<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" 
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
    xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd">
	<channel>
<title>Lord Peregrine&#x27;s Musings</title><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/index.php</link><description>Hot News&#x21;</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2008 Andrew Vernon</dc:rights><dc:date>2011-09-24T17:38:31+01:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
<admin:errorReportsTo rdf:resource="mailto:ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com" /><sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
<sy:updateBase>2000-01-01T12:00+00:00</sy:updateBase>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:50:10 +0100</lastBuildDate><item><title>The Passing of Lord Merlin</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-09-24T17:38:31+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/acb09c6249b4329649b954e529600244-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/acb09c6249b4329649b954e529600244-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is with a very heavy heart that I announce that our dear Lord Merlin, Elder High Priest of Ravenwood, passed into the Sumerland at approximately 1:00pm on the first day following the Autumn Equinox, September 23rd, 2011.    He was a guide and a sage to many, serving as Elder High Priest of Ravenwood, the entire Ravenwood Tradition, including Sage Moon Grove, as well as Children of the Cauldron and Glen Luna.


Lord Merlin was born in England and was initiated as a Priest of the Old Religion to a traditional coven known as the Rose Wreath.  

...He is survived by many who thought of him as family; however, most especially by Lady Eurythmy, his Goddaughter, and High Priestess of Glen Luna.  ...  He lived next door to Lady Eurythmy who looked after him like the daughter that she was and who, over the years, has become like a close sister to me.


...His taught me through conversation:  a brief mention here, a small insight there, all forming a broad mosaic of meaning surrounding the Old Religion--a composite that has deepened and energized my own path and teachings.    He touched many priests, priestesses and practitioners of the Old Religion and, as he often shared with me, he was amazed at what a wonderful life has had &ldquo;in this religion.&rdquo;    I was proud that he called me (along with my dear brother Lord Logan) his Squire, helping him whenever I could, but realizing that I was the main beneficiary in the relationship.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations </title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-09-05T01:34:22+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/74f985aea1ecbe65ddd4b5e3188d1953-29.html#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/74f985aea1ecbe65ddd4b5e3188d1953-29.html#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Be it Known 


...Myst of the Wildwood


Doth Confer Upon 


...The rank and title of Priestess of the First Degree


On the night of 27 August 2011


at Myst of the Wildwood


Doraville, Georgia


Witnessed by Elders of the Ravenwood Tradition]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-04-10T20:10:28+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/675fbd083b8ad5384eae72f98b64e375-28.html#unique-entry-id-28</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/675fbd083b8ad5384eae72f98b64e375-28.html#unique-entry-id-28</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Be it Known 


...Sage Moon Grove


Doth Confer Upon 


...The rank and title of Priest of the First Degree,


...The rank and title of Priestess of the First Degree.


...The rank and title of Priestess of the First Degree.


On the night of 9 April 2011


at Sage Moon Grove
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Passing of Lord Senthor</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-03-19T22:01:07+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2378d72c63b08f088dc0f40f65167485-27.html#unique-entry-id-27</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2378d72c63b08f088dc0f40f65167485-27.html#unique-entry-id-27</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Sage Moon Grove announces that Lord Senthor, High Priest of the Children of the Cauldron passed into the Summerland on March 14, 2011.   Lord Senthor was a Third-degree initiate of Lord Merlin, Elder High Priest of Ravenwood and of Sage Moon Grove.    Lord Senthor&rsquo;s group, Children of the Cauldron, which he led with Lady Epona, was founded years ago to serve the Craft community in Eastern Alabama. &nbsp;


Lord Senthor and Lady Epona, who are our Ravenwood-trained and initiates, hosted me at their covenstead at Beltane of 2004. &nbsp;  His group welcomed me as if I was a member of the family.


...He played the guitar for a pagan band called "Moonstruck." &nbsp;  They produced several albums and played at many pagan gatherings throughout the Southeast. &nbsp;   At Lady Sintana's memorial service in October, I had the joy of joining Lord Senthor in singing "Circles,&rdquo; a song that he recorded with Moonstruck, several years ago. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Land of the Rising Sun</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-03-12T17:54:23+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2485a364c1152357115c13b8a99a67f7-26.html#unique-entry-id-26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2485a364c1152357115c13b8a99a67f7-26.html#unique-entry-id-26</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[From the perspective of Mainland China, Japan has always been in the direction of the Great Eastern Sun, the place of beginnings and of wakefulness, the place of hope. &nbsp; ...  It is a place where the ancient pagan animistic beliefs of Shinto--which means literally, the Way of the Gods--never died out. &nbsp;  As a result of the inevitable impact of Shinto on the nation's culture, harmony with the group and with Nature is deeply embedded in the Japanese psyche.&nbsp;&nbsp;


The devastation of yesterday's earthquake reminds us starkly of how powerful nature is and how deadly it can be. 

...I invite you all tonight and this weekend to send pure white light and love to the nation of the Rising Sun. &nbsp;  Let us pray that people's pain and suffering is assuaged, may people find a place of harmony in their souls, even in the midst of seeming disharmony with nature, may grief give way eventually but steadily to reverence for the dead, as they move into a place of honor as ancestor spirits. &nbsp;  May the people of Japan again find comfort in walking through the gates of sacredness to their shrines. &nbsp;  And may the Sun of tomorrow bring with it a sense of hope and clarity in the midst of despair and confusion.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Darkness&#x2c; Without the Champagne</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2011-01-12T16:11:21+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/ebe1059c146596f7e12fee1fa6bc2943-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/ebe1059c146596f7e12fee1fa6bc2943-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I come home from work at 6:30 and it has already been dark for an hour and a half and I feel ready for bed.   As a child, I didn&rsquo;t like January:  back to school and a long way to go until our next break.  

...Simplicity has been quite a trend in the last 10 years, no doubt a response to the fact that complexity has reached a bit of a tipping point in most of our lives.   We are seemingly at our limit in terms of our ability to handle more choices, more tasks, more expectations, more connectivity, more information, more entertainment options, more things vying for our attention.   All this comes to us in the face of less time, fewer job opportunities, less money (more debt) and greater stress.  ...  So it is a constant struggle to stay balanced and grounded, but still spiritual in these times of complexity and hardship.


...It burns as a simple sentinel to the return of the sun, and as a reminder to keep our inner spiritual flame alive.  ...  Burn a red candle as a reminder of the heat of summer, and of the passion of your spiritual practice, whatever that may be.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Should 2010 Be Forgot...</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-12-31T17:28:15+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/968a1f2c81f2fa52575dab4d74302823-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/968a1f2c81f2fa52575dab4d74302823-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is not a scientific assessment:  virtually every Pagan I&rsquo;ve spoken to recently has remarked that this past year has been extraordinarily difficult.   Many people important to us have chosen this year to pass into the Summerland.    The so-called economic recovery has been imperceptible to many of us.  


...An astrologer friend of mine said that the past three months have shown planetary alignment not seen since around the Great Depression.  

...Over the last couple of difficult years, many of us have, on New Year&rsquo;s Eve, toasted the evening by saying goodbye and thanking the Gods that it is over.  

...However, while times have been tough, I urge you tonight, to reflect on what lessons the year has brought through the difficulties.    Often, that is the only way our conscious selves will pay attention to lessons.   Reflect on those lessons, connect them into a web of meaning for yourself, decide what implications those lessons have for you this coming year and commit to yourself to make whatever changes you think will support your personal growth.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hallows: Endings and Beginnings</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-10-31T18:24:46+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/c28737088a3e1f0e77d289fc044805bc-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/c28737088a3e1f0e77d289fc044805bc-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We celebrate, at this time, the ending of a year of great upheaval, challenge and even trauma.    The environment has been tough for many of us, but we must not lose the lesson.  


At our Hallows ritual last night, our priestess spoke of these lessons:  the idea that they we must take care not to treat them too superficially.   We must not fall into the trap of naming them and then trying to forget them (tempting as it is!)    Instead, we must look at them as cut grass that can be plowed back into the Earth to make the soil richer.  

...In many ways, this is a healthy grieving process, which we pagans do at this time of year.  

...As we move into the Celtic New Year tonight, I invite all of you to allow your lessons to transform you as you begin a new cycle of spiritual development and learning.    At the end of the day--or the end of the year--we must remember that ultimately, we are our own priests and priestesses.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Broom Closet Door is Half Open</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-10-04T05:23:07+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/18d27a95c9d1e6d0e273e3edd54e0858-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/18d27a95c9d1e6d0e273e3edd54e0858-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[These two High Priestesses, my elders, demonstrated how it was the collection of these experiences that shaped their toughness as leaders in Wicca and sharpened their resolve to continue the fight for religious freedom.  


...He also read a letter from Lord Lugh who offered a heartfelt account of the power of the Lady&rsquo;s teachings and how Wicca offered him a unique opportunity to grow in mind and spirit.


...He told of the time when he and the Lady were interviewed by Ted Turner&rsquo;s fledgling cable channel (channel 17 in Atlanta) in the late 1970s to shed light on what Wicca was really about.   

...Lord Merlin ended his eulogy, not by extolling Lady Sintana&rsquo;s contributions to gaining tax-exempt status for Ravenwood, as a legally recognized church, but by challenging those in attendance to live more openly as Wiccans.  ...  Lord Merlin added that when he was recently admitted to hospital in Canton, GA (this is deep Bible-Belt country, mind you), the doctor noticed the pentacle around his neck and asked if Lord Merlin was a Wiccan.  

...The fight for legal religious freedom has largely been won in this country thanks to the efforts of people like Lady Sintana, Lord Merlin and Selena Fox.  

...She asked me about my own ministry and I shared with her my perspective on where Wicca fits in the constellation of human spirituality and what it uniquely offers the seeker.  ...  She ended by saying that she still had to educate herself more about Wicca, but that from what she saw, we all seemed like &ldquo;very nice people.&rdquo;  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Lady Sintana</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-09-25T20:16:51+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/0b07e6c2afbdcd4e4ce693b5d09b18c5-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/0b07e6c2afbdcd4e4ce693b5d09b18c5-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that Lady Sintana passed into the Summerland Friday, September 17 at approximately 6:00 PM, Eastern Daylight Time. &nbsp;...  She is survived by her daughter and by Lord Merlin, her Consort, High Priest and husband of twenty-seven years.


We must all be grateful for the contribution she made to us as the Witch Queen and Founder of Ravenwood Church and Seminary of the Old Religion and of our Tradition. &nbsp;  She was an force of will to be reckoned with and forged a path for all of us so that we could practice our faith in peace and love. &nbsp;

...Apart from her achievements as a pioneer in religious tolerance, Lady Sintana was someone who was the consummate teacher. &nbsp;  She was devoted to the Goddess, and yet at the same time, to the belief that all paths lead up the same mountain. &nbsp;

...She passed at sundown--the beginning of the Jewish High Holy day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, or the day of "at-one-ment." &nbsp;  I feel that it is a reminder to all of us that we are all on the same quest to unite with the divinity found all around us, especially the divinity found in our own hearts.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-07-28T01:06:39+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/367b615a0a4dba01c6f19e72f86ae5ae-19.html#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/367b615a0a4dba01c6f19e72f86ae5ae-19.html#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Doth Confer Upon 


...The rank and title of Priestess of the First Degree,


...The rank and title of Priest of the First Degree.


...The House of Dragonwood


...The rank and title of Priestess of the First Degree.


Witnessed by the High Priestesses of Ravenwood, RavenStone and Myst of the Wildwood


On the night of 24 July 2010 C.E.


at Sage Moon Grove
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-06-13T23:02:39+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/6719e4bd3d7f4c217dd1f25b3d82507c-18.html#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/6719e4bd3d7f4c217dd1f25b3d82507c-18.html#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Be it Known that the House of RavenStone


Doth Confer Upon the following Initiates


The Rank and Title of High Priest/ High Priestess of the Third Degree:


Lady Jasmine, High Priestess of Grove of the Willow Wood


Lord Solandrin, High Priest of Grove of the Willow Wood


Lady Fatima, of the House of RavenStone


Lord Thespis, of the House of RavenStone


On 11 June 2010 C.E.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2010-03-30T06:54:23+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/ad9f10981cad97936f71a852f4f02d29-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/ad9f10981cad97936f71a852f4f02d29-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Be it known that Ravenwood Church & Seminary of the Old Religion


Doth confer upon


...The Rank and Title of Ordained Minister and High Priest of the Third Degree


and Ravenwood Church & Seminary of the Old Religion along with


Myst of the Wildwood


Doth confer upon


...The Rank and Title of Associate Minister and Priestess and Priest of the Second Degree, respectively.


On 27th March 2010 C.E.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Lady Gwendolyn</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-07-03T20:23:16+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/d6492fc1ab811bda6352bcb8bfde9032-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/d6492fc1ab811bda6352bcb8bfde9032-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is with tremendous love, respect, and sadness that I must announce that


...While our hearts are filled with grief on this plane may she journey peacefully and in joy in the Summer Realms. 


...I would like also to share a tribute that I wrote for her Memorial Service, which was held on July 1, 2009 in Atlanta.


...I learned more about smoke than fire from you because that was your mystery.


I learned about magick and common sense because they were the same to you.


I was graced by your energy as I finally gained my footing stepping gingerly out into the Priesthood


...You did so with your Will, Faith, and Daring and you taught us with your Silence.


...Always taught us something about the world and about our Ways,
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ora Pro Nobis</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2009-03-05T03:26:28+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/146e8c4da354f02fe671293cd7992334-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/146e8c4da354f02fe671293cd7992334-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Footprints carved in wood, which locals believe were made by a worshipper who prayed at the same spot for decades, are seen at a monastery near Tongren, Qinghai province February 5, 2009. 

...We do not worship because the Gods are in all life, including in us.  

...Instead, we can think about it as &ldquo;giving over&rdquo; yourself to a greater connection:  to the Earth, to life,  to Spirit.  ...  This implies humility and not allowing the ego to take hold, which is, in my view, the opposite of separation.


...A student of mine who is an ex-Catholic nun sent it to me and stated that it reminded her of when she was a nun standing in the choir of a 16th century monastic abbey.  ...  The experience of standing in their place and footprints made the sense of on-going prayer a reality.   There she stood where those before her had stood for hundreds of years, humbly praying the same prayers and keeping the cycle of prayer going.


...We are continuing the cycle because by stepping into circle on a Sabbat or a Moon, we are doing what our ancestors have done for eons: connect with Nature, with Spirit, with Life and with the Gods.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Wheel Grinds</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-12-14T23:49:47+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/3f999a1d0f215e826256e3bbbf9d2cc3-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/3f999a1d0f215e826256e3bbbf9d2cc3-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As we look at the world around us, the Goddess principle is going dormant, and the God energy is in decline, and so both Goddess and God can be seen as being in retreat.    Since Hallows, we&rsquo;ve seen an election filled with hope, a worsening financial crisis, we&rsquo;ve seen the surfacing of old hatreds in state elections, terrorist attacks in Mumbai and an unfolding global economic slowdown.   ...  But despite how we perceive the presence of the Gods in the natural world, we must remember that the lesson is that they never leave us for the Gods are part of us.

...Gay Marriage:  Regardless of anyone&rsquo;s views on the religious definition of marriage, the desire to remove rights is the wrong approach to expressing religious beliefs because the motivation is not to stand up for your own beliefs, but to separate and isolate a small group.    Nature teaches that no matter how hard you try to contain the freedom of any being, to put up walls, to separate &ldquo;us&rdquo; from &ldquo;them&rdquo; results in unintended consequences.  

...When a person is trampled to death in a Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving in a shopping frenzy, we must look at the symbolism of this tragedy.  

...This means not trying to set up false separations but embracing the oneness that we are all part of, as a country, a people, a planet, as spiritual beings.  

...Perhaps the lesson of the season is that the God and Goddess are not front-and-center at this time of year precisely so that we can hold them in our hearts and live up to our own divinity by accepting the lessons of the world, learning from them and seeking harmony within our selves and with the world around us &ndash; just as nature teaches.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Summer</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2008-05-27T05:33:47+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/490f931dd33e95cca50caf5c931419ea-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/490f931dd33e95cca50caf5c931419ea-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[For many of us, summer brings a certain joy of long days, warm nights and memories of the rest and play of our childhood.    Sometimes we forget, as adults who work in the summer, that the delight of the moment can be the deepest magick of this season.    There is magick in noticing the shadowless sunlight at noon on Midsummer Day.    There is magick in staring at a field of sunflowers.  ...  There is magick in the heat of the day.  ...  There is magick in the smell of honeysuckle and jasmine.


Children know and understand this magick and much of our journey as People of the Earth involves reconnecting with the perception of children.  ...  It is in this way that, no matter where we live, we allow ourselves an Eternal Summer that shall not fade.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Peace in the New Year</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-12-31T03:31:07+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/627c235b81c3c8ed3f44ac0c54d9c576-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/627c235b81c3c8ed3f44ac0c54d9c576-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And, we pagans cannot stop and wonder whether it was her gender, as much as her message of democracy, that her assassins found so abhorrent.  


...But, as we approach a new calendar year (our spiritual new year occurred at Hallows), we are reminded that the Universe seeks the balance of all things in nature, of all polarities:  masculine and feminine, dark and light.  ...  Theirs is a world not of resolving and integrating these polarities, but of trying to eliminate one extreme while occupying another.  


...For trying to demonize your opponent, only removes you from compassion, connection and humanity, all things that bring us into harmony with our world, and into happiness.  

...This is because we are connected to those on whom we would perpetrate the revenge and our negative actions will only reverberate back to us in some way, often magnified.


Let us hope, in this new year, that our world will begin to see that harm and malice cannot be dealt with by drawing lines.  ...  But, we must not do so in a way that polarizes, for this will only make things worse. 

I invite you all to raise a glass to a new year filled with understanding, balance and harmony, with a desire to recognize that all people are seeking happiness, regardless of how misguided they might be.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Dark Quest</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-11-26T03:29:59+00:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/46a2a5b9ba8f2a67a506749fbcb5f501-9.html#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/46a2a5b9ba8f2a67a506749fbcb5f501-9.html#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My friends, after a long period of warmth and tremendous upheaval from the fires here in Southern California, we are all, in the Northern Hemisphere, settling into a time of darkness.  

...The Goddess has gone to sleep and is in her Crone phase:  the time of old age, wisdom, introspection and retreat.


...We sometimes find that this period of time is the busiest of all:  Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season, Yule celebrations, decorations and feasts!     But the inescapable darkness is a reminder to us all that we are on a quest for our own spiritual growth and that means turning inward to experience the true range of our being.    We can use the darkness not only as a reminder to go within, but also, recognize that in so doing, we will not always face aspects of ourselves that we are willing to confront.  

...Facing that side of ourselves is the only way to ensure that it does not take over and emerge in ugly ways.  

...As we approach the festival of Light -- Yule -- we are reminded that in retreating into the darkness, we will re-emerge into the light, with greater awareness of ourselves and an expanded capacity for love of the world. 


It is for this reason that I feel tremendous kinship with our Christian brothers and sisters at this time of the year. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-08-21T03:29:01+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2bbdac1dd17cda24d72590025c7c37c8-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/2bbdac1dd17cda24d72590025c7c37c8-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Be it Known


Sage Moon Grove 

Honors the following Ravenwood members


On the occasion of their Initiation to the 


First Degree Priest(ess)hood:


Dawn, Amy, Vilandria, Selene and Zale


...Saturday, the 25th of August, 2007 


At Ravenwood Church
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Discord</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-08-12T03:28:14+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/e70b1ea7cb020af9d27f2898a24bfa38-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/e70b1ea7cb020af9d27f2898a24bfa38-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have heard from many groups, pagan and non-pagan, spiritual and mundane, that we are all at each other&rsquo;s throats.    Perhaps not literally, but all the conflict I hear about seems to have begun around Hallows and has been in crescendo since the summer. ...  They are playing the blame game and, though they are blessed with much, do nothing but complain about what they don&rsquo;t have.  

...I have noticed that more people than usual have frowns on their faces, and for those of us who work with groups, we&rsquo;re seeing white lies, manipulation , intrigue, &ldquo;stirring of the pot&rdquo;, and generally, if you examined people&rsquo;s expressions, they look like they have a large crustacean semi-permanently attached to their posteriors.   

...This law explains why dictators fall, why tyrants are ultimately victims of their own actions and why the blind pursuit of power and money ends in tragedy, war and oppression.  

...I believe that we are all experiencing this conflict and pettiness to prepare ourselves for greater things, to remind us that pettiness and internal conflict is nothing but smallness, to remind us that this kind of power-grabbing doesn&rsquo;t help and doesn&rsquo;t matter.  ...  If you are grabbing for power, you will be reminded at this time, that you have already lost it. 


...Ask yourself if what you want comes truly from love or from the fear of not having (see Witchcraft: Theory and Practice by Ly de Angeles).  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Initiations</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-08-03T03:25:48+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/f8f2917b03503ae2f6e4238e9846cbd7-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/f8f2917b03503ae2f6e4238e9846cbd7-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Sage Moon Grove


Congratulates the following Ravenwood Initiates


On the occasion of their Elevation to the


Second Degree and honors them as teachers and leaders of the Old Ways:


Lord Hrafn Sage Leon


...We also congratulate the following Initiates on their Initiation to the First Degree:


...Oswyn of Life Temple


These Initiations were witnessed by elders from Ravenwood, Life Temple, Sage Moon Grove, Myst of the Wildwood and The Sylvan Forest.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Blessings of the First Harvest</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-08-02T03:24:58+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/7aed8cecee41c5aba4e46e055a501fae-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/7aed8cecee41c5aba4e46e055a501fae-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is the sabbat of the harvest and of the willing sacrifice of the Corn King, the life force of the God who gives of himself to save his children.  ...  Most men are not willing to give their lives so that others may live.


...Yes, the archetype of the male savior who comes to &ldquo;free&rdquo; his children from death is found in many cultures.    It is an archetype because it communicates an underlying truth about our existence:  that we cannot have continuity of life without sacrifice.  

...&ldquo;But,&rdquo; you might ask, &rdquo;we should be celebrating the first harvest of grains, shouldn&rsquo;t we?&rdquo;    Yes, and we should also acknowledge with gratitude all the energy and life that went into what we consume to sustain us every day.    The best way to deal with the reality of death is to see it in its larger context:  life.    And we should give gratitude every day for life because for us to live, something must die. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Happy Beltane&#xa;Happy Beltane&#xa;Happy Beltane</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-05-01T03:24:01+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/61549935dd04b59a09fa16d78c6b66e7-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/61549935dd04b59a09fa16d78c6b66e7-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s opposite on the Wheel of  the Year  is Hallows&mdash;or Samhain (meaning &ldquo;summer&rsquo;s end&rdquo;) which is a time of endings.  


This sacred marriage stuff always causes questions, especially amongst those of us who are not purely heterosexual in our orientation.     It is critical to note, that, in my tradition, as is the case in many traditions that consider themselves Traditional Craft, the outward balance of male and female that we see in our rituals and mythologies are meant to underscore a much deeper truth than the union of Man and Woman.  


The great mystery here is that when we celebrate the Sacred Union, as in during the Great Rite, it is a reminder that we are here to discover what it means to see the Sacred Union within ourselves.     That is, we seek to understand the balance of masculine and feminine aspects of our nature, our Divine nature, which possesses both masculine and feminine aspects.


...We try to avoid looking outward for &ldquo;The Truth&rdquo; because we know that such a fundamentalist approach gets us and society into trouble.  ...  This is the wonderful thing about symbolism and mythology:  while they  may not be &ldquo;true&rdquo; in the factual sense, they communicate underlying deeper truth that is more profound, more pervasive, more enduring. 


Try to seek to see the deeper meaning of all the revelry, the flowers, and yes, even the sex, during this very special time of the year.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Summertime&#x2c; and the Livn&#x2019; Ain&#x2019;t Easy</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-06-22T03:04:12+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/4995182dc3df91ec219309c49d4e3049-3.html#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/4995182dc3df91ec219309c49d4e3049-3.html#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Our ancestors knew that once Beltane came and went, once the pinks and violets of the flowers melded into the lush greens of maturing crops, we could now sit back and rest a bit before the harvest.  

...And, while they wait, the Pacific Ocean, still clinging to the chill of winter, casts a gloomy steel-grey sky over the coastal towns, causing us all to sigh to ourselves and turn inward in a very winter-like way.  

...No, my friends, it is not all faeries and unicorns dancing in a springtime glade where it is 72 degrees and the sunlight is delicately dappled through the oak trees.    

...Just because it exists, doesn&rsquo;t mean we have to energize it or twist it or use it to augment our egos, which would just serve to injure ourselves.   

...Ch&ouml;gyam Trungpa Rimpoche, the Tibetan guru famous for bringing Buddhism to the West, stated &ldquo;On this path&hellip;there is no sense that we are going to be saved, that someone is going to keep an eye on us so that if we are just about to make a mistake, someone will fish us out.    If we had that sense, the journey would become a very sloppy one because we could afford to play around&hellip;so this journey has to be a very individual, very personal journey.&rdquo;  


His point, I think, is highly relevant for those of us in the Craft, we have to remember that our journey is our own, and we face our own dangers on the path.  

...It is a resting place, or a temporary refuge from all that so that we can gain perspective, perhaps, but not a hiding place.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Angels&#x2c; the Elementals</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-04-23T03:02:41+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/6254892828f259aa43f2a1f7b2615452-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/6254892828f259aa43f2a1f7b2615452-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The notion is truly wonderful:  beings who are dedicated to helping us in a loving, non-judgmental, pure way.  

...We welcome them as mysterious, but focused, beings of the Air, Fire, Water and Earth, representing those energies and protecting us with their power.    

...However, we of the Craft can actually learn something from the Christian and Hebraic traditions, or at least something from what they have become today.  ...  My mentor and teacher Lord Merlin once shared with me the notion that over time, the elementals become quite close to you and you start to see them as your close friends, even family.  

...We have to remember that one of the most basic mysteries we Wiccans seek to understand is the relationship of everything with everything else, that is, the idea that there is little to separate us from each other, from the Divine, from the Sacred Earth.  ...  And, angels or Elementals&mdash;call them what you will&mdash;will always be attracted to places and people who are open and have &ldquo;perfect love and perfect trust&rdquo; in their hearts.  

...In this vein, we must remember that the Elementals are inseparable from us, they are part of us.   In this way, we don&rsquo;t always have to think of having to &ldquo;call them to us&rdquo; or &ldquo;calling them in&rdquo; to our circles.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A Word About Magick</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-04-22T02:59:32+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/e190cbe054961fee54298a46ecab8478-1.html#unique-entry-id-1</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/e190cbe054961fee54298a46ecab8478-1.html#unique-entry-id-1</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As a second-degree priest of a Traditional coven (that is, one that relies on a tradition for its inspiration, teachings and rituals, not necessarily a &ldquo;conservative&rdquo; one), I have met numerous seekers who have walked past our Eastern Gate to enter our circle, many with vastly different notions of what magick really is. 


Vivian Crowley, in her erudite book, Wicca, refers to &ldquo;making magick,&rdquo; that is, influencing the outcomes of life events through the use of, ritual, objects and meditation, in short, affecting the macrocosm via the microcosm (by the way, you&rsquo;ll see magick spelled with a &ldquo;k&rdquo; in wiccan and pagan circles in order to distinguish it from the slight of hand of an entertainer who does card tricks, for example).    


...Without getting into a fierce theological (or thealogical) argument here, the link between personal responsibility and spiritual growth has to do with the notion that we are all, each and every one of us, divine.  ...  As my mentor, Lord Merlin, Elder High Priest of my coven, has reminded me on numerous occasions, &ldquo;our gods need us as much as we need them; that is why we do not kneel before them&rdquo;.  

...How it works is still a mystery, but there are things we can do with our own minds that would amaze you, if you chose to spend time to develop the discipline to be able to execute this rarified method of imparting change on your circumstances. 


...If you try to impart your ego on this process, in my experience, the Universe will at best, ignore your intent, but will acknowledge the ball that you&rsquo;ve thrown.  

...And, here&rsquo;s the thing:  the best way to change your environment, you will find, is to focus on changing yourself, for only then can you impart vibrations on the Cosmic Web that will bring about true change.  

...This is, by the way, one of the reasons why witches do not proselytize:  to do so would be to put the focus on the growth of others and undercut one&rsquo;s own ability to recognize where they themselves need to focus on their own growth.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What is New is Old Again.&#xa;</title><dc:creator>ajv@ridgeconsultinggroup.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Musings</dc:subject><dc:date>2007-04-16T02:56:23+01:00</dc:date><link>http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/fffc48483a20cbbfbe432cb36828a337-0.html#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://sagemoongrove.org/musings/files/fffc48483a20cbbfbe432cb36828a337-0.html#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This process turned out to be not only an opportunity to reconnect with him, but also with the rest of my extended family, almost all of whom live within one or two hours of my home in San Diego county.  


...In all the rush to attend, to connect with family whom I&rsquo;ve not seen in a long time, I forgot that I hadn&rsquo;t attended a Catholic mass since 1991, at my grandmother&rsquo;s funeral.


...And, as such, the challenge for many of us is to embrace other religions, and take an attitude of tolerance, even those that we felt let us down.  ...  Much as the Nazis usurped the swastika, it occurred to me one evening while watching a special on fundamentalist Christians, that in some ways Christianity was usurping and twisting the beautiful, rich symbolism of the cross.


...I almost felt like my still-practicing-Catholic family, who didn&rsquo;t have the benefit of distance that I had, was missing many of the deeper truths contained in this path.


...And, with a smile on my face, I noticed that a statue of Mary was in an alcove to the left of the priest, on the &ldquo;feminine&rdquo; side of the altar.  

...Many of us Wiccans feel the need to reject before we can get to that place of reconciling ourselves to Christianity or whatever the path of our parents may have been.  

...True followers of the Craft let go of the negativity that holds them back and they look for the truth in the old saying that &ldquo;there are many paths up the mountain.&rdquo;  ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
</rss>
