Spring Equinox – mt tam
This year was the first spring equinox ritual I hosted in my own home. I was so excited all the ladies from our women’s circle were coming and especially to receive Mary who was flying in from Milwaukee. The house was saged and cleansed with palo santo prior to everyone’s arrival. I had collected my moon blood on my alter and that morning I gave it to the Earth, as a sacred offering to our Mother for her return to the light, to celebrate her season of regeneration and growth, for all she gives us. I had found beautiful amethyst clusters for everyone and they were charging up on my 400 lbs, 250 million year old mama quartz, nestled in her crevices. Ran’s mother had created beautiful pouches made of her family’s vintage kimonos for each one. The ancestors were with us.
Spring is the time of awakening, of healing, of rebirth and renewal. It is a time for us to plant our seeds of creation and allow the blossoming energies of this time to launch us into a new future. Our ancient ancestors celebrated this day as the first day of the New Year.
Mary and I had drove across Mill Valley to Mt. Tam to climb her and to gather her sacred water for our sister circle. It was misty and ethereal. The forest was enchanting and inviting. Moss grew everywhere and we found a tree to rest against. In fact, it called Mary to it and immediately she felt a surge of electricity move through her legs. I touched the tree and placed my back against the trunk and immediately felt its nourishing, healing, natural energy feeding my spine. There was a beautiful gathering of trees where we sat and prayed by the stream which flowed from the highest Source of Mt. Tam. The peace from the sound of the water and leaves rustling with wind helped us further ground into the presence and stillness of the moment. We were beaming ear to ear for the grace of being together, and for this magical day in honor of Mother Earth. We prayed for balance and harmony for all beings, and guidance on how we may best serve. Our joy is being called forward by our Mother. She was pleased that we were creating the time to honor her in sacred ritual and circle with our sheer happiness.
The two of us skipped out of the forest feeling alive and rejuvenated and we went to the waterfall to collect the water for our ritual blessing. The hike in was sublime. It was starting to drizzle and the wind stirred up a gust of yellow leaves all around us, communicating its joy for this day through nature speak. I wanted to collect the water right at the highest vortex to gather water with the greatest complexity of structure, so that our water may be a vessel for our prayers and intentions as we blow them into our bowl and then later pour the water with all our prayers back into the Earth.
Everyone brought flowers and seeds for the altar. We chanted to Ganesh and Lakshmi. We shared our intentions. And we dove in together for a night of divine play and healing, connection and sharing. It was glorious and deeply transformative.
To Sacred Mt. Tam, to our rivers, lakes, oceans, and streams, to our forests, plants, flowers, and bees, to every living creature, and every living organism in this world,
Blessings Great Mother
and welcome!
Green life returns to the earth
blooming and blossoming
once more from the soil.
We welcome you,
Goddess of Spring
in the trees,
in the soil,
in the flowers,
in the rains,
in our hearts,
and in our veins.
We are grateful for your presence.
We honor you and ourselves, woven and interconnected in the great fabric of all life.
The next afternoon, in the nearest tree which stands tall by a floor to ceiling window close to our altar, about 40 birds flew into that tree. In nearly a year of living here, I have never seen so many birds in this tree at once. Clearly, they came because they felt the energy and wanted to let me know that they are aware when we honor the Earth and all of life. A gift given back from the greatest giver of all, Gaia.
