In the Druid tradition, the Cailleach is the goddess who represents the dark time, the time of tearing down and decay, but also it is she who builds the bones of the land, the bringer of the mountains. Within nature and our own lives we find the same cycles of darkness, death and decay leading to renewal and rebirth. We cannot have one without the other. Hail to the Cailleach, an essential aspect of ...
Ironweed dried remains - what looks like dried petals is the calyx. Photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC "When one sees Eternity in things that pass away, then one has pure knowledge." ~ From the Bhagavad Gita Ironweed beginning to blossom Ironweed in bloom Dried Ironweed in Autumn Icey Winter Ironweed Ironweed is a native perennial plant which grows at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary along with other native wildflowers such as Joe Pyeweed, native ...
Our mystical Christmas celebration was another beautiful gathering. For those who weren't able to make it, we missed you! The North stone decorated for Christmas as we go around the wheel of the year / stone clock reflecting the big sky clock of our planisphere. The North stone Yew on one side of the center stone and a bare oak branch on the other. The cross ...
Lately I've been feeling exceedingly tired. I'm not sure all the reasons why my energy has been so low, but I know many people have been feeling the heaviness of the dark time of year being upon us. Things that might not feel so daunting at other times can feel more burdensome. Of course, the winter solstice is when we have reached the darkest part of the year, so our celebrations revolve around the return of the ...
Hello Friends, As you probably know, we have lots of cats at the sanctuary. Stray cats find their way to us and we take in as many as we can. We currently have eight cats, with another couple who come regularly to eat food we leave out for them. I have slowly been becoming more knowledgeable about how to care for them in a more holistic way. This video covers some of the most important aspects of ...
Saturday, December 20th at Noon If you celebrate the winter solstice, you are celebrating the birth of Christ! In the midst of the darkness, a new light is born. He brings the gift of the present; He is the living Word of God, the Logos, the Savior who can set you free. He is Lord Jesus Christ, in whose magical name can be found the ever flowing Way leading you back home. He is within and without, ...
Hi everyone! This winter has already been very cold and snowy, and it's not even officially winter yet! We hope you are all staying warm! The farm cats have been greatly appreciating the heat lamps we have set up for them inside the hoophouse, as well as straw to burrow down into. In the video above you can see and hear the wind gusting outside, but Charlie the cat is completely cozy and undisturbed. Following are a ...
Cleaning Up the Creek Bed Last week we received notice that the county was planning to come in this month to do the cleaning out of the creek (or as they like to call it, the "drain"). As you can see in the pictures, we're in a dry period and there's currently no water in it. Included in the plan was to take down trees and plants all along one side so they could get their equipment ...
On 11.11 - Martinmas, Veterans Day, Armistice Day St. Martin a poem by Eugene Schwartz “St. Martin, St. Martin, a Roman soldier bold, Swiftly on his snow-white steed through icy streets once rode, Not fearing bleak November skies nor numbing winds so cold! An aged, ailing beggar Martin met upon his way, "Oh, could you spare a coin for one so poor, my lord, I pray? "Oh, would you save a soul who suffers from the chill ...
A big thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this day so beautiful! Each person, from the youngest to the oldest, participated and made it incredibly special. Charging the water with moonlight and sunlight for blessings and consecration Preparing for the ceremony Ceremony in the Stone Circle The arrival of the Cailleach representing the destructive and cleansing forces of nature. ...
I've noticed there has been a lot of uproar about Kings lately. So I thought it might be appropriate to delve into the meaning of true kingship from the perspective of ancient cultures. I'm going to use as an example the kings of ancient Ireland as discussed in The Book of the Great Queen by Morpheus Ravenna. She lays out extensive research from primary sources in her book which you can find referenced there. Also, having read ...
Going into the darker time of year is difficult for many of us. Our energy wanes with the sun. The cycles of the year and the seasons are really also our own cycles in so many ways. It seems a bit trite on the surface, but the more l delve into the layers of it, the more I find there is to discover. From the fullness of a breath taken, to the emptiness of a breath released, ...
Saturday, November 1st at 11:00 a.m. Join us for an outdoors mystical ceremony with bonfire and potluck following. Our ceremonies are participatory, so please come ready to play a role in it. It's not about putting on a show, but connecting to the spirit of the ritual, and coming together in celebration. It is always a beautiful time sharing in community! For those of you here in the Patreon community, let me know if you are coming ...
Hi all, Here are a few pictures of our Family Mystery School this week. Going on a nature walk Barberry bush in the woods Part of our nature walk - a sassafras tree with red leaves, and a large walnut tree in the background. Berries on honeysuckle in the woods Jean helping kids make fairy wings ...
Greetings beautiful people! We had a lovely Circle meetup yesterday with heartfelt conversation, a walk, good food, a bonfire, and a telling of the story of the great poet Taliesin. And everyone got to take pawpaw seeds home with them to try their hands at growing some trees! Pawpaw fruit on tree at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary To those of you who are with us as paid members here on Patreon, thank you for your continued ...
Tuesday, September 30th, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. This week we will be reading an Egyptian creation story and learning about the Benu bird, and how the theme of death and rebirth is central to the mysteries. Each meetup intertwines teachings of The Mysteries with songs, arts and crafts, nature walks, games, and stories. We use myths from all different indigenous and religious traditions, including the Gnostic Christian mystery tradition. Each meetup is meant to be ...
Hello dear friends!This is in part my annual reminder that I make around this time of year, especially as we are entering into the dark season, to slow down. My aim in the programs and events that I offer at Crossing Hedgerows is to offer this deep connection for young and old alike. And I couldn't do it without all the background work that my family does to help make it possible. So I want to publicly ...
Altar for the Autumn Equinox ceremony Hi Everyone! I wanted to share this description from Amy of our Autumn Equinox celebration with you all. "It is hard to put into words at this moment how special yesterday was. I will free flow a bit though… Jean sets up such beautiful sacred spaces. Jean lead us in the rite of Alban Elfed (Autumn Equinox) it was my first time participating in a sacred ceremony ...
Saturday, September 27th at 10:30 a.m.A time to connect with the land and each other through the practical work of the upkeep of the sanctuary. No experience is necessary. You may be weeding a garden bed, carrying wood, cleaning out a chicken coop, or prepping materials for one of our classes. But whatever it is, your contribution will be so appreciated, and will give you a chance to join in community and create a beautiful space for ...
Some of the permaculture presentation attendees at Gateway Farm I had a fantastic time presenting at Gateway Farm this past Sunday and though it was not recorded, I wanted to share a transcript of my presentation here with you all! But before I do, something to understand about permaculture is that it is a design system based on observation and pattern recognition within nature. This is also the basis of the Mystery School tradition ...