Greetings to all Full Circle friends and members,
In this December edition of our newsletter we have:
A seasonal salutation from my Viking ancestors! If you have been transplanted to California from a cold climate and are feeling nostalgic for that glistening white stuff at this time of year, here’s a visual treat: magnificent snow and ice sculptures from last year’s Harbin Winter festival.
Speaking of festivals and celebrations, get your tickets now for the Christmas Revels! A holiday tradition in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1986, the Christmas Revels is a theatrical, participatory celebration of the Winter Solstice that crosses religious and ethnic boundaries and appeals to young and old alike. This year’s Revels will draw on Scottish heritage, featuring stirring vocal and instrumental music, traditional dance, and story telling in the glorious Scottish tradition. The Highlands are home to many ancient customs and traditions that celebrate Hogmanay, the Scottish version of the winter solstice feast. A cherished hallmark of Revels productions is the ability to draw the audience itself into the magic of the show, usually by joining the cast in song and dance.
And don’t miss this musical holiday treat: the second weekend in December will provide your only opportunity to see the Rainbow Women’s Chorus perform their Songs of Winter Celebration.
For those of you planning your own celebrations, Weaving Resources offers a lovely page for families titled: The Pagan Creche: Sabbats for Children, which includes some ideas for families and offers easy recipes for Yule. The Women of Wyrd page discusses The Disablot, a celebration held at this time of year. It notes:
The Disir/Idises vary from country to country. In some sources they may be interpreted as Valkyrie Death Angels while in other sources they are the dead women or "fylgjur" of the "landdísir" of Icelandic Folklore…They are also the dead women who are the ancestors in one's family for the eon's of time overseeing as a family guardian from birth to death as needed. The "dis" means woman in Old Norse. Old Saxon "idis" means woman as well and denotes a kind of Goddess. The Disablot honoring the Disir is held Winter's Night honoring the Mothers, is of Anglo Saxon derivative while the Disting is held at the beginning of Winter in October for Norway and in the beginning of February for Sweden. In some traditions the Disir are dressed in white and in some they are dressed in black. Even their numbers vary from country to country but usually seem to be at least nine of them. In some cases nine in black and nine in white at the same time!
It’s coming on Yule, the original festival of light, during which many of our ancestors sat up all night, singing and dancing, to persuade the sun to return. The warming orb stayed away for longer and longer bouts each ensuing day, the darkness lengthening, until at last, at the Solstice the wheel turned and the days once again grew longer. For our ancestors, struggling to get through cold winters with no central heating, no sewage, and no running water, the turn toward spring marked an important psychological milestone in the year, a time for renewed optimism even in the cold of winter. Even though most of us are not struggling with the same level of survival challenges our forbearers faced hundreds of years ago, the cold and dark of the year still brings its own bugaboos: SAD, depression, and the stresses of holiday shopping.
Mercury will be in retrograde again, and we might want to choose our words carefully just before Yule - especially during family events. It’s a good time to use our best Tools for Coping and watch out for a visit from those impish tricksters of Icelandic tradition: the Yuletide Lads. A bowl of milk and sugar will usually calm down our own household tricksters, and induce them to give back when they’ve hidden. In extreme Trickster cases, we recommend leaving out a small glass of favorite liquor or offering a good strong cup of Irish coffee.
This Yule perhaps you might try to create your own seasonal ritual. Try spending the evening bathed only in candlelight. My son and I did this during his elementary school years. We would eat, clean up, and bathe by candlelight, and we put a kitchen pot full of sand and candles in our fireplace to burn down through the evening. We also placed bowls of water with one or two floating candles by our bedside and let the gentle light lull us to sleep. We’d sing all the “sun” songs we could think of (“Good Day, Sunshine,” “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone,” and so on), all to bring our attention to the incredible life-giving blessings of that big yellow thing that marches across the sky every day. We so often take it for granted, yet without that light there would be no photosynthesis, no oxygen, no food, no warmth, no color.
Celebrate the sun!
From all of us here at FCE to all of you out there, best wishes for a holiday season that is safe, loving, and filled with all manner of delights. May we pass through the darkness into light once more . . .
Snakemoon
Pagan Shopping
As we mentioned in our last newsletter, it is indeed that time of the year again. Whether you are shopping for Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or any other seasonal event, it seems there are never enough hours in the day to find the “perfect gift” for every person on your list. Here are several unusual resources to help you finish shopping and start celebrating.
Scandinavian Folklore 101: With the enthusiastic encouragement of her family, 92-year-old Rakel Erickson of Fertile, Minn. recently completed her second collection of Norwegian folktales. Folkeminnevitskap I and II (the title of her books means “knowledge of the memories of our ancient ancestors”) recounts the tales her mother told her at the tender age of three. These precious, useful, and entertaining tomes can be found for purchase at the Scandinavian Marketplace and would certainly make a unique gift for folklorists.
Give Art: At the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California, you can look through a directory of exceptionally talented potters and glass artists. For some amazing deals on handcrafted ornaments, look at the work of Robert Shields (especially the Candle Man, Magic Fool, and Cat Claus ornaments).
Speaking of Cats, don’t forget your familiar or other fuzzy friends around this time of the year. JB Wholesale Pet Supplies has some special seasonal gifts at reasonable prices.
“Spheres of light to brighten your home, cometh no evil in your house to roam.” In the prominent windows of my home hang Witches Balls. These are lovely, hand blown glass orbs of varying colors that sparkle and spin as the sunlight catches them. When I was a child, my granny gave me my first and said it would capture any curses or hexes some wicked person might cast on me. As I’ve recently learned, Kugels, as these spheres are traditionally called, have a long and interesting history that goes far beyond my granny’s hope of easing a young girl’s fear. You can learn more on Iron Elegance’s website which features an impressive collection of Witches Balls as well as tree ornaments, gazing globes and pond floats. Trust me when I say they make excellent gifts.
Merry Old London: The annual Dickens Faire offers marvelous entertainment and shopping. You can travel back in time from now till December 19th.
Step Lightly On the Earth: Earth Shoes are hip again. The website offers boots as well as professional, casual, active and vegan (yes, vegan) wear.
Cards for all Seasons: The holidays are also a great time to keep in touch with loved ones and dear friends. While you are sending cards to bring holiday cheer, you can also do some good for the world around you. The National Audubon Society has a lovely selection of bird-themed seasonal cards with a portion of proceeds supporting the habitat preservation efforts of the Audubon society. Likewise, the Sierra Club has environmental-themed cards to support their conservation programs and activities. Another worthy cause is the UNICEF cards and gifts selection with 75 cents of every dollar going to support UNICEF programs. A lengthy list of other greeting cards for charity means that you’ll find something for everyone. And let’s not forget the four footed-friends of the world. The Humane Society offers a selection of “Friends for Life” holiday ornaments to support their work.
the Care and Feeding of The Goddess of Liberty
Many of us are still reeling from the emotional fallout from November’s election. We are challenged to deal with the polarization of our nation, our neighborhoods, even our families. In a recent article in the Witches’ Voice, our own Sia offers wise words, as well as those from two diminutive Shire-dwellers, to help us get through these times. It’s good to note when a member of the media (heck, especially one in much disputed Florida!) offers some humorous but pithy comments about the state of tolerance in our homeland.
Books, Movies, Television, and Popular Culture
Panties in twist
department:Oliver
Stone's new film about Alexander the Great depicts the king as bisexual. While the portrayal is rather chaste (with a
few manly hugs but no real sensuality) and consistent to the accounts from the
time, it is fuelling outrage
among modern Greeks.
Alexanderphiles might want to check out “Alexander the Great
on the Web” and read Fire from Heaven and The Persian Boy, two books of
fiction about his life by author Mary Renault. Fans of her books (most of which take place
in ancient Greece) can find more information at “The Greek World of
Mary Renault.”
Calling all Poets: To celebrate its inaugural year, Oestara Publishing LLC is sponsoring the Oestara Anthology of Pagan Poetry Contest to create an anthology of approximately 200 Pagan poems in honor of Pagan spirituality. Winners will receive cash prizes, and contributors to the anthology will be paid one paperback and one e-book of The Oestara Anthology of Pagan Poetry. The submission deadline is Oestara (March 21st) 2005; winners will be announced Midsummer (June 21st) 2005.
A heartwarming story about our finny friends: If you know anyone who is still in doubt over the intelligence of marine mammals and the unique relationship that exists between humans and dolphins, tell them about the pod of dolphins that worked at significant risk to themselves to save a group of swimmers from a great white shark. I find it amazing with all the unfortunate things we are doing to them, and to their environment, that many of our feathered, four-footed, and finned siblings continue to extend themselves to us. Bless them.
Healing laughter: The ComedyCures Foundation is a national non-profit organization bringing joy, laughter, and therapeutic humor programs to kids and grown-ups living with illness, depression, trauma, and disabilities. Through private and corporate donations, and the goodwill and humor of the comedy industry, its mission is to entertain and educate kids and grown-ups living with illness, their families, and medical caregivers about the benefits of laughter and a comic perspective on the mind, body, and spirit.
Turkish delight: In Haran, something like a miracle has occurred: two years ago, says the headmaster, there were just three girls in the schools. Now there are over 700. It is partly a result of the work of men like Bunyamin Durak, and partly because of the national campaign run in conjunction with the United Nations agency Unicef.
Out of the (broom) closet: Branwen recently solicited input on the Witches’ Voice for an article she wrote about Wicca for her school paper. She’s now writing one about gays, and would like help on the following subjects: personal experiences with discrimination; coming out of the closet; difficulties experienced with jobs or school; and feedback from teens or from the parents of gay or bisexual children.
We have hundreds of events listed on our California Community Calendar.
Here is just a handful:
· A Victorian Tea and a Victorian Twelfth Night Ball
· Workshops on tarot, reiki, and the chakras
· The Lighting of the Lights in San Jose
· The Whole Bead Show
· The Christmas Revels
· Russian Carols
· Songs of Winter Celebrations
· Dozens of Yule and Winter Solstice Rituals
· Full moon yoga for women
· Coping with the holidays at Spiral Steps
There are lots more, and new events are added every day. Click on the Full Circle California Community Calendar to access the list. If you want your event listed, please go to our calendar page and click on the link that says “Submit Event.” The on-line form is simple and very easy to use. Questions? Please contact our Networking Coordinator ScoutGhost at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.
On behalf of the staff and volunteers at Full Circle, I would like to offer our condolences to Sia and her family on the recent death of her beloved father. She wrote to me recently from the road and I quote parts of that email here with her permission:
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Of all the things I’m grateful for (and it’s a long list) I think I’m most grateful for a small, special circle of friends who were there for us this year while Dad battled his cancer. Most of them had been through this process in their own family just recently. They handled hard times with dedication and grace and I took inspiration from their example. These same friends offered very practical and wise advice, which is crucial when you are dealing, not only with grief and illness, but also with hospitals and medical staff… It’s a real gift when you meet people who have walked that road before and who have the courage to walk it again, a bit more, for your sake…
Part of being a Priestess in my Tradition is creating your own map of the underworld. I’ve learned the blessing of a good death over the years as I’ve done companion and wildlife rescue work, so I already knew a bit about that. I learned about the longer process of dying from a Pagan woman in Arkansas. She cared for my sister as she went through her last stages of breast cancer and was there with us all when Aeron passed over in 2001... The skills you learn in life and in your spiritual practice will help you go into that country with a loved one and come out on the other side. But it’s not as if you can put your life on hold while you do this, and the best friends help you as you walk between both worlds.
…meanwhile another friend was dealing with her own father’s battle with cancer during the same period, and we were able to offer each other mutual support... Dad passed away on October 28th, just after the Witches’ Ball. By then we were in Oregon with my mother and we knew that this particular circle of friends were lighting candles for us. Even in the midst of all the sadness and the hundreds of tasks that come on you at a time like that, it’s good to know that the people you care about are holding you in their hearts….
I got back from Dad’s memorial in Oregon and got the message that my friend’s father had died just that morning, so I was able to give her a bit of advice on how to handle all the details. This gave me a chance to “Pass it forward”. Among other things, she needed a place to hold his memorial. As fate would have it, I had just rented a hall for this little charity ball we put on, so a week later I stood up for my friend at her own father’s rites in the grand ballroom of the Lucie Stern Center….
….. In the course of a few weeks, I participated in a Christian memorial ceremony for Dad and then, more privately, in Pagan Rituals of Passage and Samhain. Then I sat with my friend and her wonderful family at a combination Jewish & Buddhist Ceremony of Remembrance. At the heart of all these rites was love. The older I get, the more I think that love is the only thing that’s really important. All the rest is argument.
My thoughts are with you and the good people at Full Circle as we go into Winter. Our staff and supporters can all be very proud of what they’ve helped to create this year. When all is said and done, we’ll give almost $1,400 to the Humane Society and $250.00 to the Bat Conservation Society. We helped over 5,000 people register to vote and promoted many good groups and hundreds of various Earthwise & cultural events in our state. We’ve connected many hundreds of Pagans and others with each other through the (hugely popular) FCE calendar & newsletter. We’ve done countless hours of mentoring and advice giving and training, as well as connecting & supporting Pagans and educating the general public about Earthwise practice. Our events were great fun, beautifully organized, and well attended. The websites we built this year were lovely, meaningful, educational, and useful. All of this work was done free of charge by our volunteers. All of Full Circle’s expenses have been paid and we enter the year with about $125 for FCE to continue its work in 2005.
...My husband and I go back to Oregon again for both Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas. After that I’m going to take some time off and really rest. I’m not sure what the future holds. I suspect that, as usual, it holds change… I hope that everyone has a chance to spend time with people who nourish your spirit and that you all take a little quiet time for yourselves.
Someone asked me recently what I would offer as a Yule Blessing this year. I’ve thought about it and here it is:
May you find compassion, honesty and courage,
When and where you most need it,
And may that also be your gift to the world.
Blessed Holidays to you and yours,
Sia
FCE Newsletter Staff:
SnakeMoon is the Editor-in-Chief of the Full Circle Newsletter. She can be reached for comment at snakemoon@comcast.net.
Sia is the Publisher of the Full Circle Newsletter and the Council Leader for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at info@fullcircleevents.org.
Arianna G. is our Copyeditor. Thank you, Arianna!
Once again we enjoyed the assistance of contributing writers Arianna G and Juliaki. Thank you!
ScoutGhost is the Networking Coordinator for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.