Magickal Portals )O(

Merry meet all,

The overdress from Holy Clothing arrived! I love it. It is so beautiful and feminine. I feel so beautiful when I wear it. I can wear it with about twenty different dresses in my wardrobe, which is also what made it worth buying. The herb cutter from The Witches moon arrived. The herb cutter is so beautiful! 

I woke up to a skiff of snow on the ground this morning. Well I looked out my window and decided, winter is not over yet. Snow covers the ground and a harsh wind rocks the trees. I still see the portal visible only to me. Or is it? To be able to see the portal and imagine you are escaping to Middle Earth, soften your gaze and peer between the two trees. It so does appear like a portal to me, carrying you far away from all your worries. If I had a choice, I would move to Middle Earth and never return. 

The future for all humankind is dark and scary. The earth’s resources are being manipulated and seized and wasted at an unprecedented scale. We ask too much of the earth and forget that we have to give back. Machinery, the army and the government are the enemy. The technology we are producing and depending on are causing the earth’s destruction. Many cellphones end up in landfill. The oceans are stuffed with garbage. The air is polluted. We cannot eat money but we all live like we can. We have a scary future ahead of us if we continue at this rate. We expect the earth to produce forever but it doesn’t work that way. 

That is why if I was given the choice, I would flee to Middle Earth. And to quote Gandalf, “I won’t be going alone.” I would take my loved ones including my cat with me. I always felt like I never fit in here anyway. I would not look back. We are all doomed and we have a bleak future. Why should we leave Earth, move to another planet and colonize there if we can’t learn our mistakes here? No, we have to learn first then ask ourselves if we could really do that to another planet. 

There are people all over the world claiming to be experiencing visits from aliens. They are unafraid of the aliens- except me, I am scared to death of them. They claim that the aliens are teaching them that we may be better off leaving earth and going with the aliens. Who am I to deny them? I can see the rationale behind it. The aliens are wise and know what await us. 

It will break my heart to be forced to see war break out and the earth torn apart. To see people overcome with rage, furious that the earth can keep up no more with their need for selfish gratitude, tearing other people apart- their kin and know love no more. But that may be our future. The Goddess has raised her horns and awoken-and she is pissed. The sinkholes, climate change, the natural disasters: droughts, wildfires, flooding and hurricanes are signs of her fighting back. I hope she never tires. I hope she teaches us a powerful lesson. I hope she stays and stands proud, driven by a beautiful fury. We have been bad children. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I know that there are other earth stewards out there like me who are likeminded. If you are reading this and you are one of them, power to you! I see you as a kindred spirit. Yes we who do care about Earth and all her beauty and power are hopefully exempt from the doom just lurking over the horizon. But unfortunately, those who are in power blinded by greed and money and drive the cruel wheel of machinery will propel all of us to an unpleasant future. 

I believe in leaving offerings and having a harmonious relationship with the nature spirits here. I would probably get laughed at. I don’t care. I know what I feel and I live in harmony with the earth. I work with not against. Many people take so much for granted. I dare say they will eventually wake up when it is too late. 

I follow a surprisingly simple routine for showing my concern for the earth. I save eggshells, I recycle and compost, and I eat a lot of organic food. I opt for organic food as often as I can. I know organic food is more expensive but they make it that way to try and discourage you from buying it. I resist and buy it anyway. I practice organic gardening methods and I never use toxic chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides and other such poison on my garden. I have the most beautiful garden Ever. I use organic seeds and organic soil. I reuse cloth bags and I drag my personal cart to the store and back, up and down that steep hill. I take the bus and take many strolls on the nature trail. 

I practice bioregional herbalism and follow a sustainable practice with my herbalism. 

These are all things we could all be doing. I love seeing other people take their own cloth bags to the grocery store. It cheers my heart so much. That is in itself an act of rebellion. Ok now just keep that up and start small then expand your earth stewardship practice. 

Happy International Women’s Day – which is every damn day!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

Diversity

 

My Mom’s pot of nasturtiums!

Merry meet all,

Oh my the heat! I was just out in my garden. I love summer and everything about it. I love being able to wear what I want and relax. I am the most relaxed all year during the summer. Who can argue with sun, always being warm and that total sense of freedom? 

Today I want to write about diversity in the field of publishing and writing. I do support it. It is about time that more voices were heard. I love the works of the diverse writers published today. It is so sorely needed. The publishing world – the books that are produced were never meant to be only by white male writers. Not that I am knocking that, they are valid too, but all voices are valid. All the voices have something to say. But a white writer born in Colorado won’t know what it is truly like to grow up Hispanic or Chinese or gay or  as trans. You have to truly experience it to know it. It has to seep in your bones and stew in your blood, it has to consume you, emerge from your true self to pour onto the page. It represents you and it is you and it is special. 

I would hate to grow up on a planet with one culture, one race, one identity, one way of being. I would find that so boring. I want to eat at Mexican restaurants, learn a little Spanish, visit that amazing Middle Eastern restaurants and wear Nordic inspired outfits. Now how is that for culture variety? 

I read an amazing novel by Gabino Iglesias titled The Devil takes you home. I was amazed. The problem with today’s society is this movement of conformity being shovelled down our throats on the streets, in media and in the news. If that is not incentive for you to be your true self, then what is. I struggled to understand the words written in the language he truly knows. Nevertheless, I tried. I don’t understand a single word of Spanish. I know the English language very well of course. I believe that we all have to make efforts to understand each other and all the things we have to say and listen with our ears  -and hearts. We see with our hearts and ears. I hope we can all find a common middle ground or at least try to get halfway there. 

I remember when my Mother took in international boarders. That was so much fun. They brought their traditions, clothing and great cooking with them. I loved it. I struggled at times to understand what they were saying. But I would always try. I love chicken curry and the other awesome meals I was exposed to. I would not expect them to just give up who they are and do nothing but eat (boring) Canadian food. I am a diehard fan of ethnic food. 

I hate it when I see violence against black people, for example. It is mean and ugly and cruel. If we can all understand each other at my Mom’s house, and share cultures, then why isn’t that way in the world? But sadly, that is a naive way of viewing it. It is not that simple. I just hope that one day it is. The variety of cultures on earth is not just going away, so thankfully, most people are not out to hurt each other. To me, based on what I have shared in this post, you can see why I support diversity. I hope for a brighter future of not war but love, true understanding. 

I want to read books by Owl Goingback, Linda Addison and Sumiko Saulson and many others. Linda Addison helped edit an anthology titled Sycorax’s daughters. Not one single white author in the whole book! 

Let’s understand each other and support diversity. Let’s stand together. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

 

 

 

 

I stand with the Ukraine )O(

Merry meet all,

The world has gone mad! Like the Covid pandemic was not bad enough, Ukraine is under merciless fire from Russia. I can’t believe what is going on. I feel so bad for the Ukraine. They never hurt anyone. Now their homes are bombed, no heat, no love. It is awful. It breaks my heart. I found out that not everyone in Russia agrees with the cruel attacks on the Ukraine. Celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenneger and Baryshikov spoke out and expressed their feelings and opinions about the senseless attack. 

Yet there is hope. I found an interesting article on Twitter about local pagans making sure no one goes starving!!! 

Cape Breton pagans launch new programs to combat food insecurity

Candice Hannah, a founding member of the Circle of the Raven Society, shows off the group’s food pantry with Joe Townsend. (Christian Roach / CBC)

A small pagan society in North Sydney, N.S., is expanding community outreach and food insecurity programs with a new location for free meals and the addition of a community garden.

The Circle of the Raven Society is a non-profit organization started by Candice Hannah and her daughter, Briana Berardinelli, almost two years ago. They formed the group after seeing how many people in the community needed help.

The pair started out in Millville, N.S., giving away a free meal to anyone who needed one. Originally, the pair paid out of pocket for all the food but they soon began to sell small items from a trailer in their yard to help with the cost.

“We’ve moved from a tiny little trailer into a giant Addams Family building now where we’re currently located in North Sydney,” said Berardinelli, adding that the hard work has always been worth it.

“Any personal stories that we’ve heard just keeps pushing us to continue doing this, because we’re seeing just how many people that we can help.”

The group has grown and now gives away about 100 free meals on the last Sunday of every month from their location on Commercial Street. They also sell crafts and books and run a free clothes market.

The society offers free clothing in its store on Commercial Street in North Sydney. (Christian Roach / CBC)

Expanding to Glace Bay

In the short term they hope to feed more people by expanding to Glace Bay.

Member Mary Dillon will be giving away 30 free meals from her home in Glace Bay starting March 27, while other members continue to offer free meals in North Sydney.

Dillon said she loves being a part of the group and wants it to grow so they can help more people.

“We’d love to get as much places as possible for people to have food, for people to come, get readings, be able to connect with people who understand them, that aren’t going to look down on them,” she said.

Briana Berardinelli is a founder of the Circle of the Raven Society. (Christian Roach / CBC)

New community garden coming

Although the society has only six official members, the Facebook page has over 700 followers. The group has made community connections with the Ally Centre, NSCC and Cape Breton University to spread the word about the free meals.

They’ve also partnered with other community groups like Community Cares to install a red food pantry behind their building — the home of the new community garden that’s expected to be ready this summer.

“We want to be able to fill it up with an array of fruits and vegetables or herbs, anything that can really go a long way for people who need it and it will be easily accessible.”

Berardinelli said she still can’t explain the feeling she gets helping others.

“It just fills my heart just seeing how many people that we’ve helped, even just in this amount of time in the last two years,” said Berardinelli.

“I can only imagine just how much more we’re going to grow and how many more people will be able to help.”

That warms my heart. I love this story of people trying hard to help others. It proves we don’t need a war. No one wants war. When willl it end? 

I am almost done sewing the wool coat. I am so excited and brimming with anticipation. I promise to post pics when it is done! 

Ostara is upon us. It is still snowing. March is the cruelest month of winter. Spring battles with winter for supremacy. The other day was so warm and today I saw a skiff of snow on the ground. 

Well we can warm our hearts and stand together for the Ukraine against the cruel and needless war. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch