Many years ago, I was introduced to the idea of selecting a single word for each calendar year to act as an intention, touchstone, and big-picture goal. The beauty of a single word intention is that the simplicity means multiple ways of connecting are possible. For example, one of my words over the years was…
Tag: shadow work
This sermon was for the September 13th streaming service for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. I like to remind myself that I would have lived. That several thousand years ago, I would have known that sometimes when the grasses rustle, it’s because there’s an apex predator behind them feeling a bit peckish. I would…
Sacred poetry has long explored the liminal spaces between the ecstatic and the mundane, the tragic and the joyful, the sacred and the profane. The shining new addition of The Gorgon Verses to that body of spiritual inquiry includes the paths of gender, sexuality, and identity. Through verse sometimes spilling gently, sometimes rushing in great…
What do you find in the Underworld? Take off your crown. This cold gold burden neither heals nor helps, lifts nor loves. Set down authority, command, and hierarchy. See it for what it is. Release the privilege of rule to the soil. What do you find in the Underworld? Lay down your jewels. They do…
A little over 20 years ago, I joined the Marine Corps. Yeah, most people make that face when they find out. I know it does not seem terribly likely. It is, however, 100% true. What can I say? At age 18, I desperately needed the structure and discipline of the military. To be utterly frank,…
I grew up in Frederick, a large town located in Western Maryland. I personally love the place – it has a beautiful historic district, a wonderful linear park that runs through much of the city, excellent restaurants, a vibrant theater district and lots of mom and pop stores that make shopping interesting. It also had…
When I read last week’s blog on Major Arqueerna (‘Magic and the Physical Art of Release’), I was practically yelling ‘YES! EXACTLY!’ over my morning coffee. In the blog, Annie talks about how practicing Yin Yoga has supported their spiritual practice – in particular, some of their Shadow Work. One of the soapboxes I frequently…
The deepest, truest magick I know is the power of self-determination. Much more than the simple ability to make choices, there are additional layers and abilities that come from having a rooted sense of Self. I teach a Mystery School and the very first magickal tool Blackfeather students start with is a mirror. Establishing a…
The Wheel turned, and the final harvest lies behind us. The nights grow longer now and cool darkness whispers against the windows after the sun goes down. It is the time of the inward spiral. Living in rhythm with seasonal shifts includes many challenges, though. Although our ancestors were governed by their seasons and climate,…
The change of seasons can bring in more than a shift in temperatures and sunlight. Over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern around the spring and fall equinox: people also make changes in their lives. Sometimes these are small things – they choose to get healthier, they clean (or purge) their houses, they finally boot…