Someone I cared about who was part of my spiritual tradition, someone who had been initiated into this ancient and complex, simple and demanding lineage of people entrusted with the unique gift of working with weather: she sent an email yesterday.
The cacophony of politics last October 2020 had brought me down, but I knew my feelings of disillusionment and emptiness would fade away as I stepped into a weekend of ceremony.
On Valentine’s Day, a time set aside for love, romance and reckless abandon in the arms of your beloved, how is your heart? To me, it seems the ancients knew the essence of Heart not as a moment of passion, but instead as a lifetime of courage, unity, and deep connection.
As the sun returns, revival and rebirth dawns in our lands. On January 6, 2021, on the day of our 27th wedding anniversary, we renewed our marriage vows. The leader of our tradition, don David Wiley, traveled to the Sacred Fire Council House near Asheville, North Carolina to lead the ceremony, where 18 guests witnessed our exchange of vows.
Transforming yourself into a person who honors traditions has its benefits. Incorporating tried and true ways of our ancestors into our lives at holiday-times, for example, wakes something up inside us. We find our shallow roots diving down into human life, spreading through the topsoil of what our lives hold in our own generations and then even farther below, deepening into the rich loam of the wise people who have gone before us.
A few days ago, I had a good cry. Like the rain and thunder, my tears and heart-wrenching sobs cleared the air, both within and without. Grief is such a gift, and when I'm under stress, when I feel alone or misunderstood, when the world just feels overwhelming, sometimes I remember, "It's okay; I just need a good cry"...and I do.
This past weekend, I faced some big challenges. I felt like I was representing a lot. I was the leader of an event, and pulling it off during covid times and with other challenges felt monumental. I just didn't feel up for it. Not only was I inadequate, but I also felt alone. How do people do this?
My husband and I are approaching year 27 of our marriage. "How do you do it?" people ask. I've pondered that myself, and it seems that we build our marriage on a foundation of what we confront when we deal with each other. That may not sound very romantic, but it is a grand adventure.
