Welcome Traveler

We greet you with open palm and invite you to sit by our fire, share of our food, and drink of our spring. The green song of the woods surrounds you here, rest a while, and let us swap tales of our journeys.

The laughter of a sunlit spring dances over our sacred grove, bright and jewel like the water runs, the cool glimmer of deeper places beckon. Nature and her spirits are awakened here, listened to, and honored.

In this space we foster and share of the Old Ways, the path of our Celtic Ancestors. With each step, each breath, we strive to be in harmony with the greenwood, to honor her cycles, and learn all that she has to teach.

For all of our kith and kin

Pagan Families

Families are becoming much more common at pagan festivals.  The climate of growing acceptance for diverse religious practices is bringing about a New Age,  one where we are free to practice the Old Religion be it from an Traditional Celtic Pagan perspective, or one of the modern eclectic pagan off-shoots such as Wicca or Druidism.

What some will ask, is it good to involve their children in the practice (what will the neighbors, school, friends of my children and their parent’s think?), and if so, when do you?  Of course this is a somewhat personal question for each pagan parent, but my thinking is that paganism is first and foremost about respect for nature and the cycles, respect for and empowering of oneself, and appreciation for the diversity of community.  Such values are fundamental, and should be encouraged.  I know this degree of openness can be a burden on young children when sorrounded by intolerance, but the reality is, sometimes each of us must step outside of the crowd and be leaders.  Sometimes being a leader is about being honest with others about who you are, what you believe, and why it has value.  Will some challenge this, certainly, but that part in all seeking to honor the ancestors and connect with the natural world will overcome preconceived bias with time.  We all walk the same path, some just need to yet open their eyes and take in the beauty to be had on this journey.

There are many websites dedicated to pagan families, and some suggest praticing simple chants with children, employing brightly colored altars (for Wiccans and others eclectics who use them), providng pagan children’s books, pagan storytelling, and pagan coloring books.  The important thing with paganism, as with any faith/religion, is to provide the information in an atmosphere of love, fun, and acceptance.  Explain why it has value to you, illustrate to them why the Earth needs to be cherished, and they’ll understand.

There is of course the potential that those who view paganism as immoral, or worse, will seek to demonize the parent who is “out” about their spiritual beliefs.  It is important to note that there are laws in place to protect your rights (the First Amendment for one), and if pagan families are going to thrive then we each need to bravely face what opposition may be, and overcome it

Paganism is a beautiful pratice, and one that should not live in the shadows.  Children are the blessings of the All Mother and All Father, and should be encouraged to dance in the light, to sing, to smile, to chant, and to be without fear or reservation.

Preparing the Altar

The altar in Wicca is a cermonial and a sacred place - it is used both for individual and group rituals and as a means of connecting to and honoring the gods and elements.

The magickal tools represent the elements. Candle and wand for Fire, incense and athame (dagger) for Air, chalice for Water, and pentacle for Earth. In addition to the tools, some like to include things from nature that represent the elements. Some possibilities are: a red stone or lava rock for Fire; a feather or flowers for Air; a seashell or bowl of water for Water; a pine cone or herbs for Earth.

The incense and athame are placed on the east side of the altar, candle and wand on the south side, chalice on the west side, pentacle on the north side. The left side is for tools sacred to the Goddess (chalice, bell, pentacle, cauldron) and the right is for tools sacred to the God (incense, dagger, candle, wand).

The altar cloth really can be made of whatever material you like and color or pattern you like. Plain colored cloths seem to work the best for most occasions. Black is a popular choice. You could use colors that correspond to your interests or specialties in the Craft, such as a green cloth if you’re interested in herbal magick, or purple for religion and spirituality. Patterned cloths are nice for Sabbats.

The altar stands in the middle of the circle, and is set to face either north for the Goddess and the Earth, or east, the place of fresh beginnings, where the Sun and Moon rise.

Pagan Festivals and Fun

Pagan festivals are great fun – one will typically find costumes and revelery, ritual, crafts, drumming and chants, body art and face-painting, fire dancing, belly dancing, live music and more.  Pagans are certainly an eclectic group, so above all expect diversity.

Each pagan group’s event gatherings will be different per the style of the group and the intended purpose of the event itself.  If you are new to paganism, and the event is Wiccan, it may be helpful for you and your family to learn some about Wicca, and the history/purpose of the Sabbat/Esbat festival the event is celebrating. 

Paganism at its core is about connecting with community, both the community of man, and the greater community of all that exists in the natural world, so don’t forget to hug a tree, and say “thanks for being there!”.

Above all, just have fun.