Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing all of my lovely followers a very Happy Thanksgiving.  And for those who are not in the United States, I wish you the same anyway.  :)

I stole this off facebook but the copyright is intact and it is a lovely picture and sentiment!

The Witches Circle - Introductions

Here is my post in reply to the blog prompt from Aine @ The Deepest Well  Be sure to check out her post and read the comments for other participants introductions.

So..about me....I have told much of this before but it is always good to do it again.  I like how Aine started hers so I will follow suit.

I am Roxanne, daughter of Patricia, daughter of Hazel.  I am also granddaughter of Eva, daughter of Anna (dad's side of the family).  I go by Sophiadawn on this blog and various places on the web.  While that isn't exactly a magickal name, it means something to me and the wandering wise woman path I trod.  Like so many others, I was taught at a young age to be a Christian.  A great deal of my childhood and teen years did not include church but after getting married, we got very involved at church and raised our daughters in the way of the fundamental Christian church.  For various reasons I went to a dark night of the soul period.  It was during this time that I was introduced to the goddess of the judeo-christian bible. Hence the "Sophia" part of my chosen sort of magickal name. This led me to finally deciding to go a wandering and learning instead of just believing what I was told to believe.  My birth name is Persian for dawn.  Put that all together and the dawning of wisdom = Sophiadawn.  Pretty nifty, huh?  By the way, I am a double Gemini so that may help you understand why I am on such a twisty path that intersects and veers off a lot.  :-)

Anyway, in 2003 I made a commitment of a year and a day to earnestly study on wicca, witchcraft of all varieties, alternative beliefs and whatever else came my way.  That year and day turned into a permanent journey.  I quickly learned that Wicca just didn't quite fit me.  I don't have a particular label I guess.  I lean towards kitchen/green/hedge witch mostly.  Living on the farm out in the sticks, I am acutely aware and in tune with nature.  Matter of fact, I can look back on my childhood and realize that I have always been.

 I like learning and using the different correspondences and use them when I can in my workings but being the practical person, if I need to do something RIGHT NOW, I will.  I see no sense in waiting for the just-so planetary hour during the right sign of the moon if I need something done immediately.  I do the same with my gardening.  I like to plant during the right moon sign, but sometimes I have to be practical and plant when the ground is actually ready and rain is arriving any minute.

I am a Reiki Master and I have Holistic Health Practitioner Diploma from American College of Health Sciences.  I love working with herbs, stones, essential oils and energy. I try to do something everyday to enrich my life and lives of others in some way with workings whether it is health related or completely spell work.

I do believe in "what goes around, comes around" but I also believe that "What comes around will go back around", meaning, that if there is something that needs to be done that some would call less than 'white light and love and rainbows', so be it...I can be the catalyst of sending it back around.

What I believe about Gods, Goddesses, dieties, Universal power, the Force...whatever you want to call it, can change from day to day, minute to minute.  Generally, I believe that there is a Universal power that I am fine with calling God/dess. I generally believe that there are different aspects of that universal power that are exemplified in many archetypical representations.  I think this power is all around us in nature and I do believe that there are different types of spirit beings that we can work with.  However, there are days when I think it is all just a bunch of wishful thinking.  Then there are days when Goddess feels very close and personal.  And who knows...maybe that is all the same thing anyway.

After being away from the christian church for a number of years now I had come to the point of wanting to fit in a little more structured spiritual practice to my life.  For the past year, I joined the Sisterhood of Avalon.  If you are interested in what their core beliefs are click here.  So far I have really liked what I am learning about and am really happy to not have to give up my eclectic ways. 

I do honor the seasonal celebrations of the wheel of the year but probably not all of them exactly as typical in Wiccan books and teachings.  I also note other cycles of life including the lunar cycles,  growing seasons, even the cycles of mood changes that people go through within themselves.  Oh..and I do still keep Christmas as well as Yule.  One myth is as good as any other when used for good.  :)

I am not out of the broom closet to my husband and daughters. Not to too many other people I know in real life either.  I see no need to rock their foundations at this point in my or their life.  I do a lot of hiding in plain sight though.  Weird how that works out sometimes.  My two sons-in-law have both said on more than one occasion that I must be a witch or something....and they mean it in the good way.  Their wives (my daughters) think they are just silly.  I just smile coyly and tell the guys that they are right.  They think I am kidding...some.

Wrapping up the season of Samhain/Calan Gaeaf

If you follow the tradition of assigning the feast day of Samhain/Calan Gaeaf to the full moon that occurs during the sun sign of Scorpio, today is your day.  As noted in previous posts, there are differing opinions on which day is the feast day and ultimately, I don't think it really makes a huge difference.  It seems to me that it is a period of time, a season if you will, that is Samhain.  It is just like the way the seasons change.  Summer doesn't just suddenly change to Autumn one day, Autumn does not just stop and it is Winter the next day.  Certainly, there are days that seem like it.  Two days ago it was 70 degrees at my house and now it is 35. The seasons change in fits and starts though. While it is 35 right now, in a couple more days, it is likely to be in the 60's again.  Gradual change, with occasional spikes in either direction.  That, to me is what the season of Samhain is like.

We have a day of Halloween that really is pretty much set by the Gregorian calendar and the Christian church of old.  It is a day of multiple personalities, especially here in the United States.  We have some people who think it is a day of evil, Satan's day.  A large percentage of people look at it as a day of fun, costumes, and extorting candy from neighbors.  Some people consider it a day of spiritual meaning and a day to make contact with 'their people' from other realms.

Then there are various Traditions that choose other days based on their preferred astrological conclusions.  Most of these folks treat the day as a Holy Day. It is a day to remember loved ones passed, elders still present and a day to reflect on their own shadow self.

What is this "working with the shadow" thing I keep hinting at?  As we know, life moves in cycles.  The seasons move in cycles, day and night cycles and even our own personal energies cycle.  Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder due to the cycling of the seasons and the amount of daylight they are exposed to. 

As we move through this season of Samhain, we are also moving through the season of Descent.  Descending into our deeper, subconscious self  we can either fight it or we can explore it and learn from it.  It is a good time to explore what issues cycle around to give us grief.  Perhaps you find that with the approaching holiday season you feel depressed over old family wounds.  Descent is a time to list those issues and move into the spiritual realm within to discover ways of dealing with and healing those wounds.  Or maybe you seem to be accutely aware of reoccurring financial problems.  With the world economies in the state that they are, really, who among us does not have concerns about finances.  So take this time of Descent and explore what patterns you have held onto that have led you to where you are now.  You may discover that you need to not use the credit card for items that are wants, not needs.  Maybe you will discover that you didn't do anything wrong, but circumstances just threw themselves at you.  In this case, you can explore ideas of how to climb over or around those circumstances.

We are probably not going to be able to solve all our problems, heal all our wounds and scars, fix all out outdated patterns of behavior in one season.  Most likely, we will not solve many.  If we can work towards solving even one, that will give us growth.  And never fear, just as the seasons cycle, this season of Descent will leave us only to cycle around later to give us opportunity to work and grow some more later.

What fun this is going to be!  Thanks to Dana from "On the Broomstick" for inviting me.  I will be participating with a yule theme post on this date and also I am planning a giveaway from my online shop.  I don't know exactly what that is going to be just yet but will update you with that info as soon as I put a little yule gift box set together!

Another good article on the roots of Samhain

I ran across this blog this morning that takes a very good practical look at the roots of Samhain.  I found it at http://www.bearridgetradingpost.com/ .

I reprint it here for your enjoyment and to just make it easier for me to find it again.  :)

Samhain – A Holiday For Preppers

Halloween, or Samhain as it was traditionally known, has its root in practical issues rather than religious mysticism. Samhain literally translates into “end of summer” and was the drop dead date to get the summer crops stored and animals butchered before the dark days of winter.
Traditionally, Samhain was time to take stock of the herds and grain supplies, and decide which animals would need to be slaughtered in order for the people and livestock to survive the winter. This custom is still observed by many who farm and raise livestock because it is when meat will keep since the freeze has come and also since summer grass is gone and free foraging is no longer possible.
In the pre-Christian world, cattle were the primary unit of currency and the center of agricultural and pastoral life. Samhain was the traditional time for slaughter, for preparing stores of meat and grain to last through the coming winter.
The May 1^st Beltane celebration coupled with the October 31^st Samhain festival mark the beginning and end of the growing season or “season of light” as it was referred to by the ancient Celts.
In later years turnips were carved and lit with candles to ward off the evil spirits who came forth in the “season of darkness”. Young men would paint their faces and wear mask moving from house to house in an attempt to drive the evil spirits away. They would collect a small payment from each house for their efforts. This is where the traditions of carving pumpkins and trick or treat come from.
Samhain celebrations included a large bonfire which was danced around. These bonfires often called all the members of a clan together to celebrate the harvest and plan for next year. The fires were also considered purifying to the family members who danced around it. Many times the livestock was driven around the fire to protect them through the long dark winter.
Samhain was also thought to be the night when the veil between worlds was the thinnest allowing those who passed away in the preceding year to continue their journey on the other side.
Like most ancient holidays, Samhain was coopted by the Christian church in an attempt to bring the pagan traditionalists into their fold. All Saints Day was created on November 1^st and specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven.
On a practical note October 31^st has traditionally marked the beginning of the dark days of winter which greatly impact the survivalist or homesteader who relies on solar power to provide electricity for their home. The hours of darkness overtook the daylight on the Autumnal Equinox which happens around September 22^nd every year but the impact isn’t full felt until the end of October. Usually this means reduced power consumption and earlier bed times.

Samhain should not be considered a demonic holiday but rather a time to celebrate your successful preparation for winter. Observing the traditional ancient holidays could be particularly beneficial to homesteaders who rely on the natural cycles to provide for their family.

Celtic Season of Samhain

Each of the four major Celtic seasons begins with a Holy Day and was often marked with a festival.  It is believed that the Celtic tribes marked their days from dusk to dusk.   The earliest records found seem to indicate that the Celtic people marked four distinct seasons with accompanying communal festivals and holy days.  The first of the seasons is the time of summers end through the beginning of the winter or dark time of the year and runs from November 1 - January 31 on our modern calendar.**  In the Gaelic languages it is called Samhain which means "summer's end" and in the Welsh language it is called Calan Gaeaf which means 'eve of winter's calend' or first of winter half of the year.

By this time, the harvest should be complete or almost complete.  Stores of food, fuel and supplies have been put away for the coming months of harsh weather.  The feast day of Samhain is considered to be a time out of time, an in-between time and a time when the Otherworld could be easily accessed.  The communal feasting, ceremonies and festivities were important for forging ties with people that would not likely be seen for months.  Contacting and honoring the dead , celebrating the wisdom of the elders living and passed, and making divinations were themes of the holy day. 

Song of Samhain

I am the hallow-tide of all souls passing,
I am the bright releaser of all pain,
I am the quickener of the fallen seed-case
I am the glance of snow, the strike of rain
I am the hollow of the winter twilight,
I am the hearth fire and the welcome bread,
I am the curtained among the pillow,
I am unending wisdom's golden thread


From Celtic Devotional by Caitlin Matthews

**It should be noted that there is a difference of opinion as to when a beginning of a season actually is.  Using a solar based calendar, it would be November 1 for Samhain.  However, druidic sources cite the season beginning based on a lunar calendar.  Some sources say it starts with a new moon and others say it begins with full moon.  These differing opinions even occur within the same traditions.

Who were the Celts?

I am in the process of writing a 2 page paper about the Celtic holiday of Calan Gaeaf (welsh) also known as Samhain/Halloween.  I intend to write about the folklore and traditions of this time of year as practiced by several different Traditions.  The complete paper will not be on the blog but the blog will be snippets of the paper as I sort it all out.  I hope you enjoy what I come up with.

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Samhain is considered to originate as a Celtic Holy Day.  Most texts talk about the Celts and this holiday as if it refers to a single people.  It will be good to do a quick exploration of just who "The Celts" were.  Probably, most commonly the Celts are identified are as the tribe of people from what is now Ireland.  If you do a web search looking for Celtic jewelry or some sort of decoration you will most likely find most sites that are Irish centered.  However, this is not the whole story what is 'Celtic.' 

According to Mark Oxbrow in his book "Halloween: Pagan Festival to Trick or Treat", there is actually no such people as 'the Celts.'

"Those folk who are commonly referred to as 'the Celts' were actually the members of numerous independent tribes.  They were not a single united group like our modern countries and kingdoms.  These were separate warring tribes - each with their own individual identity."

The Celts were not a single tribe or people group but rather, several tribes of people who  shared cultural characteristics.  They spoke similar languages, had similar skills in working with metals, had similar arts, tales and stories, and shared other aspects of culture.  There was a time that historians thought that the Celts were a race of people who had invaded the British Isles but more recently it has become accepted that the British "Celts" were the same native tribes who had inhabited the Isles for centuries earlier.  Some of these tribes and languages are Scot, Irish, Welsh, Cornish,  and Breton.  To expand this out even further, the Celtic culture was not only found on the British Isles in Pre-Roman times.  As a matter fact, much of Europe has its historical roots in Celtic history and ancestry. 

For the purposes of this paper I will concentrate on Celtic cultures of the British Isles.

The Witches Circle - Ancestors

This is my post from the blog prompt by Aine's discussion circle on her blog The Deepest Well. 

I can't say that I have typically worked with Ancestors on a regular basis.  I do honor them and work with them once in while. I do think that I should probably make that a more regular thing.

So who are my ancestors that I most often work with and honor?

First, there are my direct blood line family members.  My parents and grandparents are all passed over.  There is also family that I never met but are still a part of me.  I think often of the loved ones and make visits to their grave sites.  At times I request special assistance.  These people did not walk the same sort of path that I walk.  When I ask their assistance and guidance, it is most often for family oriented issues.  The help of a soldier father, for example, is requested to protect my children and grandchildren.

Second, there are my spiritual ancestors.  Those who have walked a similar path are spiritual ancestors.  Perhaps in some ways these are the ancestors and guides that I work with the most.  When I am working on something dealing with my own shadow self, or looking for some clarity about a more spiritual issue, these are the ones who can be helpful.

One of the things I want to do is create an ancestor altar somewhere in my home.  I look forward to reading other participants blogs about their ancestor work and altars.