Beltane – Embodying the Divine Feminine

Dear Lovely 2-Leggeds,

I thought a bit of whimsy in the form of a story would best fit my mood here at Beltane! Hope you enjoy…

KEEPIN AN EYE ON THAT HOLY LAND

She figured that they must have a James Taylor CD somewhere. Her guilty pleasure, American Idol, featured the balladeer in Sunday’s episode. Gosh, he looks old (he IS old!) but those blue eyes are still sparkly. As one of the contestants crooned away on the minor chords of “Fire and Rain,” she decided that she definitely needed to listen to JT.

Because her new-to-her Subaru came with a CD player–a CD player!–she knew she wanted to give it a whirl on her commute. What’s this? Okaaay, the CDs have been moved but it makes sense: Husband moved them closer to the CD player, in the kitchen. The fact that the little shelf-not-shelf looks like it’s about to dissolve into the floor is no bother. And there in the midst of piled-high stacks reads, “JAMES TAYLOR: LIVE.”

Before she leaves for work, she goes through the usual routine: All doors locked? Is the door to the mudroom closed, so the cat can’t get it? Did I leave a candle burning on the altar? Do I have my computer? Is the charger for the computer at work, or is it in the carrier bag? Is the lunch in the lunch bag, and is that in the reusable grocery bag, are the clogs in the bottom of the bag (because when you reach a certain age, lots of changes of shoes are needed throughout the day-), and does the dog have fresh water? Does she need to go pee again? Is the chicken door securely tightened? Did the overnight tiny-home guest leave yet? If so, should I throw in a load of sheets before I leave?

DO I HAVE EVERYTHING she asks herself over and over again, each day, and often at different intervals of the day…

She slowly backs out of the driveway and when that new-to-her little Subrau is turned in the direction toward work, she slides ole JT in the CD slot. The crackle and whoop-whoop of a live audience fills the interior of the car. She puts the Subaru in drive.

She sings. “There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range…His horse and his cattle are his only companions..” As that sweet, gentle voice of JT pulses in her ears and through the car, the memories start to flood in. But where are they from, what are they OF? A feeling? A person? A time, long ago..? “Some things are just timeless” she thinks. Is it the lyrics, or the notes? Is it the affinity for good song-writing, or is it the way some songs–this song–melts into her veins and before she gets to Route 202, it’s become a part of her.

No, it’s been re-membered into her.

And this makes her think: what a glorious thing to be taken by something! A song! Or Anything! The feeling: is it old, or new? She knows every word and keeps singing, and lets herself be transported somewhere but where? It is without definition, there is no “zip code.”

Finally she asks herself: How can I hold this? This thrumming of Sweet Baby James with me, for the rest of the day? She thinks the sensation belongs in a museum for safe keeping, so others can know, understand what music does. And what does music “do”? That’s the mystery, much like other forms of art. And it’s not like James Taylor stopped there: he made SO MANY great songs! Maybe the mystery is what calls us to our particular inspirations, she thinks, how any one of us might dance with their muse, quantifying the unquantifiable just for the joy of it.

In her reverie, she loses track of the story the song is telling, now hears James sing, ‘singing works just fine for me’–is it a suggestion to move toward the thing that alleviates suffering? What elixir has JT found in the singing, the song-making? A simple anecdote, so simple it is profound…She wonders what ‘works for her.’

As she makes the right turn at the Buxton Hannaford, she decides right then and there “This was so much better than thinking about Dumpster-Child on TV tonight, being interviewed. This was so much better for my soul than NPR.”

And then she immediately feels guilty for ‘tuning out’ or being ‘privileged’ to tune out. “In the world but not of the world” as Jesus once suggested comes to mind. I can do this, she thinks. I CAN be here, in the world, but still turn OFF NPR.

A toy Jesus I found on the beach at Oak Island, the first week of April. Weirdly, my sister found a toy Jesus three days later in Farmville, NC!

“So good night you moon light ladies, Rock-A-Bye Sweet Baby James!” She’s cry-singing now as she passes O’Donal’s in Gorham, gripping the wheel, swaying from side to side in the front seat. She starts to remember all the other people in her life who love James Taylor. She thinks about the sad song, Fire and Rain. She thinks about Carole King, and Joni Mitchell–two of JT’s lovers. She thinks about whether there is a biography of JT out there? She even thinks about JT’s once-upon-a-time heroin addiction, and thinks she recalls that being the reason that Joni had to leave him.

DO I HAVE EVERYTHING? What Works For Me? Will I go down in those Dreams? She wonders…and sings herself through the parking lot, into the building, and through her day.

Shine On You Moon Light Ladies,

Mary Katherine

FEATURED PRACTITIONER:

ŚRI DEVI Melissa Urey

I met Śri Devi (Shree) last October when I went on retreat with her up to Borestone Mountain. It was 4 days of silence, yoga, vegan deliciousness and, well, the magic that is Borestone. Oh, and VEDIC CHANTING. The entire time I was in her presence I felt I was with a sprite. No fluff-sprite, however. A DEVOTED sprite to her practice, her heart-tending, her curiosity, and of course her mantras, which she chants with an other-worldy vibration. No joke, she is the real deal. If you get a chance to study with her, go on retreat with her, take one of her classes, DO IT.

Śri Devi Melissa Urey (Shree) is an intuitive energy & sound healer, Usui Reiki Master Level Teacher/Practitioner, ERYT-500, Vedic chanting teacher and meditation guide.

Śri is a holder of sacred space and has been immersed in the study of energy healing and the nature of reality since 1998. Over the years she has delved deeply into teaching various yogic practices and philosophy, Sanskrit, sound healing technologies and chanting. She is an authorized teacher of Veda chanting in the Mysore sampradaya of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

She offers private sessions, group events, classes, 40-day chanting practices and retreats both in-person and online.

A few of her upcoming offerings are:

Introduction to Vedic Chanting – Online 6-week course

Sacred Sound & SIlence ~ A Silent Retreat with Yoga & Sound Healing for Women

Monthly Community Kirtan & Hanuman Chalisa Practice

Bi-Monthly Restorative Yoga w/Reiki & Sound Healing

Reiki Level 1

Śri also offers regular free online community chanting circles.

To stay informed on upcoming offerings you can visit her website www.melissaurey.com or sign up for her mailing list HERE

FEATURED EVENT: ANGER CEREMONY

HOLDING SPACE FOR SACRED RAGE

Saturday, May 17th, 1 PM- 4 PM

Avalon Acres

Designed and Co-Led by Artist and Filmmaker, Juliette Sutherland

Are you a woman who is tired of being put in a box, confined to express “acceptable” emotions instead of the full human range?

Are you a woman who is tired of sugar-coating everything you say, worried not to offend someone?

Are you a woman who is confused, sickened, ANGRY at the rampant (continued) objectification of WOMEN in our world?

DO YOU HAVE SOME RAGE TO EXPRESS?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU!

FMI or to Register: Please email Juliette: juliettesutherland89@gmail.com

WISE WOMEN TALKING

SUNDAY, MAY 18th, 12:45 PM–3:30 PM

AVALON ACRES

WE WILL FOCUS ON JOANNA MACY’S
WORK THAT RECONNECTS!

FMI: email me! ninepillarshealing@gmail.com or check out the website page for this group: https://ninepillarshealing.com/wise-women-talking/

AVALON NEWS

MEET WILEY!

(The Sweet Suite is unavailable from May 19th–June 21st, as Wiley will be lodging there)

Michael and I are first-timers for the WWOOF program [Willing Workers On Organic Farm], but think we have found the perfect fit! Wiley will soon graduate from Clarkson University with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He grew up in Groton, Massachusetts and played several sports throughout highschool. He comes with some experience farming, having helped out one summer on a farm in Maine that his sister was working at the time. He is even interested in the spiritual aspects of our operation. Yah!

How It Works: The WOOFER (Wiley) helps in the fields and all other facets of farming in exchange for room and board. No money is exchanged, and we make sure he’s fed! He’ll also have plenty of time to explore the area, take a run through our trails, read and rest. Wiley told us he was ready for some non-academic time. I think Avalon will be good for that!

Happy Beltane! Bel-Who?

Belenos (“The Shining One” ) is a Sun God of Celtic mythology. Beltane, the Fire Festival that commences on May 1^st and ushers in the season of Summer in the Celtic Wheel, is believed to have come from Belenos. We saw the first stirrings of Spring at Imbolc with Brigid and her healing fire; now, the Crone of Winter, Cailleach Beara, is driven fully underground. Beltane is the half-way point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.

I celebrated the Beltane fire (also known as the “green fire”) on the cross-quarter day this year, which was May 4^th, by tending a ceremonial fire for several hours on my friends Paul and Janet’s land. Another friend, Karen, joined me. We sang, cried, drummed, burned prayer bundles and just talked. Because of the Covid-19 restrictions, I actually had not seen her with my eye balls in some time. We, like a lot of folks right now, have been limited to Zoom or FaceTime chats but it’s just not the same as spending real-time with someone.

I arrived around 9:30 in the morning to this pristine piece of land, built my fire, and held the sacred space with Karen until about 3 PM, with a few bio-breaks and to do some reiki on Paul and Janet’s dog, Sage. It was windy, with a few gray clouds but mostly sunny. We listened to the call of Redwing Blackbirds, watched a gigantic Great Blue Heron circle the house, and witnessed a Coopers Hawk chase down one of those territorial Blackbirds. Paul divided up a few of his day lilies for Karen, who had brought bulbs for his garden and a bag of black oyster mushrooms for me. They were delectable later that evening with my lime-cilantro-tamari baked Haddock. I sautéed them in white wine and butter, with fresh kale and garlic.

There is one more thing we did: We offered prayers to the fire for the collective healing of the planet and asked that the fear around this virus to be transmuted. I tend to be sensitive to what the collective is feeling and have to be careful about where and how I expend my energy. It’s easy to pick up on fear and anxiety these days that isn’t yours! But, we all have a choice in where we direct our precious energy.

In times of crisis, and especially in such an unprecedented event like we are in now, it is critical that we remember we can control how we respond to stimuli, people, and society in general. When so much feels out of control, just knowing that you have a choice in how you react can quell some of the fear. Not only that, bringing consciousness around your response re-sets your parasympathetic nervous system and allows your executive function center to do what it’s supposed to: make clear, rational decisions from a place of flexibility, curiosity and creativity.

I know what you’re thinking: There doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of flexibility, curiosity and creativity going on right now. But you do have a choice. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself. Whether you agree or disagree with the mask-wearers or the mask-deniers, it’s okay. Just know that at the end of the day, your vitality will keep you healthy and your connection to what is truly important to you will keep you sane.

You are the only one who can decide what is best for you.