Category: Holy Wild

Holy Wild, justice

Steampunk Shamanism & Cultural Appropriation

Alison Leigh Lilly

Steampunk isn't going away any time soon. It speaks to a deep ambivalence that many of us hold about the modern, industrialized cultures that we live in — societies in which computer technology seems each year to get more obscure and esoteric, in which skill and creativity are treated as less important than fame and wealth, in which ecological damage and environmental destruction persist despite our vast scientific knowledge about how the ecosystems of the world work and our own role in that destruction, and in which strict gender and class norms are often subtly (or not so subtly) reinforced even in the same breath as we congratulate ourselves on our diversity and tolerance. Steampunk looks back to the historical roots of modern culture in the generations before the first world war, picking at old scars and still open wounds, exploring what went wrong and what we might have done differently. It is absolutely vital that we engage in that process, even in the face of ghosts we would rather leave undisturbed.

Holy Wild, Rite & Ritual

The Gears of Chance: Steampunk Magic

Alison Leigh Lilly

We turn through a world of tension and pressure, movement and poise. Cycles within cycles that turn together, their teeth in rows — the still center of being, that emptiness around which every gear circles. This is the clockwork of the universe, a shining mandala of interconnection and interrelationship. The delicacy of craftsmanship expressed through the primal forces of the elements: forged metal, fire, water, steam and space. All these have their place, turn their way, in an intricate dance with one another. The steampunk shaman knows the intricate patterns of the dancing world. Her wisdom penetrates the delicate work of friction and force, knowing exactly when to introduce the slightest pressure, and where, and how hard. No brute or bully pushing her will onto the world, she turns, she gives way, she waits in the center of stillness and open space, waits for the gears to shift into alignment. When her work is done, you might say it was all just coincidence, the wheels of fortune spinning out through inexplicable chance. This is the work of the steampunk shaman: she turns the gears of coincidence. Through creative nonaction, all action is done.

Holy Wild, Muse in Brief

Nature as Living Story: Lectio Divina in the Natural World » Aontacht Magazine

Alison Leigh Lilly

I'm a few days late with this announcement, but... exciting news everyone! The equinox issue of Aontacht Magazine is out, and it's available free on the Druidic Dawn website. This issue focuses on sacred spaces and sacred places, exploring this theme from a variety of perspectives. In the spirit of connecting to those lesser known and often overlooked spaces, my Wild Earth feature article revisits the practice of Lectio Divina as an opportunity to connect to the story of place in the natural world around us, engaging more deeply with its beings and spirits through observation, meditation, prayer and silent contemplation.

Holy Wild, Muse in Brief

Episode 10 – Celestial Seesaw » Dining with Druids

Alison Leigh Lilly

In this week's episode, "Celestial Seesaw", Ali and Jeff take a deep breath and plunge back into podcasting after a crazy-busy seven month hiatus, reflecting on the sacred pause of the equinox and sharing a few stories about their wedding (woot!), their cross-country move (woosh!) and their volunteer work as naturalists-in-training with the Seattle (woohoo!). Ali ponders the future of Paganism in a post-church world while using inappropriately awkward sports metaphors, and Jeff makes a few exquisitely bad jokes that you won't want to miss. We also announce our new podcast project and how you can get involved and help support your favorite rude Drudes! Click to listen.

Conservation, Holy Wild

Earth, Ecology and Environmentalism: Walking the Walk

Alison Leigh Lilly

There are more of us out there than you think. We may not always be flashing our Pagan flair — sometimes we're wearing worn old hiking books and mud-spattered rain coats instead of shimmering ceremonial robes, sometimes we put aside our pentacles and wands for a good pair of binoculars and a sturdy walking stick — but we're out there. Walking the walk. Doing the work.

Deep Ecology, Holy Wild

Exile: Beyond the Ninth Wave

Alison Leigh Lilly

Part of my identity as someone with a Celtic spirituality is the inescapable fact of exile. I am not only a person with Irish heritage living in the multicultural milieu of modern America, but I am also a polytheist and Pagan trying to connect with my ancestors across millennia of lost traditions from my place in a monotheistic, Abrahamic mainstream culture. It is within that diaspora — that exile — that I will have to discover, or forge, an authentic spiritual life.

Holy Wild, Poetry & Music

The Ponds, by Mary Oliver

Alison Leigh Lilly

In a moment of sad synchronicity, only a few hours after I posted this I found out that Mary Oliver is seriously ill. Writers and poets are sharing their stories about how her work has influenced them, and sending their blessings and prayers. I know many Druids and Pagans are also familiar with her work and have been touched by her vision and love of nature. Please take a few moments today to express your love and gratitude for an amazing woman, and consider sharing your story with her by sending her an open letter. In honor of our first Valentine's Day as husband and wife, I wanted to share the poem that Jeff and I had read at our wedding, "The Ponds," by Mary Oliver.