Wheel of Wonder October 19, 2014

I'd like to see more followers on the Wheel of Wonder blog.  For my part I should start posting more regularly.  Sorry Guys.  Anyone hear the interview with Denean from last year? (meaning this year, actually, Looking ahead already, since the celtic year is nearly over).  You can now hear it on YouTube  Denean is an artist that has dedicated her life to create healing music intended to raise the Consciousness of Humanity.  That's a tall order, but her music is deeply beautiful.  You can hear it yourself by linking to the video above, and her website is in the artist links to the left.

Wheel of Wonder, although it is heard through the medium of a radio show has been a wonderful journey.  Researching different spiritual beliefs, scientific breakthroughs , and consciousness raising philosophies has been really worthwhile, for me, and I hope on some level, also for those who have read this blog or heard the radio show on KAOS Olympia.  It seems our whole lives are a fantastic journey to spiritual awakening and finding our own inner truth.  If I have ever helped anyone in this by bringing them new information or inspired music that helps them on their way I am forever grateful.  For five years the wheel has kept turning, this journey has been continuing, and it will continue still as we approach the new year.  I am so thankful for the experience.  Blessed Be!

In the coming up year we'll hear more interviews, featuring Ockham's Razor, Malachi Wavebreaker, as he finishes his second epic poem, and we'll try once again to reach Greywolf, founder of the British Druid Order.

Above, a picture of Cascade Pass by Ed Farrell.  Wheel of Wonder comes out of Cascadia.

Wheel of Wonder September 28, 2014

Last week was the time of the Autumn Equinox. Lori covered the Wheel of Wonder radio show, while I accepted an invitation to a public ritual (or three) to recognize and celebrate the Autumn Equinox, often referred to as Mabon by Wiccans and Neo-Pagans and Alban Elfed by Druids.  Autumn equinox is a time of equal day and night, and thus a time to reflect on finding the balance in our lives, whether that be between work and family, spiritual and mundane, active time and leisure time, learning and applying knowledge, or even you light and dark sides, whatever that means to you.  To quote Reverend Judith Laxer of Gaia's Temple:  "Ah, balance.  That elusive state of being in which we experience as much rest as we do work, have as much pleasure as we do hardship, where we give as much credence to the dreamy intuitive as we do to the logical and linear."----Nature Worship is Good for the Soul, New Spirit Journal September 2014.
In one of these ritual gatherings I attended, we took time to look inward, in a meditative state to find balance and re-connect with spirit, a quiet but good way to think about the seeds we've sown, and are still sowing, and for those who follow such belief systems, a time to seek understanding of what one's spirit guides and guardians suggest is best for you.  What have you harvested this year?  What seeds have you sown in your life, your community, your relationships, how have you tended the garden of your spirit.  These are some of the things many recognize the Autumn Equinox as a time of reflection upon.

Also soon it will be the time of Samhain again, or the beginning of the Celtic New Year, so this week to celebrate knowledge and another nearly complete cycle through the Wheel of the Year, that is exactly what I'll be talking about on Wheel of Wonder.

Wheel of Wonder August 24 2014

Susan Griffin writes in "You are where you live:  How the sky, rain, geography, and cultures of our place shape us." an article she wrote for YES! magazine in 2013:  "....not just forests and rivers but songs are part of what defines a region..." (January 30, 2013, full article also at yesmagazine.org)
The idea that we as Humans are somehow above, beyond, or "Masters" of nature because of our innovative ideas on how to extract more resources by machine, or shape the immediate landscape of our surroundings is , I think , a very flawed idea that I'm exploring on Wheel of Wonder today.  Last week on the broadcast we discussed the idea of the Garden as perhaps not just a place in your yard or "territory"but an idea that can inspire creativity, love, and compassion in our minds.  A state of Gwynedd, as some druids may say (the garden of Gwynedd in this case not as just a physical place, but a state of spiritual and fully engaged awareness for the beauty, mystery, and spirit of the natural world), that can be shared with other members of society at large.  It has occurred to me, many others like Susan Griffin, and many indigenous minded people that part of what is keeping people from this ecstatic state of being, part of what is causing people to feel a sense of frustration and powerlessness is the artificial boundaries we've allowed those who would hold power over others to put between our different cultures, ethnicities and our place in nature, i.e: not owners of it, but children /creations of it.  Or as an earth spiritualist would say "children of our mother, the earth." 
Reflecting on this idea we may well see that this artificial separation is what allows wealthy corporations or individuals (the two being distinctly different things) to treat people so badly putting profits before people, displacing workers and destroying environments.  It is only by co-creating a global culture that affirms life and life-sustaining endeavors that are good for all people that the cycle can be disrupted and the future for all life on earth can be improved.  We have all the power we need to do this as modern, awakened humans capable of compassion and cooperation, but these innovative models must be created by all of us.  In nature that which contributes prospers, whether its fixing nitrates for plants, controlling populations of prey animals so they don't become ill or weak, and disrupt the balance of nature, while still supporting its own existence.  That which cannot adapt to fill a useful purpose (in humans this may well be those who produce no real goods for the economy, say stock market big shots and loan traders) expires.  We are at that tipping point now, it is up to the majority to be resilient and work on creating a better world that is cooperative and life sustaining. A clue:  I think this is best done through love and compassion for other Human beings, while still not allowing excesses to continue.

The picture above was found on the website natures-blessings.org

Greywolf not coming to Olympia

Philip Shallcrass aka Greywolf, founder of the British Druid Order is not going to make it to Olympia this time.  He's had a very busy agenda since arriving in Seattle at the beginning of the month and needs some rest.  The elder Druid will join me on Wheel of Wonder soon though for a full length Interview, so keep watching this space.  All the best to Philip, to hear more about his visit and his viewpoints check out his facebook posts and his blog.

Greywolf , from his blog: Greywolf's Lair

Wheel of Wonder August 10, 2014

Esbat!  The full moon ritual.  Many modern pagan traditions, often of Wicca or Witchcraft, celebrate the Full Moon and the energy that it is believed to bring with it through ritual and adulation.  At the time of this writing we are within this energy.  The Full moon for August 2014 is today, the 10th of August. Some describe this as the Full Moon in Leo and will say that personality aspects traditionally associated with the astrological sign of Leo are especially strong at this time.  On our Druidic Moon Calendar this would be the Hazel Moon.  From the perspective of the Ogham Hazel stands for wisdom and creativity, so these attributes should be especially strong at this time. That is interesting considering that we are shortly past Lughnasadh, the sabbat of the first Summer harvest. If you see harvesting not only as gathering the fruits and vegetables that are now ripening around us, but also as applying what you've learned this year to improving your life and the lives of others(harvesting your wisdom), follow through with that and you'll see how the change of the seasons and the energy of this month's moon have a place in your life.

Speaking of Lughnasadh, or Lammas, I was invited to attend a public Druidic ritual yesterday facilitated by a Gorsedd of the British Druid Order.  This particular ritual was special because Phillip" Graywolf" Shalcress, head of the BDO was visiting from the UK and was of course, present at the ritual.  What a great learning opportunity!  I'm hoping to have Graywolf on Wheel of Wonder as a guest today, and he is also available to speak in Olympia Tuesday of this week.  If you are one who ever wondered about modern Druidry, I hope you'll have occasion to hear him speak.  Watch this blog, and with luck, his Facebook profile to learn more.  Thanks for checking out wheel of Wonder!

The pictures to the left are entitled Lughnasadh Moon Maiden and Lughnasadh.  the latter inspired by John Barleycorn.

Wheel of Wonder July 13, 2014

The Finnish Pagan faith, or Native Religion, is called Suomeniusko.  Although the official religion of Finland is Lutheran, like in other areas of Northern Europe and the former Soviet Union, there has been a strong resurgence, and even new, old acceptance of the people's native faiths.  Such are the times we live in.   I surmise, we are not only on the threshold of greater scientific knowledge , we are also allowed, perhaps some are even hungry for, remembering that as Human Beings, we are also people of Spirit.  I intended to spend this week discussing Uralic neopaganism, encompassing Finnish, Estonian, Mari-El and Mordovian native religions, taking us across the Baltic Sea and clear to the River Danube.

  A large area, but one of similar spirituality. Finalnd however has had a longer time to remember, renew and revitalize pre-christian spirituality, as the other Uralic groups didn't really start this process until the 1980's and 1990's, around the time of the fall of the Soviet Union.  So this week will only be about Finnish Neopaganism.  The other Uralic perspectives on this spirituality will be covered in other Wheel of Wonder entries/shows.

  It also happens that in my research, I found that this day: July 13th is the date of a major Suomeniusko holiday called Karhunpäivä. This is the day of the Bear.  The Bear is, like the Stag of the UK, a sacred animal, a king of the forest in  Suomeniusko and Taaivaannaula neopagan spirituality. Karhunpäivä is a holiday that celebrates his spirit and  the forest goddess Mielikki and is in part, drawn from the sacred rituals people have always done in Finland when killing a Bear for food; rituals to assure that he would reincarnate into the forest and the gods would know he was killed for a special reason, not just out of carelessness or for sport.

The Finnish world view, like other spiritual and Shamanic perspectives in many cultures, consisted of three different layers of reality:  the upper world, located to the south and in the sky, the middle world, where people live, and the lower world, located to the north and under the flat earth, leading eventually to Tuonela, the land of the dead.  The picture above is titled "Journey to Tuonela 1"  representing the river that flows through the middle world and to the North (Pohjola), and eventually into Tuonela.  I found the picture on DeviantArt, and it is by a tattoo artist named Tuomas Koivurinne. 

After this week, I'll be on the road again, and Wheel of Wonder will be hosted by Lori, from last week, and some other partner djs until August 10, 2014.  Thanks for listening to Wheel of Wonder, streaming live at kaosradio.org!

    

 

Wheel of Wonder June 29, 2014

The Wheel turns and we've made are way to Midsummer in the Northern Hemisphere.  Happy Litha!  By the time I hit the airwaves again, I expect to have been to the Tacoma Highland Games (They have a Bards Tent this year!) In many traditions the idea behind Summer Solstice is celebrating the fertility of the Earth as the Goddess' energy moves from the energy of the Maiden of Spring, to the energy of the Mother, it is also for celebrating the Male principle, which like the Sun up in the sky, is at its peak of strength and power, before weakening with the onset of winter.  This is often represented by the battle between The Oak king (God quality of Summer) and the Holly King (God quality of Winter), with the Oak king fighting on until he sacrifices his life at Lughnasadh to assure good crops for the next year and also to be reborn as the young Sun God at the Winter Sostice, beginning his growth into power for the next year, until he is sacrificed again.
For a man and his spiritual nature a simile could be made as to how well we do at our jobs, or in our relationships, covens, gorsedeau, or whatnot, in the area of learning, growing, and changing. As these experiences allow us  to grow, mature, they also offer new opportunities for learning and success. The end of one way of being and the beginning of another are like little deaths and rebirths as we learn from life, or advance in knowledge and spirit in the course of our existence, until the end of our last day of being in this incarnation.  Not being a Farmer, that's how I relate to these changes, relationship cycles, and even the seasons of the year.  In Autumn we harvest our knowledge, in Winter we reflect on what we've learned and how it can make us better at the dawning of a new year,  a new spring.  This also allows Summer to be a time for celebration!  I think that's why I enjoying taking a vacation from work and pursuing new experiences during July and August.  New experiences can make me a new man, sacrificing my last year with the coming of Mabon.

For now the Sacred Flame of knowledge still burns in my chest, and I hope to bring new guests and new music To Wheel of Wonder after attending the Tacoma Highland games and experiencing all my travels this summer.  On Wheel of Wonder we are in the middle of taking a metaphorical journey of music and ideas, based on a divining exercise with the Druid's Ogham.  I hope you'll tune in to hear what the Ogham has been revealing to us this week on Wheel of Wonder.  Also, thank you so much to the people who supported KAOS and Wheel of Wonder in our Spring pledge drive, it allows me and this great little independent radio station to keep sharing unique music and incredible ideas with all of you!   Summer Blessings!

 Sacred Fire and Golden Pentacle great art by great artists!  I couldn't find the name of the Artist of Sacred Fire, let me know if you do please.

Wheel of Wonder May 4, 2014

The wheel turns and we are moving beyond Beltane.  In this part of the world it has been very hot, a few days at a time, and then raining for a bit, the rain cools things down, its rhythm can put you to sleep in the nighttime, and the people with allergies receive a break from the assault of pollen.  The Oak tree out my window went from budding to leafy in only one day!  In the land down under our friends Louisa John Krol, Adrienne Piggot, and Wendy Rule are moving past Samhain, and into the dark part of the year.  The balance remains true. 
Those of you who feel the pounding of the earth's heart and the flow of her plant children's energy whether it seems to be slowing and sleeping, or budding with the quickening, undoubtedly have a firm grasp of we as Humans live in relationship with all other lives on this earth.  Interestingly, this is one of the transformational processes often attributed to the transition from the age of Pisces, to the age of Aquarius, mentioned in my last post.  Perhaps it is also the true feeling of compassion and connection.

  This week on Wheel of Wonder we'll be addressing the idea of Men who live outside of the "Man-Box"compassionate souls who understand that being a truly effective man includes living a life of compassion and caring for others, not just a life of competition and commanding the other.
Kozo Hatori is a man who wrote a very inspirational article on this for YES magazine, he observed, or reflected:
"I remember being a very compassionate child. While watching "The Little House on the Prairie," I cried my eyes out when Laura couldn’t give Pa a Christmas gift. But 12 years of physical abuse and being forced to the confines of the “act-like-a-man box” wrung most of that compassion out of me by the time I reached adulthood.
I knew I had to change. I started with empathy, which led me to compassion. I committed to a daily meditation practice,  and completed a 10-day silent meditation retreat. I read and researched everything I could find on compassion.  I found that the more compassion I felt, the happier I became." (yesmagazine.org, from Spring 2014)
Also this week, in partial celebration of Beltane, and love and compassion as well.  We will have an Interview and Poetry reading from Malachi Wavebreaker, OBOD member and poet/writer of the book:  The Voyager of Cardinal Water, A love story.
Compassion is a wonderful Human strength, celebrate it while celebrating Beltane and the Love of the Lord and Lady, in whatever form you experience them.

The picture above "Healing Hands" is from wakeup-world.com

Wheel of Wonder April 6, 2014

The wheel turns and we've left the darkness for Spring's new light.  In the public rituals of this part of the world we'd be in the time of the east, sunrise, and new beginnings.  Many of us have recovered from the cold a dark time of the year and feel life surging through the ground, the leaflord smiling in the trees, trees that seemed bare only three or four weeks ago.  The joy of birdsong, and the cleaning out of old things, old baggage, and the creation of our own garden of Gwynedd, or our sanctuary in this world.
Many find the spring to be a time of inspiration, undertaking new work that serves our true purpose of cooperation and collaboration, a natural state that comes with being an authentic Human.  The wheels of Wheel of Wonder have been turning for five full cycles now and it has brought me into a greater level of connection virtually and experientially with so many people, whether they be artists, academics, musicians, priests, ministers, progressive thinkers, or no particular theology spiritualists.
Again, in this part of the world . when the corners are called in public ritual, east is the direction that corresponds to the Element of Air.  Air corresponding to song, oratory, and voices carried across the wind.  Even the throat chakra if you like to see things that way. The throat chakra for finding your voice.

One of the great things that have come out of being able to broadcast Wheel of Wonder across the radio waves at KAOS 89.3 FM in America, or kaosradio.org on line, all over the world, is it has offered up a medium to break down misunderstandings of what non Judeo Christian Spirituality is, it has also given me a forum to share the occasional great news happening in the world about Environmental Sustainability, and the many different spiritual paths people take to achieve their highest purpose.  On occasion, I've even been able to share new findings in modern Science, that once again change, or challenge our concepts of a static, well known, concept of reality.  Reality is just as dynamic and mutable as the people living in it.  This is all because the broadcast medium I use for Wheel of Wonder is at its heart, a Community-owned, yes that's public, non-commercial, radio station, which is only surviving because of people starting or renewing memberships.  To start or renew a membership does include a donation of money, there are many levels at which to do that (go to kaosradio.org for details).  The public still owns this radio station it can bring you independent media information, hundreds of different types of music(80% independent, small label artists only 20% big commercial labels; required policy)as well as the shows New Dimensions, Time of Useful Consciousness, Philosophy Talk, Democracy Now, and of course, Wheel of Wonder.  Next week (April 7 -13) is KAOS' membership drive, please help keep this gem of independent thinking going with a donation and membership, there are very few sanctuaries of free thinking like this left in this world. It is , in a way, its own unique garden of Gwynedd.

------(Radio) Ray
the graphic above, as you may recall is called " Aquarian Awakening" there is an idea, among ascensionists, that, in the course of Human life in the Universe, we are leaving our age of Pisces, and finally approaching the Age of Aquarius (a time of transformation and oneness, yet where our independent, personal identities of  mind,body, spirit can continue to exist as well).

Wheel of Wonder March 2, 2014

It has been an interesting observation for me to see how people following a "Witch's path" in their spiritual lives are very attached to the phases of the moon along the wheel of the year, and people following a "Druid's path" focus on stages of the sun.  Sometimes these are the same people; I've met Wiccan Druids, and Druidic Wiccans, one does not necessarily exclude the other.  Some people are just witches (not following the Wiccan disciplines) and some people are just Shamans (Celtic, yes, but not following Druidic stages of learning).  Its not my intention to simplify either the Druid path or the path of Wicca, nor that of Shamans, Witches, Magicians, or any other, even within these broad headings their are many differences in practice, some believe in soul ascension, some have different focuses within them.

 I've met people on moon based paths calling the Spring equinox Ostara (after a germanic Goddess), and people on sun based paths calling it Alban Eiler (welsh for light of the earth).  I've been to Sun ceremonies (eight stages of the sun) and moon ceremonies (13 stages of the moon). There are many rituals reflecting  Earth's relationship to celestial bodies.  Alban Eiler and his Sister Ostara, as one would expect from the Spring Equinox ("equinox" meaning "equal parts") is also about balance, balance between the darker side of our nature, death before rebirth when we need to get moving on, and the lighter side of our nature, when perhaps we need allies for new projects.  So I have been thinking about balancing Sun energy and Moon energy along this quest for knowledge.  I found a bit of prose "A letter to a Witch from a Druid" and that has helped me work through this idea, here's part of it:

Though I see you before me as a reflection in a mirror
You who follow the Moon, as I continue along my path of the Sun
We are a shared existence

As my spirit flies on the wings of the white raven
May I meet you on the snow white wings of the owl
In that place between the day and the dark
and in sharing that sacred space within the spirit realm
Let us now bring the sun and the moon back into balance
seeing that one reflects the other and the other reflects the one
let us awaken our sleeping souls to their spiritual birth right
bringing blessings of peace to the earth and all life.

This week I'll be reflecting on these words, punctuated by all the great independent music you expect from Wheel of Wonder.  It is good to have something to think about.

As I'm sure you've noticed the art above was created by artist and writer Selina Fenech.  Visit her site here.

Wheel of Wonder February 16, 2014

Today wheel of Wonder is being hosted by the KAOS world music director David.  I'm off on the road again, I hope to be bringing you updated information about the Finnish neo-pagan movement and how it resurfaces in Finland, Kirilia (Land of the Kalevala)and even Moldavia.
As most people realize nearly every Christian holiday can trace its roots back to a fine pagan festival.  For Valentine's Day, we can trace the festivities to the Roman Lupercalia.  Happening during "The Wolf Month" as we spoke of February being last week (Luper from the word Loup, or wolf).  Lupercalia is a fertility festival (not the same as the chocolate-sweet, romantic festival Valentine's has become.) Which included a playful scourging of the local women on the course of a procession by men in loincloths.   Sounds pretty festive wot? All of it was done in fun and to assure the fertility of the next years crops.  Neo-pagans these days are not likely to do a lot of scourging, but Lupercalia festivals still exist in modern forms.
On the lines of fun and fertility (in this case, of nature), David agreed to cover god news around environmental justice issues, along with all our usual, great music. Please post comments about his show, thanks for checking out Wheel of Wonder!

The picture above represent romulus and remus and their mother, the she-wolf.  Romulus and Remus were of course, the twins who founded Rome.  Lupercalia is intended to celebrate them and their Mother as well.

Wheel of Wonder February 9, 2014

Having made it through the dark time of the year and come out the other side of Imbolc, we look forward to the turning of the wheel into longer days, and in the Northwest of North America, still very cold nights.  Today as I write , I look out the window at a quiet world, beneath a blanket of new white snow.  February is sometimes called the Wolf month, or the dead month, and this year it has lived up to its name, the wind bites, and a deathly cold creeps through the land.  On those sunny days though, I enjoy the blooming of the heather, and the alder trees sharing the first hint of buds.  The Cailleach of the snows stubbornly holds on to the land , but the breath of Bridgit (Lady of Imbolc) still breathes the sweet scent of the coming spring through the trees and the gardens.

 "Imbolc" by Hamish Burgess: from the blog mauiceltic.com

 I've been to many public rituals at the turning of the seasons;  Wiccan, Druidic, Medicine Wheel, just to name a few.  One thing I've noticed, especially about the Celtic based ones, many officiates will try to include the participants in "calling the Quarters"  or asking who would like to evoke the spirits of the four directions to create the sacred space, or complete the spirit circle for the ritual.  Many times the participants get nervous and can't think of what to say, or what element is attributed to each direction.  In the northern hemisphere most groups agree its East: Air, South: Fire, West:  Water, and North: Earth, and most groups will also call the Center:  Place of God and Goddess, or Place of Spirit.  This week on Wheel of Wonder we'll explore the meanings, permutations, and symbolism of these Elements and Directions, so if one should ever like to join a public ritual, create their own sacred circle (sacred hoop), observe a change of the seasons, its change of energy, or any other special observance it will be more clear what calling the quarters is all about.  This week on Wheel of Wonder.

Wheel of Wonder January 5, 2014

The Sun is returning (as we knew it would), and hopefully everyone has determined their intentions so they can be brought forth into the light, or realized, as the brighter warmer days of the year begin showing signs of arrival.  This year's New years day (January 1, on the Roman Calendar) was also a new moon, a traditional time for people on some spiritual paths (Wiccan among them) to make a wish, or, yes, set an intention that , with some effort, will achieve fruition by the time of the full moon of January (the night of the 16th).  According to some interpretations of the Druid's Tree Calendar it is the Birch Moon: Birch of beginnings, release, renewal, change (as per some of Birch's Ogham associations).  How perfect a New Year's Esbat is that?  This week on Wheel of Wonder I'll bring you music of healing and renewal to start the "New Year", even though for some of us, the new year started just after Samhain, but intentions of healing and renewal are always good!  May your spirit find strength within the coming Year!

The picture above is from a free Iphones wallpaper website.