January Howling Wolf Full Moon 2012

Our gatherings this year connect us to the cycle of the moon. We gathered on Sunday night for our first full moon, and there was for us a beautiful, crystal clear, bright round moon.  We lit a fire and opened under the stars, pausing to find our own individual way to reach out and experience the moons presence in our lives. Maureen shared how we will celebrate and explore the different aspects of the moon through the year. We moved into the new year reflections of gratitudes for the past, present and the future wishes.
We all make a collage to begin our year.
This Poem came to me the next day from Rilke - The book of Hours 11,10

Overflow

Thus the overflow from things

pours into you.

Just as a fountain's higher basins

spill down like strands of loosened hair

into the lowest vessel,

so streams the fullness into you,

when things and thoughts cannot contain it.

Happy Full Moons to you all this year.

Rosemary

Winter Slostice

And so the shortest day came and the year died,...
They lighted candles in the winter trees,...
They shouted, revelling
They ..."sing", feast and give thanks,
and dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.  (Exerpt from the Shortest Day by Susan Cooper.)
And so too did we on this precious shortest day. Ten of us gathered in the yurt, we began in darkness making friends with this quality in our lives, we celebrated birth and the spiritual feminine and we danced a version of the Ancient Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. We honored the turning of the wheel yet again into the increasing light. We celebrated joy.
Winter Blessing were sent to everyone all around the globe,
Rosemary

Autumn Equinox

We women and one new babe in arms, gathered together September 23rd to celebrate the balance of 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. As people throughout history have done before us, we celebrated the abundance of the harvest at its fullest. We acknowledged the passing of the plants now returning to the earth and we reflected on things in our life which we are letting go of. We sang and danced with the magic of the seeds  holding new life in suspension for the coming year. We are so lucky to share this time together to mark the turning of the year on the planet earth. We filled a brown bag to the brim for the Napa food bank and it was safely delivered. Thank you all.
Fall Blessings, Rosemary

Lammas - Lady Day Celebration at Healing Moon Lodge. July 31st 2011

Celebration of the beginning of the corn harvest

Alison and I created and celebrated Lammas together. It is one of the least well known earth celebrations, yet many cultures celebrated across the globe and still do. We celebrated outside by fire light. We drummed into our journeys, remembered our dreams, sang, danced, and sent blessings to the earth and around the globe. It was perfect timing for the Vakas (outrigger canoes) to arrive this week having traveled across the Pacific from New Zealand, bringing hope, awakening and awareness of our need to care for our damaged oceans and her fish people.  www.pacificvoyagers.org.

As We Celebrate through the Circles of the Year here is a Poem from Wendell Berry.

Within the circles of our lives

we dance the circles of the years,

the circles of the seasons

within the circles of the years,

the cycles of the moon

within the circles of the seasons,

the circles of our reasons

within the cycles of the moon.

Again , again we come and go,

changed, changing. hands

join, unjoin in love and fear,

grief and joy. The circles turn,

each giving into each, into all.

Only music keeps us here,

each by all the others held.

In the hold of hands and eyes

we turn in pairs, that joining 

joining each to all again.

And then we turn aside, alone,

out of the sunlight gone

into the darker circles of return

Summer Solstice June 21st

I had the privilege of sharing this Solstice with 12 wonderful women. On this lovely warm evening we refreshed with a foot soak in rose petals and a special Summer Solstice herbal salt. We turned inward and meditated. Then in a simple candle ritual spoke of the things we were letting go and of the wishes of our hearts. Together we created an experience of the turning of the wheel of time, both in nature and in our lives - walking from birth to death to the beyond and round again. Surrounded by lots of bright summer red we sang and danced the spiral dance.We ended our celebration by sending  healing energy to the earth and all her people. 

I found this little dwarf in our flower pot the next morning contemplating the turning of the wheel in nature. A new bud was about to bloom moving into the waxing time, a flower was in mid cycle and a third was on the waning passage. As I am present to the cycles this year more than ever before, I appreciate the fullness of the growing season and the constancy of change. This week I sang to Irene, a dear one in her 80s who is crossing over and I welcomed in Jyles -Kims new baby boy. Both of them were cycling through sleeping and waking, sleeping and waking. Once again I was being present to the turning of the wheel and being open to all that comes and goes.
Thanks to everyone who participated in our gathering, it was a wonderful celebration of the fullness of life. Thanks to Anna(nvaunat@aol.com) for her Summer Solstice bath salts, Mist and oil. Thanks to Alison for co leading with me. Thanks for your kind donations.
See you all at our next earth celebration, July 31st the beginning of fall.
Summerly, 
Rosemary

Earth Circles May Day May First 2011

May day Garb

May Day is my favorite annual earth celebration full of color, joy and soaking in the lush growth of spring.

We had a wonderful celebration on Sunday, celebrating outside in the warm spring evening. We individually meditated and connected with the earth, we danced and wove the Maypole Ribbons with Friedrieke gracing us with fun fiddle tunes. To top off the festivities we each jumped the Beltane fire and made wishes for ourselves and the world. Then the feast of fresh strawberries, shortcake and cream.  

March 26th Symposium Recap

Wow we had a great symposium on Saturday, March 26th.
We had 19 participants and the combination of Barbara kummer sharing her beautiful country home and property, the 

symposium and the great participation, we the facilitation team had an inspirational experience.

It was the first time we have combined Joanna Macy's work deeper into the symposium and for most of the participants who filled in the reviews they enjoyed this part the best. 

Our goal for people to wake up, commit or recommit to their passions both personal and global was truly achieved. So many folks were able to stand and say what they intended- to continue on in their lives with firmer resolve, to do something new, to finish something old, to be more present loving and kind, to get clear, be more organized and connect with others and the earth.

We saw again the value of the writing down the things that inspire us as the day unfolds and then taking the time to look at the end of the day and discover our priorites.

      

Many thanks to all the participants and the team,

-Rosemary Gallagher

Here are some photos from Barbara's beautiful property: