Wheel of Wonder Beltane to Litha

Yes indeed the Wheel keeps turning.  Now we come back to the bright part of the year!  Sometimes this time of the year also seems like a time of new learning.  I've learned a bit about Epigenetics, which includes, among many deeper ideas, The idea that one's entire life course is not necessarily pre-determined by the DNA code you were born with.  One of the ideas this puts forward is that changing one's living environment, and lifestyle may also heal and change you on a molecular level.  Interesting.  The beginnings of a Scientific basis to prove (or at least accomodate) the well-known "New Age" idea "The Law of Attraction." I've learned of new findings of huge Limestone Caves in various parts of the world, underground, but with shafts of sunlight beaming through sinkholes above and plants, animals, and microclimates living within.  Much like the "Hollow Hills" or, the underground faerie lands of the sidhe and such folk of Celtic Legend.  Perhaps one day we will all learn that Science and Magic are more closely related than we first believed?  Time will tell....
Thanks to everyone who listens to Wheel of Wonder, and all of you who are patient enough to check back on this blog from time to time.  I'm still working to bring more thinkers, healers and writers onto the show, but in the meantime, I'll still bring you good music and the occasional new Link to look into your interests!  Summer Blessings!
----Radio Ray

This time, sorry to say, I don't know where this picture came from, if anyone else knows Email the info please radioray.wheelofwonder@gmail.com

Wheel of Wonder April 22, 2012

We have forgotten who we are
we have alienated ourselves from the unfolding of the cosmos
we have become estranged from the movements of the earth
We have turned our backs on the cycles of life
We have forgotten who we are
We have sought only our own security
we have exploited simply for our own ends
we have distorted our knowledge
we have abused our power
we have forgotten who we are
now the forests are dying
and the creatures are disappearing
and humans are despairing
we have forgotten who we are
we ask forgiveness
we ask for the gift of remembering
we ask for the strength to change
we have forgotten who we are
-----United Nations Sabbath project
from "the Quest for the Green Man" by John Matthews (2001 Godsfield press)

Though this message is intense its food for thought, information I love to share with you through Wheel of Wonder.  This Sunday is an exciting one.
What a great Sunday!  Happy Earth Day!  This week on Wheel of Wonder we'll explore the origins of the Earth Day Holiday.  Where'd that come from?  When did it begin, and very importantly, what has its impact been on our modern, global earth culture?  This week is also the week of the KAOS membership drive, you can call right in, support independent, non-profit radio, and even here a live interview with Celia Farran!  She'll be talking and playing music, live in studio!
The music won't be limited to just Celia though, the information won't be limited to Earth Day, its an opportunity to learn more about community radio, and of course, to hear new voices, and lots of the great music you like on Wheel of Wonder.  Please tune in, and help keep independent voices, music and live pagan/spiritualist content on the Airwaves.  This week on Wheel of Wonder.

Celia Farran! Three concerts in the area.

Hello friends, Pagans, and Listeners of the show! Its been such a pleasure to bring you Wheel of Wonder for the past three years, through the seasons, through the awards, and just recently, on the radio station voted best radio station in Olympia, WA. (nice, cause there are about four or five stations in the town). Its also been a great pleasure to meet so many great Pagan Musicians, New Age Thinkers, and independent artists!

One of those artists I've met is then warm and wonderful Celia; A musician, activist for equality, songwriter, comedienne and (going out on a limb here) earth spiritualist. This very talented musician is coming into the area next weekend to do three concerts (and I believe, a house concert too).

Don't miss her if you can possibly make it to one of these shows:

Benefit Concert for the Bards of Caer Pugetia

Saturday, April 21, 6:30-10pm

Ballard Oddfellows Hall

1706 NW Market St Seattle, WA 98107

I belive this event includes a Raffle, Concessions and definitely a performance by

Avery Caldwell, Bard of Caer Pugetia, and an excellent singer and songwriter herself!

Tickets $10.00, available through brownpapertickets.com, or at the door, the night of the event!

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/239911

Fundraising Concert in Olympia

Sunday April 22 7pm-9pm

Olympia Unitarian Universalist Church

2300 East End St NW 98502

Tickets $10.00 at the door

A benefit for the OUUC Memorial Garden

Celia in Concert

Monday April 23, 2012 7pm-9pm

Crystal Voyage Metaphysical Bookstore

2601 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421

Tickets $10.00 at the door

To find out more about Celia, go to the link on the left, or celiaonline.com

Also worthy of mentioning; the KAOS spring membership drive runs from this Monday, April 15 to Sunday April 22. The not-fo-profit public radio station that brings you Wheel of Wonder each week has lost a lot of their funding in the past year or two, so please Pagans, Spiritualists and any independent Musicians that have found their way to Wheel of Wonder, consider seriously starting or renewing your memberships on this fund drive week! Wheel of Wonder, the only Pagan focused Radio Show broadcasting live in the USA is only on the air because KAOS memberships make it happen. To support independent, local radio and shows like KAOS supports please call 360 867 5267 during the drive with your pledge, or if your living in a different part of the world , or a less convenient timezone, start, or renew a membership at kaosradio.org

I know this entry sounds a bit commercial. Fear not, I'm as independent as you are individuals. I don't work for corporate America, and Wheel of Wonder has always been intended as a Spiritual, educational Journey! Thanks for listening and following the blog!

-----Radio Ray

Catching up on the Journey: Wheel of Wonder March 4, 2012

"Interconnectedness is not a value limited to Pagans--it's one that is found at the heart of every spiritual tradition I know of. Is there a spiritual teaching or sacred text anywhere that proclaims, "Let the little children starve while the rich amass more wealth, drive the lower middle classes from their homes and reward corruption?" It's the role of religion and spirituality to challenge people to think beyond themselves and their immediate prospects for gain, to remind us that we are all in this together and bear responsibility for one another and for the earth we stand on, and to speak the hard truths that politicians do not tell us."

----Starhawk, from her article in the Washington Post: An Economy of Interconnection (September 17, 2008)

Two weeks back, I spoke on Wheel of Wonder about the current state of the globalized economy, its overreaching power, sustainable alternatives, and how to build a different model for the economy that does not rely on exploit and overusing the people and natural resources of our Planet Earth. One of these is a Generative Economy: "The generative economy is built on a foundation of stakeholder ownership designed to generate and preserve real wealth—resources held and shared by our communities and the ecosystems we live in. These enterprises don’t have absentee ownership shares trading in a casino economy, but ownership held in human hands."

--- Marjorie Kelly, from "Can there be "Good" Corporations?" YES Magazine Issue 61, Spring 2012

Last week, on Wheel of Wonder we spoke of Theosophist ideas, or the principles of Ascension. Ascensionists believe the Human kind, and Mother Gaia (The Planet Earth) are on the verge of a Spiritual Ascension, one that can take us beyond the limitations of "Third Dimensional /Linear Existence" and closer to the source of all creation. This has to do in part with the shifting of vibrational frequencies and the idea that all matter is merely energy vibrating at a certain speed (much like string theory) and that we, as humans have the innate mental and spiritual capacity to shift our own state of energy and by so doing we can help shift the energetic state of not only our spirits, but the entire world. Part of this process is based in viewing the world and all humanity from a perspective of compassion and love. We used source work in part from Christopher Penczak's book Ascension Magick.

This week, in the Spirit of the Journey I'll focus on the idea of The Bardic Journey, or the Journey to enlightenment based in some part on Celtic ideas drawn from Druidry, and perhaps some interesting connections between these ideas and the legends and beliefs of other religious and spiritualist paradigms. Some source work this week will be from the book "Journey of the Bard" by Yvonne Owens (1997, Horned Owl Publishing, Victoria, Canada). As always and as with the last two weeks, we will also be hearing great New Age, Celtic, Indy and Eclectic "music of the spirit" as you have come to expect on Wheel Of Wonder. Check us out at kaosradio.org Sunday Morning (PST) and now, Playlists on spinatron.com (click the link to KAOS). Hope you'll join me for the Journey!

The Picture above was found in the Spiritual Awakening section of the website thegic.org

The Season of Imbolg

Welcome to the Season of Imbolg! Imbolg (variously called Imbolc, Candelmas, Groundhog Day, Saint Brigit's Day) is actually on February 2, most years, but from the perspective of early spring, it seems to me it can run nearly to Spring Equinox (Ostara, Alban Eilir, Gŵyl Ganol y Gwanwyn ). One of the neo-pagan aspects of Imbolc, that I find most interesting, is renewing the vows of what you intend to do within the coming year.

This year, as Wheel of Wonder rolls on, I intend to try to post here more often and expand the repetoir of Interviews, and guests we can bring to you. This year will be a year to include modern Pagan thinkers, Authors, Spiritualists, and Healers. Perhaps you heard the Interview of a couple of weeks ago with Damh the Bard, musician, Druid, and host of Druidcast. This week (February 12, 2012) We'll be Interviewing Heather Dale (Pegasus Award winner 2011), and in the near future Celtic healer Gaishida Kheawok, founder of the British Druid Order Phillip Shallcrass, and hopefully, author Christopher Penczak (he offered to join us last year, perhaps this year we can bring that to fruition, Brigid willing).

So, check back regularly on this Blog, and I will try to do my part to continue to share Insights, ideas, music, and the occasional poem. Perhaps this year some more thought provoking content as well. Thanks and Happy turning of the seasons from Wheel of Wonder!

The Picture above "Moondove" is from Eblanna Raven's website, find out about the wise woman here

Wheel of Wonder January 15, 2012

Once I received a call in the air studio of KAOS while broadcasting a piece about Irish Traditional Witchcraft. Irish Traditional Witchcraft is a spiritual practice passed through certain lineages, those that practice it are known to feel strongly about protecting their family practices. They don't teach them publicly. Some feel there are a lot of good spiritual practices to be gleaned from what these traditionalists make public about their processes.

The question the caller put towards me on that day: " How do you define the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation?" There was a bit of a debate going on in town about a public ritual at the time. This week I'm going to try to address this issue on Wheel of Wonder.

Many people these days are trying to find their true spirit paths, an experience of the divine that makes sense to them on a very personal level, some awakening or epiphany that cannot be found within the limitations of the faith or spiritpath they're raised in, or owe lineage to (perhaps people have always been experiencing this). Can a person's individual truth be limited to only what their race, ethnicity or social class have been taught all these years? Or is the world of Spirit much larger than that? Could perhaps, experience of the divine be beyond racial limitations?

With some insights from well written articles in Thorn Magazine (thornmagazine.com) and music from Pagan artists' expressions of what they feel is divine, we will approach this topic this week on Wheel of Wonder!

The picture "one view" to the right, can be found here

Wheel of Wonder Twelfth Night Post

Welcome to Wheel of Wonder midwinter blog. I write this in the middle of the Twelfth Night Celebrations. The original "12 days of Christmas" fall between the Winter Solstice and the beginning of the Roman New Year (about December 21 - January 1). Its the time of the Saturnalia, Alban Artuan, The Festivals of Lights, and Yule! Last week I shared the silversongs of solstice, and the response was great. Nearly 1/2 dozen phone calls (unusual for an early Sunday Morning). I had occasion to share information on observances of the Solstice and neo-pagan public rituals of the modern age! It also was an occasion for Poetry, inspired by the season.

as Math, son of Mathonwy
would hear it on the wind
so do I...

The snowy whoosh of winter
skis shooshing down their tracks
Thrilling the wind as they ride
smoothly down curvaceous hillsides

The Hare has turned ivory white
The pale Lynx follows
pounces fast
Icy, wintry jaws of death
clamp down

like the crusty snow, surrounding limbs
of the sacred, naked, oaken tree
a haze of frost paints needley fingers
of the silver-blue, and dark green trees

The fir tree has its winter coat too
and bobbles, bangles, and ribbons as well
dressed for its wake
after its final, deadly fall
And yes they celebrate that too

all this, I hear
I hear it on the wind

written by Ray, solstice 2011

I hope you enjoy the blog, and Wheel of Wonder. Now going into its third year!
The picture to the right was found on a great blog: celtic queens.blogspot.com