Looking to live your life in balance with nature? Want to live the life of a witch? Here’s a good way to get started! What makes a witch, a witch? How is Wicca involved and who are these pagans? Are you GLBTQIA+ or an ally? Step on the Queer Train because this blog is about to take off in 2021, taking trainloads of ‘baby witches’ – ‘curious seekers’ – ‘energetically aware’ – ‘sensitive souls’ – ‘healers, tarot readers, and psychics’ and anyone else that wants to just try it out. We are headed to a deeper way of living, a connected way of being more in-tune with the natural rhythms of nature. If you feel like you are different, strange, curious, sensitive, or seeking something much deeper – you found your connection! We will be exploring together, activating and connecting in online groups, learning in Zoom events, downloading documents, meeting practitioners of magick, and journeying into a year of magick! Although some things might cost money, Hollis will never turn ANYONE away for money. So step on, comment on the blog to let me know your reading this! I want to connect with all of you! What is burning in you right now?
Sign Up for the Queer Wheel of the Year!
Our First step is to Begin the Wheel of the Year, the witch’s calendar, or the Sabbats. The Wheel of the Year is a map of the seasonal holidays that originated in some folk traditions, especially Celtic and European traditions. Most of the modern-day witches, pagans, and Wiccans agree with this Wheel of the Year. We all recognize or celebrate in our own way, but generally, we agree that these holidays are at these times because of their astrological significance. There are some people that are very interested in the historical nature of this and you can certainly find plenty of that around online. Yet for this blog, we explore a more unique or eclectic perspective.
Most pagans, witches, and Wicca practitioners regard the wheel of the year as a way to get in tune with nature. This is how we can step into what it means to be ‘in the flow’. When getting in tune with nature some of us find ourselves more emotionally balanced, energetically aware, and feeling on our path. I think the most interesting discovery while being in tune with nature that I discovered was that gender variance exists naturally. I was comforted and euphoric as I found the in-between, the bridge building, and the androgynous energy in nature. Then as I began to tap into this nature, my life changed in ways I had never even dreamed of, in a good way! I became myself, in the truest way I have ever felt in my lifetime.
The best part about Wicca, witches, and pagans is that the rules are loose and often most of us just go with what feels good. There is not really a right way or wrong way to do things. Although there are some basic rules like ‘do what feels good in your gut’ and most of all ‘harm none, do as ye will’. There are some beliefs and practices that many of us participate in. Yet, if that practice or belief comes from a particular culture, it’s in good integrity to give that culture credit. Especially when talking about indigenous cultures and cultures we did not grow up in or have any blood connections to. I think because we are such a mix of humanity that many people are called to all kinds of paths, and sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what culture is in our bloodline. Whatever activities you might practice just be sure to have a sensitivity to other cultures especially people of color including indigenous cultures.
For me, I resonate with my queer ancestors more than my blood. I literally find that when we talk about our ancestors that mine are drag queens, transgender activists, and other gender-variant people that have been forgotten. I think it’s because I often feel invisible and unseen in our word as a gender variant person, therefore I have learned to vibrate with others on this same frequency. As a result, I find that my connections to ancestors are not in my bloodline but instead among the lost queer souls of the past. People that lived in between while they were alive and now protect those of us walking that path now. You can learn about tapping into these guardians in my ‘communicating with the dead’ series. Here’s the article honoring “Transgender Day of Remembrance“.
I became aware of the in-betweens simply by tapping into The Wheel of the Year. I hope to take you on that journey in this series with me. One of the awarenesses of the in-between came up as I realized that the wheel was made up of 2 Solstice, 2 Equinoxes, and the 4 Midpoints. As I began to explore Faery magick in my personal practice I learned that the fae is often aligned with the in-between, sunset and dawn is a great example. I became more interested in these midpoints as my personal journey around the Wheel of the Year repeated again and again. In my eclectic experience of celebrating, my most prized experiences have been in between. I realized that is likely because I resonate with this feeling, the in-between. I feel in between the binary myself personally. I identify politically as a non-binary transman but spiritually I identify as a Divine Androgyne. So when I explore the in-between, I usually find uniquely different energies or queer energies.
Sign Up for the Queer Wheel of the Year!
I have found it fascinating that many queer gay femmes presenting men are called faeries. I even celebrated with the Radical Faeries and learned tons! My big takeaway regarding the Wheel of the Year is simply that the in-betweens is where the fae reside. The vibration in nature feels queer, and often even fascinating. Dawn and Sunset are in-between Day and Night. Without Day and Night, we wouldn’t notice Dawn and Sunset. Just like the midpoints (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas) couldn’t exist without the Solstices & Equinoxes (Yule, Ostara, Litha, Mabon). Nature is always revealing the in-betweens and I love it when I find science articles about gender-variant animals.
I found that celebrating the Wheel of the Year, in my own way – honoring what felt right to me, helped me get in tune with the entire frequency of the Earth. I got connected to the moon cycles. I even found myself connected to the universe, the planets and stars, following astrology. I found myself living a magickal life without even realizing it. The more I lived my life this way the more I found myself walking the path that was intended for me. I have also come to understand that each and every one of us, has a unique path.
Walking our path, allowing the universe to show us the way, and walking in balance as best we can, are often values held by witches, Wiccans, and other pagans. We are really good at accepting diversity among us, we have had a lot of practice. There are so many different types of witches, many approaches, viewpoints, and ways to walk our path. Most of us work hard to master the art of diversity. Queer magick is not new to us, queers have been dancing circles with witches, pagans, and Wiccans for years. We have deities that remind us of the gender-bend and we love to celebrate at the in-betweens. Not all witches,Wiccans, and pagans are allies, but I would say that most intend to be.
The magick of the in-between is a magick gender variant people hold within them. This is where things shift, things transform, things change. This is where we honor the shift that has been building and release it into something new. There is an entire queer world inside the world of witches and I want to take you there! I want to show you that you are special, I want to show you that you are natural in the world. That when you stand in this vibration you are no longer the ‘odd one out’. If you’re an ally you know how sacred your gender-variant friends are, this will help you understand them even deeper and maybe find some within yourself. This journey will bring your vibration into something different if you follow the practices and suggestions in this blog. If you attend the rituals, even just a few of them. You will find yourself changed in one year and feel more in rhythm with the seasons, nature, and what it means to be a witch.
Sign Up for the Queer Wheel of the Year!
The Wheel of the Year begins at Samhain, the witch’s new year. Most of us come to understand, whether, through Tarot or Samhain, that death is also a time of rebirth. That with death, birth can emerge. Compost feeds the vegetable garden, this message is repeated in nature over and over. As I write this article we are in between Samhain and Yule. We are in between the start and beginning of the new year. The Year has just begun, step on to the Wheel of the Year and learn as you celebrate at home and/or with us at Divine Androgyne. If you choose to do this you will notice they are numbered and the entire series is meant to begin sometime in-between Nov. 1st and Dec. 21st on any year.
If you miss a holiday, don’t have time to reset your altar, or forget just accept that as part of your journey. This is not about perfection, this is about forming a practice. There were years I only celebrated one holiday, other years I would celebrate a couple, then several, and times I celebrated each one including the new and full moons. The idea is that you learn, over time, when you tune into nature your life is more in-flow. Yet as you’re walking this path you may need to step out of the flow for some lessons and then (please remember to) step back in. So just forgive yourself and try your best to return to your practice. You can choose to practice alone or with others, the idea is for you to get in tune with each holiday. You will likely first notice how they align with modern-day holidays, the larger culture celebrates in the northern hemisphere. A little note that people in the southern hemisphere of earth celebrate in a similar fashion but it’s the opposite, summer here is winter there. This blog will mostly stay in the northern hemisphere.
This Blog will offer timed guidance for the coming 2021. There will also be Live Online Events throughout the Year for you to join. I invite you to The Wheel of the Year Blog Series – Share with your friends!
To begin we must prepare for our journey. Don’t go out shopping at a local department store for cheap stuff. Instead, look around your house, buy things that feel good from resale sources, and buy handmade items. You won’t use all the things at once so having some boxes to store things is a great practice to keep you organized.
Supplies to start YOUR Wheel of the Year Journey!
- Altar or Small area that you can decorate, is private for you or your family/group and is seen every day.
- You will need table cloths for all the seasons, decorations, herbs, cauldrons, candles, bones if you like, crystals, or anything else that feels magickal to you.
- Honor your ancestors with pictures or items shared
- Get Creative, find/make yourself stuff that inspires you – stuff that feels good to your soul – Special Items, not clutter.
- Small tokens of Pride for queerness are most welcomed and celebrated
- Natural items like rocks, pinecones, plants, shells, water, and other natural items that you felt called to bring indoors.
- Reminders of faeries and in-betweens – notice the vibration of the item
- Cleaning Supplies safe for all your items and cleaning clothes