Willow's blog: "Living Alter"

Thunder Dance Listen, sssssh, can you hear. In the distance the low soft beat of his drum. He is coming, he is coming, Brother Thunder is coming his drum beats are getting stronger. Look a brilliant arrow split the darkened sky, Brother Lightning has joined Thunder. But who is this that causes the trees and bushes to sway as her skirts brush past, ahhh it's Sister Wind. Her dance takes her high in the trees an now down to the ground, she circles me and I lift my arm an join her in the dance. Round an round ever faster we dance, but we slow at the approach of the sound of tiny steps and cooling presence of Sister Rain. Now Brother Thunder's drum is slowing as be moves to share his dance, an Brother Lightning's arrow light the way, and now Sister Wind moves along with our Brothers, leaving Sister Rain to cool the fever of the dance and give freshness to the Earth. MAB(aka Willow) this piece has been published and carries both national and international copy right

Amid the darkness sprinlked with crystal beings a crystal child was born. She gleamed of pink and lavender light. As she grew she gloryed in the freshness if Spring flowers of mixed fragrance and hues, and in the warmth of Summer she ran and laught and grew. She danced in Autums winds amid the swerlling colors of rust and orange and brown. She delighted in the Winters art, the patterns of fronst and flake, the music of Ice singing from branches bare. Seasons passed and this Crystal child grew to shimmer a vibrant red and orange she was filled with the fire of young adulthood searching eager with the need to learn. Spring was her play ground, Summer her beau, ahh and winter a time that pulled at her energy for movement, but time had it's way of mellowing of satisfing her longing. This Crystal child became a Crystal woman of blue and white with silver light. She gleamed a guiding light. Were ever her light did reach she touched a life with gentel merth and gave as she could the light of love and hope. But what she did not see or or others precieve a small gray speck in her crystaline form. The more she shared, the more she loved this speck grew. And as it grew small cracks begane to grow. She felt these splinters but did not faulter, her job had just began. She continued though her light bagan to fade, and the grayness spread. Alas her simmering started to twinkle, her light now dimed before it's time but still she continued on, her gift of love and hope she gave as freely as before, untill her light gently faded out, she was gone to shimmer no more, dimed before her time. But her gift of love and hope still live in each Crystal being she touched and this legacy they share of the Crystal One dimed before her time.

Living Alter It is my belief that the physical alter and objects on it are not necessary in the practice of my path (Wittan). In the creation of wo/man all elements were gifted, we carry them in our physical make up. Fire is the impulses of our brain and nervous system, wind is the breath of life issuing form our lungs, in our blood is water, and salt, and the many minerals of earth can be found in our bodies. When you stand erect with feet apart, arms held straight out from your sides and head held high, you’re the perfect pentagram. As for the use of am athame we carry this always, what better than the index finger? In ages past it was believed the index finger was the direct line to the heart one reason for the wedding band to be placed on this finger. The alter and objects upon it made it’s appearance as we know it with the re-birth of Wicca (New Age) thanks to Gerald Gardner in the early 1950s when the laws against Witchcraft were repealed in England. As we all know during the burning times up until the repeal of the Witchcraft law Pagans had to be very secretive in the practice of their belief. So much of the knowledge was lost; here Gardner “borrowed” from the Christians as they borrowed from the Pagans in the past. If you look at the Christian alter set up (an baptismal font), and that of the Pagan alter you can see the similarities. On the Christian alter the center object is the cross which represents Christ/God, on either side of the cross are candles the light of the holy spirit, there is a server for the holy ecumenist, body of Christ, a cup or challis for the wine, blood of Christ, the baptismal font though is separate from the alter is a tool all the same for the symbolic rebirth of spirit, and the Bible, book by which all is set in order, there are other tools such as prayer books and hymnals. The decoration of the alter changes with each pivot point of the Christian year. Oh and we must not forget the Star of David. On the pagan alter you find objects that represent the God and Goddess, candle (or candles), incense burner (censer), tow dishes, one for salt and one for water, libation dish, and goblet(s), athame, sword or wand, and a Book of Shadows, (occasionally the pentagram, star of Salmon). The decoration of the Pagan alters changes with the Sabots. The use of alter and objects there on, I find unnecessary. I draw from the spirit of nature as it moves and revolves around me, my inner being and guides direct me in a pure natural flow as I acknowledge the God and Goddess , in worship, thankfulness and service. As I see it I (we) are Living Alters. MAB

Thunder Dance Listen, sssssh, can you hear. In the distance the low soft beat of his drum. He is coming, he is coming, Brother Thunder is coming his drum beats are getting stronger. Look a brilliant arrow split the darkened sky, Brother Lightning has joined Thunder. But who is this that causes the trees and bushes to sway as her skirts brush past, ahhh it's Sister Wind. Her dance takes her high in the trees an now down to the ground, she circles me and I lift my arm an join her in the dance. Round an round ever faster we dance, but we slow at the approach of the sound of tiny steps and cooling presence of Sister Rain. Now Brother Thunder's drum is slowing as be moves to share his dance, an Brother Lightning's arrow light the way, and now Sister Wind moves along with our Brothers, leaving Sister Rain to cool the fever of the dance and give freshness to the Earth. MAB(aka Willow)