Musings From the Hedge

October Snow

2011-11-15T19:37:55Z

I had intended to write more about being in the Sweatlodge...the experience of fire and water. However, New England had a powerful winter storm just days before Samhain that affected Western Mass with broken and downed trees that led to a long power outage. So here is my thoughts on the experience of fire and water from a different perspective.

Snow. Early snow; heavy, thick and wet flakes burying us under a dense blanket. Unprepared and too heavy to bare, the trees laid down one by one. Those not flexible enough to bend under the burden, snapped. There is a purpose to the timing and the cycle of the seasons. Trees know this. Autumn is the time of returning, going inward. Trees feel this as they pull their sap back from their foliage and send it down to the Mother, deep into the ground to be stored in their roots and harden in preparation for winter's icy hold on the land. But the Earth is shifting. The climate is changing. The patterns are disrupted and it is visible when a full force snowstorm arrives when the leaves are just embarking on their vibrant change and most are still green. The trees were not ready for what came on October 29 and neither were most of the humans.

During that night, Winter met Autumn in a collision of intense beauty and destruction. In turn, this left most of us without electricity for many days, even weeks, and some of us stranded by blocked roads. In many ways I was blessed to be "well prepared" to live without electricity for an extended period of time since I frequently travel to festivals and on rock climbing trips where I live without it for extended periods of time. This has led to me acquiring plenty of camping gear that comes in handy during a power outage such as a portable solar cell to charge batteries. I am also fortunate to live in a house supplied with a gas stove, gas hot water heater and a pellet stove.

If you have experienced a deep snow, then you know how enveloping it is. There is a fierceness and a deep magick. As the trees surrendered to the force of the storm, so the the lights went out across the land. Standing in my yard I could hear the soft music of snow falling accented by the loud cracking of trees. Underneath that chorus, was the silence of a town unplugged from the grid. Together, the song of the experience filled my senses.

The following morning I awoke to a world dazzling with sunlight and snow crystals. The power was still out but that was no surprise and I sensed it would not be coming on soon. The destruction in my neighborhood alone told me so. What followed was almost 5 days living off the grid unexpectedly. Life settled into a rhythm and I read a lot. I felt blessed in that I still had running water and hot water too. I had friends melting snow in buckets for water and some that could not leave their neighborhood.

The flow of life went on whether or not us humans had our comfortable access to electricity. I became acutely aware of ancestral generations living in the past. Life for them did not have the immediacy of turning a switch for light, for heat, for water or for entertainment. Their days were filled with working to meet their needs...food, water, heat, shelter. Water had to be pumped from a well or fetched from a stream. Food had to be planned for much farther in advance (all those Harvest celebrations we honor today; our ancestors celebrated because the hard work of harvesting and preparing for winter was done). Heat involved chopping wood or gathering it. And when the sun went down, they gathered together around the dinner table or the fire. They talked and shared stories or music. They read, knitted, sewed or fixed fishing nets or other tools they would need the next day. It struck me as I watched many people struggle with "what to do" when completely unplugged, how deeply in tune our ancestors must have been to their own creativity. Can't turn a switch to experience music? They made their own. Can't play a video game? They created games such as chess or cards. Can't jump on facebook to connect to community? They had gatherings, socials and went "visiting". This is not to say that I don't enjoy my facebook time, the power of the internet or the ease of modern conveniences. However, we might be losing more than we realize in our dependency on the modern grid.

I found it ironic the coinciding of Samhain, All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day with the darkness that suddenly laid across the land. Those three holidays all mark remembrance of our Ancestors or Honored Dead in some way. Somehow, it seemed fitting to do without or to do with less during the passage of those key days in the Turning of the Wheel. It helped me to appreciate the world my ancestors lived in just a little bit better and how that affected the expression of their lives. It also gave me a glimpse into the potential future for us all if solutions for our energy consumption and climate changes are not really addressed.

I also became acutely aware of how quickly I synchronized myself to the turning of a smaller wheel, the cycle of the sun in the course of a day in order to make the best use of the light. But the hidden magick I did not expect was how deeply wonderful the silence and darkness at night were. I live in an older neighborhood where the houses are close together. I did not realize just how noisy life with electricity is. I reveled in the opportunity to see stars in my own yard that normally are buried in light pollution and the silence was delicious.

The intensity of the storm has passed. The power is back on. The roads are lined with the debris from the trees. I have had my share of sorrow looking at the damage to the trees, but I remind myself change is a constant on Earth that must happen in order for growth to come in. The changes brought by the storm have created new openings to see the sky.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

lodge

2011-10-28T03:24:25Z

There is a building of energy coming to a Lodge. The fibers of the web have been pulled and spun by Spider, drawing close those that are meant to sit together in sacred smoke, in sacred heat, in sacred space. You can feel the vibrations of this as the people gather around the ceremonial fire that heats the stones that will share their teachings.
The lodge keeper knelt to fill the pipe and offered up the first pinch of tobacco in silent prayer and the hush that swept offer us was so still it froze time. Then I knew we all had step into liminal space.
Crawling into the Lodge, the woven branches curving over my head, the warm fabrics of blankets cocooning out the night air, and the profound darkness swallowing my sight and holding me in womb like stillness, I felt ancient memories stirring.
Silently, each person pressed their forehead to the dirt at the threshold before crawling sunwise into the mother womb of the Lodge.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Coming to a Halt and Listening

2011-10-13T01:36:35Z

As many of you who know me are aware, I am very much a soul in motion. Even my pursuits during my "time off" involve movement...hiking, dancing and rock climbing. My vacations involve traveling to festivals, backpacking or more climbing. For me, motion has always been a source of meditation. The longer the hike or the more intense the dance form, the deeper the trance. My time outside, on the land is where I commune with Spirit and where I receive much of my creative or spiritual information.

This summer, I experienced an "unexpected" spinal injury that came straight out of the blue (Spirit Sent) and there was no misinterpreting the message...I literally was brought to a complete and utter stop. While I do understand my role in manifestation, both conscious and unconscious, and I was very much aware that I needed to slow down prior to this ( I had actually taken a couple of restful vacations and was actively pursuing a lighter work load), there are times when we are not meant to be in control of a situation from a "ego" based place. It was clear from the onset, this was one of those Spirit Directed experiences and my role was not to know ahead of time or to change or "force" the process.

I feel that an important part of the lesson at hand was not knowing the game plan ahead of time.
I most definitely would have taken different action and events would have unfolded differently.
I believe, both personally and as a professional reader, that there is aspects of the journey that are accessible to us from Divine Source, The Universe and our Spirit Guides. This insight allows us to reflect on our the higher spiritual lesson unfolding and our role of conscious, co-creative action.
But, I also believe there are situations when the Veil will not be fully parted. There is a purpose to this.
There are times when experiencing life with the deeper spiritual lesson partially veiled facilitates unique learning and soul growth this actually in our Soul's Destiny. We are not always meant to avert challenges coming our way...while unpleasant, these bumps in the road develop parts of our soul.
We can still tune in, listen and co-create our way through veiled challenges. There is a different pace and level of trust (faith) that engages to move forward with no itinerary, no road map while maintaining a co-creative approach. It is its own set of crossroads. I have found that breathing in grace and measuring action or in-action against the vision of healing has been tremendously helpful.
My body is setting the pace in a different tempo these days and that has allowed me to focus inward in a deep way.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Cleansing and Clearing

2011-10-11T00:02:33Z

Personally, it has been my experience that cleansing and clearing for ourselves and our intimate spaces (our home, our office, our mode of transportation, etc) should take place regularly, daily if you can set the time aside, and if not daily, then weekly.

With most of us living very busy lives full of many commitments to our time and energy, I think it is appropriate to develop short Rituals and Methods of cleansing and clearing along with longer, more involved ones. In Yoga, Meditation and Reiki Practices, you will see teachers encouraging students to set aside even a 5 or 10 minute space for practice. This could be upon waking, at bedtime or even on a break mid-day. My hypnotherapist teacher had a 30 second self hypnosis power meditation he would do whenever he arrived at a red light. (yes, he kept his eyes open). It was a mini-positive-power thought aimed at a current personal goal and he seized the moment to use hypnosis as a mantra in the little breaks that life offered up.

Why all the cleansing and clearing? We move through life encountering and experiencing all manner of vibrations and varying densities of energies. After a day of driving around a lot in the warmer months, have you ever noticed how much pollen and bugs ended up on your windshield? It becomes habit to squirt the window washer on and clear the view. You don't wonder if you will have enough time to do it, you just do it so you can see clearly where you are headed. You still set aside longer time to wash your car on your day off, but you attend to the windshield daily.

Our bodies, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, need similar release from the day's accumulations of energy. It isn't that all the energy we encounter is "bad" or "negative" and most of it is positive, but we will benefit from taking some time to "sweep" or "wash" off energies that have just gotten "stuck" on us by virtue of us having moved through our universe. These energies might be called "uninformed" energies or just not be in our highest alignment of purpose.

How do you cleanse and clear yourself of old energies from the day that are not in alignment with your highest purpose and vibration? Many traditions have different methods but some simple ones are "sweeping" and "washing".

Sweeping would be to sweep yourself clean like you are dusting off a jacket or cloak of a coating of snow. Sweep downward to the Earth and remember to ask Gaia to transform and release these energies with harm to none, just as She turns compost from old food into nutrient rich compost. Be sure to get your back, the top of your head, your feet and your hands along with all your chakras.

This is a very easy method that can be applied almost anywhere.

Another is "washing". Use your time in the shower or bath to wash away any energies necessary by washing away from yourself and towards the drain. If you only have a quick moment, even just washing your hands with the intention of releasing any energy not in alignment is helpful.

Smudging with sage or incense is another method and some folks use their Reiki or other energy healing modality.

The important thing is to be mindful to practice cleansing and clearing on a regular basis with a method that resonates with you.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Contact with Our Creative Voice

2011-10-04T21:11:07Z

We all have a source of creativity living within us that we can learn to tap into and communicate with. As children, connection to this source is usually wide open until it is impinged or shut down by outside forces. Those outside forces can be simple and unexpected, yet powerful due to our developing little spirit selves so new to being in physical form on the planet. All sorts of people will come into our lives with their "messages" that may impact us. It is up to us, to use our own internal voice and intuition to measure if this information rings true with our Soul's Purpose. Too often, we can be led off our path by listening to outside influences. Regardless of when these various messages came into our lives, we can revisit them and release them, reprogramming the place they held with new material in alignment with our highest soul vibrational essence.

I recall one of my first days in Kindergarten. The teacher gave us a box of brand new crayons. These crayons were unlike the ones I had at home which were the big multi-pack that featured smaller crayons. This box at "school" had way less color choices but were big, fat delicious crayons. We were also given a picture to color and I loved coloring. I got down to work and colored big and bold, bearing down on my crayons til the points wore down in a way I could not do with smaller crayons. I delighted in the process and was totally caught up in the moment. When the time was up and we were asked to share, the girl sitting next to me showed my a faintly colored picture, barely shaded in. Then she showed me her barely used crayons. In a sweet, but judgmental voice she said, "oh look your crayons are ruined by the way you colored your picture and mine are still like brand new". Then she compared her crayons to mine. In that moment, I went from viewing my bright and bold, alive picture with joy to wondering if I had done something "wrong". Privately, I thought her picture looked dim and barely colored, incomplete, but still I felt my first experience of external pressure to conform. Internally, I struggled with myself over which was more important: a bright picture I enjoyed creating or perfect crayons practically untouched by use to show off. Luckily for me when I relayed this story with dismay to my mother, she had come from a line of practicing artists (my grandfather was a woodworker and my great grandfather a trained fine arts painter) so she quickly pointed out how beautiful my picture was because of how I choose to color it in. I still had an internal struggle to work through over the use of my crayons but my mother had given me some ammunition to question the "information" delivered by some little girl with a different agenda on expression.

If we can remember to take in outside information delivered to us from the perspective of being grateful for the feedback, but also take the time to process it through our self alignment filter of the Soul, we can work through the material with more of an open mind. It is important to be open to hearing constructive criticism and it is important to sift the wheat from the chaff.
Ah, but how do we do that? By taking time to develop the authentic voice of the our Soul. And yes, this is a practice. In every moment we have to choose how to exercise our own power. By developing an understanding of our Soul's language, how it speaks to us, we take steps towards increasing our spiritual well being. By seeking to understand the roles of others in our lives, both for better and for worse, we gain valuable insight to our Soul's divine mission. By expanding in this way, we can source our creative flow more readily.

Perhaps my story from kindergarten can be viewed as a moment when I was "shut down" to my own creative expression by a misguided statement. But perhaps, it can viewed as a moment where I was offered the chance to stand in my truth over how I decided to express myself. The struggle in itself is a gift if I learn what it offered.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

More thoughts on Soul to Ancestor Workings

2011-09-30T01:26:54Z

As I continue to ponder the Soul to Ancestor connection, I will do my best to capture in words the concepts I am experiencing in my own life.
I think the key energy is to review our family heritage, our ancestral line, through the eyes of the soul, our own soul. By viewing through the eye of the soul, I am referring to a "global goggles" or "spirit goggles" if you will. The immediate family we know can have muddy connections for our human selves since humans are so less than perfect. By taking a big step back from the intimate picture of your current life incarnation's experiences with family which involves all levels of lessons (call it family karma perhaps) and remember, not just your lessons, but the interweaving of many other folks lessons....you are seeking a greater picture, an ancestral story, ancestral patterns.
Was there a common thread in all the women in your heritage; perhaps of strength or creativity? How about the men? Maybe endurance and resourcefulness. Maybe there is a Storyteller or Keeper of the Family Wisdom that passes knowledge to the next generation. We can work to harvest the treasure of greater strengths of our ancestral line if we can learn to see past the immediate flaws of certain individuals. This is not to excuse bad behavior or wrongful actions, but that is a different aspect of healing work.
My own mother is a Keeper of Family Wisdom and she has handed this role on to me, whether I wanted it or not. She is of Irish decent and mind you, she did not ask my permission...she has just spent a lifetime passing on to me key information that is the treasure of my family's stories. She has said she believes that as her only daughter she feels it is my inherited role. And from her I have learned of some very cool traditions that I have not read of in any book.

I have also learned that many "rules" that she ran our home with are classic Irish/Celtic Clan "rules" tied closely to hospitality and family honor. Sometimes these rules frustrated me as a child but in hind sight, I deeply value the character qualities that ended up being steeped into my being. I remember now growing up in the 70's the excitement of birthday parties. At all my friends parties, the birthday girl or boy was served their piece of cake first. To my childish and selfish horror, at my own birthday party, I was served last. When I would whine to my mother, she was completely horrified at the idea that the hostess would take a serving first and it being my party, I was the hostess. In this argument, my mother won. She would often say, that her home would not be known for poor hospitality. The Celtic traditions of hospitality were very strict in ancient times and the seeds of this have carried forward to modern times in my family.

Traditions can be powerful connections to our ancestors. When we look upon aspects of our families we can find those connections. some more obvious than others.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Where Soul Work Meets Ancestor Work

2011-09-19T22:23:27Z

I have been catching up on a lot of reading I have wanted to do for quite some time. One of the books I am working through is called Sacred Contacts by Carolyn Myss. If you are not familiar with her work, I highly recommend you check out her books.
At one point she suggests recalling what the adults around you consistently commented on what you would one day "become" when you were very small. Her concept is that the adults close to us when we are children pick up on important soul "purpose" vibrations even if they might get a bit mis-translated through their human filter. You could also think back on what you always were drawn to say you would be when you "grew up". Remember that this too could be slightly off due to our own human filter but offers valuable insight, a key if you would, into the vibration of your soul.
As I have been re-reading Sacred Contracts, I have been revisiting what the adults in my world "saw" in me. What did I see in myself? What was my original Voice saying?
As I have sought to honor those original contracts and to understand how best to support my soul's purpose, I have seen that it is the Ancestors speaking to me that have guided me when I have lost my direction and when I reach out. We are supported on our journey by our ancestral lineage. Their blood runs in our blood and speaks to us in the language of spirit.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Ancestor Work

2011-09-19T01:52:17Z

I have always had a deep connection to Autumn...the changes in the land, the quickening in the air as the first cool mornings and nights arrive...all the traditions that surround this time of year from pumpkins, to harvest festivals, to putting a garden to bed for the coming Winter...and of course Samhain (Halloween).
With the passing of the years, as I have had the opportunities to expand my magickal studies and encounter some other traditions...Southern Conjure, VooDoo, and Mediumship. These other traditions (and Pagan/Heathen Traditions) all have a focus on Ancestor Work. I am finding that it has been always the Ancestor Work that has first opened any new Door, revealed a new direction for me.
Of course, when one is on a journey, one sees what is right there or just in front of them.. It is with the collection of time and experiences that one can look further and further back and see the Thread of certain Traditions that hold the strongest and have signaled the Waypoints on the road.
Having gathered more time on this journey, I realized when reflecting on my Soul's Path, that it has always been my Ancestral Spirits, the Voice of My Ancestors, speaking to me that have guided me.

Honoring Ancestral Blood:
When I was a young girl, I had the good fortune to get to know 2 very cool Aunts, one from each side of my family. My Great Aunt Gladys was from my mother's side and of Irish decent and Great Aunt Anna was from my father's side and of Italian decent. Both these ladies were quite forward thinking and "unusual" which I think is why they took a special liking to me and I to them. I would spend hours listening to them on various family visits and loved my time with them. It was only when I became an adult, that I came to understand how "different" they were. They were bold woman that had not followed a ordinary path and in the times that they lived in women typically had way less choices, I came to admire their courage, intelligence and resourcefulness. Both of these aunts were master seamstresses and help support their families with their craft. One made dolls and the other worked as a seamstress. They both spent hours encouraging my creativity. They were the first folks to see and recognize something in my spirit when I was just a little girl.
One Aunt had a baby out of wedlock in the early 1900's and kept the child. She learned to be a seamstress to support herself. She eventually married and had a very happy life with her husband. But I think back to her courage to keep her child in a time period when she was sent away while pregnant so no one that knew her family would see her.
The other Aunt had childhood diabetes and eventually became "legally blind" but remained independent. She lived well into her 80's and was always full of laughter and stories, never once did she complain about her health challenges.

I believe in the power of heritage, that is is passed down to us in our DNA and in our blood.
It whispers to us, gently calling out to our Soul. If we learn to listen to the Voice of our Ancestors that speak in the language of our blood, they also reveal keys to the answers we are seeking and provide clues to where the Path lies.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Long Time No Blog

2011-09-19T01:15:01Z

As some of you might know, I had to return to full time work in addition to running AwenTree when the economy went sour.
Recently there have been some directional changes in my Path and I have more time on my hands again that allow me to focus on writing.
So, I am back blogging my Musings From the Hedge!
I hope to expand on what I started writing about here and I hope folks will enjoy my musings and share them with their world if they feel inclined.

Many Blessings!
Winifred

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Winifred and Cassie's interview on the traditions and history of the Winter Solstice/Yule on the Enviro Show

2008-12-27T17:26:00Z

I was asked to join Cassie Olewinski on the December 23, 2008, Enviro Show to talk about the history and traditions of Winter Solstice and Yule.
Our hosts, Glen and Jean, gave us a warm welcome and had some great questions for us.
We had a whole lot of fun discussing an overview of historical traditions that many ancient cultures practiced to celebrate the return of the light at this time of year in the northern hemisphere. We also touched upon current local traditions happening in the Valley.
Check out the podcast.....Cassie and I are on about 20 minutes into the show.

Bright Blessings!

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Autumn Equinox, Mabon and The Ancestors

2008-09-20T18:18:04Z

Autumnal Equinox, Mabon and the Ancestor Time is unfolding around us now. The Equinoxes are about balance, the balance of day and night. They are important markers to the shifting Wheel of the Year and help us to prepare for planting or harvesting depending on the season.
In modern times, the autumn equinox is referred to as the holiday of Mabon, the Witches Harvest, and Second Harvest. We enter the time of preparation. The Twilight Time. The Ancestor Time.
Take a moment during Sunrise or Sunset in the coming weeks and just be on the Land. Use all your senses to become one with the Earth and the Shift taking place. What do you see, hear, smell, taste and feel? What do you sense on the Wind, in the Air, beneath your feet? How does your Spirit respond? We can use the energy of Mabon to bring ourselves into alignment, into balance, to center and ground.
Now it when we bring in the second round of the harvest that will feed us for the coming winter. Harder to image the importance to survival now with modern grocery stores, yet the time taken for proper harvesting and storage could make or break surviving the winter in the past. Harvesting is hard work. Once the Harvest is secured, then it is time for feasting and enjoying the last of the earth's abundance before the barren time of frozen ground.

We are also entering the time when the Veils Between the Worlds are growing thin.   Take a moment to experience the energy in the mists that form early in the mornings these days or late in the darkest time of night just before the pre-dawn light comes. Listen. There is a rhythm and song to these Other World times, there are Spirits afoot, and Gateways that open.

We can honor our Ancestors by creating an Ancestor Altar in our home. You can use photos, flowers, candles, small dishes of food or drink as offerings and any items that are connected to your loved ones that have crossed over. For example, I have a small, antique hand sewing machine that my maternal Grandmother purchased when she first came to America.   You could build an outdoor altar using stones, flowers and statues.
We can honor recently passed and our older lineage whether we know their names or not.   If you are new to this level of work, it takes some time to establish a relationship with Ancestor Spirits. This kind of work goes further than just looking at one's immediate family.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Stepping onto the Path of the Mysteries

2008-09-14T19:53:00Z

On September 13th Godiva Raven le Fey taught an intensive of the last 3 classes in her series "Stepping onto the Path of the Mysteries" also referred to as a Wicca 101 class here at AwenTree.

Godiva will be moving from Western MA to the midwest so that her partner Rob and her can be in the same location and both enjoy employment in their respective careers.   While I mourn the loss of having both of them living here in Western MA and sharing all the wonderful attributes they both bring to their community, I am excited for their shared future together.

Godiva presented a fantastic Wicca 101 class to our community. Providing a detailed and comprehensive look at Wicca, her classes offered a solid foundation for those newer to their Path or just looking to grow in their knowledge base.   Godiva has a refreshing and candid view of earth centered Spirituality. Drawing from years of hands-on experience and study with Chalice Well, she brings her quick wit and own thoughts to each class.

As a shoppe owner, I see on a daily basis, the need for classes like this in the community. While there are many great books out there, a class brings learning to a more interactive, live action place of growing. Godiva provided simple exercises to help her students bring their intellectual knowledge into experience.   When we take our learning and move it from the intellectual realm and bring it into ourselves to then offer it outward into the world, this allows for a process of awakening and inner growing to begin. This can be done with basic exercises offered in a class or workshop, a coven or dedicated spiritual group, or in solitary practice.   Sometimes, the simplest action such as making and keeping a commitment to attend class and study, brings about the most significant personal transformation. It is my hope that Godiva will be able to return to teach Wicca 101 intensives here at AwenTree next year.

It seems to me that we as a community have an opportunity to continue to grow our visibility to newcomers. There is so much more to our faith than book learning. Personally, I have years of Solitary Practice in my own tradition yet I always cycled round to working with others. I found both experiences to be vital to my spiritual growth.
There are benefits to Solitary Work. First off, it's easier to schedule having to only consult my own planner. This can allow for more flexibility to work at the most optimum moment regardless of the date or time.   Second, by working alone I found I could step quickly into Other Realms and open to wherever that might take me without being hindered by other folks' level of training or skill.
And there are benefits to working in a group.   The role of community is powerful. We can provide healing, inspiration, grounding and shared knowledge to each other. When a group is well established and synchronized, they can lift more energy together than along. Plus, Sabbats are just more meaningful and fun when shared with others.
Having been both in a dance troupe and a coven, brings me the awareness of the unique and sacred bond that grows between group members.   You become kin.

As always, I am deeply grateful to have this opportunity to hold Sacred Space for my community at AwenTree and for the many wonderful folk that travel through here whether as teachers, students or both.

In the end, we are all teachers as we are all students, weaving the web.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

re-entering life after Harvest Home Gathering

2008-09-03T14:44:00Z

Re-entering reality post experience at Harvest Home Gathering.
I could get really use to the "My Life as a Pagan Festival Roadie" or "The Gods Must Be Laughing".......it just is so apparent to me that while we humans are very attached to the concept of "it's a free will planet" there still is a master spiritual planning board that holds sway.

So, here is my review of the most recent festival we went to (Melissa, I and the ever watchful and protective AwenTree Spirits)

Harvest Home Gathering (held in CT) is a more intimate, focused Pagan Gathering held on at the lovely CT 4-H camp. The facilities were great including consistently hot showers! The land was beautiful with trails that led to magickal meadows full of dappled sunlight by day and a blanket of stars by night.
The community was very real and welcoming. While we were rather involved in our own world of vending and visiting with newly met friends (from Sirius Rising) that joined us on this trip and therefore did not get out as much to socialize, I still could sense the openness to meeting others in a connected way all around.
This a great festival for folks that really want to dive in deeper to discovering/working their Path, interested in awakening and connecting with their community. It's also local, full of good people and deserves our support as such.

The workshops and the presenters were above par. All the workshops and Rituals were not just the basic intro level material. While there is nothing wrong with offering the beginner level work, it was just so lovely to sink my energetic teeth into a deeper, wider experiences of the caliber of work being presented.

I managed to get to one of Orion Foxwood's lectures, Walking the Dark Line and wow. There is no justice I could do trying to summarize his workshop. Just suffice to say that Orion is clearly dialed in to Spirit; empowering, motivating, and kicking it till it's real. He has a Gift and we are blessed by his sharing of it.

Janet Farrar and Gavin Bones ran a Prophecy Workshop that was really great. Compelling and engaging, we sat in a large circle of folk while they work with 3 of their Priestesses that are trained as Seers. Channeling their Goddesses, the Priestesses in turn each drew down The Morrigan, Freya and Brigid. Janet was brilliant, channeling the Archetypal Force of Sybil, the Sacred Oracle. Gavin cast the Circle and worked with each Priestess. I was riveted to my seat, gripping the hands of the two very large men sitting on either side of me through the entire 2 hour Ritual, the energy was that high.

I really enjoy the freedom of timelessness and divine synchronicity that Spirit plays with when Pagans come together to share, learn, grow and embrace life.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

thursday morning ramblings

2008-08-21T15:48:00Z

My sense of time is non-linear and fluid, all times; past, present and future existing simultaneously in parallel worlds. The most important life is the current life and the work the Soul has come here to do. The many transformational journeys we undertake ultimately assist us in improving this life and help us to achieve our soul's goals.

This life, our time on Earth, is a "school" for lack of a better word. Before we come in, we agree to certain situations and opportunities, and they can be very challenging, that will allow for certain soul growth, expansion, healing and clearing of karmic contracts.   While we do not have control over other people's choices, decisions and actions (it is a free will planet we live on) we do have control over how we respond....and we can learn to respond rather than react.

Recently, while spending time with my Coven Mates to celebrate the Full Moon and Lughnasa, we talked a lot about this subject. About understanding exactly how we have control in our lives and to what extent....this is often referred to as manifestation/positive affirmation work which the now famous movie "The Secret" helped to bring forward in consciousness to the mainstream public.   Sometimes the most important task in clearing old patterns, old ways of being that no longer serve us, is not about control at all, but the opposite....it's about letting go and surrendering to the process.   Ah, this is where that word Faith comes back into play. It takes Faith to let go and trust that we are divinely guided.

Sharing spiritual work, whether in a Coven, Kindred, or Circle, helps us to continue learning, stay inspired and to persevere. When there is a group of folk coming together with respect, trust, commitment and common values/ethics they can help each other to see situations/challenges from a different perspective or to offer wisdom/suggestions from shared experiences. Hopefully, we each will have the strength and skill to call us "out" on ourselves in a responsible manner when we are mired, denying or can't get out of our own way.
And there is the joy in celebrating the Esbats and the Sabbats in community.
The Wheel of the Year seems to me to be truly about the community celebrating significant times that each play an important energetic role to creation and sustenance and so I find more joy doing that with others.
Knowing that time is set aside each month to hold sacred space for each other in love and trust means a lot to me because I have made a commitment to others to show up. I don't let "life" get in the way which often happened when I worked as a Solitary.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

journey of the soul....past life regression work

2008-08-18T15:43:00Z

This month I was able to take Past Life Regression Facilitator training with Georgina Cannon of Canada.
PLR has long been of interest to me and is what inspired me to become a Certified Hypnotherapist. I find the hypnosis training supports the PLR work in a very important and beneficial manner.
Georgina is truly a very bright soul; inspiring, knowledgeable and connected.
The workshop was an intensive condensing 3 days of information and practice into 2 days.
This is the kind of training where you set your soul to "fast" and open to the journey. Not only did we learn how to facilitate a successful, safe PLR; our discussions covered soul growth, soul patterns, soul evolution and healing through all time and place.

PLR is a transformational tool that helps us to find and gain insight on situations from past lives that we may still be carrying with us in this life. It also helps us to discover our Soul's Patterns and can illuminate our Soul's Work/Mission/Path for this life. Through the sessions we work to uncover the wisdom of our spirit learned through other life circumstances and to release any negativity, old stuck energies or trauma that might linger. This allows for deep healing, increased flow of positive energy in our current lives and a renewed sense of purpose.

It was very powerful and inspiring to attend this intensive training and to go through many past life regressions myself as part of the training. It deepened my own understanding of Soul Patterns and the Sacred Work we are all here to do.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

thought for the day

2008-08-14T18:43:00Z

"For once you have tasted flight,
you will walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward;
For there you have been,
and there you long to return."

-Leonardo da Vinci

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

Lammas Time, Welcoming the First Harvest

2008-08-01T17:01:00Z

August 1 is the day we recognize Lammas, also called Lughnasa, in the Wheel of the Year. This is a celebration of the first grain harvest to be cut down. This is the time when the God, having fulfilled his role to the Goddess in the time of Beltaine and Litha, is "cut down" undergoing death and rebirth in sacrificial mating, so that the cycle can continue.

This is an important time. For us in the New England region, we are well into summer (and we have a limited growing season). If you garden or are a farmer, the crops have long since been planted; sweat equity given to bring forth food for another year. We are past harvesting early spring greens and first fruits. Now we are beginning to bring in the grains which will be ground and stored for use in the coming year. We also coming into the height of harvesting vegetables; zuchinis, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and more. Take a moment to pause and think about the volume of work our ancestors did to grow, harvest and preserve food to survive another coming winter. There were no groceries stores. There was no refridgeration. Food had to be dried, smoked, salted, canned or pickled. If the crops failed or where not brought in properly, there would be no food.

To me, Lammas is a time of celebrating that the crops have grown successfully and to begin the all consuming, daily task of harvesting that will continue now until Samhain. Communities celebrated and worked together. They were tied closely to the land.
We might live in more urban settings and have grocery stores, but we can still take time to honor this important time in the life cycle, the nourishment that comes from the Earth that sustains us and the good folk who grow our food.

Some ways to connect to the land and the harvest:
visit a local farm, farmer's market or farm stand
prepare a special meal with your family or community; include foods that are grain based, seasonally appropriate
make bread and make creative shapes with the bread for your Altar or centerpiece on the dinner table(this is great activity with children)
if you pass a farmer working her/his wheat field (living in western ma it is easy to see them out there on their fields) maybe take a moment to bear witness to the day's work

As for inner workings:
What harvest are you bringing in personally?
What is it that you are reaping as a result of your work and intentions (known or unknown) through the first half of the year?
To whom or what are you grateful for your harvest?
How will you process, prepare and make use of that which you have harvested?
How will you share your harvest with your family and community?

I think it is important to look at all these things when working an earth centered Path. It is important to our own growth and to our families/communities that we do more than just "watch" a Ritual....we can take it deeper, become a real player, an aware, contributing player and not be just a consumer.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

add winds of change, mix with a little courage and faith, blend with Light....

2008-07-28T18:03:00Z

ok, so this has been quite a year for me, one I can easily say has been the darkest shadow year I have experienced since I was 23 (can you believe that!) It's just been one of those years where it all came down at the same time, purging my soul and expanding it.....ah growth.
Did I mention I have a lot of Scorpio in my chart....and you all thought it was mostly Taurus...and through it all, what has stood out to me most is my community.

I wanted to take a moment and share my gratitude for the amazing and wonderful circle of friends that surrounds me.   Each and everyone of you is truly a blessing in my life.   And my daughter.   She has consistently shined laughter, love and faith into every shadow helping to bring dark to light.

There is an inner power that comes through intense challenge. I have worked hard to maintain my center, to hold my own power and to keep faith in the fundamental goodness of humanity even when some humans' choices disappoint me deeply.
Through it all I have worked to keep gentle and open as the Wheel turns, which it must inevitably do, bringing death which brings new life.   This takes Courage and Faith.

Yesterday, I spent time with a friend of mine that has also experienced a lot of change this past year and we were working with our respective Tarot Decks, asking for insight and wisdom through the connection that cards allow to Source.
Today, we talked about how dead on the readings were. Courage and Faith. I have worked with cards for many years. It's a conversation. With Higher Self, Sacred Source, Spirit Guides, Ancestors, The Divine.   What I know and always come back to is this; it is a conversation. IF you are open and willing to listen, you will hear.

Courage and Faith.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

labyrinths

2008-07-25T14:52:00Z

The Labyrinth at Sirius Rising was the most physically beautiful and energetically powerful Labyrinth I have experienced so far in my journeys.

I can appreciate the many factors that would impact creating a labyrinth, amount of space and location, being the first two biggest aspects to be addressed. Brushwood has incredible land with a charge so powerful that I could literally feel it pulsing beneath my feet and surging into my being in certain spots. They placed the Labyrinth in a large field far enough away from the more crowded central part of the event where the vendors are which kept the meditative energy of the Labyrinth free of everyday energetic activities.

The Labyrinth itself was created from mowing the grass in the field. The Brushwood folk thoughtfully created an extra wide pathway so that one could walk side by side with another and a wheel chair could fit. I saw several couples walking the labyrinth together after the opening Spirit Ritual. It struck me as the perfect place to be Hand Fasted.

The shear size of the Labyrinth was awesome. It took about 1/2 an hour to walk it completely alone, longer in the first turn with it full of community. The opening Ritual was dedicated to Spirit. Everyone was encouraged to wear white. The Sirius folk that led the Ritual walked the Labyrinth alone first to open the energy and the second time to light the candle lanterns that lined it. After that, everyone else present was invited to walk together.
The sun was setting and the full moon was rising. Chimes, incense and huge quartz crystals were in the center. The lanterns were lit, the chimes rung, incense burned.

There is a beauty and profound connection to the Sacred to walk in the silence and simplicity of such a labyrinth.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.

wild drums, full moon fire, frogs and sirius rising

2008-07-23T22:39:00Z

wow- I hope my blog doesn't become filled with my comments on how fast time is passing! but I think I blinked, woke up at Sirius Rising, blinked again and I am back in Massachusetts......can I close my eyes and be back at Sirius Rising???
This was my first time going to this festival and wish I had heard of it sooner, but life unfolds as it will.

Brushwood is a really wonderful place and the land is incredible. From the moment I arrived the creative force of the land and the great folks there just called to me so much so I am struggling to find words to describe my experience.
As you roll into Brushwood there is a sign on the little bridge you have to cross to get into the main area and it reads
"once you have been around the bend, you will never be the same again".

That's for sure.

In between vending duties, I had time to attend some workshops...I checked out the belly dancing class on "Water" (This was my first belly dance class since losing Rose last winter. For those that know me a little more so, will understand the significance of the actual ability for me to attend such a class) and Ancient Blue; Body Art with Indigo Blue taught be Catherine Cartwright-Jones (which was awesome). I also went to the "Raquey and The Cavemen" performance and was totally blown away by their masterful middle eastern drumming.

Most nights found me dancing at the main fire to more amazing drumming. The energy of the fire, the drums, the people turning and moving together; feeling the ebb and flow, the weaving of the primal threads that connect us all.

Full Moon on Friday and the Sirius Rising community led a beautiful Spirit Ritual at their Labyrinth (a very large Labyrinth sited on the upper field in the meadow, lit with candles, sun setting, moon rising, mist rising....)
By the time Dawn touched the land, I had walked the Labyrinth 3 times. Once with my Sirius community, once for myself and once to hold sacred space with a healing connection just before dawn.

Saturday night brought the final Ritual combining all four of the Elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth; and Spirit. The focus being on building communication as a community and dedicated to the Thunderbird.

Wild drums in the distance hold the rythym
sacred fire, rising moon, the rain comes in
surrounded by frogs.

All writings of this blog, Musings From the Hedge are the sole property of Winifred Tannetta unless a quote or other source is referenced.