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.

Wheel of Wonder December 15, 2013

For those of us who live in Cascadia, December's Dark, Damp, Days can cause a Seasonal Affect Disorder (a state a bit like depression).  This isn't unique to Cascadia though, Countries and Cultures the world over have sought help through community to observe, honor and celebrate the return of the sun, the spring, and summer to survive and be happy through the cold days of Winter.  Some say it is the Crone of the snows (the Caillieach) who brings the ice and cold, sad and grim as a Crone she is.  For others the winter is a time when Gods of chaos, or evil have slain, or nearly slain Gods of the Sun and hope.  The winter then becomes a time of healing and recovery, to return from apparent death as the plants and the light in the sky must do.  Many feel a new hopeful energy in the brightening of the days.  Its a time to stand together and seek friendship and comfort.  I won't be on the air for the actual Solstice this year, I believe Loi Consuela, will be sitting in for me, for Yule. I'll return before the end of  December. This week on Wheel of Wonder we'll have a guest; musician, philosopher, and healer: Denean.  A beautiful soul who brings her vision of  heart based living  to everyone through the sound of her music.  A conversation we can share with you, as Cathartic, I hope, as experiencing the return of the sun, and the optimism of spring.  This week on Wheel of Wonder!

Wheel of Wonder November 24, 2013

There is the idea of the Bardic Journey.  Bards in the Celtic/Druidic sense are the keepers and at the same time, seekers of wisdom.  this wisdom is believed to come from the spirit of inspiration, sometimes called the Awen, and in many cases is believed to involve Shamanic journeying.  A conscious choice to meditate, or  "fly on the wings of spirit" into what many indigenous beliefs would call The Dreaming.  The Dreaming is a place of symbolic language, Universal and Mythic Archetypes, or perhaps, from the ascensionist or new age perspective, a different reality made up of different frequencies, or vibrations of thought and light.  Music is also made up of vibrations in space created by voice or instruments, and carried across the wind, or through the air and into our range of hearing.  Its quite a tradition for Medicine Men, Shamans, Bards and Musicians to be the people among us who can perceive the energies of the universe as a song or perhaps a harmonic tone (or tones ) flowing through everything.  they are the ones who are believed to be able to hear the song of the plants invoking them to heal, or they are the ones who can ride the waves of music into other realities for wisdom and guidance (shamanic journeys), or perceive the song of the land and couple it with the stories, legends and recurring cultural themes of its people into the forms of poetry or song.
Inspired by some of the work of Shakti Gawain, and Yvonne Owens (especially the book: Journey of the Bard) I've been exploring that these past few weeks on Wheel of Wonder, through music and most recently the story of the Journey of Ayve (A bard character of my own devising) into the realms of kay-gant (Ceugant, in its welsh spelling) or the land of the stars and spiritual ascension, the upper branches of the great tree of life.  This week we'll continue that journey.  Doing my part to inspire expansive thinking, and introduce amazing ideas, this week on Wheel of Wonder.

The picture above is called Stonhenge at night and I found it on an interesting blog

Wheel of Wonder November 10, 2013

 The veil was thin, the ancestors looked in, and hopefully that helped you in your pursuit of Wisdom too.  On the wheel of the year, we've now travelled to the other side of Samhain.  This puts us in the dark part of the year when we look inward to appreciate our accumulated knowledge and the harvest of opportunities for ourselves and our communities, reaped from the seeds we've sown.
For any of you who appreciate Wheel of Wonder, or even visiting this blog to link to great music and information, this week, November 8th to 15th KAOS, the community radio station that made these forums possible, is hosting the fall membership drive.  I'm sure no one follows this blog for advertisements, and most community radio stations don't broadcast them, so the only thing that keeps a little, independent , non-commercial station like KAOS going is people starting or renewing memberships. That's why they have membership drives.  All our lives our interconnected and what seeds you sew for ourselves and for the too few non-commercial voices in the world media, means opportunities for all of us to grow in relationships and knowledge.  Please start or renew a membership this time.  It can be as little as $2 (USD), or as much as you like.  It is needed.

This week on Wheel of Wonder, I'm working on bringing all new music to the show.  Music from Louisa John Krol (thanks for following Louisa!), SJ Tucker, Denean, Wendy Rule, and others.  I'm hoping you will join me on the journey!

The picture above is called Samhain, and was found in the portfolio of creations by Midnight's Touch, on Deviant Art

Wheel of Wonder October 20, 2013

Esbat!  We're just finishing up with our window of the energy as some would say surrounding the Full Moon of October 2013 (was actually the 18th).  According to a Druid Tree Calendar I've seen this Moon was known as "The Ivy Moon" according to a Farmer's Almanac article I read this would be the Hunter Moon.  Its also called the Aries Moon.  For those who see the Moon as not only a satellite, but also an energy source, this is an opportunity for Invocation of its energy, unique among all the thirteen moons of the Celtic Year.  This week we'll be speaking about Esbats and Full moon Dances and celebrations.  According to many viewpoints, every full moon of the year has a unique name and energy, and within three days before, or three days after, is a great time for craftwork with that energy.  We'll speak a bit about that this week on Wheel of Wonder.