic in shape and the brush is shaped somewhat like a woman’s skirt so these two things combined can symbolize fertility and union.

A broom also symbolizes the daily routine of marriage such as cleaning the floors, taking out the trash, making dinner, and caring for one another.

Gather your materials

The whole length of the finished broom should be long enough that everyone jumping it has a bit of broom to in front of them. I’ve seen many photos of people jumping…

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