Crow Brings Daylight

A long time ago when the world was first born, it was always dark in the north where the Inuit people lived.

They thought it was dark all over the world until an old crow told the them about daylight and how he had seen it on his long journeys.

The more they heard about daylight, the more the people wanted it.

"We could hunt further and for longer," they said. "We could see the polar bears coming and run before they attack us."The people begged the crow to go and bring them daylight, but he didn't want to. "It's a long way and I'm too old to fly that far," he said. But the people begged until he finally agreed to go.

He flapped his wings and launched into the dark sky, towards the east. He flew for a long time until his wings were tired. He was about to turn back when he saw the dim glow of daylight in the distance. "At last, there is daylight," said the tired crow.

As he flew towards the dim light it became brighter and brighter until the whole sky was bright and he could see for miles. The exhausted bird landed in a tree near a village, wanting to rest. It was very cold.

A daughter of the chief came to the nearby river. As she dipped her bucket in the icy water, Crow turned himself into a speck of dust and drifted down onto her fur cloak. When she walked back to her father's snowlodge, she carried him with her.

Inside the snowlodge it was warm and bright. The girl took off her cloak and the speck of dust drifted towards the chief's grandson, who was playing on the lodge floor. It floated into the child's ear and he started to cry.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" asked the chief, who was sitting at the fire. "Tell him you want to play with a ball of daylight," whispered the dust.
The chief wanted his favourite grandson to be happy, and told his daughter to fetch the box of daylight balls. When she opened it for him, he took out a small ball, wrapped a string around it and gave it to his grandson.

The speck of dust scratched the child's ear again, making him cry. "What's wrong, child?" asked the chief. "Tell him you want to play outside" whispered Crow. The child did so, and the chief and his daughter took him out into the snow.
As soon as they left the snowlodge, the speck of dust turned back into Crow again. He put out his claws, grasped the string on the ball of daylight and flew into the sky, heading west.

Finally he reached the land of the Inuit again and when he let go of the string, the ball dropped to the ground and shattered into tiny pieces. Light went into every home and the darkness left the sky.

All the people came from their houses. "We can see for miles! Look how blue the sky is, and the mountains in the distance! We couldn't see them before." They thanked Crow for bringing daylight to their land.

He shook his beak. "I could only carry one small ball of daylight, and it'll need to gain its strength from time to time. So you'll only have daylight for half the year."
The people said "But we're happy to have daylight for half the year! Before you brought the ball to us it was dark all the time!"

And so that is why, in the land of the Inuit in the far north, it is dark for one half of the year and light the other. The people never forgot it was Crow who brought them the gift of daylight and they take care never to hurt him - in case he decides to take it back.C

Easter vs Ostara

*please note that story of Cybele and Attis is not completely accurate but as this was working with young ones, and wanted mainly to find links between Christ and Pagan deities**

EASTER VS OSTARA Many, perhaps most, Pagan religions in the Mediterranean area had a major seasonal day of religious celebration at or following the Spring Equinox. Cybele, a fertility goddess, had a consort who was believed to have been born via a virgin birth. He was Attis, who was believed to have died and been resurrected each year during the period MAR-22 to MAR-25. "About 200 B.C. mystery cults began to appear in Rome just as they had earlier in Greece. Most notable was the Cybele cult centered on Vatican hill ...Associated with the Cybele cult was that of her lover, Attis (the older Osiris, Dionysus, or Orpheus under a new name). He was a god of ever-reviving vegetation. Born of a virgin, he died and was reborn annually. The festival began as a day of blood on Black Friday and culminated after three days in a day of rejoicing over the resurrection." Wherever Christian worship of Jesus and Pagan worship of Attis were active in the same geographical area in ancient times, Christians "used to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus on the same date; and pagans and Christians used to quarrel bitterly about which of their gods was the true prototype and which the imitation."

Another remnant of the Pagan sacred drama was the image of the vegetation God buried in his tomb, then withdrawn and said to live again as the earth begins to turn green. The church instituted a similar custom early in the Middle Ages. A small building was erected and the consecrated host placed within, a priest was set to watch it from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. Then the host was taken out and displayed, and the congregation was told "Christ" (someone playing the savior) was risen. This is still acted out today to remind all of the power of rebirth. Regardless of if one thinks as the figure as Jesus, the goddess, greenman or any other God-like form, it still holds a strong, similar meaning to us all. Death is never the end. The circle will always turn. What was will be. What has been will be again.

Although taken as a given, one question that is rarely asked, but should be, is why Easter has to fall on a Sunday. In 325 AD, the council of Nice issued an edict that read, in pertinent part, "Easter was to fall upon the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the Vernal Equinox; and if said full moon fell on a Sunday, the Easter should be the Sunday after." The Easter celebration was coordinated with older, pre-Christian celebrations of spring. The direct relationship to Sunday as the day sacred to the Sun, the ultimate symbol of life, is obvious; yet the subtle connections to the earlier celebrations of the time of planting and the Moon are of equal importance in determining the day of the Easter celebration.

The resurrection of Christ Jesus is a retelling of the Dramas of the Egyptian Osiris and the Babylonian Bel, which in turn was a retelling of the symbolic death of the Great Mother of the first clans so that the community may survive. It is also bound up with the Nile Valley African’s concept of creation and their observations of the sun’s movements through various star constellations. It doesn’t matter which story connects with a person, they all share the same meaning. They all provide hope and not only are symbolic for the earth’s growth, death and rebirth patterns, but also our own inner selves. We grow as the earth grows. We "die" or turn inwards just as the earth does in winter and so we also are reborn and turn outward to join the dance of life just as the earth does in spring time.

The Easter Bunny

EASTER BUNNY

The Easter Bunny is much older than Christianity. It is the lunar hare, sacred to the Moon Goddess in both the Orient and in western countries. In China, people gazing at the full moon see in it’s shadows the image of the lovely young Goddess Chang-O, holding her pet hare in her arms. In Japan, the people say that the lunar hare constantly crops the grass on the moon’s surface, cleaning it so that the moon shines white and not green. In the West, the hare, like the cat, was a common Witch’s familiar; and Witches were said to have the power to turn themselves into hares. Irish peasants, to this day, observe the matriarchal taboo on hare meat, saying that to eat a hare is to eat one’s grandmother. The Celtic warrior-queen Boadicea of early Britain had on her banners the device of the lunar hare. In Germany, the people recalled the myths of the Moon Goddess Hathor-Astarte who laid the Golden Egg of the Sun, and children were told that, if they were good, the hare would lay eggs for them on Easter Eve.

To get a proper understanding how the cute fluffy bunny became a popular symbol of Easter, you have to look into the pagan roots of this holiday. The name Easter evolved from the Goddess’s name, Ostara, the Germanic goddess of dawn. Her name means towards the East.

Ostara is honored in the month of April with festivals celebrating re-birth and renewal. Easter, like most Pagan festivals evolved into a Christian holiday focusing, not on the Goddess, but on the Biblical Jesus and his resurrection. Even so, Easter kept the symbols and many of the rituals of the Pagan festival. The Easter Bunny is one of them.

Legend has it that many years ago, a young girl was gathering wood for her family’s fireplace as spring had not quite arrived and snow was still on the ground. As she ventured further into the overgrowth, she heard a slight rustling under some dead leaves. Being a very curious child, she investigated more thoroughly and found a little, half frozen bird. The girl loved all nature, especially birds for the beautiful songs they sang in the warmer months. She wanted to do everything she could to help this poor little bird that was freezing to death. So, she took off her shawl and wrapped the little bird up inside to get warm. After some time, she melted some snow in her hand to give the little bird a drink. The little bird, although not dead, wasn’t moving at all and looked to be getting worse instead of better. This was heartbreaking for the girl and she started to cry. The Goddess Ostara was known for her love of children. When Ostara heard the cries of the girl who was trying so hard to save the bird, Ostara knew she had to find a way to help. Ostara found where the child was sitting in the woods and quickly went to see her. When the girl saw Ostara approaching, she quickly ran over to the Goddess with the bird in her hands. Ostara took the bird gently from the child. Ostara knew that this bird should have flown south for the winter, but for some reason was left behind. She also knew that if she saved the bird today, it would surely freeze to death the next day, or starve before the warmer weather arrived. The only way to save the bird was to turn it into something that could survive the cold and find food. So, Ostara changed the bird into a rabbit. At first, the used to be bird, now rabbit, was confused because it couldn’t fly or sing. But it slowly found out that the new soft warm fur kept it feeling very warm in the snow. It enjoyed hopping joyfully around the Goddess and the girl. A short time later, when the snow was melting and the world was beginning to wake from its winter slumber, the rabbit once again crossed paths with the girl. It was very happy in its new life as a rabbit and wanted to give a gift to the child for saving its life. It was still a bird on the inside; so it laid eggs, for the girl, Ostara, and the rest of the village. The eggs were brightly colored with speckles. For many years on Easter, the rabbit continued to lay eggs as gifts for all to find. Today, we color the eggs ourselves and lay them out in remembrance of new beginnings, just like the rabbit that used to be a bird had done.

EGGS

The Romans believed that all life proceeded from an egg, so the egg came to symbolize birth and rebirth. Christians regarded eggs as the seeds of life and attributed them with the symbol of Jesus’ resurrection. In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants. In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals.

Contemplative exercise:

Which came first: the chicken or the egg?? Answer: a circle has no beginning and no end. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Colors and their meanings:

In the world of Witches, eggs symbolize potential. When you color eggs, you infuse them with magical vibrations of the color you have chosen.

Red: energy, passion, drive, ambition, action, movement, decision. 

Pink: love, friendship, peace, harmony, togetherness, tenderness, sentimentality 

Blue: emotions, flow, psychic awareness, freedom, peace, calmness, tranquility Lavender/Purple: Spiritual understanding, spiritual awakening, spiritual mastery, connection with the divine 

Yellow: communication, knowledge, speech, learning, arts, inspiration, new beginnings 

Gold: healthy, wealth, joy, prosperity, abundance 

Brown: animals, groundedness, clarification, work, steady and solid 

Green: financial gain, prosperity, health, growth, nurturing 

Which color(s) seems best suited to your life right now? 

Which color would you like to represent your life? 

Why? 

Which color do you not want? 

Why not? 

Which color will you select to represent what you DO want this coming year to bring to you?

Imbolc Day 7

Get Ready for Imbolc!
Day 7: Your Imbolc Celebration

	from Patti Wigington Like many other Pagan sabbats, Imbolc is a time when family and friends often get together. Plan a small meal for close friends, or a big potluck style dinner for a large group. However you decide to celebrate, welcome the warmth of Imbolc's fires into your home.
	Imbolc Meal Blessings
	Before you get started on your Imbolc dinner celebrations, take a moment to say a meal blessing, and be thankful for the hearty food before you and the warm hearth at your back...Read More

Kids Need Faith

Ok I have really been rolling this over for nearly a year and as I have stated in a previous blog my mother and I have issues. And I guess I am flabbergasted that my mother and I's relationship is more or less severed over my family's choosing of beliefs. There are other issues that can be worked thru but where things seem to be stuck at is religious differences. I thought in our last communication email was we agreed to disagree....not discuss the issues that upset the both of us as she didn't want to hear of our Pagan belief and I didn't want her forcing her Christian views our way. I mean I know the Christian world after all I went to church all my life, baptised my kids in the Lutheran church. Well then the very next email I rec' from her was about a Wiccan gone Christian. Hmmm that didn't last long so I haven't responded, I didn't expect anything less, but I had faith that she would stick to that and SHE ruined it.

So heres the deal with todays blog... I don't feel religion and faith are the same. Growing up I can't say I really understood the saying "they are taking "God" out of the schools". And for the longest time I went with the crowd even though it didn't set quiet right that it was taking "God" out of the schools was what was wrong with todays youth. Over time I see there is a difference in Faith and Religion. You can have one without the other. So is it really that God has been taken from the schools or is it more that we haven't given our kids faith and something to believe in????

Let me explain my thoughts where I get the Religion and Faith are 2 different worlds....We have all met the Sunday School Christians. You know, those Christians who have the religion ~ they go to church EVERY Sunday and possibly even Wednesday's or as little as Christmas and Easter~ but don't have the faith that backs that up. They walk out of the Church building and it is life as usual and "God" isn't a part of it. They may believe in God but they don't have the faith in Him. They aren't the only ones...Pagans fall into this category as well. They celebrate the open Sabbats and worship, but they don't have the deep faith that others have.

We can have religion without faith. But we cannot survive without faith. If you don't agree, look around at the hopelessness, ANGER and confusion that is running rampid today. Our youth have nothing to believe in and so they have no drive. They are easily led astray by anyone or anything that promises a better future (sorry for me the first thing that comes to mind is Obama) I am not going political though in this post. Without direction the youth cannot lead themselves, much less the country that they are going to inherit, in a productive direction. A direction of growth and new life.

I do not believe it is the lack of God in schools that is the problem, contrary to some...ok many... people's belief, it is lack of faith in our youth. The push away from organized religion has stripped generations of their faith. And so it is time to bring back faith to our youth.

Kelda this past 6 months or so taught me and has led to this blog. I really worried about what she was starting to show interest in and how she was acting and wondered where was everything she had been taught. I just watched and as a mother that was VERY hard!! I kept close tabs on everything and now she has come to her own conclusions on those things and come back to the daughter I know. I will say my faith was drastically tested and not something I want to go thru again anytime soon. I will say her father was a lot of how I stayed on my ground and let her do her thing....there were several times I nearly flew off the handle and said something or acted out at her.

It is up to us as parents to instill faith in our children, but we must have faith in them during the rough patches as well so that they can have faith in us when they come out of them. Faith is the belief in something greater then ourselves. So to teach faith to our children, we should teach them about Divinity and a respect and honoring for that Divinity. To have faith, children must find a belief in the Gods whatever your belief is. To instill this belief there are many things that you can do. From something as complex as prayers and daily devotions to something as simple as taking time with your children to appreciate the beauty of nature. As an example we take the kids usually once a week on a family nature hike...yes even with the snow on the ground...this is hard for me because I am not a fan of winter, but I am a fan of being with my children and instilling a sense of respect for the wonders that surround us. They can't trully honor mother earth if they can't connect to her. We have to lead by example. It is my hope that they will learn to have faith from the activities that we do together that they aren't just words, but that we DO.

Imbolc Wreath

We don't have room now that we RV but we have done this in the past and had a blast. Now if we do them they will have to be given away as gifts:0)

Pagan Dad

Wreath Imbolc 2009

Posted: 07 Jan 2009 06:40 PM PST

Yes it is that time again. The holiday season seem like it just ended but Imbolc is less than a month away. So I figured since it was so close that I would take the time with my family to decorate my house for the Sabbat. Well at least the wreath and the altar.

First the grapevine wreath, cheaply bought and easy to decorate with silk flowers. The only question being what kind of flowers and the such would look good and fit with the Sabbat. Here is a short correspondence list for decorating:

• Forsythia
• Crocus
• Daffodils
• Snowdrops
• Daisies
• Almost anything that invokes a Spring feeling in you

Imbolc is a time for renewal and rebirth. In my children's story I talk about the hero's quest and his journey to find a way to waken the sleeping Maiden i.e. The Earth. So think about this when you choose to decorate your house for the season

Imbolc Day 5: Saying Goodbye to Winter

Day 5: Saying Goodbye to Winter

	from Patti Wigington It's February, and we're all tired of being cold. Send winter on its way with a few end-of-the-season celebrations. Imbolc is a good time to do some divination as to what's headed your way in the coming year, as well as some meditation. Finally, we'll also talk about the whole idea of "spring cleaning" and why it's so good for us to do!
	End of Winter Meditation
	This meditative journey is one you can read ahead of time, and then recall as you meditate, or you can record yourself reading it aloud, and listen to it as a guided meditation later on. You can even read it aloud as part of a group ritual. The ideal place to perform this meditation is somewhere outside -- try to pick a day that's warm, or at the very least sunny...Read More

Imbolc Day 4: Ritual and Ceremony

Get Ready for Imbolc!
Day 4: Ritual and Ceremony

	from Patti Wigington At Imbolc, we're saying farewell to winter. We know that spring is approaching, but hasn't quite arrived yet. After all, Imbolc is the halfway point between Yule and Ostara. Take a moment to celebrate the end of winter's cold nights and gray skies, and think about the new life that will begin in a few weeks.
	Candle Ritual for Solitaries
	Hundreds of years ago, when our ancestors relied upon the sun as their only source of light, the end of winter was met with much celebration. Although it is still cold in February, often the sun shines brightly above us, and the skies are often crisp and clear. As a festival of light, Imbolc came to be called Candlemas. On this evening, when the sun has set once more, call it back by lighting the seven candles of this ritual. Although this ceremony is written for one, it can easily be adapted for a small group...Read More

Imbolc Day 3: The Goddess Brighid

Get Ready for Imbolc!
Day 3: The Goddess Brighid

	from Patti Wigington In many traditions of Paganism, the Celtic goddess Brighid is celebrated at Imbolc. A protector of hearth and home, Brighid is a fire goddess who is typically associated with poetry, smithcraft, and inspiration. She was especially honored when it came to matters of prophecy and divination. A sacred flame was maintained by a group of priestesses, and her sanctuary at Kildare became the home of a saint when Ireland converted to Christianity.
	Brighid, Hearth Goddess of Ireland
	In Irish legend, Brighid was the daughter of the Dagda, and was a goddess associated with domesticity and motherhood. However, later on she became connected to a nun called Brighid, who eventually became a saint. In her many aspects, Brighid has followers all over the Celtic lands...Read More

Imbolc

Is Fastly approaching!! wow already nearly half way thru January. I wasn't very good at blogging during Yule so knowing I will be busy I will start blogging now for Imbolc

The First of February belongs to Brigid, (Brighid, Brigit, Bride,) the Celtic goddess who in later times became revered as a Christian saint. Originally, her festival on February 1 was known as Imbolc or Oimelc, two names which refer to the lactation of the ewes, the flow of milk that heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring. Later, the Catholic Church replaced this festival with Candlemas Day on February 2, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and features candlelight processions. The powerful figure of Brigid the Light-Bringer overlights both pagan and Christian celebrations.

TO CELEBRATE IMBOLC TODAY . . .Feb. 1st

This is traditionally a time of purification � clean your house!
If you have any Christmas greenery lingering, burn it now.

Make your own Brighid�s crosses and hang them up,
especially in the kitchen where her influence can bless your food.

Put out food � cake, buttered bread and milk will do � outside your door:
Brighid and her cow walk through the neighborhood tonight, and will appreciate your offering.

Leave a silk ribbon on your doorstep for Brighid to bless:
It can then be used for healing purposes.

Meditate upon what you would like to see grow in health and strength this year:
for yourself, your family, your community, the Earth,
and ask for Bride's blessing upon your prayers.

Ritual for January

simple house blessing, light a white candle and slowly carry the flame sunwise (clockwise) around the threshold, the hearth and four corners of each room while reciting this blessing from the Hebrides, which invokes the goddess and saint, Bridget of the Hearthfire:

May Bridget give blessing
To the house that is here
From crest and frame,
Both stone and beam;

Both clay and wattle;
Both roof and foundation;
Both window and timber;
Both foot and head;

Both man and woman;
Both wife and children;
Both young and old;
Both maiden and youth

Plenty of laughter,
Plenty of wealth,
Plenty of people,
Plenty of health,
Be always here.

(slightly adapted from the collection: Carmina Gadelica by Alexander Carmichael)

Pagan Dad

Children's Yule Story

Posted: 03 Dec 2008 04:29 PM PST

“Grandfather can you tell us a story?” the children asked in unison as they ran up to the old man reclining peacefully by the fire.

The old man sat up straighter in the chair, took a puff from his pipe and asked with a grin, “What story should I tell? What story do you want to know? You there,” he said pointing to one of the children, the smallest, “you haven't had a turn to ask for a story in quite a while. So you pick, tell me what you want to hear.”

In a small voice, the child said “Grandfather can you tell me of the story of the first Yule? I always liked that one the best.”

With a clearing of his throat and another puff on his pipe, the Grandfather started to spin the tale of the first Yule.

“We all know that Yule is at the end of December. When the night and the day are equal to each other. But the story really starts much earlier. In fact over a month earlier. For you remember that in August the Harvest Lord laid down his sword of power and went away to Summerland to rest. Well the Goddess missed her husband so much that she began to grow old just with the grief alone and that is why we have Winter. The time when the Earth grows barren and cold.

“Well the Goddess because of her sadness after a time, left us also and went on a journey to Summerland to try and find him. Now she doesn't die now, she only goes on a vision quest. But she is gone so long that at Samhain her body passes on and when she is found frozen in the forest two weeks later a wake is held for her in the Holly King's drinking hall.

“It took over a week for all the faeries and other mourners to come.For they came from all corners of Creation. But there was one unexpected guest, an old woman. She was so old that she almost looked like a walking skeleton. So of course everyone there was mean to her out of fright and disgust.

“Yet when she greeted the Holly King, calling him her Son, everyone realized with much fright that this was the Goddess returned to them. The very Goddess whose death, they were there to mourn.

“So angry was she, that she was treated so poorly, the Goddess passed a prophecy to the Holly King. That she had within her the Oak King, soon to be reborn. And for rebuking her the Holly King would pass to Summerland upon the birth of that child.

“Now this scared the Holly King that he decided to lock the old Crone away in the top room of the tallest tower in all the world. Then he walled up the doors and all but one of the windows so that she is trapped within the room at the top of this tower. The window he left open so that he could have the birds fly food to her.

“Now he did this hoping that he could escape the doom that was foretold to him. But the Crone knew that the birth of her child was her only hope of escape. The Crone then wove magick and took the light and warmth from the Sun, and passed it to her son. So that in just four weeks, she gave birth to the Oak King. Who ever after was also given the name of the Sun King. For he was born fully grown and glowing with a golden light so bright that it caused the dying of the Sun to be reversed.

“Those four weeks of magick are why we light the candles for the four weeks before Yule. One candle for the first week and two for the second and so on until we have four candles lit on the night of Yule. This represents the growing light inside her as outside the Sun grew weaker.

“But the birth was hard on the old Crone, so hard that she slipped into a sleep very near to Death. So the Sun King in his anger thinking that his mother was dead, flew out the lone window as a large golden eagle. All across the Earth he hunted the Holly King, Lord of the Wintertime. Finally cornering him at the shores of a great ocean.

“And when he found him he threw his magickal spear at him and destroyed him. The spear hit the Holly King so hard that his body just vanished. But don't worry, for the Holly King simply reappeared in Summerland. When he got there he found the Crone in one of her other aspects, the Young Maiden.

“She spoke to him of prophecy and the Wheel of the Year. She spoke of the new cycle that had been made in the last year. That the events of the last year would repeat themselves forever and ever.

“And although the Holly King had passed away now, he now knew that he would return just past the height of Summer to take the Sun King's place again.

This is why the Holly King, as Santa Claus, brings us gifts every year to make up for the Winter that he brings with him. But he only brings presents to good little boys and girls because he wants us to learn to not be mean like he was to the Crone on that first night that he met her so long ago.

“Now back to the Sun King, when he returned to the Crone he saw that she wasn't really dead but only asleep. So he went out and found a large log, the first Yule Log, cut from the largest Oak he could find. In hopes that this would revive the Goddess. And for their lifegiving properties he decorated her room with evergreens. Even bringing in a tree and decorating it with his light.

“But all this magick did was to make her youthful again, so that now she was a beautiful youthful Maiden. Yet she still slept a deep sleep almost near death.

“So you see my grandchildren there are good reasons why we do the things that we do at Yule. They served a purpose long ago and it is good to recognize and honor that. “
“But Grandfather,” spoke up the eldest, “What happened next? I know the Goddess didn't stay asleep forever. Please tell us more.”
Shaking his head, the old man said, “Lunch is overdue and I'm hungry so let us go to eat and then I will tell you all another tale. I will tell you of what happened next to the Goddess and to the Sun King. I will tell you the story of the first Imbolc.”

New Pagan Book

I just rec' this email from a friend and thought I would help spread the word on this book that we ourselves will be purchasing soon:

Hey Everyone! Two great friends of mine have written a pagan book for
kids. I've known these ladies for 6 years and was in a pagan family
group with them for 4.5 of those years...before we moved to TN. They
wrote the book, did the artwork and got the book published on their
own. I'm trying to help spread the word because there just isn't much
out there directed at pagan kids. :-)

Please take a moment and check out their website. Hopefully more books
will follow.

http://www.mushroomhollow.com

Seven Spirals: A Chakra Sutra for Kids by Deena Haiber and Aimee
MacDonald

Pagan Homeschool

Pagan Moonbeams~ Novembers pdf copy http://paganmoonbeams.com/pdfs/MBNov08.pdf We LOVE this monthly themed site that is sent to out email box.

Pooka's Sandbox~ http://www.elsieandpooka.com/pookas_sandbox.htm this should be their Samhain file.

Women's Journeys > Love and Growth > Pagan Home...

Sacred Grove Academy A TON of sites to check out.

Pagan Homeschooling - Great page with lots of articles and resources!

Pagan Children, Acorns Newsletter

Spiral Scouts - Paganism's answer to Boy and Girl Scouts!

Homeschooling Outreach for Pagan Families

Jon's Homeschool Resource Page

Moondreamer Magick - A Pagan Homeschool

Goddess Moon Circles Academy - An online Pagan private school and a Pagan-based curriculum developed by and for Pagan families

Pagan HEN Home Education Network

Pagan Parenting and Homeschooling

www.oakmeadow.com Not Pagan per se but is pretty nature based and a lot of Pagans are known to use them for an organized curriculum.

10 Activities for Pagan Kids

For many Pagans and Wiccans, it's hard to find kid-friendly activities that celebrate our spiritual path. Believe it or not, sharing your beliefs with your kids is easier than you think. After all, you're the parent, so you can lead by example. Show your children what you do, and they'll emulate you in their own way. Teaching by doing is the key. By living a Pagan life, you'll show your kids what it means to be Pagan or Wiccan or whatever your family's path is.

These very simple activities are easy enough that you can do them with nearly any child, so have fun with them!

1. Make a Wand
What's not to love about making your own wand? Take your kids out in the woods for a nature walk, and ask them to keep an eye on the ground for the "right" stick. The wand should be about the same length as the child's forearm. Once your child has a stick, bring it home and decorate it with ribbons, glitter, even crystals. Hold a consecration ceremony so your child can claim the wand as his or her own.

2. Drumming and Music
Everyone likes to drum, and the louder the better. If you don't have a professional drum, don't worry -- that's why the gods made coffee cans. Let your kids experiment with containers of different sizes and shapes, and see which ones make the most interesting sounds. Fill an empty water bottle with dried beans to make an impromptu rattle. Two thick dowels tapped together make a percussion instrument as well. Have a family drum circle night, and let everyone bang away to raise energy.

3. Meditation
Sure, the idea of teaching a toddler to meditate sounds crazy, but you'd be surprised what kids can do if they're interested. Even if it's just two minutes lying in the grass looking at trees, it's not a bad idea to start your youngsters meditating early. By the time they get to be adults with stressful lives, meditation will be second nature to them. Use breathing as a way of teaching counting to small children. Elementary-school age kids can usually handle a ten- to fifteen-minute guided mediation.

4. My Very Own Altar
If you have a family altar, that's great! Encourage your kids to have an altar of their own in their bedrooms -- this is the place they can put all the things that are special to them. While you may not want a tribe of Ninja Turtles on your family altar, if your son says they're his Personal Guardians, give him his own place to put them! Add to the collection with interesting things your child finds on nature walks, shells from trips to the beach, family photos, etc. Be sure that young children don't have candles or incense on their altar.

5. Moon Crafts
Kids love the moon, and they love to wave at it and say hello to it (my oldest claimed the moon as her own when she was five). If your family does any sort of moon rituals, such as an Esbat Rite or New Moon ceremony, have the kids decorate a mirror with lunar symbols, or make a Moon Braid. This is simple to make -- braid three ribbons together, in white, silver and black (symbolizing the three phases of the moon). Braid them together halfway and leave the rest dangling loose. Hang this in a window, and use it on your altar during family moon rituals.

6. God's Eyes
These are an easy decoration to make and can be adapted seasonally, simply by using different colors. All you need is a pair of sticks and some yarn or ribbon. Make them in yellows or reds for solar celebrations, green and brown for an earth ceremony, or in the colors of your family's household deities. Hang them on a wall or place on an altar. How to Make a God's Eye (see blog entries for directions).

7. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough is one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you can create just about anything from it. Use it with cookie cutters to make your own Sabbat ornaments. You'll need:

1 Cup salt
4 Cups flour
1 ½ Cups hot water
1 tsp vegetable oil

Combine the salt and flour, then add the water until the dough becomes elastic. Add the oil at this time and knead the dough (if it's too sticky, add more flour). Once it's a good consistency, make your decorations with cookie cutters. Bake ornaments at 200* until hard (about 20 - 30 minutes). Once they've cooled, paint them with designs and symbols, and seal with clear varnish.

8. Wheel of the Year Journal
Get your child a blank notebook, and have them keep track of the patterns of nature. Note the dates that the first buds appear in spring, when birds begin to migrate, and when the weather changes. If your child is old enough to surf the Internet, have him predict the weather for the next few days and then compare it to your local weather forecast -- and then see who's right!

9. Mythic Tales
Many parents aren't really sure how to incorporate their Pagan beliefs into their children's upbringing, so story time is a great way to do this. Teach your child the myths and legends of your pantheon. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, so why not use it to educate your kids about what you believe? Tell them tales of your gods, your heroes, fairies, and even your own ancestors.

10. Singing and Chanting
There are a ton of great songs out there for Pagan kids, and most of them are really simple. You can make up your own with some simple rhymes and a little bit of ingenuity. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and celebrate the gifts of the earth. If you want to find pre-recorded music for your kids, read some of the Pagan and Wiccan magazines; there are nearly always ads for Pagan musicians and their work.

Suggested Reading
More on Family and Parenting

Coloring in the BOS

Coloring in the Book of Shadows...

"Are your kids Pagan too?"

How many of you have heard that question? Chances are, if you're "out" as a Pagan or Wiccan, at some point someone has asked you what path your kids are on. Despite the temptation to reply, "Well, we rotate weeks, so right now they're Pentacostal but starting on Thursday they'll be Hindu", I've found that the best thing to tell people is the truth. I'm letting my kids find their own way, but with definitely Pagan leanings. I share who I am and what I believe with them as part of my daily life. If one of my children decides later on that they'd like to be Christian or Buddhist or whatever, I'll certainly be baffled, but not necessarily upset about it. After all, I found my own path, why shouldn't my kids?

Admittedly, since Paganism is not a single religion but a whole bunch of different ones that fall under an umbrella heading, for a lot of parents it's hard to find Pagan-friendly stuff to do with kids. After all, we don't have Vacation Pagan School every summer. However, you might be surprised how easy it is to incorporate your belief system into your parenting -- because kids learn by watching their parents. If your child sees you living as a Pagan day in and out, that's what they'll come to know. If you're not sure where to begin your young one's education -see the next blog on things to do.

If you'd like to read more about raising kids in Pagan traditions, hoof it over to a library or bookstore and pick up a copy of any of these:

Kristin Madden's Pagan Parenting
Family Wicca by Ashleen O'Gaea
Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Anne Hill

PreK pagan curriculum

Monday, September 1, 2008, 10:46 AM

I received this in a homeschool group I am in and thought I would post it for others maybe searching.

http://www.cafepress.com/outofthemists.289387604

Synopsis:

This is a prekindergarten curriculum written for pagan families, educators and those working with groups of children in a religious settings. Based on the Reggio Emilia emergent method of education, it is ideal for the homeschooling family or small educational group that can get involved in their surroundings and community. Use the entire curriculum or just the subjects that you are interested in. If you are interested you may also register and join others on an online bulletin board to exchange ideas, brainstorm and see other projects in progress. This is meant to be a living and growing curriculum and will be updated on a yearly basis.To register this product and become a part of the online bulletin board please contact the author at OurLadyoftheMists@Mind-N-Magick.zzn.com with your email address, name and age, child (or children's) name and age.and the grade level/book you are registering.Please be sure to write "Book Registration" in the subject line.