Deaf Pagan Crossroads

Back in 2001, I led a Mabon ritual to celebrate the Fall Equinox, which occurs around the 21st of September. This was barely two weeks after the horrors of September 11th, and the group was still reeling from the shock of those incidents. We included in our ritual a special candle-light ceremony not too different from the healing ritual I posted earlier. We went around the circle, and each of us offered up our thoughts and prayers… either silently or expressed in voice and/or sign.

One of the ritual attendees was a young woman named Cailleach, who wrote the following poem to share. She gave me a copy of it afterwards, and I have kept it in my Book of Shadows ever since. I came across it last night as I was looking for words to comfort me in the aftermath of the shootings at Virginia Tech.

I think it’s just as relevant now as it was then… perhaps it will bring you the same sense of hope and healing as it did for me.

Blessings,

~ Ocean

Spirits of Earth and Humanity

I want to describe to you what I’ve seen

yet no words can do

I’m sure you’ve heard our cries

as you live through us as we through you

After my reaction of shock and horror,

hearing no replies to my question “WHY?”

I became filled with white hot rage

at those responsible for these actions

I wanted to destroy

Then a cold realization came over me

I was thinking like them

I have become one of them

A sense of remorse entered me

for I saw the cycle of violence

How can I walk away from this?

Everyone has their own beliefs

Some are with such strong unwavering convictions and beliefs

Some Mormons believe it’s okay to marry their young neice

Some Southerners believe that segregation should still exist

Some Christians believe in discrimination based on

gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnic background

Some believe it’s okay to kill

Having beliefs is one thing

but acting out on your beliefs is another thing

For this is my creed ~

You are judged not by what you believe

You are judged by how you treat others

People – you and I – are entitled to our beliefs

It is okay to hate

Hate is a natural emotion

it shows we are human

it is part of who we are

But we should not act out on those feelings

we cannot afford to have this emotion consume us

For it brings out the worst in us

and in humanity

For some, this hate becomes irrational

and destroys

For what reasons they choose

A popular cheerleader killed by a plain ordinary classmate

A couple of teenage boys on a rampage in a school library

A woman stabbed several times by her ex-husband

Thousands of innocent lives taken away by the

Flying Swords of Death

Grappling with reasoning for this horrific action

trying to understand and yet

not wanting to put myself in their place

How can I walk away from this?

I am comforted by the thought

What goes around comes around

What once was the sword of death

now becomes

The Sword of Justice

It is my hope that the bearers of this sword

do not lose sight of the humanity it beholds

and use it wisely

Maybe Justice won’t come from mortal beings

Where in the rolling fields of the great plains

and the lush green forest

the cries of humanity fall silently

Then by the Heavens and the Underworld

the Stars and the Moon

the Sun

and the beautiful blue planet we call home

Amid the madness and chaos so fleeting

Justice Will Prevail

And we will say again

if anyone asks us

“How are you doing?”

The reply will be

“I am doing just fine”

For I know

the Spirit of Humanity

is strong in us all

So Mote It Be.