Tempered by the Earth
The Earth shrugged
and we had to shift
consciousness.
Living day by day,
Living in the moment;
Learning resilience,
through aftershocks.
We’Moon Holy Days: Seasonal Blessings
In each edition of the We’Moon datebook, we feature one Holy Day writer who shares with us her unique perspectives of each of the eight holy days. This year, we have the pleasure of sharing the work of Oak Chezar. Oak is a radical Dyke, performance artist, Women's Studies professor, psychotherapist, writer, & semi-retired barbarian. She lives in a straw bale, womyn-built house. She just published "Trespassing", a memoir about Greenham Common Womyn's Peace Camp. Whilst working & playing towards the decimation of patriarchy & industrial civilization, she carries water. oakchezar@gmail.com
We’Moon
We'Moon: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn, the iconic astrological datebook, is a best-selling moon calendar, earth-spirited handbook in natural rhythms, and visionary collection of women's creative work, now in its 38th year of publication. www.wemoon.ws
There is a deliciousness in reaching peak light, the longest day! The birds are blossoming into nestlings, new flight. The vegetables and berries are singing a swelling chorus of fleshiness and juice. The Sun itself is so fragrant and rich, we swoon in its fire. Yes, yes, we know this is the moment of letting go, of turning toward the dark, but why spoil the party with all that seriousness?
Consider that the wheel of the year unfolds into many more dimensions than this. That we are not just rolling forward on this one earth plane around the cycle of light and dark. If we move the house of our consciousness built on habit and belief out to the Unknown, so our new home is the whole Universe, amazing things can happen. We discover Radiance everywhere. We begin to see that you and I, all of us, are patterns stored in Light. Suddenly it’s obvious the Dark is what we need to contain so much Beauty, to hold our wildly tender open Hearts.
Vision Quest
Exhale your question
out and out again
into the fresh North Mountain air
See the answer
all around
It waddles with leisurely curiosity
on the path ahead
Or drops blessed from the sky
Hear the answer
in the rolling songs
of the Aspen trees
The rhythm of tides
drumming the shore
Touch the answer
with hands, feet, heart
Earth, Water, Fire, Sky
Dancing with mothers, sisters,
Lovers, friends
Taste the answer
in tender kisses
of salty sea and tears
Ripening fruit the earth offers
Words and music on my tongue
both thanks and prayer
Embrace your question
And an answer will find you
© Andrea M. Keber 2010
Laurie Bauers (Hakalau, HI) is living the dream on an organic farm with her husband and son in Hawaii. She paints and creates often, hopefully inspiring others to live their dream. etsy.com/shop/ArtofLaurieABauers
Do you know we are all on fire? Life is literally a fire burning in our bodies. Our biology magically takes in energy in tiny increments so we don’t ignite. Still, it’s a wonder more of us don’t just spontaneously burst into flames! Beltane is a traditional time to renew, reawaken our fire—inner fire, hearth fire, community fire, sexual and fertility fire of people, animals, plants, the land.
What about when there’s way too much fire everywhere: in wars, in forests, in collapsed nuclear reactors, even freak fires in the arctic? What about depression—not enough creative fire, soul fire, wemoon fire, to bring balance and healing to offset the devastation? No way to get there from here? Today is our holy moment to quantum jump over the impossible and make love to the Possible. (If your head can’t do it, let your heart try.) Newborns of the body or imagination conceived on Beltane are “Merry Begots,” full of enough aliveness, love, joy, humor to confound the toughest logic and direst doomsday predictions.
—Miriam Dyak © Mother Tongue Ink 2015
Autumn Skye Morrison (Powell River, BC) In creating art I find my stillness and rhythm, my teacher and passion. Each painting offers a reflection of the light and shadow of our humanity, our sublime geometry and our timeless divinity. May we celebrate this fantastic adventure, inspire and be inspired. autumnskyemorrison.com
Miss Ascentia (Stewartville, MN) is a Priestess of Poetry & Song, Professional Plant Spirit Advocate, Vision Quester & Sundancer adept in the High Technologies of Prayer, Craniosacral Therapist and Educator, Birth Doula and a Devout Student of Metta. ascentia@live.com
The name, Imbolc, comes from “i mbolg,” Old Gaelic for “in the belly.” What fertile seed is beginning to grow down in the belly of your deepest being? What’s shaking and quaking under the rich earth of You? This is the Holy Day for claiming the Light, the Life, the New that longs to grow from you and through you—claiming it, saying yes to it, honoring it with intention and blessing. We’ve been a thought thrumming in the hush of infinity, unnamed desire nestled in the dark swell of winter. It’s delicious riding the wave of infinite potentials, and then there comes a moment to shift out of the void, grab hold of your dream and leap with it into the Real. It’s time to Initiate. Time to place your bet on your own creative power. Time to let the Goddess of Light shine through you. Remember we are layered beings—animal, plant, crystal sleep in the secret strata of bone, blood, brain, aura. Draw on their dreams at this Imbolc Visioning Initiation time.
Miriam Dyak © Mother Tongue Ink 2015
Bonnie Blackwell (Fort Bragg, CA) I channel art and poetry. I live two lives: one, at my home by the sea in northern Calif, and the other, in Zurich, Switzerland. Anyone interested in my work can contact me at artbblackwell@gmail.com
Autumn Skye Morrison (Powell River, BC) In creating art I find my stillness and rhythm, my teacher and passion. Each painting offers a reflection of the light and shadow of our humanity, our sublime geometry, and our timeless divinity. May we celebrate this fantastic adventure, inspire, and be inspired. autumnskyemorrison.com
