Michele Burke February, 2012

Kindness A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents…

Adapted and compiled by Sarah Conover

University of Washington Press (12 Mar 2001)

Paperback 120 pages

“Kindness” is a traditional collection of Buddist tales meant to guide us to a better understanding of others as well as ourselves. Aimed at all age groups, “Kindness” is a delight to read and a must have in any childs home library.

Tags: buddhist, children, pagan children

• Interviews & Reviews

Modred January, 2012

A Cobbler’s Child

“The cobbler’s children have no shoes,” I said to myself aloud.  I was watching my thirteen-year old daughter walk down the street in her Sunday best toward the church at the end of the block.  I’m not exactly sure what brought that particular adage to mind.  Perhaps, seeing my youngest child go down a spiritual road I’ve already traveled, I had the sensation of failing to provide the proper footwear.

But that’s an unfair bit of self-criticism.  Having raised three other children to adulthood I’ve learned a thing or two.  I watched without comment for a month-and-a-half as she continued her weekly ritual.

On Friday evening she was in her room upset after a tough day at school.  I asked if there was anything I could do.  She confessed she was struggling with feelings of guilt concerning her failures – some poor test grades, forgetting her household chores, not being respectful to her mother, and so on.  That’s why she had started going to church.  And so far it wasn’t helping.

“First off, you’re feeling more guilty than you should for such small mistakes.  Everyone makes them.  Just learn and try to do better next time.  And second, sitting in a church and getting lectured once a week is not going to help you,” I said.  “After all, it’s just a building.  Going there won’t help you any more than going to the mall once a week.  What you need is to do something, to take action.  Would you like for me to show you how to start?”

“You can do that?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.

“Of course!”

Together we went to the craft store and I bought her the beads she selected.  At home we sat together and strung them into a rosary.  From the bottom of my jewelry box I gave her my old silver Celtic cross to cap it off.  I showed her how to dress her candles and set up her altar.  We lit the incense, and by candlelight I instructed her on how to bless and consecrate her new beads for use in prayer.  When I taught her how to pray, her face was filled with delight and joy.

“But Dad, you’re a witch.  How do you know the Lord’s Prayer and all that stuff?” she asked.

“I used to be a Christian, the only one of all my Christian friends who had read the Bible cover-to-cover.  Twice.”  I said.  “There’s more than one way to bake bread my dear.  You can bake it using the names and books of the Christian way, the Muslim way, the Hindu way, or what-have-you.  I know the Christian way, but I’m a witch because I believe that God – and Goddess – are bigger than the names, rules, and books of the other ways.”  We talked awhile longer.  I told her how proud I was of her, and made it clear I would be happy to work with her as often as she likes.  She went and told her mother how much fun we had, and related every detail.

My wife, a Christian but not a church-goer, smiled, hugged, and praised.  She knows that few thirteen-year-old kids have the courage to walk into a strange church by themselves and take a seat, and that fewer still would get up early, get dressed, and set off down the cold road alone six Sundays in a row.  She knows our daughter has inherited our bravery and our love of God.

Only time will tell if she has inherited my love of the Goddess as well.

Tags: children, parenting

• Articles

CricketSong June, 2011

Raising Wiccans

It is my belief that children need to be taught spirituality and which path is taught is generally the path that the parents follow. If you follow a Wiccan path then teaching Wicca to your children is appropriate, if you follow a Christian path then teaching your children Christianity is appropriate. Does this mean that other religions or spiritual paths should be ignored? No. What it means is – you raise your children with the idea that there is a Divine Source from which all things flow; that there is something that connects all living beings. As that child matures you may then open the door to other paths so that the adolescent can experience other forms of spirituality and choose his path for himself. Children should understand that there are religions and spiritual paths that are different from theirs however, I believe that they first need to understand what their family believes. It is easy for them to become confused when there is a large amount of information being given to them.

So what is the role of children in a pagan family? Are they obedient slaves? Are they “seen and not heard”? Do they keep their opinions to themselves? Do they respect authority without question? And as pagans if we “spare the rod do we spoil the child”?

One of my Wiccan tenets state that “The Divine is connected to and is part of all living things and all life is sacred.” This means that every living, breathing thing has within itself Divine Energy. Me. You. And our children. With this in mind, I realize that all living beings deserve the same respect that I would give directly to the God and Goddess (The Divine); Gaia (Mother Earth), pets, friends, co-workers, neighbors and all other humans (strangers included) and most certainly my children – that which is of my own flesh and blood.

So I see nothing wrong in asking my child if they would like to go on a family vacation and where is it they would like to go. I see nothing inherently wrong with asking if they are okay with Mom or Dad going on a date without them. I think that it is very important for children to feel as if they have a respected opinion on the day to day activities of their family. They are in fact a valued part of it. I don’t view this as asking permission instead I view it as communication. If the child has a negative emotion in connection to what Mom and Dad have planned then this is the opportune time to investigate why that is occurring. It opens the door to healthy relationships within the family. It creates harmony and peace and nurtures love.

Now please understand that I am by no means advocating that children need no guidance. I am a parent of two wonderful, intelligent and compassionate children and comprehend that children need boundaries and guidance in order to feel protected, valued and loved. What I am saying is that they flourish when shown attention and interest. They need to have authority and liberty over some aspects of their lives even if it is only what color underwear they will wear that day. We can learn a lot from our children. They keep us fresh and young. They remind us to be happy and playful.

Will the child who is given such freedom be the child that commits parental abuse when they’re older? Of course not! The child who is shown attention and respect, the child who is valued and love, the child who is taught to respect herself and others because she knows that we are all connected and sacred beings will be the child to lead others to love. That child will be the counselor, the nurse, the mid-wife, the doula, the spiritual leader – the avatar. The child who is pushing their Mother in front of an advancing city bus at eight years old is the one who was hit and “slapped silly” and neglected because Mom had more important things to do then to spend the day with her son. That is the child who came home to an empty house every week day and was shipped off to his Father’s house every weekend to play with children he didn’t know. Or perhaps he was the boy who was parked in front of a TV screen or PC monitor whenever he wasn’t in school. He was the neglected. The disrespected. The under valued. She is the child who comes to my home and smiles when I pay her a compliment and asks what book she’s reading or what her favorite subject is in school.

The moral? Children are sacred beings that deserve our respect, attention and love. They chose to be born to us. We should ask them their opinions because they have opinions. We should teach them about value, love and respect by showing them. We should lead by example.

Tags: children, kids, raising

• Articles

Miss Dana June, 2011

Summer Solstice and Backyard Camping

What joy radiates through the house as summer begins!  The warmth of summer fills us with a languid feeling. Why hurry? This is the time to relax and recharge from Father Sun’s amazing energy. The celebrating of the Summer Solstice is an ancient custom that is as appropriate today as it was long ago.

The week leading up to the solstice is the time to gather anything you have around the house that has images of suns and fairies. Plan to have a feast that day. Grill out and eat as many yellow foods as you can think of! Corn on the cob, yellow peppers, squash, and golden apples to name a few. Our dessert is a giant sun created by covering a giant pizza size cookie with vanilla ice cream. Then we split 4 bananas lengthwise and place them as rays of the sun. Chocolate syrup draws the circle of the sun with chocolate kisses for eyes and strawberry syrup for the mouth. This is cute to look at and very tasty!

We decorate our yard with yellow streamers and sun shapes we cut out of paper plates and aluminum pie plates. Sun wheels are made with Popsicle sticks and yarn. We place candles in the yard and deck and leave our treats for the fairies.

That night we sleep outside. Could there be more fun than camping? Fresh air, trees, lightening bugs, mosquitoes, snakes, ticks … wait a minute! I got carried away. Let’s see, there were air, trees, bugs and Fire! Yes, the greatest draw of all is the campfire. I never really understood the attraction.

Of course, I did have my tennis shoe catch fire at Girl

Scout camp. OK, this is not about me, this is about the kids. And that includes Dad!

Our house has a backyard full of trees and a river. Over the years a campsite was developed.  Deer walking past tents in early dawn make it memorable. The kids like the cooking aspect. S’mores and french toast are the two sacred items on the menu.

No matter what kind of yard you have, even if you have an apartment balcony, sleeping out of doors is a magical treat for a child. Everything seems different and adventurous when sleeping outside. What child doesn’t like a flashlight? Kids don’t seem to mind the hard ground and sleeping bags, either. And on hot nights, sleeping on top of a sheet is enough. Kids don’t wake up with kinks in their necks and sore backs, like some grownups! Judge your yard and the age of your kids. If you trust them overnight without you, enjoy a quiet night inside. Otherwise, join them in the fun!

Tags: camping, children, kids, solstice, summer

• Articles

Hearthkeeper May, 2011

Children in our Magickal Lives

Many of us, Pagan, Wiccan and Witch have children. Again many of us hide what we believe from our children, whether to protect them, avoid drama, difficult spouses or whatever. But there are those of us that have been teaching our children since they were babies and for us it can be very hard to include our children in anything outside of our homes. The Pagan Community at large is often negative about children in group rituals.  Now after asking I have found out that this is not because they do not want children in the circle, but that they do not want the rude, loud, bratty grabby children in circle. You know the ones I mean. The ones who dance around, play with the altar, talk to everyone and the parent says nothing. They are very disruptive. And since we cannot tell what kind of child is entering the circle it can often come across as negative.

There are some things you can do to make sure your family has a good ritual experience.

First- find out if it a child friendly ritual or group- you would not want to have to explain “skyclad” to your 5 yr old.  Although my son at 5yrs old would have been ecstatic with being able to be naked in public, there are some legal ramifications to that. Also you will want to know if Children are welcome before you show up with them. There are many more “family” covens and groups no than there ever were.

Second- start young teaching them to know that although they may be able to touch or play with YOUR altar stuff… other people do not feel as good about it.

Third- Teach them to sit quietly with you. And if they cannot then it is YOUR responsibility to remove yourself and your child from the circle. It is very disruptive to be meditating and have a small child scream in frustration or anger. Make sure they have either napped before or are willing to rest during the ritual.

Something that you can do is get together with other parents and have a “child friendly” ritual where the children have a chance to run and jump and sing to help raise energy and that there is a small snack to “bribe “ them with to quiet down when you need them too. But if the children are included in the entire ritual they will be less likely to scream and fuss.

Fourth- You can start the training for ritual courtesy at home. Have regular ritual in the house so you child can learn in the comfort of the familiar. DO NOT expect the child who has NEVER been exposed to a ritual to be well behaved in one.  This will also show them by routine where the elements are. How they are to behave during quarter calls. What to do during meditation (crayons and books work well during this time.).

Remember to raise your child in Love and joy. Let them know that you do not think poorly of them if they do not behave perfectly. But that other will want them to behave better if they want to come with Mommy and Daddy to the Big Ritual.

Next, teach them some of the fundamentals of our beliefs that are less likely
to change.

The Earth is our Mother as well as our Home. The more we do to protect Her, the better our future will be. Some may call Her Gaia or Mother Earth, but She is a constant in nearly all Pagan belief systems.
Teach them the Wheel of the Year as a beautiful, never ending
dance that celebrates nature in all its phases. It does not matter whether we
call it Beltane or someone else calls it May Day; it is the principles behind
the holidays that are important: a celebration of life, a celebration of
change, and a celebration of the natural world.

Show them how the Moon an how we all share the experience of going
through waxing, mature, waning and dark phases in our lives, and She is our
nightly reminder of this fact. Her monthly journey mirrors our own.

Encourage them to do Magick on their own. The skills we initially strive to
learn when we start out on the Path (meditation and visualization) , children
have not yet forgotten – they just call it daydreaming and imagination.
Children are naturally more creative and Magickal than adults. They may
surprise you by their ability. Teach them to cast spells in a very natural way.
There is no need for ritual even as an adult, so teach them simple chants and
spells.

Let your children figure out who the Gods are for themselves. Even in our own Pagan
culture we call Divinity by many different names and we see many different
faces.

Give to them that love of all things natural. Show them the magic of sitting
under a tree, watching the clouds, and growing things in the ground, by the
first crisp fall morning or the first sweet drops of snow in winter, the smell
of the ocean breeze or the brilliant colors of the first spring flowers

Now another issue that is important is to not force your child to follow just your religion. Teach them that there are other belief systems out there and that all paths lead to Deity (God/dess) That you are ok if they find God/dess in another venue as they grow. I had this rear its ugly head in a weird way. My then 16 yr old son decided he was going to be an Atheist. After a while he wandered back, but after time we found out that he was rebelling against my belief. And wow… where do Pagan/Wiccan/Witchy children rebel to…  I mean really… Most Christian children go Gothy and look at Satanism, Paganism and other “darker” beliefs. So where do Pagan Children rebel too. LOL.. but if you teach them about the different ways to look at God/dess then they will feel more in control as they will be better informed.

An interfaith household does have special problems, and paganism seems to present more than some other faiths. Many Christians especially have been taught that paganism is the antithesis of their beliefs, and most people of any religion will want the children brought up in their own religion… The solution could be exposing the child/ren to both religions and any questions they have are answered honestly. Respect is a big part of a healthy marriage and that includes respect for each other’s beliefs.

If your family has problems with your religion, respect will play a big part here too. Explain your beliefs to your parents, but be sure to explain their beliefs to your children as well. Make sure your children know that Grandma and Grandpa are not bad because their beliefs are different, and ask your parents to avoid denigrating your beliefs. If they have trouble with this, remember that they are scared. For most of them, paganism goes against everything they have ever been taught, and they may be truly concerned for your safety, or the safety of your “soul.” They may perceive a Wiccan lifestyle as a devaluation of their whole lives, of everything they worked for, everything they tried to teach you.

If your child is older( maybe 10 and up) when you find your way to Paganism/Wicca or Witchcraft. Then I recommend honesty with them. Let them know that you( as a person) are ever learning and that you recently learned about Paganism/ Wicca or Witchcraft and that it made you feel really good. So you learned more. And when you did it made you look at things differently. You know.. Explain it to them the same way you would a stranger.. To help them understand that you had a life changing moment and that this will be a part of their world from now on. And that you would like them to learn more about it as well so that they will understand better what You are doing.

Don’t try to make your children into little miniature versions of you. Remember that your children are individuals with their own needs and desires. They need your wisdom and guidance, but ultimately they need the power to make their own decisions and have you respect those decisions.

Until next time

Blessed Home and Hearth

The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

Tags: children, magic, magick

• Articles

Modred March, 2011

Let’s Make Soup

Last month in my article “I’ll Have the Afterlife Gravy” I talked about the question of an afterlife.  This month I’m extending the food metaphor with a practical soup-making lesson to explore related concepts.

Pick a time for this exercise when your home, especially your kitchen, will be really quiet and you can be alone and uninterrupted.  Get up early in the morning or stay up late if need be, so that the rest of the house will be asleep.

First get your hands on a good soup recipe.  Pull out your favorite one if you like, but if you’re at a loss I’ve included a very simple one at the bottom of the page.  Get out your ingredients ready, and your tools — a good pot and a stout wooden spoon for sure.

Relax and clear your head as you begin to cook.  Spend the first few minutes just thinking about the Goddess’ great Cauldron.  Try to envision it in your mind; don’t get so absorbed in the work that you make a big mistake or catch your kitchen on fire; achieve a relaxed and contemplative state of mind rather than a full-on trance.

As you add ingredients to the pot, imagine that you are the Goddess.  All life is fed by death; the dead nourish the ground which feeds the plants, the predator takes its prey, and the hunter’s kill graces the table.  Think about how the Goddess takes all things home to the Cauldron when they pass, and all the souls go in — just like the ingredients are going into your soup pot.

As you add your seasonings and take the occasional taste, imagine that you are like the Goddess making the mix just right as she prepares to pour a ladle of Life into a new born babe.  Really think about this.  Don’t play at it.  This is real witchcraft of the kitchen kind.

When it comes time to eat your soup, take in the blessing of nourishment with the knowledge that all is as it should be.  In due time you and everyone you know will return to the cauldron to be briefly be at one before being ladled lovingly back into the world another day.  For it is the nature of all things to perish and for new things to be born in their place.

Simple and Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb beef, browned and drained (small soup cuts or ground beef)

1 lb mixed veggies (fresh or frozen)

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

Beef stock (to desired thickness)

Bouillon cubes (1 or more, as desired to taste)

Worcestershire sauce (a few splashes, to taste)

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Put all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Tags: children, kids, parenting, soup

• Articles , Recipes

Miss Dana March, 2011

March Simplicity

This turn of the year brings with it bird song, flower buds and warmer days. It is a time for new beginnings and births. We instinctively long to be outside to feel and connect with the return of the sun.

I try to walk everyday and I love to hear the birds sing on these chilly mornings! I am ready to reconnect with the wider world after winter’s dark quiet. All of the ideas that have been germinating in my mind are ready to move into the light and grow. I have the energy to put action behind the ideas. To “give birth” to plans conceived in winter!

Our families are bursting out also. There is so much to do at school, after school and weekends that we can become scattered and feeling detached. How can we juggle everything at once? Ever feel like the plate jugglers on the old variety shows? Don’t let the plates slow down or they will drop and break! Yikes! A wise man once said to me, “you can do everything you want to do, just not at the same time.” How true. And how comforting a thought. I can do everything and our kids can do everything. The lesson is to choose what is right for the current time. Prioritize. Don’t overbook yourself and don’t overbook your children. We all need play time and we all need to be together in peacefulness. Soon enough, they will be out on their own. While we are a family under one roof, let’s cherish and protect as much time together as possible.

Being present in our children’s lives

Those of us who live with children know the amazing energy and powers of observation children have. It is my opinion that there is nothing more important than raising our children ourselves. I mean by that statement, that we must not allow television, advertising, movies, computer games, other children or families to raise our children for us. It is harder than one can imagine, and I believe a responsibility we automatically have the moment we invite a child into our lives. I was raised in a time when children were seen and not heard. Whereas I believe in teaching manners and appropriate behavior, I also know that children have much to teach us. We must listen and watch.

When we leave the television off and play a hand of crazy eight’s with our kids after dinner, we are enriching their lives on many levels. Memories of fun times shared follow us throughout our lives and bring smiles to our faces. Taking thirty minutes to walk outside with our kids brings to us the fresh awareness of life around us and how miraculous it is. Our children show us by their example how to marvel at the most humble of life. Watch a young child discover an earthworm. We will learn to breathe in and look a new at nature around us. We will also learn more about these people in our lives.

Nature shares many lessons with us. One of them is the lesson of rhythm. There is a rhythm in the seasons. There is a rhythm to our day. An inward breath of reflection and quiet, and an exhale of expansiveness and action. When we allow the natural rhythm of our daily lives to guide us, we can put some order into our family life.

We can do it all. We have a lifetime to do it in. And so do our children.

Tags: children, kids, march, parenting

• Articles

Jennie Johnston February, 2011

Pregnant and Pagan

As I write today I am 31 weeks pregnant with my second child.  My body is preparing for the sacred event of bringing forth a baby, birthing both a new soul and a new version of the mother in myself.  Making the “mundane” moments of life sacred is part of my spiritual path.  Because pagans are nature/earth based in our beliefs it seems that we herald being in our bodies and treating them as temples.

I often wonder how we do at this though.  Do we really treat our bodies with the care and reverence that we have for our gods or our sacred places?  And when we go through these huge life and body altering phases do we connect them with our myths and legends or do we let the rather institutional approach to childbearing in particular shade our experience of these life milestones?

The energy that accompanies the birthing of a child is primal and connects one to all the women who have done it before.  It is a lineage of creation that is reflected in the earth’s roundness and fertility.  I believe that, I feel that, but it does not translate well into every day life.  Due to the limited time that I give to my personal practice while raising a young family the practicality of communion with deity or even this time around setting up an altar is lacking.  There are moments of bliss, moments of frustration and being uncomfortable and moments of fear.  The vessel that my body has become to bring forth this new life is overwhelming in its implication and yet so simple in its purpose at the same time.

Motherhood is venerated in many religions but also controlled tightly in the physical and practical sense.  So while one might feel empowered by Mother Mary’s birthing story as a Christian or just in general the joy in that story is certainly not easy to translate into sterile hospital rooms or with the use of interventions that the North American birth culture considers the norm.

Having chosen to birth our first son at home, as we plan again with our second son my husband and I stepped outside of the routine many find comforting choosing instead to let the process be as organic as possible.  The sacredness was not lost on me in the moments but it is also such a primal experience that it kept me from idealizing the experience too much.  So my approach to pregnancy, birth and motherhood is not one that I put on a pedestal, it is rooted in the holy dirt, held by the trees, and blows in whirlwinds with the leaves.

Most importantly we must support women as they endeavor to take these journeys of transformation.  Our bodies are ours even when we carry new life in them, or better yet especially because we do.  Until you have conceived, nurtured and grown a child from the inside, birthing it and feeding it from your body the profoundness of the process is hard to grasp.  The story of Demeter grieving Persephone being away from her is relatable when you count the hours of time, nurturing and patience that a mother gives to her children.  I see the miraculous act that my body has performed and will again perform.  The fact that it knows what to do all by itself is also incredible.  Often when the chips are down we just have to let our minds wonder off somewhere else and surrender to the body’s innate sense of what must happen.

Somewhere between glowy pregnant women rocking their unborn babes as they dance in spring fields and formulaic scientific jargon about what my body is doing this week lies my connection to spirit and my growing baby.  I will try to honour the process as the days move on towards their climax and feel the ancestors calmly or sometimes loudly calling the names of all that have been there, done that.  It is a good place, a holy place but overall it is a human and animal place to be.

Tags: children, parenting, pregnancy

• Articles

Administrator February, 2011

Earth Day: An Alphabet Book is a beautiful tribute for children to pay mother earth, while simultaneously learning their alphabet.  More than just an ordinary alphabet book, it is a beautifully drawn book that reminds us to give thanks for everything around us.  It teaches a child a sense of gratitude.

Author Gary Kowalski has generously taken the time to sit with our readers and share his thoughts.

PaganPages: Hello Gary!  It is a pleasure to meet you.  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself first?  You are a minister of a Unitarian Universalist Church, can you tell us a bit about it?

Gary Kowalski: Unitarian Universalism is a faith that embraces of people of all beliefs and backgrounds.  I have pagans, atheists, Buddhists and Christians in my congregation, who like the freedom to find their own answers and learn from those on differing spiritual paths.  We’ve been around since colonial times in America.  Figures like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who identified themselves as Unitarians, were busy making a political revolution but also demanded the right to independent opinion in the religious sphere.  In fact, many of the Founding Fathers drew more inspiration from the pagan authors of classical Greece and Rome than from the Bible.  Even then, they were looking to nature rather than scripture or traditional Christian doctrine as the primary revelation of divinity.

PP:What made you decide to write an alphabet book?

GK:As children, we naturally appreciate Mother Earth and other living creatures.  Research shows that young kids, for instance, dream about animals constantly.  Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson thinks human beings are endowed with “biophilia,” an inborn attraction to butterflies and pinecones and polar bears as part of our evolutionary inheritance.  Too often that inborn sense of awe and reverence disappears as we age.  So a book for children makes perfect sense.

PP:Why base it on Earth Day?

GK:People of every religious tradition can embrace Earth Day.  It’s not a sectarian holiday, but a moment to consider our interdependence with air, sun, water and soil and re-commit to preserving the environment for future generations.  The ecological crisis is really a spiritual crisis.  The political will to save the Earth can only arise when individuals of every religion begin to realize that the planet does not belong to us but is the property of God or the Great Spirit or Maha Devi (the Hindu Goddess) or whatever name you give to that creative mystery.  We’re just holding the world in trust.

PP:What was your inspiration behind the book?

GK:My own mystical moments have come through relationships with animals, like my dog Chinook whom I once called my “spiritual guide.”  So I tend to think that there’s a bit of nature worshiper in all of us, not just Wiccans and Druids but garden-variety tree-huggers like me who experience a contact high from walking on the beach or watching the geese migrate south in the autumn.  Jane Goodall reports that even chimpanzees perform a “rain dance” when there’s big weather in the sky.  There’s a thrill from feeling connected to all those elemental forces, so much older and more powerful than our own transient egos.

PP:Did you choose the inspirational artwork that compliments your thoughts in the book or collaborate with the artist?

GK:No, but the illustrations by Rocco Baviera are delightful: colorful, simple, and lighthearted to accompany what I hope is a joyous message of kinship with creation.

PP:Did your role as a minister help with writing this book?

GK:The words originated as material for Sunday morning.  So I didn’t set out with the intention to write a book, but to summon up a sense of the sacred circle that includes us all.

PP:Is your publisher a part of your ministry?

GK:Skinner House is the publishing arm of the Unitarian Universalist Association.  Several years ago they published a curriculum I wrote on World Religions, as well as a brief volume of personal essays titled Green Mountain Spring and Other Leaps of Faith.

PP:Have you written any other books?

GK:The Souls of Animals, my first book, and Goodbye Friend: Healing Wisdom For Anyone Who Has Ever Lost A Pet (both from New World Library) have been translated into six languages and sold in the hundreds of thousands.  I’ve published two other titles with Lantern , Science and the Search for God and The Bible According To Noah: Theology As If Animals Mattered. Finally, there’s Revolutionary Spirits: The Enlightened Faith of America’s Founding Fathers (BlueBridge Publishing) which came out in 2008.  You’ll find all my books on Amazon or, better yet, you can order them through your local, independent bookstore.

Although, Gary Himself, is not a pagan, his earth worship has inspired us and we hope it inspires you and your children, as well.

Thank you Gary for your time and your thoughts!  Your book is beautiful and has taught us about giving thanks for our everyday.

Tags: author book, children, earth day, gary kowalski

• Interviews & Reviews

Jennie Johnston December, 2010

For the Love of Trees

At this time of year; the holiday season as it has been dubbed by our “inclusive” culture, it can be hard for parents to keep meaning in the countless celebrations and the consumer driven racket that surrounds our children.  Many of us grew up celebrating Christmas whether religiously or from a secular perspective and most Pagans I read about integrate Yule, Winter Solstice, Christmas or Hanukah however it works best for their families.  Keeping it simple is something I strive for at this time of year.  This is my favourite holiday and as such I love the decorations, songs, and symbols of giving and peace that accompany the season.  One symbol that I particularly love is the evergreen tree.

Sharing the history of the tree portion of this holiday is rather challenging as the precise origins of the tree decorating that we do today is debatable.  There are several theories of exactly where it came from but the veneration of evergreens has pagan origins and there are countless ways that we can celebrate trees and the magic that they represent for our children at this time of year.

Taking a walk in a forested area with your young ones at this time of year gives them a chance to appreciate the differences this season offers.  You can talk about the shape of the deciduous trees that are now mostly leafless, notice if there are any bird’s nests visible and point them out.  If the weather is mild enough you can even make some drawings in a sketch book and plan on returning in the summer to notice the differences.  When encountering evergreens you can point out the contrasts of shape, texture and stature (and don’t forget that wonderful smell).  It may have been hard to notice them in the summer and now they dominate the forest and give off a frosty glow if covered in snow.

You can collect boughs that have fallen to decorate your home.   There are many options for using them:   Wreaths, smudge sticks, garlands, centerpieces, incenses or tree inspired arts and crafts.   You may also want to create a tree honouring ritual with your little ones.  You can do this while out in nature or in your home with your Yule tree as the focal point.  If you choose the outdoors the child can pick a tree to learn about and commune with.  In this case it doesn’t matter whether it is an evergreen or not since you are trying to inspire a relationship with and towards trees as sacred beings.   If you are intent on keeping the evergreen as the focus you can bring your little ones to a Christmas tree farm where they can perhaps have a hand in choosing the family tree while learning of the sacrifice the tree gives for our celebration, and the time it takes to grow a tree in the first place.

If your family chooses an artificial tree it is important to share the reasons why with your child.  Allergies, environmental impact, budget constraints, all are important reasons your children can appreciate.  A key to keeping the bustle of the season less chaotic is to discuss the insanity of overspending and consumption that skews the real messages behind the celebrations.  Don’t feel guilty if you cannot afford every toy in the catalogue, you have the power to make this holiday reflect your families values.  Since it is cold in the Northern Hemisphere you can create a sanctuary in your home for the whole family to revel in.  The early darkness can inspire quiet evenings of reading, games and gazing at the lovely tree you’ve decorated together.

Trees can even inspire your holiday meals and gifts.  You can have each child choose a tree that will be their “totem” for the season and try to create activities, place settings and gifts that honour those.  Share the magic of the season with the simplicity of trees and watch that magic reflect in the eyes of those you love the most.   Happy Holidays & Bright Blessings to you and yours this season.

Tags: children, kids, parenting, trees

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