Deaf Pagan Crossroads

Last night, along with my friends Fyre and Moonrose, I participated in Earth Hour – the global event in which for an hour millions of people all around the world turned off their electricity and various gadgets as a way of showing support for protecting our natural resources and preserving our planet.

I suppose it’s hardly surprising that the three of us would do such a thing – after all, we are all Pagans, and as such practice an earth-based spirituality. Besides, we burn candles on a regular basis in our homes anyway!

I actually began Earth Hour a bit early in my own apartment, turning off both the lights and all the gadgets… including my computer, television, videophone, etc. I even turned off my electric heat and put on a sweater. I then lit my pyramid candelabra, which holds thirteen votives, and sat quietly in the candlelight, having a little private conversation with the Goddess and discussing my life. I won’t tell you what the Lady told me – like I said, it was private. Suffice to say, She gave me some good advice… as always.

Then I headed over to my neighbors Fyre and Moonrose, to hold our evening Earth Hour “ritual” at their apartment. Like me, they had all their lights and gadgets off, and candles burning all over. I seriously recommend that any Pagan seeking to earn a couple of extra dollars consider buying stock in the Great American Candle Company – I’ve never known any Pagan who didn’t have a considerable hoard of “wax lightbulbs” in their magickal cabinet. Fyre and Moonrose had nineteen candles burning all around the place – eighteen in the living room/kitchen area, and an additional candle in the bathroom; which comes in handy for making sure you plant your butt in the right place… or giving a guy sufficient light to aim by.

I brought over my own little addition to add to the flame collection – while I wasn’t about to drag my candelabra over to their place, I did bring my little metal lantern, which has cut-outs in it in the shapes of moons, stars, and shining suns. With a tea light burning inside, it casts really neat shadows all over the walls…

I also brought Minerva, my sacred drum. Since we had turned off all the gadgets, there was no stereo playing or songs from Napster. Instead I supplied a little “meditation music” with Minerva’s help, guiding us through our own personal trance journeys through the movements of my hands and fingers as they tapped out a rhythmic beat on the goatskin head of the drum. Sometimes it was slow and soft, other times it was fast and loud – I play as the Spirit moves me.

As the minutes ticked by, we sat and contemplated on what we were doing… how we were contributing to making a difference. I asked if in fact Earth Hour would really have an impact. Fyre responded with saying that he believed it would – that at the very least, it would get people thinking… get people recognizing the importance of preserving our resources and protecting our planet. By joining with millions of others around the world, we are sending out a message – it’s time to get our act together and start doing something now, before it’s too late.

As I was drumming, the words of the Star Goddess came to mind…

I am the beauty of the green earth…

collage by L’imperatrice Nocturne

But the Earth is going to stay neither green nor beautiful if we don’t start taking care of it. We all have our part to play. We all need to be responsible patrons.

This we know: The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth… The earth is our mother. What befalls the earth befalls all the sons and daughters of the earth… All things are connected like the blood that unites us. We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

Chief Seattle