Finding Nature in Urban Living

My little herb garden

I live in downtown in a large city surrounded by other cities.  There are nice parks around my home, but I wouldn't call them "natural" because they are constructed greenery for the eye.

I'm lucky that I have a decent size backyard where I can cultivate, but also let nature grow.  I have a garden and a few planters, but otherwise I just sow the seeds and let them sprout on their own.  Not everyone has this luxury and I recomend heading out to a local bike path, it may be the closest picture to a nature scene from a National Park.

If you want to create a little space for nature in your apartment, it can be a little more difficult.  Some buildings do not even allow plants or there isn't any space for them.  If possible you could always speak to your landlord and ask if he would allow a small garden for everyone to enjoy, unlikely, but there is no harm in it.

If your landlord says no, you can always plant a small herb garden in your kitchen window, just don't forget to water.  I have one outside my front door, it's close enough for cooking, but if I could fit the herbs in my kitchen I would have.

Also, there are local community gardens you could sign up for or just walk by and enjoy.  This will not only help the community, but add some vegstables and geen visuals into your life.  I've seen these pop up around schools and if people don't parpisipate they will just dissapear.

buckets of plants

I think having acess to nature is not only important for Pagans, but as a community as a whole.  I'm not talking lawns with immigrant workers mowing the lawn, but places where nature is allowed to be or even just a garden in the front yard.

I have asked my friends to plant with me in my large back yard to offer them a place to relax and some fresh vegstables.  Gardens and nature promote community and make the block look presentable for people just walking by.

What do you do to connect with nature?

Calling Yourself a Wiccan

by Malcolm Lidbury (aka Pinkpasty)

There is some debate about if you are a true Wiccan if you are solitary.  I believe you are, considering all religions evolve and change with the times.  Even in the Christian faith there are churches who accept gays, promote a modern view of men and women and honestly follow Jesus' ways.


Wicca is no different, from Gerald Gardner who created the first recognized branch of Gardnerian Wicca to Cunningham's Solitary branch of Wicca, this Pagan path evolves with the people who follow it.  I do not think Wicca is an inflexible path, but many think it is Gardanian (or a variance created by a student of Gardner) or nothing.


Fairie, Dianic, Green, Seax Wica, Alexandrian, Eclectic and many more scattered throughout the world.  Some are recognized as "official" traditions, others are not, I personally belong to an Eclectic Solitary path, mainly because I haven't found a tradition I like.

by Zoeysixx

Recently I've been harassed by another Pagan, who considers himself an Eclectic-Neo-Pagan, which is fine, but says I am not a Wiccan based solely on my solitary path.  He does not consider this path valid just on the one note it is not apart of a coven.  I think it is truly sad how he judges people and doesn't even try to speak with them.


I think if you follow the Wiccan Rede, practice the esbats and sabbats and  believe the universe is made up of god and goddess entities you are a Wiccan.  However, you can only become a priest/priestess if you are initiated to a coven.


Of course you can self dedicate, but this just makes you dedicated to the gods and goddess' you will honor.  If you want to go beyond self dedication, to become a certified elder in a tradition, you have to join a tradition.  However, it doesn't mean you shouldn't read every book you come across about Paganism, Wicca, witchcraft or anything that interests you, because you are a valued member of the community and need to be an educated one.


These are just my personal beliefs and have no negative standing against becoming apart of a coven.  But if you feel drawn to the path of Wicca, learn, live and blessed be.


The post was closed and the aggressor banned from the site, you can read it for yourself, but mainly I just told him off for his arrogance of "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality.  In the end I called him a coward for just attacking me, of course I was reacting, but I felt I needed to fight for my personal choice.  

by pbyrne

He refused to contact anyone else about his views, podcast or otherwise, because he was "being smart" by avoiding harassment for his views.  I was willing to guard, defend and take the heat, he obviously was not and was banned for his actions.  There was no right or wrong, but I tried to be concise with my words and not mean to offend.


After all this debate I really want to understand the different paths and why they are different so, what is your path?

I Grow Shit

Isn't this mailbox epic?

Right now my garden is doing well, especially the tomatoes, and I will eat every last fruit and vegetable grown there.  Sadly some of the plants died, but I threw them into the compost pile and everything was fine.

Mike is especially endearing because he keeps building planter boxes, setting up the patio, rotating the compost.  It's great working together, growing food, not lawns.  In fact our front yard features a sink and toilet birdbath and planter.

I'm trying to understand the seasons, planting and want to learn canning to preserve our food.  I'm just so happy, I'm painting again and working the earth for the better.

The only issue with today was how hot it was and it's only going to rise over the passing week, so it was a little difficult appreciating the earth or doing any sort of ritual.  I even think the spirits were taking pause because the Ouija board wouldn't work.

It is going to be hot all week and I have no A/C, but I'm thinking of buying a kiddie pool.  I don't care if the neighbors stare,  they are jest jealous because I thought of the pool first. 

Look I grew some stuff in an old toilet!  Yah you like that shit don't you?

Compost

For the birds

Herb garden

Mike's planter boxes

Lazy Environmentalist

Merry Meet all!

 I haven't written in a long time, mainly because I haven't done anything magickal in a while, but that's ok because I'm finally have a job in the field I want and that is Child Development. Technically I'm a nanny for one 3 year old girl and the sister as soon as she starts to crawl. I'm just happy and all I have to do is free play with her while the mom works. Oh, joy.

I'm going back to school for my credentials so perhaps I can find a career as a child care provider. Everything is going pretty well, moved to a tiny little cottage in the downtown area, love it, it has a huge backyard where I'm planting a garden. I guess I'm just trying to be a better blogger, I have no excuse, but some days I just forget or I'm just lazy.

Well, anyway I'm trying to rededicate myself and I hope this works. Recently I have watched too many environmental documentaries, now I feel very depressed because not matter what I do I feel like it's not enough.

I recycle.
Buy environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Buy organic bathing products.
Shop at the local farmers market and organically when I can.
I am growing a garden.
I'm also composting.

But I feel like I'm just a small dot. I know I am, but am I making a difference, sure, but I feel like I should be doing more and I guess that's a motivating idea to build on. I would like to stop buying soda, switch to cloths for cleaning, use glass bottles for my personal cleaning products, make my own home cleaning products, build a water storage, form a small community garden and, and, and...so much....

There is just always something out their ready to damage my quality of life and health to almost the point of paranoia. But, I can only do what I can do because of money, time and energy, so one step at a time right?

Oh, and of course as soon as I want to start taking actual classes at the Firefly Academy the school is closed for maintenance after this semester. Only for a month, but still, lol, only after I want to apply. I think I need community, but where I live kind of sucks magickally, but maybe I need to look again on Going or Meetup, I've never gone to any of the actual Pagan events, so try it before I jump into some online bit? I like people, but if they are just a bunch of immature teenagers pretending to sparkle or whatever, forget it.

Anywhoo, I will write soon. Blessed be!

Spell for Success

I am a hard worker, but who doesn't want a little assistance in searching for a job right now? I just did a little spell to help my niece out with her interviews, and with the economy as it is she needs all the prayer, luck, spells and success thrown at her.

She did do half the work in looking for a job, she is also a hard worker and currently has a job, where she was offered a promotion, however she declined because it was too much work for a minuscule raise in pay.

So, for the spell for her I used 2 GREEN candles (to symbolize her two interviews today) and a modified incense from Scott Cunninghams Incense, Oils and Brews (1989).

3 parts WOOD ALOE
2 parts RED STORAX (all storax is unavailable so use FRANKINCENSE or GUM ARABIC)
1 part NUTMEG

MINE:
3 parts SANDALWOOD with Creativity Oil
2 parts GUM ARABIC
1 part NUTMEG
1 part ROSE

I added 1 part ROSE PETALS for love/purity of intent and some Creativity Oil by Dancing Witch from Serpents Kiss.

To further the intent I burned a pice of paper with a few sentences stating how my niece WILL have a good interview, she WILL receive a call back, ect. This is to compensate for my lack of meditation focus. Sometimes, especially when I don't feel 100% I just can't keep my visualization up, so I burned my willful words instead.

Hope this helps anyone who needs some success in their life. And please be careful when using fire. :)

Have any successful spell stories you want to share?

Blessed be,
Shadow Moon