Make Earth Day A Part Of You

According to Senator Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day, the concept began in 1962 and evolved over a period of seven years. Nelson was concerned that protecting our environment was "simply a non-issue." President and Senator Kennedy liked and supported his ideas but his attempts to place the environment on the political agenda were consistently unsuccessful. He did not give up and Earth Day was finally established in 1970. I think that for many, the 2009 Earth Day is one of the most significant since the people are finally paying attention. I still can't give that much credit to our government but I believe that it will get there based on pressure from the people. Oklahoma Republican Senator James Inhofe, an embarrassment to my own state, expressed that the global warming issue was a hoax and "an attempt by the Weather Channel to increase its ratings." This even made Jon Stewart's Daily Show. Jon questioned whether Inhofe had ever seen the Weather Channel and showed a screenshot of jazzy music and a five day forecast. He then proceeded to point out that the Senator should be more terrified by the weather commercials in his own home state - specifically, our tornado commercials.

Not very long ago, I was absolutely incensed by the crowds at gas stations on ozone alert days during late afternoon and early evening hours, when it was strongly recommended we cut back on this activity. I was sickened that nobody seemed to care.

Even before I found my way home to the Goddess, I was aware of the effect of polluting the environment. This was likely tied to the fact that I grew up during the hippie flower child years. Seemingly always strapped for money, I accomplished quite a bit by using as few chemicals as possible for household cleaning and being conservative with utilities. As I progressed along the pagan path, my awareness became a way of life. The influence of a Buddhist friend caused me to give more thought to protecting annoying insects and I no longer kill spiders unless they happen to be a poisonous Fiddleback or a scorpion. My "green" lifestyle isn't yet perfect, but it's getting there.

Religion is how you believe and spirituality is how you live. Earth Day is not a religious observance, yet it's amusing that Judeo-Christian society is still not aware that for pagans, heathens, Wiccans and Native Americans, respecting and honoring the Earth and all living creatures is a way of life. All pagan holidays and sabbats specifically honor the earth and the elements. For us, every day is Earth Day - as it should be for all of us.

Despite the fact that politically, we have a long way to go and that commerce has made green living "trendy" to an extent, I'm pleased with the progress we're making and I do hope that Earth Day becomes more spiritually significant for people of all religions.

Be well, and be blessed.

Related Articles:

Earth Day Is Pagan Day

So, How Are You Doing With Your Green Living?

Welcome To America, Circa 2100 - What The US Could Look Like If Global Warming Isn't Stopped

Earth Day Savings And Sweepstakes


Earth Day Special - Save $15 on $80 orders of select eco-friendly shoes and bags, including designer styles at Endless.com






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Tarot - The Death Card

Not long ago, I saw a funny little video on the internet. The grim reaper was getting a tarot reading and the reader drew four death cards. The grim reaper asked, "Is that bad?"

The death card in a reading often freaks people out, but there's no need to be anxious. Death in tarot and in dreams rarely represents physical death, although it can. The majority of the time, it represents a symbolic death ranging from old patterns, careers, relationships, attitudes or perhaps an entire lifestyle.

My favorite death card image is from Karen Vogel and Vicki Noble's Motherpeace Round Tarot Deck.

The snake has picked the bones clean, symbolizing a complete dissolution of the old. The snake is symbolic in that it sheds its skin on a regular basis, remind us that this is a good emotional and spiritual practice for us as well. Snakes have a multitude of meanings in our dreams and renewal is one of them. They can also represent a "snake in the grass" about to hurt us. This might be a person or our own demons such as negative thoughts, patterns and behaviors that we need to shed.

The coming of spring along with the current supportive planetary influences make this an excellent time to reflect upon shedding that no longer serves us.

My blog posts today have crossed over a bit today. Please visit my Wordpress blog, Dreams, Visions and Reality and read the post entitled A Time For Resurrection.

Enjoy your weekend and no matter which holiday you observe this time of year, I wish you blessings and abundance.

Go Green With Your Spring Cleaning

Save 32% When You Pre-Order Debbie Ford's Latest Book, "Why Good People Do Bad Things: How To Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy" due to be released on April 14, 2009.


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The Sacred Sigils, The Mighty Runes

I've been missing in action for quite awhile. The simplest explanation - and I apologize for the fact that it won't clear anything up for anyone - is that for some unknown reason I chose to let go and let the Tower of my life crumble. Sometimes, in order to rebuild we must destroy.

And as bleak as hopeless as things looked, somehow, and for some other unknown reason, the gods saw fit not only to "rescue" me but to give me yet one more chance to rebuild.

About twenty years ago, I was casually introduced to the runes through means of a reading. At that time, I had no idea that I would eventually be led to find and call home the pagan/heathen path. Around ten years ago, the rune Uruz came to me in a meditation. I had to consult with a learned Swedish Asatru friend to identify it - I only knew that it was a rune with no idea which one it was or what it meant.

Uruz is the "good health" or healing rune. Its energies include learning from our past mistakes, patterns and history, endurance, persistence, changes, manifestation and so much more. This became and has remained the rune that I draw upon for faith and strength.

But I get away from the runes from time to time. Motherpeace is the tarot deck that I resonate strongly with and have spent most of the last five years with, although I continue to wear runic jewelry and have many symbols of my rune, Uruz, throughout the house. I have known some very serious Asatru whose devotion to the runes has sometimes made me feel intimidated or inadequate to practice the path.

Just within the past month, when things were looking particularly dark, I ran across a few pieces of runic jewelry I hadn't seen in a while - a rose quartz pendant carved with Uruz and an Onyx pendant carved with Nauthiz (interestingly, a rune that represents resistance to the positive qualities of Uruz). The following day, I stumbled across the leather disk my late husband had burned Uruz into in one of his art classes that I planned to incorporate into a tribal belt as well as Freya Aswynn's Songs of Yggdrasil.

I knew that Odhinn and Freyja were calling me back home. The Norse gods see us as family, as equals, and once we have been claimed we are forever kinsmen. As I listened to Freya's CD in the car, I chuckled as I thought of what some people would think about my finding her reading of the Havamal and her Galdr chants very soothing.

Two years ago, I created a bindrune that included both Nauthiz and Uruz as well as Tiwaz, Algiz and Laguz. I planned to have it tattooed and consulted with a tattoo artist. She suggested a "scalpeling" instead and I seriously considered this since the runes are to be carved. I never did follow through, mainly for lack of money, and I didn't have any now. My memory of this intention was jogged by a line in Aswynn's reading, that the runes were to be carved on the back of the hand.

Now - please hang on to your expressions of concern. Believe me, I am the biggest chickenshit when it comes to pain and I'm not a cutter. But I did use a razor blade to carve my bindrune on the inside of my right ankle (the only place where I had a chance in hell of doing it straight) and the victory rune, Tiwaz, on the back of both hands.

The following day was the day I got an offer that I not only could not refuse but that would actually help two other people. And all I've given up is something I needed to give up quite some time ago.

I am still in shock and blown away. I have amends to make to several people and feel so undeserving of this blessing. I've recently wondered if I gave up on my future because I'm not destined to be here for much longer. But it has been given to me regardless of the mistakes I've made and I am reminded with every single selfish thought that even if I cannot make some things right or repay some kindnesses, I must pay it forward.

I'm still not quite sure where I'm going although it does seem that circumstances may still lead me to the desires of my heart. My damaged, traumatized and bi-polar/depressed mind is still afraid to believe that and I wonder what more proof could it possibly need?

Maybe this sums it up....it certainly seems to simplify it:

You have been oriented that you must pay a price in order to get somewhere, and in the process, you’ve come to believe that getting there must be really important, therefore, it must be your purpose. And we say, but if you’re not getting to joy, then you’ve gotten nowhere. Joy is really where you’re going.


Excerpted from the workshop in Boca Raton, FL on Saturday, December 13th, 2003

Our Love,
Jerry and Esther Hicks

Now if I can just convince my head and heart.

Blessed Be
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