October 21, 2013

The third and last question of this series, and my favourite to answer for myself – What do you do? (The previous two segments can be read here – Part 1, Why I do Ceremony & Ritual; Part 2, When and Where I do Ceremony & Ritual)

Rua Lupa, Searching for Apples
Rua Lupa, Up in an Apple Tree

There is a whole lot I can cover here that could very well make up a book. As I was writing this piece I had to remove large portions as I went because it was getting too in-depth and much too large; So it will be more of a glancing summary instead which I feel doesn’t really do justice to what is covered. Over time I hope to present each one in full proper detail.

From here, what is viewed as ritual and ceremony can differ greatly, which is mostly why I prefer to refer to it as customs. I don’t really go for pomp and pizazz when it comes to personal acts. I find that sort of thing is most appropriate at major events for keeping a crowd’s attention. For when it is just me, it is simple actions and acknowledgements in my mind in that dedicated moment. Most simply as a basic meditation where I just take a moment and let it all sink in. Sometimes words or gestures come to mind that seem the most appropriate and do them. Over time this can get refined, but I try not to let it become a solid set of actions or routine as I feel that can take away from the experience of the moment. Having things come up unexpectedly and going through as it comes makes it always feel fresh, new and as a result am more awake and aware of what’s involved. In so doing I get a greater sense of connection, relevance, and fulfillment. That way I avoid the “going through the motions” rut that many rituals and ceremonies can find themselves in over time. Meaning is often lost in rigid rituals and reasons for doing them can then become lost too. More fluidity and adaptability to new encounters is something that I feel helps a tradition grow and blossom. That is where customs come in.

What is found to be a small consistency becomes a custom that can come to be expected, but not mandatory. As examples here are some of my daily customs: Moving snails, worms, caterpillars, and june bugs off the sidewalk;

Hornet Nest on Stairway. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa
Hornet Nest on Stairway. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa

For my morning walks, sitting a moment in the bend of the creek taking in the surroundings in an awareness meditation; Document my local environment through the seasons and weather events with photographs and journaling; Collecting dead specimens found during my excursions and presenting them in a shadow box to share in the diversity of life around our immediate area; Picking up trash on our way to school is a custom my child and I partake in, as well as looking into the creek and seeing what we can find on our way back home later in the day; Observing the hornet nest each time we go by it to see if anyone is home and counting them (They’re quite friendly. Had even pet one – it seemed to have thought the act undignified. So long as you don’t disturb the nest or try to harm them hornets can co-exist with humans, just like honey bees, with the exception of ‘aggressive’ species i.e. Killer Hornets. These non-aggressive hornets are great as they’ve kept pest species down in our little garden and pollinated the flowers). But these customs are not always done, just more often than not and sometimes are expressed in different ways. Such as doing a walking meditation or leaning against a tree for my morning meditation instead of sitting, or looking for the hornets in the garden instead of in their nest.

The biggest custom I have is following The Three Basic Tenets of Ehoah,

The Three Basic Tenets of Ehoah (Complete Harmony Within Nature)
The Three Basic Tenets of Ehoah (of Complete Harmony Within Nature)

Thus I actively endeavor to ensure all my connections within Nature are harmonious; in everything I do and use; maintaining an awareness of and respect for our interconnections; and creating a lifestyle that reflects this. It being a process that is continually improved upon with no end point. The expression of The Three Basic Tenets can develop in various ways and gradually change over time, but the prevailing undercurrent would remain as a recognizable custom. With respects to this I’ve recently acquired a Permaculture Designer Certificate so that I can better accomplish harmonious connections within Nature. (See Cultural Quandaries: Soil, Cultural Quandaries: Water, Saegoah Pursuits: Rainwater Harvesting Earthworks, Growing A Forest Garden, and Cultural Quandaries: Home Design)

Energy of Fire. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa
Solar Energy of Fire. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa

Energy transfer, as mentioned in the second segment of this series, is a prominent moment for ritual and ceremony. One such moment that is highly valuable to us is fire. Fire is a popular representation of energy because it is itself the release of energy originating from the sun. For when I’m about to start a fire, if the participants are unfamiliar with energy transfer, I like to have a small unscripted teaching on the energy pyramid, ending with, “This wood that is about to burn was once a living tree that harvested the energy of the sun. So when this wood burns, it is not the fibers of a dead tree being consumed. It is the fibers of a dead tree releasing the energy of the sun.” Once the fire is lit I like to say this little poem that expresses how we are connected to what we are witnessing, “Light from wood is light from sun. This energy, within everyone.” So yes, we are in essence solar powered.

The most direct way we personally experience this energy transfer is eating – taking in solar energy to power ourselves. But prior to eating is much opportunity for ceremony. The first being harvesting/foraging.

Picking Apples Up In An Apple Tree.
Climbing Apple Trees to Pick Apples

So a garden (potted indoors and raised beds outdoors) and maintaining that garden is part of my ceremony and ritual. Along with that is forays into wilder areas where I can hunt and forage as I go, incorporating an awareness meditation throughout my excursion.

In peak season I often go out just for that purpose – lately being apple and choke cherry picking. For foods that I am unable to grow or forage for I skip to my local farmer’s market buying what will be soon eaten and stock piling what I can for off season.

Just the search for local, sustainable food sources is part of my ritual, and always continue that search to replace what is of yet not local or sustainable. This comes with experiments in homemade goods, another ritual of mine, of which goes into the second opportunity for ceremony prior to eating – preparing food.

While working with each ingredient (I also do this for everything else I make, such as clothing and equipment. For clothing I’ve been experimenting with local alpaca and sheep fibers) I meditate on where each comes from, how it was grown and gathered to end up in front of me, and how it will soon be very much a part of me.

Following that is Eating. Before every meal you can say or do a little something to acknowledge the energy transferring from what is dead before you to be energy you use. Below are two examples of words that can be said before a meal, one more casual, the other more involved. The scraps from food are then incorporated into another ritual – composting and Inoculative Libations

Appreciation Of All

“Before we eat, lets embrace in a web of life in a moment of silence to appreciate this food, where it came from, the effort taken to prepare it, and those we’re sharing this meal with.” … “Let’s Eat!”

We Are The Land

“When we eat food, we are eating of the land. What we take in becomes part of us and in turn we become part of the land our food comes from. We are not separate from the land, we are the land. When we speak it is the land speaking. Each, one voice among many, singing the land’s song. Let us all respect ourselves by respecting the land, remembering our connections and being grateful for them.”…”Connected to All”

 

This solar energy is continuously transferring from one organism to the next, and that means organisms are continuously dying in the process of sustaining the living. I live in a cold climate that has a short growing season, so I can’t grow or source vegetative food locally year round and neither am I able to obtain all my sustenance solely from vegetation.

Therefore I consume some meat now and then to be healthy and I take my part in that process very seriously. I grew up on a farm that raised and butchered its own meat; I can’t do that where I am now so I get my domestic meat from a local farmer who has free-range livestock, and is just as serious as I am about the matter. My significant other hunts – I have yet to obtain my hunting license and plan to rectify that as soon as reasonable, but we both shoot traditional bows, having little interest in guns.

Hay bale Winter Target Practice. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa
Haybale Winter Target Practice. Photo Credit: Rua Lupa

From the words of my spouse, bow hunting forces you to engage in greater depth to be successful in your hunt. You have to learn the behaviours of the animal you are pursuing and be ever more patient and skilled just to get close enough to have a shot (unlike in gun hunting where none of this matters so much). My spouse feels that this is very connecting to our part in the circle of life – you are now a direct participant, instead of just a consumer disassociated with where your meat comes from.

It can easily be considered a sacred act and very involved ceremony, where you have to change your sleeping pattern to be where you need to be at dawn and dusk; You dress in your ceremonial garb to better perform your part; You’ve practiced your role in order to execute the ceremony with propriety and there is the classic sacrifice at the end. The sacrifice of one life to sustain another. For hunting or butchering there really are no words that can be said when directly participating in this part of the life cycle. There is just silent acknowledgement of what is done, a very solemn moment.

This subject of death relates to our own life stages. For the easily determined life markers I’ve only so far developed two of the five – Bonding (Wedding Ceremony), and Dispersal/Burial.

In the Dispersal/Burial Ceremony the body is buried – no cremation, no embalming, no metal casket, nothing to prevent decomposition – as to allow the energy in the body to be consumed by other life, just as the person that had lived had consumed the energy from other things that once lived – continuing the cycle. Having the body wrapped in a shroud, or in a simple wooden or wicker casket, or buried as is are simple (not to mention affordable) ways to bury the dead that allows for the body to disperse. The words of the ceremony elaborate on this cycle of life and death and how without death there would be no life. Instead of a tombstone a tree is planted in memory – ideally of a species the departed was fond of. If a marker with a description is still desired a small engraved boulder or a small pillar can be used along side the tree. Burial grounds would reclaim old fields and reforest them.

The Bonding ceremony involves planting a tree at the ceremony and a year after it where you live to commemorate your love and watch it grow as your love grows beyond the ‘honeymoon’ phase. The focus of the ceremony itself is on the teachings of the seasons as a reference for the events in a relationship: The warmth and long days of summer, as love coming easy; The fruits and harvest as the bounty of sharing a common goal; The cold and long nights as the trials and struggles that need to be overcome; and new life and play of spring, as rejuvenation in the love for each other. For the Bonding Ceremony there is a public and personal option to choose from.

The ritual and ceremony of the other easily determined life markers, Birth, Puberty, and Conception, are not yet developed in my practice and tradition when it comes to personal events. But is forming gradually as I personally experience and study these events through what is revealed through science and the different customs and cultures throughout the world. Even the Dispersal and Bonding ceremony are liable to change as new information arises along with developing for global function.

Each of the eight solar ceremonies touches on one of the life stages for public ceremonies.

For public ceremonies I have no “closing the circle” or other such forms of beginning a ritual or ceremony. And without that there is an interesting effect – there is no inside or outside, and with that there is little of “us vs them”. There is a lot of the sense of inclusion and openness to passer-bys. So my ceremonies and rituals are always striving for that open and inclusiveness, which being in such a way makes it have the potential for a great deal of variety. The most common form is a loose gathering with either a central or polar focal point.

As mentioned in the previous installment the solar events are described as the cycle of night and day along with involving the life stages most applicable to these events. The following is a summary of these interrelations and what is done during these solar events:

Symbolism (Symb) and Actual Activities (Act)

Equilux: Birth & Infancy

Symb: Day and night is equal and going into longer days symbolizes the dawn of the year. Dawn itself being symbolic of new beginnings making it a moment to celebrate those experiencing new beginnings. Especially expecting mothers/parents and possible new arrivals.

Act: Providing nest building materials for Birds and small mammals having offspring. For humans, baby clothes and other family products are gifted to expecting parents to prepare homes for family life. People with new homes have house warming parties, and those who are renovating may receive care packages that assist in the project.

Translux: Children

Symb: The morning of the year, when the day is young and life is abundantly active. This is reminiscent of young life.

Act: Most every other animal who hasn’t already given birth are doing so at this time. This would be the time when human infants would be born in the Kalendar for most regions of the world if procreation was commenced after Transequinox. It is encouraged to take quality time with children by together learning through discovery – of surroundings, the environment, the world, and beyond.

Lux: Puberty & Youth

Symb: The year’s noon. The brightest part of the year with the longest days, evoking the energy and fervor of youth. This being the moment of most light in the year, themes on light and what we can see are abundant such as optical illusions and rainbows.

Act: In youth comes puberty, the mark of entering adolescence – becoming a young adult, making it a moment for discovering and celebrating self expression in whichever form it may take, especially gender expression. Youth are provided opportunity for self discovery and preparing for adulthood responsibilities. Trick of the light/optical illusions are presented to challenge young minds to question everything they see before accepting what ever is presented in front of them as reality. And therefore be better prepared to engage in the world, learning about the world, and not falling victim to those who would take advantage of ignorance. Because even if ignorant would be capable to engage in such a way to enlighten themselves without assistance or having to learn the hard way. Dressing up in a rainbow of colours is a fun expression for this time of year.

Transequinox: Young Adult

Symb: The year’s evening, and the warmest part of the day and year, bearing the first fruits and maturing life. Represented as the evening it is considered to be a moment for togetherness, companionship and wooing; as well as celebrating the development of strengths and skills of young adults – those maturing in life.

Act: Competitions are held of various skill sets and strengths – involving creative, physical and mental challenges. Fledging youth “test their wings” by “leaving the nest” and striking out on their own; Courtships are had during the competitions; Young adults are encouraged to take these moments to bond with a significant other, and there are Bonding Ceremonies (weddings) for those who find themselves ready to announce their commitment to each other. Those prepared for starting a family actively procreate between Transequinox (Young Adult) and Equinox (Middle Age) in order to have child around Translux (Child) when the weather is more gentle on the young.

Equinox: Procreation & Middle Age

Symb: Half daylight, halfway through life. The Dusk of the year.

Act: Those prepared for starting a family actively procreate between Transequinox (Young Adult) and Equinox (Middle Age) in order to have child around Translux (Child) when the weather is more gentle on the young. Individuals of this age group celebrate achievements and hard-earned knowledge by passing what they’ve learned down to others. Sharing knowledge (tales of skill gaining, and learning through failure) especially for the Nox Mensis (dark months), engaging the younger in mind games so that they may gain wit, and providing a knowing hand in preparing for tough times. Apprenticeships can be started and those with the experience house and teach students.

Transnox: Old Age

Symb: The days are shorter with nights growing longer – the late night of the year and late years of life.

Act: This is a moment for acknowledging old age (‘Getting mossy around the edges’) and beyond. The skeletal character Virid-os (“Green Bones”), its bones overgrown with vegetation and colonized by small creatures, uses dark humor to bring up uncomfortable topics such as death and decay. The character is somewhat apathetic, but takes pleasure in its potential to nourish other life, sometimes offering up parts for use. Transnox encourages discussion about typically uncomfortable topics; to consider those who have come before us and what they have imparted on the next generation; and for really thinking about things that you may have not considered before – this is done to think and act on things you want to do before your death. Elders reminisce and youngers listen to learn what they can. Prepare for your own death with funeral plans and wills. Celebrations focus on the death phase in the circle of life by having the harvest feast themed on how the nourishment from them is sourced from what has died.

Nox: Death & Conception

Symb: This is the longest night of the year, and death is considered the “darkest time” in life. This is also when the days begin to get longer so new life is celebrated as well. The subject of death and conception connects to the subject of deep ancestry, the origins of life and the celestial bodies that life depends on.

Act: This is a solemn moment to remember those who came before us, whose bodies have provided the earth with nourishment. That nourishment providing a richer environment for new life. Those who have successfully conceived since Transequinox, now being past the first trimester when pregnancy is most at risk of miscarriage, announce the news and are celebrated along side those who have dispersed. The cycle of life and death renewed. The Cosmic History is retold and celebrated during these longest nights of the year when you can take a moment to look up at the night sky and appreciate what is before you.

Transequilux: Gestation

Symb: The days are getting longer, making it a moment to prepare for new beginnings of the up coming symbolic dawn of the year – Equilux.

Act: As the year is about cross into the ‘day’ part of the year, there are many themes on preparing for the new beginnings. Households begin to thoroughly clean out the old and unused to donate, reuse and salvage as well as downsizing in how much you own to what is truly used and needed. This is especially done for those that have conceived, preparing their home for the new member of the household. The arts are celebrated with art shows, performances, and craft fairs to fill in the still long nights, and is an opportunity for apprentices to show what they’ve learned in the past few months and sell some of their products. This is also a good time for crafting items for expecting parents.

A lot of the details are exempt from this summary, and some are still in development – being slowly tweaked and built upon over time to function on a global scale yet be open enough to adapt to regional differences. Hopefully I’ll be able to express each of these in greater detail through the coming seasons so that those interested would be fully able to participate as the solar event comes around.

When it came to making rituals and ceremonies it forced me to ask myself a few things beyond the five I’ve presented in this series that really helped me come to be comfortable in my skin, grow as a person and act on my beliefs. I still ask these questions and I still learn from their answers and develop from them, and sometimes those answers change in unexpected ways. I also think its important for everyone to ask them too.

What do I believe? How and why did I come to those beliefs? Should I reconsider what I believe? Do my actions reflect my beliefs? If they don’t, what beliefs do my actions express? Should I change my beliefs to reflect my actions, or should I change my actions to reflect my beliefs? (if changing actions) How can my actions be meaningful? What would the desired outcome look like? Do I need to reconsider both my actions and beliefs toward something else entirely?

 

What really motivates me to not only do this, but to share it has been well summarized by the last set of quotes from the short documentary “OVERVIEW” by Planetary Collective which I’ll close with,

“We are seeing very clearly that if the earth becomes sick, then we become sick. If the earth dies, then we’re going to die. People sense that somethings wrong, but they’re still struggling to go back and find what the real roots to the problem are. And what I think needs to come is a realization its not just fixing an economic or political system. But its a basic world view. A basic understanding of who we are that’s at stake.” “…and a part of that is to come up with a new story, a new picture, a new way to approach this, and to shift our behaviours in such a way that it leads to a sustainable approach to our civilization as opposed to a destructive approach.” “On a grand scale basically we’re all living in this one ecosystem called earth, and everything you do on one side of the ecosystem effects the other side and that is a new way of living for most of humanity.” “We humans are responsible for ourselves and we are endangering our future. Then we got to learn how to do it differently and to go forward into a sustainable period; And right now that seems very difficult, very difficult to see how that’s going to be. But we got to work on it.”

 

October 15, 2013

The second question and installment for Ritual & Ceremony of a Naturalistic Saegoah is when and where do you do customs? (Follow this link to read the first part of this series – Why I do Ritual and Ceremony)

Time is Relative. Image Source: LaboratoryEquipment.com

Ritual and ceremony usually implies a closed space and time. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. It can be very fluid and open. So it can be any time, and any place. In my world view time is relative and space goes from infinitely micro to infinitely macro and we’re always somehow connected to that atomically, chemically, or biologically. So what that really means is there is no time, only events and moments, and a continual connection to potentially infinite space. With that at any moment I may suddenly find myself in ritual or ceremony – usually in the form of being in awe. Where in that moment and place is when and where I decide to do something.

At any moment in immediate personal day to day life you can witness energy movement through the life cycle and energy pyramid. Eating. There is always something somewhere eating. Whether it be another human abroad or down the street; A plant or other animal that is beneath your feet eating decomposing matter or each other in the soil; Or from above snatched from a tree or the tree itself creating its own food from the air,soil,

Fox predator catching a prey rabbit. Image Source: http://www.canids.org/SPPACCTS/redfox.htm

and sun. So you can have a ritual or ceremony whenever you are aware of this, easiest being when you yourself are eating.

Eating is a major aspect in the circle of life, but there is another aspect that is usually forgotten in the act of eating. That energy has to be taken, and that means killing or scavenging for it. Everywhere on earth and every moment death is occurring, energy and nutrient is dispersed and consumed by the next living thing. So when and where you are aware of death, there is also a moment for ceremony and ritual. Especially so for departings, and burials.

Biology is ever present throughout the circle of life, and within the subject of biology is life stages. *Conception*, Gestation, *Birth*, Childhood, *Puberty*, Adolescence, *Procreation*, Adulthood, Old Age, *Death*. The asterisked stages being significant life changing events that are easy to determine life markers for ritual and ceremony and can all be celebrated within the home, in or out of doors.

Yet, the biggest influential thing that determines everything else is by far our host star – Sol, the Sun. It is through the sun that all life has the energy to be alive. Without the sun there wouldn’t be the earth we know today, let alone the circle of life. Most in paganism are already quite familiar with the major solar events on earth – the solstices and equinoxes. In the Ehoah tradition they can be referred to as Equilux (Equal light – going into longer days, symbolized as the year’s dawn), Lux (Day/Light – for longest day), Equinox (Equal dark – going into longer nights, symbolized as the year’s dusk), and Nox (Night/Dark – for longest night) with the addition of Transition days in the middle of each i.e. Transequilux for transition between Nox and Equilux. Many would consider these Cross-Quarters, but instead of being based on Gregorian Calendar dates (beginning of February, May, August, and November or end of the months previous to the ones mentioned), its based on the exact center between each major annual solar event, and so do not fall on the same days. The fact that the Gregorian calendar doesn’t revolve around the solar events was what brought on the Ehoah Kalendars that make it simple to find when these events are.

Life on earth naturally responds to the different amount of daylight available through the planetary solar year. Therefore the distinguishable moments of amount of light received from our host star are moments for ceremony and ritual.

Novemmorium - Borealis. Image Credit: Rua Lupa
Novemmorium – Borealis. Image Credit: Rua Lupa

The life stages that have no easily distinguishable marker are symbolically incorporated into the transitional solar events. Gestation – Transequilux, Childhood – Translux, Young Adult – Transequinox, and Old Age – Transnox. The more easily distinguishable life stage events are symbolically incorporated into the easily distinguishable solar events: Equilux – Birth, Lux – Puberty, Equinox – Procreation, Nox – Death & Conception. These events are well suited to public ceremony/ritual and celebration outside with a hall, large tent or yurt available for unfavorable weather.

And that is when and where I do ceremony and ritual.

(Click this link to read the last part of this series – Ritual & Ceremony of a Naturalistic Saegoah Part 3 of 3 – What & How I Do Ritual and Ceremony)

October 8, 2013

There has been mention before of interest in what it is that I do and have often left that to be vague and open for the purpose of maintaining the open-endedness of Ehoah. Of late I’ve read some other writings on what others of similar world views do for themselves. This usually is summarized in the form of ritual and ceremony, what I usually refer to as customs for various reasons.  Reasons that I hadn’t really thought much on until reading how different others go about their own rituals, ceremonies, customs.  Why are mine different then? If I had to take the time to lay it out in front of me I figured that I best be genuinely answering those past questions and interests in depth.

Here is part one of a series on what ritual and ceremony is for this Naturalistic Saegoah. Why I do Ritual and Ceremony.

The World Through My Eyes. Image Credit: Lucille Pine, via Flickr
The World Through My Eyes. Image Credit: Lucille Pine, via Flickr

I am naturalistic, so for me there is no supernatural, yet I enjoy ceremonies and rituals, which I often summarize and refer to as customs. I enjoy learning how they work, why they are done, and what influences they have. I also enjoy creating them in reflection of my world view and values, and developing my world view ever more through them.

When it comes to the design of ritual & ceremony in the perspective of a Naturalistic Saegoah it can seem challenging – how do you create ritual & ceremony without invoking the supernatural? Some decide that they can for metaphor, temporarily suspending disbelief, or theatrical experience. I say its not necessary and don’t bother with it. Not to mention that I’d feel like a huge hypocrite if I involved the supernatural when I very openly don’t believe in the existence of it, and I’ve never needed to. The more I learn about why humans do rituals & ceremonies, how they work, and how we’ve come to understand the cosmos the easier it gets.

I’ve been slowly going along in developing these customs for the official Ehoah website – being open ended for various world views – and have found that there are some very simple ways to find significance, meaning, satisfaction, and fulfillment in the naturalistic Saegoah customs.

First is to ask, why are you doing it in the first place? Why bother? Get to the root of the answer to that question and you really have something to build on.

For me its about feeling connected, relevant to the on going events and activities around me, creating something that has lasting impact on how we live (so we can live harmoniously within Nature), finding where I belong in the world, and what that ultimately means.

To me, the most easy way connection and relevance is expressed is in how energy moves through life on earth. From the energy source – the sun, to us. The typical energy pyramid is a testament to this amazing and relevant everyday phenomenon. This is but a small part of a bigger more profound and fulfilling picture which is the root of my rituals and ceremonies and impacts all of us – *cue the Lion King intro song* Its The Circle of Life.

The Circle of Life. Image Credit: TaintedEnterprises

It is pretty amazing how elegantly the movie The Lion King puts it, (quote after 40 seconds)

“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance… you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.”

“But, Dad, don’t we eat the antelope?”

“Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.”

That last part is an especially important part in rituals and ceremonies for me.

Other rituals and ceremonies I’ve made were about our deep history of how we came to be – Our Cosmic History. And finding connection through that. The following quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson summarizes this very well,

“Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.”

All these are inseparable from each other and inseparable from me.

And I do ceremony and ritual to remind me of that and, most importantly, to help me act with respect to that.

(read the next part of this series here – Ritual & Ceremony of a Naturalistic Saegoah Part 2 of 3 – When & Where I do Ritual and Ceremony )

February 4, 2016

*This will end up being a category Tab that replaces ‘Rituals & Ceremonies’ and will be periodically updated*

This is Paths Through The Forests’ go to page for all things we’ve written on Holidays, Rituals and History – organized by time of year it is related to.

Solterrestriale Vocabulum (Solar-Earth Terms) Brief

Solar-Earth Relationship by Rua Lupa
Solar-Earth Relationship by Rua Lupa

Festivities of Natural Annual Events

Rua Lupa shares what the seasons are like around the world for each time of year and what celebrations are happening because of them.

Borealis Equilux (Equal Length of Day & Night Globally)

Borealis Translux (Midway Global Equinox & Solstice)

Borealis Lux (Longest Day & Night of The Year)

Australis Transequilux (Midway Global Solstice & Equinox)

Australis Equilux (Equal Length of Day & Night Globally)

Australis Translux (Midway Global Equinox & Solstice)

Australis Lux (Longest Night & Day of The Year)

Borealis Transequilux (Midway Global Solstice & Equinox)

Year Wheels SEASONAL Kalendar
Borealis & Australis Year Wheels, by Rua Lupa

Articles the Lupas wrote that relate to the seasons:

Equilux / Spring Equinox / Ostara

‘Equilux, Preparing For A New Day: Ethical House Cleaning, Downsizing, Mending & An Offering To The Birds’ – “Rua Lupa gets into the nitty gritty of conscientious house cleaning and downsizing, with added tips on how to repurpose sentimental items, mend clothes with style, and use what comes out of house cleaning as gifts for the birds.”

 

Translux / Beltane

‘Cultural Quandaries: Spring & Sex’ – “Spring celebrations have a lot of sexual suggestion in them, but is human sexuality relevant to this time of year?”

‘A Message For Earth Day: The Separation Effect’ – “Rua Lupa writes on a way of thought that influenced our past and is crucial in understanding for our future. The Separation Effect.”

 

Lux / Summer Solstice / Litha / Midsummer

‘Saegoah Celebrations: Lux (Summer Solstice)’ – “A Saegoah’s Way of Celebrating The Longest Day of The Year. Playing with light, movement, colour and celebrating the youth coming into their own.”

‘Solitary Solstice‘ – “Lupa Greenwolf has plans for a very sedate solstice”

 

Transequinox / Lughnasadh / Lammas

‘Transequinox Pastries’

‘A Saegoah Styled Wedding Ceremony – Or Bonding Ceremony’ – “A Saegoah Wedding is called a Bonding Ceremony, and it is typically done between Transequinox & Equinox when the weather is warm, food is plentiful, and if conception occurs the offspring arrives when most life does – in spring. As it is now that time of year, here are a couple of Bonding Ceremonies. One Public, and one Personal.”

 

Equinox / Autumn Equinox / Mabon

‘DIY Autumn Adventures – Growing A Forest Garden. It can supply food, medicine, and sanity, while protecting against drought & flood’ – “Learn how you can turn a energy and resource guzzling lawn into a food forest oasis! And you can start the process this autumn by working with nature’s natural seeding time. ”

‘DIY Autumn Adventures – Dyeing With Goldenrod’ – Tis the season for dyeing.

 

Transnox / Samhain

‘Cultural Quandaries: Death’ – “Death is often something dreaded and not talked about. This sort of reaction to a reality we face has caused more grief than warranted for the amazing thing that it is. Here is a way to approach death in a very positive way that makes the transition easier for you, your loved ones and the ecosystem we all rely on.”

‘Viridos – Green Bones’ – “…without death there would be no soil or nutrients in the water, and no soil or aquatic nutrient means no plants, and no plants means nothing for creatures to eat – its the dead that nourish the living.”

‘Love Letters To My Ancestors I’ – “Lupa Greenwolf marks this Samhain season–and an interfaith collaboration–with the first of three love letters to her ancestors, starting with her human ancestors.”

‘Love Letters To My Ancestors II’ – “Lupa Greenwolf addresses her second love letter to her non-human ancestors, those all too often forgotten in human rites”

‘Love Letters To My Ancestors III’ – “Lupa Greenwolf addresses her third and final Samhain love letter to those she will be an ancestor to someday, voicing both regret and hope for the future she will leave for others.”

 

Nox / Winter Solstice / Yule / Midwinter

‘The Real Reason For The Season’ – “Each year I encounter something that most Pagans know, but the general public is oddly oblivious to. People who casually complain about the dark and don’t know about the shortest day of the year, or even when it is. I know this because that is when I mention that soon enough the days will be getting longer they blankly stare at me and say, “Really? When?” It becomes very hard not to do a face palm each time I encounter this, and its frequent. So I feel compelled to talk about the Real reason for the season.”

‘Celebrating Nox – The Longest Night – The Year’s Midnight. What You Can Do At Home’

‘How You Can Have A Nox Festival – A Festival for The Longest Night’

‘Saegoah Celebrations: Nox (Winter Solstice)’ – “One Saegoah’s way of celebrating the longest night of the year”

‘When, In The New Year, Antlers Drop’ – “As the New Year arrives, Lupa Greenwolf describes how an antler is like a bad habit–and what we can learn from deer and elk”

‘Cultural Quandaries: Earth’s Civil Calendar. How did we end up with the calendar we have anyway?’ – With one of the biggest civil holidays and new year occurring at this time, here is why and how they came to be.

Saegoah Pursuits: Creative and Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping – “As this is the time of year when we reach the climax of seasonal gift wrapping, I have decided to share some of my creative eco-friendly wrapping techniques – and there are really two primary methods to it. 1) Cloth Bag Wrapping, and 2) Paper & Paint Wrapping”

 

Transequilux / Imbolc

‘Transequilux Keeps Me Occupied’ – Transequilux can be a busy time of year, when for most people it is the slowest.

 

Miscellaneous Rituals & History Articles

Novemmorium-Final-Version-w-Charts-Borealis-GIF1
Novemmorium – Borealis, by Rua Lupa

Rituals

‘Ehoah Bioregional Quiz’

‘Worldview Connections: A Meditation On Our Worldviews & Their Impacts’ – We live in a world full of connections–but how we view (or ignore) those connections could make or break us.

‘Inoculative Libations to the Land’ – “One Saegoah’s way of doing Libations”

‘A Saegoah Ceremony – Similar To, But Unlike Others’ – “In my pursuit for Ehoah, I had sought out practices that were most similar to my worldview to help me in my journey. While many were helpful, none of them satisfied me. Eventually I ended up making a ceremony outline for myself with aspects I found to better fit my worldview. The majority of it ended up being based upon Anishinaabe ceremony structure, reworded to reflect what the scientific method had revealed about the cosmos.”

‘Solitary Saegoah Ritual Outline – With Alternative Wording’

‘Grounding Through Land Stewardship’

‘The Art of Taking As An Offering’

‘Offerings For a Nature-Based Path’

‘This World Is Sacred, Too’ – “Let this world be sacred, too. Let us not see it as a flawed version of some paradise; let us not seek to leave it too soon or–worse yet–tear it down in the hopes of manifesting its perfect cousin.”

‘The Entire Universe is a Sacred Site’

‘More Devotional Practices For Naturalist Pagans’ – “Inspired by another writer’s blog post, Lupa Greenwolf offers her own four devotional practices for naturalist pagans.”

‘Saegoah Pursuits: Gardening with Rainwater Harvesting Earthworks’ – “Because I strive to live harmoniously within Nature as a Saegoah many conventional methods of doing things gets thrown out the window, like my garden. It is unlike any garden in town because it is self fertile and as of this spring, self watering as well. In the process of making it I got a great many odd looks and even laughed at by those passing by. The following is a photo essay of the process and end result of this endeavor.”

‘Learning Aboriginal Teachings & Ceremonies, Spirits, and Why I Am Naturalistic’ – “Rua Lupa shares some personal experience with aboriginal teachings, ceremonies, spirits, and why Rua is naturalistic”

‘The Separation Effect’ – “Rua Lupa writes on a way of thought that influenced our past and is crucial in understanding for our future. The Separation Effect.”

‘Home Base: Place Altars As Connections to Wilderness’

The Altar of Curiosities

Part I – “The Altar of Curiosities is a system that’s very much based on my relationship with the land and its denizens. Each memento keeps alive the connection I made to the place I brought it from, and the altar as a whole is like having a direct line to each of a circle of friends; all I have to do is pick up my end.”

Part II – “Lupa discusses in detail what defines an Altar of Curiosities: a collection of natural or otherwise noteworthy items that are valued both for their intrinsic qualities as specimens, and whatever spiritual qualities their curator ascribes to them.”

Part III – “Lupa Greenwolf discusses how to create your own Altar of Curiosities, including some considerations you might not have thought of.”

 

Deep Ancestral Totemism

Part 1: The Triune Brain – “reptile”, “old mammal” and “new mammal” brain

Part2: Triune Brain Meditation

Part:3 Working with Your Triune Brain

 

Ritual & Ceremony of A Naturalistic Saegoah

Part 1: Why I do Ritual and Ceremony

Part 2: When & Where I do Ritual and Ceremony

Part 3: What & How I Do Ritual and Ceremony

 

History

‘Our Human Story…’ – How human cultures arise and influence one another.

‘Worldview Connections: A Meditation On Our Worldviews & Their Impacts’ – We live in a world full of connections–but how those connections are made could make or break us.

‘Cultural Quandaries: Soil’ – Soil. The source of all our nutrition requires it, making it immensely valuable. But our agricultural and gardening practices are not treating it that way. In fact we are killing our soils on a grand scale. How did it become this way? Is there a solution? We’ll get into that and the solutions that are not what you’d think…

‘A Message For Earth Day: The Separation Effect’ – “Rua Lupa writes on a way of thought that influenced our past and is crucial in understanding for our future. The Separation Effect.”

‘What Nature Has To Say About Gender’ – “Is human gender expression fundamentally messed up? In a richly illustrated essay, Rua Lupa compares human thinking about gender and sex to the realities of the natural world.”

‘Romanticism Runs Rampant: Ancestors, Indigenous Peoples, ‘Natural’’ – “It doesn’t help anybody to unwittingly promote things that are in actuality falsehoods, and often damages a position that is otherwise a fine one to hold.”

‘Poem: Our Planet, Our Home’ – “A poem about our home and how that came to be.”

‘Cultural Quandaries: Earth’s Civil Calendar. How did we end up with the calendar we have anyway?’ – “Ever wonder how the calendar we use came to be? Why our year is divided the way it is, how the names of these divisions arose and why New Year’s day is where it is? Well wonder no more! Here is the most concise summary of our calendar’s history answering all these questions, including others you may not of thought to consider, and reveals some dilemmas that come with it.”

 

February 1, 2016

What is a Saegoah?

The word “Saegoah” is the combination of the root word for seek – saeg – with the word ‘Ehoah’, meaning, “Seeker of Ehoah”.

Lingua-Litarum_Pronouncing-Ehoah-Saegoah

The word ‘Ehoah’ is based on the sounds of breathing – the sounds of life – and became a single-word-meaning for “Complete harmony within Nature.”

In full, Saegoah is short for, “Seeker of Complete harmony within Nature”.

All Saegoahs operate under these Three Basic Tenets:

Saegoah's Three Basic Tenets. Image Credit: Rua Lupa
Saegoah’s Three Basic Tenets. Image Credit: Rua Lupa

The last tenet is what determines our actions, which is to work towards ensuring all our connections within Nature are harmonious, in everything we do and use; maintaining an awareness of and respect for our interconnections and creating a lifestyle that reflects this. It is a process that is continually improved upon with no end point.

What is currently found to be consistent through the scientific method is the foundation that each individual or group can build on top of it in their own way toward Ehoah. That way diversity is preserved – something that has consistently shown to ensure resilience and prevent stagnation in ecological communities. Maintaining such diversity encourages positive creativity between Saegoahs and allows for better reflection of our regional ecosystems, aiding in our goal in achieving Ehoah.

Thus, anything created and dispersed by Saegoahs are simply an option or guideline to help one another in our quest. In other words, the only thing that makes a Saegoah a Saegoah are these Three Basic Tenets, everything else is up to the individual or their group.

 

Finding A New Ceremony

In my pursuit for Ehoah, I had sought out practices that were most similar to my worldview to help me in my journey. While many were helpful, none of them satisfied me.

Namely, I found the directions for the elements in typical Pagan ceremonies confusing – Why was earth positioned north toward the pole? Air toward the East and Water West? South for Fire I could understand – as we view the sun along the south horizon through the day, but that doesn’t make any sense if you were to live in the southern hemisphere – reflecting how they were developed in the northern hemisphere and didn’t have the southern hemisphere in mind when made. The directions for a circle was also something that didn’t jive with me – being based on a perspective of the sun circling the earth, when I knew full well that it was the earth’s spin that caused our view of the sun.

Eventually I ended up making a ceremony outline for myself with aspects I found to better fit my worldview. The majority of it ended up being based upon Anishinaabe ceremony structure, reworded to reflect what the scientific method had revealed about the cosmos.

This, most notably, changed the elements and direction in a way that was consistent where ever on earth you were – not needing two different versions depending on which hemisphere you were on. And it didn’t have any reference to spirits or deities. That way anybody can participate without conflict in belief – especially for those with naturalistic / atheistic persuasions. The basic structure working best as a template for large public events where different beliefs are more likely to be encountered – the idea was for it to be universal and help unite people of all backgrounds.

Being an outline, it is open to tweaking by individuals or groups to better suit their worldview.

This ceremony doesn’t speak for all Saegoahs – again, anything created and dispersed by Saegoahs are simply an option or guideline to help one another in our quest.

 

Ehoah Breathing Exercise and Mantra

This is an optional chant to begin and end the ceremony. As an exercise it is very simple and can go on for however long you desire. Fifteen minutes is recommended to get the minimum full effect, yet can be used in shorter time frames to treat stress. In a comfortable, relaxed position, take a deep breath through your nose and breathe out of your mouth. Take another deep breath through your nose and say “Eh” (“Eh”= ‘A’ as in able), “O” (as in oak), and “Ah” (“Ah”= ‘A’ as in dawn) for about 8 seconds each in one exhale. Take a deep breath through your nose and begin again. With practice, you can extend the length of time for each syllable.

 

Ehoah Ceremony Outline

Beginning an Ehoah Ceremony:
Walk onto the grounds from West. Walk in one full circle around perimeter going the direction of the earth’s spin. (The direction of circling the grounds depends on which hemisphere you are on. Counter Clockwise on the Northern Hemisphere, Clockwise on the Southern Hemisphere.)

Earth-Rotation

On the second go around, gather in loose circular clump around center, which could potentially have a fire or altar. Children, and pets that have been socialized with the group, can move freely about. Once everyone is gathered, collectively do a verbalized deep inhale.

Chant Eh-O-Ah thrice. Or Hum, led and stopped by designated organizer, stopping when the feeling is right.

Acknowledge the directions in open stances:

“I/We acknowledge the East (Face East) The direction we turn to, toward our host star at dawn and deep space at dusk.”

“I/We acknowledge the Sky (Face the nearest pole) From plants we have the ocean of air that envelopes us – our shield, our breath.”

“I/We acknowledge the West (Face West) The direction we turn from, where we last see our host star before night, and deep space before day.”

“I/We acknowledge the Earth (Face the equator) (Place your left hand over your heart, and right hand on other kin (whether it be human, pet, plant, or soil organisms ― by touching ground. The resulting group position is called the Web of Life). (While in Web of Life) “From star dust, a new star, planets ― this planet. Developing from its oceans, along a long lineage of life, now exists all current life on this planet orbiting this star. We are all made of this place we call home.”

Turn to face the nearest pole or the Center and begin the ceremony focus, which may be rites of passage like birth, bonding, and diffusion, or Solterrestriale Festivitas (“Solar-Earth Festivities”, seasonal celebrations).

Closing an Ehoah Ceremony:
Position into Web of Life

Chant Thrice or Hum

Verbalize Deep Exhale

“As we go our separate ways, know that we are not truly divided.”

Leave toward East, the direction the earth turns toward.

 


An optional way to end ceremony or ritual is with the phrase,
“pro solterrestriale vitae”, “for solar-earth life”.
Or simply, “Solterrestriale Vitae!”

 

August 18, 2014

The name for a Saegoah styled wedding is Bonding Ceremony – as it is about celebrating and officially acknowledging the bond between those who wish to spend the rest of their lives together.

Enchanted Forest Wedding Invitation by akdreamweaver
Enchanted Forest Wedding Invitation by akdreamweaver

Here in Borealis (northern hemisphere) it is in between Transequinox & Equinox, being a time of year where the weather is warm (making it easier for travel and for hosting outdoor events), it is during harvest when food is plentiful (making it easy to host a feast), and if conception occurs the new offspring would be born at a time when most large mammals have them – in spring. This makes it an ideal time for bonding ceremonies, and as such I’ll be sharing two examples of how a bonding ceremony can go – one personal (exclusively between the lovers), and a public one.

There is a seedling which is used in the bonding ceremony. This seedling is to be taken home to be cared for by those whom are bonded. After a year and a day this seedling is then planted in a location that is special to those bonded. If the seedling happens to die before it is planted in the ground, it is okay. The main point is to plant a tree after a year and a day in symbolism – so it doesn’t have to be the same seedling. This is encouraged because throughout the years you share together, you can watch how the tree you’ve planted close to home grows with your relationship. Creating a simple reminder of our connections within Nature.

 

Public Bonding Ceremony

(As loved ones attending the ceremony are gathered before Officiant, those to be bonded are hidden from each other and those attending by curtains or brush, and are situated on either side of Officiant)

Officiant: “Here we are gathered, to witness and support our beloved (OR insert names of those being Bonded) as they come into Bonding.”

(Come out of hiding, see each other for first time that day, meet in front of Officiant and Join hands)

“And in bonding we are to remember the many lessons found in Nature.

That there will be times when you flourish and grow, when things come easily and your love is in its fullness. These are the times of long light and growth.”

(Behind the Officiant is a small tree planted the previous day by those to be bonded. Officiant moves aside and Those in Bonding together give a last handful of soil to tree and together use jug of water beside tree to pour water around tree’s trunk. Return to position before Officiant – If unable to plant tree in earth at location of ceremony, have tree in pot, this tree will later be planted in the ground prior to reception, or honeymoon.)

“There will be times when you harvest the fruits of your labors, and find satisfaction in working towards a common goal. These are the times of harvest.”

(Officiant holds up a stick with an apple, or other stemmed fruit, hanging on the end of the stick by a string, and raises it so the apple is in front of mouths of those being bonded. They then come together to pin the apple between each of their mouths and together bite the apple.)

“And there will be times of cold, longing and darkness, when you must endure hardships and grief. These are the times of long nights and dormancy.”

(The Officiant hands a dead twig to those in bonding and those in bonding together break the twig and drop it at their feet)

“But beyond all these is the revitalization of new life and play. And these are the times of spring.”

(The Officiant bends down and moves the dead twig from the ground and with the other hand reveals a potted seedling of which is handed to those in bonding whom together raise the seedling and then return it to the Officiant to be placed to the side)

“By working together you will rediscover the joys of spring, the passion of long days, and the fruits of harvest.”

Officiant: *Repeat after me* (those in bonding repeat the words at the same time)

*”I promise to share with you..” – “..the warmth of long days,” – “the bounty of harvest,” – “the trials of long nights,” – “and the joys of spring.”*

(exchange rings or other form of expressing your Bond together)

Officiant: “In your years together remember this message of the changing seasons. Blessed Be your Bonding.”

(Kiss)

(Race through ‘aisle’ between those in attendance whom are showering flowers, seeds or leaves over them)

 

 Personal Bonding Ceremony

Find a safe location where you can perform the personal ceremony, plant a tree (2 yrs old or older), a seedling (have it placed nearby before ceremony), and where there is a nearby low hanging branch. On this branch will be a string tied to an apple (or other stemmed fruit) so that the fruit can hang in a way that you can together bite it (Hang the apple before the ceremony). If there is no low branch for an apple to hang from, a found long branch staked into the ground will do.

 

Together: “Times of flourish, and of growth, things come easy, love is full – These are the times of long days.”

(Together plant a small tree and with both your hands on a jug of water, pour water around tree’s trunk.)

(Come together on either side of the hanging fruit)

Together: “Times of harvest, fruits from labor, satisfaction in a common goal – These are the times of harvest.”

(Pin the fruit between your mouths and together bite the fruit.)

“Times of cold, longing, darkness, enduring hardships, and feeling grief – These are the times of long nights.”

(Together hold a dead twig, snap it and drop it at your feet)

“Beyond all these is the revitalization of new life and play – These are times of spring.”

(Brush the broken twig aside and together raise the seedling and place it where the dead twig was)

“Working together, we rediscover, joys of spring, passion of long days, and the fruits of harvest.”

*”Warmth of long days – Bounty of harvest – Trials of long nights – Joys of spring. These I will share with you”*

(exchange rings or other form of expressing your Bond together)

“Throughout our years, we’ll remember this, the message of the changing seasons.”

(Kiss each other)

(and since you are alone you can consummate your bonding then and there)

 

If you want to learn about this and other customs and rituals 
related to Ehoah follow this link.

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