Orion Foxwood on the Winds of Change

I often find myself in a state of fear regarding the state of the world at the present time.  I have been especially concerned with the apparent state of the worlds oceans and the impact that our society is having on coral reefs.  I spend a lot of my time during my morning and evening practice praying to Manannán mac Lír for the healing of our oceans and waterways.  Along with this I take as much action as possible to respect water, reduce my usage, and keep it clean.  Regardless of the state of the world, however, some part of me still feels hope.  I thanks the gods for that.  I wanted to share this excellent essay by Orion Foxwood, written not long after Katrina and the Tsunami, that has been a real help to me when the world seems dark.

_________________________

The Winds of Change: Insights of a Faery Seer by Orion Foxwood

A World in Change
Our world is currently being pummeled by devastating climate changes that are exacting high fees in human life, reconstruction efforts and in all that is familiar to us. We see this pattern in the macrocosm in the form of major destructive weather occurrences and in the microcosm as major shifts in our personal lives. “For the mill of the Gods grinds slow, but exceedingly fine,” quoted one of my Elders many years ago. All levels of our world, inner and outer, are being affected by the apparent changes. We can see it. We can feel it. And often, we are dreaming about it. No doubt, the whirlwind of changes is picking apart the old pattern and rearranging them into new forms that are congruent with new states of consciousness. Now, more than ever, we must look to our wisdom traditions to help us understand what is happening and what, if anything, we should do about it. For those of us in Faery Traditions (and one could say the Hermetic Traditions as well), who revere the potent powers of the primal underworld, we see through our second-sightedness that the inner temples are opening and ancient regenerative power (creation through destruction) is surfacing from the core of our world. This power arrives in waves of change that “cleans the house” and makes ready for the new. In this core is the heart of our planet, which beats forth pulses of life and inner spirit. It is the star beneath our feet….the molten earth’s core and it reflects its nature in our hearts. However, its heartbeat rattles, and even decomposes, the foundations of apathy, stagnation and worn out paradigms. This is good, but not comfortable…initially.

A Challenge to Faith and a Call to Action
As we witness these changes, the graphic destruction we see may cause us to question our faith in spiritual purpose and the will of the Gods (however we understand them) leading to feelings of hopelessness or fear. The fact is, humanity stands at a major “crossroads” and the purifying powers of the Underworld are rising and bringing forth new waves of change…new patterns of being. Nature and the spirit world are not shocked by such changes. But, humanity fears the titanic powers, which it cannot control. This a time when magical and esoteric people are called to task to support the unfolding balance and help those around us to translate the meaning out of what appears to be meaningless chaos. In short, these are the times we have been trained for. The hurricanes, tidal waves and other major elemental forces that are rearranging our lives are but outer reflections of inner dynamics surfacing through imbalanced patterns anchored in the surface world by humanity. Sadly, many of these patterns must be blown apart. As we have already seen, these arising forces may take away much of what is familiar to us. These forces are a call to action for people who consider themselves to be wisdom keepers, magic workers, Priest(esse)s, witches, alchemists, magicians, shaman and the host of other titles used to describe threshold guardians and mediators of spiritual truth.

The Dreamer Awakens
Deep in the inner soul of our planet is the core spiritual being of our natural world. In Faery Seership , we call this being “the Dreamer in the Land” – it is the Anima Mundi, or Soul of the World, of the Renaissance alchemists and magi. This being embodies the collective intelligence and sprit of our planet and its nature lives in everything in the surface world (and this includes all of humanity too). It is, in folkloric tradition, envisioned as an ever young, androgynous child that lays sleeping and dreaming on a bed of blue flame. It is also what tradition calls “the star within the stone”, which is the true stone of destiny. Between aeons of time that marks major ages or chapters in the unfolding vision of our planet, this Dreamer opens one eye and realizes one of its visions. Otherwise, it dreams and these dreams are carried into our world through visions, inspirations, epiphany and invention Each of us is a part of this vision and thus, why currently so many of our fellow humans are being driven by a sort of “divine restlessness” to quest for truth and meaning and put action behind its realization. They are shaking free from outworn patterns to make rooms for new ones…or old one revealed again.

We are living in a time when one era is opening and one era is closing to open to another. The blue flame of the underworld is rising through this awakening and bringing forth major regenerative change in the primary forms of wind and water. Another way of looking at it is that the inner sea temples are opening and the “aeonic” waters of the underworld are rising in the form of climate changes. Sadly, this means major change that also requires sacrifice in human and other lives. These dear ones who transition from this world to the inner worlds through the gates of death during this transition become a part of a greater, more powerful inner tide then we can imagine. May the Ancient One bless them as they walk the secret roads between the worlds and open the way for wisdom to come forth and balance to be realized. We must hold their sacrifices as holy.

Spiritual Work Actualized
So, what should we, the magical folk do? I recommend the following:

• Remain calm and do not become intoxicated by fear of impermanence.
• Send your spirits deep through the substance of the plant and touch the unfolding vision of our world through prayer, mediation, ritual and visionary processes.
• Commit your spiritual and magical workings to a balanced fulfillment of the surfacing changes to help reduce and buffer the harm.
• Remain steadfast in your commitment to maintain this time as a holy time of change… by not fearing it.
• Light the flames of your altars and send forth prayers and magic for inner stillness and clarity, so that your inner contacts can reveal your individual role in the unfolding changes.
• Eat, sleep, exercise, pray and meditate to keep your tools sharp so that you can mediate the balanced forces into imbalanced chaos fueled by human fear.

Good luck to you all, May the Dreamer reveal your place in the sacred circle the unfolding patterns of change. Keep it sacred.

Colorado Just Got a Little Wilder

Good news over the past few days about two endangered species here in Colorado.

The first report is about a Wolverine tracked entering the northern border of the state on June 1st.  Although there have been unconfirmed sightings before, this is the first confirmed report of a Wolverine in over 90 years here in Colorado!  But here is the interesting part for me.  If there is a remnant population of Wolverines still extant in the Southern Rockies it is quite possible that the radio collared male may find himself a mate and actually breed.  If this were to happen then the Colorado Wildlife Commission (a body basically owned by ranchers, farmers and wool growers) may have their hand forced to implement some kind of re-introduction program.  I will be watching this story with keen interest, and promise to keep you all updated.  Predators like the Wolverine form important foundations to the ecosystem, and seeing as they are endangered through a large percentage of their former range, Colorado could make an ideal place for recovery.

The second piece of good news has to do with the ongoing Colorado Lynx Re-Introduction Program started in 1996.  The past few years have seen a fall in the snowshoe hare population in Colorado, but this year could be different.  The Colorado Division of Wildlife has confirmed finding two litters of Lynx kittens totaling 10 new kits!  This is great news for the Lynx Re-Introduction program here.  Not only are these births good in and of themselves but these kittens are the first born to parents that were born in Colorado not in Canada.  Could it be the population is starting to take hold?  Looks like!

Environmental Restoration, Pagan Style

I just had the pleasure of listening to one of T. Thorn Coyle’s latest podcasts wherein she interviews John Michael Greer (Episode 15).  One of the more interesting points that Thorn made was regarding the typical pagan ideal of buying land for ceremonial/spiritual use.  She rightly points out that this piece of land is usually envisioned as out in the wilderness somewhere.  Thorn points out that this ideal may end up doing more harm than good considering the amount of existing urban sprawl that we have currently.  Her suggestion is to find land *inside* the cities and restore them, making them a focus for the nurturance of pagan communities.  Brilliant, no?

This comes on the heals of watching the epic “Planet Earth” documentary by the BBC.  If you have not seen this brilliant piece of art I highly encourage it.  The last DVD is, however, a real wake-up call.  Lets face it folks, the planet is at a serious crossroads.  There are, however many signs of success and hope when it comes to environmental restoration, including some very committed and resourceful pagans.  Action is the most effective prayer.  One shining example of this kind of action is Anima Center in New Mexico:

When the Sanctuary property was first purchased in January 1981, what already appeared to be a beautiful canyon was nonetheless seriously damaged. Over the course of the previous 109 years, grazing had eliminated 95% of the vegetation. In dry country such as this, it was only natural for the cattle to seek out the rich grass adjacent to the area’s few rivers, but the result of such concentration was that even plants that weren’t eaten were trampled and crushed. Literally nothing grew among the volcanic outcroppings other than brilliant cacti, stately alders and ponderosa pines, a few large old cottonwoods, and increasingly invasive piñon and juniper. . .

Visitors to the Center today, some thirty years after its purchase and protection, are amazed at what is now a forest of Cottonwoods over sixty feet high, towering above a thick tangle of twenty-foot willows. Wild grapes hang from many of the trees, and the meadows and shoreline are filled with a colorful profusion of wild flowers with names like sacred datura, western spiderwort, wood sorrel, pink penstemon, flax, cliff and woods’ rose, desert paintbrush, blue eyed grass, fire wheel, mata, four o’clock, globe mallow, morning glory and mountain lover. Resident interns assist with seed gathering and plantings, as well as erosion control and other soil conservation measures, and there are periodic Riparian (River Ecosystem) Restoration workshops.

Although this has transpired in the Gila Mountains of New Mexico it is a great example of what is possible when pagans commit to action on behalf of Mother Earth.  Imagine what it could be like if pagans took this example into urban areas?  I think the possibilities are very compelling.  Another fine example, although non-pagan, is the latest story from the New York Times about a pair of brothers working to destroy levees in Louisiana rather than putting them up.  Thorn has been working on her “Solar Cross” temple project making me wonder if Solar Cross will include urban gardening and sustainability in it’s design as well?  It will be interesting to see.

Action is the best form of prayer.  To that end I have signed up as an Environmental Director with the Clean World Movement.   They are seeking volunteers for every zip code in the United States to organize weekly or monthly litter clean ups for their area.  I plan on organizing monthly clean-ups of my zip code specifically concentrating on Fountain Creek (the main waterway in Colorado Springs).  I am excited to get started!  With sites like Facebook and it’s abilities to create groups, organizing of this type is easier then ever before.  I hope to use the base of support that I receive from forming this community of pagans and non-pagans to eventually do things like start an urban farm, clean up empty lots in the city, sponsor a rainforest park in the Amazon, and hopefully purchase land for mining reclamation here in Colorado.

I will keep you all posted.

World on Fire

I wish I knew how to write this and not sound like an alarmist. I wish I knew how to convey to you all, my fellow pagani, how deeply concerned I am about one issue above all others.

Global warming.

For the past few years I have been slowly researching this issue, weighing the facts, listening to those who are convinced that it is happening, and those who are convinced it is not. I keep my eye on Scientific American, the media, blogs, documentaries, and read some books on the subject. I personally am convinced that global climate change is very real and that the collective actions of humanity are the cause. The knowledge of this is truly starting to keep me up at night.

Native American Sacred Sites: Part III

The last native sacred site that I wish to discuss involves the Hopi tribe of Arizona. A site that, sadly, no longer exists. The Hopi tribe once surrounded their homeland with a series of shrines that aid in communion with the Creator and their kachina allies. The documentary speaks about one of the these shrines literally getting bulldozed in an asphalt mining operation. Since some of these Hopi shrines are now on privately owned land the Hopi have no say over the fate of these shrines. Although they did communicate their concern to the landowner, their pleas fell on the deaf ears that only profits create.

What strikes me as so sad about the destruction of these sacred places is the different value that our “free-market” culture places on the Land. “Raping the land” has become a cliche, but what is a cliche but a succinct truth? The Hopi have been the victims of our never-ending thirst for new resources to exploit, as have many other cultures and of coarse, working class people from all over.

Paganism, and Druidism in particular arises at this time in history for a purpose. That purpose is to help all of humanity learn to value the land in a different way. The heart-felt, unshakable knowledge that the Land is a goddess and the ultimate source of our life; this revelation turns our values towards the welfare of the community and the needs of the Land, not towards a world rampant with the coldness of social Darwinism and individualism at all cost.

One of the most mind blowing books that I have ever read is “The Book of the Hopi” by Frank Waters. I highly recommend it to all pagans and Celts that I meet and respect. The essence of the traditional Hopi worldview is one of voluntary hardship. The traditional Hopi view sees hardship as a continual purification that keeps us healthy in spirit. The Hopi must rely on their prayers for rain, rain to water their crops, crops to feed their families, and families to keep the Hopi alive to see the next dawn. This reliance on ceremony is meant to keep them thankful to their Creator by honoring the Land that sustains them.

Our corporate culture sees the Land in a manner that amounts to suicide. Could it be that Pagans, Druids, Witches, etc. are individuals who hold some of the greatest hope for the future? I like to think so. But are we up to the challenge?

Native American Sacred Sites: Part II

One of the next issues addressed has to do with Devil’s Tower.  A place long been sacred to the Lakota, has also become a place of tension in the last few years.  Once a year the Lakota run around the boundary of the lands that they once held before European contact.  One of the places that they run by is Devil’s Tower.  Devil’s Tower has also traditionally been a place where the Lakota leave offerings, do ceremonies, and make prayers.  The Lakota consider rock climbing on the Tower to be disrespectful.  In cooperation with the Forest Service they have asked rock climbers to stay off the Tower during the month of July.  This is *not* a mandatory ban, but a voluntary one.  Many climbers, however, continue to climb even after the reason for the ban has been explained.  I shake my head and wonder why.

This fight is our fight.  As paganism moves on into the future there will be places on the Land that we too will consider powerful, and worthy of preservation.  One day we too will hope that others will help us when places that are important to us are threatened.  Or will we all end up just turning the other cheek and find somewhere else to go?  If so, I would argue that that place really means nothing to us when the chips are down.  Pagans (Celtic pagans especially) must start asking the question, “What does it mean to be ‘indigenous’ to a place?”.  And we must start to ask our society why it is so hard to stop climbing on someones “Church” for one month out of the year?

When will we as a society stop valuing money over proper stewardship of the Land that gives us life?

Native American Sacred Sites: Part I

Having recently watched an excellent documentary called “In the Light of Reverence: Protecting America’s Sacred Land“, as well as past experience with Ute, Hopi, and Apache sacred land here in Colorado, I wanted to share some personal insights into this *very* complex issue.

I think foremost that it is important for all pagans to remember that we were not in this land first. One of the most disappointing scenes in the film is when they interview a new-age woman who claims that she has as much right to access a spring sacred to the Wintu tribe because “she was once a Native American” in a past life. She then goes on to list the various cultures that she has been a part of in past lives. What angered me about this point off view, is that it is based on a colonial attitude towards other cultures that says, “Hey I can do what I want to any cultural site because I was one of them in a past life.” A ridiculous and arrogant point of view, in my opinion.

The Wintu have been doing ceremony at this particular spring for thousands of years. They were almost wiped out during the California Gold Rush. When the government payed white folk $5 for each Indian head they brought in, effectively reducing their numbers from 12,000 at time of contact to around 400+.  After malaria, head hunting, and a “friendship feast” hosted by white folk in which the food was poisoned it is no wonder that this tribe is small. One of the current members of the Wintu asks a very good and tearful question. “There are a lot of other springs on this mountain, why can’t those people”, referring to Rainbow Gathering members, New-Agers, and Neo-Pagans, “go to one of them?” Indeed, why not?

The Wintu fought a proposed ski-resort that would have effected the spring, and won. In fact, they usually leave the place alone. To many Native tribes it is considered important to leave these sacred places alone. Leaving a place alone is considered a form of respect. The spring, however, is given very little time to be alone, as it’s sacred history has made it a mecca for neo-pagans, and “new-agers” of various ilk. This, in my opinion, is a continuation of cultural genocide on the Wintu. I do *not* think that cultural oppression is the intention of other folk who come to the spring and do ceremony, but ignorance on the impact that it has on Wintu.

I believe it is very important for pagans today to be respectful of these ancient sacred places. For one, the tribe to whom it is sacred has been interacting with that place for thousands of years, they know it and it’s spirits well, very well. To pop on in, do a meditation and think that you know the place fully is, I think, misguided. I look forward to any comments that you may have on this topic. Part II will focus on Devil’s Tower and the Lakota.

Colorado Druids

I have been spending some time recently helping to develop a new volunteer organization, comprised entirely of pagans, for natural restoration work here in Colorado. The idea is to get many pagans of different traditions together to volunteer for outdoor wilderness restoration, beautification, and preservation. All in the name of a more engaged pagan community that represents itself in other ways that just weird outfits, public ritual, and heavy black eye shadow! Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with those things!

Our intent is to simply get pagans outside working with the Forest Service, and other environmental organizations. We are hoping that this will help put a different face on the pagan community, one that shows our commitment to the environment, as well as to the community at large.

How will we identify ourselves as pagans? Very simply. Each volunteer will wear a dark green t-shirt with these emblems:

We chose the term “Druid” because it is a familiar term to most people, and it is often associated with “green attitudes”. The large image goes on the back of the shirt, while the small emblem (the twisted up dude) goes on the front of the shirt. We chose the slogan, “Polytheism with Purpose” instead of “Paganism with Purpose” because most people know what the term “polytheism” means, whereas “paganism” is used in many different ways, with multiple meanings.

I am interested to hear if others have done something similar in their area, whether it is for environmental causes or something else. Does anyone have any suggestions?