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Firepit Update Letters
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April 30, 2004
Dear Friends and Family -
Eeek! It’s Beltane already? I can feel the pulse and throb of the season in the amazing speed with which time is passing. Things are busting out all over! My daffodils and tulips are in full bloom, the grass has already needed mowing, and the garden is tilled and ready to receive the seedlings that are happily sprouting in my indoor seed trays. Yup. Looks like Beltane to me.
With the warmer weather pulling me outdoors, I’ve spent less time at my keyboard. That means that the Firepit is seeing a smaller update than some have been, but there’s still a few new sticks to toss on the fire. I spent a lot of time this past month on spring cleaning, going through pages, polishing up minor errors, and revising and updating several pieces.
I had the honor of teaching a workshop on Shamanic Wicca at the Mid-Atlantic Pagan Alliance’s Beltane festival last week, and we spent quite a bit of time discussing how shamanic work can fit into a practice of Wicca. Inspired by that discussion, I have a new Journey to add to the Sacred Writings section. Called “Thunderbird Searches for Healing”, it describes a Journey I undertook this past winter to find healing for a friend. I only recently found my fragmented notes on this experience, but I’ve filled out the narrative so folks can see what this type of work sometimes looks like.
As a member of the Pagan Webcrafter’s Association, group members sometimes alert each other to various websites or online groups that appear to be violating copyright by reposting member’s work without permission. This can be a significant problem for those who earn their income based on the work they do online. “Copyright Defense” briefly explains how copyright applies to internet work, and why it can cause harm to others. If you have ever posted a message to the internet or uploaded a photo, this information will apply to you, too.
Speaking of photos and festivals, I’ve added a new photo to the “Altars” album. “Family Camp Altar” shows what our family altar generally looks like when we’re camping at a festival. Everyone needs a safe place to put their special things where it won’t get stepped on in the dark!
Two articles that got a good dose of spring cleaning are “Proof & Verifiability: Trusting the Experience” and “Energy Vampires: Philosophy of Energy Movement”. These articles have been revisited and reworked enough that they’re worth a second look. I’ve also reworked the Links page to include a new category of links called “Information & Education”. There’s several new links there that will keep you busy for months. Other pages that have been updated include the Testimonials (the kindness of strangers knows no limits!) And the Publishing Credits page. My Privacy Policy has also been updated to reflect the addition of the Firepit Group at Yahoo. See? Lots of spring cleaning!
I’m excited by several upcoming publishing projects, including joining the staff of a new ezine called “Fayth”, which will be produced in PDF format quarterly starting with their first edition at the June solstice. I’ll also have the story about the Snakes that I found nesting in my bushes at Samhain appearing in an upcoming book anthology called “Magic In My Life” edited by Laura Wildman Hanlon (author of “Wiccan Meditations” and “What’s Your Wicca IQ?”) Hopefully that book will be out by Yule. I’m also busy finishing up my second article for Llewellyn’s ‘05 Wicca Almanac, where I’ve been asked to write about Shamanic Wicca as well as Yoga & Paganism. Although my deadline for those articles is in two weeks, that book won’t hit the shelves until next February.
Phew! No wonder I’m feeling busy lately! But now it’s time to push the keyboard aside, turn off the computer, and enjoy the beauty that awaits me outside. The air is softer, the grass is greener, and the ribbons still need to be attached to the maypole. I shall dance, sing, feast, and be renewed by the laughter of friends and family as we celebrate the turning of the wheel. May this Beltane bring you all abundant joy.
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