Friday, January 6th, was Theophany (according to the Eastern Orthodox Church) and Epiphany for the rest. I’m not sure why, but it is on this day that house blessings occur in the Orthodox tradition, my preferred flavor of Christianity. A priest comes around to the home and blesses the structure and its inhabitants. I’ve just moved into a new home. I usually do a house blessing when I move anywhere new. My past practice has been to use various incenses... Read more
I haven’t meant to go so long between posts. We are in our house, but internet doesn’t start until tomorrow, and we’re still in that chaotic, seemingly never-ending period of unpacking, sorting, finding, organizing, etc. This is by far my most challenging and taxing move yet. Each day gets better (I tell myself). I love our new home and I think Olympia is already a great fit for us. I think about this blog and this project often. As annoying... Read more
I’m not much for New Year’s parties or resolutions. Now that I have kids I have even less desire to stay up late among raucous revellers. Going to bed early suits me just fine. I feel like the Gregorian new year is oddly placed anyway. I always feel like it should come either at the winter solstice or perhaps on the vernal equinox. January 1st feels like an arbitrary, but satisfying bookend to the winter holiday season, a point marking... Read more
The 21st has come and gone. A new quarter begins. I stood at the sink washing the dishes, looking out at the stump and bush from which the Horned One was staring at me. I apologized that I would be neglecting him. He continues to peek out at me. My instincts tell me to greet the land and offer milk and mince pies, but that just doesn’t….. seem Christian. So I sit and stew about this conflict. My sensibilities have... Read more
In Cornwall with no internet. My profound insights on the holidays will have to wait. May you all be blessed and revived by the coming of the Light. Read more
No interesting posts for the next few days. We are in the thick of moving, leaving bright and early tomorrow morning. I will post again once we get settled into Cornwall. May you have a warm and blessed Yule! Read more
The boxes are packed. We came to Wales with twelve boxes, four suitcases, two cats and one child nearly two and half years ago. We leave with 14 boxes, three and a half suitcases, one cat and two kids. These final days are the busiest, most chaotic. My friend, Haloquin, arrived for dinner and magic last night in the midst of people moving furniture out of our house, me feeding the baby and the three-year old running around in his... Read more
After worshiping the Dark Mother Kali at a full moon Hindu puja, it was rather jarring to sing about the birth of the King of Light at a candle lit Christian service the next day. The Lampeter university chapel is a lovely community, and I’ve sung off and on there for the last two and half years. This was my third carol service – and my third year singing the opening ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ solo. While I’ve gotten... Read more
What do Kali, elephants, and robots have in common? Me! I can’t help but love the richness of my life. Saturday started with a ‘robot party’ for my son. It was his going away party. My husband made a cardboard box robot chassis for each of the kids, but only my son was interested. Instead of designing robots, the party was a huge play fest – noisy, messy and sugar fueled. Just the way a three-year old likes it. Straight... Read more
When I first envisioned this project, this virtual ashram, I set up my order of traditions with a specific purpose in mind. I deliberately wanted Feri to overlap with Samhain, I wanted Christianity to overlap with Christmas and Lent, and I wanted Place to occur in the spring, when getting outside was more enticing. I was looking forward to Christianity because it is the one spiritual form that has ‘easy’ community. I have been involved in the local Church of... Read more
A Witch's Ashram
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