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When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Right now, I feel content to sink into abundance, to listen to the land, to be a witness. I am pregnant – just a touch into my second trimester – and my tendency is to be quiet, to listen. I am spending a lot of time in my ritual room, in a comfy chair with my feet propped up, looking out on my backyard.

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We just moved into this house last October, so I am not yet familiar with all of the plants and animals that share space with me. I am finding columbine, mayapple, honeysuckle, and lily of the valley along with the hostas, tulips, and daffodils. Our bird feeder has been visited by cardinals, blackbirds, sparrows, finches, and blue jays, and I can hear baby birds crying out for food and attention. Chipmunks and squirrels abound, and we have one rabbit that is also a frequent visitor.

This spring feels full to bursting with activity and life and abundance. And, for once, I am in the sweet spot of being able to relax into it, to observe and notice and breathe. I don’t usually allow myself these luxuries.

I think I have entered into an apprenticeship with slowness without realizing it.

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Tempus Vernum

Today is the three year anniversary of my mother’s death.

Yesterday was the vernal equinox, and last night the snow began in earnest, falling down steadily all day today, inches and inches. Winter has decided to upstage Spring with a bold, jazz-hands-fueled dance number.

I made it out of the house today, through the drifts and in to the office, and I was able to function in a reasonably normal manner. The snow did not stop me. And yet, today is the anniversary of my mother’s death. And yet, the snow fell down in cotton clouds, covering my Persephone heart in a Demeter blanket. And yet, the tops of the crocuses are poking up out of the ground. The cycles are still rolling along.

Image: Surprise by A_Peach; some rights reserved.

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Reblog: The Tree: An Earth Memoir

 

Image: Cottonwood by Jon Hurd. Some rights reserved.

The cottonwood tree’s roots are numerous, and its branches are wide, stretching over the expanse of our yard. The combination of root and branch are such that our backyard is never very sunny, nor does it grow much grass. The tree is the largest in our Chicago…

Read more at The Tree: An Earth Memoir — Amoret BriarRose

 

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October 20, 2017: Witch-Crafting – Tiny Altars Everywhere

Witch-Crafting: Tiny Altars Everywhere
Date: October 20, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: 2011 Noble Street Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Join Briarheart for a night of crafting portable altars to carry the work of building community at the Reclaiming Pittsburgh Back to the Hive Community Meeting.

If you eat Altoids or other palm-sized tinned candies, please bring your own box. We’ll have some boxes on hand, too!

To RSVP:  https://www.facebook.com/events/328205470939695/

Image:  Honey Bee by AJC1; some rights reserved.

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October 6-7, 2017: Elements of Magic

Reclaiming Pittsburgh presents
Elements of Magic
Date: October 6 – 7, 2017
Location: 2011 Noble Street Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Join us for the first of the Reclaiming core classes as we explore the elements of magic-air, fire, water, earth, and spirit-using a variety of magical and ritual techniques and skills, including visualization, raising energy, divination, singing, trance, creating magical space, and ritual design. This class is experiential in nature.

In tarot the Fool card is number zero. It is the beginning and the end. The Fool embodies wonder, a free spirit, and a trust in the process. The Fool is adventure and unlimited potential. Come experience the Elements of Magic with the eyes (and heart) of the Fool!

The class is Friday 7-10:30pm and Saturday 9am-10pm.

▶︎Cost for this intensive is sliding scale of $165-$75-you decide where you slide. If you are able to pay at the higher end of the scale please do as this allows us to maintain the lower end.

There are also 2 work study slots available for a discounted fee. If you’d like to apply for the work study write on your registration you’re applying for the work study. We’ll do a random draw of the applicants around September 8th.

▶︎Registration ends Sept 29th. $50 holds your slot, balance due by Sept 22nd. Anyone registering between Sept 22nd and Sept 29th must pay in full with their registration.

You can find the registration form here: https://tinyurl.com/elementsreg

PayPal: paypal.me/boneweaver

Please complete the registration and email it to spiritualfoundations@gmail.com.

Prerequisite: Reading of the first six chapters of The Spiral Dance by Starhawk.

Teachers: Boneweaver, Vasalisa, and Ravensong

▶︎Bios:

Boneweaver: I am a Reclaiming/Feri witch, a deathworker, a keeper of transitions, an artist. My rootwork, custom oil blends, and spellwork are based on American folk witchcraft traditions. I adore ritual and the structure behind it. Drumming and chanting are blessed things and I promise myself weekly to get better at both. I play with divination tools, but my access mostly comes thru the ether via beings who are largely Unseen, and in particular the Dead (who are quite chatty). I strive for healthy community. My superpower is direct speech delivered with kindness. I find Joy in the nooks and crannies of my life.

Ravensong: I am a witch with deep roots in Norse and Northern Appalachian folk traditions adopted by a Reclaiming coven five years ago which has become my spiritual home. Eternally bothered by Odin, Huginn, and Muninn, and pulled to my feet when I stumble by Thor, I am called by the magic of place, the songs of the Elder Futhark, and the spirits of native plants, particularly herbs. I embrace deep listening as a path to connection with all beings, including humans. I watch and guard the energies that flow underneath of collective process. I love to laugh. My superpower is intuition. I strive to understand and to be understood. I am a born and bred Pittsburgh native, a healer, a craftess, mistress of mead, and a mother of cats. I find joy and peace in sinking my hands into soil.

Vasalisa: I am an existential artist, soothsayer, challenger of reality, and thrift store magician with a fascination of Astrology and the stars above. Rooted in the Reclaiming and Feri traditions, my relationships with Aphrodite and Loki describe me best: I am constantly discovering beauty in the chaos of life. When inspiration strikes, my whole heart is woven into the task at hand. From witchcraft to jewelry craft, I believe in the merit of hard work, refinement of skills and follow through. As a Capricorn: organization is my super power. As a Gemini: I believe that honest communication leads to connection and authentic relationships. The energies of the Tarot have wooed me for many years and I love sharing their gifts with my community. It is my intention as a reader to empower all seekers to look within for the answers that are desired, embrace the unique and choose humor over fear when shadows arise. I have deep appreciation for magic and I am devoted to it’s healing powers of transformation.

Reclaiming Pittsburgh:  who are we?

Reclaiming Pittsburgh desires to create a growing body of workshops and classes in person and online for increasing personal and social power while building healthy community in the Pittsburgh area. We believe magic changes the world through changing our consciousness at will, and we commit to bringing that magical change into our community.
● We strive for relevance, honesty, and integrity
● We honour truth telling, deep & unflinching listening, and authentic emotion
● We empower ourselves, each other, and our community to action
We value shared overt leadership, and acknowledge that those who invest the most energy are the primary shapers of this community. We foster cooperation and interconnection and we welcome all faiths, genders, races, and ethnicities.
Our Rituals are Ecstatic, Improvisational, Ensemble, Inspired, and Organic.

Image: The Fool by Amoret

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Magic Magic Everywhere

Looking back over the first half of 2017, I have taught at two Reclaiming Witchcamps (California and SpiralHeart – getting to teach Elements of Magic at both camps with Phoenix LeFae) and facilitated an online Elements of Magic class for artists through witcharts, a collaboration with Laurie Dietrich.  Busy busy!

Up next:  I will be facilitating galdr sessions once a month, and will be participating in the Reclaiming Pittsburgh annual community meeting in October.

Hope to see you in magical space soon!

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October 21, 2017: Back to the Hive

Reclaiming Pittsburgh:  Annual Ritual Community Meeting
Date: October 21, 2017
Time: 1pm – 5pm
Location: 2011 Noble Street Pittsburgh, PA 15218

What do we mean by ritual community meeting? We will be doing the sacred work of planning and decision making for the November 1, 2017 – October 31, 2018 cycle. We will be casting, calling in the elements, doing trance, raising energy, etc. while making consensus decisions for the future of the Reclaiming Pittsburgh community.

Do you have a proposal for the Reclaiming Pittsburgh Community for the November 1, 2017 – October 31, 2018 cycle? Is there a process, type of work, or discussion that you would like to see manifested? Please send your proposals or discussion topics to Amoret BriarRose at amoret@amoretbriarrose.com by October 7, 2017.

Witchy/magical attire encouraged!

To RSVP:  https://www.facebook.com/events/129491291000191/

Reclaiming Pittsburgh:  who are we?

Reclaiming Pittsburgh desires to create a growing body of workshops and classes in person and online for increasing personal and social power while building healthy community in the Pittsburgh area. We believe magic changes the world through changing our consciousness at will, and we commit to bringing that magical change into our community.
● We strive for relevance, honesty, and integrity
● We honour truth telling, deep & unflinching listening, and authentic emotion
● We empower ourselves, each other, and our community to action
We value shared overt leadership, and acknowledge that those who invest the most energy are the primary shapers of this community. We foster cooperation and interconnection and we welcome all faiths, genders, races, and ethnicities.
Our Rituals are Ecstatic, Improvisational, Ensemble, Inspired, and Organic.

Image credit: Besuch in Wabenhausen by glasseyes view; some rights reserved.