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As we do every year, Wild Onion Grove traveled to the Forest Home cemetary to perform our Samhain rite at the United Ancient Order of Druids monument. However, this Samhain we did something a little different. In addition to honoring our own ancestors, Gods, and nature spirits, we honored the lost peoples, the forgotten Godden, and the extinct species of our planet. We remembered the Passenger pigeon, the Dodo, the wolves that used to roam Europe and the Americas, the Stellar's Sea cow and many others. We remembered the lost and dying North America tribes, the Tocharian people of Mongolia, the lost and scattered peoples of Africa, and the ancient predesessors of Central and South America. We honored the Nunnehi and the Yunwee Chuns Dee, the not quite lost Immortals and Fay of the Cherokee, the forgotten Godden of the Norse, the Godden of the Tocharian, and many more. At the Beginning meditation as we mentallu traveled to the gates of the Otherworld, I not only visualized my ancestors but all the ancestors. I saw iron age peoples, stone age poeples, North Americans, Africans, Slaves, Warriors, Medieval, Victorian, WWII, everyone. This was not intentional, it just came with the meditation. As the rite progressed, geeses kept flying overhead (which i thought was rather Otherworldly) and as always, there was a sense of the ancestors around the circle. At one point, I got the distinct impression that someone was standing behind my left shoulder. It was not a bad feeling, it was definately one of my ancestors (I have no idea who though)but it was very strongly felt. Our sacrifice went well, the omen was good (Page of Cups, The Magician, The Heirophant) which I personally took to mean the Gods are pleased with Wild Onion Grove's renewed vigor and commitment to our path. We also performed the Unity rite as we did with Ravenswood Grove at the Autumnal Equinox. At the closing meditation as we left the ancestors at the gates of the Otherworld, i noticed something. All of the above mentioned ancestors were still there but somehow they looked stronger and happier . They stood taller as they bade me farewell and the most striking thing I notices was the ones that had been in chains at the beginning (like the slaves) were unchained and restored to their proper homes and status. Again this came to me without my influence, but it made me feel pretty good though. The rite ended as it began we exited the circle from the North, but we had one more task before we feasted. Someone had placed a silver dollar into the Unity cauldron in hopes that we could offer it to a running water source so we stopped at the bridge in the cemetary and offer it to the Des Plaines river. Then we feasted on homemade manicotti, chicken and chile enchalada casserole with fresh chiles from New Mexico, salad, garlic bread, cupcakes and homemade pumpkin pistachio cannoli. |
