A rare house cleansing

From time to time people ask me to do a house cleansing for them. Last week a friend called and asked me to do a cleansing at her friend's home. I always ask first what they want and/or expect me to do and why they want it. That way I can adapt the things I do in a way that feels right to them too. It's their home after all!

This was a family of 4 (mum, dad and 2 sons). They had a feeling there was something or someone in their home. Not frightening or scary, but they all had experienced some encounters. Our mutual friend had the same thing and after I cleansed her home it was over, so they asked me to help. I don't want too many details beforehand, so I can enter with an open mind.

This time I made a mix of white sage and palo santo for the smudging. While preparing the incense I explained what stuff I had brought and why. We started in the attic and made our way down. In the room next to the bathroom I felt the energy of an elderly woman roaming about and suddenly I got dizzy. In the bathroom her energy was stronger. I saw a glimpse of her in the mirror. She said sorry for the things she did to get the attention of the people living there. She gave me images of her touching the arm of the eldest son and opening cabinet doors. When I told the family this, they looked at each other and said that was exactly what had been happening. They knew it was an old woman because the younger son had seen her in the mirror too. The old lady once again said sorry. I felt her energy moving away, heard a sigh and saw something in the corner of my eye. The mother and one of her sons saw it too and they gasped in surprise. The former inhabitant was an older woman and she was found dead in the bathroom...

When I walked into the shed in the garden I felt happy at once. The energy was active and positive. It belonged to an older man (the husband of the old lady??). The shed was clearly his place and he spent a lot of time there. The mother of the family said they still used some of his stuff, his gardening tools and such. He told me they had to take care of his things and then I felt and saw his energy move away. So did the mother! Later on she remembered another strange thing that had happened in the shed.

Afterwards we talked about everything that had happened. It had been very special to them, but to me too! I often experience things while cleansing a house, but rarely as distinct and concrete as this time. I'm very thankful for this wonderful experience!

Breast cancer meme???

I have to get something off my chest... This week I got overloaded with requests to put a tiny heart ♥ on my Facebook wall. I am instructed to only send it to my female friends. The purpose: breast cancer awareness. We've seen earlier editions with posting the colour of your bra and other nonsense. I don't participate. Why not, you ask? Welll...

• First and foremost: breast cancer doesn't only affect women. Men can get it too! Read about it here. So why exclude men?


• Men have friends and relatives with breast cancer too, so if you want to raise awareness I ask you again: why exclude men?


• Awareness? Really? I can't see how that works. Everyone already knows it exists and that it's horrible. How can an annoying 'game' like this help? It doesn't give information, it doesn't educate people about breast cancer. 


• Have you ever thought how people with breast cancer look at it? I know people who have or had breast cancer (and knew some who died of it...) and most of them are against it, for different reasons. A survivor wrote this great post about it on her blog.

So... if you really want to help... Check yourself regularly. Donate to (or volunteer in) a cancer organisation. Raise money for cancer research. Support family and friends that are affected. Raise awareness by giving good information, share articles with substance. Or write one yourself like this woman did.
Thank you.

Walter / Charon

Walter 1927-2012

In the late nineties I started using the internet, on an old computer with dial-up connection and a piggy-bank next to it to put money in every time I made a connection. :) Anyway, one of the first words I put in a search engine was 'heks', the Dutch word for witch. It had been a lonely path up until then, but that was about to change! I found the WhiteshadoW-forum, the first and at that time only significant forum about witchcraft / paganism in The Netherlands (and Belgium). I plucked up courage and posted an introduction.

One of the first people to welcome me was Walter, nickname Charon (the ferryman across the Styx). We both became very regular posters and got to know each other on the forum and by e-mail. He was old (70+) and had a lot of experience, in life and several religions. His life story reads like a novel and he had so many interesting stories to tell... We met each other a few times on forum meetings. In witchcraft we have the term 'crone' for an old and wise woman. I don't know whether there's a similar male term, but Walter would be one!

Over the years Walter and I have always stayed in contact in one way or another. On forums, by mail, social media, etc. He couldn't come to meetings anymore because of his health and the distance (he lived near Antwerp). Three years ago Ron and I were planning a vacation in Lier, not too far from Antwerp. I asked Walter whether he would like it if we paid him and Fatima a visit. He happily accepted and we had a lovely afternoon together. Walter and Fatima were excellent hosts and made us feel very welcome. Fatima spoiled us with delicious food and Walter with more great stories! Unfortunately we had forgotten our camera, such a pity...

Walter with his book

Years before, Walter had started to write down his 'memoires', stories about his life. I had proofread the first edition of his autobiography in 2005, but due to circumstances it lasted several years before it finally became a real book. Not too long after our visit I got an e-mail and within a few days I received the book "Van Monnik tot Heks". I can definitely recommend it to Dutch readers. Walter himself wrote this about it: "I wanted to be a monk but I became a witch. Incomprehensible! And now I have written down every step I took. As a child I never could have imagened the life I lived and if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't know how. I have had a beautiful life, seventy five years full of experiences. Times have changed, but I've enjoyed every bit of the path taken because everything I have discovered had its own fascinating beauty. I have met people who made my life difficult and people I loved. They were all with me. When I was young I heard a voice, actually a song written by a Carthusian monk:
Somewhere a voice is calling, calling to me 
Somewhere a heart is dreaming, dreaming of me.
Those words, that's my life, the search for that great desire. "

Last week, May 27, Walter passed away to go to the Summerland. We knew it was coming, but it was a shock nevertheless. Reactions flooded the forums and social media. Walter knew so many people and even more knew him. Yesterday he was buried in private (just family and close friends). Because lots of others wanted to do something for him too, a wonderful friend adapted a ritual Walter had written for this purpose. So yesterday evening all around The Netherlands and Belgium people performed this ritual for Walter, and for Fatima. At that time I was at a full moon ceremony, but I spoke about him (roughly what I'm writing above) and we commemorated him in a special way. It felt good and somehow I felt the energy of all the people doing the ritual for Walter.

Rest in peace, my friend...

Pedigree

Pedigree?? Noooo, not the dog food, hahaha! My family tree...
I've taken up an old hobby, that I once started but never followed through: genealogy! A few years ago I downloaded MyHeritage, free genealogy software.

Lately I've been digging around the WWW. I'm trying to go back in time with both my family line (Van der Heijden and Slotemaker) and Ron's (Van Leeuwen and Verdikt).
I found out someone had already done the research for the Slotemaker family (my mother's family). I imported it in my files and shared some new info from our branch.

(click on the pic to visit the Slotemaker website)

Luckily a lot of archives are accessible online these days. That makes things a lot easier. First I added what I knew myself, then asked family members around me. The Van der Heijden family had been researched already and I got copies. I found the Verdikt family through 'smart matches', a very handy feature of the MyHeritage software. Facebook, Google, specialized genealogy websites and tips & tricks from people who are more experienced in this help me to get further, step by step.

Above is a print-screen image of the MyHeritage software. This is the main part, the tree itself. It is easy to work with, but I haven't discovered all of its possibilities yet. Practice makes perfect. Genealogy is sooooo addictive! Before I realize it I've spent hours searching, digging, asking, etc. And it's never done; there's always more to explore and find out!
If you want to take a look at the "Van Leeuwen - Van der Heijden Stamboom", follow this link.

Hot

This week the weather in The Netherlands changed from variable and unstable (rain, storm, too cold for this time of year) to very hot and muggy. I'm not very fond of high temperatures (to put it mildly...), but a sudden overturn makes it even worse... Bleh! It isn't a heatwave yet (over here that's 5 days in a row more than 25°C), but because of the high humidity it was quite uncomfortable.

 

10°C=50°F --- 20°C=68°F --- 30°C=86°F

Don't get me wrong, I love sunny weather! Although I have sun allergy and a very sensitive skin, I enjoy the sun. Nature is beautiful, walking around in a t-shirt... I like it! However, above 22-24°C it's too much for me. I can stand cold much much better than heat. Therefore summer is my least favourite season. I know, I'm weird. :)
These are my two best friends in surviving these days: 

It's not unbearable and of course I'll survive, haha! In a few days the temperatures are expected to decrease again. I don't mind, but I hope we'll have a better summer than last year (more like autumn with lots of rain, storm and very low temperatures). The appeal of my country is the tangible difference between the seasons and I like that a lot. The national hobby of the Dutch people is complaining about the weather no matter how it is. Well, I just did. :) End rant!

Landvættir walk

Yesterday Ron and I went for a walk with a little group of people in a part of the "Noordhollands Duinreservaat", one of the largest national parks in The Netherlands (7000+ hectare). It stretches along the coast of North Holland from Wijk aan Zee to Bergen aan Zee (see map). We started in Castricum.

Organiser Michiel guided us through the beautiful landscape. He first told us about the 'landvættir', literally 'land wights' or spirits of the land (Genius Loci). They protect and promote the flourishing of the specific places where they live, which can be as small as a rock or a corner of a field, or as large as a section of a country.

To honour them we did a little ritual at the beginning of our walk. Michiel led us into a visualisation to meet the spirits of the land. I met some of the tree spirits, rowan and oak. It felt very powerful and warm.

The weather forecast wasn't great beforehand, but we had great walking weather. Just a little rain, a bit of sunshine and very nice temperature. We have walked for more than 4 hours with some stops along the way.

Although this national park is not very far from my 'own' dunes in IJmuiden, the landscape was very different. Or perhaps it just felt different, I can't really explain it. But beautiful it was!

Happy Birthday, Maia!

Today is Maia's 5th birthday. Wow, I can't believe how fast that goes... She is the youngest cat, and stayed quite little compared to her feline sisters here. If you've been with me on this blog for a while you have seen her before. Let me share a few of the earlier posts about her with you.

Meet... Maia!
first post about her

Thursday Thirteen #53 - Maia
Maia shares 13 pics and facts

Cats On Tuesday #1 - Maia is tired
cute pics of a sleepy kitten

and of course some extra pics...

 

Mother's Day

I think of you, a little extra today

6th Mother's Day without you

I miss you so much

I send you my love and

I remember you, mom...

Always!

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If you still have your mom... please cherish her! Forgive her, love her, even with all her vices - like she loves you with all of yours... Because when she's gone for good, you don't want to have any regrets!

I have no regrets; I've talked and shared everything I wanted with my mom. She forgave me (the gods know I haven't always been the easy one...) and thanked me for all I've done for her. She wasn't always easy to deal with too and I've grumbled a lot, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She knew she could always count on me and that was mutual. I wish we had had more time together...

You, Me & Religion

Last week Debra of You, Me & Religion contacted me to see whether I was interested to participate in her blog by answering some questions about religion. I didn't know her blog, so I first went over there to read. It explores different religions and belief systems, in an effort to promote understanding between faiths and to learn from one another. To that end, people with different religious backgrounds answer a list of questions. Very interesting!

My interview will be posted on You, Me & Religion at the end of June. I'll give you my answers here, but don't forget to visit the original blog to see the other interviews!

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1) What religion do you practice? 
I’m an eclectic witch. I practice witchcraft, also called The Old Religion or The Craft, a pagan religion. There is not one true definition of a witch. There are different ways and traditions within witchcraft, with a lot of similarities but also a lot of differences. The things I tell you in this post are MY answers and not in any way valid for every witch, although a lot is common among witches.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting? 
I was raised a roman catholic, but I always felt some things differently and missed certain aspects. I found them when I encountered witchcraft. Witches don’t convert anyone, most of us are either raised within paganism or discovered it ourselves. If someone is really interested in my path I’ll always try to answer their questions to the best of my ability.

3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance? 
Difficult to say… I don’t feel this really applies to witchcraft. There are people that call themselves witches although they rarely do something ‘active’ with it (celebrate festivals, do magic,, etc.). Some groups or solitary witches never miss a sabbat and/or full moon, others celebrate only a few. All good imho.

4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I didn’t choose a certain degree. Witchcraft has a place in my life, is part of my life. I always pay attention to the sabbats, the moon, etc. but the degree of activity varies. During my time in a traditional coven we celebrated almost every sabbat, had lessons, workshops, meetings, etc. Now I’m free to do what I want. Sometimes I do things on my own, sometimes with a group of people. I do workshops, study, meditate, read, do practical things (like divination, working with herbs) and so much more. There isn’t a day in my life that goes by without something ‘witchy’.

5) What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept) 
Most witches call the afterlife the Summerland. Hell is an invention of christianity, I don’t believe in that concept of punishment.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why? 
Everyone goes to the Summerland. In my opinion that isn’t ‘heaven for pagans’ or something. By everyone I mean everyone: people of all religions but also all other living beings. We just give our afterlife different names. Otherwise we would never see our christian, jewish, etc. family and friends ever again!

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you? 
When I found witchcraft, it felt like coming home. I believe in a Goddess and a God, both equally important. Balance is necessary, or at the least it’s a personal goal. Witchcraft is a nature-based religion. It makes me feel good and matches my general ideas and views. There’s always more to learn. Sometimes it can be a challenge, but I happily accept that. I truly believe this is the right path for me.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them? 
I celebrate 8 sabbats or solar festivals, that are closely connected to nature. They are called Yule (Winter solstice), Imbolc, Ostara (Spring equinox), Beltane. Litha (Summer solstice), Lughnasadh, Mabon (Autumn equinox) and Samhain. All have their own celebrations, symbols, etc. I celebrate lunar festivals too: full moon, dark moon, etc. The phases of the moon have influence on all of us. Some things are better done at the waxing moon, other things need a waning moon.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends? 
Of course! Why not? As long as there is mutual respect regarding faith I see no problem with that.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why? 
Yes, I like to learn about other faiths and have respect for them. If someone wants to share their celebration with me, I’m honoured. It has to be clear though that I don’t have to be ‘saved’ and I’m not there to be converted. I think some people should be more open-minded, a lot of misconceptions and judgments about other religions are based on ignorance and lack of education about them. I have read bibles, koran, tora and other holy books / texts to educate myself. It’s okay to agree to disagree, respect and be respected…

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law? 
When a muslim woman has freely chosen to wear the burka I have no problem with it, but if she is forced or obliged to wear it I see it as a symbol of oppression and to me that is never good. Regarding shariah law… Well, unfortunately every faith has its extremists and fundamentalists that abuse it and (mis)interpret holy texts for their own good. In my opinion state and religion should be strictly separated.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, imam etc.) in your religion and how do you feel about it? 
Yes, both men and women are allowed to do that. It’s one of the things that appealed to me in witchcraft. In some ways the HPs (High Priestess) is considered more important than the HP (High Priest), but men are not discriminated in the way women are in certain other religions. To me men and women are equal though not the same. I like a mixed group. There are also groups of only men or only women though.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel? 
Do you mean whether men and women are kept separate in worship? No, and I’m glad they are not! My place of worship is preferably outdoors in nature but a circle can be cast anywhere, inside or out.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc? 
Witchcraft is a way of life. I’m always a witch like I’m always a woman. I can’t switch it off. It is part of my daily life including my decisions.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion? 
I wouldn’t mind as long as he/she is happy with it. Everyone has a right to choose their own path.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell? 
Hell and satan are christian concepts I don’t believe in.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not? 
People in the public domain are not too keen to ‘get out of the broom closet’. Unfortunately there are still a lot of misconceptions about witches.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain. 
No. I’ve always been open about what I do and believe in. Sometimes people don’t (want to) understand it, and/or make fun of it, but hate… luckily not!

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you? 
Perhaps it does to others, but that’s their problem, their ignorance. I don’t value people according to their path/faith. If a person feels less because of his/her religion it’s probably not the right path for them, but I believe in free will so it’s their mistake to make…

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind? 
Yes, it certainly does.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes, I believe in an afterlife and reincarnation. Why? Good question… I just do! I have seen past lives in regression, but I don’t need proof.

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Supermoon

Yesterday the full moon was special. Well, it always is, but it was a supermoon or perigee full moon. A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon (or a new moon) with the closest approach the moon makes to the earth on its elliptical orbit. Full moon at perigee is 12 to 15% larger and brighter than an average full moon. That has effect on the tides on earth and often people feel the difference too. I'm a full moon child and feel best around that phase, although dark moon has its appeal too as every phase does... It might be explained by the fact that the moon was full at my birth. To check what moon you were born under check this site. What it says about you can be found here and here.

Ron and I attended a full moon celebration with friends, outside on the top of a dune. We welcomed a special guest from Australia and had a wonderful ritual. We talked about this moon and her symbols. It was also lunar Beltane, so fire was all around! Ron made fire with a magnesium-stick, his knife and some tinder he found on the way up the dune. We passed around a big torch on a long stick and shared stories about our relationship with fire. I've always had an ambivalent relation with fire: appealing and scary at the same time.

I shared a very personal story in the circle. I burned something to say goodbye and give closure to a certain period on my path. I asked the fire to transform the feelings of sadness, disappointment and anger into new opportunities and add to the positive feelings I already have about this. It's the circle of life. Death and rebirth. Farewells and new beginnings... I felt free and relieved while I watched the items burn up completely.
After a guided meditation and the cake & wine we opened the circle. Time for some music around the campfire with drums, tom-toms, djembe, rattle and didgeridoo. Wow...

About half an hour before midnight the moon finally showed herself. The sky was clear with just some clouds floating by. We welcomed her and enjoyed the sight. After goodbyes we all went our ways. The moon accompanied us home, but somewhat later she disappeared in an overcast sky.
It was a great and magical night!

Health

Although I have my own medical complaints I don't dwell on my health daily. We should be (more) thankful for it though. Sometimes it's hard when we are faced with the reality of how fragile one's health can be...
In February I got a call from a dear friend's mother. She told me her daughter Kitty had had a stroke, a cerebral infarct. She had been unconscious for 3 weeks, paralyzed completely on the right side, kidney failure, liver damage and more... I was confused, or rather flabbergasted... She is my age, just a few weeks older, so it hit hard!

When we first visited her that afternoon she was in a nursing home. The average age was 75+ there, but she had to stay there because she needed dialysis. She was slowly getting a bit better, had some feeling in her right side, could speak again (though difficult). The situation made us cry together, but we also laughed a lot.

After a few weeks she was transferred to Heliomare, a health rehabilitation centre in Wijk aan Zee. That was a much better place for her, where she got all kinds of therapy. Every time we visited she had made big steps, real progression! She was walking again, and moving / using her arm a lot better. She shows so much strength and determination... I have deep respect for her, and also for her parents who keep supporting her daily anyway they can.

Last week I sent her another card, promising to come by this week. Wednesday she called us to say she was with her parents for a visit. Ron was stunned when Kitty called, another great step! Yesterday evening we drove to Heliomare for the visit. She had wonderful news: she is going home at the end of this month! She has already been home for weekends, first with her parents and later alone. She can walk the stairs to her bed and help herself around the house. Wow!! I'm so glad for her.

When we first visited her, we joked that she and I would be linedancing again this year. I had my doubts about it, but now I say: who knows? She wants to visit our linedance club so we'll contact the instructor and see what's possible. When she shows so much will to persevere we will do whatever we can to help!

Beltane

Beltane Blessings to you!

(and Samhain blessings to my friends in the Southern hemisphere)

Beltane is a Celtic word meaning 'fires of Bel' (Bel was a Celtic deity). It is one of the four major sabbats (solar festivals), which lie on the cross-quarters between the Solstices and the Equinoxes. The last of three fertility festivals, it is a celebration of the union of God and Goddess. It is a time to seek blessings of fertility and prosperity, and love is in the air.

The Maypole is a phallic symbol, and as such represents fertility. Men and women dance around it while weaving the ribbons around the pole to bring fertility and good luck.
The Beltane Fire is another significant part of the celebration. It has purifying qualities which cleanse and revitalise. People leap over the Beltane fire to bring good fortune, fertility (of mind, body and spirit) and happiness through the coming year.

Bless, O threefold true and bountiful, 

 Myself, my spouse, my children. 

Bless everything within my dwelling and in my possession, 

Bless the kine and crops, the flocks and corn, 

From Samhain Eve to Beltane Eve, 

With goodly progress and gentle blessing, 

From sea to sea, and every river mouth, 

 From wave to wave, and base of waterfall. 

 Be the Maiden, Mother, and Crone, 

Taking possession of all to me belonging. 

Be the Horned God, the Wild Spirit of the Forest, 

Protecting me in truth and honor. 

Satisfy my soul and shield my loved ones, 

 Blessing every thing and every one, 

All my land and my surroundings. 

Great gods who create and bring life to all, 

I ask for your blessings on this day of fire.

(short adaptation of Am Beannachadh Bealltain (The Beltane Blessing) )

Oops...

Oops, I did it again... I haven't posted anything new for ages. I still read all your blogs in my Google reader, leave a comment from time to time, but somehow didn't post much myself. There are reasons, personal and other. Someone (don't remember who, when or where) blamed Facebook for being a blog-killer. I don't agree fully, but I must admit it takes time away from blogging. I still think a blog has another and/or added value, so I want to breathe new life into mine! I'll just start anew. :) If you have any questions, suggestions or requests about me, my blog or anything else... just let me know!

For now I'd like to share some pics with you... Click on the pic above the story to visit the album.


Last month Ron and I got tickets for a Re-enactment Weekend on Forteiland, a fortified island at the mouth of the harbour in IJmuiden. Lots of re-enactors were portraying German troops, French resistance, Dutch soldiers  etc. from (mainly) WWII. We enjoyed ourselves very much and made a lot of pictures.



Just like last year we took Arwen (& Foofur) to the Berner Sennen Beach Meeting in Noordwijk. This time 79 Bernese Mountain-dogs, 5 other dogs and 146 people came together and walked along the beach. Such a magnificent sight! Again we made lots of pics and 2 short video's.

Finally winter!

Up until a few days ago this winter wasn't really worth the name. At times it was more like fall and a week ago spring seemed to come far too early. That's not my kind of winter. I'm a winter girl and I want freezing weather, preferably with snow! This last week the temperatures dropped significantly and today it was announced we're having an official cold wave. Yay! Of course a lot of people started to complain, the Dutch are very good at that... *sigh*. You won't hear me complaining, I love it! Friday snow was added to the beautiful winter picture. First we had to go to a funeral; quite the experience, snowstorm on the cemetery... Afterwards we got the dogs and drove to the park to have some fun. Arwen was in her element and Foofur liked it too, although his belly touched the snow. :) 

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The weather fit perfectly for Imbolc! The feast of Brighid, a festival of the hearth and home, and a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring. Spring is stirring just beneath the snow, but clearly on its way...
Thursday I celebrated Imbolc with the coven. Yesterday Ron and I attended another Imbolc gathering in Eindhoven.

(and Lammas blessings to my friends in the Southern hemisphere)

Merlin Sythove 1955-2012

On January 3rd of this new year Merlin Sythove passed to the Summerlands after he lost the battle with cancer. Although he wasn't a close friend, I'm glad our paths have crossed more than once. I'll miss him. He was a wise man who shared his knowledge happily and freely. We didn't always agree, but always agreed to disagree with mutual respect.

He was an important man for wicca in The Netherlands. In his last days his family, friends, acquaintances and others gathered together on his Facebook-page and on his Silver Circle forum, united in our sorrow. Numerous candles were lit around the world, healing sent, thoughts shared, etc. Even then (and still...) he brought people together.

Last Saturday we celebrated his life in an impressive and moving ceremony. Lots of people came together, dressed in medieval or appropriate fantasy style as was his wish. My heartfelt condolences go out to the people close to him. He'll be missed by many. Thank you for everything, Merlin. May you rest in peace. Until we meet again!

• Merlin Sythove, witch extraordinaire - In Memoriam (Wiccan Rede Online)
• Merlin's Archive - a collection of articles, mostly written by Merlin Sythove. Often published in Wiccan Rede, sometimes written by others and / or published in other journals or web sites.
• Merlin about himself (in Dutch, but you can click the translate button for English, German or French)
• Silver Circle - Center for The Old Religion, founded in 1979

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Elegy For a Dead Witch

by Doreen Valiente

To think that you are gone, over the crest of the hills, 

As the Moon passed from her fullness, riding the sky, 

 And the White Mare took you with her. 

 To think that we will wait another life 

 To drink the wine from the horns and leap the fire. 

 Farewell from this world, but not from the Circle. 

 That place that is between the worlds 

 Shall hold return in due time. Nothing is lost. 

 The half of a fruit from the tree of Avalon 

 Shall be our reminder, among the fallen leaves 

 This life treads underfoot. Let the rain weep. 

 Waken in sunlight from the Realms of Sleep.

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