Wheel of Wonder September 27, 2009

This week on Wheel of Wonder wheel talk a little about Animal Spirits. We've already made some mention of them on prior episodes of Wheel of Wonder. I received calls in the Air Studio asking questions about Animal Spirits during past shows, and I noticed recently that aparrently all the public copies in this town of Ted Andrews' great book: Animal Speak: The Spirit and Magical powers of creatures great and small appear to be out in people's hands, so it must be something people are trying to learn about. Animal Spirits are a big subject, which will take more than one show to speak about. We'll begin this week. I'll bring you information I've found and new, to Wheel of Wonder, tracks by SJ Tucker and Tricky Pixie. If anyone has unique animal spirit stories they'd like to share (anonymous or not) on future Wheel of Wonder shows, feel free to comment, or Email me at radioray.wheelofwonder@gmail.com .

The beautiful art to the right and above is the original work of Chicago Artist Nina Ulana check out her work, showings and other info on her blog!

Equinox in the Woods

Relaxing in a cozy Yurt within a grove of old fir, I looked up towards the sky. I could see the stars through a window in the domed roof, framed by the shaggy tresses of the 200 year old fir trees. I drifted off to sleep accompanied by thoughts of flying outside among them. I woke in the morning to the pattering of rain outside sometimes falling soft, sometimes falling hard. I walked out into the fresh and Balsam air, surrounded by something very close to that familiar Autumn energy, as I listened to the roughly composed duet of the Ravens and the Crows accompany my morning. I had time enough to hike out and learn more about the volcano, before walking with a Druid I recently met to learn more about the Ogham trees. In that old Growth Forest around the area, we found thirteen of the twenty. Not long after that the rest of the camper's arrived and then the Kitchen Witch, who fed us all. Until everyone's presence disappeared by the time of hottest afternoon sun on Sunday-almost -Solstice, I stayed in a Pagan yurt village with bonfires, chanting and great camaraderie!

I played the Harp to calm the energy before we went to sleep Saturday night and played people up with the Sunrise on Sunday. These are the times that make one feel like a real Bard!

The weather was beautiful for the Sunday noon Ritual, and the energy was great! I even went out to my Car once on Sunday morning and heard myself on the Radio! Eventually we all had to leave, but a splinter contingent of us went to the Olympia Pagan Pride event, which was small this year ,under the new organizers, but they put it together in record time (started in August), and all the people there I spoke to (vendors included) were very optimistic it would be bigger and better next year! (Anyone care to manifest pagan musicians and a good, strong Drum circle for that?) All and all, it was a good Mabon.

The picture above is a photograph I caught of the Druid, Crone, and Maiden/Mother participants in the ritual.

The Podcast Experience

Well, its been a time since I posted on my blog, it was a busy Mabon; no, it's been a busy Mayday to Mabon. Let's get the blog caught up. Jane Valencia and I finally had our Podcast conversation. We spoke about modern approaches to being a Bard, and why Bards are relevant in the modern world. She asked some very insightful questions, which I took as talking points, in the end it may be a long, but still interesting podcast. Jane believes she'll have it up by the end of the month on her website: Forest Halls.org (podcast #2) Jane is such a smooth interviewer, that i have to say our conversation is the right word. We also had an opportunity to talk music, and chord progressions to go with some of my poems, so I might just have a My Space up in the future, and you can hear me perform the music I create. You'll never hear it on Wheel of Wonder (self promotion is not in the spirit of Community radio). I have to say, I'm glad to be doing this show on a radio station where I can also hear dj's talk about Jewish High Holy Days, and hear other dj's play Christian Gospel Music, and hear Native voices speaking about Native American Spirituality too. You can even hear Rastafarian Music now and again on KAOS. I do like Community Radio!

Damh the Bard is expecting to complete his new CD "Songs from the Crow Man" I believe it is soon. Hopefully we'll be hearing from him and new music from him on Wheel of Wonder by the end of the Celtic year (if your one of the people who considers Samhain to be the end of the year). Wendy Rule has also contacted me and said she'd send a CD package as well. Love how Wheel of Wonder keeps rolling!

Hope some of you catch the Podcast on foresthalls.org and new, and longtime listeners keep tuned in to Wheel of Wonder!

Blessings,

---Radio Ray

the picture above and to the right is a slide of a statuette from 2700 BC

Wheel of Wonder September 20 2009

The Autumn Equinox, also known as Mabon is one of my favorite holidays, as Autumn is one of my favorite seasons! It's a time of Harvesting , both the seeds you've sown over the past year, and the physical food that has been growing all through the Spring and Summer. Even living in the city you can go out into the crisp outdoors and harvest Blackberries, Apples, Plums, Pears, and chestnuts,as these plants grow, practically naturally in temperate climates, other things will grow in other climates as well. The Summer is fading , people are parting ways, or preparing for new adventures and how things have gone in the past year is reflected in the interactions of these endings and these new beginnings, as every ending is a beginning again.

This episode will include new music from Sharon Knight and T. Thorne Coyle, Gaia Consort and a brand new track from Christy Moore's newest Album. This episode will also include some tracks from the first ever Wheel of Wonder in a Weekly time slot. I'll be elsewhere this Equinox, But Dancing the Universe's late night voice Dillon Dise will be in the Studio bringing you Wheel of Wonder bright and early Sunday morning. The episode will also include passages from Kristin Madden's great book Mabon; celebrating the Autumn equinox. Merry Mabon from Wheel of Wonder!

Wheel of Wonder September 13 2009

This week on Wheel of wonder we'll explore the Shaman's Journey, from the perspective of the conscious dream. What are some of the modern Shamanic Beliefs that these people, believed to be Healers, carry with them on their Shamanic Journeys? Many indigenous cultures throughout time have always felt the Dreaming world is just as real as the Waking, five senses world, we all live in. In some of the more spiritual traditions, it is considered more real. But how do dreams and "soul journeys" interrelate? By working on remembering our dreams, can we truly achieve insights that carry over into the knowledge set that have a real effect on how we live our lives? With some reference to the Insights of Robert Moss, author of Conscious Dreaming, and some new music by Louisa John Krol, and Gaia Consort we'll consider the spiritual meaning of travelling through dreams, the place where the conscience and unconscious meet.

Wheel of Wonder September 6 2009

This week on Wheel of Wonder we will explore the Sacred Grove through music. Sacred Groves have existed in many places and cultures across the world, not only for the Druids, but for the Hindu, The Buddhist, Taoist, and the Native Americans. We'll speak about the Ogham Alphabet in more depth this week, and how it relates to the druids impressive mnemonics. We also talk about the OBAD Sacred Grove project, with information from the OBAD website (see it in links in the sidebar). This week will also feature new music from Sharon Knight and more Vixy and Tony! Tune in to Wheel of Wonder.

As an important "by the way" Jane Valencia and I have agreed upon a Podcast interview time. I'll be talking with Jane on her Forest Halls podcast 10 in the morning (Pacific Standard Time) Monday September 14th, 2009. We'll be discussing many different approaches to being a modern Bard, and why that is important. I'm looking forward to talking with Jane about this mutual interest of ours. Feel free to check that out!