Episode #5 - Dedicated to Brighid - she's the reason for the season...

Episode #5


Greetings, Fellow Travelers, and welcome to the Magical Earth.

Episode 5 starts with our Greeting, as usual - and our check in reveals that once again we are pumpkin-infused and with traces of whipped cream on our faces. Tempis Fugit! It is already February (or darned close).

We talk a bit about personal fitness, financial fitness, and the concept of resolutions based on changing the calendar. Cliff and Alex visited the local Wellness Expo, and found a few interesting weight loss tips - and one very unappetizing solution. They also tried out "the chi machine" and the "hothouse" - and loved them.

Cliff has started contributing to a website called "The Pagan Activist and Cliff's column, the Digital Pagan - the next column will be on social networking.

Jacinthe has been working on her knitting, and has found a new knitting podcast to tickle her ears - having fallen in love with David Reidy, and his "Sticks and String" podcast - he has a passion for the environment, for shopping locally at Australian mills and farms, honors his knitting ancestors and does "magic" (stage magic). Mr. Reidy - you do great podcast - and even for non-knitters - his joyous exploration of the knitting community is heartening. We don't know if he's pagan - we don't think he is - but at times, his views on the sacred earth, the need for community, the use of natural resources - and - he makes sure the blue tongued lizards are not hiding in the lawn grass before he mows - make us feel like he's a kindred spirit - and kindred knitter.

We give props and shout outs to the Podkin, and the listening community - please give us - and all podcasters - feedback on what you like and what you don't. We (all of us podcasters) love to hear from you. Write reviews on iTunes, or email - you can email us and we will get back to you!

The theme that emerges is that of "doing" - as a corollary to "being - and that doing is also learning. We talk about our indiviudal lessons of the Imbolc Season, and the way that the Goddess Brighid has touched our lives.

Susan expresses the hope of resurrecting the Cil Gallchno of Brighid - where devotees can take part in a symbolic "tending of the flame" one day in a day rotation, with Brighid catching the flame on the 20th day - and holding the blessing of the flame over all of us.

A group of us did this for several years some time ago - as part of the "Order of Brighid" (Susan and Jacinthe are still members) - and some of us would like to restart it as an independent observance, possibley under their umbrella - or on our own. Please contact us if you would like more information on how this works - or if you want to do it as part of the Cil Gallchno (Susan's group) - please let her know and she'll send you info).

We talk about Elders, Teachers, what teaching looks like in the 21st century (books, blogging, podcasting, lecture series, webinars etc), getting paid for teaching, how to repay your teachers for teaching you with an exchange of energy that has meaning - which can include cash! We also kick around "how the myth of not paying for teaching affects our Elders" and would love feedback from you on this matter.

Alex reviews www.geraldgardner.com as a resource for the Wiccan Community and we discuss what we find there.

Pick A Pack of Pickled Pagan Podcasts - we talk about the Pagan Centered Podcast - a great podcast not for the faint of heart, and who earn their explicit rating with every episode. Funny - insightful - not politically correct - and worth listening to. The sound quality of some episodes is a bit dodgy - but please, perservere - if your ears aren't bleeding - you aren't listening hard enough!

Earth Hour is coming up March 28th, 2009. Learn all about it and create an event where you are. We'll be doing something at the Witchery that night - if you want to join us, please email us to let us know! We'll be doing the Earth Ritual from the last episode - by candlelight.

Get the word out - register with Earth Hour (each country has their own site) and do your part to make everyone aware of the importance of limiting energy consumption to help reverse climate change.

We're happy to help with cheap advice on what you (yes YOU!) can do to hold your own pagan celebration of Earth Hour! Email us! Join with us in energy, if you can't be with us in person. Tell 13 friends... and they'll tell 13 friends.... and so on and so on - don't you want to sit in the dark with people who want to sit in the dark with you? Let us know your events and we'll post them and announce them to help you out! the more the merrier!

We touch on the concept of environmental activism as a form of frugality - and how "frugal is the new black" (as well as the new green). There are lots of great blogs on frugality - and even one called "The Frugal Pagan".

Susan reads some Sacred Poetry - Homecoming by Linda Reuther from the collection "Her Words - an anthology of poetry about the Great Goddess" edited by Burleigh Muten. Please read the article about Linda Reuther - her amazing journey to know the Goddess in her lifetime of honoring Gaia. Truly Inspiring.

We wrap up by talking about what we are taking with us from the holy day of Imbolc - from the Flame and Well of Brighid. How was your Imbolc celebration? Let us know how she touches you - and may Her shaping of your soul be gentle - may you be as malleable metal between the hammer and the anvil of Her Forge.

Until our paths cross again,
Walk Softly.