It was 10 years ago when I was truly inspired to write my song “Blessings of Beltane” I remember standing on my hill, quietly gazing and drinking the distance of the early morning golden splendour, barefoot in the grass and drenching my face with the fresh, pristine morning dew, breathing in deep that beautiful unique …
I participated in my first ritual to celebrate Aphrodite (in this lifetime) when I was a teenager. I only remember bits of the ritual but one of the things that we did was a guided meditation where we communed with Aphrodite. In that meditation Aphrodite gave me a rose and I’ve felt connected to her …
For thousands of years, people have been celebrating life’s cycles by honoring the coming of spring and the start of summer with the Pagan holiday of Beltane. But what does this have to do with music? Well, it turns out that pagan music has been an integral part of Beltane rituals since ancient times. From …
As the Wheel of the Year turns away from the planetary balance of light and dark at the recent Equinox in September, and toward the upcoming seasonal extremes of the December Solstice (Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere and Midwinter in the Northern), we find ourselves approaching a deeply magical point in the year. Traditionally celebrated …
Alane was kind enough to ask me to be a guest writer, once again, for these blogs. In her request she wanted to know how my Beltane song Bringing in the May came about. I answered that I’d like to know that TOO and grinned. It’s is on my album Welcome to Annwfn. Here it …
Today I am toasting the arrival of the Beltane season with some mead I made two years ago. Remember those strange times? It was April of 2020 and we were holed up in our homes. I was very, very single at that time, so it was rather an isolating experience. For me, that was a …
Spring is the time of fairies. Okay, every time is the time of fairies, they’d have me remind you. But spring is a time when those of us inhabiting the mortal world can most easily see their effects. And as liminal creatures, fairies are certainly comfortable in the spring, the transition time between the cold gray winter, …
Beltane is joyful. Beltane is colorful. Beltane is sexy. Sometimes Beltane is challenging. Sometimes, Beltane is…Snowtane. For the second year in a row, the Beltane Southwest festival near Albuquerque will be virtual because of continuing COVID concerns. But I can look back to the in-person celebrations. It’s an occasion to wear my most outrageous …
I was the May Queen. It was a Beltane more than two decades ago, now. I remember standing in the circle while the reigning May couple strolled along, gazing at possible successors. I was humming as if a deep chord was playing me, using my nervous system for strings. I knew, and I was afraid. …
This post is dedicated to my crowsister Donna Pauline. Remembering you, the magic and the love. -“The Other Dona” Sister Dearest, I was thinking of you and our walks along the river path. Walking, talking, sharing secrets. And singing, of course. Singing the tunes we sang with our CrowSisters. The Crow Women had developed a …
