Zodiac

week 51

Zodiac

People either believe or don't believe in astrology.  I do. Not Mystic Smeg amounts of gash you read in the papers, but the proper look at the placement of the stars from when you were born etc.

How can the stars define who you are? That's what people scoff... well why not? Yes they are balls of gaseous burning rock millions of miles away and yes, they could even be dead by the time their light reaches our planet, but so what?  Why not believe?  People believe in religion and some of that is frankly insane, delusional and normally would have you committed... but call it religion and it's OK. So why is that OK, but believing in the stars isn't?  It's a rhetorical question really.

I've had my chart done on line and it was scarily accurate.  It wasn't a couple of lines of generalisation, it was fairly in depth.  The description of my star sign is me down to the T. Yes, some are fairly general but the traits outlined are typical to most Pisces I know.

I don't know how it works but it does interest me a lot.  It is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years.  If modern folk want to scoff and put it down, then let them.  So people will argue the toss over anything and have no magic in their souls.

I've also had a look at the Chinese year and what year animal I am... and that's about bang on too. Dragon... rarrr!

So what am I? I am a Pisces, rising sign is Scorpio. Moon sign is Pisces... I'm a typical Pisces... which itself is an oxymoron lol

oh you better believe it!!

As with this craft, it is exploited and the horoscope industry is estimated to be worth billions of pounds a year.  People looking for guidance, turn to their stars to see when they will change... and they get charged for it and there are computer programs with complicated algorithms that 'predict' your future going on a few minor details you supply.  Plotting your astrology chart is more complex than that.  Just like flipping a few cyber tarot cards isn't the same as a physical reading with someone to channel the reading energy and connect to YOU and to read YOU and your situation and to guide you.  Vulnerable people in pain pay... and that is the sad fact of the 'industry'.  Be you pagan or any other faith.  Pain is universal.

Astrology is practiced throughout the world, going back thousands of years. There is something to be found in the stars and where you fit in to the Universe... but many modern methods of this are flawed and should be taken with a grain of salt.... or bucket load!

Yellow

Week 50

Yellow, yes yellow... a wonderful colour that fills our world with life.  I was just researching the Yin Yang to write about it and then remembered I had planned a blog on the colour yellow.

Winter is over and spring is announced when the world springs forth yellow blooms.

The crocus pops up as spring gets ready to announce itself.
It's spring when the daffodils rise and shake their heads at the sun.

When the forsythia turns the hedges from green to brilliant yellow, it's nearly summer.

The sun! Oh that glorious burning star in the sky that gives us light and warmth, beams to us yellow. 

When the sun rises and sets, the world is bathed in a myriad of yellow and golden hues.

The solstice celebrates the death and birth of the sun. The decent and ascent of the sun in our skies. The length of the day and night - how much sun rays soak us.

Seasonal affective disorder is sun-depression. The lack of yellow, of light, of life giving rays.

Yellow is healing - the solar plexus chakra is represent by the colour yellow. The breath of life aka Manna, represented by the Dolphin in the medicine cards.

Walking on the golden sands, sun in the sky, waves lapping the shore - these are beautiful moments.

Citrine

USES: Citrine is a premier stone of manifestation, imagination, and personal will. Carrying the power of the sun, it is warm and comforting, energizing and life giving. It stimulates the chakras like the sunlight of spring, clearing the mind and stirring the soul to action. Its frequency awakens creativity and imagination, and sustains the process of transforming dreams and wishes into tangible form. With its pure yellow energy, Citrine encourages fullness of life, fresh beginnings and new pursuits.  Citrine is a popular healing and meditation crystal. This natural Citrine with its internal dynamics is reported to be able to clarify your thoughts and allow the creative juices to flow in your mind. Source 

Look at the keywords used here: pure yellow energy; fullness of life; life giving; energizing; like sunlight of spring .... none of these are my words, yet this yellow crystal has been found to hold the qualities above and is described as being like sunlight, life giving and energizing.  It is a stone I do not have, but I've been drawn to it lately, obviously because I need some of what it has to give.

Those who heal, channel golden light through themselves, as a vessel.  Yellow is a powerful colour. Betty Shine spoke of colour healing in her books, wearing an item of clothing to project that energy. For example, if you needed to speak with confidence, you'd wear the colour associated with your throat chakra - blue.  You would wear blue jewellery, or a scarf or a top. It is thought that colour is part of you aura.... some people are colourful, vibrant and full of life.  Some need colour in their life.

Every year my sister runs away abroad, to sunnier climes. Not necessarily warmer, but where there is a lot of daylight. She has SAD, lack of sun sickness, really kicks in a massive bout of depression. I think that in the winter months, while we have shorter days, the suns intensity is greater. The skies are blue, the air crisp, the sun is brilliant.  The sunrise and sunset are spectacular and leave you in awe at the coloured spectacle around you.  Whilst it's not my favourite season, it isn't all doom and gloom and should be seen without blinkers on.

Parachutes

I bought this album back in 2002 and didn't really click with it at all. I was going to take it back... then I had a massive nervous breakdown.  I recall lying in a bath, totally locked away in a horrible depression and Parachutes was playing on my stereo.  I had heard the album a few times before and it was background noise really.  The half way through the album, something clicked. It was a lightbulb moment. The music lifted me up and the words washed my depression away.  People say that Coldplay is depressing but that's because they haven't listened to the lyrics, really listened to the way the music reaches in and pulls you up.  I was suicidal at that time and had tried to crash my car.... after the light went on, I didn't want to die anymore. I felt alive.  Whenever the black dog pays me a visit, when I feel really really low, I play Parachutes and I feel better.  It's my medicine. Yellow was the track that did it.  He looks so young in the video lol...

Look at the world around you, look outside your bubble. The Universe is bigger than you think and it is trying to show you it's messages of splendor. Take your blinkers off and SEE what is truly there. The colour yellow is one we couldn't live without.  

May the sunbeams find you. Live life and love /|\

winter sunset

winter sunset

summer sun

autumn sunset

autumn sunset

dead oak, winter sunset

summer sunset

summer solstice sunset at Long Meg

summer solstice sunrise at Castlerigg

Spring is coming...

You-le

week 49

The Guardian newspaper. Image by Ben Birchall (c)

Winter Solstice is fast approaching. It's minutes into the 1st of December as I type this and it's only 20 days until the solstice.  The sun is already almost at the lowest it will get on the horizon and after the solstice, will start to climb a little higher each day, thus our days will become longer. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and falls on the 21st-23rd of December.

Actually it's 6 days until the solstice, I've done it again, I've not blogged on time! Dammit... actually it's well past the solstice now and new years eve day.... I'm so pants!

I had planned to attend the solstice celebrations at Stonehenge this year but alas, finances will not permit it.  I'm not sure what I am going to do instead. I don't really 'celebrate' the festivals, I give them the nod and observe the change of seasons as the next stage of life/death unfolds.

That's what the festivals are for, to give thanks for the changing season and to ask for the harvest to grow; to give thanks for the harvest; to feast the birth and death of the sun.  According to Prof Ron Hutton in his book The Staions of the Sun, the Roman church decided in about 400AD that there was too many festivals in December, 27 I think and that it needed to be whittled in to one - Christmas. Jesus wasn't born in December, that is just the date the church decided on. It is said he was born in March time, make sense that he'd be a Pisces, they are the best healers ;)

There are all kinds of traditions associated with Yule.  Each region will have a variation of these traditions.  In Brighton, they 'burn the clocks' a new festival started 20 years ago for all faiths to celebrate the solstice. This is a decent site with some traditions on. There is this article on the BBC website, although I think it's inaccurate. I'm fairly sure the druids didn't start the yule log tradition and mistletoe rarely grows on oaks, it's found on many other trees but when it's found on oak, it's very special indeed.

Here's what happened at Stonehenge for the winter solstice this year, the weather was a lot better than last year and there was less complaints about staff attitude and being harassed to be in and out within an hour and a half.  The Round Table talks and many complaints, improved matters greatly.

The Guardian reported this article
The Daily Fail did they usual level of accurate reporting and wrote this article
BBC article
National Geographic article

It is believed that most stone circles/monuments are aligned for the winter solstice, which is a theory I believe in.  Orkney article . Newgrange article (and check out Paul Deveruax's books on this)

So why did I call this blog you-le.... well it's a play on words of course. What YOU do to celebrate yule/solstice is up to YOU. You create your own traditions and you don't have to subscribe to any one elses version of ancient ways.  Hell, you can even create your own... and why not. Burning the clocks looks like a good craic and it brings all together.

I don't celebrate New Year really, nor have resolutions for improvement. For ME the new year is Samhain.  I strive to be a better person every day and not just some empty gesture once a year. Whatever YOU do, I hope you have a wonderful year ahead.

Be yourself, be well, be happy /|\

Music to blog too (x)

week 47

Music to blog to

My creative stint appears to be every 3 weeks, when I find myself blogging until the birds are yawning and up early to catch them worms, I listen to a collection of new age music.  So as 'x' is a free card week, I shall give you the list of awesome music I play whilst typing my thoughts for Pagan Blog Project.

• Sacred Spirit. I have had this cd for about 20 years and I have yet to tire of it. Ambient, trancy in places and haunting... you can still buy it from Amazon or other places.  I play this during my tarot readings, spirit work etc.  The YouTube link below is the whole album... some heated comments on this video but I say ignore them and don't get drawn in by YouTrolls and enjoy the journey.

• Nigel Shaw - Requiem.  I met Nigel a few years back when he was performing for his friends, at their handfasting.  I had a chat with him about playing the native american flute and where to get music sheets from... really nice chap and very talented musician.  I really need to check out the rest of his work but Requiem is spine tinglingly good. Opens me up and takes me away. If you're interested, visit the website to purchase the music and other arts.  Nigel Shaw's YouTube channel can be found via the video below.

• Dragonfly Moon - Full Circle.  I met Scott and Susan at Beltane Bash in London a few years go when they were teaching a drumming class and performing. They were also performing at the handfasting that Nigel was (all good friends).  A lovely couple who live on a little Scottish island. Scott and Susan work as Dragonfly Moon and have released a few solo albums too, all of which I own.  My favourite is Full Circle, with Rigatona's daughter being a close second. Scott once said to me that he was taught music classically for 15 years and then spent the next 15 unlearning it.  Both very talented musician and song writers. If you get a chance to see them, do!  Here is a video I compiled with my images, set to two of their songs from Full Circle.  I'm a bit out of touch it seems... just looking on their facebook page and it seems they are no longer performing and aren't together anymore either.  Bummer :(  Reverb

• Peter Nightingale - Last Buffalo. An amazing flute player, he can make a tune out of ANYTHING. I can't find anything online to share. He's on my Facebook friends and travels to the USA a lot to be part of tribal ceremonies. 
• David Maracles - Spirit Flutes. You know those cd's you get at garden centres? The ones with the button, you press and it plays a track of each album displayed... well I got one from Woolworths years ago that I still play often.  Chilled out native Amercian style music. 

There's a few more but they should keep you busy for now.

Weddings

Week 46

Weddings

Or as they are known in pagan circles - handfastings.  I have attended many handfastings over the years and not one of them has been the same.  Even though many of the couples were druid or wiccan, their ceremonies were very different from each others.  The one thing that was evident in all of them, is love and honouring nature as part of their ceremony.

It is said that the origins of the term 'tying the knot' derives from when the couple are bound together during the ceremony.  Handfastings are a year and a day or life. Our current marriage laws says you cannot divorce until you have been married for a year and a day.  Even though our marriage ceremonies and laws in the UK are based on the old ways, handfasting is not a legally binding marriage.  If you want to be married in the eyes of the law, you need to perform the ceremony again at a registrars or have an officiating person at a registered location, like many hotels now do.

I have never been married, I've not been asked since I was 16, which was a very long time ago now. I have often thought about how I'd like my ceremony to be and where.  It would be nice to have it at a stone circle or sacred place and then feast afterwards.  A proper wedding feast, with roasting meat, a big fire pit, big cheese wheels, fresh baked bread and simple foods. Traditionally brewed ales, meads and ciders... it's all good lol.  No white dress for me! Me in a dress actually, excuse me while I throw back my head and say hahahahahahahahahahaahhaha! Who knows, it might happen, just like someone may want to marry me one day. Meh.

Anyway... back to handfastings. I like the idea of doing this rather than the official route. I like the idea that if it doesn't work out, you can just untie the knot and go your separate ways. Willie Nelson jokes 'why is divorce so expensive? Because it's worth it!' I would hate to spend thousands on a plush wedding for the whole reason of the celebration to be marred by pressure of organising it. I've photographed a few weddings and handfastings over the years and I keep in touch with many of the couples. Most are still together but some fell out spectacularly.  I feel sad when I look back at these wonderful celebrations and remember the love shared, the love I captured on camera, and it's gone.

I'm a biker too, so a simple ceremony and a big feast really appeals to me.  I never have been one for pomp and ceremony. Below are a collection of images that I have taken, of handfastings.  Enjoy.

Summer solstice 2007 at Avebury. Most in attendance were druidic. Bard recital and jumping of the broom.  Sadly, they are no longer together but it was a spectacular and wonderful day.

Summer solstice weekend 2007 at Avebury. God/Goddess walk, which met and formed a staff arch, which the bride and groom walked through.

Always makes me feel sad when I see pics of Ghyll, RIP mate

A poem I wrote in their wedding album I created:

In the core of our souls

Our love spirals around

The trees and stones witness

Our ancient pledge to the land

With friends and kin present

With the Warband did raise

Their hearts and love to us both

Stepping through the arch of staves

Our hearts and soul unite

As our King binds us both

Hand to hand, heart to heart

Forever betrothed 

Random Avebury handfastings, after the Gorsedd, multiple couples

August 2007, Windmill Hill, Avebury. Already married, they renewed their vows with this handfasting ceremony. Most of them were druids, very different to other ceremonies I'd been too. Conducted at dusk, the light quickly faded, which made for some lowlight images.

God walk at sundown

My son with his twin friends

 

I was invited to attend a handfasting of a couple at a farm in Cumbria. My archdruid friend was conducting the ceremony.  The celebration leaned more towards the traditional wedding with a big wig wam tent, tables of wedding food and lots of family and friends in formal dress.

Hog roast wins every day!

Castlerigg 2007 - one of my favourite stone circles, with two of my favourite people.

RIP Fintan

Winter solstice 2009 at Avebury. Mostly druids but a heavy wiccan influence. Sadly, these two aren't together anymore and Ghyll passed over last year.

Ferocious Dog

Week 48 - Pagan Blog Project. Free pass for the letter X, so here's a blog I wrote earlier this month.

Yay! I got a bobble hat!!!

The red ink from the Rescue Room stamp, really does not want to wash off.  But that's OK, it is a reminder that last night actually happened.  Sure my muscles ache from being bounced around like a pinball and my clothes are in a soggy pile in the wash basket BUT the whole night is a tad hazy and Otherworldly.

I've read some great reviews of this band before and I've always thought I could write a really good one. I'm not a music journalist, I just love music. All sorts of music and it really is the food for my soul.  This is why I wanted to be a DJ since I was a kid, making mixed tapes up from the charts and doing the dodgy talk over... and these days, I have my own radio show.  And that's where my journey with Ferocious Dogs starts.  Back in 2012 I was organising the first Pegged It Rally and received an email from Dan asking if his band could come and play for us.  I listened to the tracks he sent and would have booked them then and there if it wasn't for the teeny tiny budget I had, to pay for a band.  There was no way I would pay them a penny less than what they deserved.  I was dead keen to play their music on my show though and wangled a copy of their debut album Hell Hounds. It's fair to say that a Ferocious Dog track is in my show playlist every week and other DJ's I have introduced to FD, love and play them loads too.

Imagine my glee when I heard they were playing Rock and Bike Fest in 2013.  I covered the event for 100% Biker and wrote this:

The band I’d really wanted to see was Ferocious Dog, an originals band that I’ve followed for a while now. I was ready to jump in that pit and mosh around like a nutter but after seeing it in action, decided that I was no match for it. It was one of those that if you took your eye off it, it sucked you in, ground you up and spat you out the other side. Ferocious is about right! A great band, excellent material and a real crowd pleaser - they bought their own moshpit with them, how hardcore is that!

That was my first time. The second time was a couple of days after my birthday in March and a week after I had a double knee op. I went to the sold out Rescue Rooms gig, in a wheelchair knowing how animated the audience got, but I really didn't care.  For that whole time, I forgot I was in a lot of pain, I forgot about the people banging into my knees and I bounced up and down in that wheel chair.  The icing on the cake was Ken saying happy birthday to me... granted he got my name wrong but the look on his face later when I said 'did you mean Naomi?', was priceless lol.  I always get called Natalie for some reason... *shrugs*  Incidentally, my arse was too wide for that chair and the wheels scorched my thighs to the point of having to leap out of it and hobble along on the crutches. My mates had a great time in it hahahaha.  This brings me back to the third time. Rescue Rooms had sold out yet again, which as most of you will know, was the second time this year that Ferocious Dog had achieved this. The ONLY unsigned band to do so in the venue's history and only two other acts had managed it, one of them being Jake Bug.  I was determined to be in the middle of the mosh this time - damned right!

I said earlier that it was Otherworldly and that's cos I swear there's some kind of magic going on.  I don't know how these music journos write about crashing drums and fat rifts because I didn't hear individual instruments. That is not to say I don't know how to listen to just the fiddle player or just the bass guitar... you just don't get to with this band.  You are 100% caught up in the Moment.  There is no individual player, there is no band, there is just the Music.  The world just spins by as the Dance takes you and you release those inhibitions and are Free.  Yes, capital letters... if you've been and seen them, you're probably nodding. If not, go and you'll see.

by me

According to legend, every standing stone was once a dancer who got carried away with the music and danced on the sabbath.  So here you have a band, capable of invoking that spirit of the dance in every single person in that room.. all 500 of them.  Everyone singing, fists pumping the air, spinning around, bouncing about, climbing up high and being caught up in the Moment.  Like others, I went over and landed on my arse. I lay there laughing my head off, immediately friendly hands were there to pull me back up and push me back in to the fray.  I've been in my fair share of mosh pits and as mental as the Hell Hounds are, it's friendly.  One moment the room is going nuts, the next it's still as someone is climbing up on shoulders, not wanting them to fall in the surge.  It was all over too soon, yet they'd played every song - time stopped for the Dance.  As we all poured outside to cool down, it was a like a steam room as cold air hit hot sweaty bodies.  Everyone was dog wet and grinning.

Ferocious Dog are a combination of genuinely lovely people, amazing musical talent with thought provoking and meaningful stories behind the lyrics. Tragedy, history, betrayal, love, protest, fun - signature moments in our times.  I was at the Kill the Bill protests. I know people who were miners or were at Beanfield. I have lost a 'brother' in a similar way and all that entailed and all of this powerful emotional stuff, is wrapped up in insane music that carries me away.  I'm glad they don't want to be tied down with a record contract - you can't harness that kind of spirit.

If I had to use just two words to describe Ferocious Dog, they would be - fucking awesome!
Love you guys, you put a smile on my face - thanks!

Best gig pic ever! I'm in there somewhere.  Taken by Pete Waggy 

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